I love to scout players, but it also comes with an absolute love of college hockey. On the weekends you will find me with my computer scouting players with a college hockey game on the TV in the background at all times. From the fan atmosphere (my trip to Yost last year is still the top hockey game experience I’ve ever had), the pace and flow of the game, to the rivalries that have developed: there’s no greater hockey experience outside your favorite team winning a playoff game.
I took a look at the six draft eligible players in the NCAA the past two weeks. Tracking one game each and flipping around to catch bits and pieces of the rest of their games the past two weekends. There are some early thoughts.
James Hagens, C, Boston College
What I liked: I thought Hagens continues to be one of the smarter players in this year’s draft. His off-puck game continues to be a strength and his ability to read plays as they develop has translated to the faster, more physical play in the NCAA. Boston College started their season on the road against a top 10 team in Michigan State for a two game series, which didn’t exactly ease Hagens into his college career. He played well in the game I tracked and didn’t look out of place. He generated 5 even strength shot attempts, was involved in 50% of his line’s offensive transitions, and played well off the puck as the second line pivot. He centered Teddy Stiga and Andre Gasseau, perhaps a shift from the expectations that he was going to immediately supplant Will Smith on the top line between Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard although they pulled Hagens up to the first line when they were down a goal in the third.
What gave me pause: Hagens doesn’t have top-end north/south speed and Michigan State was able to get on top of him in the neutral zone. While he was involved in 50% of his line’s successful offensive transitions, he did so at just a 59% success rate. They pressured him often at the blue lines and he struggled to find lanes to puck handle by or to hit teammates exiting/entering the zone. Michigan State is very physical and Hagens struggled to make plays on the inside, with just three of his shot attempts coming from dangerous areas and just 13% of his passes going there as well. His skill level is clearly above average and his anticipation to make a play is high-end, however he lacked a clear ability to be able to make a play at will throughout the series with Michigan State.
Final thoughts: I went into the last two weekends expecting Hagens to separate himself from Michael Misa as the clear #1 prospect coming out of North America, and I have left the viewings having more questions than answers. Right now, and I don’t mean for this to be a hot take, I have Misa ahead of Hagens on my initial rankings. I’m not big on point production, but his point production is right on par with where Celebrini was last year through three games. However, the one big difference between Celebrini/Fantilli and Hagens is (and probably will be) the point differential between themselves and their nearest teammate. I find it hard to believe that Hagens will have the 15 point differential that Celebrini had at BU with Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard on the team. Perhaps, eventually, Hagens begins to center the top line and supplants Oskar Jellvik as the center between Perreault and Leonard. Or perhaps Hagens blows away the competition at the World Juniors. But going into November, I would say that the 1st overall pick is up for grabs.
Cullen Potter, C, Arizona State
What I like: Potter has dynamic skating and play creativity that pops off the screen. Even against a powerhouse team like Michigan, Potter put the defense on their heels every time he touched the puck. Once he got a little space in the neutral zone he could fly through the zone and puck handle through the defense with somewhat ease. He took nearly a third of his team’s shot attempts at even strength with all of them coming from dangerous areas, sent 21% of his passes to dangerous areas of the ice, and was involved in 41% of his teams offensive transitions with a 71% success rate. He backchecks hard, and is tenacious as a smaller player in suffocating space and forcing turnovers. He has a wicked wrist shot, and attempts some of the more creative passing plays I’ve seen from this year’s draft class.
What gives me pause: Potter plays the game at 100 miles an hour, and at the beginning of the game he was trying to think the game a bit too fast which led to some unwarranted turnovers or trying to create plays that weren’t there. From immediately getting a turnover and trying to turn around and hit a homerun on a stretch pass, to trying to do too much with the puck on his stick and ignoring simple plays that would’ve been dangerous shot attempts to try to create something himself, he displayed a lot of high-end tools without the high-end processing it takes to generate scoring changes as a playmaker. He settled into his game in the backend of the first period and throughout the rest of the game though. Against Providence, in the limited times I saw him play over this past weekend, he was still creating chances against a very structured defensive team.
Final thoughts: Potter has cemented himself inside my top 15 for this year. It will be difficult to move him past that point. Currently he’s sitting outside the Misa/Hagens/Martone tier, but is in the second tier of players that I have labeled as top 15 picks. There hasn’t been a player in North America that has showcased an ability to break open a game like him so far, but he’s going to have to demonstrate that he can slow his mental processing down to make optimal plays for him to drive up the rankings.
Logan Hensler, RHD, Wisconsin
What I like: Hensler was the best carry-out offensive transition player I tracked in the NCAA the last two weeks. He’s aggressive taking the puck up the ice and, as Wisconsin was struggling throughout the weekend with Lindenwood, Hensler seemed to take it upon himself to try to jump start a struggling Wisconsin offense. I thought he was very good defensively. He has an active stick at the blue line and isn’t afraid to drive players to boards to physically take them out of their rush lane and battles hard down low to dig out pucks to start transition. He was the most involved defensemen in transition, being involved in 46% of Wisconsin’s successful transitions, and was always looking for a way to try to contribute offensively. Unfortunately, Wisconsin plays a pretty conservative system so there were not many activation strategies used for Hensler to drive deep into the zone on the offensive end.
What gives me pause: Hensler carrying the puck out of the zone on his stick was impressive, Hensler trying to complete a pass for a defensive exit was a major struggle, especially against such a lackluster opponent in Lindenwood. He’s last in the defensemen dataset in offensive transition success percentage, with almost all of them being turnovers due to his defensive exits. He passes the puck well with space, but struggles under pressure to find optimal plays as, once again, he’s sitting last in the dataset for defensemen in passing completion percentage.
Final thoughts: Similar to Hagens, I dropped Hensler down in the rankings after tracking a Lindenwood game and watching the Ohio State game. Wisconsin, as a team, is a hot mess to start this year. They lost a significant part of their roster and are trying to gel multiple pieces together to begin the year under Mike Hastings’ famously defensive system. They have a big weekend coming up with two games against the defending National Champions University of Denver. As the year progresses I want to see Hensler have more of a plan when completing his passes and trying to generate the offensive breakout.
Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen, LHD, Michigan
What I like: He’s the smartest puck mover I’ve seen in the draft class thus far. He completed over 86% of his passes, and 3 of the 4 passes he didn’t complete were scheduled dump-ins based off a line-change or off a draw just outside the offensive zone. In the offensive zone he’s quick to move a puck to the slot for a dangerous chance and doesn’t think first to just shoot into traffic from the point, and I love his off-puck defensive game. He mitigates transition not by suffocating the puck as it hits the blue line, but rather by taking away the breakout/entry passing options to force players to find another option that would not be their primary passing option.
What gives me pause: I have long held the philosophy that I don’t draft defensemen in the first round unless they have powerplay potential or are a lengthy, shutdown defender with great transition ability. Rheaume-Mullen played just over 11 minutes of total ice time against Arizona State and saw no power play time. His skating isn’t a strength, and he gives up considerable space at the blue line on entries for players to be able to gain control in the offensive zone. He mitigates the latter point by forcing players into the corners and then pressuring the offensive player to try to cycle or go back to the point. His one-on-one with Cullen Potter was noteworthy as he didn’t allow Potter to turn the corner on him and the backchecking forward was able to then separate Potter from the puck on his turn back to the outside.
Final Thoughts: I love so much about Rheaume-Mullen’s game, but I don’t know if I see the offensive upside to justify a first round grade on him at the moment. He currently sits as my first player in the second round, but as the year goes on I’m hopeful he’ll earn more ice time to see his ranking rise. The addition of Tim Rovell from the transfer portal boxed him out of a PP2 role behind Ethan Edwards, but his ability to quarterback the backend at even strength, thus far, could see him earn some PP time as the year goes on.
Sascha Boudmedienne, LHD, Boston University
What I like: In a similar vein to Rheaume-Mullen, I really liked how well he was able to generate transition through smart passes in the neutral zone. They were both almost identical in transition involvement percentage and success rate. Boudmedienne had a bit more offensive flair to his game at even strength by looking to move into open ice to take his shot and activating down the wall to thread a couple passes into dangerous areas of the ice. He made some nice defensive plays down low given his size to box out defenders to win board battles and his skating looked at an NHL pace with very good edge work.
What gives me pause: He tries to make difficult passes when attempting offensive zone exits and too often tries to thread passes to forwards who weren’t going to be able to make a play even if they were able to receive the pass in the neutral zone. He’s a smart passer, but his aggressiveness in transition did cause a few turnovers that came back the other way on him. Defensively I thought he was good, but I would like to see him use his mobility a bit more on the blue line to stop plays earlier. His off-puck defensive game could use some refinement as well as he played a very traditional role and didn’t read the plays that were developing in front of him fast enough to be able to counteract what UConn was trying to do for an entry/exit.
Final thoughts: Similar to Rheaume-Mullen, Boudmedienne is currently boxed out of any power play time by the players in front of him. Having Wallinder and Cole Hutson playing in front of him is going to limit his opportunity to generate points. I do think Boudmedienne has earned a similar status as Rheaume-Mullen in terms of ranking, and both (to me) are candidates for D+1 breakout seasons when their ice time on the PP is increased.
Shane Vansaghi, C/W, Michigan State
Shane played 9 minutes of ice time against Boston College in a checking line role. He could carry the puck out for an offensive exit but struggled with offensive entries. He completed just 40% of his passes and both shot attempts were long-distance shots meant to draw a rebound. He is super physical and hits anything that comes across his path, but in terms of draft stock, I would say he’s sitting somewhere in the mid-late rounds if you’re looking for a player who could play as a physical, F1 forechecker on your 4th line.
Three Players I’m Fawning Over
Lynden Lakovic, LW,Moose Jaw
The most fluid skater in North America and does it at 6’4 as well. While he plays with Brayden Yager on a line, Lakovic is driving a lot of play himself and is not necessarily sitting as a passenger in transition or the offensive zone. He had a 50% shot share for his line in the game I tracked to go along with completing 82% of his passes, a 53% offensive transition involvement at a 95(!)% success rate. He has so much skill and speed as well as a great wrist shot from dangerous areas. He’s firmly planted inside my top 10 right now with even more room to improve. He drives a lot of his own offense from the inside, but once he starts driving his passing in the zone from facilitating the cycle/to the point and more to creating chances in the dangerous areas of the ice his point numbers could skyrocket even more than they are now.
Carter Bear, LW, Everett
I talk about players that endear themselves to me through always making the right play and playing hard on both ends of the ice, and no one has done that more in the past two weeks than Carter Bear. A tenacious forechecker and aggressive suffocator of space, he has played well off of Julius Miettinen to form a lethal even strength line. He plays with great pace and above average skill as well. He generated a 20% shot share, completed 81% of his passes with 38(!)% going to dangerous parts of the ice and was involved in 37% of his team’s offensive transitions at a 71% success rate. In the game I tracked that equated to 3 even strength points. He’s sitting within my top 15 with room to move into the top 10.
Cameron Reid, LHD, Kitchener
Just an absolute eraser on the blue line in transition. Saginaw avoided him at all costs when trying to enter the zone because his stick and physicality took away almost any chance of successfully gaining the zone. Coupled with his great mobility and smart puck moving skills, I became an instant fan of Reid. He’s a bit smaller as he’s listed at 5’11 (he looks to be at least 6’0 when I watch him play though), but his defensive game has been outstanding to start the year. He’s also smart in his activations from the blue line, cutting backdoor off a faceoff for a one-time goal in the game I tracked. As the year goes on I’d like to see him get a little bit more involved in the offensive transition game as he deferred the exit/entry to his forwards, and he was a bit too risky in his passing decisions, but overall he’s been one of my favorite defenders to start the year in North America.
Random Thoughts
Jett Lajoie is a player I’m struggling with putting together his production stats and microstat profile. He plays a power forward style game but at 5’11 without a lot of pace. I didn’t see a lot of skill in the neutral zone and struggled at offensive zone entries, but once he was in the zone he was a shooting machine with a 70% shot share. I tend to stay away from players in archetype to the late 2nd round at least, but he’s one I will be keeping a close eye on throughout the year.
David Holub doesn’t have great mobility and doesn’t defend the blue line well, but is an excellent passer in transition, activates well in the offensive zone, and makes smart plays that lead to offensive chances. The skill doesn’t line up with the microstats, but could see him as an early day 2 pick in the draft.
Two players I liked watching but have to let the year play out to really figure out what I want to do with them are Jonas Woo and Jack Nesbitt. Woo is incredibly small and plays small in the defensive zone. However, he was incredible at offensive transitions and made high-end plays to complete passes in transition. There’s offensive potential, but his lack of a defensive game and size makes him a risky gamble for any NHL team taking him. Nesbitt was overshadowed by an ‘08 forward on his line, but I really like his defensive game, size, and he makes some smart passes in the offensive zone. He was a low volume shooter so if he gets a bit more aggressive in the offensive zone with his size I’ll be interested to see what he looks like at the end of the year.
Matteo Nobert is smooth in his playmaking. Makes some really nice passes and has good skill and thinks the game very well. He was a rollercoaster in the offensive zone with his lack of engagement, and his lack of intensity and average mobility made him a non-factor in the defensive zone.
Henry Brzustewicz is a conundrum. In the offensive zone he is consistently looking to make things happen. He is second in the defensemen dataset in shot attempts, completed 80% of his passes, and is involved in 35% of his team’s offensive transitions. However, he made some very bad mistakes in the defensive zone for a 6’2 defender. I don’t think he goes as early as his brother, but I also think there’s a bit more mobility to his game.
I have a lot of time for Bill Zonnon. He plays a very traditional power forward role as he took all of his shot attempts from high danger areas, was a low volume passer but 27% of them went to dangerous areas of the ice, was involved in 37% of his team’s offensive transitions at a 77% success rate. His skating is a concern and he isn’t able to separate from players with the puck on his stick and too often players were able to get around his forecheck with their mobility.
The first player that I have on my “oh who was that!” that I didn’t track is Xavier Label. He’s super involved in all facets of the offensive game, and he tries a lot of difficult plays. While he fails at them more often than not, he was a player that was off my radar who caught my eye more than once while scouting another player. Look forward to digging into his game a bit more.
As we build up to the first ranking for Smaht (which will most likely be in early-mid November) and then the first scouting reports which usually drop around the World Juniors in December; I thought I’d offer some bi-weekly scouting ramblings about North American players I’ve watched, some thoughts on where my brain is at, and some general observations about the North American draft class.
Will anyone from North America challenge James Hagens for #1?
I could give a wishy-washy answer here and say that it’s too early to make that determination, but from what I’ve seen so far I don’t see a player in this draft who will be able to drive a line offensively like Hagens in this class in North America. However, I do think three players will be in the mix going into initial rankings.
Porter Martone has started the year off putting up gaudy numbers for the Brampton Steelheads in the OHL to the tune of 5 goals and 13 points in his first 5 contests. Digging into his games I find a very physically mature and skilled front-seat passenger who thrives as the second fiddle on the line behind Carson Rehkopf. In the one game in which I hand-tracked some of his stats he was very efficient and involved in offensive transition, and facilitated play well in the offensive zone with a few nice passes to dangerous areas. He only had one shot 5v5 in the game, but he was active in generating chances in the offensive cycle and played a very physical and defensively responsible game.
If you are pounding the table for Roger McQueen then I assume you see the flashes of high-end skill with his size and are salivating over the type of player he may become as he develops over the next 3-5 years. I find myself a bit more hesitant to jump on the bandwagon at the start of this season. While there were definitely moments where I was impressed (his ability to use puck skill and a lateral crossover to swing past a defender with his length and the fluidity of how quick he can take a puck off the boards and swing it out front with his length and skill stick out to me the most), I find myself a bit underwhelmed when I went digging under the hood at his game. He attempted just one shot at even strength in my viewing, sent only 14% of his passes to dangerous areas of the ice as a lower volume passer, and was involved in just 18% of his team’s offensive transitions at a 63% success rate. It’s a couple viewings and one game tracked, but his offensive involvement at even strength will need to pick up for me to want to push him inside my own top 5 in June.
My personal favorite to push Hagens in North America has been Michael Misa. His jaw-dropping skill in my two viewings is backed up with across the board impressive microstat data. One of the leading shot generators so far in the dataset is coupled with almost all of them coming from dangerous parts of the ice. He’s a high-volume passer who facilitates 29% of them to dangerous areas, and is involved in 40% of his team’s offensive transitions with an absurd 86% success rate. When the eye test matches the dataset then you’ve got my attention. I feel like the assists will begin to accumulate as he’s not a one-trick pony with his shot, and as the year goes on he may be the one who can challenge for the number 1 spot.
Matthew Schaefer had a fantastic Hlinka but unfortunately is out to start the OHL year with mono. His trajectory from the hype of the Hlinka could’ve seen him push into this discussion. Malcolm Spence has had an up-and-down start and is one of the older prospects in this class. I don’t think he ends up being discussed in this conversation as the year goes on, but he was a player I had my eye on from scouting him over the summer.
Three Players I find myself fawning over
Cole Reschny, C, Victoria (WHL)
I have an extreme bias to players like Reschny. He’s a two-way center who is consistently involved in all areas of the ice, making the right plays almost every time, and facilitating play through the neutral zone and in the offensive zone at 5v5. At 5’10, I’ve seen multiple occasions where he’ll use his body to separate players from the puck on the boards and in open ice, and then turn around to spearhead an offensive chance going the other way. There’s a reason why Victoria is off to such a hot start and Reschny is a large part of it.
Not only does he do the little things that catch my eye on the periphery when scouting a Victoria game, but the game I tracked validated his effectiveness. Over 38% of his passes went to dangerous areas at even strength, was involved in 62% of the offensive transitions, and generated three points against the opposing team’s top line. If he were just a hair faster in his north/south speed, I would venture to guess he would be entering consensus conversations for a top 7 pick in this year’s draft. He’s firmly planted there for me right now, and I hope he’s able to continue to develop as the year goes on.
Jackson Smith, LHD, Tri-City (WHL)
I didn’t have Jackson Smith on my radar as a potential high pick to start the year, but
after watching a game against Victoria I was utterly impressed. His 6’3 frame combined with his skating, puck skill, and ability to manipulate defenders to move into areas of the ice has impressed me. He doesn’t have the Lane Hutson puck-skill/deceptiveness nor is he an overly physical defender, but what he does do is combine quick twitch movements at a high pace that put defenders on edge and he’s able to move sticks to thread passes at even strength and the power play. His gaps have been really good in my two viewings and he’s active in defending the front of the net.
After Matthew Schaefer, he’s been the most impressive defensemen I’ve watched this year. In a draft class that, so far, hasn’t had many defensemen in North America grade out too well in the early going; Smith could see his name called very early if his early season development and production continue.
Cullen Potter, LW, Arizona State (NCAA)
I can't believe we're scouting 07's next year. It's been wild this past 4 days to see some of the kids I've know from around the rinks in Buffalo at Hlinka camp. Knowing they'll be in the USHL and it's their draft year makes me feel so damn old.
I’m sorry, but I’ve been fawning over Cullen Potter for the past two years and all he did in his opening weekend against Air Force is show that he is still the dynamic and fun winger that he was last year on the NTDP and before that on the Dallas Stars 16u AAA team. Very few players in North America possess his ability to break open a game in transition with his speed, and even fewer have the puck-skill and audacity to try to create the plays he attempts. It was the opening weekend against a weak Air Force team, but I imagine he’s going to turn some heads when he plays against Michigan this weekend.
Random Thoughts Through the First Couple Weeks of the 2025 NHL Draft Season
I went into the USHL season expecting to be gushing about Gavin Cornforth and Ben Kevan, but it’s been a pair of Madison Capitals that have really caught my attention. Mason Moe is a fluid, big pivot who has shown a great two-way game with skill and the ability to get inside to get his shot off. Ryker Lee is just fun. With the puck on his stick he’s able to make high-end plays, but without the finishing execution that will take his game to another level. I would be surprised if either landed in our initial top 32, but I could see one or both making the case by the end of the year.
Cam Schmidt is the definition of fun. One of the best skaters I’ve seen this year and isn’t afraid to play on the inside of the ice, Schmidt was impressive in my only viewing of him this year. There were things that gave me a slight pause: he could throw errant passes at inopportune times, didn’t really look to pass to dangerous areas but rather try to take the puck himself there every time, and had a lower offensive transition success percentage than I would’ve liked to see from a smaller, puck dominant player. However, the tools are all there and it was one game. I expect him to become one of my favorites as the year goes on.
Justin Carbonneau didn’t do much when it comes to passing the puck, but that boy sure knows how to get to dangerous areas of the ice to rip shots. If he can round out his offensive game he’ll be a fun one to track through the year. Adam Benak sent a ridiculous 45% of his passes to dangerous parts of the ice in his first game I tracked. His speed and skill is so much fun to watch, and as his USHL season goes along I think he may be able to convince NHL teams to take a swing on him earlier than his height would expect. I’ve got plenty of time for Ty Coupland and Nathan Behm. Both players were pleasant surprises when I tracked him, and both have areas in their game that I want to see improved before I feel confident on where I’d place them in an initial ranking. Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen was one of the most consistent defenders during Michigan’s opening weekend. His ability move pucks up the ice with control continues to be one of my favorite traits of his, and his transition to the NCAA was smooth. With Ethan Edwards and graduate transfer Tim Lovell on the roster, I don’t think Rheaume-Mullen will earn much power play time, but I do think he has more offensive ability than will get showcased during his draft eligible year.
Below you will find the rankings and a high level summary on each player.
#1 – Macklin Celebrini – Center – Boston University
I feel confident that Celebrini will eventually be a top line asset at the NHL level. The production will come quickly with his shot and his acceleration. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching him leverage his acceleration to get himself into quality shooting lanes. Not only is it working well at full strength, but it is even more lethal when on the power play. His ability to identify and quick take advantage of tight passing lanes to the slot will net him quite a number of assists at the next level. Defensively, he is responsible and quite sound. (Josh Tessler)
#2 – Ivan Demidov – Right Wing – SKA St. Petersburg
The most dynamic, fun, and exciting player in the draft, Demidov just oozes skill and creativity in every facet of his game. The way he’s able to slow the game down and weave around defences—sometimes a bit too much—is mesmerising; his small area skill is really impressive, and the creativity and quickness that he brings makes him an electrifying player to watch. In my eyes, he’s still a strong contender for first overall, and he’s remained my personal #1 all year; the dynamic skill that he has could make him a uniquely talented player in the NHL, and the prospect of where that could take him is so exciting to me. The questions with Demidov largely come down to translatability, consistency, and decision-making. It’s hard to say how his game will translate to smaller ice, higher pace / intensity, and tougher competition, given his skating limitations and tendency to slow down and do too much; which makes a more easily projectable player like Celebrini difficult to pass up. But I have a lot of faith in the skill and the mind that Demidov has to figure it all out, and I fully believe he’s going to be an incredible NHL player, surpassing even my expectations. For me, after #1, it’s a no-brainer. (Gray Matter)
#3 – Berkly Catton – Forward – Spokane
Catton blends nifty edgework with high-end skill alongside a surgical approach to dissecting opposing teams’ defensive structures. His microstat profile is aburd through two games. He’s averaging five dangerous shots a game, completing 75% of his passes with 29% going to dangerous areas of the ice, and is involved in a ridiculous 58% of all offensive transitions for Spokane with a 94%(!!!) success rate. Outside of Bedard, he’s the best WHL player I’ve tracked in three years. (Austin Garret)
#4 – Artyom Levshunov – Right Handed Defenseman – Michigan State University
The Michigan State defenseman has been intriguing from an offensive standpoint. He loves jumping into the rush and pinching up with and without the puck. He will look to position himself in the high slot and pepper shots on net. Levshunov has collected quite a few assists at 5v5 as a result of generating rebounds for his teammates at the crease. Defensively, Levshunov’s positioning can be spotty at times. Since he likes to pinch up and play up in the offensive zone, there are shifts in which he finds himself slightly out of position and struggles to get back into position. When Levshunov is in position and ready to defend, he isn’t always assertive and I’d like to see Levshunov work on being more assertive when looking to shut down the attack. (Josh Tessler)
#5 – Cayden Lindstrom – Forward – Medicine Hat
Cayden Lindstrom continues to remain one of the most intriguing prospects in this draft with his combination of size, speed, and skills giving him the upside of a top-six contributor at the NHL level. Despite not having played since December, his film up until then remains incredibly impressive. When I watch him play, all I can think is POWER. Everything he does is so powerful, from his stride to his shot. He leverages his size and skill to great effect in the offensive zone where he is frequently a threat to score from everywhere or find an open teammate when he pulls multiple defenders into his space. His forechecking ability remains one of the best in this draft and he is a capable defender with the physical tools to continue to improve in this area. He may slip in the draft due to his injuries but should he make a complete recovery, he could prove to be one of the best players in this class. (Chris Ford)
#6 – Zeev Buium – Left Handed Defenseman – University of Denver
Zeev Buium is the most well-rounded defenseman in the 2024 NHL Draft class. In the offensive zone, Buium is a great quarterback from the point. He will shift across the point and pinch up with the puck in an effort to identify and utilize a passing lane to the slot. Defensively, Buium does a good job of positioning himself in front of the attack to take away skating lanes. When moving the puck up the ice, if he is slightly further back behind his teammates he’ll opt to pass forward to them. (Josh Tessler)
#7 – Tij Iginla – Forward – Kelowna
Tij Iginla can be very tenacious in his pursuit of the puck in the offensive zone. Iginla looks to pray on the vulnerable and does a great job of stick lifting and poke checking to cause disruption in puck possession. Iginla does well at feathering passes in tight and does a good job with puck security when being pursued by multiple attackers at close proximity. He’s got a good shot especially from range. But, should he be leading the rush he’ll love to attempt wrap-around shots. Iginla has second line upside and could be deployed at center or wing without losing a step. (Josh Tessler)
#8 – Zayne Parekh – Right Handed Defenseman – Saginaw
Zayne Parekh is one of the better puck moving defensemen in the 2024 NHL Draft class. He loves to take advantage of tight passing lanes when on the rush and pressure intensifies. Parekh will complete outlet and stretch passes underneath the stick of the attacker with ease. When off puck but his team has possession of the puck, Parekh loves to jump into the rush and provide his teammates with a passing option up ice. In the offensive zone, when pinching up he loves to change up his pace to throw off attackers and buy separation so he can net enough space to get a pass off to the interior. Defensively, his positioning has been solid, but he isn’t an overly assertive defenseman. (Josh Tessler)
#9 – Sam Dickinson – Left Handed Defenseman – London
Dickinson is likely to be one of the first defenders off the board come draft day in June. He has a pro-favoured frame at 6ft3 and 194 lbs, and uses it incredibly effectively in both ends of the ice. If it weren’t for 2023 1st round pick Oliver Bonk (PHI) taking PP time, I think we would perceive Dickinson’s offensive capabilities differently, and project him out a bit differently. In the defensive zone, he nips plays in the bud, and accelerates the transition game with quick up passes. Skating is a strength, and there is no glaring weakness directionally. He can go all four directions well, with good agility to re position when needed. (Ben Jordan)
#10 – Liam Greentree – Right Wing – Windsor
Liam Greentree, a draft-eligible captain in the CHL, shone on a weak Windsor Spitfires team, scoring 90 points in 64 games. Known for his blend of power and finesse, he thrives under pressure, using his physicality to create plays. Greentree excels in puck handling, passing, and shooting, making him a constant offensive threat. He skillfully navigates through defenders with clever moves and strategic delays, positioning himself as one of the top distributors in his draft class. While his playmaking stands out, he’s also a proficient scorer. However, his skating is a key area for improvement, lacking agility and speed, which could hinder his top-six potential. Despite this, his playing style effectively compensates, making him a solid third-line player with the upside to grow into a top-six role if his skating improves. Greentree’s mix of classic power and modern playmaking sets him apart. With enhanced skating, he could become a highly effective top-six winger in the NHL. (Chris Ford)
#11 – Nikita Artamonov – Left Wing – Nizhny Novgorod
When draft day comes the chatter about Nikita Artamonov is likely to include “this guy came out of no-where this year”. But make no mistake, the Nizhnekamsk native has been one of the best three Russian forwards amongst his age-group for the last couple of years. This year however? He has taken a giant leap, and is playing at a level in the KHL that very few draft eligibles ever achieve. 23 points in 54 games is preposterous, with Michkov, Tarasenko and Panarin the only players in the KHL’s 15 year history to do better P/GP wise. Artamonov belies the outdated stereotype of the skilled, Russian winger who only plays in the offensive zone. He is an energiser bunny. Voracious on the fore-check, diligent in the defensive zone, with an active stick that constantly disrupts lanes. Furthermore, while no-one would mistake him for a physical player, he is more than happy to go to the corners or net-front. However, he is not just an “energy” player. He is a great skater and a fantastic passer, alongside this his ability to get free ice in the offensive zone is exceptional. The downsides? He is not the most “creative” player, his hands are quite average and he could use his solid shot more than he does. Nevertheless, Artamonov has the potential to be a 70+ point, two-way winger in the NHL if he keeps developing. (Alex Appleyard)
#12 – Cole Eiserman – Left Wing – USNTDP
Eiserman is constantly making an impact each shift he is out there for. In the offensive zone, he is a good forechecker, will fight for pucks down low and in the corners. Eiserman will rely on his reach to stick lift attackers and force a disruption in oppositional puck possession. He has good puck manipulation and will use it to draw in attackers and then quickly pass underneath the stick to an open teammate. Eiserman has an excellent shot especially from range. He does play with a bit of a physical edge in all three zones. If he isn’t the one shutting down play, he isn’t far behind and will scoop up pucks below the red line. When in transition, if Eiserman is driving the puck up ice, he does struggle to get separation around attackers. Eiserman projects to be a top six goal scorer, who won’t always push play up ice, but will provide his linemates with someone who fights hard for pucks and will be a threat with his shot. (Josh Tessler)
#13 – Trevor Connelly – Forward – Tri-City
Trevor Connelly does a good job of not forcing the puck into danger and will pivot away from pressure to get the separation that he needs to complete a pass to the interior. But, if he doesn’t have a great passing option to the interior and yet sees that his teammate does have a passing lane to the low slot from behind the net, Connelly will pass the puck along the boards to get the puck into the hands of the teammate behind the net. When driving the cycle to find a lane to the slot, he does a good job of navigating the puck around pressure with his reach and great handling. He will work the puck along the boards and scan for passing lanes to get the puck to an open teammate in the slot. If he has the puck and a teammate is close by with an attacker looking on, he will delay, draw the attacker to him and then pass to his teammate who is now open with a clear lane to the crease. When in transition, if he faces pressure once he gets the puck in the neutral zone, he’ll re-group and find another lane into the offensive zone. (Josh Tessler)
#14 – Michael Brandsegg-Nygård – Right Wing – Mora
There has never been a Norwegian who has gone in the first round. The highest a Norweigan has been picked was Marius Holtet, who went 42nd overall in 2002. Next summer Michael Brandsegg-Nygård will change that. The Oslo native has everything to be a top NHLer. Brandsegg-Nygård, no matter how much you watch, has no major issues. The things that make him stand out? His release is fantastic, he gets the puck off crisply, quickly, and with a high level of accuracy even if it is away from his body or in his feet. His hockey IQ is impressive, he is virtually never out of position and seemingly knows where everyone is on ice at all times. He is also a legitimate power-forward, who likes to throw his weight around and get to the net-front. On the boards he regularly dominates men 15 years his senior. Defensively he is also impressive, with an active stick and the ability to win most 1-v-1 battles. While he has no “holes” he does have a few things to improve upon to reach his potential. His skating is solid, but will need to get more explosive. Additionally, while his vision is fantastic, he does not always connect on pass attempts, and will likely never be a high-end play-maker. But make no mistake, he has the potential to be one of the premier two-way wingers in the NHL. (Alex Appleyard)
The 2024 NHL draft does not have an abundance of Centers with clear 1C upside, but Helenius is certainly on that short list. Last year the Finn put himself in the conversation as a potential top five pick, with 11 points in 33 Liiga games at just 16 years old. This year he has advanced that conversation further. 36 points in 51 games, while playing Center in one of the world’s best five pro leagues? That should probably be turning more heads than it has. Since 1990 Olli Jokinen (by coincidence Helenius’s current coach), Mikhail Granlund, Alex Barkov, Patrik Laine and Kaapo Kakko are the only five draft eligibles who have produced at 0.70 P/GP in Liiga. 4/5 went top three, and 4/5 have become consistent 65+ point NHL players, with Kakko still having a chance to make it 5/5. Helenius’s game is built around his high IQ, which he uses to dictate play. He is a fantastic transition player and drives play as a result. His passing is crisp, accurate and deceptive, and while he might primarily be a play-maker he has a good shot, especially his one-timer from the left half-wall on the power-play. He is not the fastest, but is extremely shifty and agile. Helenius also has an exceptional compete level, and is more than solid defensively. Once he matures physically he certainly has the potential to be a legitimate 1C in the NHL, albeit many teams might move him to wing. (Alex Appleyard)
#16 – Adam Jiricek – Right Handed Defenseman – Plzen
Adam Jiricek is one of the stronger defensive defensemen in this class. When defending against the rush, he communicates well with his forwards to explain where he needs the support prior to crossing into the defensive zone. He implements extremely good positioning to shut down passing and shooting lanes to the interior. Jiricek does a great job of re-adjusting his positioning when defending against multiple attackers to shut down potential one-timers. When behind the red line and along the boards, he plays with a physical edge and will look to pokecheck. Jiricek’s floor seems to be a top four defensemen, but with more and more refinement he could potentially be a top two defensemen. (Josh Tessler)
#17 – Alfons Freij – Left Handed Defenseman – Växjö
For the first time in a long time, there is a real possibility that we don’t see any Swedes drafted in the first round in 2024. That being said, Swedish defenseman Alfons Freij possesses many traits and attributes that give him a shot at hearing his name called on day 1 and still make him a very intriguing prospect for any organization. His two best and most projectable traits are his skating and puck moving ability, and they often go hand-in-hand. Freij is an incredibly mobile defenseman who oozes confidence with the puck on his stick. He often will take the puck from behind his own net and carry it up ice into the offensive zone to create scoring chances. Always with his head up, he also makes a fantastic first pass when it’s a better option than keeping it for himself. He’s a dual threat in the offensive zone as well, capable of creating passing lanes to distribute while also possessing a great shot. Freij is not afraid to take risks with the puck, and those risks don’t always pan out. At times he will turn the puck over and gift odd man rushes to the opposition. He’ll need to learn to be a bit more selective with his playmaking in order to excel at the next level. Another aspect of his game that will need to improve as he develops is his in zone defense. His skating prowess makes him a capable rush defender, however at times he can get caught out of position chasing pucks once the opposition has established possession. That said, his foundational tools and willingness to experiment with them give him serious potential. (SpokedZ)
#18 – Michael Hage – Center – Chicago
Hage is a two-way forward with excellent distribution, good reach and provides tight pressure in his own zone. His reach and handling allow him to navigate around pressure with ease when driving the puck up ice. In transition, he will look to pass off of the boards if he runs into too much pressure and he has spotted an open teammate further up in the neutral zone. Hage has excellent speed and can push pace to be the driver on a middle six line in the NHL. (Josh Tessler)
#19 – Anton Silayev – Left Handed Defenseman – Nizhny Novgorod
Anton Silayev is a defensive defenseman who has measures in at 6’7″ / 207 lbs. He has extremely good speed for his size especially his lateral speed that allows him to shift positioning when he is slighly further away from where he needs to be when defending against the rush. Silyaev uses his reach and size to take up space. While he does a good job of eliminating skating lanes to the interior, he doesn’t always shut the play down all together. He can be quite physical along the boards and I got a feeling that it won’t be long before he starts to use his physicality a bit more to shut down the cycle / rush. (Josh Tessler)
#20 – Teddy Stiga – Left Wing – USNTDP
Teddy Stiga always keeps his feet moving off-puck and looks to provide passing options for his teammates laterally and up ice. When on the forecheck or defending against the halfwall, he is relentless in his pursuits and is constantly keeping his feet moving and accelerating at the moment of puck movement. More often than not, Stiga will look to make contact with his stick instead of engaging with a shoulder or hip check. Has great speed to keep in tow when teammates are pushing the puck up ice. Stiga does struggle with pressure when he gets in a tight jam. He will tend to struggle with netting separation in the corners when pressure is at the backside. Stiga has a quick shot from a far and that makes him dangerous. If a goaltender gives him a gap, he doesn’t hesitate and fires. He carries a middle six winger projection. (Josh Tessler)
#21 – Beckett Sennecke – Right Wing – Oshawa
Sennecke oozes confidence and skill, and that’s how he earned himself a spot as an HM just outside our round 1. Sennecke is an absolute hound on the forecheck where his motor will not stop until he gains possession of that puck. From there he flashes elite ability with his hands, and does a great job in small areas weaving and stickhandling through defenders skates, and sticks. He does a great job keeping pucks and plays alive off the wall by slipping through checks or dangling in a phone-booth. Unfortunately, his situation in Oshawa has been iffy at best, and I hope that forward group finds some more chemistry adn purpose in the new year, as I think Sennecke’s draft stock could benefit enormously from it. (Ben Jordan)
#22 – Igor Chernyshov – Left Wing – Dynamo Moscow
Igor Chernyshov is a Russian power forward prospect. He plays a gritty game and works the boards with great pressure shift in shift out. He is defensively responsible in transition and will put up a tough fight at open ice. In the defensive zone, he will fall back to the low slot and provide support to his defensemen down low. From a production stand point, Chernyshov has thrived off of odd man rushes / breakouts in MHL play. (Josh Tessler)
#23 – Andrew Basha – Forward – Medicine Hat
Andrew Basha is entertaining to watch every shift. His puck movement in transition is excellent. His handling and distribution is excellent. Basha’s puck manipulation makes him a threat on the rush and mid-cycle. He is shifty, mobile, agile and has tremendous speed. Basha does a good job of utilizing tight passing lanes to the slot. He will grab possession of loose pucks off the boards, drive to the trapezoid and look to feather passes to the low slot. (Josh Tessler)
#24 – Carter Yakemchuk – Right Handed Defenseman – Calgary
I wouldn’t be surprised if Yakemchuk is a name that continually keeps rising up lists. He hasn’t played in any marquee events, and thus hasn’t had the early season hype that some other names have had, but don’t be fooled by that. Since the new year of this past season, Yakemchuk has really started to take strides, and his game continues to round itself out. Yakemchuk has a nice blend of size, skill, and aggressiveness that allow him to be a force all over the ice. His instincts are great, and he joins the rush when he feels he can contribute to the play. He holds his own in the defensive zone with his size and ability to separate puck carriers from the puck to quick start offense the other way for his side. (Ben Jordan)
#25 – Luke Misa – Center – Mississauga
Luke Misa plays a very high-tempo game, prays on the vulnerable when on the forecheck, can drive the rush and create chances off of the rush regularly. Misa will feather passes in tight lanes in all three zones as he looks to push play up ice. In the offensive zone when off puck, he does a great job of finding open ice down low to create an intriguing passing option for his teammates. He will also look to jump onto loose pucks at the crease and capitalize with a quick goal before the goaltender can react. (Josh Tessler)
#26 – Lucas Pettersson – Center – MoDo
Lucas Pettersson quietly came into this season as one of NHL Central Scouting’s ‘A’ grade prospects for the 2024 NHL Draft, and he did nothing this season to suggest that was a mistake. Pettersson is an offensively gifted two-way centerman who finished this season as top scorer in the J20 Forts Division with 31 points in 18 games (14 goals, 17 assists). He also represented Sweden at multiple international tournaments, always wearing a ‘C’ or ‘A’ on his sweater. Hockey IQ and skating lay the foundation for Pettersson’s success. He’s a very smart player who is able to think and play at breakneck speed, making him a nightmare to defend off the rush. A dual-threat offensively, Pettersson is capable of setting up his teammates from anywhere in the offensive zone while also possessing a dangerously hard and accurate snap-shot. He also provides defensive value as well, both off the rush and in-zone. He’s able to read and disrupt plays, forcing turnovers and intercepting passes, and oftentimes turning defense into offense for MoDo. Whether or not Pettersson is selected on day 1 will likely depend on how much of his offense teams believe will translate in the NHL. While there are questions about how much of an offensive threat he’ll be at the next level, his two-way ability combined with his hockey IQ and dynamic skating make him a first-round pick for us. (SpokedZ)
#27 – Jett Luchanko – Center – Guelph
What makes Jett Luchanko lethal is his edges, agility and quick decision making. Luchanko has shown consistently that he can dodge pressure with his edges and that has made him extremely difficult to shut down when he is at full speed. Does an excellent job of incorporating delays while in possession of the puck in the offensive zone to draw confusion and a passing lane to a nearby teammate. Luchanko projects to be a middle six center at the next level. (Josh Tessler)
#28 – Ryder Ritchie – Forward – Prince Albert
After a very strong Hlinka Gretzky tournament for Canada, I think that many were expecting Ritchie to put up better point totals than he managed. Although there may be something to this, Ritchie is still doing a lot of things very well. I have a tough time seeing him falling out of round 1 as the season goes along. His feet and hands are ultra quick making him an exceptional puck carrier. If you give Ritchie time to pickup speed and attack defenders downhill, you will be sorry after he beats you, and secures middle ice. (Ben Jordan)
#29 – Linus Eriksson – Center – Djurgården
Linus Eriksson has been a riser throughout the season. He was not a total unknown coming into the year, having been utilised in the u-17 national teams middle six and having been one of the top scorers at the J18 level last season, however, he started the season slowly in the J20, with only five points through his first 10 games. he slowly but surely found his footing in the J20, and from mid-October to late-November lit up the league with 14 points in 13 games while dominating in all three zones. This led to him being promoted to the big club in December, where he again started slowly, with just one point in his first 10 games. However, in late January he flicked a switch and put up 15 points in his final 31 games, while generally playing only 12 minutes a night. He then lit up the WJC u-18 too. He is a coaches dream, a heady center who captained the national team, works hard, can PK, drive play, and is strong on the draw. Eriksson has all the tools to be a two-way NHL center, likely at 3C, but with a chance of getting to 2C level. (Alex Appleyard)
#30 – Stian Solberg – Left Handed Defenseman – Vålerenga
Solberg is a heavy, smooth-skating physical defender who skates fast, hits hard, and takes no prisoners. He’s been playing in Norway’s top men’s league for a few years, and has looked very solid; he also played a big role for Norway at the world juniors and world championships, and performed very well there, putting his skating and physicality on display regularly. He’s a very effective play-killer, both in-zone and on the rush; he defends aggressively, and forces opponents to the boards and into physical battles, where he typically overpowers them and turns play the other way. Offensively, there’s potential, but it needs work. He’s a very good skater overall, which gives him a significant advantage, and he shows good offensive instincts in general: he knows when to join the rush, times his plays well, recognises passing lanes and space to attack; but his offensive toolkit is a bit lacking, and he winds up turning the puck over with lacklustre passes, and taking too many poor shots from the perimeter, as he runs out of options due to a lack of reliable handling skill. But then occasionally he’ll just show off and go end-to-end, displaying skills you haven’t seen from him otherwise, leaving you wondering where that goes the rest of the time. But the strength and physical play he has in addition to his steady defensive game is very impressive for this stage in his development, and as he keeps getting stronger, I can easily see him growing into a great modern shutdown defender in the NHL, with potential for more if he’s able to refine and regularise his offensive flashes. (Gray Matter)
#31 – Marek Vanacker – Left Wing – Brantford
Marek Vanacker is a power forward prospect with great agility and excellent north-south speed. That combination has made it tough for opponents to catch up to should they fail to pivot alongside Vanacker when he pivots. Vanacker also has great reach and that allows him to quickly get a shot off after peeling the puck away from the attacker in front of him. At the combine it was released that Marek has been playing the majority of this season with a torn labrum in his shoulder, so to see the level of production he had, with not a ton of help, given the injury was very impressive. I expect a massive offensive outburst for Marek next season in Brantford. (Ben Jordan)
#32 – Sam O’Reilly – Right Wing – London
Sam O’Reilly is a highly effective middle-six center, recognized for his defensive skills and tireless effort. During the 2023-24 season with the London Knights, he excelled in faceoffs, penalty killing, and maintaining strong positional play, making him a dependable, detail-oriented player. Standing at 6-foot-1, O’Reilly was pivotal in supporting his team, delivering quick, accurate passes and setting up scoring opportunities for his teammates. Offensively, O’Reilly displays potential with his strategic puck handling and ability to outmaneuver defenders. While he needs to improve his lateral mobility and hand skills, his high hockey IQ and strong defensive instincts make him a valuable playmaker. His knack for quick decision-making and defensive acumen positions him well for a checking role in the NHL. O’Reilly’s keen attention to detail and physical style of play suggest he’s on the brink of a breakout season. He’s a promising prospect expected to outperform his draft position and contribute significantly as he transitions to the NHL. (Chris Ford)
#33 – Sacha Boisvert – Center – Muskegon
Sacha Boisvert is an entertaining watch. He’s got absolutely incredible handling and its led to gorgeous assists. Boisvert will toe drag to get separation and then quickly make use of a passing lane. He has a great shot off of the rush and has found success sniping far side top shelf goals from low danger. Boisvert makes use of tight passing lanes and won’t shy away from a pass over / under the stick of an attacker to get the puck in the hands of a open teammate further up in the zone. But, it’s the handling that makes Boisvert a fun prospect to watch. His dangling and toe drags have helped light the lamp in Muskegon regularly. (Josh Tessler)
#34 – Tomas Galvas – Left Handed Defenseman – Olomouc
Tomas Galvas is a solid puck moving defenseman, who does an excellent job in keeping the puck secure with traffic at his side. He won’t force the puck into tight pressure deliberately, but has shown that if he is encountering multiple attackers that he can keep his feet and hands moving to secure the puck and position it away from the attackers before chipping it off the boards. Galvas does a good job of using an active stick to trap attackers and force them to dump the puck in the neutral zone and take away potential shooting / passing lanes in his own zone. He has an excellent power stride that he will use to get himself into position to defend should be a bit too far away from where he needs to be. (Josh Tessler)
#35 – Emil Hemming – Forward – TPS
If the draft was all about raw talent then the big Finnish winger would be in seriously contention to go top 10. Scouts often talk about the “S’s of scouting”… skill, smarts, speed, size and skating. Hemming has them all. He can be a juggernaut even against men in Liiga, able to use his speed, edge-work, pick-handling and size in conjunction to drop a shoulder and get past anyone. Even at 17 years old against men, Hemming has an incredible transition game. His wrist-shot is lethal to boot, and he is able to pick a corner from anywhere on ice. Alongside this he is creative with silky hands, and when he is “on” this combined with a natural swagger and confidence means that he will undress defensemen regularly. While he may not be the most “natural” passer he has good vision as well, and tries to make cross-ice plays that most would never see. However, there are some real concerns about Hemming’s game that mean he is likely to go later in the 1st. While he has the size he rarely uses it, and plays on the perimeter. Defensively he gets lost far too often, and his consistency is also worrying, as even against his own age-group he can go missing for long stretches. There is the upside for him to be a 30 goal scorer in the NHL if he can iron out these kinks. (Alex Appleyard)
#36 – John Mustard – Forward – Waterloo
John Mustard is the definition of potential. He’s extremely raw in his use of his skill, and there’s a lot of adaptations he’s going to have to learn to be successful in a skilled role in the NHL, however the raw tool kit and compete level makes him a tantalizing prospect. He does have an awkward skating stride as he hunches over with a less bent knee, but with the puck on the stick Mustard can get to an above-average pace. His skill is great for his size, and he can get off the wall and into dangerous areas at ease at times with the puck on his stick. He’s a great forechecker and is very defensively responsible for a winger. He has a 24% shot share (his shots/team shots when he’s on the ice) and is a productive facilitator in the offensive zone. I’d like to see him get more pucks into dangerous areas of the ice with his passing, but his skill level is there that I’m not worried that only 16% of his passes have gone to dangerous areas of the ice. He’s a player to watch in the upcoming months because he has room to improve his microstat profile and if that happens, then his production profile is going to improve from impressive to one of the best in the USHL. (Austin Garret)
#37 – Aron Kiviharju – Left Handed Defenseman – TPS
Two years ago the Finnish blue-liner was being talked about as a potential #1 pick, yet now there are whispers that he might fall outside the 1st round. Is this simply a case of the spotlight being so strong, for so long, that his weaknesses have been magnified? The answer is probably no. There are legitimate concerns over his game. He is undersized, he is not the best skater, and early this season a knee injury that required surgery has put him out for four months. Kiviharju was expected to be healthy again in February, but only returned in April, just in time for the u-18 WJC, where he was solid but did not shine. However, in a league where top pairing defensemen are at a premium, if Kiviharju falls outside the first? There is the potential for one of the bigger draft steals in recent history. While there are concerns about his game the upside is inarguable. His hockey IQ would be the envy of most NHLers, he is almost always two-steps ahead and rarely makes bad decisions. This, combined with fantastic vision, great passing and silky hands means he is great in transition, and controls play when set-up in the OZ. Defensively he has an active stick, good gap control, and thrives on breaking up plays before they develop. He is also strong down low, even against players 15 years older and 50lbs heavier. His upside is still a #2-3 defenseman despite the concerns. (Alex Appleyard)
#38 – Daniil Ustinkov – Left Handed Defenseman – Zürich
Daniil Ustinkov is a solid defensive defensemen and has been excellent at eliminating gaps all season against men in Switzerland (National League). He isn’t overly assertive with his pressure, but makes does an excellent job of using his positioning to shield lanes to the inside and forces play to low danger. When attackers look to use pivots to shake free from pressure, Ustinkov matches edge for edge and doesn’t leave a gap. On the flip side, he will use pivots to shake free of pressure when he has the puck. From a transition perspective, Ustinkov looks to usually make an outlet pass from the backend to a teammate further up in the defensive zone and let his forwards push play up ice. But, there are some shifts in which he looks to be a bit more of a driver in transition. He will skate up the offensive zone blue line to be a passing option for his teammates in the neutral zone, facilitate a controlled zone entry once he has the puck on his stick, push the puck up the boards and try to find a gap to get a pass off to a teammate down in the zone. When off puck and the oppositional breakout is about to kick off, he will skate up to the backside of an attacker off of the boards to make it a challenge for that attacker to grab control of the puck off of a pass from the defenseman looking to complete a breakout pass. (Josh Tessler)
#39 – Henry Mews – Right Handed Defenseman – Ottawa
Henry Mews is a solid puck moving defenseman and a great distributor when pushing the puck up ice. Mews has excellent handling that he can ulitize to navigate through tight pressure to get separation before completing an outlet feed. While he has had productive shifts where he pushed pace, there are shifts in which I see Mews will encounter pressure and pass into traffic instead of using his handling to open up an uncontested passing lane. Defensively, Mews will struggle with gap control from time to time and his defensive work could use further refinement, but when you to balance that with his distribution with the puck you are looking at high second round pick. (Josh Tessler)
#40 – Cole Hutson – Left Handed Defenseman – USNTDP
Cole Hutson has tremendous upside, great mobility and shiftiness to open up space for himself to make an uncontested pass or shot. He likes to pinch up in the offensive zone and pass to the interior. But, Hutson has struggled with puck control and sometimes delays a bit too long when determining his next move while pinching with the puck. (Josh Tessler)
#41 – Topias Hynninen – Right Wing – Jukurit
Hynninen is a guy I’ve really enjoyed watching all year, and he’s steadily improved as the season’s gone by. He doesn’t necessarily excel at any one skill, but he isn’t lacking in any either. He’s very well-rounded; he does everything quite well, but it’s the energy and the pace that he plays with that stands out the most when you watch him. He plays hard, does very well in both offensive and defensive transitions, and is just an extremely effective player in all that he does. Making life miserable for opponents with his speed and intensity, constantly forcing errors and turnovers; and doing all of it against pro competition, without looking out of place in the slightest. The ceiling is likely not too high with him, but those traits alone I think will absolutely make him a valuable energy player in the NHL, and if he can further develop and unlock the playmaking potential I believe he has, well, that’s a great bonus. (Gray Matter)
#42 – Dominik Badinka – Right Handed Defensman – Malmö
Dominik Badinka is a 6’3”, 183lb right-shot defenseman who has seen his draft stock skyrocket this season. An interesting note on Badinka- he’s followed one of the most unusual development paths we’ve seen, playing in 3 different countries in 3 years. He spent his 16-year-old season in Czechia for Pirati Chomutov, his 17-year-old season in Finland for Jokerit, and his 18-year-old season in Sweden for Malmo. While he is one of the oldest defensemen in this draft class, he looks to be one of the furthest along in his development. Badinka finished this season having played more SHL games for Malmo (33) than J20 games (17). In those 33 SHL games, he tallied 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 points while averaging around 15-minutes TOI. Badinka is a calm, mobile defenseman with size and two-way ability. He’s excellent on retrievals and breakouts, which enabled him to adjust to the SHL quickly and be given more and more ice-time. He’s an excellent puck mover who likes to have the puck on his stick and dictates play with poise and confidence. He’s also a solid defender who plays hard and was unafraid of the older competition in his first SHL season. He does lack high-end handling skill and ability to work the blue line in order to project as a true first powerplay QB or top pair defenseman (at this point). That being said, he still projects to be a reliable, minute-munching second pair defenseman who provides value at both ends of the ice. (Alex Appleyard)
#43 – Noel Fransén – Left Handed Defenseman – Färjestad
Noel Fransen went from being a relatively unknown defenseman in this draft class to one with fringe first round potential. He finished this season with the most goals and points of any defenseman in the J20, and he did the same last season in the J18. Fransen is an offensive-minded defenseman who thrives with the puck on his stick. He transports pucks through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone with ease using his quick feet and explosive speed bursts. He’s constantly with his head up, scanning the ice and identifying open lanes to attack. He’ll either attack these lanes to establish possession in the offensive zone, or he will attack and drive the net himself. He’s also scored a handful of coast-to-coast goals this season. Fransen has a terrific first-pass when the option to transport the puck himself isn’t there. Inside the offensive zone, he has a hard and accurate one-timer capable of beating goaltenders from distance. (SpokedZ)
#44 – EJ Emery – Right Handed Defenseman – USNTDP
EJ Emery, a North Dakota commit, is a standout physical defenseman known for his ability to win puck battles and make quick, effective passes under pressure. His defensive prowess is evident in his excellent positioning, which helps him keep attackers in low-danger areas and mitigate scoring opportunities. Emery’s strength and awareness allow him to take away net-front shooting threats, using his body to block shots and protect the crease. As a reliable outlet passer, he excels in transitioning the play, even when faced with intense pressure. Projecting to be a solid top 4 defenseman, Emery’s skill set solidifies him as a quintessential defensive defenseman, prioritizing strong, dependable play in his own zone. (Josh Tessler)
#45 – Terik Parascak – Right Wing – Prince George
Terik Parascak is a prospect with a lot diverse opinions around him. A lot of sites have Terik ranked as a first rounder, while some have Parascak as a second rounder. It largely comes down to whether or not you believe that his current play style will translate to the NHL level or will more polishing need to take place. The Smaht Scouting team is a bit more cautious with Parascak and I’ll explain why. Parascak does an excellent job of identifiying where he needs to be off-puck to provide his linemates with a quality passing option in a quality shooting lane. But, when Parascak is leading the charge and has the puck on his stick, his speed hampers his ability to cut to the inside. Parascak isn’t an overly physical player and won’t use his weight often when dealing with tight pressure while in possession of the puck. We project Parascak to be a third line forward at the next level. (Josh Tessler)
#46 – Tanner Howe – Forward – Regina
Tanner Howe plays a high-energy skilled game with a dogged off-puck game that allows him to play bigger than he is. I had very high expectations for Tanner Howe to be a dominant offensive player in the WHL and he’s somewhat disappointed. He has a good-not-great offensive transition involvement percentage of 35% and can go missing for stretches in transition with the puck not touching his stick as much as I’d like. His passing volume is rather low because of the lower percentage of transition opportunities, but he is passing at 24% to dangerous areas of the ice which is good. He’s fumbled the puck more than he did last year and some of his passes are off the mark, but the skill level and thought process behind his decisions are all there. His size will see him slip in the draft, but he should be a mid-second round pick at the latest. (Austin Garret)
#47 – Miguel Marques – Forward – Lethbridge
Miguel Marques is wired to get pucks to the interior. Whenever he has the puck outside of the slot and pressure intensifies, he looks for the tighest gaps and uses them to get pucks to the slot. He has great handling and will implement shot fakes and toe drags to net the separation that he needs to get a pass off. When shooting from range, he has a very quick shot release and will look to target glove side. He also tallied quite a few backdoor goals at 5v5 this season by being in the right space at the right time. He isn’t always the facilitator in transition, but plays a fairly active role in getting the puck up ice. Defensively, he plays more of a support role, but always looks to cement himself in open ice towards the blue line so he can provide an outlet lane for his defensemen. Marques has middle six upside. (Josh Tessler)
#48 – Yegor Surin – C – Yaroslavl
Surin is an interesting but frustrating player who’s moved up and down my board all year, and I’m still unsure of where to place him. He has a ton of skill, a pretty good motor, and good playmaking in flashes, but he doesn’t really know what to do with his tools most of the time. Some games he’s dominant, plays well physically and brings the skill that he has on every shift; but other times—most games I’ve seen—he really struggles to be effective. He generally plays well when given space by more passive defences, but when he’s challenged, it becomes a problem; he lacks real escapability and explosiveness in his skating, and he rarely ever tries to manipulate pace of play or use much deception in general. So combine that with his constant individualism and failure to work off his teammates, and what you typically see is him charging towards opponents solo and hoping to either pull the puck through their legs or power through them, and it’s not often a recipe for success, even in the MHL. When he does work off his teammates, there’s a lot more to like there; if he can be reined in a bit and learn to play more of a team game, he could be a solid complementary playmaker, or physical energy guy; both roles I think he could perform well in. (Gray Matter)
#49 – Cole Beaudoin – Center – Barrie
Cole Beaudoin is one of the stronger transitional centermen in the class. He doesn’t have flash, but instead has excellent reach and speed that he will utilize to push the puck around pressure in the neutral zone. Should he run into a brick wall as he approaches the slot off the rush, he will look to complete a drop pass to a teammate skating up behind him. Beaudoin’s ranking is indicative of how consistent he has been offensively with his ice time in the OHL level. I see a third line center at the next level. (Josh Tessler)
#50 – Matvei Gridin – Forward – Muskegon
This season Gridin led the USHL in points. He outproded players such as Trevor Connelly and Michael Hage, who seem certain to go inside the first round, yet the concensus is that the young Russian winger will go somewhere in the mid-2nd come June. Why is that? Well, it is mainly based around the way he plays the game, and not his skill-set and talent level. It is fair to say that Gridin plays on the perimeter, cheats a lot to create offence, plays at a slow pace, and does not back-check with effort consistently. Those are the things that will make NHL teams think twice before drafting the future Michigan Wolverine winger. But what does Gridin do well? He is a fantastic play-maker, with high-end hands, an accurate and quick release he can get off from any spot, and the ability to see plays in the offensive zone very few players his age can. Gridin also has a level of confidence that can border on arrogance, which makes for some real highlight reel plays. Skating wise he is agile for his size, is a smooth skater who while not a burner has at worst average straight-line speed. Despite the flaws he has clear top-six upside at the NHL level, and if he falls into the mid-2nd? Could be a potential steal down the line. But there is also the real risk he will “just” end up a high-scoring minor leaguer. (Alex Appleyard)
#51 – Julius Miettinen – Forward – Everett
Julius Miettinen has been a late riser in this draft both amongst NHL team consensus and the public scouting rankings. It is easy to see why. While he went into the season listed as a winger he played mostly down the middle, he is also 6’3, skates well, the foundation of his game is his strong DZ play, and Miettinen has some snarl to his game. Furthermore, he had an incredibly strong finish to the regular season, with 20 points in his final 10 games. However, the rave reviews that have had him catapult into first round contention seem over the top. 10 games don’t make a players career, let alone make them a first rounder. The rest of Miettinen’s young career have marked him out as someone who has likely 3rd line upside at the highest level. In the WHL he produced a large amount of his points on the power-play, and while a decent play-maker is not instinctive in the offensive zone or transition. His stand-out offensive trait is his ability around the net-front, and I think there is real concern that he is a LW, not at C, as a pro. An interesting prospect nonetheless who many teams will salivate over. (Alex Appleyard)
#52 – Ben Danford – Right Handed Defenseman – Oshawa
Ben Danford can be a very physically intimidating defenseman especially when the puck carrying attacker is vulnerable and has their back turned to Danford. But, he doesn’t just look to throw his weight, he will also look to extend his stick and catch opponents off guard with a pokecheck. His positioning is quite good and a lot of that can be credited to his excellent edgework and well-timed pivots to stay in tow when defending against an attacker. (Josh Tessler)
#53 – Leon Muggli – Left Handed Defenseman – Zug
The NLA is a top five league on earth. Yet at 17 years old Leon Muggli has already established himself as a good bottom pairing defenseman, something very few players manage to do. In fact, in the leagues 86 year history, the only defenseman who had a clearly better draft year? David Reinbacher, the #5 overall pick last year. So why is Muggli not ranked as a potential 1st round pick anywhere? The answer is related to upside. Muggli is super well-rounded, with plus skating, a good outlet pass, a deceptive wrist-shot and high IQ inside the red-line. For a 17 year old he makes very few mistakes, and is already able to PK well vs men. However, he is not “exceptional” in any area, is very risk-averse as a player, and his offensive game is unlikely to enable him to even be on an NHL power-play. It is very likely that he will play in the NHL one day, but in order to become more than “just” a solid #4 defenseman? He will need to take a few more risks and show more creativity once established in the offensive zone. Muggli could also do with engaging more physically at times, though that likely comes with more physical maturity. Whoever takes him, likely in the 2nd round, will be getting a player with a true high-floor, who is probably not that far away from being able to play in the NHL. And if he keeps improving, he can potentially become a very good 2nd pairing NHLer one day. (Alex Appleyard)
#54 – Veeti Väisänen – Left Handed Defenseman – KooKoo
In a draft brimming with exciting defensemen, Veeti Väisänen gets a bit lost in the shuffle. Is he an exciting player? Not really. Will he be a top pairing guy in the NHL? Unlikely. But what Väisänen lacks in terms of highlights, he makes up for with a well-rounded skill-set and a level of defensive maturity that few defensemen have at 17. This season, playing against men in Liiga, Väisänen has utilised his smooth skating, defensive IQ and strong stick to be a reliable presence on KooKoo’s back-end. He rarely gets beaten in the defensive zone, and he is strong in transition, utilising his great skating ability in conjunction with a level of calmness with the puck on his stick that allows him to scan the ice and pick out the best outlet options. However, while there is a lot to like about Väisänen, his upside is limited by his lack of high-end skills. He will likely never put up too many points, given his shot is just average, he is not overly creative, and his hands are middling. He also starts to turn the puck over as soon as he gets away from making the simple play. Late in the first he could be a solid option, and can certainly be a good second pairing defenseman down the line. (Alex Appleyard)
#55 – Leo Sahlin Wallenius – Left Handed Defenseman – Växjö
Leo Sahlin Wallenius is a left-shot defenseman who plays on the same Vaxjo J20 team as the aforementioned Alfons Freij. Of the two defenseman, Sahlin Wallenius is by far the more offensive-minded. He’s a skilled and mobile defenseman who looks to influence the play every time he steps onto the ice. He transports pucks through the neutral zone at high pace and into the offensive zone, creating high danger scoring chances with ease. Inside the offensive zone, Sahlin Wallenius is a very creative and unpredictable attacker. Never settling for hope shots from the point, he excels at activating from the blue line and skating around in search of open looks. He is also a solid enough defender that he should be able to make himself a fairly well-rounded defenseman with some legitimate offensive upside. (SpokedZ)
#56 – Kamil Bednarik – Center – USNTDP
Kamil Bednarik is extremely good in transition and has excellent good north-south speed to help him push pace. He will struggle in the corners and behind the red line with intensified pressure on his backside. But, usually Bednarik will only find himself in such situations if he can’t find a teammate to pass to off of the rush. Once he has passed the puck after bringing the puck up ice, Bednarik does a good job of acquiring open ice with an excellent shooting angle. (Josh Tessler)
#57 – Adam Jecho – Right Wing – Edmonton
Adam Jecho is consistently stronger defensively than he is offensively. Jecho will make good use of his physciality to close off the cycle behind the red line. He has excellent east-west speed that he can build up with his crossovers and that makes him quite strong at adapting to changes in puck movement when defending against the cycle. Jecho projects to be a checking line center, who can shift over to the wing and be a bit more physical on the backcheck if need be. (Josh Tessler)
#58 – Herman Träff – Right Wing – HV71
Träff is a player I’ve enjoyed a fair amount this year; he’s big, physical, smart, hard-working, fairly well-rounded, and brings some good skill with him as well. He’s a good forechecker, and positions himself well off the puck in general; he reads play quite well, supports well in transition and low in the offensive zone, and plays his role as a winger pretty effectively in the defensive zone as well. But the offensive side is a bit of a question mark; he’s super skilled, and he’s got a pretty good shot; but in my viewings, he doesn’t often find himself in situations to effectively utilise those skills, and he can fade into the background a bit. But I like Träff quite a bit, and I do think there’s potential for more offence in his game, but as it stands, I’m not super confident in his projection to the NHL as an offensive force. That said, I can easily see him ending up as a solid bottom-six physical power winger, who can chip in some offence here and there primarily by being a smart support player, and I think he could fill that role quite well. (Gray Matter)
#59 – Timur Kol – Left Handed Defenseman – Omsk
A lot of people, even those who have one eye on the NHL draft, probably don’t know who Timur Kol is. That is reflected by the fact that not one draft outlet has his ranked in their mid-term top 100. But make no mistake, he is someone who many NHL teams will be looking at closely, even if only for the fact that he is over 6’3, around 200lbs already, and is very mobile. That is a base combination that makes scouts excited when it comes to the modern NHL. But Kol is not just a big guy who can move. He spent half this season playing against men at the VHL level, and his 0.35 P/GP (8 in 23 gp) set the all-time record in terms of production from a draft eligible blue-liner. In terms of how he came about that level of production? The Muscovite defenseman’s offensive game is built mostly around his shot. It is not hyperbolic to say that that is wrist-shot is heavier and more accurate than most of the forwards in this years draft, and his slap-shot is certainly amongst the biggest in this draft. Alongside that he utilises his skating well to join the rush, and for a defenseman is more than happy to get to the slot or support his forwards inside the circles. His puck-skills are probably what lacks most offensively, and in turn he loses his handle on the puck more often than you would like to see under pressure. In terms of passing he is also pretty average. Defensively he has played admirably against men, using his big frame well to protect the puck as well as using his long reach and high defensive IQ to break up entries on a regular basis. If he can improve his puck-handling, as well as potentially be a bit more physical, he has the other skills to be a #4 defenseman in the NHL. (Alex Appleyard)
#60 – Yegor Graf – Center – SKA St. Petersburg
Graf can be a frustrating player at times, but he brings good intensity, and shows flashes of some very promising skill and play creation. He’s lacking in size and strength, and he can struggle with puck skills sometimes: struggling on receptions, poor control; but other times he’ll display some pretty high-end hands and crafty playmaking that catches you off guard. And he’s a very smart off-puck player as well, which lessens the impact of the occasional on-puck issues, and makes him a great complementary player on a line with a better play-driver. When paired with Demidov this season, I think Graf has really shined, and his best play has come; you get to see a lot more moments of high skill and creativity from him when Demidov is driving the play, and I think their play styles complement and elevate each other. I don’t think Graf will ever be able to drive play effectively on his own, but he’ll do some damage if you pair him with a skilled forward who’s more adept at creating space. (Gray Matter)
#61 – Adam Kleber – Right Handed Defenseman – Lincoln
Adam Kleber has excellent speed for his 6’4″ frame and great stick-handling that he will use to shift the puck around tight pressure before passing to an open teammate in the slot or along the blue-line. Kleber will throw his weight behind the red line and will implement quality shoulder checks to shut down the oppositional cycle. I would like to see Kleber acquire an active stick and use his reach when defending against the rush in the neutral zone, but he does an excellent job of taking away centered passing lanes with an active stick in the defensive zone. Ultimately, if Kleber uses his active stick more and more, he will only garner more ice time especially at the next level. (Josh Tessler)
Matvei Shuravin is a solid defensive-minded defensemen who does a good job of taking away space with his power stride. Should be slightly out of position, he’ll use his lengthy stride extensions to match pace and shut down the rush by trapping the attacker along the boards. He isn’t an overly assertive defenseman when taking on the F1, but maintains good positioning and extends his stick blade out towards the attacker to trap them. His distribution from deep in his own zone has been great. He can wire quick stretch passes to the neutral zone and does a good job of identifying tight passing lanes while pushing the puck up in the defensive zone and seeing that he could potentially get the puck in the hands of a teammate further up in the zone. His puck control and quick distribution in the defensive zone doesn’t always match to successful puck movement in the offensive and neutral zones. Shuravin will try to bring the puck up the middle in the offensive zone, but isn’t quick to get a pass off and runs into walls. When he doesn’t have possession of the puck in the offensive zone, he looks to engage himself in puck battles down low, win loose pucks and pass to the slot. (Josh Tessler)
#63 – Tarin Smith – Left Handed Defenseman – Everett
Tarin Smith is a skilled defenseman known for his exceptional outlet passing, often launching the puck from behind his red line with impressive long-range accuracy. His defensive prowess is evident in his ability to protect the slot, physically engaging attackers who attempt to screen his goaltender. Smith excels at using the boards to advance the puck, frequently passing to a teammate near the defensive zone blue line. Rather than pinching up with the puck, he prefers to find open lanes from the point, though he will advance when a teammate desperately needs a passing option. Additionally, Smith has a knack for perimeter shots off the rush, especially when a teammate doubles back and sets him up as he skates up from behind. (Josh Tessler)
#64 – Ryerson Leenders – Goaltender – Mississauga
Ryerson Leenders stands out in his draft class for his exceptional use of athleticism and technique in goalkeeping. He favors using the panda method when overlapping the posts, demonstrating his innovative approach to post protection. His quick reactionary movements are particularly effective during high-danger chances, making him a formidable opponent for attackers. Leenders typically relies on the Reverse Vertical-Horizontal (RVH) technique for post protection, showcasing his adaptability and precision in the crease. His agility is most evident when he shifts his pads in the butterfly position to block backdoor plays, consistently neutralizing high-danger scoring opportunities. No other player in this draft class matches Leenders’ ability to leverage athleticism to thwart offensive threats so effectively. (Josh Tessler)
#65 – Will Skahan – Left Handed Defenseman – USNTDP
Will Skahan, a Boston College commit, is a defenseman known for his effective neutral zone engagement, proactively challenging opponents before they reach the blue line to disrupt plays early. His positional awareness in the slot is strong, ensuring he covers dangerous areas to prevent scoring opportunities. Skahan’s physical presence is formidable, often using his size and strength to win battles and intimidate opponents, which complements his stay-at-home tendencies. Under pressure, he adeptly utilizes the boards for passes, aiming to move the puck to teammates safely. Additionally, Skahan has a knack for getting under opponents’ skin, using his tenacity to throw them off their game. (Josh Tessler)
#66 – Ilya Nabokov – Goaltender – Magnitogorsk
Ilya Nabokov, a 6’1″ overager KHL goaltender, played the entire season for Metallurg Magnitogorsk, showcasing a mix of strengths and areas for improvement. Known for his excellent glove, Nabokov demonstrates a solid ability to handle medium danger chances effectively. His side-to-side speed in the butterfly position is commendable, allowing him to cover the net efficiently. However, he tends to overcommit on high danger chances, which can lead to vulnerabilities. A key area for improvement is his tendency to expose the five hole when shifting laterally in net, particularly in the butterfly position. Additionally, Nabokov consistently overlaps the post with his pad, further bolstering his defensive coverage. With focused development on these specific areas, Nabokov has the potential to enhance his overall performance significantly. (Josh Tessler)
#67 – Clarke Caswell – Forward – Swift Current
Clarke is a super high-end thinker, who you can see problem solving on the ice. When handling the puck, he’s straight up sneaky, and makes a ton of defenders miss with poke checks or other attempts to disrupt with their stick. Was really happy to see him on the central scoutings final instalment, as he is a player that definitely warrants consideration in the middle rounds. He’ll need to round out some of his tools, and increase his strength, but the smarts and puck skills are there for him to be a contributor at the next level. (Ben Jordan)
#68 – Pavel Moysevich – Goaltender – SKA St. Petersburg
Pavel Moysevich, a towering 6’5″ overage goalie, has demonstrated his skills across all three Russian hockey leagues—VHL, KHL, and MHL—while playing for SKA St. Petersburg this season. Known for effectively filling the net, Moysevich employs a wide stance that enhances his coverage and stability. His proactive approach sees him venturing slightly out of the crease and playing further out on the rush, avoiding the tendency to cage himself. Moysevich exhibits good rebound control, crucial for minimizing second-chance opportunities. However, he occasionally fumbles high-danger pucks, requiring him to swiftly seal the puck before attackers can capitalize. Despite this, he excels at maintaining situational awareness, using head movements to keep an eye on the ice and manage pressure near the net. (Josh Tessler)
#69 – Charlie Elick – Right Handed Defenseman – Brandon
Charlie Elick is a defense first defenseman who can close gaps with quality speed through his power stride and crossovers. Once he picks up possession of the puck, he generally quickly gets ride of the puck once he has spotted a lane to an open teammate up ice. Elick isn’t as overwhelming physically as some other defensemen in the class, but will use his physicality to quiet the rush. Elick projects to be a number four/five defenseman. (Josh Tessler)
#70 – Brodie Ziemer – Forward – USNTDP
Brodie Ziemer, a Minnesota Golden Gopher commit, excels in puck manipulation, skillfully forcing attackers to change their stick placement, which opens up new passing lanes. He is known for his quick decision-making, often opting to pass to an open teammate rather than holding onto the puck for extended periods. Ziemer demonstrates remarkable ability with breakout passes, particularly when he is in control during a rush. Although he isn’t the primary puck mover on his line, he consistently looks to push the puck up the ice swiftly, frequently employing one-touch passing to maintain the pace and fluidity of play. (Josh Tessler)
#71 – Harrison Brunicke – Right Handed Defenseman – Kamloops
The only South African born NHL player to have made it to date has been Olaf Kölzig. Brunicke has an excellent shot to join the ranks. He has excellent speed through his crossovers and straight line extensions and that allows him to grab onto loose pucks in his own zone and drive up ice quickly. Brunicke does seem to struggle to find success along the blue-line when he is called upon to control the puck at the point and find seperation and a passing lane to the inside. But, there is no denying how great Brunicke can be at pushing pace from the backend and leading the transition. (Josh Tessler)
#72 – Raoul Boilard – Center – Baie-Comeau
Raoul Boilard, a center for the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, was once seen as a first-round candidate with standout positional play and system hockey skills. He excels in supporting teammates, shortening passing lanes, and providing easy outlets under pressure. Boilard’s smart, logical passes and constant pressure in all zones turn defense into offense effectively. While he appears as a quiet, two-way player, Boilard’s high skill level surfaces unexpectedly with deceptive passes and creative rushes. Standing at 6-foot-2, he has the size, smarts, and occasional brilliance that make him an intriguing NHL prospect. However, his play dropped off later in the season, showing passivity that led to a reassessment of his upside. Boilard’s next step is to become more proactive in creating offensive opportunities. If he can elevate his playmaking and offensive drive, he has the potential to become a reliable bottom-six NHL center. Additionally, he is a faceoff specialist with a blend of composure and aggression, excelling in critical aspects of the game like net-front play and board battles. With improved skills, he could rise to a second-line defensive specialist role in the NHL. (Chris Ford)
#73 – A.J. Spellacy – Center – Windsor
Speed stands out early in viewings of Spellacy. He’s one of, if not the fastest straight-line skaters that I’ve seen from this draft class. When he got a full head of steam coming through the neutral zone in the OHL, it was trouble for many defenders. As he improves, and progresses to the next level, he’ll have to improve his play through contact. He struggles to make plays, or get shots off when overwhelmed physically, and doesn’t do as well as well evading those pressures. All that’s not to say he isn’t a physical player though… he clocks in at 6’2 and isn’t afraid to lay the body. Look for Spellacy to hear his name called in the middle to late rounds in Vegas. (Ben Jordan)
#74 – Jacob Battaglia – Right Wing – Kingston
Has excellent stick-handling and mobility to navigate around pressure along the half-wall. His straight line speed still requires further polishing, but his edgework has proven to be quite strong. Battaglia can pivot out on a dime, delay to throw off the attack and that leads to a fellow teammate skating into position to give Battaglia a quality passing lane to exploit. Battaglia won’t be the primary puck mover on the line, but will play an excellent support role. (Josh Tessler)
#75 – Eemil Vinni – Goaltender – HIFK
Eemil Vinni is a goaltender known for his keen ability to track attackers through traffic, allowing him to reset effectively for shots on net. However, he struggles with lateral acceleration, affecting his ability to move quickly from side to side. Vinni tends to adopt a conservative stance within the crease when facing rushes, which sometimes leads to him giving up the five-hole, especially when an attacker doesn’t have a clear shot. His over-shifting can result in leaving the far side open, as demonstrated when he allowed a goal on a far side shot after an attacker had clearance. Despite these challenges, Vinni exhibits a strong glove hand on low-danger shots and rarely concedes on the short side, thanks to his heavy reliance on the RVH (Reverse-VH) technique. Nonetheless, he has shown difficulty controlling his movements during splits, often overcommitting and allowing attackers on the far side ample opportunity to score. (Josh Tessler)
#76 – Maxim Massé – Right Wing – Chicoutimi
Maxim Massé, winner of the Michael Bossy Trophy for the QMJHL’s top professional prospect, has the skills and tools for a successful NHL career. The Chicoutimi Saguenéens winger is known for his speed and ability to handle physical play. He excels in winning pucks below the goal line and setting up scoring opportunities. Massé is a prolific goal scorer, capable of hammering passes from the slot and beating goalies cleanly. Despite a slight drop in performance, he has shown consistent scoring ability, finishing two consecutive seasons with the most goals on his team. While Massé’s development has slowed, he still has the potential to excel as a power forward in the top-nine, with power play time. Even in a bottom-line, two-way role, his skills make him a valuable prospect, making him a smart pick in the 2nd or 3rd round. (Chris Ford)
#77 – Jakub Fibigr – Left Handed Defenseman – Mississauga
The Czech blue-liner went slightly under the radar this season, easy to understand why when you consider just how many defensemen are eligible for this draft who have clear top four NHL upside. Of all major draft outlets only Craig Button has him going inside the second round. His 0.7 P/GP in the OHL may not immediately jump off the page, but he was not on PP1 for most of the year, and in turn the majority of his points came at even strength. In fact, he picked up 0.49 non-PP P/GP this season. Between 2006 and 2019, only 30 CHL defensemen hit over 0.45 non-PP P/GP in their draft year. Of those 30? 20 became legitimate NHL players, and 13 reached top four level. Of course, that is all well and good, but what does Fibigr do that will give him a good chance at an NHL future? His game is built around his skating. He uses it well in all three zones, from cutting off zone entries with his lateral mobility, to joining the rush and creating difficult situations for opposition defenses with his long, smooth stride. Fibigr looks effortless on ice as a result, and it allows him to play the game in an aggresive manner, as he can use his skating to recover from any mistakes. However, his game certainly does not lack effort. Despite still being physically immature he is not scared to take a hit, or dish one out, and he is constantly searching for “soft-ice”, with his off-puck movement being a big plus in all three zones, creating headaches for any team when it comes to lane coverage. His hands are above average, and he thinks the game very well, often looking a step ahead. He is good at getting shots through, but does lack a bit of zip on his release. Overall, Fibigr is a well-rounded blue-liner who if he simply keeps developing over the next few years? He can probably become a #4-5 defenseman in the NHL. (Alex Appleyard)
#78 – Alexander Zetterberg – Center – Örebro
If Alexander Zetterberg was a couple of inches taller he would be in contention for the first round of the draft. However, he is listed at 5’8 and under 160lbs and may be even smaller than that, and while size is less and less important in the NHL, there are serious concerns that his high skill level will be limited due to simply being physically unable to cope with the combination of strength and speed that pro hockey presents. In fact, he was not even invited to the NHL combine, probably due to such concerns. It should be noted though that Zetterberg is used to playing against bigger, older players, and has done every year since he was a 13 year old playing against 16 year olds. He has also excelled at every level he has played, including this year where he was top 10 in J20 scoring. His skill-set is intriguing, he is deceptive, elusive, is a fantastic passer and has a high IQ, especially in the offensive zone. He is also tenacious and always tries to keep his feet moving. Zetterberg also has a good shot, especially on the PP. The undersized Swede has every component in place to be a potential draft steal if he falls outside the second round, and though at the pro level he likely moves to wing. (Alex Appleyard)
#79 – Luca Marrelli – Right Handed Defenseman – Oshawa
Luca Marrelli is a excellent distributor from deep in his zone. He does an excellent job of incorporating delays to allow his teammates to skate further down before feathering a pass. Marrelli does a good job of igniting odd man rushes with those well-timed passes. Defensively, Marelli has a bit of a passive approach. I would like to see Marrelli acquire an active stick or look to be physical when he is right next to the puck carrier. But, he does keep excellent positioning. Offensively, if he runs out of real estate, he won’t force the puck into a tight spot and will complete a well-placed drop pass. (Josh Tessler)
#80 – Justin Poirier – Right Wing – Baie-Comeau
Justin Poirier is known for his prowess as a heavy shooter from the half wall. Despite being undersized, he excels at finding gaps on the short side from range and scoring, making him a constant threat in the offensive zone. Poirier demonstrates an impressive ability to capitalize on opportunities, particularly when goaltenders leave their five-hole exposed during low-danger 5v5 situations. When controlling the puck and pushing the pace, he skillfully uses his edges to drift away from pressure, maintaining possession and creating scoring chances. His strategic shooting and evasive maneuvers make him a valuable asset on the ice. He projects to be a third line shooter at the NHL level. (Josh Tessler)
#81 – Christopher Thibodeau – Center – Kingston
Christopher Thibodeau is a skilled transitional winger known for his strategic playmaking abilities. He excels at executing precise drop passes in the neutral zone, particularly effective against a 1-3 trap during a 2-3 rush, which allows him to smoothly transition the puck to a teammate. Thibodeau demonstrates an impressive understanding of time and space, often waiting for defenders to overcommit before delivering accurate passes to the slot. Despite potentially being undersized, he adeptly manages pressure situations, skillfully utilizing drop passes when space is limited. His keen awareness and ability to read the game enable him to maximize his team’s offensive opportunities, making him a valuable asset on the ice. (Josh Tessler)
#82 – Jesse Pulkkinen – Left Handed Defenseman – JYP
People often talk, across all sports, about finding potential “unicorns”. Players with such a rare mix of attributes that they are close to mythical beings. While this phrase is thrown around far too often, Jesse Pulkinnen gets close… maybe more Okapi than unicorn, but still such an intriguing player on numerous levels. He is 6’6 and over 220lbs for starters. Then add in the fact he has a powerful stride, albeit is an awkward skater at times. Place on top of this a mean streak. Then sprinkle on silky handy and boundless confidence. There are very few players quite like him. His development is unorthodox too. A “solid” defenseman at u-18 and u-20 level the last few years, he went undrafted last season at 18 years old. However, he must have found something magical over summer, as this season he looked a different player. His 1.56 P/GP at the u-20 level were the most in league history for a player who iced in 15+ games, and he more than held his own in 35 games at the pro level, split between Liiga and Mestis. He also impressed at the World Juniors. Pulkinnen has impressive upside, and certainly could be a second pairing NHLer on skill-set alone. But he is still extremely raw, especially in the defensive zone, where his IQ seems severely lacking at times. (Alex Appleyard)
#83 – Christian Humphreys – Center – USNTDP
Christian Humphreys does an excellent job of threading tight passes. It doesn’t matter if its in transition or behind the red line in the offiensive zone, Humphreys can capitalize in tight. He will also look to be deceptive too with his distribution and won’t shy away from behind the back backhand passes after capturing a loose puck behind the red line. If he sees a teammate skating into a potential passing lane and has an attacker forcing Humphreys to push the puck to one side of his body, he will swing the behind the back pass instead of repositioning himself to be square with his teammate. If he looks to square up, he might lose that passing option. (Josh Tessler)
#84 – John Whipple – Left Handed Defenseman – USNTDP
Whipple has excellent reach and will use his reach nicely in transition when defending against the rush. He extends his stick out to take away space and force dump ins. Whipple has excellent speed with his crossovers and straight line extensions. His speed allows him to adjust his positioning quickly off puck to keep his positioning aligned with a vulnerable attacker who has their back turned towards Whipple. (Josh Tessler)
#85 – Luke Osburn – Left Handed Defenseman – Youngstown
Osburn has grown well into a steady, reliable defenceman for Youngstown over the course of the year. He likely won’t blow you away much watching him this year, but the potential that he has is tangible regardless. The timing and anticipation, the fluidity and escapability in his skating, on top of being one of the better passers among defencemen in the class, using his reach to open and attack passing lanes under pressure; it’s easy to see all of that adding up to a pretty great puck-moving defender at the next level. That said, there’s a long road ahead of him, and a lot of development needed for him to get to a place where he can apply his skills in the NHL, and it’s far from a guarantee that he’ll get there. But he’s very young for the draft, and I think the skills that he has could take him far if he keeps refining them. With a few years in college, I could absolutely see him developing into a top-4 puck-mover at the NHL level. (Gray Matter)
#86 – Kim Saarinen – Goaltender – HPK
Kim Saarinen is a conservative goaltender known for his strategic positioning and effective net coverage. He excels in firm stick placement, which aids in executing far-side wrap-around goals even when facing traffic in front of the net. Saarinen’s upright stance allows him to take away a significant portion of the net, and he demonstrates strong overlap with his blocker when in the butterfly position. However, while he employs the RVH (Reverse-VH) technique proficiently, he sometimes struggles to react quickly enough to far-side or blind-side shots, especially when there is traffic at the doorstep. Despite this, his large overlap and conservative style make him a reliable presence in the crease. (Josh Tessler)
#87 – Simon Zether – Center – Rögle
Simon Zether is a player I’ve been quite surprised hasn’t earned more love in this draft class. He’s a 6’3” two-way center who earned a full-time spot on Rogle BK’s SHL squad this season. He’s a highly intelligent player who already excels on the defensive side of the puck. He knows how to use his big frame to be a physical pest and is strong enough to win battles versus much older competition. He also does possess some legit skill and has proven to be a goal-scoring threat when playing against his peers. He’s shown much more willingness to use his size and strength to his advantage offensively over time as well, taking pucks at the blue line and driving to the net himself with defenders unable to take the puck from him. A lack of footspeed could hinder the offensive upside, but his intelligence, reliability and defensive prowess should make him a valuable NHL centerman for a long time.
#88 – Andrei Krutov – Left Wing/Right Wing – Nizhny Novgorod
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod’s system is fast becoming a talent factory. With the legendary Igor Larionov at the helm of the senior team, the set-up seems to mirror his philosophy, with skill, speed, IQ and tenacity a hallmark of those coming through the system, and Larionov being one of the few KHL head coaches who gives young players chances at the highest level, and does not pigeonhole or limit their game. This draft will be a banner year for the Novgorod club, high-lighted by Silayev and Artamonov, who may both go inside the first round. However, a third Novgorod product will also be drafted, the highly skilled winger Andrei Krutov. Krutov’s game is built around his fantastic hands, creativity, and ability to get free for shots. He is truly dominant in the MHL on the power-play, though while he has a quick release that he loves to use he could be more accurate and increase his shot velocity. The main reasons he is not universally ranked higher is he is merely a “decent” skater and is not really a play-driver. Nonetheless, he will surely be at worst a good KHLer one day, with the potential to be an NHL middle six winger if everything goes well. (Alex Appleyard)
#89 – Tory Pitner – RHD – Youngstown
Pitner has not got much attention this year, and at some level that is understandable. He is the kind of player that if he makes it to the NHL won’t be plastered over bill-boards, he won’t be talked about amongst opposition fans, but in his own locker-room and the home arena concourse he will be beloved. His game is built around doing all the little things right. In turn, especially in the defensive zone, he can make difficult plays look easy, and really does not have any glaring weaknesses. His gap is very strong for his age, and when combined with an active stick forwards struggle to enter the zone cleanly vs him. Additionally, he is strong for his 6’1 size, has an infuriating stick to deal with around the crease, and can lay big hits too. He also rarely gets beaten in physical battles, and understands how to use his leverage extremely well. Pitner also moves the puck well and supports his team-mates in transition. While he lacks creativity in the offensive zone and his skating could be better, if he improves at least the second aspect of his game it is easy to see him being a solid #4-6 defenseman in the NHL one day. (Alex Appleyard)
#90 – Carter George – Goaltender – Owen Sound
Carter George is a highly effective goaltender known for his agility and ability to quickly reset, particularly during rushes. His technique of taking away a lot of space in the net while standing upright is complemented by his pad overlap, which effectively covers low shots. George is skilled at presenting the five hole to opponents only to take it away swiftly, a tactic that often disrupts shooters’ timing. However, he occasionally overcommits outside the crease during odd-man rushes, which can lead to vulnerabilities. Despite this, his ability to reset quickly after such scenarios makes him a formidable presence in the net. (Josh Tessler)
#91 – Lucas Van Vliet – Left Wing – USNTDP
Lucas Van Vliet served in a depth role for the USNTDP this season, showcasing his strength as a defensive forward. His excellent positioning and adept stick work make him effective at disrupting attackers and taking away passing lanes, often forcing opponents into less advantageous plays like dump outs or D to D passing. Known for his heavy shot, Van Vliet is proactive in shifting the puck around the offensive zone to find optimal shooting lanes. He particularly loves to shoot off the draw from the hashmarks. (Josh Tessler)
#92 – Kenta Isogai – Forward – Wenatchee
Kenta Isogai, a native of Nagano, Japan, is a re-entry prospect in his draft year plus two. Last season, he played for Wenatchee in the WHL after several seasons in the USHL with Youngstown. Isogai is known for his excellent positional awareness in the offensive zone, effectively adjusting his position as his teammates shift, providing a reliable backdoor option at the net front. He is a very physical player, consistently applying pressure immediately after an opponent gains possession, forcing them into low-danger areas. Isogai excels in using his physicality to disrupt opponents, knocking them off the puck in open ice. Additionally, he demonstrates a keen ability to find and exploit tight gaps for passing lanes to the inside. As a two-way winger, his physical presence is felt in the neutral zone, where he also displays good stick handling and puck security, even when handling the puck wide. (Josh Tessler)
#93 – Mac Swanson – Forward – Fargo
I don’t often start a player write-up with questions, but this one merits some. Who was the highest scoring forward in the USHL this season at 5v5? Who led the USA in scoring at the WJAC-19? Who was almost P/GP LAST season at 16 years old in the USHL? Who was Clark Cup MVP? Who was USHL Player of the Year? No, it was not Trevor Connelly, who will go top 20 in the draft, it was his international line-mate, Mac Swanson. Swanson has everything to be a star in the NHL. Everything aside from one thing. One thing he really cannot control. Size. Swanson is listed at 5’7, and alongside that is a pretty average skater, though he is agile. However, he is an incredible playmaker with an intuitive understanding of how to control a game. Swanson also has a solid shot and creates space well both for himself and his line-mates. While capable of playing all three forward positions, and very comfortable at C in junior hockey, he most likely kicks out to wing in the pros. If Swanson falls out of the top 100 he really does have potential steal written all over him. (Alex Appleyard)
#94 – Heikki Ruohonen – Center – Kiekko-Espoo
Ruohonen is a player whose draft stock has risen partially due to exposure. His five points in five games at the u-18 WJC have had him catapult as high as top 50 in some rankings. There is a lot to like about his game, he is an intelligent two-way center who is diligent defensively, works hard in all three zones, can deliver some bruising hits, and rarely loses a board battle. And all this is ignoring the fact that he had the highest P/GP of any first time draft eligible u-20 SM-Sarja regular this season. Very few players who do what he did this season at that level don’t end up – at worst – good Euro league or AHL players. Offensively he is a deceptive passer who is a danger around the net to boot. He will never be the most “skilled” player, his hands can be clunky, and he can struggle to get shots off from tough spots. Ruohonen is also not the worst skater but does need to get a bit quicker is he is going to excel at the pro level. However, his IQ, drive and well-rounded game mean that with continued improvement to his skating he has a chance to one day make the NHL in a bottom-six role. (Alex Appleyard)
#95 – Ollie Josephson – Forward – Red Deer
Ollie won’t wow you with his skill, and likely won’t factor in much as a scorer at the next level, but that shouldn’t deter teams from calling his name later in the draft. I would describe Josephson as a speedy, two-way winger that uses his hockey sense to ensure proper positioning at every turn. I think given his ability to read and disrupt exits and passes that Ollie could be a guy relied upon to kill penalties at the pro level. What makes Ollie most valuable, is his versatility. He could plug in at any of the six bottom-six slots in a line-up, while also contributing as mentioned on a PK. Very safe floor for Josephson, I expect to hear his name late 3rd or into the 4th. (Ben Jordan)
#96 – Anthony Romani – Center/Right Wing – North Bay
Romani really took off this season after being passed over in the 2023 entry draft (his first year eligible). Heading into the 2024 draft, there’s no dispute whether he’ll be selected, but rather how much he’ll slide due to his production coming a year later than most in this class. What I saw from Romani this season was his hockey sense coming through in the offensive zone. It looked like he was reacting to what the game was giving him, instead of thinking with the puck on his stick. His passing is elite, and he has the ability to feed teammates from just about anywhere, using different puck touches and velocities to reach teammates. Not only was playmaking a big reason for his offensive leap this season, but he clearly came in stronger this season, and possessed a much more dangerous shot. (Ben Jordan)
#97 – Melvin Fernström – Forward – Örebro
Melvin Fernström is going to be a good pro hockey player in the not-so-distant future, the only question is at what level. He dressed in nine games in the SHL for Örebro this season, playing in seven, including three in the play-offs. While he did not trouble the scoresheet, you can see why he was trusted to ice in such big games with a lot on the line. He is a mature player in every sense of the word, already with a pro frame and pro habits. Fernström has excellent anticipation, skates well, and is incredibly strong on his skates for an 18-year-old. Furthermore, for a winger his age he is a net positive defensively, even though at times he can switch off when his team don’t have the puck. Offensively his game is built around getting to danger areas on ice, being hard to contain on the cycle, and his shot. I would not say his shot itself is high-end, but he is incredible at finding space to get it off and will put pucks on net with good velocity even when he is off balance, or it is in his feet or at the end of his reach. He also has quick hands in terms of deflections and tips. While not the most purely “skilled” player his game has the hallmarks of a player who if things go well could be a good NHL third liner. (Alex Appleyard)
#98 – Kevin He – Left Wing – Niagara
After a 21 goal rookie season on a subpar IceDogs team, I was curious to see what Kevin He would accomplish offensively in his NHL draft year. Again, on a subpar Niagara team he was able to work with what he had, finishing the year with 31 snipes and 53 points in 64 games. I love the way He works the wing. It feels like when he’s controlling the puck, that the defenders play at his pace, and that he controls the play. He’s been a tad one-dimensional offensively in that a lot of his offense comes off turnover and scoring on odd-man rush scenarios. With that said, he got a lot stronger this year, and his play below the goal line definitely improved. He’s got sneaky speed, and sneaky physicality that really help to maintain possession of the puck, and a sneaky shot that can beat goalies at the junior level. (Ben Jordan)
#99 – Evan Gardner – Goaltender – Saskatoon
Evan Gardner, the goaltender for the Saskatoon Blades, exhibits a predominantly shallow positioning style, rarely drifting far outside the crease. Standing at 6’2″, Gardner effectively squares up to shots, leveraging his good side-to-side movement to face them directly. However, he struggles with rebound control, particularly off his glove, which often results in additional scoring opportunities for opponents. While he employs the Reverse-VH (RVH) technique for post protection, Gardner inconsistently uses it against rush plays, leading to vulnerabilities, especially with low-danger five-hole shots. Additionally, his difficulties with trapping pucks using his glove contribute to his rebound control issues. Despite these challenges, Gardner’s solid positional play and lateral quickness remain key strengths in his goaltending repertoire. (Josh Tessler)
#100 – Vladislav Bryzgalov – Goaltender – Alberni Valley
Vladislav Bryzgalov, the son of former NHL goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, has been making a name for himself in the hockey world. This season, he played primarily in the National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC), with a brief stint in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) with the Alberni Valley Bulldogs. Bryzgalov is known for his remarkable athleticism and post-to-post speed, making him a formidable presence in the net. His rebound control is excellent, and he exhibits quick reaction times, particularly when shifting in the butterfly position to shut down rebound shots. Despite not being a large goaltender, Bryzgalov effectively leverages toe pad saves when he’s not fully squared to the shot. His ability to quickly reset after a save makes him a challenging goaltender to beat. (Josh Tessler)
Honorable Mentions
Ondrej Kos, Jiří Ticháček, Marcus Kearsey, Aatos Koivu, Eriks Mateiko, Sebastian Soini, Ivan Yunin, Dean Letourneau, Kieron Walton
Below you will find the rankings and a high level summary on each player.
#1 – Macklin Celebrini, F, Boston University
I feel confident that Celebrini will eventually be a top line asset at the NHL level. The production will come quickly with his shot and his acceleration. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching him leverage his acceleration to get himself into quality shooting lanes. Not only is it working well at full strength, but it is even more lethal when on the power play. His ability to identify and quick take advantage of tight passing lanes to the slot will net him quite a number of assists at the next level. Defensively, he is responsible and quite sound. (Josh Tessler)
#2 – Ivan Demidov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg
The most dynamic, fun, and exciting player in the draft, Demidov just oozes skill and creativity in every facet of his game. The way he’s able to slow the game down and weave around defences—sometimes a bit too much—is mesmerising; his small area skill is really impressive, and the creativity and quickness that he brings makes him an electrifying player to watch. In my eyes, he’s still a strong contender for first overall, and he’ll likely remain my personal #1 for the rest of the year; the dynamic skill that he has could make him a uniquely talented player in the NHL, and the prospect of where that could take him is so exciting to me. The questions with Demidov largely come down to translatability, consistency, and decision-making. It’s hard to say how his game will translate to smaller ice, higher pace / intensity, and tougher competition, given his skating limitations and tendency to slow down and do too much; which makes a more easily projectable player like Celebrini difficult to pass up. But I have a lot of faith in the skill and the mind that Demidov has to figure it all out, and I fully believe he’s going to be an incredible NHL player, surpassing even my expectations. For me, after #1, it’s a no-brainer. (Gray Matter)
#3 – Berkly Catton, F, Spokane
Catton is going to push the envelope all season for the #2 spot in the upcoming draft. He blends nifty edgework with high-end skill alongside a surgical approach to dissecting opposing teams’ defensive structures. His microstat profile is aburd through two games. He’s averaging five dangerous shots a game, completing 75% of his passes with 29% going to dangerous areas of the ice, and is involved in a ridiculous 58% of all offensive transitions for Spokane with a 94%(!!!) success rate. Outside of Bedard, he’s the best WHL player I’ve tracked in three years. (Austin Garret)
#4 – Cayden Lindstrom, F, Medicine Hat
Cayden Lindstrom continues to remain one of the most intriguing prospects in this draft with his combination of size, speed, and skills giving him the upside of a top-six contributor at the NHL level. Despite not having played since December, his film up until then remains incredibly impressive. When I watch him play, all I can think is POWER. Everything he does is so powerful, from his stride to his shot. He leverages his size and skill to great effect in the offensive zone where he is frequently a threat to score from everywhere or find an open teammate when he pulls multiple defenders into his space. His forechecking ability remains one of the best in this draft and he is a capable defender with the physical tools to continue to improve in this area. He may slip in the draft due to his injuries but should he make a complete recovery, he could prove to be one of the best players in this class. (Chris Ford)
#5 – Zeev Buium, LHD, University of Denver
Zeev Buium is the most well-rounded defenseman in the 2024 NHL Draft class. In the offensive zone, Buium is a great quarterback from the point. He will shift across the point and pinch up with the puck in an effort to identify and utilize a passing lane to the slot. Defensively, Buium does a good job of positioning himself in front of the attack to take away skating lanes. When moving the puck up the ice, if he is slightly further back behind his teammates he’ll opt to pass forward to them. (Josh Tessler)
#6 – Liam Greentree, RW, Windsor
Greentree continues to rise up draft boards as he routinely exceeds expectations in terms of production and consistency of play on one of the worst teams in the OHL. As a result of playing with a lackluster supporting cast Greentree has been forced to do it all for Windsor this year where his work ethic on both ends of the ice shone. He possesses very good hands and is capable of beating goalies cleanly with a variety of shots and shows off a goalscorer’s touch in tight. He is one of the more intelligent prospects coming out of the OHL this year and has proven to be the best draft year forward in the league. He uses the threat of his shot in combination with his hands to play make for his teammates. While he may not be the most technically gifted skater, he is still pacey and is able to create separation with cut-back and has a quick first step. He is able to think himself into space and when you consider the growth he has shown in his game since entering the OHL, it would not surprise me if he is able to become an average NHL skater in the future. The combination of size and skill will no doubt carry him into the lottery of this draft with the potential to become a top-six player capable of producing points at even strength and on the powerplay with the ability to play up-and-down the lineup.(Chris Ford)
#7 – Artyom Levshunov, RHD, Michigan State
The Michigan State defenseman has been intriguing from an offensive standpoint. He loves jumping into the rush and pinching up with and without the puck. He will look to position himself in the high slot and pepper shots on net. Levshunov has collected quite a few assists at 5v5 as a result of generating rebounds for his teammates at the crease. Defensively, Levshunov’s positioning can be spotty at times. Since he likes to pinch up and play up in the offensive zone, there are shifts in which he finds himself slightly out of position and struggles to get back into position. When Levshunov is in position and ready to defend, he isn’t always assertive and I’d like to see Levshunov work on being more assertive when looking to shut down the attack. (Josh Tessler)
#8 – Sam Dickinson, LHD, London
Dickinson is likely to be one of the first defenders off the board come draft day in June. He has a pro-favoured frame at 6ft3 and 194 lbs, and uses it incredibly effectively in both ends of the ice. If it weren’t for 2023 1st round pick Oliver Bonk (PHI) taking PP time, I think we would perceive Dickinson’s offensive capabilities differently, and project him out a bit differently. In the defensive zone, he nips plays in the butt, and accelerates the transition game with quick up passes. Skating is a strength, and there is no glaring weakness directionally. He can go all four directions well, with good agility to re position when needed. (Ben Jordan)
#9 – Tij Iginla, F, Kelowna
Tij Iginla can be very tenacious in his pursuit of the puck in the offensive zone. Iginla looks to pray on the vulnerable and does a great job of stick lifting and poke checking to cause disruption in puck possession. Iginla does well at feathering passes in tight and does a good job with puck security when being pursued by multiple attackers at close proximity. He’s got a good shot especially from range. But, should he be leading the rush he’ll love to attempt wrap-around shots. Iginla has second line upside and could be deployed at center or wing without losing a step. (Josh Tessler)
#10 – Nikita Artamonov, LW, Nizhny Novgorod
When draft day comes the chatter about Nikita Artamonov is likely to include “this guy came out of no-where this year”. But make no mistake, the Nizhnekamsk native has been one of the best three Russian forwards amongst his age-group for the last couple of years. This year however? He has taken a giant leap, and is playing at a level in the KHL that very few draft eligibles ever achieve. 23 points in 54 games is preposterous, with Michkov, Tarasenko and Panarin the only players in the KHL’s 15 year history to do better P/GP wise. Artamonov belies the outdated stereotype of the skilled, Russian winger who only plays in the offensive zone. He is an energiser bunny. Voracious on the fore-check, diligent in the defensive zone, with an active stick that constantly disrupts lanes. Furthermore, while no-one would mistake him for a physical player, he is more than happy to go to the corners or net-front. However, he is not just an “energy” player. He is a great skater and a fantastic passer, alongside this his ability to get free ice in the offensive zone is exceptional. The downsides? He is not the most “creative” player, his hands are quite average and he could use his solid shot more than he does. Nevertheless, Artamonov has the potential to be a 70+ point, two-way winger in the NHL if he keeps developing. (Alex Appleyard)
#11 – Trevor Connelly, F, Tri-City
Trevor Connelly does a good job of not forcing the puck into danger and will pivot away from pressure to get the separation that he needs to complete a pass to the interior. But, if he doesn’t have a great passing option to the interior and yet sees that his teammate does have a passing lane to the low slot from behind the net, Connelly will pass the puck along the boards to get the puck into the hands of the teammate behind the net. When driving the cycle to find a lane to the slot, he does a good job of navigating the puck around pressure with his reach and great handling. He will work the puck along the boards and scan for passing lanes to get the puck to an open teammate in the slot. If he has the puck and a teammate is close by with an attacker looking on, he will delay, draw the attacker to him and then pass to his teammate who is now open with a clear lane to the crease. When in transition, if he faces pressure once he gets the puck in the neutral zone, he’ll re-group and find another lane into the offensive zone. (Josh Tessler)
#12 – Zayne Parekh, RHD, Saginaw
Zayne Parekh is one of the better puck moving defensemen in the 2024 NHL Draft class. He loves to take advantage of tight passing lanes when on the rush and pressure intensifies. Parekh will complete outlet and stretch passes underneath the stick of the attacker with ease. When off puck but his team has possession of the puck, Parekh loves to jump into the rush and provide his teammates with a passing option up ice. In the offensive zone, when pinching up he loves to change up his pace to throw off attackers and buy separation so he can net enough space to get a pass off to the interior. Defensively, his positioning has been solid, but he isn’t an overly assertive defenseman. (Josh Tessler)
#13 – Cole Eiserman, LW, USNTDP
Eiserman is constantly making an impact each shift he is out there for. In the offensive zone, he is a good forechecker, will fight for pucks down low and in the corners. Eiserman will rely on his reach to stick lift attackers and force a disruption in oppositional puck possession. He has good puck manipulation and will use it to draw in attackers and then quickly pass underneath the stick to an open teammate. Eiserman has an excellent shot especially from range. He does play with a bit of a physical edge in all three zones. If he isn’t the one shutting down play, he isn’t far behind and will scoop up pucks below the red line. When in transition, if Eiserman is driving the puck up ice, he does struggle to get separation around attackers. Eiserman projects to be a top six goal scorer, who won’t always push play up ice, but will provide his linemates with someone who fights hard for pucks and will be a threat with his shot. (Josh Tessler)
#14 – Adam Jiricek, RHD, Plzen
Adam Jiricek is one of the stronger defensive defensemen in this class. When defending against the rush, he communicates well with his forwards to explain where he needs the support prior to crossing into the defensive zone. He implements extremely good positioning to shut down passing and shooting lanes to the interior. Jiricek does a great job of re-adjusting his positioning when defending against multiple attackers to shut down potential one-timers. When behind the red line and along the boards, he plays with a physical edge and will look to pokecheck. Jiricek’s floor seems to be a top four defensemen, but with more and more refinement he could potentially be a top two defensemen. (Josh Tessler)
#15 – Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, RW, Mora
There has never been a Norwegian who has gone in the first round. The highest a Norweigan has been picked was Marius Holtet, who went 42nd overall in 2002. Next summer Michael Brandsegg-Nygård will change that. The Oslo native has everything to be a top NHLer. Brandsegg-Nygård, no matter how much you watch, has no major issues. The things that make him stand out? His release is fantastic, he gets the puck off crisply, quickly, and with a high level of accuracy even if it is away from his body or in his feet. His hockey IQ is impressive, he is virtually never out of position and seemingly knows where everyone is on ice at all times. He is also a legitimate power-forward, who likes to throw his weight around and get to the net-front. On the boards he regularly dominates men 15 years his senior. Defensively he is also impressive, with an active stick and the ability to win most 1-v-1 battles. While he has no “holes” he does have a few things to improve upon to reach his potential. His skating is solid, but will need to get more explosive. Additionally, while his vision is fantastic, he does not always connect on pass attempts, and will likely never be a high-end play-maker. But make no mistake, he has the potential to be one of the premier two-way wingers in the NHL. (Alex Appleyard)
#16 – Anton Silayev, LHD, Nizhny Novgorod
Anton Silayev is a defensive defenseman who has measures in at 6’7″ / 207 lbs. He has extremely good speed for his size especially his lateral speed that allows him to shift positioning when he is slighly further away from where he needs to be when defending against the rush. Silyaev uses his reach and size to take up space. While he does a good job of eliminating skating lanes to the interior, he doesn’t always shut the play down all together. He can be quite physical along the boards and I got a feeling that it won’t be long before he starts to use his. physicality a bit more to shut down the cycle / rush. While this ranking might seem relatively low to where others have Silayev, the offensive upside of Artamonov, Iginla and others in the 10-20 range made it a challenge for the Smaht team to push Silayev up higher. (Josh Tessler)
#17 – Konsta Helenius, RW, Tappara
The 2024 NHL draft does not have an abundance of Centers with clear 1C upside, but Helenius is certainly on that short list. Last year the Finn put himself in the conversation as a potential top five pick, with 11 points in 33 Liiga games at just 16 years old. This year he has advanced that conversation further. 36 points in 51 games, while playing Center in one of the world’s best five pro leagues? That should probably be turning more heads than it has. Since 1990 Olli Jokinen (by coincidence Helenius’s current coach), Mikhail Granlund, Alex Barkov, Patrik Laine and Kaapo Kakko are the only five draft eligibles who have produced at 0.70 P/GP in Liiga. 4/5 went top three, and 4/5 have become consistent 65+ point NHL players, with Kaako still having a chance to make it 5/5. Helenius’s game is built around his high IQ, which he uses to dictate play. He is a fantastic transition player and drives play as a result. His passing is crisp, accurate and deceptive, and while he might primarily be a play-maker he has a good shot, especially his one-timer from the left half-wall on the power-play. He is not the fastest, but is extremely shifty and agile. Helenius also has an exceptional compete level, and is more than solid defensively. Once he matures physically he certainly has the potential to be a legitimate 1C in the NHL, albeit many teams might move him to wing. (Alex Appleyard)
#18 – Igor Chernyshov, LW, Dynamo Moscow
Igor Chernyshov is a Russian power forward prospect. He plays a gritty grame and works the boards with great pressure shift in shift out. He is defensively responsible in transition and will put up a tough fight at open ice. In the defensive zone, he will fall back to the low slot and provide support to his defensemen down low. From a production stand point, Chernyshov has thrived off of odd man rushes / breakouts in MHL play. Most of his MHL primary 5v5 points have come off of odd man rushes. (Josh Tessler)
#19 – Alfons Freij, LHD, Växjö
For the first time in a long time, there is a real possibility that we don’t see any Swedes drafted in the first round in 2024. That being said, Swedish defenseman Alfons Freij possesses many traits and attributes that give him a shot at hearing his name called on day 1 and still make him a very intriguing prospect for any organization. His two best and most projectable traits are his skating and puck moving ability, and they often go hand-in-hand. Freij is an incredibly mobile defenseman who oozes confidence with the puck on his stick. He often will take the puck from behind his own net and carry it up ice into the offensive zone to create scoring chances. Always with his head up, he also makes a fantastic first pass when it’s a better option than keeping it for himself. He’s a dual threat in the offensive zone as well, capable of creating passing lanes to distribute while also possessing a great shot. Freij is not afraid to take risks with the puck, and those risks don’t always pan out. At times he will turn the puck over and gift odd man rushes to the opposition. He’ll need to learn to be a bit more selective with his playmaking in order to excel at the next level. Another aspect of his game that will need to improve as he develops is his in zone defense. His skating prowess makes him a capable rush defender, however at times he can get caught out of position chasing pucks once the opposition has established possession. That said, his foundational tools and willingness to experiment with them give him serious potential. (SpokedZ)
#20 – Carter Yakemchuk, RHD, Calgary
I wouldn’t be surprised if Yakemchuk is a name that continually keeps rising up lists. He hasn’t played in any marquee events, and thus hasn’t had the early season hype that some other names have had, but don’t be fooled by that. Since the new year of this past season, Yakemchuk has really started to take strides, and his game continues to round itself out. Yakemchuk has a nice blend of size, skill, and aggressiveness that allow him to be a force all over the ice. His instincts are great, and he joins the rush when he feels he can contribute to the play. He holds his own in the defensive zone with his size and ability to separate puck carriers from the puck to quick start offense the other way for his side. (Ben Jordan)
#21- Andrew Basha, F, Medicine Hat
Andrew Basha is entertaining to watch every shift. His puck movement in transition is excellent. His handling and distribution is excellent. Basha’s puck manipulation makes him a threat on the rush and mid-cycle. He is shifty, mobile, agile and has tremendous speed. Basha does a good job of utilizing tight passing lanes to the slot. He will grab possession of loose pucks off the boards, drive to the trapezoid and look to feather passes to the low slot. (Josh Tessler)
#22 – Luke Misa, C, Mississauga
Luke Misa plays a very high-tempo game, prays on the vulnerable when on the forecheck, can drive the rush and create chances off of the rush regularly. Misa will feather passes in tight lanes in all three zones as he looks to push play up ice. In the offensive zone when off puck, he does a great job of finding open ice down low to create an intriguing passing option for his teammates. He will also look to jump onto loose pucks at the crease and capitalize with a quick goal before the goaltender can react. (Josh Tessler)
#23 – Sacha Boisvert, C, Muskegon
Sacha Boisvert is an entertaining watch. He’s got absolutely incredible handling and its led to gorgeous assists. Boisvert will toe drag to get separation and then quickly make use of a passing lane. He has a great shot off of the rush and has found success sniping far side top shelf goals from low danger. Boisvert makes use of tight passing lanes and won’t shy away from a pass over / under the stick of an attacker to get the puck in the hands of a open teammate further up in the zone. But, it’s the handling that makes Boisvert a fun prospect to watch. His dangling and toe drags have helped light the lamp in Muskegon regularly. (Josh Tessler)
#24 – Teddy Stiga, LW, USNTDP
Teddy Stiga always keeps his feet moving off-puck and looks to provide passing options for his teammates laterally and up ice. When on the forecheck or defending against the halfwall, he is relentless in his pursuits and is constantly keeping his feet moving and accelerating at the moment of puck movement. More often than not, Stiga will look to make contact with his stick instead of engaging with a shoulder or hip check. Has great speed to keep in tow when teammates are pushing the puck up ice. Stiga does struggle with pressure when he gets in a tight jam. He will tend to struggle with netting separation in the corners when pressure is at the backside. Stiga has a quick shot from a far and that makes him dangerous. If a goaltender gives him a gap, he doesn’t hesitate and fires. He carries a middle six winger projection. (Josh Tessler)
#25 – Beckett Sennecke, RW, Oshawa
Sennecke oozes confidence and skill, and that’s how he earned himself a spot as an HM just outside our round 1. Sennecke is an absolute hound on the forecheck where his motor will not stop until he gains possession of that puck. From there he flashes elite ability with his hands, and does a great job in small areas weaving and stickhandling through defenders skates, and sticks. He does a great job keeping pucks and plays alive off the wall by slipping through checks or dangling in a phone-booth. Unfortunately, his situation in Oshawa has been iffy at best, and I hope that forward group finds some more chemistry adn purpose in the new year, as I think Sennecke’s draft stock could benefit enormously from it. (Ben Jordan)
#26 – Ryder Ritchie, F, Prince Albert
After a very strong Hlinka Gretzky tournament for Canada, I think that many were expecting Ritchie to put up better point totals than he has managed thus far. Although there may be something to this, Ritchie is still doing a lot of things very well. I have a tough time seeing him falling out of round 1 as the season goes along. His feet and hands are ultra quick making him an exceptional puck carrier. If you give Ritchie time to pickup speed and attack defenders downhill, you will be sorry after he beats you, and secures middle ice. (Ben Jordan)
#27 – Michael Hage, C, Chicago
Hage is a two-way forward with excellent distribution, good reach and provides tight pressure in his own zone. His reach and handling allow him to navigate around pressure with ease when driving the puck up ice. In transition, he will look to pass off of the boards if he runs into too much pressure and he has spotted an open teammate further up in the neutral zone. Hage has excellent speed and can push pace to be the driver on a middle six line in the NHL. (Josh Tessler)
#28 – Aron Kiviharju, LHD, TPS
Two years ago the Finnish blue-liner was being talked about as a potential #1 pick, yet now there are whispers that he might fall outside the 1st round. Is this simply a case of the spotlight being so strong, for so long, that his weaknesses have been magnified? The answer is probably no. There are legitimate concerns over his game. He is undersized, he is not the best skater, and early this season a knee injury that required surgery has put him out for four months. Kiviharju was expected to be healthy again in February, but is still not back on ice. However, in a league where top pairing defensemen are at a premium, if Kiviharju falls outside the first? There is the potential for one of the bigger draft steals in recent history. While there are concerns about his game the upside is inarguable. His hockey IQ would be the envy of most NHLers, he is almost always two-steps ahead and rarely makes bad decisions. This, combined with fantastic vision, great passing and silky hands means he is great in transition, and controls play when set-up in the OZ. Defensively he has an active stick, good gap control, and thrives on breaking up plays before they develop. He is also strong down low, even against players 15 years older and 50lbs heavier. His upside is still a top pairing defenseman despite the concerns. (Alex Appleyard)
#29 – Emil Hemming, F, TPS
If the draft was all about raw talent then the big Finnish winger would be in seriously contention to go top 10. Scouts often talk about the “S’s of scouting”… skill, smarts, speed, size and skating. Hemming has them all. He can be a juggernaut even against men in Liiga, able to use his speed, edge-work, pick-handling and size in conjunction to drop a shoulder and get past anyone. Even at 17 years old against men, Hemming has an incredible transition game. His wrist-shot is lethal to boot, and he is able to pick a corner from anywhere on ice. Alongside this he is creative with silky hands, and when he is “on” this combined with a natural swagger and confidence means that he will undress defensemen regularly. While he may not be the most “natural” passer he has good vision as well, and tries to make cross-ice plays that most would never see. However, there are some real concerns about Hemming’s game that mean he is likely to go later in the 1st. While he has the size he rarely uses it, and plays on the perimeter. Defensively he gets lost far too often, and his consistency is also worrying, as even against his own age-group he can go missing for long stretches. There is the upside for him to be a 30 goal scorer in the NHL if he can iron out these kinks. (Alex Appleyard)
#30 – Daniil Ustinkov, LHD, Zürich
Daniil Ustinkov is a solid defensive defensemen and has been excellent at eliminating gaps all season against men in Switzerland (National League). He isn’t overly assertive with his pressure, but makes does an excellent job of using his positioning to shield lanes to the inside and forces play to low danger. When attackers look to use pivots to shake free from pressure, Ustinkov matches edge for edge and doesn’t leave a gap. On the flip side, he will use pivots to shake free of pressure when he has the puck. From a transition perspective, Ustinkov looks to usually make an outlet pass from the backend to a teammate further up in the defensive zone and let his forwards push play up ice. But, there are some shifts in which he looks to be a bit more of a driver in transition. He will skate up the offensive zone blue line to be a passing option for his teammates in the neutral zone, facilitate a controlled zone entry once he has the puck on his stick, push the puck up the boards and try to find a gap to get a pass off to a teammate down in the zone. When off puck and the oppositional breakout is about to kick off, he will skate up to the backside of an attacker off of the boards to make it a challenge for that attacker to grab control of the puck off of a pass from a the defenseman looking to complete a breakout pass. (Josh Tessler)
#31 – John Mustard, F, Waterloo
John Mustard is my early “Didn’t know who he is but I love him” player of the 2024 draft. Playing on a line with Gavyn Thoreson in the USHL, Mustard has looked great in all my viewings of him this year. He does have an awkward skating stride as he hunches over with a less bent knee, but with the puck on the stick Mustard can get to an above-average pace. His skill is great for his size, and he can get off the wall and into dangerous areas at ease at times with the puck on his stick. He’s a great forechecker and is very defensively responsible for a winger. He’s involved in 40% of the offensive transitions for Waterloo and has a 31% shot share (his shots/team shots when he’s on the ice). I’d like to see him get more pucks into dangerous areas of the ice with his passing, but his skill level is there that I’m not worried that only 16% of his passes have gone to dangerous areas of the ice. He’s a player to watch in the upcoming months because he has room to improve his microstat profile and if that happens, then his production profile is going to improve from impressive to “how did we not rank him in the first place?”. (Austin Garret)
#32 – Lucas Pettersson, C, MoDo
Lucas Pettersson quietly came into this season as one of NHL Central Scouting’s ‘A’ grade prospects for the 2024 NHL Draft, and he did nothing this season to suggest that was a mistake. Pettersson is an offensively gifted two-way centerman who finished this season as top scorer in the J20 Forts Division with 31 points in 18 games (14 goals, 17 assists). He also represented Sweden at multiple international tournaments, always wearing a ‘C’ or ‘A’ on his sweater. Hockey IQ and skating lay the foundation for Pettersson’s success. He’s a very smart player who is able to think and play at breakneck speed, making him a nightmare to defend off the rush. A dual-threat offensively, Pettersson is capable of setting up his teammates from anywhere in the offensive zone while also possessing a dangerously hard and accurate snap-shot. He also provides defensive value as well, both off the rush and in-zone. He’s able to read and disrupt plays, forcing turnovers and intercepting passes, and oftentimes turning defense into offense for MoDo. Whether or not Pettersson is selected on day 1 will likely depend on how much of his offense teams believe will translate in the NHL. While there are questions about how much of an offensive threat he’ll be at the next level, his two-way ability combined with his hockey IQ and dynamic skating make him a first-round pick for us. (SpokedZ)
#33 – Henry Mews, RHD, Ottawa
Henry Mews is a solid puck moving defenseman and a great distributor when pushing the puck up ice. Mews has excellent handling that he can ulitize to navigate through tight pressure to get separation before completing an outlet feed. While he has had productive shifts where he pushed pace, there are shifts in which I see Mews will encounter pressure and pass into traffic instead of using his handling to open up an uncontested passing lane. Defensively, Mews will struggle with gap control from time to time and his defensive work could use further refinement, but when you to balance that with his distribution with the puck you are looking at high second round pick. (Josh Tessler)
#34 – Topian Hynninen, RW, Jukurit
Hynninen is a guy I’ve really enjoyed watching all year, and he’s steadily improved as the season’s gone by. He doesn’t necessarily excel at any one skill, but he isn’t lacking in any either. He’s very well-rounded; he does everything quite well, but it’s the energy and the pace that he plays with that stands out the most when you watch him. He plays hard, does very well in both offensive and defensive transitions, and is just an extremely effective player in all that he does. Making life miserable for opponents with his speed and intensity, constantly forcing errors and turnovers; and doing all of it against pro competition, without looking out of place in the slightest. The ceiling is likely not too high with him, but those traits alone I think will absolutely make him a valuable energy player in the NHL, and if he can further develop and unlock the playmaking potential I believe he has, well, that’s a great bonus. (Gray Matter)
#35 – Dominik Badinka, RHD, Malmö
Dominik Badinka is a 6’3”, 183lb right-shot defenseman who has seen his draft stock skyrocket this season. An interesting note on Badinka- he’s followed one of the most unusual development paths we’ve seen, playing in 3 different countries in 3 years. He spent his 16-year-old season in Czechia for Pirati Chomutov, his 17-year-old season in Finland for Jokerit, and his 18-year-old season in Sweden for Malmo. While he is one of the oldest defensemen in this draft class, he looks to be one of the furthest along in his development. Badinka finished this season having played more SHL games for Malmo (33) than J20 games (17). In those 33 SHL games, he tallied 1 goal and 3 assists for 4 points while averaging around 15-minutes TOI. Badinka is a calm, mobile defenseman with size and two-way ability. He’s excellent on retrievals and breakouts, which enabled him to adjust to the SHL quickly and be given more and more ice-time. He’s an excellent puck mover who likes to have the puck on his stick and dictates play with poise and confidence. He’s also a solid defender who plays hard and was unafraid of the older competition in his first SHL season. He does lack high-end handling skill and ability to work the blue line in order to project as a true first powerplay QB or top pair defenseman (at this point). That being said, he still projects to be a reliable, minute-munching second pair defenseman who provides value at both ends of the ice. (SpokedZ)
#36 – Tomas Galvas, LHD, Olomouc
Tomas Galvas is a solid puck moving defenseman, who does an excellent job in keeping the puck secure with traffic at his side. He won’t force the puck into tight pressure deliberately, but has shown that if he is encountering multiple attackers that he can keep his feet and hands moving to secure the puck and position it away from the attackers before chipping it off the boards. Galvas does a good job of using an active stick to trap attackers and force them to dump the puck in the neutral zone and take away potential shooting / passing lanes in his own zone. He has an excellent power stride that he will use to get himself into position to defend should be a bit too far away from where he needs to be. (Josh Tessler)
#37 – Cole Beaudoin, C, Barrie
Cole Beaudoin is one of the stronger transitional centermen in the class. He doesn’t have flash, but instead has excellent reach and speed that he will utilize to push the puck around pressure in the neutral zone. Should he run into a brick wall as he approaches the slot off the rush, he will look to complete a drop pass to a teammate skating up behind him. Beaudoin’s ranking is indicative of how consistent he has been offensively with his ice time in the OHL level. I see a third line center at the next level. (Josh Tessler)
#38 – Miguel Marques, F, Lethbridge
Miguel Marques is wired to get pucks to the interior. Whenever he has the puck outside of the slot and pressure intensifies, he looks for the tighest gaps and uses them to get pucks to the slot. He has great handling and will implement shot fakes and toe drags to net the separation that he needs to get a pass off. When shooting from range, he has a very quick shot release and will look to target glove side. He also tallied quite a few backdoor goals at 5v5 this season by being in the right space at the right time. He isn’t always the facilitator in transition, but plays a fairly active role in getting the puck up ice. Defensively, he plays more of a support role, but always looks to cement himself in open ice towards the blue line so he can provide an outlet lane for his defensemen. Marques has middle six upside. (Josh Tessler)
#39 – Noel Fransén, LHD, Färjestad
Noel Fransen went from being a relatively unknown defenseman in this draft class to one with fringe first round potential. He finished this season with the most goals and points of any defenseman in the J20, and he did the same last season in the J18. Fransen is an offensive-minded defenseman who thrives with the puck on his stick. He transports pucks through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone with ease using his quick feet and explosive speed bursts. He’s constantly with his head up, scanning the ice and identifying open lanes to attack. He’ll either attack these lanes to establish possession in the offensive zone, or he will attack and drive the net himself. He’s also scored a handful of coast-to-coast goals this season. Fransen has a terrific first-pass when the option to transport the puck himself isn’t there. Inside the offensive zone, he has a hard and accurate one-timer capable of beating goaltenders from distance. (SpokedZ)
#40 – Cole Hutson, LHD, USNTDP
Cole Hutson has tremendous upside, great mobility and shiftiness to open up space for himself to make an uncontested pass or shot. He likes to pinch up in the offensive zone and pass to the interior. But, Hutson has struggled with puck control and sometimes delays a bit too long when determining his next move while pinching with the puck. (Josh Tessler)
#41 – Matvei Shuravin, LHD, Kranaya Armiya Moscow
Matvei Shuravin is a solid defensive-minded defensemen who does a good job of taking away space with his power stride. Should be slightly out of position, he’ll use his lengthy stride extensions to match pace and shut down the rush by trapping the attacker along the boards. He isn’t an overly assertive defenseman when taking on the F1, but maintains good positioning and extends his stick blade out towards the attacker to trap them. His distribution from deep in his own zone has been great. He can wire quick stretch passes to the neutral zone and does a good job of identifying tight passing lanes while pushing the puck up in the defensive zone and seeing that he could potentially get the puck in the hands of a teammate further up in the zone. His puck control and quick distribution in the defensive zone doesn’t always match to successful puck movement in the offensive and neutral zones. Shuravin will try to bring the puck up the middle in the offensive zone, but isn’t quick to get a pass off and runs into walls. When he doesn’t have possession of the puck in the offensive zone, he looks to engage himself in puck battles down low, win loose pucks and pass to the slot. (Josh Tessler)
#42 – Veeti Väsiänen, LHD, KooKoo
In a draft brimming with exciting defensemen, Veeti Väisänen gets a bit lost in the shuffle. Is he an exciting player? Not really. Will he be a top pairing guy in the NHL? Unlikely. But what Väisänen lacks in terms of highlights, he makes up for with a well-rounded skill-set and a level of defensive maturity that few defensemen have at 17. This season, playing against men in Liiga, Väisänen has utilised his smooth skating, defensive IQ and strong stick to be a reliable presence on KooKoo’s back-end. He rarely gets beaten in the defensive zone, and he is strong in transition, utilising his great skating ability in conjunction with a level of calmness with the puck on his stick that allows him to scan the ice and pick out the best outlet options. However, while there is a lot to like about Väisänen, his upside is limited by his lack of high-end skills. He will likely never put up too many points, given his shot is just average, he is not overly creative, and his hands are middling. He also starts to turn the puck over as soon as he gets away from making the simple play. Late in the first he could be a solid option, and can certainly be a good second pairing defenseman down the line. (Alex Appleyard)
#43 – Terik Parascak, RW, Prince George
Terik Parascak is a prospect with a lot diverse opinions around him. A lot of sites have Terik ranked as a first rounder, while some have Parascak as a second rounder. It largely comes down to whether or not you believe that his current play style will translate to the NHL level or will more polishing need to take place. The Smaht Scouting team is a bit more cautious with Parascak and I’ll explain why. Parascak does an excellent job of identifiying where he needs to be off-puck to provide his linemates with a quality passing option in a quality shooting lane. But, when Parascak is leading the charge and has the puck on his stick, his speed hampers his ability to cut to the inside. Parascak isn’t an overly physical player and won’t use his weight often when dealing with tight pressure while in possession of the puck. We project Parascak to be a third line forward at the next level. (Josh Tessler)
#44 – Jett Luchanko, C, Guelph
What makes Jett Luchanko lethal is his edges, agility and quick decision making. Luchanko has shown consistently that he can dodge pressure with his edges and that has made him extremely difficult to shut down when he is at full speed. Does an excellent job of incorporating delays while in possession of the puck in the offensive zone to draw confusion and a passing lane to a nearby teammate. Luchanko projects to be a middle six center at the next level. (Josh Tessler)
#45 – Jacob Battaglia, RW, Kingston
Has excellent stick-handling and mobility to navigate around pressure along the half-wall. His straight line speed still requires further polishing, but his edgework has proven to be quite strong. Battaglia can pivot out on a dime, delay to throw off the attack and that leads to a fellow teammate skating into position to give Battaglia a quality passing lane to exploit. Battaglia won’t be the primary puck mover on the line, but will play an excellent support role. (Josh Tessler)
#46 – Marek Vanacker, LW, Brantford
Marek Vanacker is a power forward prospect with great agility and excellent north-south speed. That combination has made it tough for opponents to catch up to should they fail to pivot alongside Vanacker when he pivots. Vanacker also has great reach and that allows him to quickly get a shot off after peeling the puck away from the attacker in front of him. His reach also comes in handy when the pressure intensifies as he skates to net front. (Josh Tessler)
#47 – Yegor Graf, C, SKA St. Petersburg
Graf can be a frustrating player at times, but he brings good intensity, and shows flashes of some very promising skill and play creation. He’s lacking in size and strength, and he can struggle with puck skills sometimes: struggling on receptions, poor control; but other times he’ll display some pretty high-end hands and crafty playmaking that catches you off guard. And he’s a very smart off-puck player as well, which lessens the impact of the occasional on-puck issues, and makes him a great complementary player on a line with a better play-driver. When paired with Demidov this season, I think Graf has really shined, and his best play has come; you get to see a lot more moments of high skill and creativity from him when Demidov is driving the play, and I think their play styles complement and elevate each other. I don’t think Graf will ever be able to drive play effectively on his own, but he’ll do some damage if you pair him with a skilled forward who’s more adept at creating space. (Gray Matter)
#48 – Tanner Howe, F, Regina
Tanner Howe plays a high-energy skilled game with a dogged off-puck game that allows him to play bigger than he is. I had very high expectations for Tanner Howe to be a dominant offensive player in the WHL and he’s somewhat disappointed. He has a good-not-great offensive transition involvement percentage of 35% and can go missing for stretches in transition with the puck not touching his stick as much as I’d like. His passing volume is rather low because of the lower percentage of transition opportunities, but he is passing at 24% to dangerous areas of the ice which is good. He’s fumbled the puck more than he did last year and some of his passes are off the mark, but the skill level and thought process behind his decisions are all there. I expect him to rise as the year goes on, but if his microstat profile stays the same, his size will see him slip in the draft. (Austin Garret)
#49 – Yegor Surin, C, Yaroslavl
Surin is an interesting but frustrating player who’s moved up and down my board all year, and I’m still unsure of where to place him. He has a ton of skill, a pretty good motor, and good playmaking in flashes, but he doesn’t really know what to do with his tools most of the time. Some games he’s dominant, plays well physically and brings the skill that he has on every shift; but other times—most games I’ve seen—he really struggles to be effective. He generally plays well when given space by more passive defences, but when he’s challenged, it becomes a problem; he lacks real escapability and explosiveness in his skating, and he rarely ever tries to manipulate pace of play or use much deception in general. So combine that with his constant individualism and failure to work off his teammates, and what you typically see is him charging towards opponents solo and hoping to either pull the puck through their legs or power through them, and it’s not often a recipe for success, even in the MHL. When he does work off his teammates, there’s a lot more to like there; if he can be reined in a bit and learn to play more of a team game, he could be a solid complementary playmaker, or physical energy guy; both roles I think he could perform well in. (Gray Matter)
#50 – Leon Muggli, LHD, Zug
The NLA is a top five league on earth. Yet at 17 years old Leon Muggli has already established himself as a good bottom pairing defenseman, something very few players manage to do. In fact, in the leagues 86 year history, the only defenseman who had a clearly better draft year? David Reinbacher, the #5 overall pick last year. So why is Muggli not ranked as a potential 1st round pick anywhere? The answer is related to upside. Muggli is super well-rounded, with plus skating, a good outlet pass, a deceptive wrist-shot and high IQ inside the red-line. For a 17 year old he makes very few mistakes, and is already able to PK well vs men. However, he is not “exceptional” in any area, is very risk-averse as a player, and his offensive game is unlikely to enable him to even be on an NHL power-play. It is very likely that he will play in the NHL one day, but in order to become more than “just” a solid #4 defenseman? He will need to take a few more risks and show more creativity once established in the offensive zone. Muggli could also do with engaging more physically at times, though that likely comes with more physical maturity. Whoever takes him, likely in the 2nd round, will be getting a player with a true high-floor, who is probably not that far away from being able to play in the NHL. And if he keeps improving, he can potentially become a very good 2nd pairing NHLer one day. (Alex Appleyard)
#51 – Adam Jecho, RW/C, Edmonton
Adam Jecho is consistently stronger defensively than he is offensively. Jecho will make good use of his physciality to close off the cycle behind the red line. He has excellent east-west speed that he can build up with his crossovers and that makes him quite strong at adapting to changes in puck movement when defending against the cycle. Jecho projects to be a checking line center, who can shift over to the wing and be a bit more physical on the backcheck if need be. (Josh Tessler)
#52 – Matvei Gridin, F, Muskegon
This season Gridin is leading the USHL in points. He is outproducing players such as Trevor Connelly and Michael Hage, who seem certain to go inside the first round, yet the concensus is that the young Russian winger will go somewhere in the mid-2nd come June. Why is that? Well, it is mainly based around the way he plays the game, and not his skill-set and talent level. It is fair to say that Gridin plays on the perimeter, cheats a lot to create offence, plays at a slow pace, and does not back-check with effort consistently. Those are the things that will make NHL teams think twice before drafting the future Michigan Wolverine winger. But what does Gridin do well? He is a fantastic play-maker, with high-end hands, an accurate and quick release he can get off from any spot, and the ability to see plays in the offensive zone very few players his age can. Gridin also has a level of confidence that can border on arrogance, which makes for some real highlight reel plays. Skating wise he is agile for his size, is a smooth skater who while not a burner has at worst average straight-line speed. Despite the flaws he has clear top-six upside at the NHL level, and if he falls into the mid-2nd? Could be a potential steal down the line. But there is also the real risk he will “just” end up a high-scoring minor leaguer. (Alex Appleyard)
#53 – Harrison Brunicke, RHD, Kamloops
The only South African born NHL player to have made it to date has been Olaf Kölzig. Brunicke has an excellent shot to join the ranks. He has excellent speed through his crossovers and straight line extensions and that allows him to grab onto loose pucks in his own zone and drive up ice quickly. Brunicke does seem to struggle to find success along the blue-line when he is called upon to control the puck at the point and find seperation and a passing lane to the inside. But, there is no denying how great Brunicke can be at pushing pace from the backend and leading the transition. (Josh Tessler)
#54 – John Whipple, LHD, USNTDP
Whipple has excellent reach and will use his reach nicely in transition when defending against the rush. He extends his stick out to take away space and force dump ins. Whipple has excellent speed with his crossovers and straight line extensions. His speed allows him to adjust his positioning quickly off puck to keep his positioning aligned with a vulnerable attacker who has their back turned towards Whipple. He is one of the stronger rush defenders in the class and should be rewarded with an early day two selection at the NHL Draft. (Josh Tessler)
#55 – Stian Solberg, LHD, Välernga
Solberg is a heavy, smooth-skating physical defender who skates fast, hits hard, and takes no prisoners. He’s been playing in Norway’s top men’s league for a few years, and has looked very solid; he also played a big role for Norway at the world juniors, and performed very well there, putting his skating and physicality on display regularly. He’s a very effective play-killer, both in-zone and on the rush; he defends aggressively, and forces opponents to the boards and into physical battles, where he typically overpowers them and turns play the other way. Offensively, there’s potential, but it needs work. He’s a very good skater overall, which gives him a significant advantage, and he shows good offensive instincts in general: he knows when to join the rush, times his plays well, recognises passing lanes and space to attack; but his offensive toolkit is a bit lacking, and he winds up turning the puck over with lacklustre passes, and taking too many poor shots from the perimeter, as he runs out of options due to a lack of reliable handling skill. But then occasionally he’ll just show off and go end-to-end, displaying skills you haven’t seen from him otherwise, leaving you wondering where that goes the rest of the time. But the strength and physical play he has in addition to his steady defensive game is very impressive for this stage in his development, and as he keeps getting stronger, I can easily see him growing into a great modern shutdown defender in the NHL, with potential for more if he’s able to refine and regularise his offensive flashes. (Gray Matter)
#56 – Jakub Fibigr, LHD, Mississauga
The Czech blue-liner is going slightly under the radar this season, easy to understand why when you consider just how many defensemen are eligible for this draft who have clear top four NHL upside. Of all major draft outlets only Craig Button has him going inside the second round. His 0.7 P/GP in the OHL may not immediately jump off the page, but he was not on PP1 for most of the year, and in turn the majority of his points came at even strength. In fact, he picked up 0.49 non-PP P/GP this season. Between 2006 and 2019, only 30 CHL defensemen hit over 0.45 non-PP P/GP in their draft year. Of those 30? 20 became legitimate NHL players, and 13 reached top four level. Of course, that is all well and good, but what does Fibigr do that will give him a good chance at an NHL future? His game is built around his skating. He uses it well in all three zones, from cutting off zone entries with his lateral mobility, to joining the rush and creating difficult situations for opposition defenses with his long, smooth stride. Fibigr looks effortless on ice as a result, and it allows him to play the game in an aggresive manner, as he can use his skating to recover from any mistakes. However, his game certainly does not lack effort. Despite still being physically immature he is not scared to take a hit, or dish one out, and he is constantly searching for “soft-ice”, with his off-puck movement being a big plus in all three zones, creating headaches for any team when it comes to lane coverage. His hands are above average, and he thinks the game very well, often looking a step ahead. He is good at getting shots through, but does lack a bit of zip on his release. Overall, Fibigr is a well-rounded blue-liner who if he simply keeps developing over the next few years? Can probably become a #4-5 defenseman in the NHL. (Alex Appleyard)
#57 – Charlie Elick, RHD, Brandon
Charlie Elick is a defense first defenseman who can close gaps with quality speed through his power stride and crossovers. Once he picks up possession of the puck, he generally quickly gets ride of the puck once he has spotted a lane to an open teammate up ice. Elick isn’t as overwhelming physically as some other defensemen in the class, but will use his physicality to quiet the rush. Elick projects to be a number four/five defenseman. (Josh Tessler)
#58 – Kamil Bednarik, C, USNTDP
Kamil Bednarik is extremely good in transition and has excellent good north-south speed to help him push pace. He will struggle in the corners and behind the red line with intensified pressure on his backside. But, usually Bednarik will only find himself in such situations if he can’t find a teammate to pass to off of the rush. Once he has passed the puck after bringing the puck up ice, Bednarik does a good job of acquiring open ice with an excellent shooting angle. (Josh Tessler)
#59 – Ben Danford, RHD, Oshawa
Ben Danford can be a very physically intimidating defenseman especially when the puck carrying attacker is vulnerable and has their back turned to Danford. But, he doesn’t just look to throw his weight, he will also look to extend his stick and catch opponents off guard with a pokecheck. His positioning is quite good and a lot of that can be credited to his excellent edgework and well-timed pivots to stay in tow when defending against an attacker. (Josh Tessler)
#60 – Leo Sahlin Wallenius, LHD, Växjö
Leo Sahlin Wallenius is a left-shot defenseman who plays on the same Vaxjo J20 team as the aforementioned Alfons Freij. Of the two defenseman, Sahlin Wallenius is by far the more offensive-minded. He’s a skilled and mobile defenseman who looks to influence the play every time he steps onto the ice. He transports pucks through the neutral zone at high pace and into the offensive zone, creating high danger scoring chances with ease. Inside the offensive zone, Sahlin Wallenius is a very creative and unpredictable attacker. Never settling for hope shots from the point, he excels at activating from the blue line and skating around in search of open looks. He is also a solid enough defender that he should be able to make himself a fairly well-rounded defenseman with some legitimate offensive upside. (SpokedZ)
#61 – Adam Kleber, RHD, Lincoln
Adam Kleber has excellent speed for his 6’4″ frame and great stick-handling that he will use to shift the puck around tight pressure before passing to an open teammate in the slot or along the blue-line. Kleber will throw his weight behind the red line and will implement quality shoulder checks to shut down the oppositional cycle. I would like to see Kleber acquire an active stick and use his reach when defending against the rush in the neutral zone, but he does an excellent job of taking away centered passing lanes with an active stick in the defensive zone. Ultimately, if Kleber uses his active stick more and more, he will only garner more ice time especially at the next level. (Josh Tessler)
#62 – Simon Zether, C, Rögle
Simon Zether is a player I’ve been quite surprised hasn’t earned more love in this draft class. He’s a 6’3” two-way center who earned a full-time spot on Rogle BK’s SHL squad this season. He’s a highly intelligent player who already excels on the defensive side of the puck. He knows how to use his big frame to be a physical pest and is strong enough to win battles versus much older competition. He also does possess some legit skill and has proven to be a goal-scoring threat when playing against his peers. He’s shown much more willingness to use his size and strength to his advantage offensively over time as well, taking pucks at the blue line and driving to the net himself with defenders unable to take the puck from him. A lack of footspeed could hinder the offensive upside, but his intelligence, reliability and defensive prowess should make him a valuable NHL centerman for a long time. (SpokedZ)
#63 – Luca Marrelli, RHD, Oshawa
Luca Marrelli is a excellent distributor from deep in his zone. He does an excellent job of incorporating delays to allow his teammates to skate further down before feathering a pass. Marrelli does a good job of igniting odd man rushes with those well-timed passes. Defensively, Marelli has a bit of a passive approach. I would like to see Marrelli acquire an active stick or look to be physical when he is right next to the puck carrier. But, he does keep excellent positioning. Offensively, if he runs out of real estate, he won’t force the puck into a tight spot and will complete a well-placed drop pass. (Josh Tessler)
#64 – Christian Humphreys, C, USNTDP
Christian Humphreys does an excellent job of threading tight passes. It doesn’t matter if its in transition or behind the red line in the offiensive zone, Humphreys can capitalize in tight. He will also look to be deceptive too with his distribution and won’t shy away from behind the back backhand passes after capturing a loose puck behind the red line. If he sees a teammate skating into a potential passing lane and has an attacker forcing Humphreys to push the puck to one side of his body, he will swing the behind the back pass instead of repositioning himself to be square with his teammate. If he looks to square up, he might lose that passing option. (Josh Tessler)
Honorable Mentions
Ryerson Leenders, Herman Träff, Timur Kol, Oskar Vuollet, Riley Patterson, Christopher Thibodeau, Justin Poirier, Sam O’Reilly, Clarke Caswell
Below you will find the rankings and a high level summary on each player.
#1 – Macklin Celebrini, F, Boston University
I feel confident that Celebrini will eventually be a top line asset at the NHL level. The production will come quickly with his shot and his acceleration. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching him leverage his acceleration to get himself into quality shooting lanes. Not only is it working well at full strength, but it is even more lethal when on the power play. His ability to identify and quick take advantage of tight passing lanes to the slot will net him quite a number of assists at the next level. Defensively, he is responsible and quite sound. (Josh Tessler)
#2 – Ivan Demidov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg
The most dynamic, fun, and exciting player in the draft, Demidov just oozes skill and creativity in every facet of his game. The way he’s able to slow the game down and weave around defences—sometimes a bit too much—is mesmerising; his small area skill is really impressive, and the creativity and quickness that he brings makes him an electrifying player to watch. In my eyes, he’s still a strong contender for first overall; the dynamic skill that he has could make him a uniquely talented player in the NHL, and the prospect of where that could take him is so exciting to me. The questions with Demidov largely come down to translatability, consistency, and decision-making. It’s hard to say how his game will translate to smaller ice, higher pace / intensity, and tougher competition, given his skating limitations and tendency to slow down and do too much; which makes a more easily projectable player like Celebrini difficult to pass up. But I have a lot of faith in the skill and the mind that Demidov has to figure it all out, and I fully believe he’s going to be an incredible NHL player, surpassing even my expectations. For me, after #1, it’s a no-brainer. (Gray Matter)
#3 – Cole Eiserman, LW, USNTDP
Eiserman is constantly making an impact each shift he is out there for. In the offensive zone, he is a good forechecker, will fight for pucks down low and in the corners. Eiserman will rely on his reach to stick lift attackers and force a disruption in oppositional puck possession. He has good puck manipulation and will use it to draw in attackers and then quickly pass underneath the stick to an open teammate. Eiserman has an excellent shot especially from range. He does play with a bit of a physical edge in all three zones. If he isn’t the one shutting down play, he isn’t far behind and will scoop up pucks below the red line. When in transition, if Eiserman is driving the puck up ice, he does struggle to get separation around attackers. Eiserman projects to be a top six goal scorer, who won’t always push play up ice, but will provide his linemates with someone who fights hard for pucks and will be a threat with his shot. (Josh Tessler)
#4 – Berkly Catton, F, Spokane
Catton is going to push the envelope all season for the #2 spot in the upcoming draft. He blends nifty edgework with high-end skill alongside a surgical approach to dissecting opposing teams’ defensive structures. His microstat profile is aburd through two games. He’s averaging five dangerous shots a game, completing 75% of his passes with 29% going to dangerous areas of the ice, and is involved in a ridiculous 58% of all offensive transitions for Spokane with a 94%(!!!) success rate. Outside of Bedard, he’s the best WHL player I’ve tracked in three years. (Austin Garret)
#5 – Zeev Buium, LHD, University of Denver
Zeev Buium is the most well-rounded defenseman in the 2024 NHL Draft class. In the offensive zone, Buium is a great quarterback from the point. He will shift across the point and pinch up with the puck in an effort to identify and utilize a passing lane to the slot. Defensively, Buium does a good job of positioning himself in front of the attack to take away skating lanes. When moving the puck up the ice, if he is slightly further back behind his teammates he’ll opt to pass forward to them. (Josh Tessler)
#6 – Cayden Lindstrom, F, Medicine Hat
Cayden Lindstrom has quickly become one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2024 NHL draft. He possesses a rare blend of skill, size, and speed as well as playing the coveted center position for one of the strongest teams in the WHL. Lindstrom is a fierce competitor who plays every game with a Tkachukian-edge. He boosts impressive speed and agility which he uses to frequently attack the middle of the ice on rushes. He is a threat to score from anywhere with his powerful shot, but that’s not the only way he can beat goalies as he also is an incredibly skilled puck handler. On Medicine Hat’s powerplay, he makes for a formidable net-front presence and also has the uncanny ability to slip away from his checker to help playmake along the boards or make himself a shooting option near the top of the circles. On the defensive side of the puck Lindstrom provides great support for his defenders when the puck is in the corners, and he also has a very active stick which he effectively uses to disrupt passing lanes. He’s not someone opposing players want to see coming down on them either when he is forechecking as he loves to lay powerful hits and always finishes his checks. Lindstrom has the making of a star modern day power-forward and will certainly be one to watch as he is sure to move up draft boards as the year goes on. (Chris Ford)
#7 – Sam Dickinson, LHD, London
Dickinson is likely to be one of the first defenders off the board come draft day in June. He has a pro-favoured frame at 6ft3 and 194 lbs, and uses it incredibly effectively in both ends of the ice. If it weren’t for 2023 1st round pick Oliver Bonk (PHI) taking PP time, I think we would perceive Dickinson’s offensive capabilities differently, and project him out a bit differently. In the defensive zone, he nips plays in the butt, and accelerates the transition game with quick up passes. Skating is a strength, and there is no glaring weakness directionally. He can go all four directions well, with good agility to re position when needed. (Ben Jordan)
#8 – Adam Jiricek, RHD, Plzen
Adam Jiricek is one of the stronger defensive defensemen in this class. When defending against the rush, he communicates well with his forwards to explain where he needs the support prior to crossing into the defensive zone. He implements extremely good positioning to shut down passing and shooting lanes to the interior. Jiricek does a great job of re-adjusting his positioning when defending against multiple attackers to shut down potential one-timers. When behind the red line and along the boards, he plays with a physical edge and will look to pokecheck. Jiricek’s floor seems to be a top four defensemen, but with more and more refinement he could potentially be a top two defensemen. (Josh Tessler)
#9 – Artyom Levshunov, RHD, Michigan State University
The Michigan State defenseman has been intriguing from an offensive standpoint. He loves jumping into the rush and pinching up with and without the puck. He will look to position himself in the high slot and pepper shots on net. Levshunov has collected quite a few assists at 5v5 as a result of generating rebounds for his teammates at the crease. Defensively, Levshunov’s positioning can be spotty at times. Since he likes to pinch up and play up in the offensive zone, there are shifts in which he finds himself slightly out of position and struggles to get back into position. When Levshunov is in position and ready to defend, he isn’t always assertive and I’d like to see Levshunov work on being more assertive when looking to shut down the attack. (Josh Tessler)
#10 – Zayne Parekh, RHD, Saginaw
Zayne Parekh is one of the better puck moving defensemen in the 2024 NHL Draft class. He loves to take advantage of tight passing lanes when on the rush and pressure intensifies. Parekh will complete outlet and stretch passes underneath the stick of the attacker with ease. When off puck but his team has possession of the puck, Parekh loves to jump into the rush and provide his teammates with a passing option up ice. In the offensive zone, when pinching up he loves to change up his pace to throw off attackers and buy separation so he can net enough space to get a pass off to the interior. Defensively, his positioning has been solid, but he isn’t an overly assertive defenseman. (Josh Tessler)
#11 – Konsta Helenius, RW, Tappara
The 2024 NHL draft does not have an abundance of Centers with clear 1C upside, but Helenius is certainly on that short list. Last year the Finn put himself in the conversation as a potential top five pick, with 11 points in 33 Liiga games at just 16 years old. This year he has advanced that conversation further. 20 points through 28 games, while playing Center in one of the world’s best five pro leagues? That should probably be turning more heads than it has. Since 1990 Olli Jokinen (by coincidence Helenius’s current coach), Mikhail Granlund, Alex Barkov, Patrik Laine and Kaapo Kakko are the only five draft eligibles who have produced at 0.70 P/GP in Liiga. 4/5 went top three, and 4/5 have become consistent 65+ point NHL players, with Kaako still having a chance to make it 5/5. Helenius’s game is built around his high IQ, which he uses to dictate play. He is a fantastic transition player and drives play as a result. His passing is crisp, accurate and deceptive, and while he might primarily be a play-maker he has a good shot, especially his one-timer from the left half-wall on the power-play. He is not the fastest, but is extremely shifty and agile. Helenius also has an exceptional compete level, and is more than solid defensively. Once he matures physically he certainly has the potential to be a legitimate, 80+ point player in the NHL. (Alex Appleyard)
#12 – Luke Misa, C, Mississauga
Luke Misa plays a very high-tempo game, prays on the vulnerable when on the forecheck, can drive the rush and create chances off of the rush regularly. Misa will feather passes in tight lanes in all three zones as he looks to push play up ice. In the offensive zone when off puck, he does a great job of finding open ice down low to create an intriguing passing option for his teammates. He will also look to jump onto loose pucks at the crease and capitalize with a quick goal before the goaltender can react. Misa has tremendous upside and could see a bump up in our next set of rankings. (Josh Tessler)
#13 – Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, RW, Mora
There has never been a Norwegian who has gone in the first round. The highest a Norweigan has been picked was Marius Holtet, who went 42nd overall in 2002. Next summer Michael Brandsegg-Nygård will change that. The Oslo native has everything to be a top NHLer. Brandsegg-Nygård, no matter how much you watch, has no major issues. The things that make him stand out? His release is fantastic, he gets the puck off crisply, quickly, and with a high level of accuracy even if it is away from his body or in his feet. His hockey IQ is impressive, he is virtually never out of position and seemingly knows where everyone is on ice at all times. He is also a legitimate power-forward, who likes to throw his weight around and get to the net-front. On the boards he regularly dominates men 15 years his senior. Defensively he is also impressive, with an active stick and the ability to win most 1-v-1 battles. While he has no “holes” he does have a few things to improve upon to reach his potential. His skating is solid, but will need to get more explosive. Additionally, while his vision is fantastic, he does not always connect on pass attempts, and will likely never be a high-end play-maker. But make no mistake, he has the potential to be one of the premier two-way wingers in the NHL. (Alex Appleyard)
#14 – Liam Greentree, RW, Windsor
Liam Greentree is one of the most exciting prospects coming out of the OHL this year, and is certainly the best the OHL have to offer this year in terms of pure goal scoring. He has developed nice chemistry on Windsor’s top line with Jacob Maillet and Oliver Peer, and takes advantage of their speed to move into open space for great scoring chances. Greentree has what I consider to be one of the best shots in this year’s draft class and isn’t afraid to let the puck fly, as he’ll routinely attempt 7 or more shots a game. He uses the threat of his shot very effectively to create passing lanes for his teammates to move into. He plays a very intelligent game which sees him attack the middle often and quite successfully as he leverages a combination of his high-level stickhandling and physical tools. The knock on his game thus far has been his quirky staking style, but it seems to be improving with each game, and he still has good speed in-spite of his mechanics. Additionally, he has proven to be quite the effective penalty killer for Windsor, and this is a result of his excellent stick movement, often eliminating passing lanes in the defensive zone and helping create passing options in the offensive zone. Greentree possesses high level offensive tools with good hands, a wicked arsenal of shots, and above-average play making skills, if he can continue to improve his skating as the year goes, it won’t be long until people start talking about him as a potential top 12 player. (Chris Ford)
#15 – Tij Iginla, F, Kelowna
Tij Iginla can be very tenacious in his pursuit of the puck in the offensive zone. Similarly to Misa, he looks to pray on the vulnerable and does a great job of stick lifting and poke checking to cause disruption in puck possession. Iginla does well at feathering passes in tight and does a good job with puck security when being pursued by multiple attackers at close proximity. He’s got a good shot especially from range. But, should he be leading the rush he’ll love to attempt wrap-around shots. Iginla has second line upside and could be deployed at center or wing without losing a step. (Josh Tessler)
#16 – Nikita Artamonov, LW, Nizhny Novgorod
When draft day comes the chatter about Nikita Artamonov is likely to include “this guy came out of no-where this year”. But make no mistake, the Nizhnekamsk native has been one of the best three Russian forwards amongst his age-group for the last couple of years. This year however? He has taken a giant leap, and is playing at a level in the KHL that very few draft eligibles ever achieve. 14 points in 30 games is preposterous, with Michkov and Tarasenko the only players in the KHL’s 15 year history to do better P/GP wise. Artamonov belies the outdated stereotype of the skilled, Russian winger who only plays in the offensive zone. He is an energiser bunny. Voracious on the fore-check, diligent in the defensive zone, with an active stick that constantly disrupts lanes. Furthermore, while no-one would mistake him for a physical player, he is more than happy to go to the corners or net-front. However, he is not just an “energy” player. He is a great skater and a fantastic passer, alongside this his ability to get free ice in the offensive zone is exceptional. The downsides? He is not the most “creative” player, his hands are quite average and he could use his solid shot more than he does. Nevertheless, Artamonov has the potential to be a 70+ point, two-way winger in the NHL if he keeps developing. (Alex Appleyard)
#17 – Anton Silayev, LHD, Nizhny Novgorod
Anton Silayev is a defensive defenseman who has measures in at 6’7″ / 207 lbs. He has extremely good speed for his size especially his lateral speed that allows him to shift positioning when he is slighly further away from where he needs to be when defending against the rush. Silyaev uses his reach and size to take up space. While he does a good job of eliminating skating lanes to the interior, he doesn’t always shut the play down all together. He can be quite physical along the boards and I got a feeling that it won’t be long before he starts to use his. physicality a bit more to shut down the cycle / rush. While this ranking might seem relatively low to where others have Silayev, the offensive upside of Artamonov, Iginla, Misa, Greentree and others in the 10-20 range made it a challenge for the Smaht team to push Silayev up higher. (Josh Tessler)
#18 – Trevor Connelly, F, Tri-City
Trevor Connelly does a good job of not forcing the puck into danger and will pivot away from pressure to get the separation that he needs to complete a pass to the interior. But, if he doesn’t have a great passing option to the interior and yet sees that his teammate does have a passing lane to the low slot from behind the net, Connelly will pass the puck along the boards to get the puck into the hands of the teammate behind the net. When driving the cycle to find a lane to the slot, he does a good job of navigating the puck around pressure with his reach and great handling. He will work the puck along the boards and scan for passing lanes to get the puck to an open teammate in the slot. If he has the puck and a teammate is close by with an attacker looking on, he will delay, draw the attacker to him and then pass to his teammate who is now open with a clear lane to the crease. When in transition, if he faces pressure once he gets the puck in the neutral zone, he’ll re-group and find another lane into the offensive zone. (Josh Tessler)
#19 – Emil Hemming, F, TPS
If the draft was all about raw talent then the big Finnish winger would be in seriously contention to go top 10. Scouts often talk about the “S’s of scouting”… skill, smarts, speed, size and skating. Hemming has them all. He can be a juggernaut even against men in Liiga, able to use his speed, edge-work, pick-handling and size in conjunction to drop a shoulder and get past anyone. Even at 17 years old against men, Hemming has an incredible transition game. His wrist-shot is lethal to boot, and he is able to pick a corner from anywhere on ice. Alongside this he is creative with silky hands, and when he is “on” this combined with a natural swagger and confidence means that he will undress defensemen regularly. While he may not be the most “natural” passer he has good vision as well, and tries to make cross-ice plays that most would never see. However, there are some real concerns about Hemming’s game that mean he is likely to go later in the 1st. While he has the size he rarely uses it, and plays on the perimeter. Defensively he gets lost far too often, and his consistency is also worrying, as even against his own age-group he can go missing for long stretches. There is the upside for him to be a 30 goal scorer in the NHL if he can iron out these kinks. (Alex Appleyard)
#20 – Sacha Boisvert, C, Muskegon
Sacha Boisvert is an entertaining watch. He’s got absolutely incredible handling and its led to gorgeous assists. Boisvert will toe drag to get separation and then quickly make use of a passing lane. He has a great shot off of the rush and has found success sniping far side top shelf goals from low danger. Boisvert makes use of tight passing lanes and won’t shy away from a pass over / under the stick of an attacker to get the puck in the hands of a open teammate further up in the zone. But, it’s the handling that makes Boisvert a fun prospect to watch. His dangling and toe drags have helped light the lamp in Muskegon regularly. (Josh Tessler)
#21 – Aron Kiviharju, LHD, TPS
Two years ago the Finnish blue-liner was being talked about as a potential #1 pick, yet now there are whispers that he might fall outside the 1st round. Is this simply a case of the spotlight being so strong, for so long, that his weaknesses have been magnified? The answer is probably no. There are legitimate concerns over his game. He is undersized, he is not the best skater, and early this season a knee injury that required surgery has put him out for four months. Kiviharju is expected to be healthy again in February. However, in a league where top pairing defensemen are at a premium, if Kiviharju falls outside the first? There is the potential for one of the bigger draft steals in recent history. While there are concerns about his game the upside is inarguable. His hockey IQ would be the envy of most NHLers, he is almost always two-steps ahead and rarely makes bad decisions. This, combined with fantastic vision, great passing and silky hands means he is great in transition, and controls play when set-up in the OZ. Defensively he has an active stick, good gap control, and thrives on breaking up plays before they develop. He is also strong down low, even against players 15 years older and 50lbs heavier. His upside is still a #1 defenseman despite the concerns. (Alex Appleyard)
#22 – Henry Mews, RHD, Ottawa
Henry Mews is a solid puck moving defenseman and a great distributor when pushing the puck up ice. Mews has excellent handling that he can ulitize to navigate through tight pressure to get separation before completing an outlet feed. While he has had productive shifts where he pushed pace, there are shifts in which I see Mews will encounter pressure and pass into traffic instead of using his handling to open up an uncontested passing lane. Defensively, Mews will struggle with gap control from time to time and his defensive work could use further refinement, but when you to balance that with his distribution with the puck you are looking at a mid-to-late first round prospect. (Josh Tessler)
#23 – Ryder Ritchie, F, Prince Albert
After a very strong Hlinka Gretzky tournament for Canada, I think that many were expecting Ritchie to put up better point totals than he has managed thus far. Although there may be something to this, Ritchie is still doing a lot of things very well. I have a tough time seeing him falling out of round 1 as the season goes along. His feet and hands are ultra quick making him an exceptional puck carrier. If you give Ritchie time to pickup speed and attack defenders downhill, you will be sorry after he beats you, and secures middle ice. (Ben Jordan)
#24 – Carter Yakemchuk, RHD, Calgary
I wouldn’t be surprised if Yakemchuk is a name that continually keeps rising up lists. He hasn’t played in any marquee events, and thus hasn’t had the early season hype that some other names have had, but don’t be fooled by that. Since the new year of this past season, Yakemchuk has really started to take strides, and his game continues to round itself out. Yakemchuk has a nice blend of size, skill, and aggressiveness that allow him to be a force all over the ice. His instincts are great, and he joins the rush when he feels he can contribute to the play. He holds his own in the defensive zone with his size and ability to separate puck carriers from the puck to quick start offense the other way for his side. (Ben Jordan)
#25 – Igor Chernyshov, LW, Dynamo Moscow
Igor Chernyshov is a Russian power forward prospect. He plays a gritty grame and works the boards with great pressure shift in shift out. He is defensively responsible in transition and will put up a tough fight at open ice. In the defensive zone, he will fall back to the low slot and provide support to his defensemen down low. From a production stand point, Chernyshov has thrived off of odd man rushes / breakouts in MHL play. Most of his MHL primary 5v5 points have come off of odd man rushes. (Josh Tessler)
#26 – Andrew Basha, F, Medicine Hat
Andrew Basha is entertaining to watch every shift. His puck movement in transition is excellent. His handling and distribution is excellent. Basha’s puck manipulation makes him a threat on the rush and mid-cycle. He is shifty, mobile, agile and has tremendous speed. Basha does a good job of utilizing tight passing lanes to the slot. He will grab possession of loose pucks off the boards, drive to the trapezoid and look to feather passes to the low slot. I could see Basha being a riser in the next of rankings. (Josh Tessler)
#27 – Tanner Howe, F, Regina
Tanner Howe plays a high-energy skilled game with a dogged off-puck game that allows him to play bigger than he is. I had very high expectations for Tanner Howe to be a dominant offensive player in the WHL and he’s somewhat disappointed. He has a good-not-great offensive transition involvement percentage of 35% and can go missing for stretches in transition with the puck not touching his stick as much as I’d like. His passing volume is rather low because of the lower percentage of transition opportunities, but he is passing at 24% to dangerous areas of the ice which is good. He’s fumbled the puck more than he did last year and some of his passes are off the mark, but the skill level and thought process behind his decisions are all there. I expect him to rise as the year goes on, but if his microstat profile stays the same, his size will see him slip in the draft. (Austin Garret)
#28 – Miguel Marques, F, Lethbridge
Miguel Marques is wired to get pucks to the interior. Whenever he has the puck outside of the slot and pressure intensifies, he looks for the tighest gaps and uses them to get pucks to the slot. He has great handling and will implement shot fakes and toe drags to net the separation that he needs to get a pass off. When shooting from range, he has a very quick shot release and will look to target glove side. He also tallied quite a few backdoor goals at 5v5 this season by being in the right space at the right time. He isn’t always the facilitator in transition, but plays a fairly active role in getting the puck up ice. Defensively, he plays more of a support role, but always looks to cement himself in open ice towards the blue line so he can provide an outlet lane for his defensemen. Marques has middle six upside. (Josh Tessler)
#29 – Danill Ustinkov, LHD, Zürich
Daniil Ustinkov is a solid defensive defensemen and has been excellent at eliminating gaps all season against men in Switzerland (National League). He isn’t overly assertive with his pressure, but makes does an excellent job of using his positioning to shield lanes to the inside and forces play to low danger. When attackers look to use pivots to shake free from pressure, Ustinkov matches edge for edge and doesn’t leave a gap. On the flip side, he will use pivots to shake free of pressure when he has the puck. From a transition perspective, Ustinkov looks to usually make an outlet pass from the backend to a teammate further up in the defensive zone and let his forwards push play up ice. But, there are some shifts in which he looks to be a bit more of a driver in transition. He will skate up the offensive zone blue line to be a passing option for his teammates in the neutral zone, facilitate a controlled zone entry once he has the puck on his stick, push the puck up the boards and try to find a gap to get a pass off to a teammate down in the zone. When off puck and the oppositional breakout is about to kick off, he will skate up to the backside of an attacker off of the boards to make it a challenge for that attacker to grab control of the puck off of a pass from a the defenseman looking to complete a breakout pass. (Josh Tessler)
Matvei Shuravin is a solid defensive-minded defensemen who does a good job of taking away space with his power stride. Should be slightly out of position, he’ll use his lengthy stride extensions to match pace and shut down the rush by trapping the attacker along the boards. He isn’t an overly assertive defenseman when taking on the F1, but maintains good positioning and extends his stick blade out towards the attacker to trap them. His distribution from deep in his own zone has been great. He can wire quick stretch passes to the neutral zone and does a good job of identifying tight passing lanes while pushing the puck up in the defensive zone and seeing that he could potentially get the puck in the hands of a teammate further up in the zone. His puck control and quick distribution in the defensive zone doesn’t always match to successful puck movement in the offensive and neutral zones. Shuravin will try to bring the puck up the middle in the offensive zone, but isn’t quick to get a pass off and runs into walls. When he doesn’t have possession of the puck in the offensive zone, he looks to engage himself in puck battles down low, win loose pucks and pass to the slot. (Josh Tessler)
#31 – Veeti Väisänen, LHD, KooKoo
In a draft brimming with exciting defensemen, Veeti Väisänen gets a bit lost in the shuffle. Is he an exciting player? Not really. Will he be a top pairing guy in the NHL? Unlikely. But what Väisänen lacks in terms of highlights, he makes up for with a well-rounded skill-set and a level of defensive maturity that few defensemen have at 17. This season, playing against men in Liiga, Väisänen has utilised his smooth skating, defensive IQ and strong stick to be a reliable presence on KooKoo’s back-end. He rarely gets beaten in the defensive zone, and he is strong in transition, utilising his great skating ability in conjunction with a level of calmness with the puck on his stick that allows him to scan the ice and pick out the best outlet options. However, while there is a lot to like about Väisänen, his upside is limited by his lack of high-end skills. He will likely never put up too many points, given his shot is just average, he is not overly creative, and his hands are middling. He also starts to turn the puck over as soon as he gets away from making the simple play. Late in the first he could be a solid option, and can certainly be a good second pairing defenseman down the line. (Alex Appleyard)
#32 – Michael Hage, C, Chicago
Michael Hage is our last ranked prospect in the Preliminary Rankings. Hage is a two-way forward with excellent distribution, good reach and provides tight pressure in his own zone. His reach and handling allow him to navigate around pressure with ease when driving the puck up ice. In transition, he will look to pass off of the boards if he runs into too much pressure and he has spotted an open teammate further up in the neutral zone. Hage has excellent speed and can push pace to be the driver on a middle six line in the NHL. (Josh Tessler)
HM – John Mustard, F, Waterloo
John Mustard is my early “Didn’t know who he is but I love him” player of the 2024 draft. Playing on a line with Gavyn Thoreson in the USHL, Mustard has looked great in all my viewings of him this year. He does have an awkward skating stride as he hunches over with a less bent knee, but with the puck on the stick Mustard can get to an above-average pace. His skill is great for his size, and he can get off the wall and into dangerous areas at ease at times with the puck on his stick. He’s a great forechecker and is very defensively responsible for a winger. He’s involved in 40% of the offensive transitions for Waterloo and has a 31% shot share (his shots/team shots when he’s on the ice). I’d like to see him get more pucks into dangerous areas of the ice with his passing, but his skill level is there that I’m not worried that only 16% of his passes have gone to dangerous areas of the ice. He’s a player to watch in the upcoming months because he has room to improve his microstat profile and if that happens, then his production profile is going to improve from impressive to “how did we not rank him in the first place?”. (Austin Garret)
HM – Tomas Galvas, LHD, Olomouc
Tomas Galvas is a solid puck moving defenseman, who does an excellent job in keeping the puck secure with traffic at his side. He won’t force the puck into tight pressure deliberately, but has shown that if he is encountering multiple attackers that he can keep his feet and hands moving to secure the puck and position it away from the attackers before chipping it off the boards. Galvas does a good job of using an active stick to trap attackers and force them to dump the puck in the neutral zone and take away potential shooting / passing lanes in his own zone. He has an excellent power stride that he will use to get himself into position to defend should be a bit too far away from where he needs to be. (Josh Tessler)
HM – Beckett Sennecke, RW, Oshawa
Sennecke oozes confidence and skill, and that’s how he earned himself a spot as an HM just outside our round 1. Sennecke is an absolute hound on the forecheck where his motor will not stop until he gains possession of that puck. From there he flashes elite ability with his hands, and does a great job in small areas weaving and stickhandling through defenders skates, and sticks. He does a great job keeping pucks and plays alive off the wall by slipping through checks or dangling in a phone-booth. Unfortunately, his situation in Oshawa has been iffy at best, and I hope that forward group finds some more chemistry adn purpose in the new year, as I think Sennecke’s draft stock could benefit enormously from it. (Ben Jordan)
HM – Alfons Freij, LHD, Växjö
For the first time in a long time, there is a real possibility that we don’t see any Swedes drafted in the first round in 2024. That being said, Swedish defenseman Alfons Freij possesses many traits and attributes that give him a shot at hearing his name called on day 1 and still make him a very intriguing prospect for any organization. His two best and most projectable traits are his skating and puck moving ability, and they often go hand-in-hand. Freij is an incredibly mobile defenseman who oozes confidence with the puck on his stick. He often will take the puck from behind his own net and carry it up ice into the offensive zone to create scoring chances. Always with his head up, he also makes a fantastic first pass when it’s a better option than keeping it for himself. He’s a dual threat in the offensive zone as well, capable of creating passing lanes to distribute while also possessing a great shot. Freij is not afraid to take risks with the puck, and those risks don’t always pan out. At times he will turn the puck over and gift odd man rushes to the opposition. He’ll need to learn to be a bit more selective with his playmaking in order to excel at the next level. Another aspect of his game that will need to improve as he develops is his in zone defense. His skating prowess makes him a capable rush defender, however at times he can get caught out of position chasing pucks once the opposition has established possession. That said, his foundational tools and willingness to experiment with them give him serious potential. (SpokedZ)
HM – Oskar Vuollet, C/LW, Skellefteå
Oskar Vuollet is another dangerous Swedish forward with a long track record of producing offensively, almost always playing up an age group. He’s a very smart and talented winger for Skellefteå who’s already earned some playing time in the SHL and Champions Hockey League this season. Without a doubt, his most dangerous attribute is his lightning quick release. He possesses an NHL-caliber one timer and can generate incredible power and accuracy with almost no wind-up. Vuollet is a threat on and off the puck in the offensive zone. He always has his head up scanning the ice in front of him and anticipating the next play. With that in mind, he utilizes incredibly quick hands and deception to challenge defenders with the puck to create scoring chances for himself or bait them in to facilitate for his teammates. Though undersized, Vuollet is unafraid of initiating contact and can be a real nuisance in front of the net. He certainly has room for improvement in his all-around game in all 3 zones, but Vuollet’s offensive tool kit combined with his smarts and pace of play make him another intriguing forward to track as we get closer to draft day. (SpokedZ)
HM – Cole Hutson, LHD, USNTDP
Cole Hutson could potentially make his way onto the Smaht Scouting top 32 at some point. He’s got tremendous upside, has great mobility and shiftiness to open up space for himself to make an uncontested pass or shot. He likes to pinch up in the offensive zone and pass to the interior. But, Hutson has struggled with puck control and sometimes delays a bit too long when determining his next move while pinching with the puck. (Josh Tessler)
As one would expect with a 5’9 forward, Luca Pinelli’s draft rankings have quite a wide range and follow almost no consensus, spanning from the early second round to, in some cases, unranked. Smaht is one of those outliers, ranking Pinelli at 37. It is obviously a team decision, but I was undoubtedly one of the most vocal among the team about Pinelli in that range of the draft. While he’s not a flawless prospect, my short justification is that he has too many of the qualities I seek to overlook his potential. Like every prospect, there will be hurdles for him to overcome, but they aren’t unsurmountable, and there is good reason to be optimistic about him moving forward.
Player Profile
D.O.B – April 5, 2005 Nationality – Canada Draft Eligibility – 2023 Height –5’9″ Weight –161 lbs Position – Forward Handedness – Left
Pinelli’s Style of Play
The first and most apparent aspect of Pinelli’s game that you easily spot in the first few shifts of a viewing is his non-stop motor. He is constantly zooming around, applying persistent pressure all over the ice and is relentless in pursuit of the puck. This high-end work rate enables Luca to close down defenders, force turnovers frequently, and be a total nuisance for the opposition. At his size, he certainly isn’t a physically imposing forechecker that will lay a massive hit. Still, with his effort level and peskiness to finish checks, he can be a pain for defenders attempting to retrieve a dumped-in puck. Despite being on the smaller side, he is proficient at winning puck battles and plays along the boards from players with physical advantages over him. This rambunctious puck pressure is one of the more projectable elements of his game, as there will always be room for a player who doesn’t stop when they hit the ice and can be a pest.
The catch twenty-two here is a lot of his success in this department relies on his quickness to close down opponents, and there are valid concerns about his skating that may hinder his ability to continue to do so as competition gets bigger/faster/stronger. I am the first to admit that I am no skating mechanics expert, but still, I could spot some inefficiencies in how Pinelli moves. His stance is slightly wider than ideal, he kicks his heel up after stride extension, and his recovery is a bit of a stomp rather than a smooth glide into his next stride. All of these issues make him an inefficient skater, especially on his stride recoveries and seamlessly chaining strides together. It’s certainly not a hindrance at the junior level, but the question mark is how much better can his skating get to keep pace at the professional level.
I won’t dive too much further into the details here, but the takeaway for me is that if I were on a scouting staff, this is a situation where you consult your development team on how much improvements can be expected to be realized. Skating may be a long-term hurdle for Pinelli, but if your dev team is optimistic that they can work with him to become more efficient, there is reason to believe he can overcome it and succeed at the NHL level. Especially with his non-stop hustle, if Pinelli can keep getting quicker, he could continue to be that irritating forechecker as he climbs the hockey ladder.
The second aspect I adore in Pinelli’s game is his puck management and creativity. Almost every time he possesses the puck, he can smartly spot the correct route to a controlled exit, entry, or a pass to the dangerous parts of the ice. He doesn’t shy away from using delays, resetting, regrouping, or whatever the situation calls to ensure his team maintains controlled possession of the puck. Especially along the boards and exterior of the offensive zone, Pinelli controls the puck for long stretches, smartly circles the perimeter, causing the defence to shift out of position, and attacks the gaps created with clever passing to set up teammates for quality chances. Rarely do you see Luca crumble under pressure, and frequently will he play with a defender on his back and come out of the situation with an advantage after a quick turn or smart pass. The only knock I have in the puck management area of his game is there are moments when he can be a bit trigger-happy to fire a puck on net from distance. It’s not a major red flag, as shot selection can easily be refined, but something worth noting as a potential development opportunity.
The final facet of Pinelli’s game that stands out is his ability to find space in the offensive zone. He is continuously rotating around and looking to time himself into open pockets of space. Luca will pop in and out of the slot to make himself available for dangerous passes, and once he’s open, he can make the opposition pay. He is a great catch-and-release shooter who can fire pucks with one-timers or after a quick touch to gather control and rifle it home. These two abilities work perfectly together, as Pinelli is always finding open space to receive passes, and when he’s hit with a pass, he is a lethal shooter. This is another projectable element of Pinelli’s game as a player who understands offensive rotations, spacing, and timing is one that can surely find success as he continues to advance in his hockey career.
Under this same positioning theme, I always found when he’s rotating in the offensive zone, Pinelli is aware of his defenders who are activating and will smartly fill in their spots and cover for them. It’s a minor detail, but one worth mentioning to further paint this picture of a player with excellent hockey sense and awareness.
To quickly recap, we have a player today who plays with a high-end motor, is a great puck manager, is a creative playmaker, and has a high-end hockey sense. The essential question to answer is how it will translate to the professional level when the competition level is significantly more challenging.
Projection
This is where evaluators come to a fork in the road with Pinelli. It’s not up for debate that he is an excellent junior player, and the issue lies within projecting how he’ll succeed at the pro ranks. For some, they are hesitant that he will overcome his size and skating limitations and may top out as a decent AHL scorer who never breaks through at the NHL level. I can’t say I necessarily disagree, and I acknowledge that it is a possible outcome, but I still think he’s worth the bet and won’t deter me from selecting him. That may seem a bit counterintuitive, but when I approach the draft, I always like to think of “What is the best possible outcome?” which leads me to a philosophy of seeking players who project to be above replacement level if everything goes right. In general, if the best-case scenario for a player is a depth roster player who could otherwise be found cheaply via trade or off waivers, I am generally not as interested as a player who, if their development goes correctly, is a more valuable piece who plays higher in the lineup. That’s a bit of an oversimplification, but for the sake of Pinelli, it paints the right picture of where my mind is at.
When I evaluate Luca, I see way too many of the desirable essential elements that I am looking for in a prospect that could fill a valuable role in a lineup. The work rate, tenacity, puck possession mindset, playmaking, hockey sense, finishing, and craftiness, Luca has it all. With all these tools to combine and build upon, there is everything there for Pinelli to develop into a quality middle-six winger. Yes, he will need to continue to work to become a more efficient and powerful skater, and maybe it doesn’t happen, but I don’t think we have sufficient reason to be that pessimistic. Especially when he is likely to be a selection in the 50s, 60s, 70s or possibly beyond, I’d hate to miss on a player that fits this description and is held back by something that could see substantial gains in the next few seasons. In my mind, Pinelli has all the crucial elements that are difficult to learn and develop, so I am hopeful that skating can come along and he can hit his full potential.
Latest Update
June 28, 2023
stats from InStat and EliteProspects
Prospect report written by Jordan Malette. If you would like to follow Jordan on Twitter, his handle is @jordanmalette.
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Each scout was assigned multiple NHL teams to draft for and were instructed to draft as if they were running the draft.
Below you will find the list of draft picks and the assigned scout who selected them. Once you finish sifting through the list, you can find commentary from each scout on who they chose and why.
PICK
TEAM
PLAYER
DY TEAM
ANALYST
1
Chicago
Connor Bedard
Regina
Ben
2
Anaheim
Adam Fantilli
Michigan
Austin
3
Columbus
Leo Carlsson
Örebro
Austin
4
San Jose
Matvei Michkov
Sochi
Jordan
5
Montréal
Will Smith
USNTDP
Gray
6
Arizona
Zach Benson
Winnipeg
Josh
7
Philadelphia
Ryan Leonard
USNTDP
Alex
8
Washington
Oliver Moore
USNTDP
Gray
9
Detroit
Axel Sandin Pellikka
Skellefteå
Alex
10
St. Louis
Gavin Brindley
Michigan
Ben
11
Vancouver
Andrew Cristall
Kelowna
Ben
12
Arizona
Dmitri Simashev
Yaroslavl
Josh
13
Buffalo
David Reinbacher
Kloten
Austin
14
Pittsburgh
Quentin Musty
Sudbury
Josh
15
Nashville
Daniil But
Yaroslavl
Gray
16
Calgary
Gracyn Sawchyn
Seattle
Jordan
17
Detroit
Mikhail Gulyayev
Omsk
Alex
18
Winnipeg
Nate Danielson
Brandon
Austin
19
Chicago
Riley Heidt
Prince George
Ben
20
Seattle
Jayden Perron
Chicago
Gray
21
Minnesota
Otto Stenberg
Frölunda
Clare
22
Philadelphia
Dalibor Dvorsky
AIK
Alex
23
New York Rangers
Eduard Šalé
Brno
SpokedZ
24
Nashville
William Whitelaw
Youngstown
Gray
25
St. Louis
Brayden Yager
Moose Jaw
Ben
26
San Jose
Tom Willander
Rögle
Jordan
27
Colorado
Bradly Nadeau
Penticton
Seb
28
Toronto
Samuel Honzek
Vancouver
Ben
29
St. Louis
Gabe Perreault
USNTDP
Ben
30
Carolina
Timur Mukhanov
Omsk
Josh
31
Montréal
Calum Ritchie
Oshawa
Gray
32
Vegas
Colby Barlow
Owen Sound
Seb
33
Anaheim
Matthew Wood
UConn
Austin
34
Columbus
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard
HV71
Austin
35
Chicago
Nick Lardis
Hamilton
Ben
36
San Jose
Denver Barkey
London
Jordan
37
Montréal
Aydar Suniev
Penticton
Gray
38
Arizona
Alex Čiernik
Södertälje
Josh
39
Buffalo
Charlie Stramel
Wisconsin
Austin
40
Washington
Anton Wahlberg
Malmö
Gray
41
Detroit
Lukas Dragicevic
Tri-City
Alex
42
Detroit
Roman Kantserov
Magnitogorsk
Alex
43
Detroit
Koehn Ziemmer
Prince George
Alex
44
Chicago
Beau Akey
Barrie
Ben
45
Buffalo
Michael Hrabal
Omaha
Austin
46
Nashville
Luca Pinelli
Ottawa
Gray
47
Nashville
Luca Cagnoni
Portland
Gray
48
Calgary
Tanner Molendyk
Saskatoon
Jordan
49
New York Islanders
Lenni Hämeenaho
Pori
SpokedZ
50
Seattle
Caden Price
Kelowna
Gray
51
Chicago
David Edstrom
Frölunda
Ben
52
Seattle
Trey Augustine
USNTDP
Gray
53
Minnesota
Aram Minnetian
USNTDP
Clare
54
Los Angeles
Oliver Bonk
London
Seb
55
Chicago
Kalan Lind
Red Deer
Ben
56
Edmonton
Jacob Fowler
Youngstown
SpokedZ
57
Seattle
Martin Mišiak
Youngstown
Gray
58
New Jersey
Gavin McCarthy
Muskegon
Clare
59
Anaheim
Etienne Morin
Moncton
Austin
60
Anaheim
Coulson Pitre
Flint
Austin
61
Dallas
Easton Cowan
London
Jordan
62
Carolina
Andrew Strathmann
Youngstown
Josh
63
Florida
Theo Lindstein
Brynäs
Alex
64
Minnesota
Adam Gajan
Chippewa
Clare
65
Anaheim
Matthew Mania
Sudbury
Austin
66
Columbus
Quinton Burns
Kingston
Austin
67
Chicago
Hunter Brzustewicz
Kitchener
Ben
68
Nashville
Noel Nordh
Brynäs
Gray
69
Montréal
Hoyt Stanley
Victoria
Gray
70
Arizona
Jakub Dvorak
Liberec
Josh
71
Carolina
Ignat Lutfullin
SKA St. Petersburg
Josh
72
Arizona
Nico Myatovic
Seattle
Josh
73
Detroit
Ethan Gauthier
Sherbrooke
Alex
74
St. Louis
Carson Rehkopf
Kitchener
Ben
75
Vancouver
Tristan Bertucci
Flint
Ben
76
St. Louis
Maxim Štrbák
Sioux Falls
Ben
77
Vegas
Cameron Allen
Guelph
Seb
78
Los Angeles
Mathieu Cataford
Halifax
Seb
79
Nashville
Kasper Halttunen
HIFK
Gray
80
New Jersey
Jesse Nurmi
KooKoo
Clare
81
Arizona
Carson Bjarnason
Brandon
Josh
82
Winnipeg
Juraj Pekarcik
Nitra
Austin
83
Nashville
Griffin Erdman
Waterloo
Gray
84
Seattle
Alexander Rykov
Chelyabinsk
Gray
85
Anaheim
Damian Clara
Färjestad
Austin
86
Buffalo
Carey Terrance
Erie
Austin
87
Philadelphia
Yegor Klimovich
Novosibirsk
Alex
88
Arizona
Carter Sotheran
Portland
Josh
89
Vancouver
Felix Nilsson
Rögle
Ben
90
Pittsburgh
Arvid Bergström
Djurgården
Josh
91
New York Rangers
Noah Dower Nilsson
Frölunda
SpokedZ
92
Boston
Petter Vesterheim
Mora
SpokedZ
93
Chicago
Arttu Kärki
Tappara
Ben
94
San Jose
Brady Cleveland
USNTDP
Jordan
95
Philadelphia
Felix Unger Sorum
Leksands
Alex
96
Vegas
Rodwin Dionicio
Windsor
Seb
Anaheim Ducks
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
2
Adam Fantilli
Michigan
33
Matthew Wood
UConn
59
Etienne Morin
Moncton
60
Coulson Pitre
Flint
65
Matthew Mania
Sudbury
85
Damian Clara
Färjestad
I debated taking Michkov at the second overall selection, but the timeline to the NHL and with Zegras entering his second contract I wanted to infuse a high-end talent sooner rather than later for the ducks. McTavish and Fantilli both can move to the wing and Fantilli provides great speed and puck transporting ability to give a dynamic 1-2 punch down the middle and allows McTavish to be a heavy F1 forechecker in the future as well.
Matthew Wood fell too far, and while I question the pace he plays at, the raw tools he possesses makes him a tantilizing pick in the early second round that he could sit on the wing with either Zegras/Fantilli and capitalize on his great offensive zone play.
Etienne Morin and Pavel Mintyukov will be a riot in the offensive zone. Same with Matthew Mania if his offensive game continues to mature and develop. Coulson Pitre most likely projects to the bottom six, but he’s shown throughout the season the ability to be a utility type player where he can complement puck transporters or one-touch his way through the neutral zone to be a positive transition player.
Damian Clara is a project, but the size and athleticism allows for a potential goalie replacement down the road. (Austin Garret)
Arizona Coyotes
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
6
Zach Benson
Winnipeg
12
Dmitri Simashev
Yaroslavl
38
Alex Čiernik
Södertälje
70
Jakub Dvorak
Liberec
72
Nico Myatovic
Seattle
81
Carson Bjarnason
Brandon
88
Carter Sotheran
Portland
While I doubt that Arizona takes Zach Benson at #6 on Wednesday night, I wanted to get a prospect who I can see making an impact player at the NHL level for a long time. Pairing Benson with Dylan Guenther would be neat. Benson would go on the hunt for pucks and leverage his speed to win pucks and key up one-timers for Guenther. For my second first rounder, I decided to go with Dmitri Simashev. The Arizona Coyotes get a strong defensive defenseman who could slot in nicely in a future top four pairing. In the second round, I selected Alex Čiernik at #38th. He’s got great play-making ability especially off the rush and his hands allow him to break free in tight pressured situations. In the third round, I drafted Jakub Dvorak, Nico Myatovic, Carson Bjarnason and Carter Sotheran. Dvorak and Sotheran are both solid defensive defensemen who could play shut down roles at the next level. Bjarnason has great athleticism, speed and excellent rebound control. Projects to be a starter at the NHL level. Myatovic played down the line up for the Seattle Thunderbirds, but has the tools to be a solid middle six power forward. (Josh Tessler)
Boston Bruins
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
92
Petter Vesterheim
Mora
The Boston Bruins need help at essentially every single position in their prospect pool with almost 0 draft capital work with, so maybe I should have gone for more of a home run swing here. Regardless, Vesterheim is an intriguing option in the middle rounds of this draft. The 2022-23 season was his first in Sweden, and it was quite the impressive first season. He led Mora’s J20 team in points (12G, 39P in 41 games), and also earned his way into their Allsvenskan squad at points where he did not look out of place. He’s a smart player on and off the puck, and he’s a plus-skater who is always in motion and playing with high pace. He has a high work rate and is a more than capable defender already. Given time and proper development, the Bruins could wind up adding a solid middle-six forward capable of impacting the game in every scenario. (SpokedZ)
Buffalo Sabres
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
13
David Reinbacher
Kloten
39
Charlie Stramel
Wisconsin
45
Michael Hrabal
Omaha
86
Carey Terrance
Erie
As the resident Sabres fan and someone who has mock drafted the Sabres countless times, this was a combination of players I’ve never selected. The Sabres have a plethora of high-end forward prospects but are severely lacking in defensive prospect depth. With Power and Dahlin looking to get locked up long term this offseason it made sense to not chase power play potential but rather play it safe on the right hand side of the defense. While other defenders have higher offensive ceilings in my opinion, Reinbacher should be able to be a plug-and-play middle pairing defender who could play up in a pinch.
Time for 100% honesty: coming into this year after summer scouting I thought Stramel was a lock for the top 10 and was my second ranked American after Fantilli. However, this past year at Wisconsin was severely disappointing. Not only did his transition and passing metrics plummet; he struggled to find a meaningful role within Tony Granato’s system. I question his puck distributing skills, but I hold fast that the player that I watched last year is still in there and he should be able to mature into a dynamic power forward if everything breaks right.
The Sabres lost Erik Portillo this season and there’s speculation that UPL could be on the move as well. Adding to that with Topias Leinonen’s lackluster D+1 year means the Sabres could use a retooling of the goalie depth. Hrabal was the best player available and fills a need. Terrance has a lot of tools and is a high-end skater that letting him stay in the OHL the next two years and transition to Rochester could lead to a great middle-six winger. (Austin Garret)
Calgary Flames
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
16
Gracyn Sawchyn
Seattle
48
Tanner Molendyk
Saskatoon
Calgary stays in the WHL with their two picks, going with Gracyn Sawchyn and Tanner Molendyk. The Flames could trade back here and look to get Sawchyn a bit later, but I didn’t feel like they were passing on anything substantial by selecting him at this spot. I remember my first viewing of Gracyn and just being blown away by his technical abilities. Especially when the defence thinks they have him boxed in, he’s so deceptive and evasive to escape pressure and maintain possession of the puck. He’s a crafty playmaker who relies on this previously mentioned deceptiveness to open up passing lanes and connect passes together to generate dangerous chance after chance for the Thunderbirds. Simply, Sawchyn is a ton of fun to watch and, if everything goes right, would be an instant fan favourite in Calgary. The Flames added to Sawchyn by adding Saskatoon Blade, Tanner Molendyk in the mid-second round. Labelling Tanner as the best skating defender in the 2023 draft class is not an exaggeration. He’s incredibly mobile in all directions, has tremendous straight-line speed, and is so evasive with the puck on his stick. Pairing his skating with his intelligent puck distribution yields a projectable foundation for the highly sought-after “puck-moving defenceman.” He is a more than capable defender, and there’s no reason to think why he couldn’t develop into a solid second-pairing defender for the Flames. (Jordan Malette)
Carolina Hurricanes
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
30
Timur Mukhanov
Omsk
62
Andrew Strathmann
Youngstown
71
Ignat Lutfullin
SKA St. Petersburg
For the Carolina Hurricanes picks, I drafted Timur Mukhanov at #30th overall. The Hurricanes end up with Gleb Trikozov’s former teammate. Mukhanov is zippy and is a great distributor. While his frame is a bit on the smaller end, he holds his own in tight pressure and has excellent escapability. I don’t believe Timur will go this high and based on what I’ve seen from other rankings, it appears that he’ll end up going later on. Probably the third round or fourth round. But, the talent is there and the Smaht team really believes that there is a top six asset in Mukhanov. The draft is going to play out differently and while I would bet on Mukhanov ending up in Carolina, I believe that the Hurricanes will end up with Andrew Cristall or Riley Heidt if they keep their pick and don’t trade down.
In the second round, I drafted Andrew Strathmann and Ignat Lutfullin. Strathmann is an offensive defenseman with a lot of creativity in his game and Lutfullin is a methodical playmaker who plays with great tempo. When drafting for Carolina, you go for upside and that’s what I did. (Josh Tessler)
Chicago Blackhawks
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
1
Connor Bedard
Regina
19
Riley Heidt
Prince George
35
Nick Lardis
Hamilton
44
Beau Akey
Barrie
51
David Edstrom
Frölunda
55
Kalan Lind
Red Deer
67
Hunter Brzustewicz
Kitchener
93
Arttu Kärki
Tappara
Chicago dominated our mock draft owning 8 selections within the first 3 rounds. Starting at 1, Connor Bedard is a no brainer. He will drastically improve the Hawks the moment they announce his name. At 19, their other selection in round 1, I went with a high-upside shifty playmaker in Riley Heidt. Likely a winger at the next level, Heidt has shown the ability to play center ice this season as well, and will contribute in all zones. With pick 35, the first selection the Hawks own in round 2, I went with one of the most dynamic skaters in this entire class. After his trade from Peterborough to Hamilton in the OHL, Nick Lardis’ scoring took off. He showed he can log big minutes and play against opponents’ top units. With the remaining 2nd round picks, I went with safer floors while still maintaining offensive upside. First, at 44, Beau Akey. One of the better first pass and transition defenders in the draft. With the departure of Brandt Clarke from Barrie next year, Akey will get lots more offensive opportunity and gain lots of confidence handling the puck in the offensive zone. Rounding out round 2 is David Edstrom, a big, two-way centreman. I don’t anticipate him being available in 50’s on draft day, but should the Hawks land him, they are getting a great piece for the future that is committed to play in all zones, with great puck handling ability. Kicking off round 3, Kalan Lind is a safer, hard-nosed winger that brings a tenacious forecheck style of game. He is the perfect middle-six forward for successful playoff teams, and the type of player teams seem to overpay for in Free Agency. Think Ivan Barbashev, but better skater. The final two selections I used on higher upside mobile defenders. Both Brzustewicz and Karki are good skaters that love to move the puck up the ice. At this stage in the draft, given the wealth of picks owned in the previous two rounds, taking some swings on potential point producers makes sense to me. (Ben Jordan)
Colorado Avalanche
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
27
Bradly Nadeau
Penticton
If Bradly Nadeau is available at 27, Colorado is a perfect fit for both the team and player. Nadeau possesses a top 5 shot in this draft. An incredible workhorse in all zones of the ice. Nadeaus skating needs improvement however while he lacks foot speed, his awareness moving up and down the ice, getting from point A to point B by using effective lane decisions projects well at the next level. He isn’t physical at all and I am not sure that’s an area he will develop in which is why he falls into the 25-35 range but as someone who projects to be a top 9 center, the things he does well will far outweigh the negatives. (Sebastian Jackson)
Columbus Blue Jackets
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
3
Leo Carlsson
Örebro
34
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard
HV71
66
Quinton Burns
Kingston
Columbus is the one team I would be shocked if they took Michkov in the top 5. I would guess that if the draft falls like this to start then I think the Blue Jackets are looking at Will Smith and Carlsson. To me, Carlsson is the easy choice. He was impressive every time I watched him this past year and I think he’s an easy fit into what Columbus is building.
Oscar Fisker Mølgaard won’t wow you with eye-popping skill, but he plays the game so well in the details that it’s hard not to get excited that he fell to the second round. He plays both ends of the ice extremely well and did so against men in the SHL. I don’t know if he ever is a PP player or a massive point producer, however I do think he’s a player that will make his line effective and extremely impactful.
Burns is a personal favorite. He had such a high work rate in the games I tracked and he is extremely physical at separating players from the puck without sacrificing positioning. His first pass is good, but he is not an offensive defenseman. In the early third round I think he’s a relatively safe pick to play NHL games who could develop to be an impactful shutdown defender. (Austin Garret)
Dallas Stars
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
61
Easton Cowan
London
With only one pick in the top 3 rounds, the Stars only had a little draft capital to work with. Near the end of the second, there are plenty of reasonable options the Stars could elect to go for, but Easton Cowan was my choice of the pack. Cowan is an effective puck manager who offers plenty of value in transition and as a puck distributor. He is exceptionally creative with his passing, frequently spotting and exploiting some complex passing lanes to thread pucks to the dangerous parts of the ice. Easton plays with high-end pace, notably in puck pursuit, which adds to the projection of a player with the desired offensive playmaking upside, but also could fill some form of a depth forward role. For this reason, it’s a logical fit for a team with only one selection in the top 96. I wouldn’t label him a “boom or bust,” but there still is solid upside in Cowan’s game. (Jordan Malette)
Detroit Red Wings
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
9
Axel Sandin Pellikka
Skellefteå
17
Mikhail Gulyayev
Omsk
41
Lukas Dragicevic
Tri-City
42
Roman Kantserov
Magnitogorsk
43
Koehn Ziemmer
Prince George
73
Ethan Gauthier
Sherbrooke
Yes, yes… I know that arguably three of the Red Wings top five prospects, and five of the top 10, are defensemen. Sandin Pellikka… I must admit I thought about Cristall instead as a swing on upside… but the Swedish blue-liner is arguably the best defenseman in the draft when combining current level and upside, and what goes better together than Swedes and Motown? Then yeh, another defenseman at 17. But Gulyayev was BPA for me at that venture with maybe the most upside of any blue-liner in the draft. Then we have the run of three picks in the 2nd round. The Wings already have a strong, deep pool, so who better to swing for upside with? Dragicevic could end up being a steal in the mid-second. Kantserov has the ability to be a top-six forward in the NHL and Ziemmer would be a late first-rounder in many drafts. At #73 Gauthier was a no-brainer for me. I think overall? In this mock the Red Wings had six picks and picked up six players who in many drafts would be “first-round-talents”. (Alex Appleyard)
Edmonton Oilers
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
56
Jacob Fowler
Youngstown
The Edmonton Oilers finally take their swing on a goaltender and draft Jacob Fowler of the Youngstown Phantoms. I must admit, I’m no goaltending expert by any means. A big reason I went this direction here is due to me still being shocked Edmonton passed on Wallstedt in 2021. That being said, it’s not difficult to see that Fowler boasts serious physical strength and explosive lateral movement and agility in the crease. He’s a confident goaltender and has no fear of challenging any shooter. Fowler had an immensely impressive season in the USHL, leading all goaltenders in almost every statistic. Youngstown also took home the Clark Cup Trophy, only losing 1 playoff game in the process thanks to a historic run from Fowler (he was named Clark Cup MVP, of course). Fowler boasts serious physical strength and explosive lateral movement and agility in the crease. He’s a confident goaltender and has no fear of challenging any shooter. We’ll see how he continues to develop at Boston College. (SpokedZ)
Florida Panthers
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
63
Theo Lindstein
Brynäs
The Panthers are not exactly awash with 2023 picks early on. #63 is therefore there only real chance to get a player with a decent chance of being an NHLer going forward. Their prospect pool at the present time is not the strongest, and arguably their top three prospects right now are forwards. Lindstein is a player who certainly has 2nd pairing upside, and might be ready for the NHL in 2-3 years. He has already shown himself to be a solid SHLer and I think he would be an absolute steal at the end of the second round. (Alex Appleyard)
Los Angeles Kings
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
54
Oliver Bonk
London
78
Mathieu Cataford
Halifax
LA Kings are another team that loves its CHL prospects. Enter Oliver Bonk. Bonk is an interesting Defencemen who I believe will be one of the steals of the NHL Draft. Playing for the London Knights, his development has been quite steady. His foot speed and agility is questionable. It’s likely his biggest weakness and what will drive him out of the 1st round. Considering that there are a lack of quality defencemen available (Draft is forward heavy) Bonk is worth the bet. As the 22-23 season went on, I saw Bonk engage more physically. He possesses a heavy shot however doesn’t use it to his advantage. Joining a defence that currently has Brandt Clarke, Jordan Spence, the LA Kings who are already a very good NHL team are quietly building a D core that will replace the likes of Drew Doughty in the future on the fly.
Cataford is a perfect fit for the Kings. Cataford projects as a middle six forward in the NHL. Possesses solid physical tools. Always finishes his checks, always will to engage in a physical battle, net front battles. His skating is excellent. I don’t always love the lanes he selects but considering LA’s Development staff, he’ll figure that out. He’s always finding time and space that allows him to find success in the offensive zone. A high IQ and a package that offers a bit of everything, it’s not quite an elite find but the Kings are getting a complete package. (Sebastian Jackson)
Minnesota Wild
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
21
Otto Stenberg
Frölunda
53
Aram Minnetian
USNTDP
64
Adam Gajan
Chippewa
Minnesota picks up some solid prospects in this mock draft. With their first round pick, Otto Stenberg gives the Wild more elite depth on the wing. He is a strong skating forward who can fire the puck for a goal-scoring opportunity. Stenberg has good hands and works hard in the offensive zone. His playmaking needs to get better but he still has the ability to make smart plays here and there. Stenberg can also play center but projects more as a winger in the pros. His versatility makes him a very intriguing player. The next pick for the Wild is USNTDP defenseman, Aram Minnetian. I really like this pick for the Wild. Minnetian is an offensive defenseman who possesses elite skating skills. He has strong smarts moving the puck up ice and making plays in the offensive zone. While his game is mostly noted in the o-zone, Minnetian has shown he can play a consistent defensive game. With their last pick Minnesota takes Adam Gajan. Gajan is a Slovakian goaltender who played this past season with the Chippewa Steel(NAHL) and Green Bay Gamblers(USHL). Committed to University of Minnesota-Duluth, Gajan put up strong numbers with the Steel. He is super athletic and does extremely well positioning in the net. He played with with Slovakia at the World Juniors posting a 2.40 GAA and a .926 save percentage. (Clare McManus)
Montréal Canadiens
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
5
Will Smith
USNTDP
31
Calum Ritchie
Oshawa
37
Aydar Suniev
Penticton
69
Hoyt Stanley
Victoria
I’m pretty happy with these four for Montréal. Plenty of risk, but a ton of potential reward, which are generally the types of picks I prefer to make, especially if I’m a team like Montréal.
With Michkov gone at 4, the decision at 5 was a bit of a tossup between Smith, Moore, and Benson. The deciding factor being that I see Smith as having a very slight edge in terms of highest upside / likelihood of reaching their upside, and star-power is something Montréal is lacking.
Ritchie has sneaky good playmaking potential, and overall smart play at both ends of the ice. Contrary to the other three picks, I see Ritchie more so as a higher floor player than higher ceiling, but I do still think there’s a lot of offensive potential there. Given the players available, he seemed like the best bet to make.
Suniev and Stanley are both high risk options with really enticing skillsets and the potential to boom into great top-6 / top-4 players down the line. (Gray Matter)
Nashville Predators
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
15
Daniil But
Yaroslavl
24
William Whitelaw
Youngstown
46
Luca Pinelli
Ottawa
47
Luca Cagnoni
Portland
68
Noel Nordh
Brynäs
79
Kasper Halttunen
HIFK
83
Griffin Erdman
Waterloo
With a plethora of picks and seven(!) in the first three rounds, Nashville is primed to do some damage with this draft, and can afford to take some big risks.
Starting off with two massive swings in the first round in But and Whitelaw; two guys who bring a ton of fun, lots of risk, and sky-high potential. If they both pan out, Nashville has a couple superstars on their hands, and to me, that’ll always be worth the risk.
Next up, another couple of high upside swings with the two Lucas. Pinelli could become a high-end playmaker in your top-6, and Cagnoni a great offensive playmaking d-man in your top-4 . . . or neither of them could make the NHL, roll the dice.
And finishing it off with three slightly safer / lower upside options, still with some offensive potential, albeit less than the previous four. Noel Nordh is one I’m a particular fan of, with a power forward style and high intensity, I enjoy watching him play. I think a third line role is a very likely outcome for him, and the same for Halttunen, with potential for more with the right development. Getting both in the third round is great value, especially after swinging big in the first two. Griffin Erdman just makes smart plays all the time, is responsible defensively, and has some solid playmaking upside that I do have belief in, though I’d probably bet on him being just a reliable bottom-6 forward. (Gray Matter)
New Jersey Devils
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
58
Gavin McCarthy
Muskegon
80
Jesse Nurmi
KooKoo
With New Jersey’s first pick in the 2023 draft they select USHLs Muskegon Lumberjacks, Gavin McCarthy. The Devils selected Gavin’s brother, Case in 2019. After two seasons with the Lumberjacks Gavin will be attending Boston University with his brother this upcoming season. McCarthy is a right-handed, two-way defenseman who skate the puck well. While he possesses strong offensive skills, he also has a knack to be physical. With their second and last pick in the draft the Devils select Jesse Nurmi. The winger played this past season with KooKoo U20 and Liiga organizations this past season. He also was a notable player for Finland in the world juniors. He is a high-energy forward who could provide strong depth for the Devils organization. (Clare McManus)
New York Islanders
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
49
Lenni Hämeenaho
Pori
While he isn’t the sexiest pick here, the New York Islanders pick up a true swiss army knife in Hämeenaho. Hämeenaho projects as a player who can play up and down your lineup in a variety of roles, and he’s an extremely smart player at both ends of the ice. Off the puck in the offensive zone, he is constantly scanning his surroundings to find quiet areas of the ice and anticipate where the puck will go next. He uses that same scanning habit in the defensive zone, where he is able to kill plays and eliminate scoring chances for the opposition. This well-rounded game and high work rate should make him an attractive player in this class. The skating will certainly need to improve, but he looks like a player who can contribute in every facet of the game. He feels like an Islander. (SpokedZ)
New York Rangers
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
23
Eduard Šalé
Brno
91
Noah Dower Nilsson
Frölunda
The Rangers go out and add two-more offensively gifted players with size in Eduard Sale & Noah Dower Nilsson. Sale’s physical tools & raw skill alone make him a slam dunk top 10 pick in any other draft class. They also make him one of the most naturally talented players with the highest ceiling in this one. He’s a plus-skating, 6’2”, left-shot winger who often plays on the right side and is a dual-threat with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone. He’s one of the best passers & playmakers in the class, capable of threading the puck through layers to teammates with precision. At the same time, he’s more than capable of putting the puck in the net himself. He’s able to shoot in motion with power and accuracy, while also boasting a heavy one-timer on his off-side. While there may be questions about his compete level & at times can leave scouts wanting more, there is absolutely no questioning his ability and talent level. Simply put, he does the hardest thing to do in hockey- generate offense.
In Dower Nilsson, the Rangers take another swing on upside. Dower Nilsson had an incredible draft-eligible season in terms of stats in the Swedish J20 this year (26 goals, 54 points in 37 games). He’s a creative forward with incredible hands and skill, and he’s capable of creating offense and high-danger scoring chances in many ways inside the offensive zone. He’s also a gritty forward who’s more than happy to engage physically and win puck battles in front of the net or along the boards. He certainly has the potential of a top six forward, but also several roadblocks to overcome to get there. The skating is average at best, limiting his effectiveness in transition. His defensive work rate and decision making will also need to improve. That being said, the physical tools and talent make him another intriguing option in the 2nd or 3rd round. (SpokedZ)
Ottawa Senators
No picks in the top three rounds.
Philadelphia Flyers
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
7
Ryan Leonard
USNTDP
22
Dalibor Dvorsky
AIK
87
Yegor Klimovich
Novosibirsk
95
Felix Unger Sorum
Leksands
The way that the top six fell, in my eyes, is the worst case scenario for the Flyers, and in that scenario were I Danny Briere I would be tempted to trade back. The decision to take Leonard amongst the group remaining was a difficult one, but he would immediately slot in after Cutter Gauthier as the teams second best prospect, and add much needed future first line potential to the pool. If Dvorsky fell to 22 the Flyers would be laughing all the way to the bank, there might be some upside questions, but there is no doubt even if you are down on his game that he can certainly be a 2C down the line. Leonard+Dvorsky in the first round would give the Flyers two players who are almost certainly going to be NHLers in the not so distant future, who both have the ability to put up points while being two-way players. I was hoping at least one defensemen with #3 upside in my eyes would fall to picks 87 and 95. But alas, the guys I had earmarked were both gone by the mid-3rd round. Therefore I went BPA and swung on upside. Klimovich has all the ability to be a top-six forward one day, and Felix Unger Sörum could be an absolute steal in the late 3rd. Skilled and smart with lots of room to grow. He could certainly be a good middle-six winger down the line. (Alex Appleyard)
Pittsburgh Penguins
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
14
Quentin Musty
Sudbury
90
Arvid Bergström
Djurgården
For the Pittsburgh Penguins, I selected Quentin Musty and Arvid Bergström. Musty provides the Penguins with a top six forward who can drive the transition nicely, has a great shot from range, distributes efficiently off of the rush and does an excellent job of executing passes through rather tight lanes. If Musty can continue to develop his east-west speed and his physicality, he’s going to be tough to contend with in the trenches. With Bergström, the Penguins get a solid puck moving defenseman with great mobility and a defensive-minded defender who plays very conservatively. They end up drafting two players who are rather efficient and methodical with their puck movement. (Josh Tessler)
San Jose Sharks
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
4
Matvei Michkov
Sochi
26
Tom Willander
Rögle
36
Denver Barkey
London
94
Brady Cleveland
USNTDP
The Sharks got a good mix of everything in this mock draft. Matvei Michkov, at four, needs no explanation. Yes, the Sharks will have to wait a few seasons, but the uber offensively talented Russian winger is well worth the wait and should fit nicely within the Sharks’ rebuild timeline. Willander is a very projectable #3 or #4 defenceman, complementing the other upside swings in this Sharks draft class. His skating and defensive acumen are the foundational pieces to an NHL-caliber defender, and the Sharks would be thrilled to find that package at the tail end of the first. It’s presumably earlier than Barkey will go on draft day, but I love the upside swing after the two picks the Sharks have made. He’s a remarkable playmaker who can pick apart opposing defences by exploiting the tightest of passing lanes. Size is the knock, but he more than makes up for it with his high-end motor, pesky, and tenacious playstyle. And finally, Brady Cleveland. Cleveland is a physically imposing defender who could fill an unsexy but valuable penalty-killing and shutdown role on the Sharks’ third pair if everything goes right in his development. It’s a really exciting and balanced mix of prospects the Sharks came away with, and I think they’d be pretty happy with this class. (Jordan Malette)
Seattle Kraken
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
20
Jayden Perron
Chicago
50
Caden Price
Kelowna
52
Trey Augustine
USNTDP
57
Martin Mišiak
Youngstown
84
Alexander Rykov
Chelyabinsk
With this draft, the freshest team in the league gets a little bit of everything to stock the cupboards with.
They get high-end playmaking with Jayden Perron, one of the best passers in the class, who brings excellent positioning in all zones to form a pretty complete package with very strong upside as a playmaker.
Caden Price at 50 might seem a little high, but it’s a bet on exciting offensive flashes that have come out primarily outside of league play. Always an interesting conundrum, and I tend to err on the side of the player figuring it out; he’ll be a solid top-4 puck-moving defender if he’s able to.
Augustine has looked great all year, and remains my top goalie for the draft. With three picks in the second round, I’m taking a chance on my potential goalie for the future if I’m Seattle.
Mišiak and Rykov both bring good intensity and responsible defensive games, as well as some upside, though I judge Mišiak’s to be a fair bit higher. I see both as pretty safe options, with strong middle-6 upside. (Gray Matter)
St. Louis Blues
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
10
Gavin Brindley
Michigan
25
Brayden Yager
Moose Jaw
29
Gabe Perreault
USNTDP
74
Carson Rehkopf
Kitchener
76
Maxim Štrbák
Sioux Falls
The St. Louis Blues are strapped with ammunition in the first round. Three selections in round 1, which tops every other team. I love the way the first round for the Blues went in this mock. Starting off with one of my favourites in this class. Gavin Brindley’s motor never stops. Ever. When he and Fantilli got puck on the same line, it almost felt as though Fantilli benefited from having Brindley more than the other way around. At 26 I went with Yager. I’d be shocked if he were there for the Blues on draft night, but if he were to be, I would pounce all over the opportunity to select him. I believe he has the tools to be a centre at the next level, and just make all the right decisions, all the time. Godly release on his shot as well. Rounding out the trifecta in round 1 is offensive juggernaut Gabe Perreault. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him fall in the draft as he does not drive play from the wing. He is a great complimentary piece that can play with top players and has the chance to put up hefty point totals if he’s found in the right situations. At pick 74 I went for a bigger body centreman. Rehkopf likely slots in as a winger at the pro level, but he can puck the puck in net. Loves to get to dirty areas and has a great release and shot. For the Blues last selection, I went for a safer, two-way defenseman in Strbak. He does well defending the rush and getting the puck up to his forwards. Don’t see much offensive upside with this player, but that’s not why we’re selecting him here. (Ben Jordan)
Tampa Bay Lightning
No picks in the top three rounds.
Toronto Maple Leafs
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
28
Samuel Honzek
Vancouver
Due to our abbreviated 3-round mock, the Leafs find themselves with just a lone selection at the end of round 1. With that pick I selected Samuel Honzek a bigger frame winger from the Vancouver Giants. He combines his reach and agility so well and is a pain to try and strip of the puck. He’s got a solid shot and does well to find himself with time and space in danger areas. (Ben Jordan)
Vancouver Canucks
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
11
Andrew Cristall
Kelowna
75
Tristan Bertucci
Flint
89
Felix Nilsson
Rögle
Given the situation the Canucks find themselves in, more than 1 pick in the first two rounds would be nice, but for the sake of the mock, we play the hand we are dealt. The Canucks reach and grab dynamic offensive winger Andrew Cristall. Cristall, with improved skating could be an offensive force to be reckoned with. He’s extremely smart with the puck, and has an innate ability to read off his linemates to help create and finish the best offensive opportunities. With the lack of any selections in round 2, I went for a bigger swing in Bertucci. The first and second half of his season in Flint were very different. At Christmas time I loved the way he retrieved pucks in his own zone and subsequently broke the puck out, however I had many concerns about the offense. The second half of the year he answered all those questions. Put up great numbers and looked confident handling the puck in offensive situations. To round out the Canucks mock I went with Swede Felix Nilsson (had to throw the Nucks a Swede). Nilsson checks a lot of boxes to become a dominant 3rd line centreman in the NHL. He is great in transition and supporting his defenseman during retrievals. He has great vision and underrated hands which make him a sneaky offensive threat as well. (Ben Jordan)
Vegas Golden Knights
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
32
Colby Barlow
Owen Sound
77
Cameron Allen
Guelph
96
Rodwin Dionicio
Windsor
Vegas LOVES their CHL players. Enter Colby Barlow.
Barlow is an interesting case. I am higher on Barlow than most. I love his shot, his shot selection, his decision making in the offensive zone. An underrated aspect is, he was the Captain of the Owen Sound Attack this year and was impressed with his leadership on and off the ice. At the end of the day, you’re getting a very good goal scorer and a quality human. Transitioning from offense to defense is also one of his bright spots. Needs to work on his explosiveness. His foot speed is fine but it’s left me wanting and expecting more. I’d like to see him work on becoming more than just a shot. Nothing wrong with a scoring forward however i’d like to see more of his playmaking on display. Vegas also is a team that lives in the here and now and would prefer to draft a sure bet and Barlow is that. Again, very good goal scorer.
Cam Allen during his rookie season in the OHL in 2021-2022 looked like a sure fire top 10 prospect for the 2023 NHL Draft. He has fallen out of the 1st round, and likely the 2nd round. However this is still a very interesting prospect. What worries me about Cam Allen is his decision making and awareness. Cam often takes very undisciplined penalties. Often at very unnecessary times. When he sees red, he has a hard time coming down from it. However, he’s one of the hardest hitters in the draft, his defensive play is among the best as we saw down the stretch in Guelph. He has a wicked shot which he didn’t display this year. (13 goals as a rookie the season prior) This is a prospect that i expect great improvement from next season. It is worth noting that Guelph had a shaky start to last season. Coaching changes, lots of uncertainty. With a full season of a new coach who isn’t a lame duck, with a D core that will experience very few changes, Allen is set up for success. He will be running the power play and will be Guelph’s most relied on defencemen in a year they look like a threat in the Western Conference.
Vegas is an interesting team when it comes to drafting. While they usually hit in the draft, they are a team that lives in today and not the future. Honestly, I’m surprised when a drafted prospect does make the Knights because they usually use their capital of picks and prospects to build their roster via trades. However, as the later rounds in the draft goes, I could see Vegas wanting to make some safe bets and swing for the fences. Rodwin is an interesting prospect. He’s a re-entry. Went undrafted last year which was a bit shocking considering the amount of prospects ranked below him went drafted. Getting out of NIagara was the best thing for Rodwin who has international experience as well. After landing in Windsor, his game took off. Since entering the OHL, Dionicio has been a monster physically. When he hits you, HE HITS YOU. He’s a very large, beefy defencemen. You don’t want to go 1v1 in the corners vs Dionicio. His offense game took off putting up 43 points in 34 games including a hat trick. As a re-entry, he likely goes later in the draft, but this is a player I believe will be a steal for whoever selects him and one of the most professional hockey ready players available on the board. (Sebastian Jackson)
Washington Capitals
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
8
Oliver Moore
USNTDP
40
Anton Wahlberg
Malmö
Likely heading towards a rebuild and having only two picks in the top 96, it’s not an ideal situation, but Washington makes out very well with what they have.
Starting with Oliver Moore at 8, likely the best skater in the draft and tons of skill and smarts to boot. He hasn’t quite put it all together yet, but if he does, he’ll be a hell of a centre for Washington to build around.
Wahlberg at 40 is another great addition at centre, with a strong power game and solid two-way play, along with raw skill that he’s still honing, Wahlberg has the makings of a good middle-6 centre. And just like that, Washington’s future at centre looks pretty good already. (Gray Matter)
Winnipeg Jets
PICK
PLAYER
DY TEAM
18
Nate Danielson
Brandon
82
Juraj Pekarcik
Nitra
Nate Danielson is a player I stuck my neck out for in our rankings calls that he’s better than the production and microstats have indicated. His physical tools are very good, but he was unable to gel with linemates throughout the season to sustain high-end production or possession time. He’s a 200 foot center with a lot of projectable traits that could lead to a top 6 center, which at the 18th overall pick is a swing I’d make if I were Winnipeg.
I wasn’t a European scout this year, but Pekarcik did impress throughout the u18s when he was put with Dvorsky. His men’s league tape didn’t pop like he did at the u18s, but as you enter the third round he’s a player who, when playing against his peers, looked like a great upswing to make in the mid rounds. (Austin Garret)
For the last few seasons, I’ve published goaltender data in which I look at speed, rebound control and glove work. It’s served as a good bench mark when watching goaltenders and determining which goaltenders I’d fight for at the draft table.
In the past, I have published my data on Tableau, but due to time constraints I decided to publish my data in a post.
For my 2023 NHL Draft set, I tracked games of Martin Neckar (4 games), Trey Augustine (6 games), Yegor Zavragin (6 games), Jacob Fowler (6 games), Johnny Hicks (4 games), Scott Ratzlaff (4 games), Carson Bjarnason (6 games), Damian Clara (6 games), Michael Hrabal (6 games), Adam Dybal (4 games) and Adam Gajan (6 games).
Speed
When it comes to speed, the goaltenders who are smaller in frame need to be speedy to eliminate gaps when reacting to rapid side to side oppositional puck movement. The goaltenders that have a bigger frame can afford to slow down their side to side speed because they have a wider frame to work with. But, regardless of frame, goaltenders need to be able to drop into the butterfly on a dime.
The fastest goaltender that I tracked was Martin Neckar (Langnau U20). His side to side pace was unmatched by anyone else. His Up / Down Time tied Trey Augustine, Yegor Zavragin and Jacob Fowler.
Goalie
Up/Down Time
Side/Side Time
Martin Neckar
0.14
0.30
Trey Augustine
0.14
0.35
Yegor Zavragin
0.14
0.36
Jacob Fowler
0.14
0.38
Scott Ratzlaff
0.15
0.38
Johnny Hicks
0.15
0.37
Carson Bjarnason
0.15
0.41
Damian Clara
0.15
0.42
Michael Hrabal
0.15
0.45
Adam Dybal
0.16
0.46
Adam Gajan
0.15
0.50
Glove / Save Rate
In this section, I looked at glove / save rate and found that Michael Hrabal of the Omaha Lancers had the most success with his glove of the crop tracked.
Next year, I plan to add a bit more context around glove saves and where the shots originated from (similar to what the high danger rebound origination data that I track).
Goalie
Glove / Save Rate
Martin Neckar
12.63%
Scott Ratzlaff
18.83%
Adam Dybal
18.51%
Yegor Zavragin
24.57%
Jacob Fowler
20.92%
Johnny Hicks
17.82%
Trey Augustine
20.27%
Carson Bjarnason
19.77%
Damian Clara
22.28%
Adam Gajan
17.65%
Michael Hrabal
27.08%
Rebound Rates
When tracking rebound control, I identify where the puck ends up after the goaltender makes contact with the puck after it’s been shot.
Ideally, you want a goaltender who pushes rebounds to medium and low danger. If a goaltender is giving up too many high danger rebounds, they put themselves at risk of a quick follow up shot.
While some goaltenders might have higher rebound / save rates then others, it’s not necessarily a bad thing to have a high rebound / save rate. A goaltender that has a slightly weaker glove is going to give up more rebounds. It’s as simple as that.
Goalie
Total Rebound / Save Rate
High Danger Rebound Rate
Medium Danger Rebound Rate
Low Danger Rebound Rate
Martin Neckar
69.71%
26.92%
4.33%
38.46%
Scott Ratzlaff
69.20%
23.20%
6.52%
39.48%
Adam Dybal
74.53%
26.03%
5.55%
42.96%
Yegor Zavragin
66.11%
24.01%
6.56%
35.54%
Jacob Fowler
72.63%
22.58%
10.10%
39.94%
Trey Augustine
71.33%
24.99%
8.72%
37.62%
Carson Bjarnason
74.87%
25.22%
8.38%
41.27%
Damian Clara
71.47%
23.88%
10.52%
37.08%
Johnny Hicks
74.45%
30.79%
6.80%
36.86%
Adam Gajan
73.79%
32.36%
3.17%
38.26%
Michael Hrabal
58.96%
22.35%
3.88%
32.73%
Where Do High Danger Rebounds Originate?
In the above section, I looked at rebound control and where rebounds were ending up. Prior to the 2022 NHL Draft, I expanded upon rebound control and where rebounds were ending up. I wanted to identify where high danger rebounds were originating from because a goaltender’s high danger rebound rate but it could be because they faced quite a bit of high danger shots compared to the others tracked.
Based on the data below, Carson Bjarnason and Damian Clara were the stronger goaltenders. At least 50% of their high danger rebounds came from high danger shots.
Goalie
High Danger Rebound From High Danger Shot Rate
High Danger Rebound From Medium Danger Shot Rate
High Danger Rebound From Low Danger Shot Rate
Martin Neckar
37.80%
27.53%
34.67%
Scott Ratzlaff
32.29%
9.38%
58.33%
Adam Dybal
23.75%
14.38%
61.88%
Yegor Zavragin
30.53%
20.92%
48.55%
Johnny Hicks
20.00%
45.00%
35.00%
Jacob Fowler
30.42%
29.03%
40.56%
Trey Augustine
28.83%
11.78%
59.39%
Carson Bjarnason
56.44%
13.29%
30.28%
Damian Clara
53.91%
23.57%
22.52%
Adam Gajan
35.43%
23.59%
40.98%
Michael Hrabal
34.03%
7.64%
58.33%
Data tracked by Josh Tessler.
If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.
Tanner Molendyk is a 2023 NHL Draft prospect and plays for the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades.
He’s originally from Kamloops, British Columbia and had played locally with the Thompson Blazers in his youth.
For the 2019-20 season, he joined the Yale Hockey Academy Prep U15 club and averaged 2 points a game. He led the CSSHL U15 league with the most points for a defenseman. Following the conclusion of season, he was drafted by the Saskatoon Blades with the #5th overall pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft. Molendyk made his WHL debut the following season.
This past season, Molendyk played in 67 games for the Blades and recorded 37 points (9 goals and 28 assists). While the point totals are on the lower end compared to other 2023 NHL Draft eligible defensemen playing in the WHL (i.e. Luca Cagnoni and Lukas Dragicevic), his production became far more consistent in the latter half of this season. In the first half of the year, he was struggling with his shot and was trying more defense to defense (D to D) passing along the point then passing to the slot. But, his game evolved. I’ll explain more in the next section.
Player Profile
D.O.B – February 3, 2005 Nationality – Canada Draft Eligibility – 2023 Height –5’11″ Weight –176 lbs Position – Defense Handedness – Left
Molendyk’s Style of Play
Offense
Molendyk is mobile, shifty and implements good crossovers to change his positioning laterally. When he has the puck on his stick in the offensive zone, he will use those crossovers to create separation for shooting and passing lanes.
He will also rely on his crossovers when problem solving. If one side of the offensive zone has a lot of congestion, he will peel away from the traffic with his crossovers, maintain possession and drive to the slot.
When off the rush, if he doesn’t find a gap to exploit to get to net front or a passing lane, he’ll play the puck behind the net, wrap around and pass back to the point. But, what he doesn’t do is implement delays after bringing the puck deep into the zone. I want to see Molendyk bring the puck into the zone, pinch and delay near the corner. That forces the attack to follow Molendyk towards the corner, but it opens up a potential passing lane towards the perimeter. Worst case, that doesn’t open up and Molendyk passes the puck along the boards to a teammate.
While he won’t usually delay down low, he does delay when skating into the offensive zone. He’ll slow down the pace when the attack in front of him is well aligned and has taken away immediate passing lanes that Molendyk could use. The delay either allows his teammates to create a passing lane or Molendyk ends up dumping the puck into the corner.
While Molendyk likes to incorporate delays in his puck movement, I don’t often see Molendyk delay and then on a dime pivot out. Usually when he delays with the puck on his stick, the puck is either being passed or dumped. But, he doesn’t use the delays to create skating lanes. He should though. If he combined delays with his lateral footwork, that would allow him to be quite dangerous off the rush. He’d be a handful to shut down.
His distribution in the offensive zone is typically more defense to defense passing (D to D passing) along the point, but he does complete dangerous passes. Usually, it’s when he has the puck on his stick and he is the pinching up with the puck.
At the beginning of the season, Molendyk wasn’t finding a lot of success with his shot, but managed to turn it around in the latter half. The mechanics will need continued development, but I was quite pleased to see his shot especially from range improving. Earlier on, a lot of his shots from range were going wide and he was using too big of a wind up. Using a big wind up can be used for manipulation, but you don’t want to use too big of a wind up before shooting as you show your hand so to speak. Molendyk made tweaks on his shot and found a bit more success, but I still want him to work on elevating his shots especially from range.
Molendyk loves to jump up into the play when his teammates have control of the puck. When they are behind the red line, on the other side, he’ll pinch up to inner face-off hashmarks on his side. He is looking to provide a backdoor option.
Defense
Molendyk is an excellent transporter of the puck. When deep in his own zone and pressure is daunting, he doesn’t force the puck through. Instead, he looks to complete a D to D pass. But, if he doesn’t have an immediate passing lane to fall on, he will use his mobility, pivot and dart away from the pressure. When completing pivots and turns, Molendyk maintains control of the puck and has good reach that he’ll use to extend the puck out and away from the attacker. He doesn’t just use pivots and turns to navigate out of pressure. If Molendyk knows that he is facing an attacker who can’t match him well on speed that he can manipulate the attacker in by positioning the puck towards the boards. That draws the attacker in and Molendyk skates to the other side at the same time.
If Molendyk doesn’t have a clear north-south passing lane to a teammate in the neutral zone due to multiple attackers in view, he will complete bounce passes off the boards to get the puck to the intended target. He will attempt stretch passes, but he struggles with his stretch pass completion, so you’ll see him rely on D-to-D passing if he doesn’t have a skating lane to use.
If his defensive partner has possession of the puck and is under pressure along the opposite half-wall, he does a nice job of shifting his positioning when he spots his teammate shifting away from pressure. Molendyk knows that he has an attacker right in front of him (the same attacker in front of his defensive partner), so he uses his crossovers to get him into an open passing lane so that way when he nets possession of the puck he has open ice in front of him.
When defending at the point against the rush, sometimes he will commit too much to an attacker at open ice, gets manipulated as the attacker extends the puck towards the boards and then the attacker navigates around Molendyk with ease. But, for the most part he does a good job of trapping attackers after completing a zone entry quite quickly and keeps them along the boards. He will use an active stick to trap and when in range he’ll poke check.
When in a loose puck battle with an attacker, he will look to box attackers out and use his upper body strength to push into the attacker to force them to be on the outside looking in. He will also look to box out attackers who are looking to generate passing lanes off-puck.
He does have good reach that he can rely on when scooping up possession of loose pucks. Molendyk’s puck recovery work is solid, but he will face battles in which he doesn’t truly have the speed to maintain the inside track to the puck. Since he relies on his crossovers for acceleration and lacks a power stride, he will struggle when in a head to head battle with an attacker who can net more speed with a power stride.
Some might describe Molendyk as a physical defenseman, but I’d argue that he isn’t using his physically consistently enough to be pegged as a physical defenseman. His positioning is quite good and thus he is usually in position to defend against the attack and be physical, but he doesn’t use shoulder or hip checks all that often. He’ll use them every now and then, but doesn’t rack hit up after hit.
Transitional Play
In the defensive section, I mentioned that Molendyk won’t force himself into contested waters and it’s the same in the neutral zone. When facing pressure, he will look to complete bounce passes off of the boards to get the puck to a teammate at the opposite blue line. But, if he doesn’t have that passing option, he will uses his crossovers and edges to peel away, double back / button hook and try another lane. If he is looking to push the puck up through the neutral zone and pressure builds up at the blue line, he’ll feature give and go passing to weather the storm. It worked out nicely against Red Deer in this clip. Check out his give and go pass that led to his deflection goal at net-front.
Molendyk has been inconsistent from time to time with his rush defending. He has a habit of getting out of position when his forwards have the puck in the neutral zone as he will pinch up when he sees them push the puck up the ice. The positioning means that his defensive partner will have to defend some odd man rush situations from time to time when Molendyk’s teammates turn over the puck in the neutral zone. But, Molendyk does do a good job of utilizing his crossovers to build up speed when he notices that he is out of position. You just have to figure that there will be odd man rush situations in which Molendyk couldn’t get back in position for especially considering that he doesn’t have a true power stride and thus will struggle to match someone deploying lengthy skate extensions.
When defending against the boards in the neutral zone, you’ll occasionally see Molendyk be physical and lay out a good hip check to neutralize the rush (like the one below). But, as I mentioned earlier on in the defensive section, he isn’t overly physical.
Skating
Molendyk uses a lot of crossovers to build up speed when driving the puck up the ice. Even though he’s heavily reliant on his crossovers, he does a good job of leveraging them to shift around pressure and gain the separation that he needs to continue pushing the puck up the ice. Molendyk’s mobility makes him an excellent puck moving defensive prospect, but I do want to see him work on lengthening his forward stride. If he can lengthen his stride and leverage his crossovers in conjunction with a power stride, he will be tough to slow down and neutralize.
While he needs to work on a power stride, he’s got excellent mobility, great pivoting and excellent puck control off of his edges. He will use those tools nicely every shift.
Projection
Molendyk is great in transition. He’s got excellent crossovers that spark his coast to coast puck movement. Should he run into obstacles he’s shown over and over that he loves to give and go. Over the course of the season, I saw his vast improvement with his shot especially at 5v5. It was particularly rusty towards the start of the year, but by mid-March Molendyk was lighting up the lamp routinely. While his shot improved, the next step will be work on shot selection as he is shot heavy from the point. In his own zone, Molendyk will occasionally throw his weight to cause puck disruption, but maintains good positioning when the attack is working down low. Molendyk has a second pairing projection.
Latest Update
June 11, 2023
stats from InStat and EliteProspects
Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.
Looking for other scouting reports? Check out the Prospects tab for our other scouting reports.
Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!
Otto Stenberg is a 2023 NHL Draft eligible prospect and plays in the Frölunda system. He grew up in Stenungsund, Sweden and played for the local U16 and J18 teams before joining Frölunda.
Otto’s father, David had played Swedish division two hockey in the early 2000’s. His brothers are also actively playing. Ivar plays in the Frölunda system and Knut recently played for the Stenungsund U16 club.
This season, Stenberg was nearly a player per game in J20 play, made his SHL debut and represented Sweden on the international stage at multiple tournaments including Hlinka Gretzky and the U18s.
Player Profile
D.O.B – May 29, 2005 Nationality – Sweden Draft Eligibility – 2023 Height –5’11″ Weight –181 lbs Position – Forward Handedness – Left
Stenberg’s Style of Play
Offense
Stenberg does a good job of cutting in on the forecheck to get possession of the puck, but needs to leverage his upper body strength a bit more when fighting against pressure to his backside once he has possession. He needs to use that upper body strength to push into attackers, so that way he can create some space for himself.
In SHL play, I noticed that Stenberg did a solid job of providing support for his teammates who were trapped in the corners. Stenberg used his crossovers nicely to put himself into position to support teammates with an outlet passing lane.
Off the rush, should the attack force Stenberg into low danger, he does a good job of adapting and running the cycle. While along the boards, should he find a teammate nearby but the attacker in front of Stenberg is shadowing the teammates movements to take away the passing lane, he won’t hesitate to pass the puck off the boards to a teammate along the boards. But, Stenberg is ultimately looking for the optimal passing lane to the low slot. If he can spot a lane, he won’t hesitate to use his lateral speed to get him to the desired passing lane. Stenberg also does a good job at timing his teammates routes to the low slot and hitting them in stride with a pass.
When working the puck behind the red line, should pressure close in on him and he has limited space to work with, he’ll pass above / under the triangle (stick shaft of the attacker) to get the puck to a teammate with open space in front of them.
But, I did notice that he was a bit slower with his processing at the SHL level when pressure intensified. He needs to be quicker with his problem solving at the SHL level. If not, he’ll struggle to move the puck in tight pressured situations. While his problem solving is still in development at the SHL level, he’s been able to problem solve with consistent success at the J20 and J18 levels. Stenberg is just getting used to the SHL pace.
Stenberg is equipped with excellent stick-handling and mobility that he can rely on to get around danger at open ice. In addition, he does a great job of securing the puck under the pressure and relies on his reach to extend the puck out. The combination has led to some fun highlight reel clips throughout this past season. For instance, check out this clip in which he stick-handled around two attackers after entering into the offensive zone. He stick-handled out of pressure and opened up a shooting lane.
Throughout this season, Stenberg capitalized off of rebounds, but he also did a good job of putting himself in back door shooting lanes to draw one-timer opportunities. If Stenberg spots a teammate looking to distribute the puck and struggling to find a lane due to traffic, Stenberg will look to skate into open space to create the passing lane. But, if Stenberg can’t put a clean shot on net or a path to net-front, he’ll look to quickly re-distribute.
In addition to capitalizing off of rebounds and back door shots, he produced nicely off the rush as well and used puck manipulation at net-front to draw top shelf shooting lanes.
While he does score one-timer back door goals, he struggles with his one-timers from distance. Stenberg isn’t leaning forward into his shot and thus he isn’t netting the power he needs. He also needs to work on shot angling when trying shots from range. Stenberg won’t align his stick blade to the net from range and that forces his shots to go wide towards the corner.
Defense
Stenberg implements quality pressure at the defensive zone blue line and will utilize an active stick when defending in the neutral zone to trap attackers. If the attackers are working on the puck along the boards, he will drop back to provide tight backcheck pressure and keeps tight positioning on attackers. Stenberg keeps his head on a swivel to identify potential passing lanes that the attackers might utilize and steps into them to negate the threat.
Stenberg does a good job of providing outlet passing lanes and will use his crossovers to put himself into position to create said passing lane. Once he has control of the puck, he will look to break out of the zone with the puck on his stick.
In SHL play, if pressure creeps up, sometimes he struggles to decide when is the moment to use his stick-handling or pass and gets trapped.
Transitional Play
Stenberg does a good job of quickly reacting to oppositional puck movement in the neutral zone and has the crossover speed to shift from side to side in order to get into position. Once in position, he looks to use an active stick to take away space and force the attacker to puck the puck along the boards. Not only does Stenberg use his active stick to trap attackers, but he will also extend out his stick blade when in range of a vulnerable attacker who has possession of the puck. He will pickpocket, quickly generate speed and create an odd man rush / breakaway opportunity. Check out this goal from November that Stenberg scored off the rush after pickpocketing in the neutral zone.
When his teammates have control of the puck in the neutral zone, Stenberg stays aligned laterally to them to give them a passing option.
Stenberg knows not to force the puck into tight pressured areas off the rush and he changes up how he will escape pressure for each sequence. He is a problem solver in transition and keeps you guessing. In some situations, he will keep pivoting left and right to lose pressure and then quickly he will complete a pass to an open defenseman. You will also see Stenberg fall back into the defensive zone, button hook and then complete a stretch pass to an open teammate in the neutral zone. Check out the clip below from a game against HV71 U20 in late February in which he fell back to re-group and completed a stretch pass that led to a goal off the rush.
Skating
When moving up the ice, Stenberg is largely dependent on crossovers for speed. He doesn’t have a power stride, but that hasn’t slowed down Stenberg in SHL play. Stenberg’s crossovers have manufactured the speed he needs to drive the rush, shift east-west as he looks to skate towards a passing lane to use and create the separation that he needs after pivoting away from pressure. Over the next season or so I’d like to see Stenberg try to widen his stride as it will only increase his speed and his upside.
Projection
Otto Stenberg has a lot of excellent tools in his arsenal that make him a second line upside day 1 NHL Draft target. He’s shifty, mobile and has excellent stick-handling that he’ll use to get out of tight jams at centered ice. If he runs out of room and simply can’t navigate out with his footwork or handling, he makes use of whatever passing lane he has and more than often at the SHL level that meant passing underneath the stick of the attacker. When he has the puck on his stick, he’ll rely on his crossovers to create the separation to go one-on-one with the goaltender at net-front. If he simply can’t pull away from pressure, he’ll look to pepper the slot with passes. In transition, he won’t force the puck into dodgy situations and will button hook. Stenberg will then identify a secondary lane and take advantage.
Latest Update
June 6, 2023
stats from InStat and EliteProspects
Prospect report written by Josh Tessler. If you would like to follow Josh on Twitter, his handle is @JoshTessler_.
Looking for other scouting reports? Check out the Prospects tab for our other scouting reports.
Need a scouting report on a particular prospect, contact us today!
