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2026 NHL DRAFT: DETAILED SCOUTING REPORT – Oscar Hemming, LW, Boston College (NCAA)

Kyle Pereira — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:36:22 +0000

Oscar Hemming

2026 NHL Draft Eligible

Position: LW, Shoots: L

H/W: 6-foot-4, 198 pounds

Date of Birth: 2008-08-13

Oscar Hemming, the brother of the Dallas Stars first-round draft selection Emil Hemming, was an intriguing prospect out of Finland. But this season, he couldn’t find a team to play for until the second-half of the season, just about. After he played in the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, where he performed very well, he signed with the Kitchener Rangers. Shortly thereafter, his Finnish club, Kiekko-Espoo, blocked the OHL transfer. Hemming pivoted and signed with Sherwood Park in the BCHL. But this time, the IIHF threatened to ban Hemming for three years of international play. So, once again, Hemming pivoted. He sped up his academics in order to enroll with Boston College, finally finding a home for the hockey season.

Hemming is a heavy shooter who has sneaky good skill on the puck. But it’s his big 6-foot, 4-inch frame paired with his deceivingly good puck skill that makes him such an intriguing talent. He’s got a good motor on him, along with a physical streak. Getting paired with Dean Letourneau, who BC has helped massively in his development, is a formidable duo in college hockey. While the point-total hasn't been the most eye-opening, he has been impressive already, despite being 17 years old and missing half of his season. Which is important to remember, as that long break from hockey made an impact on parts of his game, and him being a part of that BC organization will surely be a great spot for him to work out those kinks in his game.

With the skill set he has shone thus far, he projects as a potential second line power forward, with enough talent to work his way into a first line role in the right environment. With his limited production and time missed at the beginning of this season, he will almost certainly run it back in Boston College next season. But, after next year, there’s a shot there he could earn an NHL spot, depending on which team calls his name on draft day.

Skating

Hemming isn’t the best skater. That’s not entirely surprising, considering his frame. To his credit, his skating is very smooth and he can catch defenders by surprise at times. But he isn’t a burner and it takes him an extra step to reach his top speed. His edges need more work, as he can lose speed when turning or changing directions with the play. It also impacts his first few strides, as it takes him some time to build up speed. As he is given more time to adjust to the NCAA level, especially in an organization that has helped Letourneau develop his skating a lot, these issues should round itself out.

It’s also fair to wonder just how much of an impact that long layoff between teams had on his game. At the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, he displayed better mobility. In particular, he used his edges far more efficiently to build up speed through crossovers, reaching his top speed faster. The NCAA is a faster paced game on a smaller sized rink, which has an impact too. But the time off between teams did still show up in his ability to move.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-1-Hemming-Skating.mp4

In the clip above, Hemming (#9 in white) had jumped up into the play on a dump in, going right into the low slot area. When the pass intended for him skipped past his stick, he struggled to turn back the other way and back check effectively. He lost ground due to the poor turn and acceleration, getting beaten up ice. When a BC defender denied the entry attempt and the puck was sent to the boards, Hemming was the closest to it by a wide margin. However, a player who wasn’t even in the frame when the play was initially broken up managed to get to the puck at the same time as Hemming.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-1-Hemming-Skating.mp4

In this clip, Hemming (#9 in white) shows off what he can do as a skater when given space to build up speed. After a turnover is forced by a teammate in the defensive end, he skates into the puck, scoops it up, and skates hard up ice. He doesn’t burn the defenders, but he closes in on them very quickly, then drives the net with speed. He actually got to his spot on the backdoor ahead of the defender who tracked him, but his teammate elected to shoot on the play.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-2-Hemming-Skating-.mp4

In this clip, Hemming (#27 in white) displays that aforementioned better movement skills, with his usage of crossovers to build up speed all the way through the neutral zone. His strides were also shorter, with quicker feet, because of his use of crossovers. He drives through the neutral zone, pulling away from back-pressure, albeit light, before hitting the offensive blue line. With the speed he had through the neutral zone, the defenders adjusted their gaps. Hemming, upon hitting the blueline, slowed down, opening up a passing lane, and putting a pass between two sticks. The pass would hit the target, but the pressure around his teammate would disrupt the play. But that was all executed through strong acceleration through crossovers, hitting his top speed, then slowing down to create space for himself to try and make a smart play.

GRADE: 50

Shot

Hemming has a wicked shot that, one could argue, is borderline NHL-ready as it is. It features a ton of power, a quick release, and generally strong accuracy. He can pick corners at times. He can threaten from medium-dangers thanks to his ability to rip shots with power. But it’s his ability to finish in-tight, regardless of the pressure around him. He can roof shots in close, get tips and rebounds, and use his frame to box out opponents in order to get those opportunities with consistency.

Not only does he use his frame effectively in dangerous areas to create those chances in close, but he also displays very strong spatial and positional awareness away from the puck, placing himself in pockets of space to be a passing option. Despite only scoring once with BC, there is much more here than what has been shown.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SHOT-1-Hemming-NCAA-Goal.mp4

In this clip, Hemming (#9 in white) scores his first NCAA goal. He drives the net on the rush, holds off a defender to get in position in the mid-slot. He then shows off his solid hand-eye coordination to get a piece of the shot from the point, then follows the rebound quickly to bury it.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SHOT-2-Hemming-Shot.mp4

In this clip, Hemming (#9 in white) trails the initial rush. As the puck bounces out into the slot, Hemming skates into it and absolutely fires the puck towards the net. It hit the crossbar, denying his chance at a ridiculous goal. The power and release is very evident in this clip, indicative of the potential in his shot, despite the lack of production this season.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SHOT-3-Hemming-Goal-Hlinka.mp4

Hemming (#27 in blue), shows off his off-puck positioning on the Finnish power play opportunity before scoring the go-ahead goal. He positions himself well by sliding up and down the half-wall, keeping himself inside an open passing lane for his teammates. As the puck moves up to the point, he slides up top as an easy outlet. He receives a pass at the top of the circle, corrals it and pulls wide to his forehand, and fires a heavy shot over the blocker of the Czech netminder.

GRADE: 55

Skills

Hemming, despite playing a smart, calculated power game, can be a very deft puck-handler. On the puck, he combines his smarts and his frame to protect the puck. But he can also make slick, finesse moves when needed. He can also flash strong playmaking skills on the puck, whether in space or under pressure. To be able to have a bit of roughness in his game, while also showcasing an ability to play with some finesse, is what GMs are searching for year-in and year-out. Hemming, despite not generating a ton of points thus far at the collegiate level, has those traits.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKILLS-1-Hemming-Skill-Shot.mp4

In this clip, Hemming (#9 in white) is up in the neutral zone, receiving a pass after his teammate gained the offensive zone. As he catches the pass, the opposing defender pinches up to deny the entry. However, Hemming makes a quick play to evade the pokecheck, pulling the puck quickly to his backhand and turning away from the defender. He then drives to the slot and, as he loads up for a shot, avoids another defensive stick check with a toe drag release.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKILLS-2-Hemming-skill-net-drive.mp4

In this clip, Hemming (#27 in blue) receives a breakout pass to gain the neutral zone. He builds up speed and cuts wide to the right wall. As he hits the blue line, he cuts back inside towards the middle, skating at the defender. As the defender looks to close the gap and take away the drive towards the middle, Hemming pulls the puck back on his forehand, then pushes it through his own legs, stepping back to the perimeter. That quick move allowed him to get around the defender's outside shoulder. He would then use his frame to box out the defender from recovering and preventing a scoring chance. He then takes another step towards the goal before firing the puck on net. The shot was stopped, but it created a bit of chaos that nearly wound up being a goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKILLS-3-Hemming-Tip-Goal.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKILLS-4-Hemming-goal-in-tight.mp4

Hemming (#27 in blue, in the two above clips), scored both goals in tight to the net, showcasing his skill in the dangerous areas of the ice. In the first clip, he initially helps work the puck out of chaos following the faceoff, then drives to the net. Once at the net front, he uses his frame to box out the opposing defender. The puck goes across the point, and Hemming quickly turns and moves into a better spot. As he shifts over, he gets his stick on the point shot, deflecting it over the goaltender, despite being draped in pressure, showcasing his hand-eye skill. In the second clip, Hemming wins a short-area race to the loose puck, and helps work it up the wall, eventually getting to the point. As the puck moves up, Hemming again goes right to the net. He nearly gets another deflection on the point shot, but it goes by the traffic and the goaltender makes the save. Then, despite the chaos in front, Hemming finds the rebound, settles it, and rips it past the glove and just inside the post. This displays his poise and ability to find pucks amidst chaos to generate chances such as that one.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKILLS-5-Hemming-Quick-Pass.mp4

In this clip, Hemming (#9 in white) positions himself well to be an easy outlet option. As the puck moves up to the point, he shifts his positioning to remain an easy outlet. When he gets the pass, he is met almost immediately by pressure. But he felt the pressure coming, and he turned away from the opposing defender, spinning away from that pressure and sending a backhand pass accurately to a teammate at the top of the circle. While it didn’t lead to a scoring chance, those moments of quick decision-making are evident in his game, with this being a solid example of him feeling pressure and reacting quickly to evade pressure and get the puck in a better spot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKILLS-6-Hemming-Two-PTTS-Near-Deflection.mp4

In this clip, Hemming (#9 in red) works to the boards as the puck is cycled around behind the opposition's net. He gets there first, and as he’s met by a defender, he deflects the puck into a dangerous area. It isn’t the cleanest play, but it got into a spot where a teammate wound up being the first one to it in a dangerous area. His teammate then tapped it back to Hemming coming out of the corner, just below the goal line. He collects the pass and almost immediately plays it into the middle for another teammate, who has an excellent look at the net-front. While his teammate didn’t capitalize, he regained possession and sent it up to the point. As the puck was worked to the point, Hemming parks himself at the doorstep, sneaking into a dangerous area with no defender on him. He narrowly missed the deflection off the point shot. That’s two scoring chances, which both could have gone into the back of the net had the bounces been only marginally better.

GRADE: 57.5

Smarts

Hemming is an incredibly intelligent player. As mentioned, in passing, Hemming flashes strong playmaking at times. The reason behind his playmaking goes beyond just raw puck skills. He is able to read the ice well, with the ability to make plays both in space and under pressure. Even in situations where pressure is closing in and he has to make a split second choice, he generally chooses well. He keeps the puck moving in a positive direction, not forcing too many passes if there’s not much reason to do so.

Additionally, away from the puck, he takes excellent routes to the net. He times up his net drives very well with the play. When looking to get open away from the puck, he can find soft pockets of space to keep himself in passing lanes. In other words, he moves well away from the puck, keeping himself available as a passing option consistently for teammates.

As for his defensive capabilities and smarts, he helps support down low, but isn’t a big stand out. He can play a bit conservatively, trying to read and react, as opposed to a tight, constant pressure. Adding a bit more there, without costing his mostly strong positional awareness, would help his defensive game.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-1-Hemming-visionpass.mp4

In this clip, Hemming (#9 in white) digs the puck out of a scrum off the offensive zone draw and plays it to the point. He sets up along the boards as a simple outlet option if the defender needed one, then pushed down low when his teammate zipped a pass point-to-point. When the point man sent the puck wide, Hemming tracked the puck off the back wall, skated into it and one-toucheed it into the slot. His teammate got an excellent look, but just couldn’t find the back of the net. A very quick and dangerous pass, thanks to his smarts and off-puck play to be in the right spot and know what to do with the puck immediately.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-2-Hemming-lane-to-slot-chance.mp4

In this clip, Hemming (#9 in white) works the puck up to the point along the right wall. As his teammate at the point plays the puck to the left point, Hemming times up an excellent route to the slot, where he slowly circled, then glided into the mid-slot area. The puck finds him, thanks to him being in the right spot at the right time. He makes a very solid play with his feet to gather possession, kicking it up to his blade, and getting a good look from the slot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-3-Hemming-IQ-Movement.mp4

In this clip, Hemming (#27 in blue) is positioned at net front while his teammates work from the right corner and around behind the opposition's net. As the puck comes around the net, Hemming moves into a soft spot in coverage, making himself open in a dangerous spot. The pass never comes, and his teammate skates out from the corner. Hemming adjusts, and uses his bigger frame to box out the opposing defender, leveraging himself to still be an option. As his teammate circles back down low, Hemming pops off the battle in front, presenting himself as a passing option once again in a dangerous spot. This time, the pass arrives, and he’s able to generate a strong scoring chance, which got stopped by the goaltender. But it was his movement and ability to leverage his size that gave him that shot on net.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-4-Hemming-DZ.mp4

In this clip, Hemming (#9 in red) is seen back checking. As the opposition dumps the puck into the zone, the puck gets rimmed around the boards. Hemming skates across the zone to apply pressure to the point man, who spins the puck down the boards. He then remains on that side, supporting his team low and helping to keep the puck to the outside by positioning himself in the faceoff dot. This clip also shows his conservative nature, as he sat at the dot to clog the middle, while his teammate was battling along the boards one-on-one. He didn’t make a move to support that battle tighter or get involved as an additional body in the battle. As his teammate wins, he is tight to the puck carrier as an easy tap pass. His teammate opts for a chip out instead, leading to a line change. But he didn’t cheat up ice at all, displaying patience and maintaining support for his teammates in his own end.

GRADE: 57.5

Physicality/Compete

Hemming plays with a strong motor and, with his size, can be physically imposing. While his physicality isn’t the most consistent from game to game, it’s still a part of his game. He tries to read and react, taking good angels and pressuring opponents into mistakes as opposed to throwing his weight around. That limits how many times he takes himself out of plays for the sake of making hits, which is a general positive. However, it’s still a part of his game that would be better for him to utilize a bit more.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/PHYSICAL-1-Hemming-hit.mp4

In this clip, Hemming (#9 in white) tracks the opposition's breakout from the neutral zone. As the puck is played up the wall, Hemming throws his weight into the puck carrier, disrupting the breakout. It wasn't the biggest hit, but it was effective.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/PHYSICAL-2-Hemming-Battle-Smarts.mp4

In this clip, Hemming (#9 in red) reads the play well as the opposition was denied an entry. He takes a very smart angle to close down an opponent along the wall, then uses his bigger frame to squeeze him out of the play and pick-pocket his opponent, before getting a rush up ice. He fired a low shot, looking for a tip by his teammate driving the back-door, but just missed.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/PHYSICAL-3-Hemming-Hits.mp4

In these clips, Hemming (#9 in red) laid three total hits in his game against UConn (March 20th). All three hits were of Hemming closing in on opponents in the neutral zone and finishing his hits along the wall. Each had varying degrees of impact, which is consistent in his game. He doesn’t throw these huge hits, being a menace on the ice, in the way that Kashawn Aitcheson would. But he closes in and forces his opponents to move the puck quickly before the impact. Some hits can lead to his opponent sprawling, but that isn’t his game. Adding a bit more of a mean streak, and adding this element of his game more consistently, would go far for him and his career.

GRADE: 60

OFP: 55.5

A note on the 20-80 scale used above. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.

NHL: Victor Nuño – Dynasty Stock Watch – New York Islanders Edition

Victor Nuño — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 20:37:11 +0000

Team Outlook

There is no question that Matthew Schaefer has completely altered both the trajectory and timing of the competitive window for the Islanders. His historic season has accelerated the organization into more of a win-now phase, reshaping how they evaluate and deploy talent across the roster. With cornerstone pieces already in place at each position, Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, Schaefer, and Ilya Sorokin, the foundation is strong, but the supporting cast remains a work in progress.

This places the Islanders in a unique transitional phase, balancing immediate competitiveness with the need to develop and integrate younger talent. The prospect pipeline is not among the league’s deepest, but it carries increased importance as the organization looks to round out its roster with cost-controlled contributors. From a dynasty perspective, this creates both opportunity and volatility. Identifying which prospects can meaningfully support the current core, and which players may be overvalued relative to their long-term projection, will be key to gaining an edge.

Buy Candidates

Dmitri Gamzin, G

Gamzin is quietly emerging as one of the more intriguing goaltending prospects outside the NHL. Playing in Russia, he has shown strong composure and technical ability, with a calm, controlled style that projects well to higher levels. There are also some strong indicators beneath the surface. Hockey Prospecting gives him a 97% chance of becoming an NHLer, with notable comparables including Igor Shesterkin and fellow Islanders goaltender Sorokin. He was not drafted until age 21 and has already played 79 KHL games, which suggests his timeline may be shorter than that of a typical goalie prospect.

Goaltenders always carry inherent risk, but Gamzin’s profile is trending in the right direction. With Marcus Gidlof traded to St. Louis in the trade that brought Brayden Schenn to the Islanders, Gamzin’s stock gets a slight boost as the top goaltending prospect behind Sorokin in the Islanders’ system. The organization also lacks a clear long-term answer in net beyond its current group, giving Gamzin a realistic path to future value. If he were ever dealt to a weaker goaltending system, as Gidlof was, his stock could rise even more. This is the kind of profile that can reward dynasty managers who buy in before broader recognition sets in.

Kashawn Aitcheson, D

Aitcheson brings a highly projectable blend of physicality, mobility, and offensive upside that fits the mold of the modern NHL defenseman. While he has long been known for his edge and willingness to punish opponents, it was his offensive game that took a meaningful step forward this season. As captain of the Barrie Colts, he has helped lead the club to the Eastern Conference semifinals in the OHL playoffs as the second seed behind Brantford. He moves pucks efficiently, can support the attack, and now looks more capable of providing secondary offense than he did a year ago. His pNHLe via the NHL Rank King application is nearing 80, which feels like an unlikely outcome, so I would not buy expecting that level of offense at the next level.

From a fantasy standpoint, his appeal is especially strong in multi-category formats. Defensemen who can contribute across blocks, shots, and hits (BASH) often outperform expectations, and Aitcheson is trending toward that type of profile. Even if not every hit connects, the ones that do are often the kind that change momentum and force opposing forwards to keep their heads up. He plays with the sort of intimidation factor that can alter how opponents attack his side of the ice. One of his comparables is Cody Ceci, which feels like a reasonable stylistic match, though Aitcheson appears to show better decision-making and less panic with the puck at this stage. As his overall game continues to round out, his value is likely to keep rising, making him a strong buy before that progression becomes more widely recognized.

Victor Eklund, LW

Eklund remains one of the more exciting prospects in the Islanders’ system, and arguably one of the most dynamic offensive talents in their pipeline. He combines high-end skating with an aggressive, pace-driving style that allows him to attack defenders, generate chances off the rush, and keep pressure on in the offensive zone. While his SHL production dipped this season, he showed well at the U20 World Junior Championships, helping Sweden win gold and reinforcing the idea that he can elevate in high-pressure settings. Since arriving in North America, he has also made an immediate impression with AHL Bridgeport, which only adds to his appeal within a prospect pool that could use more speed and creativity up front.

What makes Eklund especially valuable in the Islanders’ system is that he brings skills their pipeline does not have in abundance. His Fantasy Hockey Life skater card points to elite transition play in the SHL when carrying the puck in and out of the zone, along with strong Fenwick numbers, loose-puck recoveries, and puck-battle results. He also offers some BASH value, with solid hit and block rates for a forward. There is still room for growth in terms of consistency and decision-making, but the combination of skill, pace, and competitiveness gives him a real chance to emerge as a top-six option and one of the organization’s more important forward prospects.

Sell Candidates

Cole Eiserman, LW

Eiserman’s value remains heavily tied to his elite goal-scoring reputation, and while that shot is very real, it may also be inflating his dynasty price. He can beat goalies in multiple ways and is dangerous whenever he finds space in his spots, but the rest of his game still carries notable concerns. His off-puck play remains underdeveloped, and there are holes in his transition game and puck-battle ability. He is not especially physical, and for a player whose fantasy appeal is so tied to scoring, that creates more risk than his name value may suggest.

The concern for fantasy managers is that if Eiserman tops out as more of a one-dimensional trigger man than a complete offensive driver, he may struggle to earn the kind of all-situations role needed to maximize his upside. If all he really does at a high level is shoot, he could end up limited to 14 minutes a night with much of his value tied to power-play deployment. That creates a wide range of outcomes, from a useful specialist to something more disappointing, with names like Filip Zadina, Daniel Sprong, or Anthony Beauvillier coming to mind as stylistic caution points. Given that he has had time to round out the weaker areas of his game and the progress has been modest, this may be the ideal time to sell while the goal-scoring hype still drives the market.

Kamil Bednarik, C

Bednarik is a strong real-life play driver, but his fantasy outlook appears far more limited than his name value may suggest. He works well within the flow of play, can support possession, and brings traits that should help him earn trust from coaches, especially in matchup and penalty-killing situations. The issue for dynasty managers is that those strengths do not always translate into meaningful fantasy value. At this point, he looks more like the type of player who could become an effective bottom-six center than someone with a clear top six offensive path.

That concern is reinforced by the production profile. While there have been flashes of skill and playmaking, he has not translated that into more than half a point per game in the NCAA, and Hockey Prospecting gives him just a one percent chance of becoming a star, which feels about right. As the Islanders’ system continues to evolve, players without a standout fantasy trait are at risk of being passed over by higher-upside options. If another manager still views Bednarik as a potential offensive breakout, this may be the right time to cash out.

Quinn Finley, LW

In his third NCAA season, Finley regressed to under a point per game at Wisconsin, despite the team around him being much better. That matters for a player whose fantasy case is already built more on efficiency and complementary offense than on driving play through elite tools. He is a smart player who understands spacing, gets to the right areas, and can capitalize on chances, but there is still a question of how much offense he will be able to create for himself and others at higher levels.

His pNHLe via the NHL Rank King application has dipped back to 45 after rising to 59 last season, reinforcing the idea that his long-term ceiling may be more modest than some managers hope. At best, he looks like a 50-60 point NHL winger, and even that may require the right deployment and supporting cast. If Wisconsin’s trip to the NCAA title game has boosted his profile in your league, this could be a good time to cash in before his value settles back into the range of a more limited NHL projection.

Summary

Player	Role	Key Insight
Dmitri Gamzin	Buy	Emerging goalie with long-term upside
Kashawn Aitcheson	Buy	Physical, mobile defenseman with multi-cat value
Victor Eklund	Buy	Dynamic offensive winger with upside
Cole Eiserman	Sell	Elite shot but potential one-dimensional scorer
Kamil Bednarik	Sell	Lacks clear high-end projection
Quinn Finley	Sell	Likely complementary winger with limited ceiling

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – With the final week of the regular season approaching, here is a look at some players offering late-season value as well as a look at some players that might be worth targeting for next season

Scott Cullen — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:10:16 +0000

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: Flyers right wing Porter Martone (94) waits for a face-off during his first NHL debut game during the Philadelphia Flyers versus Washington Capitals National Hockey League game on March 31, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. With the final week of the regular season approaching, here is a look at some players offering late-season value as well as a look at some players that might be worth targeting for next season.

#1 The Philadelphia Flyers have surprisingly vaulted into the playoff picture with a strong April, and they received a significant boost to their lineup when they signed 2025 No. 6 overall pick Porter Martone once his college season was completed at Michigan State. Martone had 5 0points (25 G, 25 A) in 35 games at Michigan State and contributed nine points (6 G, 3 A) as the captain of Team Canada at the World Juniors. A 6-foot-3 power forward, Martone has hit the ice in the NHL going at full speed, delivering six points (2 G, 4 A) with 25 shots on goal and 10 hits in his first six games. He is getting second unit power play time and skating on a line with veterans Christian Dvorak and Travis Konecny at even strength and the Flyers are controlling nearly 62 percent of expected goals during five-on-five play with Martone on the ice. For fantasy managers and the Flyers alike, Martone appears to be an instant star.

#2 The New York Islanders made a surprise late-season coaching change, dismissing Patrick Roy and replacing him with Peter DeBoer. The Islanders have slipped out of a playoff spot but are still within striking distance, so DeBoer will need to make a difference quickly. Working in the Islanders’ favour is that they are getting strong play from rookie Calum Ritchie late in the season. Ritchie, who was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in last year’s Brock Nelson trade, has produced 14 points (6 G, 8 A) with 21 shots on goal in 16 games since the trade deadline and seems to have a good thing going on a line with Mathew Barzal at centre and Brayden Schenn on left wing, a trio that also skates on the Islanders’ top power play.

#3 Utah Mammoth centre Logan Cooley missed more than a couple of months due to a lower-body injury and that absence, combined with a slump in March, probably contributed to his being more available than he should be in fantasy leagues. Right now, he is cooking, with 11 points (6 G, 5 A) and 14 shots on goal during a six-game point streak. It’s obviously not sustainable to keep scoring on more than 40 percent of his shots, and he is scoring on a league-leading 24.0 percent of his shots for the season, but Cooley’s speed does allow him to create chances and he is working well with wingers Kailer Yamamoto and Dylan Guenther in addition to getting first unit power play time for the Mammoth.

#4 While he has been maligned recently for taking a terrible penalty in a loss to the Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings veteran right winger Patrick Kane has been turning back the clock in terms of point production. Even as the Red Wings have been struggling, falling outside the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, Kane has put up 23 points (6 G, 17 A) with 50 shots on goal in 16 games since the trade deadline.

#5 The Minnesota Wild have been a strong team all season and after trading for defenceman Quinn Hughes, it seems that their championship expectations had elevated. While Hughes and star forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Matthew Boldy have been the obvious leaders, players in the supporting cast have been valuable, too. The Wild keep trying other options at centre on the top line, but they keep coming back to Ryan Hartman, the veteran agitator who is sizzling hot right now, with 12 points (7 G, 5 A) and 22 shots on goal during an eight-game point streak. Similarly, veteran Wild playmaker Mats Zuccarello just keeps putting up numbers. He is 38 years old and has 15 points (3 G, 12 A) with 26 shots on goal in his past 12 games, skating on a line with Hartman and Kaprizov in addition to getting top unit power play time.

#6 It appears that the San Jose Sharks’ push for the playoffs is going to fall short, but they have received a strong contribution from veteran centre Alexander Wennberg down the stretch. Wennberg has been a reliable two-way centre throughout his career, though one whose skill level would suggest he could provide more offence, and that’s what has happened this season. In his past 16 games, Wennberg has 15 points (6 G, 9 A) with 20 shots on goal, lifting him to 54 points, his highest point total since 2016-2017.

#7 One of the most frequently mentioned players in 20 Fantasy Points this season, Pittsburgh Penguins winger Anthony Mantha has had the best season of his career yet remains available in a decent percentage of leagues. Since the trade deadline, Mantha has 16 points (10 G, 6 A) and 34 shots on goal in 18 games, bumping him up to career highs of 31 goals and 61 points. In addition to second unit power play time, Mantha is skating on a line with rookie Ben Kindel at centre and Justin Brazeau on right wing.

#8 The Carolina Hurricanes have a relentless approach and part of the reason for success is that they get contributions throughout the lineup. Logan Stankoven, who was acquired from Dallas in the Mikko Rantanen trade last season, transitioned to centre this year and he is finishing this season strong, with nine points (7 G, 2 A) during a six-game point streak. On Stankoven’s left side, veteran winger Taylor Hall has 10 points (3 G, 76 A) with 16 shots on goal in his past eight games. Hall is up to 48 points on the season, his highest total since 2021-2022.

#9 It has been a challenging second season for Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov and while it’s been a rocky road for much of the season, he does appear to be contributing to the Flyers’ playoff push. In his past 13 games, Michkov has 12 points (1 G, 11 A) with 19 shots on goal. That’s not an ideal shot rate and Michkov scoring one goal in a 16-game span is hardly the ideal scenario, it’s better than the sporadic production that he has had in 2025-2026. He is getting first unit PP time while skating on a line with Noah Cates and rookie Alex Bump at even strength.

#10 An underrated development for the Edmonton Oilers this season has been the progress shown by left winger Vasily Podkolzin, who has six points (3 G, 3 A) in his past seven games, lifting him to career highs of 19 goals and 37 points. Even though he is not a factor on the power play – 34 of his 37 points have come at even strength – Podkolzin is getting time on the top line with Connor McDavid and that’s not a bad place to play.

#11 Montreal Canadiens rookie right winger Ivan Demidov does not look like he will win the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year because Islanders defenceman Matthew Schaefer has had an historically great freshman campaign, but Demidov is living up to all of the hype that surrounded him entering the season. In his past 10 games, Demidov has recorded nine points (4 G, 5 A) with 17 shots on goal, and while that shot rate could use a little boost, he has been such a creative force that the Habs will expect even more in the future. One caveat there: Demidov has an on-ice shooting percentage of 14.9 percent which ranks third behind only Gage Goncalves and Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning, among skaters to play at least 500 five-on-five minutes this season. Demidov is likely going to have a higher on-ice shooting percentage throughout his career, but pushing 15 percent is unsustainable for even the most dangerous offensive players. Just for comparison, the players with the highest on-ice shooting percentage across the past three seasons, minimum 1500 five-on-five minutes: Goncalves (13.7%), Nikita Kucherov (12.6%), Point (12.5%), Mantha (12.2%), Lane Hutson (12.0%).

#12 Getting traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets marked a massive turnaround for left winger Mason Marchment, who started the season with a modest 13 points (4 G, 9 A) in 29 games for the Seattle Kraken. Since arriving in Columbus, though, Marchment has 29 points (13 G, 16 A) in 36 games, including eight points (2 G, 6 A) with 17 shots on goal in his past eight games. He is playing with Boone Jenner and Danton Heinen at even strength, but Marchment is also getting time on PP1.

#13 As the Washington Capitals make a final push for the playoffs, rookie winger Ryan Leonard is stepping up his game, putting up six points (3 G, 3 A) with 18 shots on goal in his past six games. That gives him 42 points (18 G, 24 A) in 72 games, which is a solid rookie season, but also feels like it’s just scratching the surface on what he will be able to contribute as he grows into a bigger role with the Capitals. Leonard is enjoying this late-season success skating on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Connor McMichael in addition to getting top unit power play time.

#14 With an early look ahead to next season, don’t forget about Los Angeles Kings right winger Kevin Fiala, who broke his leg at the Olympics. He had 40 points (18 G, 22 A) in 56 games before getting hurt and this while managing an on-ice shooting percentage of 6.5 percent, his lowest since his rookie season in 2016-2017. The Kings aren’t exactly known for their high-scoring ways, but Fiala should expect a better on-ice shooting percentage since his career mark is around 8.3 percent.

#15 The Calgary Flames have been low shooting percentage team this season, ranking 31st with a five-on-five shooting percentage of 7.8 percent, so several Flames could reasonably expect to receive better puck luck next season. Matt Coronato might be a good one to target as he has scored on 8.9 percent of his shots this season, after scoring on 13.3 percent last season, and Coronato’s on-ice shooting percentage is just 6.8 percent this season. For a player who leads the Flames with an extremely modest 42 points, Coronato should have the opportunity to play a big part in the Flames’ rebuilding effort.

#16 If the Flames rank 31st in five-on-five shooting percentage, which team has been worse? The New Jersey Devils. Thus, there may be some value to be found in targeting the likes of Jesper Bratt, whose on-ice shooting percentage is below 7.3 percent, down more than three percent from last season. Following back-to-back seasons with more than 80 points, Bratt has 68 points (20 G, 48 A) in 79 games this season, despite generating shots and expected goals at a higher rate this season.

#17 Another Los Angeles Kings forward to consider for a bounce back next season is centre Quinton Byfield, who has 44 points (20 G, 24 A) in 75 games, his production down even though he is playing a career-high 20 minutes per game. Last season, Byfield’s on-ice shooting percentage is 7.9 percent this season, compared to 10.7 percent last season. With Anze Kopitar heading into retirement, there should be prime opportunity for Byfield to play with skilled linemates who can raise his offensive ceiling.

#18 While Nashville Predators right winger Luke Evangelista has a reasonable on-ice shooting percentage (8.9 percent) this season, his own shooting percentage, in all situations, is a paltry 6.0 percent, with just 10 goals on 168 shots. His ice time has jumped 2:45 per game from last season, up to 16:37 per game and he has set career highs with 41 assists and 51 points, but he has been underperforming as a shooter. Prior to this season, Evangelista scored on 9.2 percent of his shots, which is still not amazing for a skilled winger, but it’s more than 50 percent better than what he has delivered this season.

#19 One more potential Devils bounce-back note, sort of. Devils defenceman Dougie Hamilton has an on-ice shooting percentage of 6.9 percent this season. Among the 138 defencemen that have played at least 1,000 five-on-five minutes, that ranks 136th, so even if Hamilton has tended towards lower on-ice shooting percentages (and higher volumes), it doesn’t have to rank at the bottom of the pile either. Of course, if the rumour mill is to be believed, Hamilton might be plying his trade with a new team in 2026-2027, and a fresh start could help bring along better percentages for the veteran blueliner.

#20 Finally, some players that have increased their production since the Olympic break: After scoring the gold-medal winning goal, Devils centre Jack Hughes has 35 points (14 G, 21 A) in 20 games since the break to lead all scorers. Penguins defenceman Erik Karlsson has 31 points (11 G, 20 A) in his past 22 games. Bruins centre Pavel Zacha has 27 points (15 G, 12 A) in 21 games, Blues centre Robert Thomas has 25 points (11 G, 14 A) in 18 games, Penguins winger Rickard Rakell has 24 points (14 G, 10 A) in 22 games, Rangers centre Mika Zibanejad has 24 points (10 G, 14 A) in 21 games, Rangers defenceman Adam Fox also has 24 points (5 G, 19 A) in 21 games, Blues left winger Dylan Holloway has 24 points (9 G, 15 A) in 20 games, Bruins winger Viktor Arvidsson has 23 points (8 G, 15 A) in 21 games, Penguins winger Egor Chinakhov has 23 points (9 G, 14 A) in 22 games, Red Wings defenceman Moritz Seider has 21 points (3 G, 18 A) in his past 20 games, and Bruins defenceman Charlie McAvoy has 20 points (7 G, 13 A) in 21 games. This is not an all-encompassing list, obviously, but some interesting players who have picked up their production either while their teams are battling for playoff spots or, for others, while the season slips away from them.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

2026 NHL DRAFT: DETAILED SCOUTING REPORT – Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

Kyle Dalla Zanna — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 13:00:40 +0000

Daxon Rudolph

2026 NHL Draft Eligible

Position: D, Shoots: R

H/W: 6-foot-2”, 206 pounds

Date of Birth: 2008-03-06

Daxon Rudolph has been a household name in the Western Hockey League ever since the Prince Albert Raiders selected the right-shot defenceman with the first overall pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects draft, ahead of several other notable D from western Canada that will be called early on in this year’s NHL Draft such as Keaton Verhoeff, Ryan Lin, and Carson Carels. The big blueliner has already represented Canada internationally at three different tournaments, with gold medals at the Under-17 World Hockey Championship and the U18 World Championship (playing as an underager) and a bronze medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup last summer. He was also selected to play at the CHL/NTDP Prospects Challenge last November and will appear at WHL All-Star Game.

In his rookie season with the Raiders, Rudolph collected 41 points (plus an additional 12 points in 11 playoff games), ranking third among all 2008-born WHL blueliners behind Lin and Verhoeff. This season, Rudolph has emerged as the number-one defender on one of the WHL’s strongest teams and currently sits third in scoring among all WHL defencemen league-wide, fueled in large part by a 13-game point streak from late December to early January in which he recorded 24 points.

The production this season may indicate he is an offensive defenceman, but he is equally as reliable in his own zone. He has the size that NHL teams look for in a defender and is a powerful skater. He disrupts passing lanes, blocks shots, and maintains an active stick to deliver timely poke checks and stick tie-ups. He’s a north-south puck-moving defender that can lead play up ice with his powerful skating. Although he’s not the most dynamic or creative defender, he flashes high-end passing in the offensive zone and often looks for give-and-goes when breaking pucks out or playing in transition.

As a 6-foot-2 right-shot D with his toolkit, Rudolph has a lot of things going in his favour, and NHL teams should be all over this type of defender. He may have a safer projection than other defenders with similar production at this level, but he has one of the higher floors in this year’s class. It’s easy to envision him as a second pair guy that can play on both special teams' units as he continues to develop his game. He could be a go-to offensive guy if a team gives him the opportunity but could also serve as an insulator for a more dynamic offensive defender. His motor and pace are not ideal at this stage of development, and his game can be a bit vanilla at times, but coaches won’t have trouble putting him out on the ice at any point in a game as his game evolves just because he plays a reliable defensive game and can create offence from the backend. The one thing he’ll need to improve is capturing that “hard to play against” identity to his game, as he lacks that physical engagement scouts look for in a defender with his frame, and he’ll also need to clean up his decision making on breakouts.

Skating

The word “powerful” is the first word that comes to mind when analyzing his mobility. He’s not the quickest, or the shiftiest, but his fluid stride and long extensions enable him to cover a lot of open ice when advancing play, and he can shift his weight to escape pressure on breakouts. He uses crossovers efficiently when he’s defending to close gaps and kill plays, but I’d like him to work these into his attacking patterns more often, where his routes are very linear. He gets the puck where it needs to be when carrying up ice and has the strength and power to not get knocked off easily. Along the blueline, Rudolph uses quick pivots to fake out and maneuver around pressure, often pairing with activation or downhill carries along the walls, but because he’s not an elite skater, his recoveries are not the most explosive. There are moments when he can get caught on his heels when defending speed or adapting to a quick counterattack. Overall, he has the mobility teams look for in a 6’2” defender and it shouldn’t hold him back from a projection standpoint.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-1-Rudolph-End-to-end-rush-Skating.mp4

A play from early on this season highlights his north-south mobility. He doesn’t collect a ton of speed on this end-to-end carry, but he’s able to weave his way through the entire team and drive straight to the net for a great individual effort.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-2-Rudolph-Explosive-Give-and-go-Goal-Skating.mp4

Watch how Rudolph explodes off this breakout pass, creating separation from his man on the entry, and accelerating towards the net before snapping the return pass without breaking stride for a give-and-go goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-3-Rudolph-Pinch-Pivot-Ankle-Break-Skating.mp4

Rudolph pinches down the far wall and breaks a defender’s ankles with a quick pivot before working the puck up high.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-4-Rudolph-Pair-of-Crossover-Stops-Skating.mp4

A pair of defensive stops from the CHL/NTDP Prospects Challenge highlighting his crossover skating.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-5-Rudolph-Crossover-Pivot-Wide-point-shot-Skating.mp4

Rudolph makes a strong pivot and takes a few steps towards the outside before letting a shot go from the far wall.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-6-Rudolph-Penalty-Skating.mp4

Rudolph gets caught defending on his heels during this quick counterattack and tries to compensate by extending his stick, leading to a penalty.

Grade: 55

Shot

Already surpassing the 20-goal mark just over halfway through this season, Rudolph ranks third in the league among all defenders this season (behind Jonas Woo and Bryce Pickford). He sits just outside the top five in total shots on goal for all WHL defenders and is well ahead of any other draft-eligible defenceman in this statistic.

While most high-scoring defensemen are known for a big, booming one-timer, Rudolph leans more on his hard, wrist shot to find the back of the net. Rudolph opts more for accuracy than a big, powerful release, as he can pick corners with ease and is adept at finding lanes through traffic with his snappy release.

The Raiders primarily position Rudolph on the left flank instead of quarterbacking his unit (for those who are curious, the top of the zone is occupied by 16-year-old Brock Cripps) and he tends to lean more on his one-timer there. The slapshot itself doesn’t have a ton of velocity and often lands low or square to the goalie’s midsection, but he also uses it for redirections. He’s not prone to forcing shots from the point but because he is a high-volume shooter, he does have his fair share of blocked shot attempts.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SHOT-1-Rudolph-High-Slot-Wristers-Shot.mp4

A pair of nearly identical goals, as Rudolph walks down the high slot and fires a bullet of a wrister labelled for the top shelf.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SHOT-2-Rudolph-Slappers-Shot.mp4

A pair of slap shots from Rudolph, both denied by the goalie.

Grade: 52.5

Skills

Rudolph won't blow you away with puck skills or deception, but he can pull some interesting moves off from time to time that’ll make you think there’s more to his on-puck game that’s yet to be unlocked. His hands are not the quickest, and because he’s largely a north-south carrier, you won’t catch him trying to stickhandle his way through the entire team with the goal of finding himself on the highlight reels every night, but there are flashes of him using his hands to beat defenders off the rush and he works the occasional shot fake when walking the blueline. Because he plays such a give-and-go heavy game, he does a great job controlling passes that don’t land in his hip pocket when he’s in motion.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKILLS-1-Rudolph-Splits-D-Goal-Skills.mp4

This goal encapsulates the ceiling of Rudolph’s skills game, as he recognizes a gap between the two middle defenders and attacks right to the net finishing with a slick backhand over a sprawling goalie.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKILLS-2-Rudolph-Give-and-go-Skate-to-stick-recpetion-Skills.mp4

Rudolph orchestrates a give-and-go up the middle in transition, and caps it off with a nifty skate-to-stick reception on the return pass without breaking stride.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKILLS-3-Rudolph-Toedrag-Shot-Attempt-Skills.mp4

Rudolph pinches down the wall, evades a hit, and tries to toe-drag around a second defender but his shot hits a stick and trickles wide.

Grade: 55

Smarts

Rudolph is a smart defender and an above-average distributor. In transition, he rarely passes up opportunities to join the attack if he’s not leading the play up ice. He initiates most of the breakouts on his pairing and loves working give-and-goes into his exits and entries. He carries pucks up ice effectively and has sequences where he goes blueline-to-blueline and makes it look easy.

His ability to identify passing options on breakouts is one of his biggest areas of improvement, as he can cough pucks up ice under minimal pressure or try for more difficult passing options when safer ones are available.

Though there isn’t a ton of skill and creativity in his game, Rudolph flashes some of the best offensive zone playmaking out of any defender in the draft. His ability to find seams and recognize passing lanes through layers of defensive coverage can be downright otherworldly. Outside of his playmaking, he aggressively pinches down the boards to extend zone time and knows when to activate with and without the puck to create scoring opportunities.Despite not playing with the physical edge you’d look for in a 6-foot-2, 200-plus pound defender, Rudolph makes up for it with his habits and positioning behind his own blueline. His ability to steer attackers to the perimeter and seal carriers along the boards to kill possessions make him one of the stronger rush defenders in this draft class. He controls his gap well in 1-on-1 situations and maintains an active stick to deny attackers from driving the middle and knock pucks out. His lack of physicality can work in his favour at times as you’ll never catch him taking himself out of the play by chasing a big hit along the walls or stepping to throw a big check in an overzealous manner.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-1-Rudolph-Activations-Powers-Through-Stick-Sense.mp4

A pair of goals that highlight flashes of an activation game inside the offensive zone. On the first, he powers through stick contact to get to the circle and uses the screen to score in the short side corner. On the second one, the play is nearly identical except he finishes inside the far post.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-2-Rudolph-Weak-side-Pinch-Goal-Sense.mp4

Another smart read with the weakside activation before finishing with a nifty move to the backhand.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-3-Rudolph-Cross-slot-Seam-Pass-Sense.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-4-Rudolph-1-on-4-Entry-Seam-Pass-Sense.mp4

The next two videos show Rudolph's vision in the offensive zone. In the first one, he sends a rink-wide pass to the opposite circle to assist the opening goal in Game 2 of the Prospects Challenge. The second clip is off the zone entry where he draws nearly the entire team before finding a seam between two sticks to set up a scoring chance.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-5-Rudolph-Back-Door-Pass-Sense.mp4

Rudolph picks up an assist after spotting a wide-open teammate at the net front and connecting a pinpoint accurate back door pass for the tap-in.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-6-Rudolph-Retrieval-Give-and-go-Exit-Sense.mp4

Rudolph works a give-and-go into this zone exit before skating the length of the ice, leading to a scoring chance for his teammate.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-7-Rudolph-Give-and-go-Sense.mp4

Rudolph starts the give-and-go at centre ice and gets behind the defence for the return pass to create a high-danger scoring chance.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-8-Rudolph-Overskate-on-2-on-1-Sense.mp4

A bad look for Rudolph here while defending the 2-on-1, as he slides completely out of position and fails to take away the passing lane here. He struggles to recover on the subsequent scramble in front and it leads to a goal against.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SMARTS-9-Rudolph-Disastrous-Start-Sense.mp4

By far the most disastrous start I’ve seen from Rudolph in over a dozen viewings. Three egregious passing decisions under zero or minimal pressure all leading to defensive zone turnovers in the opening four minutes.

Grade: 55

Physicality/Compete

If you’re expecting a throwback defenceman that delivers crushing open-ice hits when watching Daxon Rudolph play, you’re going to be left disappointed. Despite having the frame for this style of play, Rudolph rarely throws his weight around in open ice, as the most prominent elements of his defensive game are his timing and positioning. His physical game revolves around proactive contact to establish body positioning on retrievals and sealing attackers along the boards when defending the rush. Around the net front, Rudolph is a solid defender, as he does a good job eliminating threats and getting in front of opponents looking for rebounds.

He displays a good work ethic from shift to shift, but there does seem to be a lack of intensity or urgency when he’s defending. Rudolph does not operate with a ton of pace and his motor doesn’t stand out. The lack of aggression in his game makes him look soft at times, and there have been sequences where smaller checks outrace him to loose pucks or take advantage of Rudolph’s higher centre of gravity to shield pucks and keep him on their backside, which can be frustrating considering Rudolph’s has the frame and could afford to leverage it and play harder pressure in these situations. Showing more willingness to step up on guys or ride opponents up into the walls or the end boards would make him a much more enticing defender.

The grade that will be assigned to Rudolph for this category leans more on his projection than any other grade to him because of how much runway he has to develop physically. As a 200-plus pound defender who has yet to turn 18 years old, it’s evident that he has the frame to be a force at higher levels. If he’s able to elevate his motor and add more physical engagement to his game while maintaining the same habits and positioning that make up his defensive identity, he could be a very difficult defender to play against.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/PHYSICAL-1-Rudolph-Cuts-Through-Hands-PC.mp4

These are the kinds of plays you’ll see from Rudolph when defending in-zone, he cuts through his opponent’s hands to separate him from the puck and Team CHL is able to get the puck out. A smart, clean, efficient stop here.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/PHYSICAL-2-Rudolph-Reverse-Hit-PC.mp4

Rudolph throws a nice reverse hit to establish positioning on this DZ retrieval and fends off some contact on his backside before rimming the puck to an outlet to begin the breakout.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/PHYSICAL-3-Rudolph-Needs-to-Be-Stronger-Here-PC.mp4

This play exposes the soft side of Rudolph’s physical game. He tries to drop the shoulder but then gets bumped out of this puck battle against a 5’8” forechecker, who immediately centers the puck for a high-danger chance.

Grade: 55

Total OFP: 54.75

2026 NHL DRAFT: DETAILED SCOUTING REPORT – Jaxon Cover, LW, London Knights (OHL)

Liam Staples — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:29:59 +0000

Jaxon Cover of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images.

Jaxon Cover

2026 NHL Draft Eligible

Position: LW, Shoots: L

H/W: 6-foot-1, 185lbs

Date of Birth: 2008-02-13

The hockey journey of Jaxon Cover and how he arrived at this point is nothing short of remarkable. Born in Miami and raised in the Cayman Islands, located in the Western Caribbean about 277 kilometers south of Cuba, Cover’s path to the game is both unique and inspiring. Growing up in a region not traditionally known for producing hockey players - with just a single rink in the entire country, built for roller hockey, not ice hockey. Jaxon grew up playing soccer and inline roller hockey, he did not start playing organized ice hockey until the age of 14, when his family moved to Canada.

Cover split his time playing minor hockey with the York-Simcoe Express while also attending St. Andrew’s College (SAC), a prep school located in Aurora, Ontario, north of Toronto. His skating and processing ability attracted the likes of the London Knights to select Cover in the fourth round of the 2024 OHL Draft. Cover spent last season playing at the U18 level with St. Andrew’s College, where the environment proved highly beneficial to his development. The structure of the program allowed him additional time to focus on his game, accumulate valuable repetitions, and continue building strength off the ice. This foundation has played an important role in accelerating his overall progression. After his season with St. Andrew’s concluded, he made three appearances with the Knights, recording two assists. This season, Cover has established himself as a key contributor to the Knights and has seen his stock rise significantly on NHL Draft boards. He possesses a lot of raw skill, most notably his skating ability and competitiveness are traits that immediately stand out when watching him play. While there are still areas of his game that require refinement, he projects as a longer-term development player. However, when placed in the right environment with proper patience and development support, his combination of skating, work ethic, and hockey IQ — especially given his unique path — makes his ceiling well worth the investment.

Skating

What makes Jaxon’s development particularly unique is that, despite only beginning organized ice hockey roughly four years ago, skating has already become one of his standout attributes — a strength that can largely be credited to his background in roller hockey. You can see elements of his roller hockey background in his glide, as his stride resembles that of a roller skater. Cover tends to generate power more through his knees than his hips — a technique likely developed from his time playing roller hockey. Cover has excellent physique and plays with a high end motor, averaging about 16 minutes of time on ice per game. As he continues to add strength particularly in his lower body, it should further enhance key areas of his skating.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-1-Jaxon-Cover-Skating.mp4

Cover possesses a smooth skating stride and displays strong shiftiness with the puck, attributes that can be largely credited to his background in inline roller hockey.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-2-Jaxon-Cover-Speed.mp4

On this play, Cover, acting as the primary forechecker, angles the play wide to force the failed dump-in. Recognizing that London has regained possession, he swings wide, using efficient footwork, needing minimal crossovers to pivot and reach top speed. His combination of skill with the puck and footspeed allows him to attack defenders one-on-one to generate high danger scoring opportunities.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-3-Jaxon-Cover-Speed-NZ.mp4

To expand further, Cover is at his best when he is able to build speed through the neutral zone. In this sequence, he collects the puck with pace and displays strong acceleration, using quick crossovers to generate momentum through the middle of the ice. As the defender gaps up, Cover transfers his weight to efficiently explode wide, creating separation and an odd-man situation inside the offensive zone.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SKATING-4-Jaxon-Cover-Puck-Races.mp4

On the ice, Cover is in constant motion, defenders need to be wary of his speed if they decide to pinch or retrieve a loose puck.

GRADE: 55

Shot

At the conclusion of his first full OHL season, Cover experienced a learning curve but maintained a solid level of consistency throughout. He started the year strong, averaging 2.6 shots per game while recording 12 points in his first 15 games, before hitting a mid-season lull. He regained form down the stretch, averaging close to 2.5 shots per game and posting 16 points over his final 15 games. Overall, Cover led all Knights forwards with 160 shots on goal, 23 more than the next closest teammate. Analyzing his shot mechanics, Cover does not possess an overpowering shot but gets the release off quick. While primarily a playmaker, Cover demonstrated flashes of his goal-scoring ability, finishing with 20 goals in his first full OHL season.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SHOT-1-Jaxon-Cover-Goals.mp4

Cover scoring by elevating his shot.

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Cover has been effective in the bumper for London as he needs little time to get his shot off when positioned net front. He can slide out to become the one-time option or find a way to get his stick on rebounds to cash in on second chance opportunities.

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A couple of examples of Cover finishing plays off with his good backhand.

GRADE: 52.5

Skills

One of the more intriguing aspects drawing scouts to Cover’s game is his raw skill set. What makes him a possible ‘under-the-radar’ type prospect is the collection of tools he possesses that have yet to be fully refined. The value in a player like this lies in the potential — if an organization can effectively develop and harness those raw abilities, there is a greater opportunity for him to evolve into an impactful contributor at the next level. The London coaching staff were able to untap some of Cover’s raw skillset by utilizing him in favourable situations and closely monitoring his development. Cover has shown very quick progress in learning how to use his body to create leverage, while also demonstrating the ability to beat defenders one-on-one with both his hands and footwork.

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Cover can snap the puck quickly, as the season progressed he showed improvement in manipulating his hands to change shooting angles, allowing him to get shots off in tight spaces.

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Cover is starting to put it together, understanding how to effectively combine his skating and skill to beat defenders.

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His size and raw power is another asset Cover is starting to piece together. He is learning how to leverage his size more efficiently.

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Cover developed his shiftiness on the ice through his background in roller hockey. Whether it’s his lateral movement, ability to play pucks in his feet, or his hands in one-on-one situations, he consistently shows creativity and control in tight areas.”

GRADE: 57.5

Smarts

Considering Cover did not begin playing organized ice hockey a few years ago — and had to learn a few fundamental rules such as offsides and icing, which are not present in roller hockey — his progression speaks highly of his hockey IQ. His ability to quickly process and adapt to the game highlights how rapidly he is learning and developing. He credits much of his shiftiness and decision-making to his inline roller hockey background, where the smaller playing surface, slower pace, and reduced number of players demand quick reads and creativity in tight spaces. Cover processes the game well, consistently scanning the ice to find teammates or anticipate his next move. Cover’s progression throughout the season has earned him increased opportunities at even strength, along with a key role on the Knights top power-play unit. As a skilled, playmaking power forward, he is often relied upon for zone entry, extending possessions and creating offence off the cycle. Coach Dale Hunter has been more selective with Cover’s defensive deployment, limiting his exposure in defensive-zone matchups and not utilizing him on the penalty kill. Moving forward, continued refinement of his defensive details and consistency away from the puck will be key in earning greater trust and transitioning into a more complete player at higher levels. Cover is showing improved timing in his routes into space, more consistently finding open ice to create quick offensive opportunities and stretch defensive coverage.

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You’ll have to bear with the clip, as Cover and his defender move in and out of frame on this sequence. While he does not score, this play stands out due to his constant foot movement, which he uses to manipulate the penalty-kill structure and eventually find open space in the slot.

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A nice quick play here by Cover leads to the London goal.

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After a quick scan of the ice, Cover leaves a subtle drop pass for his teammate leading to the goal.

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A nice play on the zone entry here by Cover drawing in three defenders and dishing the puck out to Sam O’Reilly alone in the slot.

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Cover makes a number of strong plays in the defensive zone here to disrupt passing lanes to end the Windsor cycle. He competes to win puck battles down low and use his feet to exit the zone relieving any sort of pressure.

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Given how quickly he has progressed as a hockey player to this point, parts of his decision making with the puck still need time to catch up - particularly his reads in the offensive zone. Recognizing when to take defenders on versus when to move puck on entries. He will need to learn to play more assertively in certain situations, understanding when he can exploit quick looks or have to maintain possession down low until more support arrives.

GRADE: 55

Physicality/Compete

Cover’s physique and strength are certainly still very raw at this stage of his development. Listed at 185 lbs, Cover has a lean, athletic build. The goal for this summer should be to add on mass and strength. A productive offseason focused on strength training will benefit multiple areas of his game, particularly his skating. Added strength should help improve his balance and mobility, translating to winning more puck battles. Cover’s physical presence on the ice remains inconsistent. His agility allows him to slip out of checks and avoid contact.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/PHYSICAL-1Jaxon-Cover-Puck-Battles.mp4

A strong, competitive shift by Cover. Starts with the zone entry dump-in, followed by winning back possession of the puck, attacking the middle of the ice before distributing out for a point shot to then regain possession below the dots in the offensive zone creating a second chance opportunity.

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Cover on the receiving end of a heavy hit by Brady Martin but does a good job to move the puck to retain possession in the offensive zone.

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A strong committed backcheck — applies pressure without taking a penalty and eliminates any shot opportunity.

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Cover has the athletic frame to add muscle, and continued physical development will be important. A key area of his development will be becoming harder to play against — limiting instances where he is outmuscled on pucks.

GRADE: 50

OFP: 54.25

2026 NHL DRAFT: DETAILED SCOUTING REPORT – Nikita Klepov, RW, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

Kaeden Ireland — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:32:35 +0000

Nikita Klepov of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images

Nikita Klepov

2026 NHL Draft Eligible

Position: F, Shoots: L

H/W: 6-foot-0 / 181 pounds

Date of Birth: June 27th, 2008

Nikita Klepov’s Saginaw Spirit have had a rough year, winning just 26 of their 68 regular-season games and drawing the powerhouse Kitchener Rangers in the first round. However, that hasn’t stopped the Florida native from lining his trophy case with a wealth of accomplishments, including three Rookie of the Month honours, the Saginaw Spirit Rookie Points Record, and the Eddie Powers and Jim Mahon memorial trophies as top scorer and top scorer at right wing, respectively. He also put on a show at the OHL Top Prospects game, earning MVP honours for his goal and two assists.

Klepov is an extremely intelligent forward who, while not the most physically impressive, remains a competitor who picks off passes at a high rate, playing excellent positional defense with his stick and body. However, the highlight of Klepov’s game lies in his ability to create offense. He has great hands in small spaces to help him escape even the most bleak coffin corner traps, a shot with juice, and creative passing abilities with the skill to guide pucks around defenders.

His main weaknesses stem from his physical traits; Klepov is relatively undersized at 6'0 and is easily knocked off the puck. Klepov almost never delivers hard hits, opting to tie up opponents, although to his credit doesn’t back down from a physical battle even though he often ends up on his rear. Nikita lacks the leg strength to explode into his next gear, failing to create separation on the rush. While this assessment is harsh, a major point of context that can’t be missed is his commitment to Michigan State University next year. MSU has one of, if not the most, renowned fitness programs in North America. I don’t see him developing a killer instinct to finish his hits hard, but improving his stability and ability to reflect pressure could do wonders for his game.

Perhaps Klepov’s most impressive effort of the season came in game three against the Kitchener Rangers these playoffs. He played hard during his entire 30 minutes of ice time and showed improvements in playing with intensity while gassed. He relentlessly pursued loose pucks, won possession back for his team, and generated chances with his silky mitts. Through this report, I primarily used video from his first three playoff games and his Top Prospect Game performance to highlight his most important games.

Klepov projects to be selected somewhere in the top 25 of this year’s draft, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was somewhere near the 13-16 range. His strong production, intelligent two-way game, and solid compete, plus his commitment to a college hockey powerhouse, will appeal to many NHL GMs.

I believe it’s most likely that Klepov becomes a middle-six scorer at the next level who can kill penalties and play top power play depending on the talent of his team. His smarts and skill give him some upside, while the nature of his defensive game and solid compete will earn him coaches’ trust as he progresses up to the NHL.

Skating

Klepov’s skating is by no means high-end, but it’s also good enough to facilitate his style of play. He struggles to create separation on the rush and doesn’t have an elite second gear to his speed. I don’t see Nikita as a particularly athletic skater, but he compensates by using his hands and timing to beat defenders. A positive element of his skating is his edgework as he implements sharp cutbacks to create space and often stops on a dime to fire cross ice passes. On the forecheck, Klepov keeps his feet moving constantly, hunting down the puck.

His straight-line speed is decent and can help him win battles on the backcheck, provided he has a few steps buffer, but there’s no pop to his skating that allows him to break free after executing a deke when defenders are already in stride. Where he can create separation with his feet is in the offensive zone. After making a body fake, Klepov uses his quick acceleration to get downhill and attack shooting lanes. He’s very aware of his skating strengths and weaknesses and works his game around his skill set.

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Here, Klepov gets his feet going and builds up to speed quickly in space.

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Klepov’s edges allow him to execute his creative ideas and open up passing lanes. He loves working laterally.

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In this clip, Nikita recognizes his teammate is calling for the puck and uses a tight spin move to evade the initial defender. The pass, however, was ill-advised and pre-planned without checking to see if a defender was poaching in the slot.

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Klepov uses his feet to complete a zone entry in this clip by turning up the pace and then establishing a give-and-go with fellow 2026 draft prospect Egor Barabanov.

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This isn’t a play you see too frequently from Klepov, but his acceleration to get in clean to the net is nice.

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While this is a race Klepov is disadvantaged in, players with high-end skating likely turn this into at least a more competitive race, if not a breakaway.

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Good idea here to open a passing lane down to the side of the net with his edges; unfortunately, there’s nobody there.

Grade: 52.5

Shot

Nikita’s shot has earned him victory in the 2026 draft-eligible scoring race, and it’s easy to see why. His quick-release wrister is dangerous to OHL goaltenders, and his one-timer is pretty powerful, generating a good amount of rebounds. He did struggle to get the one-timer on net in the late stages of the year, particularly through Saginaw’s first few playoff games, but as a whole, it’s an asset to his game.

He finds dangerous lanes and exploits weak spots on the powerpay to rifle off a high volume of shots. He is comfortable timing strikes to the slot to receive one-timer opportunities as well as teeing up from the wall.

In tight, Klepov gets his wrister off quickly and can use his quick hands to open up opportunities for himself. He targets lower sections of the net more often than many other prospects I’ve seen this year and tries to beat goalies with cross-crease movement.

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Klepov sends this one-timer far too high but sets up well and gets juice on it.

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Klepov takes advantage of a screen by bouncing in and out of 3 different shooting opportunities before missing the net.

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Here, he unloads his one-timer off a power play setup.

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Almost identical to the previous clip, Klepov sets up well and buries the one-timer through the Kitchener netminder.

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He gathers this puck and fires with haste, getting good elevation and leaving the goalie no chance to make a play on this grade A chance.

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Gorgeous rip across the grain to pick his spot upstairs, a good example of his use of lateral movement.

Grade: 55

Skills

Klepov’s hands are likely his strongest trait. They sustain the rest of his offensive game, opening windows for him to strike. His pass delivery and execution are perhaps the best among OHL draft-eligible forwards. The touch he can put on the puck facilitates a much quicker offense by putting pucks cleanly on the sticks of teammates in motion.

Klepov loves to play the lateral game, utilizing the cutback very frequently. He excels at getting defenders to commit to a space before cutting back across and driving past them. Even in how he approaches forechecks, Klepov uses an element of lateral deception when defenders try to play the body on him. While he does like to slow the game down, he can also think and act fast to speed it up. This versatility makes me more comfortable in my projection of the Russian American.

In small spaces, Klepov is able to sneak away with pucks using crafty dekes. He always has an escape option pre-loaded and a subsequent pass ready to go. However, when defenders use their bodies to apply pressure or lean on him, his ability to maintain control diminishes as he struggles to win battles that require physical strength.

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Strong finish on the breakaway. Nikita makes it look easy with a backhand finish.

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Klepov can’t hold off defenders with physicality, so he uses slippery skill moves like this to create distance. His stutter-step has left many OHL defenders in the dust over this past season.

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Simple play here. Klepov uses his hands to get around the forechecker and continues the play with a give-and-go. He’s very fluid when executing a deke, often making his next move as soon as he completes it.

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Here, Klepov shows off an Isaiah Thomas-esque half-spin deke to get open. Great finish with a well-placed wrister.

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After an intelligent stick lift to gain possession, Klepov dazzles with some quick hands before firing a pass that ends up being a hair off. He excels in getting pucks off the wall and into dangerous positions.

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Saving the best for last with this one: Klepov turns sharply to hold the line and uses his hands to find a lane. At one point, he draws in three different Rangers players before getting the pass off at the last second. His high-end hands allow him to execute deceptive and creative plays. Most notably, if there’s one area of play that’s improved over the year, it’s his dynamism.

Grade: 57.5

Smarts

Klepov’s internal map of the ice is a key factor in why he’s able to generate so many chances. By keeping his feet active and setting up his shot, he finds success both on the power play and even strength. In a more conservative sense, he also positions himself as a reliable outlet when his teammates are under pressure. He frequently puts himself in optimal positions not only to receive passes, but also to set up another play after the reception. A drawback in his on-puck smarts is his tendency to force plays after beating the first defender, he often makes a nice move to open a passing option, only to miss the secondary defender

In his own end, Klepov’s intelligence is a tremendous asset. He reads the puck carrier's intentions almost flawlessly and uses his active stick to predict the point of release for passes and shots. Although he’s not the rangiest guy, it’s noticeably difficult to get a pass off when he’s in coverage. Additionally, Nikita intelligently rotates around the defensive zone to take away the biggest threats and break up passes while keeping an eye on the puck.

The most notable example of Nikita’s high-level intelligence is his ability to step up and pick off passes in transition. Opposing defenseman beware, Klepov jumps routes like an NFL DB, regularly turning plays back up ice for odd man rushes.

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Klepov has to recognize that this lane isn’t there, even if he tries to shift the initial defender off his spot.

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Klepov again succeeds at drawing in defenders before kicking out the pass to Barabanov for a breakaway at the last second.

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I would like to see a bit more patience in this scenario; blindly throwing the pass back into traffic is not his best play here.

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Nikita’s recognition of how to complete cross-crease passes through one defender is elite. He regularly can beat defenders under the stick or by drawing a poke check first.

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Klepov makes this play very frequently. He waits for the defender to load up for a pass and springs to get the takeaway. He creates a good number of chances going the other way after interceptions.

Grade: 55

Physicality/Compete

Klepov is an above-average competitor and is among the top OHL forwards in terms of takeaways per game. He pesters opponents by setting a wide base and keeps his stick active to break up escape passes. He frequently pins opponents along the boards but rarely opts for violent hits. Klepov plays well both above and below the hashes, challenging the point with his quick feet. He supports his teammates well in the slot, working hard to mirror opponents' strides, sticking to them like glue. He doesn’t have the ‘kill instinct’, skating, or physicality to force turnovers to the degree he does now at the next level, but he should be an above-average contributor on defense.

With the puck, his lack of high-end athleticism doesn’t allow him to create separation, and what concerns me further are his troubles maintaining pressure while being leaned on and contacted. He can play at a slower pace of play, and his ability to get quick passes off mitigates this weakness partially.

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Good effort here to win inside position and get back in time to stop a breakaway.

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Klepov gets on opponents quickly, and here finishes a check, a rare occurrence.

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He closes off space with speed, setting up a takeaway which he then turns into an offensive zone possession.

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Here, Klepov takes a little shot up high and then returns the favor with a reverse hit.

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Strong solo effort to make things happen in the offensive zone, he follows up on his misses to earn possession for his team.

Grade: 50

OFP: 54.125

NHL: 2026 European Free Agent Frenzy – 47 Players you may see with an NHL franchise next season

Chapin Landvogt — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 18:17:08 +0000

There was a time when almost every spring brought with it a free agent name or two out of Europe that created a bit of a bidding war among interested NHL teams. This aspect of springtime business has calmed down in recent years as the rate of regular NHLers to be found has also cooled down, perhaps considerably. The Panarins of the world have been few and far between, even if KHLers usually head the list of desirables. The New York Islanders gobbled up two respective top names coming out of that league in the offseasons of 2024 and 2025, with the results having been less than satisfactory to date.

2024 target Maxim Tsyplakov put in a fairly solid 10-25-35 statline in his first NHL season but had just one point in 25 outings for the Islanders this season before being unceremoniously traded to the New Jersey Devils in what was part of an Ondrej Palat salary dump, only to find himself waived by the Devils about a dozen games later. An undersized Maxim Shabanov was the most heavily targeted prize last spring and ultimately made his way to Long Island but has found himself scratched of late more often than not, even if his 4-12-16 statline over 42 games did include some plays of brilliance that indicated there’s probably more in the tank.

Interestingly, the Tampa Bay Lightning went free agent hunting in Europe last spring and made several signings, with current defenseman Charle-Édouard D’Astous having become the most successful of last year’s crop. He not only has 27 points this season but has regularly chalked up over 18 minutes of TOI throughout the season, serving as the prime example of what teams hope to get when they go this route. Two years ago, the Dallas Stars added 22-year old forward Arttu Hyry to their program, who went on to have a 49-point rookie AHL season and has gotten into 13 NHL games this season as lower line depth.

Each are an attest to what many teams hope to find when they chance it on a low-key signing of a player enjoying success in Europe’s top leagues.

What we’re seeing this spring is that the various European leagues are lacking in big must-have free agent names but are well represented in providing players whom a number of teams would appear interested in adding to their farm systems. Furthermore, a number of available KHL players are not only in their mid-20s but just happen to be free agents in Russia as well, a concern that always precludes some of the statistically most successful players from being market grabs each spring. No less than five forwards have excelled this season and find themselves open to go to whoever they see the best opportunity with, be it in North America or the KHL.

Likewise, leagues such as the SHL, Liiga, NL, and DEL just happen to have the odd U25 player or two available who very much look like worthy ELC candidates, even if none appears close to being an immediate homerun swing of any sort.

With this in mind, we have little doubt that a number of the following players - many of whom were draft topics at one point or have come out of nowhere in recent years - will land themselves a contract with an NHL team and their chances of doing so will be considerably better if they are open to multiyear two-way contracts for next season. As always, the NHL season is a long one with injuries always playing a role, so there’s plenty of reasons for players to pine for the kinds of opportunities that, for example, fell into Pavol Regenda’s lap this past season.

MOST LIKELY TO BE SIGNED THIS SPRING OR OFFSEASON

Vitali Pinchuk (BLR) - C - 24 - 6-foot-3, 203 pounds. - KHL

The well-built former Kingston Frontenac is the cream of the crop for this spring’s European free agents. There were things scouts liked back in the 19-20 season, but it never led to a drafting, and he was quick to return to Belarus (granted, it was the pandemic), where he got a lick of the KHL the next season. Now he’s wrapping up his fourth straight season of KHL play and what a season it’s been, seeing him finish sixth overall in league scoring (66 points) and third overall in goals scored (31). He also put up a +21 rating. Already last season, his 43 points raised a good number of eyebrows and had teams very curious about this season, knowing he was scheduled to become a free agent this spring. He’s in full playoff mode now with three points in an initial round sweep of Dynamo Moscow. It is felt that he should be NHL-ready right off the bat, capable of a heavy game and nifty stickwork. There was a bit more hoopla about Tsyplakov and Shabanov in recent years, but Pinchuk may have the kind of overall game that’ll make him a more versatile NHL option.

Danil Aimurzin (RUS) - C - 23 - 6-foot-0, 180 pounds. - KHL

Not the biggest, fastest, or slickest player out there, Aimurzin nonetheless is very solid on his skates, makes a husky impression, and, well, constantly brings the puck to the goal. And if he’s not doing it, he’s heading to the net to make himself a pass option or pounce on rebounds. There’s a solid offensive orientation to his game, featuring strong patience with the puck, and he plays in a manner that makes it feel like he doesn’t sense stress. Although very different in the highlights department from a player like Maxim Shabanov the year before, Aimurzin is still fairly young and has a puck-protection style that is easily imaginable on North American ice. Truth be told, he’s coming off his worst regular season (14-29-43 and -7) in several years but is only now truly a free agent topic due to his current contract concluding this spring. His 57 points last season (including 31 goals) would have made him a likely signing last summer, so teams that were interested then are surely going to continue being in the hunt. For what it’s worth, his Cherepovets team features two draft picks from both Carolina and Pittsburgh.

260108 Skellefteås Pontus Johansson under ishockeymatchen i SHL mellan Skellefteå och HV71 den 8 januari 2026 i Skellefteå.
Foto: Johan Löf / BILDBYRÅN / COP 230 / JH0083

Pontus Johansson (SWE) - LHD - 24 - 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. - SHL

A slick, mobile defenseman whose deep knee crouch and long, straight back are reminiscent of former Blackhawk and Coyote Niklas Hjalmarsson, Johansson is currently suiting up for playoff hockey in his fifth season of SHL hockey, having literally exploded onto the scene this season after four relatively anonymous seasons of SHL play. His six goals in 51 games are as many as the past four seasons combined while his 25 points and +15 far outweigh anything he’s done before. That he’s often chewed up over 20 minutes of TOI per game only goes to show how much his role has grown for an absolute championship contender this year, not surprising in light of Skelleftea’s regular ability to develop future NHL talent. Pontus’ age is just right to take the next step, and his all-round play should be making him an attractive target for teams looking for a wide variety of defensive depth options.

Nick Malik

Nick Malik (CZE) - G - 23 - 6-foot-2, 180 pounds. - CZE

It wasn’t too long ago that the US-born Czech goaltender was a Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick selected as a 20-year-old after a strong season as a starter for Kookoo of the Finnish Liiga. He continued to be a starter there in the years thereafter, but always with a losing record and numerical statistics that didn’t inspire Tampa to sign him on time to retain his rights. In the past two years, he’s taken his act back home to Plzen, where he’s served as the starter for a regular playoff contestant, putting up topflight stats in that league each year. At the moment, his team looks poised to easily get to the second round of the playoffs, naturally with Malik in net, so a signing will have to wait a few weeks. Alas, when a goaltender of this age in a pro league carries his team to the tune of a 25-14 record with six shutouts, a 1.65 GAA, and a .929 save percentage in a whopping 41 starts, he can become a hot topic for NHL teams seeking viable goaltending depth.

Daniil Gutik (RUS) - LW - 24 - 6-foot-3, 190 pounds. - KHL

Had Gutik been available last offseason, it’s hard to imagine that he’d not have been gobbled up. He was 23 and coming off a total of 28 goals and 57 points. He has size, can aptly get from point A to B, and has actually been more noticeable as a playmaker to that point, until he started putting pucks in the net with regularity. This season didn’t kick off as promising with an Admiral Vladivostok team that never really competed, but a midseason trade to Spartak Moscow saw him pick things up again, collecting 19 points in 21 games and now having scored two goals in three playoff games to date. All in all, he finished 20-27-47 in 65 games and has a total package that should lead to a couple of suitors, again fully aware of his current contractual status as an unrestricted KHL free agent. The assumption will be that he’d need some time in the AHL to gain his bearings in North America.

Skellefteås Rickard Hugg
Foto: Michael Erichsen / BILDBYRÅN

Rickard Hugg (SWE) - C/W - 27 - 5-foot-10, 190 pounds. - SHL

After captaining the Kitchener Rangers in the 18-19 season and scoring at over a PPG pace that year, some were surprised that Hugg didn’t latch on to an NHL organization. In light of his skating style and average size, it shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise. He then immediately headed back to his home region in Sweden and went pro with Skelleftea, playing two decent seasons on a lower line before becoming a top six mainstay. Over his last four seasons, he’s managed to put up between 40-50 points every year, playoffs included. However, as this year’s playoffs get underway, Hugg is coming off a career best 56 regular season points and a +13 rating, having established himself as a serious threat in every game and seen in the SHL as one of the top 5-10 forwards whatsoever. He’s simply hard to get the puck from and combines a hounding playing style with some very nifty mitts and a strong wrister. The feeling is that he can immediately jump onto an NHL roster and contend for a third line spot, especially in light of his cycling abilities and net-area instincts.

Simon Johansson (SWE) - RHD - 26 - 6-foot-2, 194 pounds. - Liiga

Johansson is a known commodity who, as a 2018 5th rounder, joined the Wild organization for two solid, but unspectacular AHL seasons not too long ago and actually has a contract for Kloten of the NL in the bag for next season. However, he’s coming off a monster season in the Finnish Liiga in which he accounted for 19-32-51 and a +16 over 58 games, regularly logging app. 20 minutes of ice time every night. This not only meant he was the league’s top scoring defenseman but 14th overall in league scoring. If there’s any hope on his behalf of giving the NHL another shot, now wouldn’t be the worst time. He has never been a defensive beast but has savvy transitional skills and comes with strong bloodlines (cousin to Alex Winnberg and brother to Anton and Victor, both drafted). Perhaps accompanying one of the pups to their respective AHL club next season would make for a good storyline.

SHOT IN NORTH AMERICA BECKONS!?

Matyas Filip (CZE) - 25 - C - 5-foot-11, 187 pounds. - CZE

Filip is just the type of unassuming player who could see himself in a Radek Faksa or Zemgus Girgensons role at the NHL level within a few years’ time if he plays his cards right. Having shown steady play as a lower line center for years now, Filip took a step towards being one of the Czech league’s most important two-way players. With 13 goals, 26 points, and a +11 in 46 regular season games as well as another 3 points and +4 in 7 playoff games, he’s assuming the middle six forward role to a tee for his Plzen club in this career year, but the stats only tell part of the story for a player who thinks team-first and is a go-to must when the defensive chips are on the line. Skating and average size is there for a player who could very well be a solid lower line option after a season of AHL preparation.

Tobias Normann (NOR) - 24 - G - 6-foot-1, 187 pounds. - SHL

Normann spent last season, his first in the SHL, as famed Frölunda’s 1B starter. This season, he made his way to being the team’s 1A. Ultimately, his season ended on April 2nd against Lulea with a 2-3 record and a sparkling 1.33 GAA and .921 save percentage, something his stacked club couldn’t make use of. Alas, Normann’s regular season saw a number of fantastic performances including three shutouts in 24 appearances. Furthermore, his 1.68 GAA and .923 save percentage led the entire SHL in both categories, even if his 14-10 record was good, but pedestrian for a club that had heavy title ambitions. Originally from Norway, Normann has extensive pro experience from teenage years back home and used a strong 23-24 season in the HockeyAllsvenskan to jump up to the SHL last year. He also stood in goal for Team Norway three times at the Men’s WC last spring, pitching a shutout and 2.63 GAA along the way. We expect him in net in Switzerland this spring as well, likely as his nation’s starter. The time is ripe for him to take a next step if he should have any NHL ambitions, even if Frölunda would love to see him finish off his contract there, which first expires after the 28/29 season.

Patrik Puistola (FIN) - 25 - RW/LW - 6-foot-0, 181 pounds. - SHL

It’s hard to say if the former Carolina Hurricanes draft pick could one day be a true NHL option, but it is clear that he’s not only overcome a few skating issues from his earlier years but has spent the past four seasons establishing himself as a top producer in both the SHL and Liiga, meaning there’s little doubt he’d at least contribute to an AHL line-up right off the bat. Anyone seeing him the past two seasons has noticed a player who is very keen on generating high octane opportunities and even found more of a playmaker gene than initially thought, seeing as how he was originally drafted as a gunner off the wing, thanks greatly to being a Mestis-league goalscorer in his draft year and then a bit of a sniper at ensuing U18 Worlds and WJC tournaments. Agile and slick with his turns in the corner, Puistola is not a speedster and certainly not one to be found deeply involved in rough stuff. It definitely feels like a team playing with house money would best be served by bringing him in and seeing how much of an option he turns himself into after he gets a bit of AHL play under his belt.

Theo Rochette (SUI/CAN) - 24 - C/LW - 5-foot-11, 172 pounds. - Swiss NL

A former Memorial Cup winner, Rochette first turned 24 in February and has taken his steady development to a new level this season, serving as perhaps the NL’s top U25 player whatsoever. After regular seasons of 30 and then 31 points the past two years, he jumped to 22 goals and 43 points this past season and just exited the playoffs in an exciting seven-game series, pitching in with seven points along the way. The author of 317 points in 271 career QMJHL games, it was felt Rochette may sign a contract last summer after a spring to remember featuring 11 goals and 17 points in 19 playoff games. When one combines his continued growth as a point collector with what’s been an uncanny ability to play meaningful hockey every spring - and constantly fantastic +/- stats to boot -, it should be a foregone conclusion that an NHL team will look to give him a shot as soon as this summer.

Sandro Schmid (SUI) - C/RW - 25 - 5-foot-11, 185 pounds. - Swiss NL

No relation to Swiss NHL goaltender Akira Schmid, the former Malmö Redhawk junior player is coming off his seventh straight NL season, and it has been his finest by a country mile, turning into a top league playmaker with a career year of 10-28-38 over 52 games. Actually, it’s been a longer stretch of fine play for Schmid who was not only a part of Switzerland’s silver-medal-winning WC squad last spring but contributed a 3-4-7 statline in the process. All this also led to him being at this winter’s Olympics where he provided a strong Swiss club with some feisty 3rd line play and intelligent corner work. And this is where it gets interesting because he’s always been capable of providing energy and conducting yeoman work but now it’s turning into more dangerous creation of offensive opportunities off the forecheck. This development would indicate there’s sound logic in believing he can step right onto an NHL checking line without missing a beat. Another strong WC performance this spring - a tournament taking place in his native Switzerland - might be all we need to see before he signs an ELC.

Axel Sundberg (SWE) - RW/LW - 27 - 6-foot-2, 215 pounds. - SHL

Last year, we identified Sundberg as a heavy-built winger who had come out of nowhere to put himself on the map of system depth options. With skating deficiencies that nonetheless look like they’d be little problem on smaller ice surfaces, Sundberg went from being a lower level nobody to a 2nd line SHLer last season. Now somewhat fully developed, he’s taken it all a bit further this spring, jumping from 25 to 34 points and engraving himself on the left face-off circle of the power play. There’s a physical dimension to his game and he uses his body adeptly to not only protect the puck, but ward off oncoming attackers. Sure, he’s come a long way in a short period of time while quickly heading towards his late 20s but it’s very easy to picture him wreaking some havoc on a North American ice surface. We’ll soon find out if an NHL team feels the same way.

JUST GETTING OUT OF THEIR DIAPERS

Hugo Fransson (SWE) - LHD - 21 - 6-foot-0, 176 pounds. - SHL

If he were one year younger, we’d have little doubt that Fransson would be an overage draftee this summer. Despite two straight seasons of SHL play with at least 27 contests per season, rounded out by some decent HockeyAllsvenskan play, no-one foresaw the kind of breakout season he enjoyed this year, albeit for an SHL team that needed to punch its SHL ticket for a 3rd straight year in the relegation round series. Finishing off with 11-16-27 numbers over 56 games, Fransson has been the discovery of the season in the SHL and everyone’s curious to see if that’ll pocket him an ELC, especially in light of how many smaller, mobile defensemen have made their way to the NHL in recent years. At his age, it would be akin to a team signing a draft pick.

Santeri Huovila (FIN) - LW - 21 - 6-foot-0, 172 pounds. - Liiga

After putting up a 9-33-42 statline in 49 games as a Liiga rookie last year, Huovila managed to tie that output this year with 5-37-42, yet he achieved that in all of 33 games! We understand if you need to blink twice seeing that stat. A 21-year-old undrafted player collecting more than one assist per game is something you quite frankly do not see in many established pro leagues, much less one featuring former NHLers and current NHL draftees. There is of course a reason for doubt, as he not only is a lightweight out on the ice but doesn’t have much of a second gear. However, there’s a radar in that head of his and if you’re open and in a scoring position, watch out! You will get the puck. He is incredibly adept at handling the biscuit and quickly distributing it. A team willing to invest in a physically underdeveloped player will add a skillset and player who has started looking underchallenged in the Finnish Liiga.

Adrian Klein (GER) - LHD - 22 - 6-foot-3, 212 pounds. - DEL

There was a time when Klein was just a 16-year-old gangly defenseman who managed to put up 11 points in Germany’s 3rd pro league circuit. It’s not something we see often, so the hope was that he’d make his way to being an NHL topic. Even though he progressed fairly evenly, bit by bit, getting 80 DEL games under his belt between the ages of 17-19, participating in a U18 Worlds and two WJCs, the size and experience combo just wasn’t enticing enough to overcome some mobility and hockey IQ issues and see him get drafted. What has happened since is that he’s become a DEL regular and after two seasons of being his team’s # 6/7 defenseman, he established himself as a clear-cut top four this past season, making incredible use of his size as a shot and pass blocker while regularly muscling out opponents along the boards and in front of the net. In addition, he put in a career year statistically with five goals, 16 points, and a+10 rating over 51 games heading into the playoffs. We’d love to see him play for Germany at the men’s WC and have to think there’s an NHL team out there that knows he’s ready for a bigger test - and may not want to wait to enter what would likely become a bidding war if he ups the ante once again next season.

Jere Lassila (FIN) - C - 22 - 5-foot-10, 176 pounds. - Liiga

There are those out there in the scouting community who wonder how players like Lassila slip through the cracks come draft day. Once the captain of Finland’s U18 entry (8 points in 6 games) and then two years later its WJC entry (8 points in 7 games), Lassila is basically a coach’s dream. He’s a hound out there who plays with intensity and simply understands where he needs to be and what he needs to be doing in situations in all three zones. He’s seen regular Liiga action for four straight years now, seeing his point production increase from 3 to 26 to 35 to now 58 points. Indeed, a 20-38-58 and +4 statline in 60 games for a non-playoff team is highly impressive for a player who just turned 22 at the end of March. Seeing as how his game is very much a two-way affair, it’s hard to imagine there won’t be an NHL team ready to bring him in and start shaping him for a future bottom nine role at the NHL level. There was a time when he was just felt to be downright small, but his actual size isn’t unheard of at the NHL level.

Vasili Machulin (RUS) - LHD - 23 - 6-foot-4, 201 pounds. - KHL

A no frills defenseman with great size, Machulin plays an unspectacular all-round game in which he has no hesitation to use his body in a variety of ways. Playing for a weaker Sochi team for several seasons now, Machulin racks up the TOI, often getting upwards of 21 minutes per contest, seeing use in just about every situation, save for the power play. There’s little risk in his game and yet it always looks like there’s a bit more that could be squeezed out under the right circumstances. He nonetheless has 19 and 14 points to show for himself the past two seasons. For teams that keep their eyes open for low-risk, physical additions such as an Artyom Zub or Ilya Lyubushkin, for example, Machulin could be right up their alley. He is well-schooled and now quite KHL-experienced for a player who hasn’t yet turned 24.

Janne Naukkarinen (FIN) - C/W - 22 - 6-foot-2, 192 pounds. - Liiga

The 23-24 season was Naukkarinen’s first full season of Liiga play (20 points) and also saw him get in some reps at the WJC where he collected two assists. This wasn’t enough to get drafted as an overager, but he continued to keep eyebrows raised with a decent 24-25 season that didn’t see any real progress pointwise (18 in total) yet a continued Liiga role as a third line center with five points over 21 playoff games to boot. This year saw him in a similar role but with a good bit more production, delivering 24 points and cutting down his penalty minutes. The skating is anything but polished yet he’s a big body with a solid slate of pro experience to date and an offensive game that keeps showing flashes of being deserving of more opportunity. Could that come in the AHL next year?

Nestor Noiva (FIN) - RW - 22 - 6-foot-0, 183 pounds. - Liiga

Despite strong U18 and U20 league stats, Noiva has only represented his nation in international friendly play and not at any of the major tournaments. However, he did work his way into a regular shift and 25 points last season as a Liiga rookie and there was no sophomore slump this year, as Noiva put up 12-24-36 and +5 regular season numbers, which he impressively improved on with 7 points in a 5-game first round playoff victory over Kiekoo-Espoo. His importance to his Assat team can’t be overstated as he regularly logs ca. 19 minutes of TOI per game and is coming off a recent 38-minute performance in a game that stretched over six periods. Should he get signed this offseason, we would say there’s good potential for Noiva to take the same kind of developmental path as recent Dallas Stars signing Arttu Hyry.

Veit Oswald (GER) - LW - 21 - 6-foot-2”, 179 pounds. - DEL

Where to start. After a quiet but interesting draft year with a sneaky good U18 Worlds performance, Oswald really made some noise in his DY+2 (both at the WJC and in DEL play) but didn’t get drafted and then fell off the planet a bit in conjunction with a disjointed Munich team in DY+3, despite having attended the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect camp the summer before. Still 21 right on up into August, Oswald has reset his clock this year, being the most effective U22 player in the DEL and serving as a multifaceted weapon for a Munich team with serious aspirations. Often playing with established ex-AHLers, Oswald has never looked out of place and set career highs of 12-14-26 and a +16 in 38 games before suffering an injury that has kept him out since mid-January. Chances are that his numbers would be even more appealing just now as his team found a bit of a groove right down the stretch. We’re convinced that a team ready to give him an ELC can throw him right into a top nine role in the AHL next season and think of him much like a drafted player with NHL upside moving forward.

Matvei Polyakov (RUS) - RW - 21 - 5-foot-10, 176 pounds. - KHL

Aside from strong MHL statistics the past two seasons for SKA St. Petersburg’s junior club, Polyakov hasn’t popped out as an overage Russian player you risk a pick on. That’s usually reserved for someone who is sticking out in the KHL. Now beyond draftability, the slightly undersized Polyakov decided to use the last year of his current contract to force his way onto St. Petersburg’s roster and simply become the veteran-laden squad’s sixth best scorer with a 16-13-29 statline. Likely a player St. Petersburg fully intends on retaining, signing him now would - age wise - be like investing in a recent European draft pick. Combine this season and the prior high-scoring junior years and well, Polyakov has clearly outplayed a number of Russian forwards who have been drafted this century.

Alexander Smolin (RUS) - G - 22 - 6-foot-2, 168 pounds. - KHL

One of the youngest goalies on the market, Smolin has seen an astronomic rise in his stock in a very short period of time. Only two seasons ago, he was splitting his time between the junior MHL, the second tier VHL, with a bit of KHL hockey sprinkled in between. Then he became a full-time back-up for Metallurg last season, generating all-round solid numbers and a 14-6-2 record. This season saw him split duties and take things to another level. A 23-8-2 record was accompanied by a 2.33 GAA and .915 save percentage, stats that are fine if not lights out in the KHL. He has kicked off the playoffs with three straight victories and a 1.00 GAA and .947 save percentage. There are Gagarin Cup ambitions here, so we’ll see where Smolin is at when all is said and done, but there’s no doubt the age/performance ratio is very enticing.

Jimi Suomi (FIN) - LHD - 23 - 5-foot-11, 174 pounds. - Liiga

Always known as a mobile and agile skater, Suomi was a known commodity (although a good bit smaller) in his draft year, when he put up four assists at the U18 Worlds. He followed that with 32 games and six points in Liiga play in his DY+1. Over the years, he kept gaining experience and after two straight seasons of regular deployment in Finland’s best pro league, he enjoyed a bit of a breakthrough this season with 11 goals, 31 points, and a +13 in 53 games. Suomi has a shot and has a real knack of avoiding the rough stuff when players come hunting for him. If he doesn’t make his way to North America, the feeling is we’ll see him in the SHL next season.

Jiri Tichacek (CZE) - LHD - 23 - 5-foot-9, 170 pounds. - Liiga

Yes, there’s a bit of a size issue here. We always knew that no matter what he achieved, that size wasn’t what you ideally want to use a draft pick on. He could be another Jared Spurgeon, but teams don’t make a habit of selecting that in advance. Still, Tichacek keeps arousing interest. He made the Czech Olympic team (alas, only getting ca. 10 minutes of ice time all tourney long) but more importantly, he took his gig to Finland after an impressive 24-25 season in the Czech Republic and actually took a little step in the process. Like in 24-25, he accumulated 31 points, doing so in two fewer games than the year before. He also improved by seven points in the +/- department. The question is if there’s a team out there who can hand him the power play blueliner job at the AHL level next season? If there is, there could be grounds for finding out if Tichacek could just be another Spurgeon.

Yegor Vinogradov (RUS) - C/RW - 22 - 6-foot-3, 203 pounds - KHL

The well-built forward who hasn’t exactly been fleet-of-foot in recent years took the next step in a major way this season. After three seasons of subtle KHL introduction to the tune of 17, 13, and 16 points, Yegor received a whole new role while suddenly displaying an almost newfound will to succeed, chiming in with 23-31-54 and +6 totals in 67 regular season games while having since chipped in 3 points in his team’s 4-1 first round playoff victory over Cherepovets. The author of a number of smooth moves and slick passes throughout the season, he did indicate a breakout might be coming when he played part of last season in Russia’s second tier pro league, the VHL, putting 23 points in 21 games and adding another 18 in 19 playoff games, 10 of which were goals. Whereas a team could worry about how much this season was a one-and-done productionwise, it was his 4th season of KHL play and a look at the production itself would indicate that he’s only just begun to realize what he’s capable of. Should his next contract be a KHL contract, rest assured that it’ll be a long one, so now would be the time to strike if you believe in his possibilities.

IS THE TIME FINALLY RIPE?

Boris Blank (GER) - LW/C - 24 - 6-foot-0, 187 pounds. - DEL

Already having completed six full seasons of DEL play, the former WJC participant was a draft topic for several years but simply didn’t display the overall speed to compensate for other holes in his game. This season, he has exploded onto the scene with 19-28-47 numbers in 52 games, becoming a clear-cut go-to offensive player. Plenty in the scene feel it’s time for him to get a WC call as well for Germany, but that is still up in the air. What is clear is that he has shown flashes for years now, but his skating has gotten to a point where it shouldn’t prohibit an international career. The question now is if a team sees him as a player who is simply a year of AHL play away from being an NHL option. His stats certainly trump other U25 players who’ve signed ELCs in recent years and he made a very mature impression this year, taking the bull by the horns for a club that needed him to score.

Max Franzreb (GER) - G - 29 - 6-foot-0, 198 pounds. - DEL

Actually smaller than he appears on the ice, Franzreb has been a goalie who has looked mentally stronger than most you’ll see around Europe for a number of years now, often scratching the surface of what seems to be untapped potential. This winter, he took over the reins as the 1A in net for yearly contender Adler Mannheim and has put in his best ever season, not only putting up a 23-11 record, but finishing third in GAA (2.04) and SV% (.921). He was also on the Olympic team and faced the US in a game where he put up a valiant effort for the first and final 20 minutes of play. He’s definitely a bit old to be an NHL option, but a strong playoff push (4-1 record in a first round victory) might be the cherry on top for a team looking to add a sneaky 3rd option for its goalie rotation next fall. His current coach and GM is former NHL official Dallas Eakins.

Leon Hüttl (GER) - RHD - 25 - 6-foot-0, 180 pounds. - DEL

Another player who has been seen at the men’s WC in recent years, Hüttl was a strong candidate for the Olympic team but the coaching staff went in another direction. His playoffs are about to begin and we’re thinking last spring’s decent WC performance should see him there again this year, but what we don’t have any doubt about is his mobility, hockey IQ, and overall understanding of how to push the game forward up the ice. He’s got another 25+ points (28 to date) but his +24 ties a career high and has him 7th overall in the league. He’s not the biggest player around and not a speed demon either, but he’s a Brian Rafalski of sorts by DEL standards and we’ve wondered what an NHL organization could make of him, considering he has a pure winner’s attitude and is a highly respected competitor in the DEL.

Yaroslav Likhachyov (RUS) - 24 - LW - 5-foot-11, 174 pounds. - KHL

He played three seasons of hockey in the QMJHL and was never drafted, with his final season coming during the pandemic. After two years of decent youngster production in the KHL, he kind of fell off the map last season with just 10 goals and 14 points. Little was expected this season, but in the final year of his KHL contract, he went out and blew away all previous highs with 22 goals and 39 points in 59 games. He was always a good player on the move with some solid hands and now it’s come to fruition. What is unclear is his exact contractual status as he played on loan with an option this season. If he feels he’s on the cusp of some big KHL numbers heading into next season, it may be worth it to ink a one-year KHL deal and see what next spring brings. But if Lokomotiv is his only option for next season should he stay in Russia, where he was stunted in the 24-25 season, he may feel the time is right to give North America another go.

Nick Olesen (DEN) - C/W - 30 - 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. - CZE

For sure, you’ll rarely see a player this old listed in this or any list of possible European free agents, but Olesen has something cooking recently that some team out there definitely has on its radar. Long a player who simply made noise in his native Denmark or in Sweden’s lower leagues, Olesen eventually made it to the SHL and played a minimal middle six role for 3 seasons, once even potting 13 goals. Then he took his act to the Czech Republic, where he had his best season as a pro and something went “click”. Last spring, a Team Denmark featuring Nikolaj Ehlers as its sole NHL player had a magical run in a tournament it hosted. A key in that run was Olesen, who whipped up 12 points in 10 games. He then blew all previous highs out of the water this season with 45 points in 51 regular season games for Ceske Budjevice, also participating in the Olympics along the way, where he led Denmark in scoring with 4-1-5 in four games. Quite clever around the net and in making use of time and space, while also fleet of foot, one has to wonder if he’s just the good old fashioned case of a very, very late bloomer. In any case, his most recent stats in conjunction with his above-average international performances have raised eyebrows and one should never underestimate how hungry a player from a smaller hockey nation like Denmark could be if the opportunity comes along.

Eugen Rabcan (SVK) - G - 24 - 6-foot-3, 196 pounds. - SVK

In his third season of regular top league play in Slovakia, Rabcan became an absolute minute-muncher for a run of the mill team that is in the midst of an interesting playoff battle at this time, one Rabcan has a 3-3 record in. All in all, Rabcan started 40 regular season games and put up a 20-20 record with a 2.52 GAA and strong .921 save percentage. There is talk of Rabcan having a good shot at being part of the country’s WC outfit (2-0 with a 1.49 GAA in several international outings this winter) and seeing as how he’s represented by an agency with a heavy emphasis on North America, Rabcan’s path to an NHL organization could be just a few contractual autographs away.

Colin Ugbekile (GER) - LHD - 26 - 6-foot-2, 198 pounds. - DEL

There were some who felt Ugbekile should have been on the Olympic team. It didn’t happen and we’ll be curious to see if he is one of the final cuts for the men’s WC or keeps strutting his stuff in Switzerland. Fact is, it’s likely now or never for the former USHLer who has clearly established himself as one of the top two-way defensemen and power play quarterbacks in the DEL, coming off a career season with nine goals, 43 points, and a +10 rating for a team that once again came up short of the playoffs. He’s got the size and wheels to give the AHL the good ol’ college try, and his game is definitely one that can thrive in a program that emphasizes the transition. But it’s easy to think that if an NHL contract isn’t offered this summer, that might be all she wrote for a player who’d spend the next 10 years likely being one of the DEL top five German defensemen on a yearly basis.

Libor Zabransky (CZE) - RHD - 25 - 6-foot-0, 203 pounds. - CZE

You look at Zabransky’s size and shot, and his plethora of WHL experience as well as his regular appearance for his native Czech Republic on the international stage (albeit, without any WC performances), and you have to wonder how come no-one has taken a flyer on him to see what he can do at the pro level in North America. Let there be no doubt that there have always been warts in his game, but he’s tickled scouts’ fancy here and there to keep his name in the notebooks. Now, after six seasons of pro play, with four of them having been in a bottom four role in the Finnish Liiga, Zabransky has cashed in his maturity cheque and set Czech league bluelines on fire to the tune of 18 goals this season. Considering he had never had more than seven in any given season, and that was five years ago, teams will have to determine if it’s just one-off or if Zabransky has reached the potential he once long hinted at.

YOU DON’T KNOW HIM, BUT DON’T BE SURPRISED IF HE GETS SIGNED

Ruslan Abrosimov (RUS) - C - 24 - 5-foot-10, 181 pounds. - KHL

A former MHL captain and top scorer, Abrosimov put in three straight seasons of KHL play and improvement before exploding this season to the tune of 24 goals, 48 points, and a +15 in 62 games, wearing an “A” on his chest while at it. If there are any NHL aspirations, the timing is just right for a player whose game is all about production. Slightly below average size doesn’t have to be an issue here as Abrosimov is adept at avoiding physical contact.

Vasily Atanosov (RUS) - RW/C - 23 - 5-foot-11, 160 pounds. - KHL

A strong identifier of opportunities and a player who knows how to read the room on the rush, Atanosov has done nothing but produce in recent years. Although he came in shy of the 40 points he had for Torpedo in their strong 23-24 season, Atanosov has deposited 21 shots in the net this year (36 points) and is finally a contractual free agent. There’s skill and vision here, and you never know how long the next KHL contract will be. He has consistently scored in the KHL for three straight seasons, so teams know what he is, but also that he’s quite a lightweight.

Tim Barkemo (SWE) - LHD - 21 - 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. - HockeyAllsvenskan

We’ll preface this by mentioning that you rarely see a Swedish UFA sign an ELC coming out of the second tier HockeyAllsvenskan. Then again, Barkemo had several solid U20 league seasons in the Skelleftea organization, even suiting up 13 times for the regular SHL contender. Last season was then his first full introduction to pro play, and he turned himself into a regular. This season, he turned himself into a top two defenseman who a number of SHL clubs are on the hunt for, with Skelleftea likely having the best cards. His 5-17-22 and +21 statline over 50 games is quite impressive for a player his age in a conservative league (scoring wise), but he put up six points in his team’s first round playoff sweep. Most importantly, he regularly sees upwards of 22 minutes of TOI per game. In his most recent playoff contest, he gobbled up 31:13 of ice time. We’re talking about a player that an NHL franchise could really mold quite directly as of next season. Otherwise, he’s clearly SHL-bound.

Maxim Fedotov (RUS) - RHD - 24 - 5-foot-10, 172 pounds. - KHL

That last name should ring a bell because Maxim is indeed Red Wings legend Sergei’s eldest son. The undersized righty shot defender actually had his best KHL season for Torpedo back in the 22-23 season, capped off by seven points in 10 playoff games. After finding lower line roles in the KHL in recent years, he was back in a top four role again this year, which he capped off with 24 points in 52 games, serving as his team’s best all-round defender after Artyom Serikov, who will hit the UFA market next summer. Fedotov now has loads of KHL experience, mostly with bottom-feeders, but without a KHL contract under his belt, the option is there to test his luck in North America and a certain someone may even be able to open a door or two to that opportunity.

Anton Kosolapov (RUS) - LW - 24 - 6-foot-1, 190 pounds. - KHL

Once a player with some good junior numbers, Kosolapov stood out mostly as a bit of a tenacious forechecker who liked to bang bodies. His VHL stats in recent years never really popped and until this season, it looked like he might just end up a minor leaguer in Russia for the long run. Then he got a shot with a new organization (Sibir Novosibirsk) and proceeded to go 17-21-38 and + 7 in 38 games. He’s still playing playoff hockey right now, but he’ll be a KHL free agent this offseason. It won’t be for long though as he’ll have a number of suitors and heck, he might be best served sticking with Sibir. But if an NHL team has seen something it likes, and Kosolapov put some wares on display, now is the time to bring him in, even if the plan would be to give him a year of AHL hockey and hope for the best.

Lucas Lagerberg Hoen (SWE) - LHD - 21 - 6-foot-2, 190 pounds. - SHL

For the draft gurus among us, you’ll recognize this last name and wonder what’s going on. No worries though, Lucas is just the older brother of Jonas, who is draft eligible this summer. But while Jonas unfortunately missed much of his draft season, Lucas was able to use this season to officially put his name on the map. It wasn’t a fairy tale ride though as Lagerberg Hoen spent some nights getting just 1-2 minutes of ice time and others with 19+, so there was a good bit of up and down in his role. But when all was said and done, he had eight points in 43 games and established himself as a physically adept youngster who skated and competed like an older player. This season came on the heels of two prior years in the HockeyAllsvenskan where he was often entrusted with a healthy dose of ice time. There’s a package here to build on and Lagerberg Hoen looks like the kind of player teams that haven’t drafted much in recent years would be interested in.

Danjo Leonhardt - LW - 23 - 5-foot-11, 185 pounds. - DEL

The stats won’t blow anyone away although his 29 points and +13 in 45 regular season games are career highs for a player who looks to explode in the DEL in coming years, but Leonhardt has long been on our watchlist and checks a number of boxes for teams that appreciate what the Ondrej Palats of the world can offer to an organization. He gets his nose dirty and does a lot of the little things right, making high value decisions all over the ice and being particularly effective around the opponent’s net. He’s been incrementally earning himself a closer look in recent years and it feels bound to come, next summer if not this one.

Aleksi Matinmikko (FIN) - RHD - 26 - 5-foot-11, 181 pounds. - Liiga

Some players just take a bit of time and Matinmikko is now one of those mid-20s European pros who is what he is, and you’ve got to wonder what a shot in North America might lead to. Having never played outside his native Finland, Matinmikko has been tasting Liiga waters since the 19-20 season, but it took a whopping 21-goal, 65-point season in the second tier Mestis to finally get the type of role he’s been auditioning for. Now he’s wrapping up his third year of full-time Liiga play and his 9-25-34 and +30 was clearly his best to date. His size is average and he isn’t the most mobile player around, but he has a bullet of a shot and has gotten incrementally better year after year for four seasons now.

Oleksii Myklukha (UKR) - C - 23 - 5-foot-10”, 176 pounds. - SVK

The former QMJHLer has never really given the scouting community the belief that he, at his size, had enough jam and enough tricks in the bag to become an NHL option. But in addition to last year’s playoffs, the agile Myklukha has exploded offensively in Slovakia’s top league. There’s a player here who creates time and space, then sets up the open players who can benefit from the newfound areas Myklukha has created, ringing up 18 goals and 55 points in 51 games this season. It’s clear that he’s ready to be playing in a higher profile league next season. Does an NHL team think that league should be the AHL?

Mikkel Oby-Olsen (NOR) - RW - 23 - 5-foot-11, 185 pounds. - HockeyAllsvenskan

Without a doubt, one of the slyest possibilities you’ll read about today. Despite playing almost a full season of HockeyAllsvenskan contests in the 22-23 season, he fell off a bit until latching on again last season to the tune of 25 points. That he’d push that production to 30 goals and 50 points in 54 games this season couldn’t have been expected. But it wasn’t just the numbers that made things special. It was the how. He’s been effective everywhere, controlling play as a puck-carrying trickster, making wonderful passes, and sniping from many spots, often on the power play. He was Almtuna’s all-purpose weapon and raised plenty of eyebrows this winter. The assist totals would have surely been more impressive if he had more talent to work with. We not only expect an SHL contact to be in the bag, but a spot on Norway’s next WC squad seems to be a given at this point. The question is if a team thinks it could find some unexpected gold by bringing over the Oby-Olsen train?

Jasper Patrikainen (FIN) - G - 25 - 6-foot-1, 176 pounds. - SVK

The smaller built battler had an eye-opening 22-23 season, when he pounced on an opportunity and put up a number of wins and some decent stats, but fell right back into more of a back-up role with time missed in each of the last two seasons of Liiga play. In fact, he was so disenchanted with where he was career wise, he jumped to Stavanger of the Norwegian league last season and went on an 8-1 tear in the playoffs. That landed him a gig in Slovakia and he’s been lights out this season, going 22-8 in the regular season with six shutouts. The 2.02 GAA and .930 save percentage haven’t been shabby either. In the middle of the playoffs, the question is if the size isn’t a deterrent, is he the dominating goalie we’ve seen in weaker leagues in Norway and Slovakia, or the player degraded after a strong season in the Finnish Liiga? Will an NHL team look to find out?

Eetu Randelin (FIN) - G - 24 - 5-foot-11, 187 pounds. - Liiga

Yet another smaller Finnish goalie, judging on size alone, you wouldn’t expect Randelin to be an NHL topic. But there’s a little engine that could aspect to his story, as he continues to beat the odds and work his way up the totem pole. Now he’s coming off his first season as a starter in Liiga action in which he put up a 21-9-6 record, steering his KooKoo club into the playoffs. He’s quick and agile, but most importantly, determined.

YEARLY SIDENOTE

As always, it bears mentioning every year that above and beyond the players listed above, the Swiss NL, SHL, and KHL - among others - are chock full of former NHLers, NHL draft picks, AHLers, Canadian juniors, and college hockey players, not to mention former European free agent signings of NHL teams that have since returned to Europe. These leagues also employ a large number of established pros who you’ll see dressing for their respective national teams. A prime example this year would be former Ranger and Golden Knight forward Oscar Lindberg, who exploded for 30 goals and 67 points in 52 regular season SHL games this season. Thus, these leagues also feature many players who were in the NHL in recent years or on the bubble to the NHL, usually as highly effective AHLers and as such, any number of these players could of course still be in the sightlines of NHL teams or maintain the connections that would see them return to a franchise in the coming months.

NHL: Victor Nuño – Dynasty Stock Watch – Anaheim Ducks Edition

Victor Nuño — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 13:08:42 +0000

Team Outlook

The Anaheim Ducks have moved beyond the rebuild phase and into the far more interesting stage of proving it is over. After years of stockpiling young talent, Anaheim has taken a major step forward this season under Joel Quenneville, spending much of the year near the top of the Pacific Division and clinching its first playoff berth since 2017-18. This is no longer a team focused primarily on future value; it is a team beginning to turn that value into results.

From a dynasty perspective, that shift matters. Trevor Zegras is no longer part of the picture, while Mason McTavish’s rocky season has complicated what once looked like a straightforward rise into the club’s leadership group. In their place, Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke, and Jackson LaCombe have become central to Anaheim’s evolving core, with Gauthier in particular looking like a major win from the Jamie Drysdale trade. Combined with veteran resurgence seasons from Mikael Granlund, Jacob Trouba, Radko Gudas, and Chris Kreider, the Ducks have found a balance between youth and experience that has accelerated their timeline. For dynasty managers, the key question is no longer whether Anaheim has talent, but which young pieces will hold meaningful long-term roles now that the organization is built to compete.

Buy Candidates

Damian Clara, G

Clara is the kind of goalie prospect dynasty managers should be trying to acquire before the market fully catches up. The 6-foot-6 netminder boosted his stock significantly with a standout showing for Italy at the Olympics, where he kept his team competitive against far stronger opponents and looked capable of stealing games on his own before the talent gap eventually won out. That performance reinforced what makes him so intriguing long term: his size, composure, and calm, positional style give him a strong foundation, and he is already gaining valuable experience against professional competition at a young age.

While his overall numbers with Brynäs IF have been more uneven this season, the underlying profile remains encouraging, as he is still saving more goals than expected. Lukas Dostal has cemented his status as the starter in Anaheim for years to come, which relieves pressure for Clara to climb the organizational ladder if his development continues on this path. Goalie prospects always carry risk, but Clara’s stock feels more likely to rise than fall from here, making him a strong buy candidate in dynasty formats before the price increases further.

Roger McQueen, C

McQueen offers one of the more intriguing blends of size and offensive upside in Anaheim’s system, and his first NCAA season at Providence only reinforced that appeal. He finished third on the team in scoring, behind Chicago’s John Mustard and Montreal’s Logan Sawyer, while taking on a major role, leading all forwards in time on ice at both even strength and on the power play. He also paced the team with a 60% Corsi, highlighting his ability to tilt the ice and drive possession, not just contribute offensively. When he is playing with confidence, he controls shifts through his reach, puck protection, and net-front presence, with flashes of creativity that suggest more than a complementary ceiling.

There is still projection involved, particularly in terms of consistency and pace, but the underlying profile remains very strong. His Fantasy Hockey Life tracking data supports the eye test, showing solid play-driving and loose puck recovery metrics, with a transition game that is trending upward but still has room to grow. What really elevates his fantasy value is his peripheral production, his blocks, shots, and hits are already standout, and as he continues to trend toward a full-time center role, faceoff wins could become another meaningful category boost. Players with this combination of size, usage, and multi-category upside tend to hold strong dynasty value, making McQueen a worthwhile buy before his role becomes more fully realized.

Stian Solberg, D

Solberg brings a distinctly modern defensive profile built on mobility, physical engagement, and transitional play, and his first full AHL season has reinforced that foundation. While the offensive production may never be a defining part of his game, he has defended effectively against professional competition and made his presence felt physically, registering hits at a rate higher than 96% of AHL skaters. That kind of physical dominance is not only sustainable but likely to translate to the NHL, where it can quickly carve out a role.

His value is very format-dependent, but in the right leagues, it could be significant. NHL Rank King pegs his pNHLe at just 38, which limits his appeal in points-only formats, but that undersells his broader impact. Solberg’s ability to close gaps, move pucks efficiently, and consistently deliver in the hits category makes him a classic multi-category asset. As Anaheim’s blue line continues to evolve, he projects as the type of defenseman who can log meaningful minutes and provide steady peripheral production, making him a strong buy for managers in leagues that reward physical play.

Sell Candidates

Herman Traff, RW

Traff has generated attention thanks to his size and flashes of offensive ability, particularly in junior and his recent play in HockeyAllsvenskan, where he put together an excellent season despite IK Oskarshamn falling short of qualification. He can be difficult to contain along the boards and has shown the ability to create scoring chances when given time and space, leveraging his physical advantages effectively at lower levels.

From a dynasty perspective, however, there are real concerns about translation as the competition level increases. His game can drift to the perimeter, and questions remain about his pace and ability to consistently impact play against faster, more structured opponents. While his recent production may be boosting his perceived value, underlying projection models are far less optimistic. Hockey Prospecting gives him a zero percent chance of becoming a star, largely due to modest production across his draft-minus-one through draft-plus-one seasons. If his value is currently inflated by recent performance and physical tools, this is likely an opportune window to sell before those translation concerns become more apparent.

Lucas Pettersson, C

Pettersson has put together strong offensive numbers, showing a good understanding of how to find space and contribute within the flow of play. He processes the game well and can support offensive sequences without needing to dominate the puck, giving him a solid foundation as an NHL contributor. He had a strong season in the SHL, nearly a half point per game, and excelled for Sweden’s under-20 World Junior team, helping them win gold.

That said, Pettersson projects more as a complementary forward than a primary offensive driver. He lacks a standout elite skill to push him into a top-six role, and as Anaheim’s system grows more competitive, players without distinguishing traits risk being pushed down the depth chart. His pNHLe sits just below 60, aligning with a likely bottom-six role. For dynasty managers, that caps his upside and makes him a candidate to move if others still expect top-six potential.

Maxim Masse, RW

Massé is a strong, physically engaged winger who has produced well in junior while playing a direct, north-south game. He thrives in puck battles, drives the net effectively, and generates offense through effort and positioning, traits that often translate into NHL opportunities in supporting roles. He is coming off a strong fourth and final QMJHL season, but it is worth noting that he did not truly break out until this past year, after previously being more good than dominant.

For fantasy purposes, his projection likely tops out as a middle-six, secondary scorer without consistent power-play usage. Players who become fantasy-relevant producers in the QMJHL typically dominate at an earlier age, which adds some skepticism to his profile. His Hockey Prospecting model reflects that concern, giving him roughly a four percent chance of becoming a star. If his current dynasty value is buoyed by his recent production, this is a good opportunity to sell before his role settles into a more modest, lower-ceiling outcome.

Summary

Player	Role	Key Insight
Damian Clara	Buy	High-upside goalie with pro experience and starter potential
Roger McQueen	Buy	Size and skill combination with middle-six upside
Stian Solberg	Buy	Mobile, physical defender with multi-category appeal
Herman Traff	Sell	Tools are intriguing, but translation risk remains
Lucas Pettersson	Sell	Likely complementary forward without standout upside
Maxim Masse	Sell	Productive winger whose role may limit fantasy ceiling

2026 NHL DRAFT: DETAILED SCOUTING REPORT – Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University

Felix Sicard — Sat, 04 Apr 2026 12:54:14 +0000

Tynan Lawrence

2026 NHL Draft Eligible

Position: C, Shoots: L

H/W: 6-foot-0, 185 pounds

Date of Birth: 2008-08-03

Tynan Lawrence is a coach’s dream. He’s a mobile, responsible, two-way center that can play in any situation – exactly the kind of player that teams covet early in the draft. Yet, in the middle of the most important season of his young career, Lawrence made a bold decision that could affect just how high he gets picked.

Lawrence turned heads last year as a 16-year-old in the USHL. He piled up 54 points in 57 games during the regular season, before leading his team to a championship with 18 points in 14 playoff games. The sky seemed to be the limit for a player who only turned 17 last August.

Except, certain limits started to set in. Lawrence had a solid Hlinka Gretzky showing, and the hype train stayed in motion. However, a pre-season injury kept him out of the lineup for weeks to start his draft year. Lawrence looked like himself when he came back – a transition machine that simply out paces the opposition – but a new reality began setting in. Was Lawrence being adequately challenged in a diminished USHL thanks to the ripple effects of NCAA eligibility expansion?

Enter Boston University. The Terriers announced just 13 games into Lawrence’s USHL season that he would be joining them. In an instant, Lawrence went from a dominant force in the USHL, to an extremely young freshman facing competition that is more mature in age and in physicality.

The decision yielded mixed results. Lawrence’s gifts remain obvious: an intelligent, supportive center that B.U. trusted immediately. The 17-year-old was outmatched despite the significant increase in competition, and that alone is noteworthy. Other draft eligibles making the leap to college also needed time to adapt this season.

Time is now of the essence, though. While others shined with more experience, Lawrence’s stock has dipped as his production did. Whether this was all an adaptation period, or a sign of things to come remains to be seen. Lawrence will likely have one final chance to prove his worth and hype at the upcoming U18’s; he should be a go-to player for Canada at the event. Through it all, there remains a very intriguing prospect worthy of further analysis.

Skating

Lawrence currently grades as an average skater, but with time, he could become above average.

The freshman pivot is a unique skater. He mainly uses forward cross-overs – where one skate “crosses over” the other – to get around the ice. Consequently, he expends less energy, allowing him to stay fresh late into shifts. He easily accesses both his inside and outside edges, which gives him a seemingly effortless glide. These mechanics allow Lawrence to be in near-constant motion, an important trait as a center.

Yet, the basics of Lawrence’s skating are not as advanced. He rarely gets into his forward stride, and when he does, it lacks depth and power. In tight areas, he has not shown the quick stop-and-start ability needed to evade contact. His NCAA footage already reveals that this lack of power makes it harder to separate against bigger and faster competition, where the margins are much smaller. Pro hockey will present the same issues.

The strengths in Lawrence’s skating ability are uncommon, while the weaknesses can, and are likely to improve. Time spent working on his strength and power should remedy the current lack of explosiveness. With the proper development program, this should be an area of strength for him down the line.

Lawrence is number 11 with the white stick in all clips.

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As the trailer on the power play, Lawrence is able to exploit flat footed penalty killers thanks to this speed.

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Lawrence is able to quickly build up speed with crossovers, but this fades as he gets into his forward stride.

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Another example of how Lawrence’s forward crossovers allow him to attack in unconventional patterns.

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Lawrence builds up speed here, but doesn’t have the agility to punch turn, instead settling for a glide.

Grade: 55

SHOT

Lawrence’s shot currently grades as average, and unlike his skating, has less obvious upside.

The now BU center found clever ways to get his shot off in the USHL. He would feint before receiving the puck, freezing his defender and allowing him to step into an open shooting lane. Off the rush, he favors hesitation sequences to unload, cutting to the middle before popping the puck into open space. These shot patterns should translate to the NHL and allow Lawrence to get shots through, though likely not at the same rate as in the USHL.

Lawrence’s shot selection can be problematic. He loves to challenge goalies short side from the left side of the ice, trying to pick the smallest corner. The issue here is that Lawrence does not have the pinpoint accuracy needed to justify these low value shots, which often end up as “reverse breakouts” for the other team.

The shot also isn’t the most fluid. Lawrence doesn’t get much twitch on his release and rarely looks to change the angle of his shot from a standstill position. His hands often appear locked into his hip, preventing him from really getting proper flexion on his shaft.

Shooting coaches are so widespread nowadays that Lawrence should improve a bit in this category, but the overall mechanical deficiencies and poor shot selection likely prevent him from being more than an average shooter in the NHL.

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Lawrence does well to sell a shot fake before stepping into more dangerous ice, but lacks the quick twitch on his shot to get it through sticks.

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Smart shot by Lawrence here as he recognizes traffic in front, and unloads a powerful shot that hits the outside of the frame. However, there’s not much deception in his release point.

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Lawrence forces a shot through traffic, doing little to sell the shot before changing the angle. This was in the USHL when time and space was much more available than in the NCAA.

Grade: 52.5

SKILLS

Lawrence’s skills are mostly average, though his skating allows him to make use of them at a higher rate than most other prospects.

The issues with Lawrence’s skills mirror those in his shot mechanics. His hands seem “locked” together, as he rarely has both hands out in front of his body, which allows for greater dexterity and range for puckhandling. Instead, his top hand is closer to his hip, which limits what he can do with the puck.

He rarely breaks down defenders one-on-one, with the majority of his one-on-one success in the USHL being driven by his skating. To his credit, he can take clever angles off the rush, selling an attack in one direction before cutting back the other way.

That being said, Lawrence does have a nice array of “quiet” skills. He is adept at receiving passes in movement, seemingly able to kick the puck up to his stick from any angle. Further, he can make quick handling plays in traffic, getting pucks over to teammates. The pace at which he plays allows him to get pucks into the slot at a higher rate than most. Even if those passes don’t always succeed, he’ll make defensive structures sweat with his relentless attack.

Lawrence is unlikely to dazzle with his skill in the NHL, but his softer skills are going to be appreciated by his future teammates and coaches and will allow him to be an important connective piece on any line.

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Lawrence attempts a simple loose puck deke in a crowd of defensemen, immediately turning it over. This worked for him in the USHL, not so much in the NCAA.

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Lawrence does well here to sell the outside lane before cutting back inside on a flat-footed defender.

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Lawrence shows poise and quick touch ability here as he weaves into middle ice before making a play to a teammate. This was a defining trait of his in the USHL, and the extent to which he brings it back into his game will go a long way in boosting his projection.

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Once again, Lawrence shows an ability to handle in tight before feeding a teammate for a finish.

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Lawrence shows off a Crosby-esque skate-to-stick pass reception before attempting a touch into middle ice. His pass receptions are above average and bolster his transition game.

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Lawrence sidesteps a defender with one hand on the stick thanks to his speed. A play that is unlikely to translate in the NHL.

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Lawrence does well here to seal off the wall, intercepting a pass. He then picks up the loose puck on his backhand and finds a teammate in the slot for an all-important go-ahead goal in the third period.

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Lawrence makes a simple, but important quick-handle play in the neutral zone here, which allows him to spring a teammate on his backhand for a clear attacking lane, eventually leading to a goal.

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Lawrence wins a puck battle along the wall, then makes a deft stickhandling maneuver to exit the zone. Maybe a risky play, but this is another one of those "connective" plays that teammates love.

Grade: 55

SMARTS

Lawrence projects as an average thinker of the game from an offensive standpoint, but as an above average one defensively. He excels in the small details, but the higher level, creative playmaking is where he’s currently struggling.

With the puck, there are two sides to the coin. Lawrence excels at making the smaller, connective plays. He can make the quick touch pass to get out of the defensive zone, or a deft backhander while slicing through the neutral zone. These are the kind of plays that help drive transition success in the NHL. Late in games, when teams need a zone entry to get set, there’s a ton of value in having a player who can easily cross the offensive blueline. Once again, this solidifies his projection as a potential play-driving center in the NHL.

Yet, when it comes time for the bigger ideas, such as manipulating space to create a passing lane, or finding teammates in dangerous areas, Lawrence falls short. He often ignores open teammates in the slot or will face a play into the middle off the rush without anyone there. The BU power play is a steady stream of Lawrence making simple passes, trying low percentage shots, and generally not creating dangerous offense.

Off-puck positioning is usually a problem area for players this young. Not for Lawrence. Even as a 17-year-old in the older NCAA, he’s almost always in the right spot without the puck, filling lanes, not overcommitting, and protecting the middle.

Where he really shines, though, is in his ability to apply back pressure and pick-pocket opponents. Listen to any NHL coach talk for any period of time, and the term “back pressure” will likely come up. It’s an integral part of modern defending, and Lawrence’s ability to do so should augment his future NHL team’s defensive game. Couple that with his transition ability, and it’s a very tantalizing skill set.

Lawrence is undoubtedly a smart player, but don’t expect the kind of next-level play-making sequences you’d usually see from a center ranked this high in the draft. That doesn’t mean he can’t be an overwhelmingly positive factor for his team thanks to his smarts, though.

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Lawrence does well to gain some separation out wide, but forces a backhand pass into the middle despite two Providence defenders in the lane. The idea is fine, but there’s a lack of recognition of the risk involved.

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Lawrence negates a PK exit, and then smartly floats a puck cross-ice to a teammate, who immediately regains the zone.

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Lawrence opts for a low-percentage short side attempt when he has an open teammate in the slot.

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Lawrence makes a clever hook pass here on entry and then fans out as a shooting option. The entry was nice, but he’s not threatening once he gives the puck up.

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Lawrence settles for a bad angle shot while having an open teammate in the slot. Unclear if he saw him.

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Lawrence does well to gain the zone but then negates the advantage by throwing the puck on net without support.

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Another low percentage play.

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Forces a play instead of moving the puck to an open teammate.

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Nice initial entry, but wastes it with a low percentage backhand.

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Lawrence hustles back despite being fatigued and applies just enough pressure to slow down his opponent. This allows his teammate to get a stick on the puck, and he eventually turns the play.

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Lawrence uses his crossover speed to get back into the neutral zone, lift the stick of his opponent, recover possession, and immediately turn the play back the other way.

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Another sequence where Lawrence uses his closing speed to break up an opposing rush and turn the play the other way.

Grade: 57.5

PHYSICALITY/COMPETE

Lawrence projects as average from a physicality standpoint, but his competitiveness grades out as a touch above average.

He does not have the size or physical tools to really dominate the game from a sheer physicality standpoint. Nor does he often seek to initiate contact, which is an area that must improve as he climbs up the ranks.

However, Lawrence’s competitiveness cannot be questioned. What he lacks in physicality, he makes up for by being consistently engaged, using his skating ability to find himself in the middle of the action. He’s not quite a dog on a bone like a Carter Bear type, but he certainly does not shy away from getting into the thick of things.

As Lawrence matures physically, this area should be a net positive for him.

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Lawrence chips a puck in, pursues with speed, ties up the defenseman, and eventually strips the puck to make a play to the middle.

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Great F1 tracking, closes the distance and recovers possession.

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Smart stick to break up a play, makes a play to the middle.

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Cuts off an opposing sequence, feeds the breakout.

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Lawrence gets into a shooting lane, recovers possession, and eventually feeds a breakout. This sequence shows both his compete and his smarts to make a play to the middle.

Grade: 55

OFP: 55.25

NHL: 20 FANTASY POINTS – With the season nearing its end, there is concern on the Colorado blueline, veteran forwards are stepping to the forefront for the Bruins, Ducks and Flyers, and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:17:20 +0000

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sam Malinski. Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, with the season nearing its end, there is concern on the Colorado blueline, veteran forwards are stepping to the forefront for the Bruins, Ducks and Flyers, and much more!

#1 Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar suffered an upper-body injury when hit by Calgary Flames winger Adam Klapka and while it appears that it is not a long-term injury, fantasy managers will need to manage an absence for one of the premier defencemen in the league. While Devon Toews is the Avalanche defender moving up to the first power play unit, there could be value to be found with Sam Malinski, who is paired with Toews at even strength and is getting second-unit power play time. Malinski has eight points (4 G, 4 A) and 11 shots on goal in his past five games.

#2 One of the reasons that the Boston Bruins have been able to execute a quick turnaround this season is that they have had some veterans rise to the occasion with strong seasons. Right winger Viktor Arvidsson, for example, has 22 points (10 G, 12 A) and 41 shots on goal in 19 games since the Olympic break, thriving on a line with Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt. Arvidsson is up to 24 goals in 63 games this season, his highest goals per game since the 2018-2019 season.

#3 Although he has had ups and downs since arriving in Boston, Bruins centre Elias Lindholm is elevating his game late in this season. He has seven points (5 G, 2 A) and 19 shots on goal in his past seven games. This scoring surge follows a seven-game scoreless streak, but Lindholm is making progress on a line with Morgan Geekie and Lukas Reichel. While Lindholm may not be living up to what the Bruins expected when they signed him in the summer of 2024, he does have 47 points in 63 games this season after putting up 47 points in 82 games during his first season with the Bruins, so there is at least a notable per-game improvement in his production.

#4 Anaheim Ducks winger Mikael Granlund has been cooking late in the season. He is not usually an aggressive shooter but has put up eight points (7 G, 1 A) with 17 shots on goal in his past seven games. Four of those seven goals have come on the power play and eight of his 19 goals this season have been scored with the man advantage. At even strength, he’s skating on the right wing with rookie Tim Washe in the middle and veteran winger Alex Killorn on the left side.

#5 As the Philadelphia Flyers make a push for a playoff spot, winger Owen Tippett is driving the offence. In the past 12 games, during which the Flyers have a record of 8-3-1, Tippett has 12 points (7 G, 5 A) and 49 shots on goal. That shot rate is an indication that Tippett is consistently dangerous on the attack and he is up to 27 goals on the season, putting him within one of his career high, set in 2023-2024. He is getting second unit power play time but is also skating with Trevor Zegras and Tyson Foerster at even strength.

#6 In mid-March, San Jose Sharks right winger Will Smith went through a six-game scoreless drought, but he has rebounded, putting up multiple points in four of his past six games, recording nine points (3 G, 6 A) with 15 shots on goal in those six contests. He is riding shotgun with Macklin Celebrini on the Sharks’ top line as well as getting first unit power play time, so Smith is in a prime position to finish the season strong.

#7 While the New York Rangers’ season is going nowhere, they have been relatively interesting for fantasy purposes down the stretch because they are generating offence. Since the Olympic break, winger Alexis Lafreniere has tallied 20 points (10 G, 10 A) with 48 shots on goal in 19 games. He is skating on a line with Mika Zibanejad and rookie Gabe Perreault at even strength, but the more interesting part is that Lafreniere is getting top unit power play time. He is up to 13 power play points, including eight power play goals, this season, which is easily the most power play production of his career and has put him within five points of his career high of 57 points, set in 2023-2024.

#8 It’s difficult to recommend a forward who is playing 13 minutes per game, but Avalanche winger Parker Kelly is riding a five-game point streak, during which he has seven points (4 G, 3 A) with 10 shots on goal. Kelly has career highs of 19 goals and 33 points this season, which does make him a little appealing in banger leagues because he also has 169 hits.

#9 Kelly isn’t the only depth forward getting the job done for the Avs. Jack Drury has chipped in six points (2 G, 4 A) with nine shots on goal in his past five games.

#10 When the New York Islanders acquired Brayden Schenn from the St. Louis Blues, Schenn had a modest 28 points (12 G, 16 A) with 87 shots on goal in 61 games for St. Louis. Sure, he has grit and experience, too, but that level of productivity was not super appealing for a team pushing for a playoff spot. Well, with a recent uptick in his production, Schenn has delivered 10 points (5 G, 5 A) and 24 shots on goal in 13 games for the Islanders. He also has 25 hits and 13 blocked shots, making him legitimately valuable for fantasy managers. Schenn is centering a line with Anthony Duclair and Mathew Barzal at even strength in addition to getting first unit power play time.

#11 One of the best in-season acquisitions, Pittsburgh Penguins winger Egor Chinakhov has produced 16 points (7 G, 9 A) and 43 shots on goal in his past 15 games. On a Penguins team in the middle of the playoff picture, Chinakhov is getting second unit power play time while skating on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust at even strength. He has hit career highs with 20 goals and 36 points this season after he had just six points (3 G, 3 A) in 29 games for Columbus before the trade.

#12 It’s been a tough season for the Calgary Flames, but they still offer some potential value for fantasy managers as they play out the string. Right winger Matt Coronato has contributed nine points (3 G, 6 A) and 22 shots on goal in his past nine games, a stretch that has seen the Flames go 5-3-1. He’s skating on a line with Morgan Frost and rookie Matvei Gridin at even strength, and Gridin is showing some promise, too, with nine points (2 G, 7 A) and 27 shots on goal in his past 14 games.

#13 Veteran Chicago Blackhawks winger Tyler Bertuzzi has contributed six points (3 G, 3 A) and 13 shots on goal in his past seven games, lifting him to a career high 31 goals for the season. He has made his mark on the power play, tallying 21 (11 G, 10) of his 55 points with the man advantage. At even strength, Bertuzzi is playing left wing on a line with rookie Anton Frondell in the middle and veteran Ilya Mikheyev on the right side.

#14 When he has been at his best, Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin is rarely available on the fantasy hockey waiver wire, but with some bouts of inconsistency this season, he is more accessible at this stage of the season. In his past seven games, Nichushkin has produced seven points (1 G, 6 A) with 15 shots on goal and he’s doing this while averaging just 15:20 of ice time per game, which is well below his season average of 17:51 per game and a far cry from the 20-plus minutes per game that he was averaging across the past three seasons.

#15 The Tampa Bay Lightning have been a resilient bunch this season, especially on the blueline, where they have been able to continue winning despite injuries to several regulars. One of the defenders that has stepped up is 27-year-old blueliner Charle-Edouard D’Astous who spent last season in Sweden and the two years before that playing in Finland. In his past six games, D’Astous has seven points (1 G, 6 A) with four shots on goal. That’s not a shot rate that suggests sustained offensive output but, with Victor Hedman out of the lineup, D’Astous is getting second-unit power play time for the Lightning and has played nearly 20 minutes per game over that seven-game span.

#16 New York Islanders rookie Calum Ritchie is getting more comfortable, it appears, as he is taking on more offensive responsibility for a team that is right in the middle of the playoff hunt in the Eastern Conference. In his past 13 games, Ritchie has contributed 11 points (5 G, 6 A) with 15 shots on goal. The youngster is getting first unit power play time and five of those 11 points have come with the Islanders on the PP. At even strength, he’s skating on a line with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Ondrej Palat.

#17 The Vegas Golden Knights made a surprise decision to replace head coach Bruce Cassidy with John Tortorella, and it will be up to Torts to get the Golden Knights’ star players to perform down the stretch and into the playoffs. Tomas Hertl, for example, has one assist and zero goals, despite 35 shots on goal in his past 13 games. It’s not easy to go without a goal on 35 shots, but that’s the slump that Hertl is stuck in at the moment. While Hertl is still on Vegas’ top power play unit, he is skating on a line with Reilly Smith and Colton Sissons, which may inhibit his offensive production.

#18 Some significant injuries could affect fantasy managers in these crucial final weeks of the season which cover fantasy playoffs. Anaheim Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier is out with an upper-body injury which has landed blue collar winger Jeffrey Viel a spot among Anaheim’s top nine forwards. In his past 20 games, Gauthier has 18 points (15 G, 3 A) with 69 shots on goal. Washington Capitals winger Aliaksei Protas also has an upper-body injury and Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart and defenceman Aaron Ekblad join a long list of teammates on the shelf.

#19 There are some goaltenders that are still available in a decent percentage of leagues who are among the hottest netminders in the game. Montreal’s Jakub Dobes has a record of 7-2 with a .942 save percentage in his past nine starts. The Habs have rookie Jacob Fowler waiting in the wings, but it appears that Dobes is taking the lead in the Montreal crease. In his past 10 starts, Edmonton Oilers goaltender Connor Ingram has a 7-2-1 record with a .909 save percentage. Not quite as dominant as Dobes, but Ingram is establishing that he’s the best option between the pipes for the Oilers.

#20 He may not be generating a ton of shots, but St. Louis Blues defenceman Philip Broberg is making the most of his opportunity to quarterback the team’s top power play unit. In his past six games, Broberg has recorded six points (2 G, 4 A) while managing just three shots on goal. Both of his goals were scored on the power play, however, and he played nearly 24 minutes per game across those six contests.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick