Aiden Fink – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: Victor Nuño – DYNASTY STOCK WATCH – Nashville Predators Edition

Victor Nuño — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:30:43 +0000

McKeen’s Hockey: Dynasty Stock Watch

Nashville Predators Edition

Team Outlook

The Nashville Predators remain in a complicated transition phase, attempting to balance short-term competitiveness with the need for meaningful internal growth. The summer of 2024 signings of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault were meant to accelerate a winning culture and stabilize the roster but instead preceded one of the worst seasons in franchise history, surpassed only by their inaugural campaign. Despite those struggles, Nashville has not fully pivoted toward a rebuild. Their roster still skews toward the middle of the league in average age, 15th overall, and the organization continues to signal a desire to compete rather than reset. That approach puts added pressure on their prospect pipeline to deliver impact contributors sooner rather than later.

There are still legitimate pillars in place. Luke Evangelista has taken another step forward and looks like a clear bright spot in the forward group, while Roman Josi’s health issues have fortunately not limited his overall effectiveness this season. Juuse Saros has also rediscovered his form, stabilizing the crease after some uncertainty. For dynasty managers, this is a critical evaluation window, identifying which young players are positioned to graduate into real roles, and which may struggle to find long-term fantasy relevance in a franchise still searching for its next true competitive identity.

Buy Candidates

NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 16: Nashville Predators right wing Matthew Wood (52) is shown during the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, held on April 16, 2025, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire)

Matthew Wood (RW, 20)

Why Buy?
Wood’s blend of size, skill, and shooting ability continues to make him one of the most intriguing assets in Nashville’s pipeline. At 6-foot-4, he protects the puck well, finishes from dangerous areas, and owns a heavy, accurate release that already looks like an NHL weapon. He has earned opportunities at the NHL level this season and has shown flashes as a legitimate scoring threat, particularly with his shot. While his overall impact has been uneven, his vision and playmaking remain underrated, and his game still projects best as a power forward who can create offense both off the rush and from set plays.

From a fantasy perspective, this is a classic buy window. According to Hockey Viz, Wood has not yet made Nashville’s offense more dangerous at either even strength or on the power play, which may cause some managers to cool on him prematurely. That data can be used as leverage in trade talks, even though it also shows that his shot is already well above league average in danger. Nashville lacks long-term top six wingers with size and finishing ability, and Wood has a clear path to filling that role once the coaching staff learns how to properly integrate him, particularly on the power play. With patience and the right deployment, he still carries legitimate 30-goal and top power play upside, making now an ideal time to acquire him before the results catch up to the tools.

Yegor Surin (C, 19)

Why Buy?
Surin is a strong example of a player whose box score alone undersells his overall impact. He plays with relentless energy, attacks the middle of the ice, and has the hands and creativity to make plays in traffic. His compete level is consistently high, and he has shown the ability to produce against older competition in the KHL. Surin can play both center and wing, contributes on the penalty kill, and generates offense through pace, pressure, and effort rather than relying on open ice. After flashing promise during his draft season, he has taken a meaningful step forward this year, raising his production to 27 points in 39 games for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, a notable jump given his role and usage in a strong KHL lineup.

From a fantasy perspective, Surin remains undervalued because he is not yet a household name and has not posted eye-catching totals, but the projection is compelling. Hockey Prospecting continues to peg him at a 45% chance of becoming a star, reflecting a profile that blends offensive upside with strong peripheral contributions in shots and hits. He looks like the type of player whose value could spike quickly once he transitions to North America and adjusts to the smaller ice surface. For dynasty managers, this is exactly the kind of player to acquire before the broader market catches up to the underlying indicators.

Ryker Lee (LW, 19)

Why Buy?
Lee is an emerging prospect on the rise. Despite being younger and less proven than other names on this list, his combination of processing speed, offensive awareness, and two-way responsibility makes him a fascinating long-term target. He has shown advanced play-driving ability for his age, with refined decision-making and improving skating that consistently puts him in the right areas to generate offense. Lee has been fantastic at Michigan State this season, posting thirteen points in sixteen games and establishing himself as a dynamic offensive presence capable of attacking off the rush and creating in tight spaces while remaining defensively reliable.

At a disappointing Under 20 World Junior Championship (U20WJC) for the Americans, Lee was a bright spot in spurts, scoring two goals and adding an assist in a depth role. His pNHLe in the NHL Rank King application is a bit down this season, but that should not be discouraging, as his usage and age context matter more than raw translation numbers at this stage. In dynasty formats, this is an ideal speculative buy. A slightly subdued U20WJC showing could allow savvy managers to acquire him at a discount, and Nashville’s patient approach with high-IQ prospects gives Lee a clear path to meaningful opportunity. Getting in early could yield significant return on investment as he continues to climb toward legitimate top six upside.

Sell Candidates

Zachary L’Heureux (LW, 22)

Why Sell?
L’Heureux plays a high-energy, physical style that makes him a fan favorite. He hits, agitates, and can score in tight areas, which has fueled the perception of him as a future impact winger. However, his offensive game has not progressed at the pace Nashville likely hoped. He relies more on effort than creativity, and discipline remains an ongoing concern. While his penalty minutes and physical edge can be attractive in certain fantasy formats, undisciplined play often limits ice time and trust at the NHL level.

From an analytics standpoint, his 2024–25 Evolving Hockey player card paints a clear picture: strong defensive impact but limited offensive contribution. He averages over three hits per game in just over twelve minutes of ice time, providing excellent peripheral coverage, but his playmaking, skating, and offensive processing do not project to consistent top six usage. With Nashville continuing to add more skilled forwards, L’Heureux increasingly looks like a bottom-six energy winger rather than a Tom Wilson–type difference maker. There is still value here, so do not sell him for nothing, but the odds of a true breakout are slim. With his name value remaining relatively high, this is an ideal window to move him before his role fully solidifies and his fantasy ceiling becomes clearer.

Brady Martin (C, 18)

Why Sell?
Martin’s draft stock rose on the back of his physical maturity and flashes of offensive upside. Making the Predators out of camp was certainly a feather in his cap. That said, his early NHL opportunity appears to be driven more by his strong defensive game than by high-end offensive acumen. While he plays a mature, responsible game, he has not consistently shown the pace or creativity typically associated with impact fantasy scorers.

From a fantasy perspective, the projection remains cloudy. His pNHLe via the NHL Rank King application has dipped this season, which more accurately reflects his likely points ceiling rather than his overall usefulness as a player. Martin profiles as someone who could provide solid peripherals (currently only 50th percentile for blocks, shots, and hits in the OHL) and reliable middle-six minutes, but not necessarily the type of scorer who moves the needle in dynasty formats. This sell recommendation is not an indictment of his NHL future, he looks like a safe bet to play meaningful games, but rather a recognition that his upside may be capped. With optimism still high around a recent draftee who cracked an NHL roster early, now is a good window to move him before the perception of breakout potential gives way to a clearer, more modest fantasy role.

Aiden Fink (RW, 21)

Why Sell?
Fink has one of the more entertaining offensive skill sets in the Predators’ system, built around quick edges, deceptive puck handling, and strong playmaking instincts. After dominating the AJHL, he transitioned smoothly to the NCAA and showed that his creativity and vision translate against higher-end competition. He reads defenders well, attacks off movement, and is effective facilitating offense rather than driving it alone. While he missed a significant portion of this season with a broken thumb, he is expected back soon, and a potential pairing with Gavin McKenna could boost his production and visibility down the stretch.

From a fantasy perspective, Fink profiles more as a high-end complementary piece than a true offensive driver at the NHL level. His pNHLe via the NHL Rank King application currently projects to be under 60 points, which suggests meaningful secondary offense rather than star-level production. Because he was not a high draft pick and has developed largely outside the spotlight, his dynasty cost remains affordable, but expectations should be managed. He may need time and the right deployment to carve out a role, likely as a top-six supporting winger with power-play utility. For deeper leagues, he remains a reasonable stash, especially if his production rebounds quickly upon return, but he is better viewed as a value add than a future centerpiece.

Summary

Player	Role	Key Insight
Matthew Wood	Buy	Power winger with size, scoring touch, and top six upside
Yegor Surin	Buy	High-motor, skilled forward with multi-cat potential
Ryker Lee	Buy	Smart, rising prospect with long-term top six potential
Aiden Fink	Sell	Intelligent winger that profiles more as a complementary piece
Zachary L’Heureux	Sell	Physical winger with limited offensive ceiling
Brady Martin	Sell	Safe projection but lacks high-end fantasy upside

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – NASHVILLE PREDATORS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #9

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 19:13:23 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 9th (May 2025 - 17th)
GM: Barry Trotz Hired: July 2023
COACH: Andrew Brunette Hired: May 2023

After a series of bold offseason moves, Nashville entered 2024-25 with lofty expectations. But a disappointing campaign has left them searching for a new direction. The most significant blow to the prospect pool came with the departure of goaltending prospect Yaroslav Askarov.

Still, GM Barry Trotz has a clear plan to speed up the retool. Fyodor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux both made the leap to full-time NHL roles this season, while sniper Joakim Kemell matched his previous AHL production with Milwaukee, putting himself on the cusp of an NHL spot.

Reinforcements are coming, too. Defenseman Tanner Molendyk and forwards Matthew Wood and David Edstrom are set to join Milwaukee, each bringing top six or top four potential. Overseas, Russian forward Yegor Surin continues to develop in the KHL, adding depth to a system that, while not elite, remains solid.

Perhaps the biggest reason for optimism lies in Nashville’s draft capital. Trotz has stockpiled an enviable arsenal of picks, with five in the first two rounds of 2025, including three first-rounders. With those selections, they took Brady Martin, Cameron Reid and Ryker Lee, all of whom take up the team’s top eight spots.

Martin is a big, physical forward who brings a relentless motor, the ability to play in all situations, and a penchant for hitting everything that moves. He immediately becomes Nashville’s top prospect.

For now, the pieces are in place. It’s just a matter of whether Trotz can turn a well-stocked draft board and a solid development base into the kind of talent infusion that powers a quick return to contention.

Nashville Predators Top-15 Prospects

1 - Brady Martin

Martin’s rapid ascension up draft boards late in the year was one of the biggest storylines of the 2025 NHL Draft. He finished the year very strongly in the OHL with the Greyhounds and then had an exceptionally strong U18’s for Canada, helping them capture gold. Martin, a farm boy from rural Ontario, personifies this workman like identity on the ice. He’s a relentless physical player and a true puck hound. He loves to get to the net. He can find success in any situation. His offensive game and upside are a polarizing topic of conversation, but we believe in his ability to put up points in the future and play on a scoring line. Martin, pending a tremendous NHL training camp, will return to the Greyhounds this year and look to emerge as one of the OHL’s premier players. With continued improvement to his skating, Martin should move quickly through the Nashville system to become an NHL regular sooner, rather than later.

2 - Tanner Molendyk

The one missing ingredient that the powerhouse Tigers needed before embarking upon their bold playoff run this spring was an elite puck-moving defenceman, which is why they paid a pretty penny to land Molendyk, who was one of the top prizes available overall leading up to the WHL trade deadline this spring. And totally unsurprisingly, his sublime, effortless skating ability has fit seamlessly into his new team's high-octane offensive approach, eventually leading to a league championship for Medicine Hat. Even though he doesn't rack up a lot of points his extreme mobility and breakneck pace still allow him to wreak havoc in a variety of other ways that tilt the ice in his club's favor, always keeping the opposing players on their heels or left in the dust. Molendyk might not reach quite the same heights as the Minnesota Wild's Brock Faber, who is a very similar kind of player, but it wouldn't be surprising if he got pretty close.

3 - Yegor Surin

2024 Predators first-round pick Yegor Surin earned his spot on Lokomotiv’s KHL roster through grit, hard work, and confident play. The young power forward quickly established a physical presence, using his strong frame to battle through contact and drive play. His forechecking has been ferocious, and he showed flashes of offensive upside with confident net drives, a heavy wrister, and solid playmaking. While Surin held his own in his first full KHL season, his puck decisions often felt rushed, as if he didn’t fully trust his instincts. With more experience, that confidence should grow, and his production will likely follow. He’s not NHL-ready yet, but his development is on track, even adding some championship DNA with a Gagarin Cup championship this spring. Surin projects as a future middle six, checking forward who brings energy, toughness, and scoring potential to Nashville’s lineup.

4 - Matthew Wood

Matthew Wood is the biggest wildcard in Nashville’s system. The 2023 first rounder could turn out to be a force, but he is far from a polished product. Wood spent last year with the Minnesota Golden Gophers after transferring from UConn, where he spent his first two NCAA seasons. He was a point-per-game player pretty much all through his NCAA career, which doesn’t indicate a lot of growth offensively. At his best, he looks every bit the skilled power forward teams dream of: big frame, soft hands, and a dangerous shot that can beat goalies clean. Some nights that player doesn’t show up though, leaving just a big, slower forward that makes mistakes with the puck. While there has been growth since his draft year, flashing his power game more, and growing as a playmaker, the improvements haven’t shown up on the scoresheet. If Wood can get more consistency in his game and improve his skating, the payoff could be immense. He is likely playing in the AHL this year, but there might be a top six forward in Nashville’s future here.

5 - Joakim Kemell

Going into last season, many Predators fans probably expected Joakim Kemell to make a strong push for a roster spot with the Predators, or at the very least return to the Milwaukee Admirals and put together a strong year in the AHL. Kemell didn’t necessarily have a bad training camp with the Predators, but he didn’t really force the Predators to keep him, either. Kemell was in-tough as a goal scoring option after the Predators brought in Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos, but the opportunity was there for Kemell to play more last season for a struggling Predators team. Kemell didn’t necessarily have a bad year for Milwaukee last year, either, but he hasn’t made the dynamic strides one would have hoped. The offensive ability is still there, as Kemell has the talent to make plays and score goals, but he really needs to develop consistency to forward himself as a legitimate top six NHL option. Kemell is projected to be a middle six offensive contributor at the NHL level but should get more games this season.

6 - David Edstrom

Edstrom has been the property of three NHL organizations already in his young career, but he’s stayed consistent. He played well in a third line center role for Frölunda, his presumed role in the NHL. Despite the big ask, he also played 1C for Sweden at the WJC In Ottawa and knocked it out of the park. Edstrom is a smart, versatile two-way center who does whatever is asked of him. Deployment in any zone, power play, penalty kill, you name it. He goes to the net, he’s tenacious in board battles, moves well off puck, and wins face offs. All signs point to Edstrom becoming a rock-solid bottom six center who can contribute in all three zones; although his limited explosiveness holds him back in transition a bit. Barring injury, it’s tough to see any surprises or deviations from that projection at this point in his development. The next step will be doing what he’s always done in the SHL, in the AHL. If he shows well there, it won’t be long until he’s in a Preds uniform.

7 - Cameron Reid

A strong skating defender with a high IQ, Reid was a first-round selection of the Predators in 2025. He is one of the better skaters in the OHL and this helps him to be an effective puck mover. Reid can also quarterback a power play with a strong point shot and excellent vision. The question marks surrounding Reid involve his defensive upside at the pro level. He’s not a huge defender, nor is he a physically intense player. There is a need for him to be more consistent in his own end. However, as he matures physically, his high IQ should help him to at least become adequate in the defensive end. Reid’s upside is that of a top four, puck moving defender. He’ll probably need at least a few years before he’s ready to challenge for a roster spot and would most definitely be behind the likes of Molendyk and Ufko for an offensive role over the next few seasons.

8 - Ryker Lee

One of the best indicators of how deep Nashville’s prospect pool is that Ryker Lee slots in at eighth. After lighting it up for Shattuck St. Mary’s for the better part of four years, Lee was incredible for the Madison Capitals this past season. He scored the most goals by a draft-year player in the USHL this season, and his incredible shot will be his money maker for years. Lee is overall, an offensive dynamo first and foremost. His stickhandling and vision are also advanced; all of these factors contributed to his first-round selection. The most negative factor in his game is by far his skating as a result, his strengths become limited in neutral ice. Lee will now be playing for Adam Nightingale at Michigan St. for at least the next two seasons. However, don’t count him out in that loaded lineup. He will be determined to make his mark for the Spartans this season.

9 - Reid Schaefer

Reid Schaefer battled with the injury bug all of last season, but he put together a strong sophomore pro campaign that was built on a good freshman season with the Milwaukee Admirals. When Schaefer’s in the lineup, he’s just tough to play against. He hounds loose pucks and opposing players, he’s always willing to engage with other players physically, and he never backs down from an opportunity to create havoc. This is what Schaefer needs to do to become a full-time NHL player with the Nashville Predators, and it’s great to see Schaefer stick to the game that got him here from the junior level. In terms of projections, Schaefer projects to be a hard-nosed third-line player at the NHL level, with the potential of having second-unit net-front power play time. There’s a chance he becomes more than a third-line player, perhaps a top six power forward, but he needs to keep working on his shot and playmaking abilities. We should see Schaefer become a full-time player with the Predators in the next one-to-two seasons.

10 - Teddy Stiga

Throughout last season, Stiga demonstrated consistent growth and development. Early on we highlighted his play-driving ability, offensive zone speed, and three-zone support. As the season progressed, his dynamic skating, agility, and hockey IQ became more evident, making him a constant offensive threat. His non-stop movement and knack for finding open space created scoring opportunities for himself and teammates. Defensively, Stiga showcased his awareness with an active stick, strong positioning, and well-timed stick checks, contributing in all situations. Stiga's primary strengths lie in his high-end skating, puck-handling, and decision making. His relentless forechecking pressure and creativity in tight spaces further elevate his impact. While he has shown commitment defensively, continuing to build strength and refine his physical game would enhance his effectiveness. Looking ahead, Stiga projects as a reliable middle six scoring forward with special teams upside. His blend of skill, awareness, and competitiveness suggests he could thrive in a variety of roles at higher levels, but the lack of size is always a concern.

11 - Ryan Ufko

Ufko is a mobile, puck-moving defenceman and being a right-shot makes him that much more coveted. He excels at quarterbacking the power play and has a good point shot to complement that. Ufko had a good showing as a rookie with Milwaukee in the AHL, but another year of getting stronger, to make up for his size, and increasing five-on-five-point production should serve him well.

12 - Andrew Gibson

Gibson couldn’t quite match the offensive output he did the year before and maybe that had to do with being traded midseason from Soo to Oshawa. Moving to the AHL next season, Gibson should at worst be a physical, third-pairing defenceman who can punish attackers with his size. It would be an added bonus if he finds more to his offensive game, but for now, that looks unlikely.

13 - Aiden Fink

Just like everyone expected of the seventh-round pick from the AJHL, Fink went to the NCAA, where he put up a point per game in 2023-2024 and last year was the league’s third-highest point scorer. Fink is a crafty winger who plays with high intensity and a shot that picks corners. He should remain one of Penn State’s best players on an already stacked team.

14 - Jacob Rombach

With his 6-foot-7 frame, Rombach clears defenders from dangerous areas with his elite stickwork or his size and strength. He can skate fairly well for a player his size, which allows him to efficiently spark a transition, but his offence largely stops there. He’ll need to be paired with someone more offensively capable. Nonetheless, Rombach will have all the opportunities to develop as an elite shutdown defenceman at the University of Minnesota for the next few years.

15 - Jack Ivankovic

Ivankovic makes up for his below-average stature with elite athleticism, hockey IQ, and the ability to play the puck. He anticipates the game well and it leads to his glove feeling like it’s twice its actual size. A lack of rebound control and erraticism lead to inconsistencies in his game-to-game performance. Ivankovic should be the go-to starter for Michigan next season, where he’ll face better attackers but also have a more organized defensive structure in front of him.

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #17 Nashville Predators – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Sun, 25 May 2025 12:33:22 +0000

PARADISE, NV - JUNE 28: Yegor Surin is drafted by the Nashville Predators in the first round during the Upper Deck NHL Draft on June 28, 2024 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire)

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Nashville 25 Prospects

BELL: 20 NHL Prospect Points – Mateychuk, Stankoven, Demidov, Buium + More

Josh Bell — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 14:20:07 +0000

Riley Heidt. Photo by Erica Perreaux

Welcome to 20 Prospect Points, a bi-weekly column where I dive into the trending prospects - drafted and draft-eligible - from around the globe.

This edition dives into Denton Mateychuk’s incredible scoring streak, Logan Stankoven and Brandt Clarke’s impressive AHL rookie seasons, the emergence of Ivan Demidov, Zeev Buium’s historic start to his NCAA freshman season, and much more.

Drafted Prospects

#1 I’m not sure there’s been a hotter prospect in hockey than Denton Mateychuk to start the 2023-24 season. The Columbus Blue Jackets prospect collected at least one point in the first 23 games of the Moose Jaw Warriors season, racking up 35 points (six goals, 29 assists) throughout that stretch. The streak recently came to an end, but not before getting an invite to Team Canada’s World Junior Selection Camp.

#2 It wasn’t that long ago that some were questioning Logan Stankoven’s future due to his 5-foot-8 stature. The former captain of the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers made the jump to the AHL and the Texas Stars lineup this season and has continued to prove all doubts wrong. The rookie has 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists), sitting second in the league behind teammate Mavrik Bourque. Stankoven also leads the league in goals so far. He’s on pace for a ridiculous 48 goals and 99 points.

#3 After spending another season in the OHL last season and proving to be way too good for the league, defender Brandt Clarke has jumped to the AHL this season with the Ontario Reign. The eighth-overall pick in 2021 has had an excellent start to his season thus far, putting up 25 points (five goals, 20 points) in just 23 games. That leads all defensemen in the league so far - and he’s doing it as a rookie. The sky is the limit for the young defender who may just earn a call-up sooner rather than later.

#4 Despite putting up 97 points in the WHL in his draft year, Riley Heidt slid down to 64th overall and the patiently waiting Minnesota Wild in the 2023 NHL Draft. And they have to be happy with the early signs from the Price George Cougars forward. Heidt is leading the league in points with 55 (15 goals, 40 assists) in just 28 games for a remarkable 1.96 points per game.

#5 Over in the OHL, Quentin Musty has taken a noticeable step forward this season. After being drafted 26th overall by the San Jose Sharks in 2023, Musty has returned to the Sudbury Wolves and made his presence known. He’s leading the league in points per game with an impressive 1.90, but his 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists) aren’t there yet due to a pair of suspensions. The Sharks will be hoping he can keep his discipline under control, but have to be happy with his progress.

#6 Speaking of the Sudbury Wolves, what a rookie season for St. Louis Blues’ prospect Dalibor Dvorsky so far. After starting the season in the SHL with inconsistent minutes, the 10th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft decided to head overseas and join the OHL team. That’s proven to be an excellent decision as he had points in all but two of his 20 games so far. That brings him up to 34 points (18 goals, 16 assists) and the third-highest points-per-game rate (1.70) in the league. Don’t expect him to slow down any time soon.

#7 Another 2023 draftee of the Blues, Juraj Pekarcik has had an excellent start to his North American career as well, making the move from Slovakia to the USHL and the Dubuque Fighting Saints. Through 18 games, he’s up to 27 points (five goals, 22 assists). Not bad at all for the 76th overall selection. He’s currently riding a 10-game point streak, where 18 of his points (two goals, 16 assists) have come from. He should be a standout for Slovakia at the World Juniors this month.

#8 Yet another Slovak that should turn heads at the World Juniors (again), netminder Adam Gajan made the jump to North America last season, spending most of his season in the NAHL. This year, the Chicago Blackhawks prospect stuck with the Green Bay Gamblers, going 14-4-1 with a .911 save percentage. That save percentage is second-best in the league while he also holds the most minutes played (1209) and saves (621) of any goalie this season. After being named the best goaltender in the 2023 World Juniors, he’ll be looking for a repeat of his performance in a couple of weeks in Gothenburg, Sweden.

#9 Over in the NCAA, another goaltender has been standing out in a big way. Freshman Jacob Fowler, drafted 69th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2023, headed to Boston College this season after a very successful couple of seasons in the USHL, where he was Goaltender of the Year in 2022-23. So far with Boston, he’s 13-3-1 with a .925 save percentage, a 2.16 goals against average, and one shutout. He has the most wins of any goalie in the NCAA and sits eighth in save percentage. He’s one of the three netminders for Team USA at the World Juniors this year and is in excellent form to cement himself as the No. 1.

#10 Fellow freshman Aiden Fink, a seventh-round draft pick of the Nashville Predators (218th overall), is also having a standout start to his season. Through 19 games, he’s up to 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists), leading Penn State University in all three categories and sitting 12 in the NCAA in points. It should be no surprise that he’s producing offense after a 97-point season last year in the AJHL, where he was named the league’s top forward. Keep an eye on him for the remainder of the season, where he could be at least a finalist for Freshman of the Year if this production continues.

Draft-Eligible Prospects

#11 After a rough start to the season for Ivan Demidov, due to a knee injury and playing limited minutes in the KHL, the forward has settled in with SKA-1946 St. Petersburg in the MHL and the stats are starting to back that up. After failing to hit the scoresheet in his first two games, he’s been on the board in every game since, collecting 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 10 games. Look for him to truly start to break out soon and his stat line to bloat.

#12 While Artyom Levshunov is the NCAA draft-eligible defender near the top of draft lists, it’s been Zeev Buium who has been the most offensively dominant defender in the NCAA - draft-eligible or otherwise. The University of Denver defenseman is up to a remarkable 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 18 games, putting him third in points in the NCAA, tied with projected first-overall prospect Macklin Celebrini. The defender is currently on pace for the highest-scoring season by a U19 defender in league history. Is Buium knocking on the door of the top 10? It’s extremely possible.

#13 Another defenseman who’s dominating the scoresheet, Zayne Parekh is up to an astounding 40 points (11 goals, 29 assists) in 27 games for the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. He’s second in the league for defenders, behind the impressive Vancouver Canucks’ prospect Hunter Brzustewicz (51 points). Parekh has some doubters out there, but there’s no question that he has tremendous offensive skill.

#14 Goaltender Ryerson Leenders of the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads has been off to an excellent start this season, putting together a 12-8 record, with a .913 save percentage and two shutouts to his name. While his 3.06 goals against average doesn’t exactly stand out, the netminder has the highest save percentage in the league (tied with two others) and the fourth-most saves. Plus, that goals-against average is still the eighth-best in the league. In a draft class without a big-name goaltender, Leenders is one to watch.

#15 QMJHL prospect Felix Lacerte has truly been coming on as of late, driving his point total up to 25 (14 goals, 11 assists) in 21 games for the Shawinigan Cataractes. He’s shown up clutch for his team in tough minutes and plays a hard game. Look for his name to rise up draft boards as the season rolls on, despite his 5-foot-10 frame.

#16 Swedish defenseman Leo Sahlin Wallenius has been on fire in the J20 Nationell, currently in the midst of a seven-game point streak that has seen him collect 13 points (three goals, 10 assists). He’s up to 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 27 games on the season with Vaxjo Lakers J20, sitting third among defenders in the league. The smooth-skating defender is a player to keep an eye on as the season rolls on.

#17 A lesser-known prospect, Leon Muggli has broken into the Swiss National League this season and I don’t think it’s being talked about enough just how impressive his season has been. The defender has nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 25 games, putting him tied for fifth all-time in the league for a U18 defender, already ahead of a well-known Swiss defender - Roman Josi (eight points in 35 games). His team EV Zug has potted the most goals of any team in the league this season, but it’s a record worth keeping an eye on.

#18 After being passed over in the 2023 NHL Draft, Jesse Pulkkinen has been looking to prove NHL teams wrong with his play in 2023-24. The defender proved too strong for the U20 SM-sarja after collecting 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 18 games, and got the call-up to the Liiga after a six-game stretch in the Mestis. Through four games, he’s picked up his first Liiga point and looks very much like he could be sticking in the league. He’s a top overage contender for the 2024 NHL Draft.

#19 Looking ahead to the 2025 NHL Draft, it’s impossible to ignore what goaltender Josh Ravensbergen is doing in the WHL. The Prince George Cougars netminder has a ridiculous 11-2-0 record with a 1.69 goals against average, a .940 save percentage, and SIX shutouts so far. The rookie leads the WHL in all three of those statistics as well. He’s a must-know name at this point.

#20 Looking even further into the future, Adam Nemec, a top prospect for the 2026 NHL Draft and the younger brother of New Jersey Devils’ defender Simon, recently got the call to the top men’s league in Slovakia with HK Nitra. He didn’t see any ice time, but it’s just a matter of time before he does. In 27 games with HK Nitra U20, he has 36 points (19 goals, 17 assists). For comparison, Simon had eight points in 13 games in the U20 league in his DY-2 - but played 12 games with the men’s club.

BELL: 20 Prospect Points – Johnson, Michkov, Celebrini, Silayev + More

Josh Bell — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 14:20:57 +0000

Welcome to the inaugural 20 Prospect Points, a bi-weekly column where I dive into the trending prospects - drafted and draft-eligible - from around the globe.

This edition takes a look at Kent Johnson, Matvei Michkov, and Hunter Brzsutewicz are a few of the drafted prospects turning heads, while Macklin Celebrini, Konsta Helenius, and Anton Silayev are turning heads ahead of the 2024 NHL Draft.

Drafted Prospects

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 29: Columbus Blue Jackets Left Wing Kent Johnson (13) looks on during the third period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Columbus Blue Jackets on April 29, 2022, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

#1 It was a little surprising to see Columbus Blue Jackets’ Kent Johnson sent down to the AHL this month, especially after putting up 40 points last season as a rookie. But it appears to be the right decision as the 2021 fifth-overall pick has been on fire, with 14 points (four goals, nine assists) through his first nine games - a 101-point pace through 65 games. Don’t expect him to stick around in the AHL for too long.

#2 At the start of last season, many rankings had Hunter Brzustewicz in their first round of the 2023 NHL Draft. By the end of the year, this wasn’t the case. He slid to the third round, 75th overall, where the Vancouver Canucks called his name. They have to be feeling pretty good about that decision now. He’s exploded out of the gate this year, putting up six goals (matching last year’s total) and 33 assists for 39 points in just 23 games. He’s on pace to smash last season’s total of 57 points. Not only is he leading all defenders in the OHL but he’s second overall in points in the league.

#3 It’s been a long road for Kieffer Bellows, being drafted back in 2016 by the New York Islanders 19th overall and never being able to break into the NHL. This season, he attended the Carolina Hurricanes training camp on a pro tryout before getting cut and signing a pro tryout with the Toronto Marlies. He’s been extremely impressive since then, putting up 12 points (six goals, six assists) in nine games with points in eight of those nine games. He’s done everything he can to earn himself a contract.

#4 At one point, there was discourse regarding Connor Bedard or Matvei Michkov for first overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. Due to the contract situation and rumours of concerns surrounding him both on and off the ice, he slid to seventh overall and the waiting Philadelphia Flyers. After being loaned to HK Sochi, he’s absolutely on fire in the KHL with 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 27 games. He’s on pace for 52 points right now and for what it’s worth, the U20 record in the KHL is Kirill Kaprizov’s 42 points in 2016-17.

#5 There’s been a lot of talk of Macklin Celebrini’s freshman season in the NCAA (we’ll get to that) and that’s been overshadowing another excellent rookie season - Gabe Perreault. Drafted by the New York Rangers 23rd overall in 2023 after a historic, record-setting 132 points in 63 games with the U.S. National U18 Team. He’s continued that office into his career with Boston College, already at 20 points (three goals, 17 assists) in 13 games. He’s currently on a nine-game point streak and shows no signs of slowing down.

#6 Another NCAA freshman that’s flying under the radar, Aiden Fink is commanding attention. Drafted 218th overall in 2013 by the Nashville Predators out of the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits (where he was league MVP), Fink is currently second in the NCAA in freshman points with 21 (nine goals, 12 assists), one behind Celebrini and four behind Massimo Rizzo for the league lead. The Predators have to be happy with their late-round pick.

#7 It’s been quite a year for Beau Akey, being drafted 56th overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2023 NHL Draft and signing his NHL entry-level contract. There was a strong chance of him dressing for Canada at the 2024 World Juniors, but that’s no longer possible after undergoing shoulder surgery for a dislocated shoulder. One of the top prospects for the Oilers, he’s likely done for the season - a big blow to his development.

#8 Tough news for another player who was taking a step forward this season, Rutger McGroarty will miss the remainder of the first half of the season for the University of Michigan - at least. He was stretchered off the ice after taking a hit to the boards on November 17th. The Winnipeg Jets prospect was up to 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in 13 games in his season, well on his way to passing his 39-point mark last season. This does put his spot at the World Juniors in a month in jeopardy, which would be an offensive blow to the team.

#9 Speaking of the World Juniors, it seems like we’ve seen the last of Seattle Kraken prospect Shane Wright on the WJC stage. Kraken general manager Ron Francis noted, “he's kind of been there done that.” Wright has participated in the World Juniors twice, although that includes the cancelled 2022 edition. But, he did captain the 2023 Canadian team to a gold medal. With his focus on carving out a permanent spot in the Kraken lineup, the decision makes sense.

#10 While we’re on the Kraken, they have to be happy with the massive step forward that Carson Rehkopf has taken this season. Drafted 50th overall in the latest draft, the Kitchener Rangers forward has been dominant this season in the OHL. He currently leads the league in goals (26) and points (45) through 25 games and is well on his way to double his draft year output of 59 points in 68 games.

Draft-Eligible Prospects

NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 1: NCAA men's hockey at Lawler Rink on December 1, 2023 in North Andover, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rich Gagnon)

#11 It’s safe to say that Macklin Celebrini is comfortable in the NCAA. The projected first-overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and the youngest player in the NCAA this season currently leads all freshmen with 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in just 13 games. His 1.69 points-per-game pace this season puts him third all-time for a U18 player in the NCAA and he should only get better as the season goes on. He’s a must-watch player this season for any hockey fan.

#12 Another player looking more than comfortable in their draft year, Konsta Helenius has simply been getting better and better. He’s carved out a top-six role for himself with the Liiga’s Jurkurit and is running with it, with 17 (eight goals, nine assists) points in his last 16 Liiga games. That doesn’t even include his tournament-leading six points (two goals, four assists) in three games at the U20 5 Nations Cup.

#13 Speaking of the 5 Nations Cup, it’s worth highlighting another Finn who also led the tournament in scoring: Emil Hemming. The right winger, who’s been impressive himself in the Liiga so far, matched Helenius’ point total with six (two goals, four assists) in one extra game played.

#14 Another tournament recently wrapped up as well, the U18 5 Nations Cup saw the USA dominate most of the event, winning three of their four matches. Cole Hutson, the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens’ prospect Lane Hutson, was arguably the top defender in the tournament, putting up seven points (two goals, five assists). His creativity and elusiveness were on full display at the event.

#15 However, the true story of the U18 5 Nations Cup was 2025 NHL Draft-eligible James Hagens. An early contender for the first-overall pick, the centerman put up a tournament-leading 11 points (two goals, nine assists) for the Americans, and an impressive 14 shots in the USA’s only loss in the event, a 7-6 shootout versus Sweden. Get used to hearing Hagens’ name - you’ll likely start hearing it a lot more.

#16 Another player worth highlighting from the U18 5 Nations Cup, Swedish defender Leo Sahlin Wallenius seemed to get more and more comfortable as the tournament went on, finishing with one point in every game for a total of four (one goal, three assists). But the true story is since the tournament - he’s returned to the J20 Nationell on fire, with nine points (three goals, six assists) in his first five games back.

#17 In recent years, the Chicago Steel have been a dominant force in the USHL. That doesn’t appear to be the case this season as they sit two points from the bottom of the league so far. That’s part of the reason that we haven’t been hearing the name Michael Hage as much as we should be. The Canadian centreman missed most of his DY-1 season but has been excellent so far this year, with 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in as many games with the struggling Steel. Keep an eye on him as the season rolls on.

#18 You’ve likely been hearing about the 6-foot-7 defender out of Russia that has shot up draft rankings early this season. Anton Silayev, while a polarizing prospect, has been the talk of the prospect world, having broken into the KHL, shattering the U18 point record for a defender, tying the U18 points record (any position), and tying the U19 record for a defender. He currently sits with 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 34 games and is on pace to double that before the season ends. Silayev should remain a topic of conversation all season.

#19 In the WHL, the play of Cayden Lindstrom is commanding attention. The forward is up to 32 points (18 goals, 14 assists) in 24 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers and is on pace to more than double his rookie-year output. Standing at 6-foot-5, 205 pounds with some of the softest hands around, Lindstrom is another prospect that has forced top-10 discussion.

#20 Another WHLer who is enjoying a breakout year, Terik Parascak has entered the season as a rookie for the Prince George Cougars and shocked at nearly a goal-per-game pace. He leads all draft-eligibles in the league in goals, with 21 in 23 games while adding 13 assists for 34 points. The winger is currently outpacing Connor Bedard’s draft year and while it’s likely he comes back down to earth at some point, it’s a remarkable start for the young prospect.

2023 NHL DRAFT: Round by round review – Brock Otten’s favourite picks and questionable selections.

Brock Otten — Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:19:13 +0000

NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 28: An NHL microphone setup for press conferences during the Upper Deck NHL Draft, June 28, 2023 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire)

The 2023 NHL Entry Draft has come and gone. I was fortunate enough to be in Nashville for the event, representing McKeen’s. Covering the draft is always such a whirlwind, as you try to balance conversations and social media analysis, while paying attention to each and every selection. Every year, when I reflect back on the draft, especially day two, it seems like I come across a few players that make me say, “wait…they got drafted!”

The draft itself also represents the conclusion of a season’s worth of hard work. It’s not just the draft guide. It’s all the coverage leading up to that; live viewings, video work, reports, notes, etc. This year, 99 out of McKeen’s Hockey’s Top 100 were drafted. While the accuracy of an independent scouting organization’s coverage is not truly assessed until five or ten years down the line (in comparison to actual NHL draft position), the immediate feedback given by that sort of parallel (with the opinion of NHL scouts) is encouraging and fulfilling.

So, let’s talk about my review of the draft. Chase Rochon, who was with me in Nashville, has written a comprehensive article that ranks and grades the performance of each team through his lens. I’m going to be doing something a little different. For each round, I’m going to highlight my two favourite picks and the pick that I have the most questions about. I’m also going to highlight five of my favourite players who went unselected this year.

Round One

Favourite Selection - Oliver Moore, 19th to Chicago

The opinions on Moore’s offensive upside vary. But at 19th, even if he only ends up as an Andrew Cogliano type role player, the value is great. But, if he does end up as a Dylan Larkin type, it suddenly becomes one of the best, if not the best pick in the first round. The best skater in the draft and one of the better defensive forwards in the draft, Moore was a personal favourite of ours at McKeen’s.

Favourite Selection - Ryan Leonard, 8th to Washington

Simply put, I would have taken Leonard earlier than this and preferred him to a few of the players who went ahead of him. Every year we look around the NHL playoffs and see teams finding success because of players like Leonard. This is someone who can have a similar impact in the league to the Tkachuk brothers. Leonard can really do it all on the ice; his game is so mature and consistent. This is the perfect selection for a team who wants to keep their competitive window open. Leonard may only need one year in the NCAA with Boston College.

Questionable Selection - Charlie Stramel, 21st to Minnesota

I know that his season in Wisconsin didn’t go according to plan, but why were NHL scouts so willing to give him a pass for poor play when they weren’t willing to do the same for the likes of Cam Allen or Caden Price. Because he’s a big, athletic pivot? So is a guy like David Edstrom and he went later in the first, despite showing a much steeper development curve than Stramel. If I was the Wild, I would be doing everything in my power to get him out of Wisconsin next year and into the WHL, where his power game would be highly appreciated.

Round Two

Favourite Selection - Lukas Dragicevic, 57th to Seattle

I’m far from a Dragicevic hype man. I think his game is flawed and I didn’t think he deserved to be a first-round pick (unlike others on the McKeen’s team). However, in the late second round? The upside is well worth the risk outside of the top 50. Seattle is a team that has drafted extremely well, and they could afford to bank on Dragicevic’s insanely high offensive potential. They drafted Ty Nelson last year and his defensive game made great strides this year. Dragicevic can do the same.

Favourite Selection - Danny Nelson, 49th to New York Islanders

Nelson was one of the most improved players in the second half of the draft year after switching to pivot full time and emerging at the U.S. shutdown center on the U18 team. He’s got size. He’s athletic. His on puck play and scoring ability improved greatly over the year. Is he someone that is just starting to scratch the surface of his potential? Did playing behind two unreal centers in Smith and Moore hide his abilities?

Questionable Selection - Brady Cleveland, 47th to Detroit

Quite frankly, I just feel that there were better defenders on the board still at this pick. I don’t see the upside with Cleveland. I think he can be an NHL defender in some capacity. He is a physical rock in the defensive end. But I don’t see the mobility or skill that would lead to him playing a significant role for Detroit in the future. This is especially true since I believe Detroit drafted a better shut down type in Andrew Gibson only a few picks earlier.

Jacob Fowler

Round Three

Favourite Selection - Nick Lardis, 67th to Chicago

We ranked Lardis 32nd fully knowing that he would end up falling a bit in the draft. That doesn’t mean I have to agree with it. Lardis was one of the OHL’s best players in the second half and in the first round of the playoffs. His speed is electric, and his shot will play. Other parts of his game will need to improve, but the upside is quite high. He could be a great linemate to Connor Bedard in the future.

Favourite Selection - Jacob Fowler, 69th to Montreal

I’ve said many times on social media and in work for McKeen’s, that Fowler is my favourite netminder in the class. He’s like DJ Khaled, all he does is win. He was terrific in the USHL this year. He was terrific at the WJAC’s. He is so composed and focused in the crease. Sure, there is a need for him to improve his quickness and agility, but that can happen in the NCAA with Boston College, where he could start for a great team and be a Mike Richter contender as a freshman.

Questionable Selection - Emil Pieniniemi, 91st to Pittsburgh

Simply put, we didn’t see the upside with Pieniniemi. We ranked him 191st for a reason. The profile grades out about average across the board and that screams projection concerns. What is he at the next level? I may have been able to put all of Pittsburgh’s selections in my questionable selection spot, if I’m being honest.

Round Four

Favourite Selection - Larry Keenan, 117th to Detroit

In reality, the third or fourth round was probably the right spot for Keenan to go. He’s a major long-term project. However, that doesn’t mean that I can’t love the pick. A similar player in Sam Rinzel went in the first-round last year. Keenan combines size, mobility, and skill together to give him outstanding upside if everything hits. I also love that he is heading to Penticton and then UMass, two outstanding programs. His development will be in good hands.

Favourite Selection - Luca Pinelli, 114th to Columbus

I wasn’t as high on Pinelli as some of my contemporaries who cover the OHL, but even I can admit that this was terrific value for Pinelli. If his quickness improves, he could be a really good middle six player at the NHL level; someone who can bring serious versatility to a coach in the future. His motor never quits and his vision/sense in the offensive end is high end.

Questionable Selection - Konnor Smith, 97th to Anaheim

The allure of Smith is that he’s a mammoth defender who plays an ultra-aggressive defensive game. He’s a real throwback to yesteryears. But the mobility, puck skill, and puck management will all need to improve drastically in order for him to be an NHL player. Other similar defenders have been taken out of the CHL in recent years and many have not even been signed. Inside the top 100, I would have had many other preferences…especially if the target was a potential shut down type.

Round Five

Favourite Selection - Cam Allen, 136th to Washington

Allen did not have a great year, there’s no denying that. But he was arguably the top defender available heading into this season. He still has upside, even if his decision making leaves a lot to be desired. Hopefully an offseason reset, in combination with consultation from NHL coaches at development, helps to get him back on the right track. In the fifth round, you won’t find better value.

Favourite Selection - Eric Pohlkamp, 132nd to San Jose

The USHL defenseman of the year award is a pretty prestigious one to win. Guys like Owen Power, Neal Pionk, Brandon Montour, and Jeff Petry have won it in recent years. Pohlkamp is a very interesting player. His game does need a fair amount of refinement; it can be very erratic. However, he also has some very good tools, including mobility, a mammoth point shot, and a physically aggressive approach. He’ll be able to take on an immediate top four role in Bemidji State next year and we should get an idea pretty quickly as to how well his game translates to the NCAA level.

Questionable Selection - Melvin Strahl, 156th to Columbus

Strahl is a goaltender who wasn’t on our radar this year. In fact, I don’t think he was really on the radar of any independent scouting organization. For good reason it would appear too, as he struggled in the J20 this season, even getting demoted to the J18 level. I would have definitely preferred a handful of other netminders at this spot, if goaltending was the target.

Jeremy Hanzel. Photo by Brian Liesse.

Round Six

Favourite Selection - Jeremy Hanzel, 187th to Colorado

Our Western scouts at McKeen’s loved Hanzel as one of the top re-entry guys available this year. He was outstanding for Seattle through the season and into the playoffs/Memorial Cup. On a Thunderbirds team that was stacked with NHL talent, Hanzel was often the team’s best defender. I would be shocked if he returns to the WHL for his overage season. He could have an immediate pro impact similar to Ryker Evans.

Favourite Selection - Filip Eriksson, 165th to Montreal

Kind of a random one here as there were a bunch of great value picks in the sixth round. We actually didn’t even have Eriksson ranked, but I would have had him ranked on my own list. He didn’t play a ton this year due to injury, but he was good at the J20 level and even looked comfortable in the SHL in a cup of coffee. The athletic tools need to improve, but the IQ will play. Can the speed and strength improve as he plays more? These are the types of players you take in the later rounds.

Questionable Selection - Yegor Yegorov, 176th to Calgary

Another questionable goaltending selection if you ask me. The stats weren’t terrific by MHL standards (to give you an idea, a .915 save percentage placed him 42nd among MHL goalies this year). He also was part of a three headed goalie platoon this year, posting the weakest stats of the three. Stats aren’t everything of course, but I love our Russian scouts and Yegorov really wasn’t someone who was brought to our attention by them. Again, give me Stephen Peck, Alexander Hellnemo, or Noah Erliden here over Yegorov.

Round Seven

Favourite Selection - Aiden Fink, 218th to Nashville

Fink piled up the accolades this year in the AJHL. He was the league’s MVP. He won the Centennial Cup. He was one of the best players at the WJAC’s. He’s small and he’s not a dynamic skater. That recipe was sure to make him fall. But in the seventh? That’s outstanding value for Fink, who has terrific offensive potential. Penn State will be a great spot for him too.

Favourite Selection - Tyler Peddle, 224th to Columbus

Mr. Irrelevant! Peddle took quite the mighty tumble thanks to a pretty indifferent season in the QMJHL this year on a middling Drummondville team. But he still has great power forward potential, particularly as a goal scorer. The athletic profile is interesting and at the back of the seventh round that could end up being a great pick for the Blue Jackets. The next Josh Anderson?

Questionable Selection - Sebastian Bradshaw, 221st to Dallas

Hard to truly argue against a seventh-round selection. They’re all longer shots. But Bradshaw is an interesting one. He’s a big kid, but he only played in the AYHL this year with Elite Hockey Academy, a school in Connecticut. He wasn’t the leading scorer on his team, and he didn’t exactly light up Ontario U16 and U18 before making the move south of the border. A London Knights U18 draft pick, Bradshaw seems headed to play for Brooks of the AJHL next year. A solid destination, no doubt, but I would have wanted to see him play at a higher level first. Especially given some of the players still on the board

Best of the Unselected

1. Francesco Dell’Elce - Defense, St. Andrew’s College, CISAA

This one shocked me. I knew that some scouts were concerned about his slight frame and defensive IQ, but I didn’t think that he’d go completely undrafted. His offensive potential from the blueline is through the roof and I think that alone was worth a late selection. He’ll have a great chance of being selected in the coming years. He’s going to play with BCHL powerhouse Penticton next year and then head to UMass after that. Strong play at either of those spots could put him on the re-entry radar over the next few drafts.

2. Stephen Peck - Goaltender, Avon Old Farms, USHS Prep

Another one that shocked me considering that both Slukynsky and Guimond were selected. Peck helped Avon Old Farms capture the New England Prep Championship this year and he was one of my favourite goaltenders eligible this year. Tracks the play really well and is incredibly composed in his crease. He’s got a scholarship to Michigan in his back pocket, but likely suits up in the USHL or NAHL next year.

3. Joe Connor - Center, Avon Old Farms, USHS Prep

Speaking of Prep champion Avon Old Farms, insert their leading scorer Joe Connor, who had a really good year for a Prep level player. He was good for the U.S. at the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup in the summer. He played great in the prep circuit and was also solid in a cup of coffee in the USHL. Do I wish he were a more dynamic skater given his lack of size? Absolutely. But he competes hard in all areas of the ice, and I really like his odds of becoming a quality NCAA player for Northeastern in the future.

4. Hannes Hellberg - Wing, Leksands IF J20, J20 Nationell

In my opinion, Hellberg was one of the top re-entry guys available this year after he was named the J20’s top forward this year and led the J20 circuit in playoff scoring. Hellberg also only missed being first time draft eligible this year by a few weeks, with an early September birth date. He’s a big winger with a great goal scoring touch. I know that Hellberg already signed with HockeyAllsvenskan for next year, but I would have loved to see him come to the CHL to find success like Lucas Edmonds.

5. Ondrej Molnar - Wing, Erie Otters, OHL

Look, I understand why Molnar wasn’t selected. An undersized winger who had trouble getting inside the dots at the OHL level this year while playing for a bad team. Additionally, that floorball incident in Slovakia hangs over his head, forcing the move to the OHL and preventing him from competing internationally. Yet, this is also a player who came into the season as a first-round candidate because of his skill and ability to impact the game in transition. The offensive potential is still sky high.

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL DRAFT GUIDE – The McKeen’s team sleeper picks

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 14:47:12 +0000

One of the questions consistently asked of us on social media is “who are your favourite sleepers this year?” The concept of a draft “sleeper,” or a player currently flying under the radar is something that fascinates many draft followers. Everyone has their favourite, so we asked our scouting team to supply theirs! This article is included in our recently published McKeen's 2023 NHL Draft Guide. If you are not a subscriber check out more info here.

Brock Otten (Director of Scouting)

Joey Willis of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images

Joey Willis - Center - Saginaw Spirit

The stat line won’t wow you. The physical tools won’t wow you. Yet, this is a player who consistently passes the eye test. On a deep Saginaw team, he consistently found a way to be noticeable. He has strong two-way instincts, is creative, and is a really strong playmaker. This was Willis’ first year playing above the AAA level, so no wonder the physical tools are lagging behind. Lots of room for this player to grow with increased confidence.

Larry Keenan - Defense - Culver Academy

Keenan is a very raw defensive prospect from the prep scene. He’s going to require a ton of patience as his game adapts to playing at the higher levels. However, he may be one of the most electric skating defenders available this year and he’s 6’3. His athleticism is off the charts good, and he is headed to a program (UMass) with a great track record for developing defenders.

Eric Pohlkamp - Defense - Cedar Rapids Roughriders

For my money, one of…if not the best re-entry player available this year. The USHL’s defenseman of the year is just a really fun player to watch. He’ll need to alter a few things to adapt his game to the next level, but he has a really intriguing upside. His point shot is one of the best available this year. He skates well. He defends aggressively. The rapid progression he showed this year in his second USHL season was remarkable. He also looked great at the World Junior A Challenge playing against some pretty good other players.

Derek Neumeier (Assistant Director of Scouting)

Josh Van Mulligen — Defense — Medicine Hat Tigers

A person might see Van Mulligen's minuscule point totals from this season and assume that he's not a good prospect, but that would be unwise. His value is at the other end of the ice, disrupting the offensive efforts of the opposing teams. He combines his long reach with clean footwork in all directions to close gaps and get his stick in shooting lanes. His capacity as a puck transporter is improving too, and it could make a lot more progress down the road as he adds strength and power into his lower body. He has the tools to become a true defensive specialist in the NHL one day.

Isac Hedqvist — Wing — Luleå

Hedqvist flew under the radar this season because he didn't play for Sweden internationally, but he didn't look out of place in the SHL games that he dressed for, which measured him up well against his top countrymen in this year's draft class. He's a winger who overcomes his smaller stature by being smart, tenacious, and playing with a competitive edge. He's around the puck a lot with his efforts, and when he wins them, he knows how to drive them to the opposing net. With such great pro tendencies already, it bodes well for how his game will grow over time.

Vojtech Port — Defense — Edmonton Oil Kings

It's a real shame that Port suffered a season-ending injury with a lot of hockey left to go, because he was making a real statement with his play. The rebuilding Oil Kings were an unmitigated disaster all season, but the import Czech defender was unfazed and just kept chugging away, logging big minutes in all situations and doing a lot of positive things in his shifts. He knows how to use his large frame to his advantage, he skates and handles the puck well, and he isn't afraid to be a focal point for his team. There could be a lot of untapped potential here.

Adam Tate (Western Region Scout)

Ty Halaburda - Wing - Vancouver Giants

I wrote about Ty Halaburda back in December as a notable mid-round candidate and I’m still on the Halaburda Hype Train now. His Vancouver Giants were eliminated early in the playoffs, so he was added to Canada’s roster for the U-18’s in April. He had a decent tournament, but I think he’d be the first to tell you he didn’t play as well as he would’ve hoped. As for his outlook as a pro, his ceiling is likely as a bottom six winger, but I think he’ll be able to thrive there. His skating is his best trait, but I think his hockey awareness is good as well. There is the potential to provide some secondary scoring and penalty kill utility at the bottom of a team’s forward lineup.

Matej Deraj (Central European Scout)

Maroš Jedlička – W/C – HKM Zvolen, Slovakia

Jedlička is already a double overager and may even end up not being drafted again, but his game would fit perfectly on the North American ice. He is a physical winger with solid skating, offensive skills, and more than a solid size (6´2”, 201 lbs). He likes to drive to the net and finishes his checks. He´s been a key part of Zvolen´s offense in the Slovak top tier league for two years in a row and has drawn a lot of NHL interest. He projects as a middle-six physical winger with a scoring touch who is able to play on both special teams.

Chase Rochon (Video Scout)

Aiden Fink - Wing - Brooks Bandits

Aiden Fink is a unique prospect in this year's draft class mainly because he is one of the only players on our ranking coming from the AJHL playing for the Centennial Cup champion Brooks Bandits. Fink isn't only undervalued because of his strength in the league but also because of his smaller frame of 5’9”, 152lbs. These factors do not stop Fink's dynamic offensive ability as a high-paced winger with great offensive tools, which he uses to drive the net. Fink has a real knack for scoring goals and using his awareness to find open space to take advantage of his quick release.

Chapin Landvogt (Central European Scout)

Arno Tiefensee - Goaltender - Mannheim Adler - DEL

Imagine being a 6’4”, 190-pound goaltender by the time you’re 18, heading to the WJC, and then falling into anonymity after getting shellacked in two outings on the world stage. Like a phoenix out of the ashes, you get your shot in a top European pro league with a top address atage 20 - and you run with it. We mean, you go 13-10, pitch 3 shutouts, and rack up a 2.43 GAA and .910 save percentage. Then you’re the starter in the playoffs, dialing in for a 2.07 GAA and .914 save percentage in 12 outings. You’re even in heavy consideration for an appearance at the World Championships. Well, we’ve just described the story of the calm, collective, and focused Tiefensee, who’s likely coming to an NHL franchise near you this summer.

Joely Stockl (Ontario Regional Scout)

Easton Cowan - Wing - London Knights

Easton Cowan has been an intriguing player all season long, but his playoff performance offensively alongside Denver Barkey has been something to behold. The combination of his smarts and work ethic is what makes Cowan so unique in this draft class, and these are the two driving forces in his game. Cowan translates as a 200-foot utility player at the next level who can provide secondary scoring. He is a forward that can play on both special teams units, plays with undeniable energy, and will give 110% effort on every single play. His offensive production late in the season is giving teams a reason to call Cowan’s name earlier rather than later in this year’s NHL draft.

Mark Dube (U.S. and Video Scout)

Noah Dower Nilsson - Wing/Center - Frölunda HC J20

Dower Nilsson is coming off a very impressive season in the J20 Nationell finishing 7th in the league in scoring posting 54 points in 37 games, tops among all draft eligible players. He also had a solid U18 showing although playing a limited role on a pretty strong team. Dower Nilsson possesses that raw talent that if developed properly could turn out to be a great pick up for any NHL team that selects him. He has good compete and has some scoring upside which are two attributes that every GM loves in a prospect. It is easy to see him becoming a solid middle-six player.

Viktor Fomich (Russian Scout)

Bogdan Konyushkov - Defense - Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)

When a player is undrafted a couple of times already and is in his last year of draft eligibility, it takes something special for him to finally get noticed. If we look at the basic stat line it looks good, but not too special for defenseman Bogdan Konyushkov, which is likely the reason there isn’t much mainstream talk about him outside of Russia, yet even just pure stats can be more interesting if we look at those closer and at the right angle. First thing that stands out in case of Konyushkov is that despite his age he made his KHL debut just this season and actually led his KHL team in average ice time, as his cerebral game on both ends convinced coach Igor Larionov to immediately give him an opportunity for a leading role on the team. And if we look at advanced stats, those are telling that this trust paid off really well, as Konyushkov is among the league’s leaders in both completed pass amount and percentage, as well as in the puck battle win percentage — quite a debut season I’d say. As a bonus Konyushkov is right handed, just in case if everything described above isn’t convincing enough yet about him potentially being a very intriguing prospect for the coming draft.

Ethan Hetu (U.S. Regional Scout)

Will Vote - Wing - U.S. NTDP

5’7” and 159. Those are the two numbers that will hurt USNTDP forward Will Vote the most in the draft process. His height and weight, respectively, numbers that pose a real challenge to his pro projectability. The number that won’t hurt Vote one bit when scouts dig into his game in advance of the 2023 draft? 110. That’s the percentage effort Vote gives on every shift, and what makes him an intriguing sleeper candidate. He proved this year that he can thrive in a role as a complementary player, leveraging his work rate, hockey IQ, and shooting ability to elevate his linemates. Would his profile look a whole lot better if he had the type of standout skating scouts look for in players his size? Absolutely, but it’s hard to watch the kind of nightly game Vote plays and not expect him to find a way to make it work at more challenging levels of competition.

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL DRAFT – FINAL RANKINGS – TOP 224 Plus Honourable Mentions

McKeen's Scouting Team - Director of Scouting, Brock Otten — Sun, 28 May 2023 16:20:45 +0000

It’s that time! The McKeen’s scouting staff has finalized our final rankings for the 2023 NHL Draft ahead of the release of our draft guide in a few weeks. As per usual, our list runs 224 players deep to match the number of selections in the draft, but we have included over 300 players when you include our Honorable Mentions.

Much to the surprise of no one, Connor Bedard remains our top ranked player, as he has been all season long. In fact, our top three remains unchanged from our midseason rankings with Adam Fantilli and Leo Carlsson holding down the second and third spots, respectively. There has been one change in our top five with Will Smith leapfrogging Matvei Michkov into the fourth position following his dominant second half and U18’s.

Russian defender Dmitry Simashev remains our top ranked blueliner but has now moved into the top ten. His combination of size, mobility, physicality, and improving offensive skill set is going to be alluring to NHL teams and we feel that his upside is the highest in a weaker crop for defenders.

A trio of Swedish players are among our biggest risers from our midseason list, with Tom Willander, Anton Wahlberg, and David Edstrom all jumping up into the first round. All three were excellent in the second half of the season, which culminated with strong performances at the U18’s. Willander, in particular, has a huge fan in our Director of Scouting, Brock Otten. “If you were to ask me who my favourite defender in the draft class is, I’d probably say Willander. He rarely makes a poor play and I believe that we are underappreciating his potential as an NHL defender because of how efficient and safe his game can be. I would be shocked if he does not become a quality second pairing guy at the NHL level and I don’t think the other defenders ranked in the first have that same assurance,” said Otten.

Another massive jumper in our list is Hamilton Bulldogs winger Nick Lardis. 98th on our midseason list, Lardis now finds himself ranked just inside of our first round. His play with Hamilton, following a trade from Peterborough has vaulted him up draft boards, including ours. His combination of quickness and scoring ability gives him a solid projection at the NHL level.

Despite having two goaltenders inside of our first round at midseason (Carson Bjarnason and Michael Hrabal), we ended the year with none. Trey Augustine is now our top ranked netminder, ranked in the mid second round. However, Augustine, Bjarnason, Hrabal, and USHL Clark Cup MVP Jacob Fowler are all closely ranked in that range.

Look for the release of our 2023 Draft Guide in the next couple weeks. It will include all of our rankings and reports, a mock draft, a preview of the 2024 NHL Draft, and much more.

As a subscriber, link to our full ranking with links to the player pages here - McKeen's Draft Rankings - You can download the ranking as an excel file as well.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	HT/WT	DOB	NATION	TEAM	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Connor Bedard	C	5-10/185	17-Jul-05	Canada	Regina (WHL)	57-71-72-143
2	Adam Fantilli	C	6-2/195	12-Oct-04	Canada	Michigan (B1G)	36-30-35-65
3	Leo Carlsson	C	6-3/200	26-Dec-04	Sweden	Orebro (SHL)	44-10-15-25
4	Will Smith	C	6-0/175	17-Mar-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	59-51-75-126
5	Matvei Michkov	RW	5-10/170	9-Dec-04	Russia	SKA St. Petersburg-HK Sochi (KHL)	30-9-11-20
6	Zach Benson	LW	5-9/160	12-May-05	Canada	Winnipeg (WHL)	60-36-62-98
7	Dalibor Dvorsky	C	6-1/200	15-Jun-05	Slovakia	AIK (HockeyAllsvenskan)	38-6-8-14
8	Ryan Leonard	RW	5-11/190	21-Jan-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	56-50-43-93
9	Dmitri Simashev	D	6-4/200	4-Feb-05	Russia	Loko Yaroslavl-Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL)	33-1-11-12
10	Matthew Wood	RW	6-3/195	6-Feb-05	Canada	Connecticut (HE)	35-11-23-34
11	Oliver Moore	C	5-11/185	22-Jan-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	60-31-43-74
12	Colby Barlow	LW	6-0/195	14-Feb-05	Canada	Owen Sound (OHL)	59-46-33-79
13	Nate Danielson	C	6-1/185	27-Sep-04	Canada	Brandon (WHL)	68-33-45-78
14	Axel Sandin Pellikka	D	5-11/180	11-Mar-05	Sweden	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	31-16-20-36
15	Daniil But	LW	6-5/200	15-Feb-05	Russia	Loko Yaroslavl-Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL)	32-18-14-32
16	David Reinbacher	D	6-2/185	25-Oct-04	Austria	Kloten (Sui-NL)	46-3-19-22
17	Eduard Sale	LW	6-1/170	10-Mar-05	Czech	HC Kometa Brno (Czechia)	43-7-7-14
18	Samuel Honzek	LW	6-3/185	12-Nov-04	Slovakia	Vancouver (WHL)	43-23-33-56
19	Mikhail Gulyayev	D	5-11/170	26-Apr-05	Russia	Omskie Yastreby (MHL)	22-2-23-25
20	Lukas Dragicevic	D	6-1/190	25-Apr-05	Canada	Tri-City (WHL)	68-15-60-75
21	Gabe Perreault	RW	5-11/165	7-May-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	62-53-79-132
22	Otto Stenberg	C	5-11/180	29-May-05	Sweden	Frolunda (Swe J20)	29-11-15-26
23	Tom Willander	D	6-1/180	9-Feb-05	Sweden	Rogle (Swe J20)	39-4-21-25
24	Calum Ritchie	C	6-2/185	21-Jan-05	Canada	Oshawa (OHL)	59-24-35-59
25	Andrew Cristall	LW	5-9/165	4-Feb-05	Canada	Kelowna (WHL)	54-39-56-95
26	Gavin Brindley	C	5-8/165	5-Oct-04	USA	Michigan (B1G)	41-12-26-38
27	Bradly Nadeau	LW	5-10/165	5-May-05	Canada	Penticton (BCHL)	54-45-68-113
28	Anton Wahlberg	C	6-3/195	4-Jul-05	Sweden	Malmo (Swe J20)	32-14-13-27
29	Riley Heidt	C	5-10/180	25-Mar-05	Canada	Prince George (WHL)	68-25-72-97
30	Brayden Yager	C	5-11/165	3-Jan-05	Canada	Moose Jaw (WHL)	67-28-50-78
31	David Edstrom	C	6-3/185	18-Feb-05	Sweden	Frolunda (Swe J20)	28-15-13-28
32	Nick Lardis	LW	5-10/165	8-Jul-05	Canada	Pbo-Ham (OHL)	69-37-28-65
33	Kasper Halttunen	RW	6-3/205	7-Jun-05	Finland	HIFK (Fin-Liiga)	27-0-1-1
34	Jayden Perron	RW	5-9/165	11-Jan-05	Canada	Chicago (USHL)	61-24-48-72
35	Oliver Bonk	D	6-2/175	9-Jan-05	Canada	London (OHL)	67-10-30-40
36	Quentin Musty	LW	6-2/200	6-Jul-05	USA	Sudbury (OHL)	53-26-52-78
37	Trey Augustine	G	6-1/185	23-Feb-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	28-1, 2.14, 0.925
38	Tanner Molendyk	D	5-11/185	3-Feb-05	Canada	Saskatoon (WHL)	67-9-28-37
39	William Whitelaw	RW	5-9/170	5-Feb-05	USA	Youngstown (USHL)	62-36-25-61
40	Ethan Gauthier	RW	5-11/175	26-Jan-05	Canada	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	66-30-39-69
41	Gracyn Sawchyn	C	5-11/160	19-Jan-05	USA	Seattle (WHL)	58-18-40-58
42	Carson Bjarnason	G	6-3/185	30-Jun-05	Canada	Brandon (WHL)	21-19, 3.08, 0.900
43	Aram Minnetian	D	5-11/190	19-Mar-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	61-7-24-31
44	Michael Hrabal	G	6-6/210	20-Jan-05	Czech	Omaha (USHL)	9-13, 2.86, 0.908
45	Jacob Fowler	G	6-1/215	24-Nov-04	USA	Youngstown (USHL)	27-9, 2.28, 0.921
46	Oscar Fisker Molgaard	C	6-0/165	18-Feb-05	Denmark	HV 71 (SHL)	41-4-3-7
47	Carson Rehkopf	LW	6-1/195	7-Jan-05	Canada	Kitchener (OHL)	68-30-29-59
48	Beau Akey	D	5-11/170	11-Feb-05	Canada	Barrie (OHL)	66-11-36-47
49	Danny Nelson	C	6-3/200	3-Aug-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	61-20-26-46
50	Etienne Morin	D	6-0/180	9-Mar-05	Canada	Moncton (QMJHL)	67-21-51-72
51	Felix Nilsson	C	6-0/175	22-Jun-05	Sweden	Rogle (Swe J20)	36-19-22-41
52	Maxim Strbak	D	6-1/205	13-Apr-05	Slovakia	Sioux Falls (USHL)	46-5-13-18
53	Jakub Dvorak	D	6-5/205	25-May-05	Czech	Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia)	24-0-2-2
54	Carey Terrance	C	6-0/175	10-May-05	USA	Erie (OHL)	67-30-17-47
55	Jesse Kiiskinen	RW	5-11/180	23-Aug-05	Finland	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	31-20-23-43
56	Mathieu Cataford	C	5-11/185	1-Mar-05	Canada	Halifax (QMJHL)	68-31-44-75
57	Roman Kantserov	RW	5-9/175	20-Sep-04	Russia	Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL)	45-27-27-54
58	Tristan Bertucci	D	6-1/170	12-Jul-05	Canada	Flint (OHL)	63-11-39-50
59	Andrew Gibson	D	6-3/195	13-Feb-05	Canada	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	45-7-14-21
60	Caden Price	D	6-0/185	24-Aug-05	Canada	Kelowna (WHL)	65-5-35-40
61	Charlie Stramel	C	6-3/215	15-Oct-04	USA	Wisconsin (B1G)	33-5-7-12
62	Coulson Pitre	RW	6-0/170	13-Dec-04	Canada	Flint (OHL)	59-25-35-60
63	Adam Gajan	G	6-2/165	6-May-04	Slovakia	Chippewa Steel (NAHL)	19-12, 2.57, 0.917
64	Hoyt Stanley	D	6-2/185	4-Feb-05	Canada	Victoria (BCHL)	53-4-34-38
65	Andrew Strathmann	D	5-10/190	27-Feb-05	USA	Youngstown (USHL)	56-3-35-38
66	Hunter Brzustewicz	D	5-11/185	29-Nov-04	USA	Kitchener (OHL)	68-6-51-57
67	Luca Pinelli	C	5-8/165	5-Apr-05	Canada	Ottawa (OHL)	67-29-34-63
68	Cam Allen	D	6-0/195	7-Jan-05	Canada	Guelph (OHL)	62-5-20-25
69	Tanner Ludtke	C	6-0/185	27-Nov-04	USA	Lincoln (USHL)	57-32-34-66
70	Theo Lindstein	D	6-0/180	5-Jan-05	Sweden	Brynas (SHL)	32-1-1-2
71	Koehn Ziemmer	RW	6-0/205	8-Dec-04	Canada	Prince George (WHL)	68-41-48-89
72	Carter Sotheran	D	6-3/195	26-Jun-05	Canada	Portland (WHL)	68-4-19-23
73	Arttu Karki	D	6-1/175	8-Dec-04	Finland	Tappara (Fin-U20)	36-13-26-39
74	Albert Wikman	D	6-0/190	10-Mar-05	Sweden	Farjestads (Swe J20)	43-2-10-12
75	Quinton Burns	D	6-1/180	14-Apr-05	Canada	Kingston (OHL)	54-2-27-29
76	Nico Myatovic	LW	6-2/180	1-Dec-04	Canada	Seattle (WHL)	68-30-30-60
77	Jeremy Hanzel	D	6-0/190	27-Feb-03	Canada	Seattle (WHL)	66-13-35-48
78	Easton Cowan	RW	5-10/170	20-May-05	Canada	London (OHL)	68-20-33-53
79	Juraj Pekarcik	LW	6-2/185	12-Sep-05	Slovakia	HK Nitra (Slovakia)	30-0-3-3
80	Denver Barkey	C	5-8/160	27-Apr-05	Canada	London (OHL)	61-22-37-59
81	Martin Misiak	RW	6-2/195	30-Sep-04	Slovakia	HC Nove Zamky (Slovakia)	29-1-9-10
82	Drew Fortescue	D	6-1/175	28-Apr-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	61-1-25-26
83	Felix Unger Sorum	RW	5-11/170	14-Sep-05	Sweden	Leksands (Swe J20)	42-10-36-46
84	Lenni Hameenaho	RW	6-0/175	7-Nov-04	Finland	Assat (Fin-Liiga)	51-9-12-21
85	Kalan Lind	LW	6-0/160	25-Jan-05	Canada	Red Deer (WHL)	43-16-28-44
86	Rasmus Kumpulainen	C	6-2/190	8-Aug-05	Finland	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	41-11-23-34
87	Alex Ciernik	LW	5-11/175	8-Oct-04	Slovakia	Sodertalje-Vasterviks (HockeyAllsvenskan)	25-3-9-12
88	Alexander Rykov	RW	6-0/175	14-Jul-05	Russia	Chelmet Chelyabinsk (VHL)	20-4-7-11
89	Scott Ratzlaff	G	6-0/175	9-Mar-05	Canada	Seattle (WHL)	25-8, 2.15, 0.918
90	Yegor Rimashevsky	RW	6-3/200	1-Feb-05	Belarus	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	29-13-13-26
91	Jesse Nurmi	LW	5-10/165	7-Mar-05	Finland	KooKoo (Fin-U20)	41-21-29-50
92	Kaden Hammell	D	6-1/175	12-Mar-05	Canada	Kam-Evt (WHL)	67-8-18-26
93	Jayson Shaugabay	RW	5-9/155	4-May-05	USA	Warroad (USHS-MN)	31-33-63-96
94	Noel Nordh	RW	6-2/195	25-Jan-05	Sweden	Brynas (Swe J20)	38-13-14-27
95	Gavin McCarthy	D	6-1/180	2-Jun-05	USA	Muskegon (USHL)	42-8-19-27
96	Tyler Peddle	LW	6-0/195	28-Jan-05	Canada	Drummondville (QMJHL)	64-24-17-41
97	Francesco Dell'Elce	D	6-0/165	23-Jun-05	Canada	St. Andrew's (CHS-O)	51-20-42-62
98	Timur Mukhanov	LW	5-8/170	17-Jun-05	Russia	Omskie Krylia (VHL)	31-4-4-8
99	Larry Keenan	D	6-3/185	15-Mar-05	Russia	Culver Academy (USHS-IN)	49-11-26-37
100	Emil Jarventie	LW	5-9/165	4-Apr-05	Finland	Ilves (Fin-U20)	21-8-11-19
101	Matthew Mania	D	6-1/180	11-Jan-05	USA	Sudbury (OHL)	67-10-28-38
102	Juha Jatkola	G	6-1/175	12-Sep-02	Finland	KalPa (Fin-Liiga)	20-11, 2.16, 0.903
103	Zach Nehring	RW	6-3/180	7-Mar-05	USA	Shattuck-SM (USHS-MN)	48-34-40-74
104	Austin Roest	C	5-9/175	22-Jan-04	Canada	Everett (WHL)	60-32-46-78
105	Hedqvist, Isac	C	5-10/165	22-Mar-05	Sweden	Lulea (Swe J20)	41-14-20-34
106	Stephen Peck	G	6-2/170	18-Jan-05	USA	Avon Old Farms (USHS-CT)	28GP, 1.26, 0.948
107	Yegor Klimovich	RW	5-9/160	14-May-05	Russia	Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk (MHL)	36-19-30-49
108	Nikita Susuyev	RW	6-0/170	6-Feb-05	Russia	MHK Spartak Moskva (MHL)	38-11-17-28
109	Ethan Miedema	LW	6-4/205	22-Mar-05	Canada	Wsr-Kgn (OHL)	68-20-32-52
110	Luca Cagnoni	D	5-9/180	21-Dec-04	Canada	Portland (WHL)	67-17-47-64
111	Jakub Stancl	LW	6-3/200	10-Apr-05	Czech	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	35-11-6-17
112	Aydar Suniev	LW	6-1/200	16-Nov-04	Russia	Penticton (BCHL)	50-45-45-90
113	Ty Henricks	LW	6-4/205	28-Jun-05	USA	Fgo-Mus (USHL)	47-9-10-19
114	Yegor Vinogradov	C	6-2/180	17-Apr-03	Russia	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	53-7-10-17
115	Yegor Sidorov	RW	5-11/180	18-Jun-04	Belarus	Saskatoon (WHL)	53-40-36-76
116	Will Vote	RW	5-8/155	22-Feb-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	60-16-29-45
117	Brandon Svoboda	C	6-3/210	4-Feb-05	USA	Youngstown (USHL)	59-16-10-26
118	Axel Landen	D	6-1/185	29-Mar-05	Sweden	HV 71 (Swe J20)	44-10-6-16
119	Alexander Hellnemo	G	6-2/180	5-Jan-04	Sweden	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	15-8, 2.32, 0.916
120	Nikita Nedopyokin	C	5-10/185	22-Mar-05	Russia	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	37-14-18-32
121	Brady Cleveland	D	6-5/210	1-Apr-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	54-0-6-6
122	Ondrej Molnar	LW	5-10/170	8-Feb-05	Slovakia	Erie (OHL)	34-4-15-19
123	Noah Dower Nilsson	LW	6-0/175	25-Apr-05	Sweden	Frolunda (Swe J20)	37-26-28-54
124	Jordan Tourigny	D	5-10/165	28-Feb-05	Canada	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	67-6-35-41
125	Cole Knuble	C	5-11/175	1-Jul-04	USA	Fargo (USHL)	57-30-36-66
126	Erik Pahlsson	C	6-0/170	9-Apr-04	Sweden	HV 71 (Swe J20)	46-26-37-63
127	Eric Pohlkamp	D	5-10/200	23-Mar-04	USA	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	59-16-35-51
128	Dylan MacKinnon	D	6-1/185	12-Jan-05	Canada	Halifax (QMJHL)	61-6-17-23
129	German Tochilkin	LW	6-2/180	24-Sep-03	Russia	Kunlun Red Star (KHL)	21-4-2-6
130	Jake Fisher	C	6-1/180	27-Mar-05	USA	Cretin-Durham Hall (USHS-MN)	29-34-29-63
131	Damian Clara	G	6-6/215	13-Jan-05	Italy	Farjestads (Swe J20)	17-17, 2.79, 0.903
132	Aiden Fink	RW	5-9/155	24-Nov-04	Canada	Brooks (AJHL)	54-41-56-97
133	Bogdan Konyushkov	D	5-11/175	20-Dec-02	Russia	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	64-2-23-25
134	Yegor Zavragin	G	6-2/185	23-Aug-05	Russia	Mamonty Yugry (MHL)	11-6, 2.49, 0.920
135	Ty Halaburda	C	5-11/175	22-Apr-05	Canada	Vancouver (WHL)	66-21-16-37
136	Cole Burbidge	LW	6-1/160	26-Aug-05	Canada	Saint John (QMJHL)	68-19-31-50
137	Daniil Karpovich	D	6-3/210	6-Dec-04	Belarus	Avto Yekaterinburg (MHL)	47-10-25-35
138	Andrei Loshko	C	6-1/175	7-Oct-04	Belarus	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	67-22-48-70
139	Beckett Hendrickson	C	6-1/175	24-Jun-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	51-13-21-34
140	Alex Pharand	C	6-3/205	1-May-05	Canada	Sudbury (OHL)	67-18-21-39
141	Zeb Forsfjall	C	5-9/170	16-Jan-05	Sweden	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	34-8-14-22
142	Joe Connor	C	5-9/170	31-Mar-05	USA	Avon Old Farms (USHS-CT)	28-21-23-44
143	Samuel Urban	G	6-1/195	1-May-05	Slovakia	Team Slovakia U18 (Svk2)	1-13, 4.51, 0.897
144	Mazden Leslie	D	6-0/195	15-Apr-05	Canada	Vancouver (WHL)	66-12-38-50
145	Maxim Fedotov	D	5-10/170	22-Jan-02	Russia	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	64-9-17-26
146	Joey Willis	C	5-10/170	14-Mar-05	USA	Saginaw (OHL)	68-15-29-44
147	Artyom Kashtanov	C	6-6/190	9-Dec-04	Russia	Avto Yekaterinburg (MHL)	43-15-25-40
148	Angus MacDonell	C	5-9/180	11-May-05	Canada	Sar-Mis (OHL)	64-29-12-41
149	Konstantin Volochko	D	6-0/170	19-Jun-05	Belarus	Dinamo-Shinnik Bobruysk (MHL)	46-8-12-20
150	Hannes Hellberg	LW	6-0/175	19-Jun-05	Sweden	Leksands (Swe J20)	42-34-23-57
151	Carsen Musser	G	6-4/215	19-May-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	14-6, 3.07, 0.890
152	Yaroslav Tsulygin	D	6-0/160	19-May-05	Russia	Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL)	44-0-2-2
153	Thomas Milic	G	6-0/180	14-Apr-03	Canada	Seattle (WHL)	27-3, 2.08, 0.928
154	Arno Tiefensee	G	6-4/190	1-May-02	Germany	Adler Mannheim (DEL)	13-10, 2.43, 0.910
155	Quinn Mantei	D	5-11/180	23-Apr-05	Canada	Brandon (WHL)	67-2-23-25
156	Matthew Soto	RW	5-10/180	31-Aug-05	Canada	Kingston (OHL)	54-15-27-42
157	Matt Copponi	C	5-10/165	3-Jun-03	USA	Merrimack (HE)	37-14-15-29
158	Vojtech Port	D	6-2/170	3-Aug-05	Czech	RD-Edm (WHL)	48-4-13-17
159	Michael DeAngelo	LW	5-11/180	19-Nov-04	USA	Green Bay (USHL)	52-11-24-35
160	Matteo Mann	D	6-5/225	31-Dec-04	Canada	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	45-0-5-5
161	Paul Fischer	D	6-1/190	30-Jan-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	55-4-17-21
162	Hudson Malinoski	C	6-0/175	19-May-04	Canada	Brooks (AJHL)	44-16-53-69
163	Brad Gardiner	C	6-0/180	6-Mar-05	Canada	Ottawa (OHL)	68-19-20-39
164	Zaccharya Wisdom	RW	6-0/175	29-Apr-04	Canada	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	59-28-20-48
165	Jonathan Castagna	C	6-1/185	20-Apr-05	Canada	St. Andrew's (CHS-O)	50-29-43-72
166	Tanner Adams	RW	5-11/185	2-Sep-05	USA	Tri-City (USHL)	49-12-21-33
167	Grayden Siepmann	D	5-10/185	26-May-04	Canada	Calgary (WHL)	61-9-34-43
168	Axel Hurtig	D	6-3/200	10-Jun-05	Sweden	Rogle (Swe J20)	34-2-6-8
169	Ian Scherzer	C	6-0/180	3-Jul-05	Austria	Rogle (Swe J20)	30-3-4-7
170	Ryan Conmy	RW	5-9/190	23-Oct-04	USA	Sioux City (USHL)	60-33-29-62
171	Ethan Hay	C	6-1/190	15-Jan-05	Canada	Flint (OHL)	64-17-11-28
172	Rodwin Dionicio	D	6-2/205	30-Mar-04	Switzerland	Nia-Wsr (OHL)	50-15-35-50
173	Josh Van Mulligen	D	6-2/180	26-Jul-05	Canada	Medicine Hat (WHL)	68-1-8-9
174	Nikita Ishimnikov	D	6-3/195	21-Apr-05	Russia	Avto Yekaterinburg (MHL)	41-11-7-18
175	Justin Kipkie	D	6-4/190	28-Jul-05	Canada	Victoria (WHL)	67-8-25-33
176	Sawyer Mynio	D	6-1/175	30-Apr-05	Canada	Seattle (WHL)	68-5-26-31
177	Brady Stonehouse	RW	5-9/180	6-Aug-04	Canada	Ottawa (OHL)	68-37-20-57
178	Hunter Anderson	LW	5-9/175	28-Apr-05	USA	Shattuck-SM (USHS-MN)	48-52-47-99
179	Spencer Sova	D	6-0/185	10-Jan-04	Canada	Erie (OHL)	68-16-23-39
180	Oliver Tulk	C	5-7/170	19-Jan-05	Canada	Calgary (WHL)	68-24-36-60
181	Isac Born	C	5-11/165	7-Jul-04	Sweden	Frolunda (SHL)	36-2-3-5
182	Beau Jelsma	C	5-9/175	28-Apr-04	Canada	Barrie (OHL)	67-31-30-61
183	Carmelo Crandell	RW	5-11/170	2-Mar-05	Canada	Sherwood Park (AJHL)	49-17-37-54
184	Stanislav Yarovoy	LW	6-2/195	26-Aug-03	Russia	Vityaz Moscow Region (KHL)	45-9-7-16
185	Elliot Stahlberg	LW	6-0/185	29-Mar-05	Sweden	Farjestads (Swe J20)	35-9-12-21
186	Ivan Anoshko	C	5-11/170	7-Oct-04	Belarus	Dinamo-Shinnik Bobruysk (MHL)	53-21-32-53
187	Jake Livanavage	D	5-10/175	6-May-04	USA	Chicago (USHL)	48-6-30-36
188	Adrian Carnebo	D	6-2/185	1-May-04	Sweden	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	43-7-28-35
189	Jaden Lipinski	C	6-3/205	2-Dec-04	USA	Vancouver (WHL)	66-19-32-51
190	Ian Blomquist	G	6-2/185	29-Mar-03	Sweden	Vasteras (HockeyAllsvenskan)	4-11, 2.97, 0.904
191	Emil Pieniniemi	D	6-2/170	2-Mar-05	Finland	Karpat (Fin-U20)	31-1-12-13
192	Oskar Asplund	D	5-11/175	18-Nov-03	Sweden	Almtuna (HockeyAllsvenskan)	49-6-24-30
193	Daniil Davydov	C	5-11/165	6-Mar-04	Russia	MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg (MHL)	47-11-35-46
194	Victor Sjoholm	D	5-9/175	8-Jul-03	Sweden	HV 71 (Swe J20)	37-2-8-10
195	Aron Jessli	LW	5-11/185	29-Oct-04	Norway	Pickering (OJHL)	52-25-43-68
196	Adam Dybal	G	6-1/165	2-Sep-05	Czech	Karlovy Vary (Czechia U20)	29-15, 1.85, 0.942
197	Jonathan Fauchon	C	5-10/170	13-Jan-04	Canada	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	53-25-40-65
198	Luke Mittelstadt	D	5-11/175	22-Jan-03	USA	Minnesota (B1G)	38-5-16-21
199	Owen Beckner	C	6-1/175	27-Feb-05	Canada	Salmon Arm (BCHL)	53-17-33-50
200	Ilya Kanarsky	G	6-2/165	6-Dec-04	Russia	AKM-Junior Tula Region (MHL)	4-19, 3.59, 0.919
201	Braeden Bowman	RW	6-1/205	26-Jun-03	Canada	Guelph (OHL)	54-33-39-72
202	Luke Coughlin	D	5-9/170	11-Apr-05	Canada	Rimouski (QMJHL)	37-5-14-19
203	Norwin Panocha	D	6-1/185	24-Feb-05	Germany	Eisbaren Juniors Berlin (DNL U20)	34-6-16-22
204	Cole Brown	LW	6-2/180	27-Apr-05	Canada	Hamilton (OHL)	60-17-25-42
205	Tomas Suchanek	G	6-0/180	30-Apr-03	Czech	Tri-City (WHL)	27-14, 3.05, 0.912
206	Vadim Moroz	RW	6-2/185	20-Nov-03	Belarus	Dinamo Minsk (KHL)	39-5-9-14
207	Davis Burnside	RW	5-11/175	22-Sep-03	USA	Ohio State (B1G)	40-14-7-21
208	Maros Jedlicka	C	6-1/185	23-Oct-02	Slovakia	HKM Zvolen (Slovakia)	39-17-18-35
209	Gavyn Thoreson	RW	5-8/180	30-Oct-04	USA	Andover High (USHS-MN)	31-41-56-97
210	Austin Burnevik	RW	6-3/200	3-Jan-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	43-6-13-19
211	Elmeri Laakso	D	6-1/185	19-Jul-04	Finland	SaiPa (Fin-Liiga)	32-4-7-11
212	Frantisek Dej	C	6-4/200	28-Feb-05	Slovakia	HC Modre Kridla Slovan (Slovakia2)	24-8-13-21
213	Matvei Maximov	C	6-0/175	18-Jan-05	Russia	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	48-18-19-37
214	Connor Levis	RW	6-1/190	5-Oct-04	Canada	Kamloops (WHL)	68-27-40-67
215	Teddy Townsend	C	5-10/160	2-Sep-05	USA	Eden Prairie (USHS-MN)	27-14-25-39
216	Petter Vesterheim	C	5-11/165	30-Sep-04	Norway	Mora (Swe J20)	41-12-27-39
217	Justin Gill	C	6-1/190	27-Jan-03	Canada	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	68-44-49-93
218	Alex Weiermair	C	6-0/190	10-May-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	55-11-15-26
219	Jan Sprynar	RW	6-1/175	26-Feb-05	Czech	Rimouski (QMJHL)	60-23-17-40
220	Ty Higgins	D	6-0/185	26-Sep-04	Canada	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	68-13-28-41
221	Tom Leppa	C	6-0/175	31-Jul-05	Finland	Jokerit (Fin-U20)	45-19-12-31
222	Aaron Pionk	D	6-1/175	16-Jan-03	USA	Waterloo (USHL)	60-12-24-36
223	Hampton Slukynsky	G	6-1/180	2-Jul-05	USA	Warroad (USHS-MN)	28-1, 1.47, 0.941
224	Noah Erliden	G	5-10/170	9-Sep-05	Sweden	HV71 (Swe J20)	10-8, 2.93, 0.912
HM	Matthew Andonovski	D	6-1/200	14-Mar-05	Canada	Kitchener (OHL)	67-0-16-16
HM	Gleb Artsatbanov	G	6-2/170	2-Mar-04	Ukraine	Sparta Praha (Czechia U20)	13-10, 1.95, 0.938
HM	Cale Ashcroft	D	5-10/200	5-Aug-04	Canada	Tri-City (USHL)	62-8-29-37
HM	Alex Assadourian	LW	5-8/170	24-Jul-05	Canada	Sby-Nia (OHL)	66-12-29-41
HM	Arvid Bergstrom	D	5-11/160	12-Jun-05	Sweden	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	41-2-21-23
HM	Kevin Bicker	LW	6-0/175	29-Jan-05	Germany	Jungadler Mannheim (DNL U20)	20-10-11-21
HM	Philippe Blais-Savoie	D	6-0/185	10-Jun-05	USA	Tri-City (USHL)	61-2-9-11
HM	Linus Brandl	C	5-11/185	1-Apr-05	Germany	Jungadler Mannheim (DNL U20)	32-25-22-47
HM	Finn Brink	LW	5-9/180	6-Apr-05	USA	Maple Grove (USHS-MN)	31-31-38-69
HM	Yaroslav Busygin	D	6-3/185	14-Feb-03	Russia	Vityaz Moscow Region (KHL)	42-1-2-3
HM	Kalle Carlsson	C	6-0/175	2-Mar-05	Sweden	Orebro (Swe J20)	44-11-24-35
HM	Adam Cedzo	RW	5-10/165	23-Feb-05	Slovakia	HC Ocelari Trinec (Czechia U20)	39-23-23-46
HM	Aiden Celebrini	D	6-1/185	26-Oct-04	Canada	Brooks (AJHL)	47-5-16-21
HM	Andon Cerbone	C	5-8/150	13-Apr-04	USA	Oma-Yng (USHL)	64-24-39-63
HM	Chase Cheslock	D	6-3/210	25-Oct-04	USA	Rogers High (USHS-MN)	28-4-27-31
HM	Sam Court	D	5-10/180	7-Jan-04	Canada	Brooks (AJHL)	52-13-59-72
HM	Adam Csabi	LW	5-10/160	17-Feb-05	Czech	SaiPa (Fin-U18)	28-16-15-31
HM	Nathaniel Davis	D	6-1/185	15-Nov-04	Canada	Burlington (OJHL)	45-10-26-36
HM	Nathan Day	G	6-2/180	4-Feb-05	Canada	Flint (OHL)	17-10, 3.91, 0.874
HM	Kocha Delic	C	5-10/185	11-Mar-04	Canada	Sudbury (OHL)	46-22-30-52
HM	Tyler Duke	D	5-8/180	19-Jul-04	USA	Ohio State (B1G)	40-4-8-12
HM	Filip Eriksson	C	6-0/170	5-Nov-04	Sweden	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	11-5-5-10
HM	Jiri Felcman	C	6-4/190	17-Apr-05	Czech	Langnau U20 (Sui-U20-Elit)	40-10-21-31
HM	Samuel Fiala	C	6-1/170	9-Apr-05	Czech	Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia U20)	44-19-9-28
HM	Mans Forsfjall	D	6-0/180	30-Jul-02	Sweden	Skelleftea (SHL)	52-2-12-14
HM	Cooper Foster	C	5-11/170	4-Jun-05	Canada	Ottawa (OHL)	63-19-17-36
HM	Salvatore Guzzo	RW	6-0/185	17-Apr-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	58-17-11-28
HM	Michael Hagens	D	5-11/170	18-Feb-05	USA	Chicago (USHL)	60-9-17-26
HM	Sam Harris	LW	5-11/190	14-Oct-03	USA	Sioux Falls (USHL)	56-30-26-56
HM	Jack Harvey	C	5-10/175	31-Mar-03	USA	Chicago (USHL)	62-40-34-74
HM	Bogdans Hodass	D	6-2/200	13-Apr-03	Latvia	Medicine Hat (WHL)	56-11-24-35
HM	Ryan Hopkins	D	6-1/180	15-Apr-04	Canada	Penticton (BCHL)	48-10-39-49
HM	Ewan Huet	G	6-0/170	8-Feb-05	Switzerland	Lausanne (Sui U20-Elit)	14-12, 2.73
HM	Gustaf Kangas	C	6-0/175	27-Jul-05	Sweden	Vasteras (Swe J20)	27-7-13-20
HM	Sean Keohane	D	6-3/180	4-Nov-04	USA	Dexter Southfield(USHS-MA)	32-4-12-16
HM	Oiva Keskinen	C	6-0/175	28-Feb-04	Finland	Tappara (Fin-U20)	38-20-21-41
HM	Ruslan Khazheyev	G	6-4/200	20-Nov-04	Russia	Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (MHL)	8-8, 2.38, 0.923
HM	Matteo Koci	D	6-0/165	7-Jun-05	Czech	HC Energie Karlovy Vary (Czechia U20)	36-7-13-20
HM	Ryan Koering	D	6-3/185	11-Feb-05	USA	Eden Prairie (USHS-MN)	27-6-10-16
HM	Cameron Korpi	G	6-2/150	26-May-04	USA	Tri-City (USHL)	13-4, 2.52, 0.911
HM	Sergei Kosovets	D	6-5/250	17-Jul-02	Russia	HK Sochi (KHL)	26-2-2-4
HM	Artyom Kudashov	D	6-0/160	10-Jan-05	Russia	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	42-2-7-9
HM	Roman Kukumberg	LW	6-0/185	21-Mar-05	Slovakia	HC Modre Kridla Slovan (Slovakia2)	33-5-6-11
HM	Emil Kuusla	LW	5-9/165	11-Jan-05	Finland	Jokerit (Fin-U20)	36-18-17-35
HM	Jani Lampinen	G	6-2/185	14-Feb-03	Finland	Kiekko-Espoo (Fin-Mestis)	15-6, 2.35, 0.902
HM	Charles-Alexis Legault	D	6-3/205	5-Sep-03	Canada	Quinnipiac (ECAC)	40-2-7-9
HM	Aiden Long	LW	6-3/190	13-Mar-05	Canada	Whitecourt (AJHL)	50-19-27-46
HM	Connor MacPherson	RW	6-0/170	2-Mar-05	Canada	Leamington (GOJHL)	43-28-35-63
HM	Matthew Mayich	D	6-2/185	21-Dec-04	Canada	Ottawa (OHL)	64-5-17-22
HM	Donovan McCoy	D	6-0/200	11-Oct-04	Canada	Peterborough (OHL)	65-2-11-13
HM	Cole Miller	C	6-4/175	4-Feb-05	Canada	Edmonton (WHL)	61-10-9-19
HM	Lucas Moore	D	5-9/180	7-Jun-05	Canada	Hamilton (OHL)	65-3-25-28
HM	Josh Nadeau	RW	5-7/145	22-Oct-03	Canada	Penticton (BCHL)	54-44-66-110
HM	Alexei Noskov	G	6-2/205	13-Nov-04	Russia	Taifun Primorsky Krai (MHL)	7-26, 3.86, 0.905
HM	Owen Outwater	LW	6-2/160	4-Jan-05	Canada	Kingston (OHL)	62-16-25-41
HM	Joe Palodichuk	D	6-0/165	26-Feb-03	USA	Fargo (USHL)	44-8-21-29
HM	Petr Pavelec	LW	6-0/200	10-Feb-05	Czech	HC Vitkovice (Czechia U20)	46-8-5-13
HM	Oliver Peer	RW	6-0/165	9-Mar-03	Canada	Windsor (OHL)	63-22-45-67
HM	Chris Pelosi	C	6-1/180	6-Mar-05	USA	Sioux Falls (USHL)	43-13-6-19
HM	Matthew Perkins	LW	5-11/175	21-Jan-04	Canada	Youngstown (USHL)	60-15-29-44
HM	Nico Pertuch	G	6-2/200	29-Jul-05	Germany	EV Landshut (DNL U20)	15GP, 3.57
HM	Dominik Petr	C	6-2/165	30-Apr-05	Czech	Lukko (Fin-U20)	18-1-0-1
HM	Chase Pietila	D	6-1/180	3-Mar-04	USA	Youngstown (USHL)	60-7-29-36
HM	Chase Pirtle	RW	6-2/185	8-Mar-05	USA	Mount St. Charles 18U AAA (USHS-RI)	47-20-24-44
HM	Benjamin Poitras	C	5-10/175	18-Jul-05	Canada	Sioux City (USHL)	61-14-24-38
HM	Connor Punnett	D	6-1/200	16-Jun-03	Canada	Barrie (OHL)	66-14-34-48
HM	Ivan Remezovsky	D	6-1/165	8-Feb-05	Russia	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	45-0-13-13
HM	Charlie Robertson	G	6-3/165	2-Apr-05	Canada	North Bay (OHL)	12-6, 3.17, 0.892
HM	Pier-Olivier Roy	D	5-9/175	5-Mar-04	Canada	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	68-6-62-68
HM	Rainers Rullers	C	6-4/195	11-Dec-04	Latvia	Zemgale (Fin-Mestis)	46-4-6-10
HM	Bennett Schimek	RW	5-11/180	15-Apr-03	USA	Providence (HE)	37-11-9-20
HM	Zach Schulz	D	6-1/195	14-Jun-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	51-1-9-10
HM	Magomed Sharakanov	D	6-1/200	11-Oct-04	Russia	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	44-7-25-32
HM	Cam Squires	RW	5-11/165	11-Apr-05	Canada	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	67-30-34-64
HM	Julius Sumpf	C	6-1/175	11-Jan-05	Germany	RB Hockey Juniors (AlpsHL)	23-9-9-18
HM	Alexander Suvorov	RW	5-9/160	30-Nov-02	Belarus	Severstal Cherepovets (KHL)	47-13-11-24
HM	Gabriel Szturc	C	5-11/185	24-Sep-03	Czech	Kelowna (WHL)	56-24-55-79
HM	Nikita Telegin	C	6-1/155	21-Jun-05	Russia	Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (MHL)	22-6-4-10
HM	Patrick Thomas	C	5-11/160	21-Aug-04	Canada	Hamilton (OHL)	66-17-39-56
HM	Hudson Thornton	D	5-11/180	4-Nov-03	Canada	Prince George (WHL)	68-23-51-74
HM	Jiri Tichacek	D	5-9/170	30-Jan-03	Czech	Rytiri Kladno (Czechia)	39-0-6-6
HM	Djibril Toure	D	6-6/200	5-Jun-03	Canada	Sudbury (OHL)	57-5-11-16
HM	Tuomas Uronen	RW	5-11/180	19-Mar-05	Finland	HIFK (Fin-U20)	39-20-23-43
HM	Noa Vali	G	6-0/160	19-Apr-05	Finland	TPS (Fin-U20)	17-8, 2.38, 0.912
HM	Nicholas Vantassell	RW	6-4/195	18-Apr-04	USA	Green Bay (USHL)	62-19-18-37
HM	Visa Vedenpaa	G	6-2/170	11-May-05	Finland	Karpat (Fin-U20)	31GP, 0.886
HM	Evgeny Volokhin	G	6-3/170	6-Apr-05	Russia	Mamonty Yugry (MHL)	20-6, 2.12, 0.927
HM	Declan Waddick	C	5-10/170	24-Jan-05	Canada	Niagara (OHL)	64-28-21-49
HM	Saige Weinstein	D	6-0/180	30-May-05	Canada	Spokane (WHL)	57-4-14-18
HM	Ethan Whitcomb	LW	6-4/190	13-May-04	Canada	Muskegon (USHL)	53-24-24-48
HM	Raul Yakupov	RW	6-1/180	21-Jun-04	Russia	Reaktor Nizhnekamsk (MHL)	49-32-29-61

2023 NHL DRAFT: Top “Tier 2” players available for the draft this year (AJHL, BCHL, CAHS, CJHL, OJHL, USHS) with video – Part One – Forwards

Brock Otten — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 15:10:46 +0000

McKeen's Director of Scouting, Brock Otten, provides a close examination of all the top "Tier 2" players available for the draft this year (USHS, CJHL, etc). The first part in the series highlights the forwards.

Bradly Nadeau

Wing/Center - Penticton Vees (BCHL)

5’10, 63lbs

Grades: Skating: 55, Shot: 60, Skills: 50, Smarts: 55, Physicality/Compete: 55

OFP: 55

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/bradly_nadeau_-_2nd_period_34_12_-_34_24.mp4

Notes: One of the elite shooters in this year’s draft class, Nadeau has torched the BCHL in 2023 along with his older brother Josh (more on him later). Bradley is a lethal off puck option with his ability to find open space and quick release. His offensive zone anticipation is terrific, but he also competes for open space and plays a lot larger than his 5’10, 163lbs frame would suggest. Nadeau consistently makes use of the space he is afforded too, thanks to a lightning quick release. Armed with a thunderous one timer and an explosive wrister, Nadeau routinely beats goaltenders cleanly…from a distance. An area of Nadeau’s game that probably doesn’t get enough credit is his tenaciousness. He is very active on the forecheck and in puck pursuit and really seems to derive energy from playing the body. He routinely plays through the opposition, rather than around them and as he gets stronger, this power component to his game is only likely to become more prevalent. However, Nadeau is a bit of a polarizing prospect this year because there are some concerns over projectability. His on-puck play can be inconsistent because his ability to blend skating and puck control is a work in progress. His use of linear crossovers does layer deception in his attacks and he has good balance, allowing him to take advantage of his shooting gifts. However, his stride length is inconsistent, causing his first step quickness to be lacking a bit for a smaller player. Additionally, Nadeau is not what you would call a magician with the puck. He handles well, but his game is predicated on quick decision making and use of space. As that space is taken away, he’s often not creative enough to work his way out of defensive pressure. These things can and should improve, especially as he heads to the NCAA (with Maine). However, it makes one wonder if Nadeau projects best as a high energy, complementary goal scorer at the NHL level who will need to play with a high-end playmaker to be successful. Obviously, that still has significant value, especially if he can become a Jake Guentzel type.

Aiden Fink

Wing - Brooks Bandits (AJHL)

5’9, 152lbs

Grades: Skating: 55, Shot: 55, Skills: 55, Smarts: 55, Physicality/Compete: 45

OFP: 53.5

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/aiden_fink_-_2nd_period_21_19_-_21_31.mp4

Notes: Recently named the AJHL’s MVP (joining the likes of Cale Makar, Dylan Holloway, Mason Raymond, and Mike Comrie in the history books), Fink is a slippery, offensive wizard. His shot might be his best weapon. He can score in a multitude of ways. He sets up shop at the half wall near the dot and shows a consistent ability to one time pucks cleanly, especially on the powerplay. He can create space for himself in transition and shoot in full stride. He has a quick release in the slot and requires little time and space to generate velocity. Fink’s ability to blend agility with puck control is also impressive. He has excellent control on his edges and can stop/start on a dime. This allows him to consistently spin off checks and attack East/West, moving toward the slot with little hesitancy despite his size/strength deficits. His linear quickness needs work. He has difficulty sustaining speed and he doesn’t generate significant power in his pushes. Right now, his skating would probably best be assessed as a 50, but with a focus on elongating his stride and sometime in the weight room, his skating has a real chance to be above average thanks to his lateral quickness and agility. Thus, the 55 grade as a projection. The other impressive feature of Fink’s game is his ability to alter pace. He is impressive in transition but is just as effective when the game slows down because he is tenacious and competitive. His performance at the World Junior A Challenge was extremely impressive, especially in the game against the United States, versus players he will be competing against at the NCAA level with Wisconsin. That said, his lack of size and lack of explosiveness/quickness will be bound to scare off some scouts. When his feet and hands can’t create space, he can be easily pushed off the puck at this current time. Additionally, his defensive zone play does leave a lot to be desired. Ultimately, this is why Fink is heading to Wisconsin and not the WHL. This will give him a ton of time to work on his athletic tools in hopes that they catch up to his skill and creativity. He is well worth a look in the middle rounds as a high upside selection.

Aron Jessli

Wing - Pickering (OJHL)

6’1, 190lbs

Grades: Skating: 57.5, Shot: 50, Skills: 55, Smarts: 47.5, Physicality/Compete: 55

OFP: 53.125

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Notes: Jessli has to be considered one of the most fun and entertaining under the radar prospects available this year. A Norwegian, late 2004 born winger, he has been playing (mostly) in North America the last half decade, most recently with Pickering in the OJHL. Headed to Niagara University next year, Jessli offers up a really intriguing upside thanks to an intriguing blend of skill, speed, and power. As you might expect from someone who has over 100 penalty minutes on the year, Jessli is aggressive. He’s not a huge hitter, per say, but he is ultra tenacious and quite the pest. Discipline is an issue; lots of penalties taken out of frustration or from just poor decisions, but he’s definitely a tough guy to play against. The driving force behind Jessli’s game is his speed. Lightning quick, Jessli loves to play at a breakneck pace. The thing is, he’s also pretty skilled with the puck. He routinely turns defenders inside out off the rush and he blends his quickness and skill together really well. Once he gets a head of steam, he is a very tough player for Junior A defenders to stop. His playmaking ability shows well at times too. Sure, he can skate himself into trouble at times and he’s certainly confident in his ability to beat defenders one on one, but he does make some impressive passes and reads as he’s attacking. He’s got a pretty quick snap shot and he can one time pucks cleanly from the slot and the half wall, but overall he’s best in tight to the net as a scorer. Most of his shots from a distance fail to hit the mark or go right into the goaltender’s chest. The biggest challenge is assessing Jessli’s on ice IQ and awareness. As mentioned, he can make some impressive plays as a set-up man. But overall, his decision making does leave some to be desired. He’s at his best when attacking with speed, and as the game slows down, he can be less effective. Sometimes that means not making quick enough decisions with the puck on his stick. Sometimes that means not supporting his teammates off the puck, failing to identify opportunities to get to open space. His defensive play is certainly not as solid as his offensive play, with the majority of his physicality being served in pursuit of scoring chances in the offensive end. All that said, I find myself very, very intrigued by Jessli and it comes as no surprise to see that NHL Central Scouting has him as the highest ranked player in the OJHL this year; a league that routinely has multiple players selected. I can’t say for certain what type of player he will eventually develop into, but his combination of speed, size, skill, and tenaciousness gives him a chance, even if I wish he were headed to a better program (no offense meant to the fine folks at Niagara U).

Zach Nehring

Wing - Shattuck St. Mary’s (USHS-Prep)

6’3, 180lbs

Grades: Skating: 55, Shot: 50, Skills: 50, Smarts: 55, Physicality/Compete: 55

OFP: 53

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Notes: Nehring is an intriguing potential power forward that oozes athleticism. There’s room for improvement in his agility and edgework, but he’s a strong linear mover with big, long strides. This allows him to play a really solid North/South game, as he routinely beats defenders to the net on drives, with and without the puck. He has a real clear understanding already of how he should play given his skill set. He excels in the bumper position on the man advantage and takes up position near the blue paint at even strength, looking to screen, tip, or put home second chance opportunities. Nehring is also a consistent physical presence and is very active in puck pursuit on the forecheck and backcheck. While his defensive game is a bit inconsistent currently, he does show great potential to be a strong two-way forward with his power, length, and tenaciousness. Headed to Western Michigan, it will be interesting to see how the full complement of his skills comes together as he fills out his frame.

As an offensive player, Nehring is at his best when he keeps things simple. He actually has great offensive zone awareness. He fills space well, working give and go’s, and he has good vision coming off the wall. His anticipation and off puck movement are key to his offensive production. However, currently his offensive tools would best be classified as average. He can lead the charge North/South and has great puck protection tendencies (using his frame to shield the puck), but he’s not the type of player who is skilled enough to create when pressure collapses around him; he can get boxed in. Additionally, he does not always catch pucks cleanly when accepting passes or when trying to pick up speed through the neutral zone. He excels as a finisher in tight, but he does not have a high end shot that can beat goaltenders clean from a distance. Most of his work is done in tight. I actually like his playmaking ability and vision more. That said, as mentioned, Nehring is far from a polished, finished product. Lots of room for further development here and he has a chance to be a quality middle six, two-way power winger.

Jayson Shaugabay

Wing - Warroad High (USHS-MN)/Green Bay (USHL)

5’9, 155lbs

Grades: Skating: 50, Shot: 50, Skills: 62.5, Smarts: 55, Physicality/Compete: 45

OFP: 52.75

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Notes: Shaugabay is a shifty and highly deceptive playmaking winger with significant offensive upside. When playing in the Minnesota High School loop, he’s been arguably the best player in the State and was subsequently named Mr. Hockey for the season. He started the year with Green Bay of the USHL and was a standout for the Gamblers too, with one of the highest point per game averages on the team. Shaugabay should legitimately be considered one of the most skilled and creative players with the puck available this year. He routinely creates extra time and space for himself by beating the first and second layers of pressure, turning would be defenders into pylons. He is not a traditional burner, but he is extremely shifty because of how well he alters pace to build in deception. Quick stops and starts, in addition to fakes and delays make him a difficult cover in transition, especially when you consider his ability to blend skill and movement effortlessly; he can truly keep the puck on a string. He is really good at inviting pressure, before sliding pucks to open teammates for significant scoring chances because of how much attention he draws in the offensive zone. His passing precision is generally very impressive.

That said, there are a lot of areas to his game that will need work in order for him to reach his high ceiling. He’s undersized and his skating ability would best be classified as average. He doesn’t possess elite escapability with his feet alone. Additionally, his strength on the puck will need to improve considerably. Factoring in these two things, turnovers can be a major issue as he tries to navigate high traffic areas. At his best on the perimeter, is this translatable? Shaugabay’s off puck play is best described as inconsistent too. He can apply pressure on the forecheck, and he does have a good stick to help force turnovers, however his engagement isn’t always present, especially in the defensive zone. I actually really like that he’s going to Minnesota-Duluth, a program that tends to draw different players than Shaugabay; players who are more polished off the puck and incorporate power into their game. UMD should help him become a more well-rounded player and he’ll likely form an interesting one/two punch with Isaac Howard on the powerplay.

Aydar Suniev

Wing - Penticton Vees (BCHL)

6’2, 200lbs

Grades: Skating: 45, Shot: 55, Skills: 55, Smarts: 55, Physicality/Compete: 55

OFP: 52.5

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Notes: Really the only thing missing from Suniev’s game is dynamic skating ability. He has a very wide, Wayne Simmonds’ esque, stride that limits his quickness and agility. Most often he is forced to delay or slow pace down to a crawl because he lacks the ability to beat defenders to the outside. He is very balanced and strong on his skates, which allows him to play through contact. Additionally, his puck protection habits and strength on the puck are excellent, meaning that he can play through the middle of the ice and drive the net at the BCHL level without above average quickness. But, how will this ability translate to the NHL level without upgrading his skating? A transplanted Russian, Suniev has been playing in North America for several seasons now, bouncing between programs such as the Yale Bulldogs, Hill Academy, St. Andrew’s College, and the Thorold Blackhawks of the GOJHL. Starring with Penticton this year, Suniev has earned a full ride to UMass, a route that will allow him time to upgrade his athleticism.

The rest of his game is very impressive. He has very quick hands and excels as a playmaker because of his ability to miss sticks and read/react to defensive pressure. He can be turnover prone at times, but these turnovers usually are as a result of his lack of explosiveness causing pressure to close in on him and not because of poor reads. Suniev also has a great shot and is a real threat on the powerplay with his one timer and quick release. Away from the puck, Suniev has great forechecking habits and routinely puts himself in position to apply pressure to puck carriers, even without strong closing speed. He uses his size effectively to separate players from the puck and he will battle along the wall to keep pucks alive. I wouldn’t go as far to call him a power forward, but he plays with a strong motor and brings energy regardless of whether he has the puck or not. Suniev’s development as an NHL prospect will be directly tied to his ability to improve his skating.

Hudson Malinoski

Center/Wing - Brooks Bandits (AJHL)

6’1, 175lbs

Grades: Skating: 55, Shot: 55, Skills: 52.5, Smarts: 52.5, Physicality/Compete: 45

OFP: 52.25

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Notes: This is a great story. Back in 2017, Malinoski ended up with a torn vertebral artery after falling off his roof. After a successful experimental surgery, Malinoski was kept out of hockey for a year and had to work his way back up the hockey ladder. Passed over in his WHL draft and a late bloomer physically, Malinoski (2004 born) is now playing in his first year in the AJHL with Brooks and he’s been one of the best players in the league as a rookie. He also was a standout at the World Junior A Challenge for Canada West. Watching Malinoski, you can’t help but wonder if this is a player who is just scratching the surface of what he is capable of. The athletic tools are very intriguing. He’s a dynamic linear attacker who generates significant power in his stride, which he uses to push into the offensive zone. He controls the puck well at full speed and uses his length to protect the puck, helping him gain the zone. There’s room for further development in his balance and edgework, but this can be improved. Malinoski also shows well as a playmaker. He runs the point of the Brooks powerplay and is great at drawing in pressure before finding passing lanes. He actually has a good shot but does not use it enough. A lot of his production this year has come with the man advantage, and the reason for that is that Malinoski has a lot of room to grow physically. He can be separated from the puck and can struggle to find the inside consistently at even strength. He shows a desire to work the wall and defend down low, but he often finds himself on the losing end of those battles. A Providence College commit, the upside here is really intriguing. Once Malinoski fills out and gains confidence, will his game reach another level? He has missed so much development time and he really hasn’t seen much time at the higher levels of hockey. A lot of parallels can be made between Malinoski and Adam Ingram last year and it seems likely that NHL teams are going to be very interested in him this draft in hopes that they can unlock his potential with a patient approach.

Jake Fisher

Center - Cretin-Derham Hall (USHS-MN)

6’2, 185lbs

Grades: Skating: 55, Shot: 50, Skills: 50, Smarts: 55, Physicality/Compete: 50

OFP: 52.25

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Notes: Fisher is a strong skating, power center who is a candidate for Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey award this year. A fluid skater with big, powerful strides, Fisher consistently has a positive impact as a puck carrier in transition, leading the charge across the opposing blueline. He’s not the most creative or skilled attacker, per say, but he is effective with his ability to use his frame to protect the puck, in combination with the power in his linear crossovers. He already understands how to alter pace too, using both delays and continued pace when entering the zone, showing an ability to survey the ice and select an appropriate carrying strategy. He’s far from a head down, North/South attacker. Fisher’s strong offensive production this year can be attributed to his excellent IQ and offensive zone awareness. Again, he’s not incredibly creative, but he is very effective off the puck, consistently sliding into gaps in coverage. He drives the net and will use his size to score the dirty goals near the crease. He is also an effective forechecker and three zone player who uses his size and quickness combination to force turnovers. Fisher is not necessarily an overtly physical player, but he does compete for pucks and space. He recently decommitted from Northern Michigan and is apparently deciding between Notre Dame and Denver for his official commitment at the NCAA level. Fisher’s offensive upside may be somewhat limited, but his athletic tools do give him an intriguing upside as a high energy, two-way center with a nose for the net at the higher levels.

Joe Connor

Wing - Avon Old Farms (USHS-Prep)/Muskegon (USHL)

5’10, 170lbs

Grades: Skating: 50, Shot: 52.5, Skills: 50, Smarts: 55, Physicality/Compete: 55

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Notes: It’s been quite the year for Avon Old Farms winger and Northeastern commit Joe Connor. It started with him suiting up for the U.S. at the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup. It ended with him recently helping Avon Old Farms capture the New England Elite 8 Championship (prep school playoffs), where he was named MVP. The first things you notice about Connor are his motor and competitiveness. He’s a great forechecker and he works hard in all three zones to earn touches/force turnovers. He’s certainly not big, but he plays bigger than his 5’10, 170lbs frame would indicate (as much as that is cliche). He’s also an intelligent off puck player. He consistently slips between coverage to earn scoring chances and his anticipation is a standout quality. He could stand to be a little more poised with the puck in the offensive zone (rushed passes, low volume shots), but as he gets stronger on the puck and becomes more comfortable protecting the puck and absorbing contact, I believe these issues should resolve themselves.

A high-volume shooter, Connor does have a good (but not great) shot. A snappy release helps him get pucks to the net quickly from the slot and he has good hands in tight to finish off plays under pressure. There are some limitations to his game that could prevent him from having a high ceiling. For one, he’s not a dynamic skater for a player of his size. From a mechanical point of view, his stride is not poor. He just doesn’t generate significant power. That does bode well for him eventually improving his speed and quickness as he gains strength over his NCAA tenure at Northeastern. Additionally, he’s not a high skill player. He can struggle to beat defenders one on one and one of the reasons why he can be pressured into rushed shots or passes is because he doesn’t have the hands or creativity to routinely escape said pressure. The key for Connor will be the improvement to his athleticism in order to make him a more dynamic player. There is a future that sees Connor develop into a Frank Vatrano type of player at the NHL level.

Hunter Anderson

Wing - Shattuck St. Mary’s (USHS-Prep)/Des Moines (USHL)

5’9, 181lbs

Grades: Skating: 50, Shot: 55, Skills: 55, Smarts: 55, Physicality/Compete: 45

OFP: 52.25

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Notes: Intelligent goal scoring winger who has been the straw that stirs the drink for Shattuck St. Mary’s this year. Excellent complementary player who is good at finding space to shoot, using excellent edgework and lateral quickness to push away from defenders into open space. Has a quick release on his wrist shot, but also one times pucks with authority, usually from his office on the right side of the net front. Anderson also finishes plays off well near the crease and will jockey for position near the blue paint in order to get deflection or second chance opportunities. Anderson shows good hands in tight spaces, using toe drags or inside/out moves to create extra time and space for himself, especially when he attacks the middle of the ice. Perhaps most impressive from Anderson is that he’s not just a high-volume shooter. He has good instincts and vision with the puck in the offensive zone. He will draw in defenders before dishing off, using the threat of his high-end shooting ability as a decoy; deception is certainly a layered component to his game. As a skater, as mentioned, Anderson has quick feet in the sense that he can evade checks with strong edgework, balance, and agility. However, his linear quickness and top end speed will need to be upgraded to find success at the next level, especially given his lack of ideal size. This has been very evident over the last two years when he has played in the USHL with Des Moines and has been unable to create his own scoring chances in transition or when driving wide. Additionally, while Anderson has a good compete level in the offensive end, his defensive play is a major work in progress. He can leave the zone early or be late to his backchecking assignment. He is far from being a physical player. Headed to the University of Denver, Anderson has a chance to develop into a quality complementary goal scorer, but the athletic tools will need to be upgraded over his NCAA career first.

Josh Nadeau

Wing - Penticton Vees (BCHL)

5’8, 160lbs

Grades: Skating: 50, Shot: 55, Skills: 55, Smarts: 55, Physicality/Compete: 45

OFP: 52.25

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Notes: Even with the production increase, one has to wonder…is Josh Nadeau really an improved player over last year when he went through the 2022 Draft unselected? He’s a more impressive player than his younger brother Bradly on the puck. He routinely evades pressure with his quick feet and quick hands, creating additional time and space for himself, both in transition and when delaying. Despite limited strength on the puck, he routinely escapes scrums with the puck on his stick thanks to his tenaciousness and skill blending ability. Like his brother, Josh also possesses an excellent shot and can beat goaltenders cleanly with a quick snapshot or wrister. Even though he’s small, he actually does the majority of his goal scoring dangerous from in tight by finishing off second chances, getting pucks on sticks, and getting himself clearance in the slot to use his release. Even though his physicality/compete grade is a 45, his compete level is extremely admirable. He’s like “the little engine that could” out there. He takes a beating, but he keeps on ticking. He will take the body. He is very middle of the ice centric. However, one has to wonder how effective he’ll be playing that particular style as he moves up a level or two. He gets hit a lot. Durability could be a concern for sure. Additionally, for such a smaller player, his lack of explosiveness is bound to be concerning to NHL scouts. He’s not a poor skater by any means, but his quick, small strides (almost like a sewing machine), don’t really generate a ton of power and this does not give him the escapability that he’s going to need in order to continue to be an offensive juggernaut. The hands, touch, and sense all certainly give him a chance. He’s a skilled and intelligent playmaker. But few players his size succeed without being truly elite movers. I’d probably feel more comfortable seeing how he performs at the NCAA level first (with Maine).

Jonathan Castagna

Center - St. Andrew’s College (CAHS)

6’2, 185lbs

Grades: Skating: 55, Shot: 50, Skills: 50, Smarts: 50, Physicality/Compete: 55

OFP: 51.75

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Notes: Castagna is the prototypical Cornell University recruit. Just like previous successful forwards with the Big Red (like Riley Nash, Morgan Barron, Colin Greening, and currently Matthew Stienburg), Castagna is a competitive two-way player who likely projects as a potential bottom six player if everything goes according to plan regarding his development. The 6’2 pivot is an excellent skater who loves to lead the attack. He plays an aggressive North/South game and is very middle of the ice focused. He uses his speed well without the puck too, operating effectively on the forecheck, while also looking to crash the net looking for second chance opportunities. Castagna is aggressive physically in the defensive end and in the neutral zone, using his size and quickness to close quickly on puck carriers and to be a disruptive force defensively. As a skilled player, his upside remains somewhat questionable. He shows some nice skill when keeping plays alive along the wall, but most of his offensive chances at the prep level are created by his speed advantage. When he gets bottled up, he can be forced off the puck or commit turnovers. I wonder if he would be best served to move to the wing where his speed and physical aggressiveness would play well without the pressure of being the primary playmaker. The most difficult thing to assess would be Castagna’s IQ and smarts. This is simply due to the level that he’s playing at. As mentioned, Castagna often skates circles around prep level defenders and that means he’s not forced to problem solve high traffic situations all that consistently. He shows a good understanding of how to play without the puck. But what upside does his playmaking ability possess? At this point, Castagna is probably a slam dunk to be a draft selection as NHL team’s see a player with an intriguing floor as an energy player, but also some mystique surrounding his offensive ceiling.

Gavyn Thoreson

Wing/Center - Andover (USHS-MN)/Waterloo (USHL)

5’8, 185lbs

Grades: Skating: 45, Shot: 55, Skills: 55, Smarts: 55, Physicality/Compete: 50

OFP: 51.75

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Notes: Thoreson, a late born 2004, has been one of the best forwards in the state as part of a dominant first line in Andover (along with Cooper Conway and Cayden Casey). He is an incredibly fun player to watch thanks to his combination of hustle, competitiveness, and skill. He may be small, but he’s not weak. Even at the USHL level this year, he was throwing the body and finding his way to the net, doing most of his damage from the middle of the ice and in high traffic areas. Thoreson’s best offensive attribute might be his shot. He has a lightning quick release, and he can pick corners from a distance. He also is a skilled handler who creates time and space for himself, something that is extremely important given his lack of truly dynamic skating ability. This is obviously the concerning thing as it pertains to his NHL draft chances. At 5’8, you really wish that he was a better skater. He has a decent top speed, but he takes time building up to it. Short, choppy strides prevent him from gaining separation, forcing him to rely on his hands and his brain to help him operate in transition. Additionally, he’s not the world’s most agile skater, with a lot of room for him to improve his lateral quickness and confidence on his edges. Starting the year with Waterloo of the USHL, Thoreson’s lack of quickness was evident as he failed to create off the rush the same way that he does with Andover. That said, he was still able to play at a point per game pace with the Blackhawks, a testament to his high skill level, offensive zone awareness, and tenaciousness. Headed to St. Cloud State, Thoreson is obviously a longshot to be an NHL player, but if he could just improve his skating, he could be an intriguing prospect. At the very least he should become a high-level NCAA player and draw interest as a free agent in the future.

Owen Beckner

Center - Salmon Arms Silverbacks (BCHL)

6’2, 181lbs

Grades: Skating: 55, Shot: 45, Skills: 50, Smarts: 52.5, Physicality/Compete: 55

OFP: 51.625

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Notes: Beckner would have fit in perfectly with the NTDP had he been an American born player. By that I mean, he has that mix of length, athleticism, and two-way competitiveness that the program has valued in their bottom six recently (with players like Devin Kaplan, John Beecher, Dylan Peterson, Andre Gasseau, and Alex Weiermair this year). I mean this completely as a compliment, even if it points to some upside limitations too. Beckner is an impressive mover, especially given his length. He has long, powerful strides that allow him to generate power and quickness easily. He uses this speed to play a North/South attacking style, often leading the charge across the blueline for the Silverbacks. He also uses it to be a defensive and three zone presence, consistently applying pressure on the backcheck. He is a physically assertive player, especially when supporting his defenders down low or on the half wall. Because of his speed, two-way awareness, and tenaciousness, Beckner has NHL upside as a third/fourth line center who can kill penalties and play a shutdown role. However, his offensive skill set will need to continue to improve in order to reach that level. He flashes puck skill in transition, but when he’s not able to beat defenders with speed to the outside, he can get bottled up. He’s not often able to problem solve out of intense layers of pressure and becomes way less of a factor when the game slows down. His shot is not currently much of a weapon, forcing him to operate primarily as a pass first kind of player. He often works the point of the Salmon Arms powerplay, a testament to his vision and passing ability. Heading to Colorado College, Beckner’s offensive production this year may not be all that impressive, but it is important to state that Salmon Arms are not an incredibly high scoring team and for much of this year, Beckner has led them in scoring. I could easily see an NHL team being interested in him in the later rounds this year given his athletic profile and size.

Teddy Townsend

Center - Eden Prairie High (USHS-MN)/Waterloo (USHL)

5’10, 165lbs

Grades: Skating: 55, Shot: 55, Skills: 55, Smarts: 47.5, Physicality/Compete: 45

OFP: 51.625

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Notes: Townsend came into the year with a significant amount of fanfare and high expectations. He was already one of the better players in Minnesota last year and looked good in a short call-up stint with the NTDP U17’s. However, this season his development seems to have plateaued a bit. It started with a disappointing performance at the U.S. Hlinka/Gretzky camp, where he was ultimately a surprise cut. Then he returned to Eden Prairie for another year of high school hockey, and while he’s been great and a team leader, his game hasn’t really taken another step forward either. Townsend is a well-rounded offensive player. He has a powerful linear stride and despite being only 5’10, 165lbs, he is very successful driving the net with a strong lower half. He is hard to knock off the puck in full stride and can put defenders on his back after pulling by them with his speed, keeping the puck in his hip pocket. He has a quick release and finds his way to the middle of the ice without the puck. He is also a precise passer and a creative playmaker who can elevate the play of his wingers.

Defensively, Townsend is a work in progress, especially if he wants to stick down the middle. Additionally, I’ve been disappointed in the growth of his game with the puck, especially his decision making. He is very much North/South in how he attacks and can burrow his way into turnovers with his head down. While the sample size is extremely small, he’s been highly ineffective at the USHL level and in a single game with the NTDP (against St. Thomas) because he’s not identifying passing lanes or making quick enough decisions. As alluded to, perhaps he is best suited to a move to the wing moving forward. Obviously, Townsend’s offensive upside is still significant. He’s one of the youngest players available this year (born in early September). He has runway to improve, especially physically. One has to think that he’ll play next year with Waterloo in the USHL full time before moving on to the University of Minnesota, whose incoming class is stacked. As far as mid to later round picks go, Townsend is extremely intriguing because he does have the potential to be an impact player. However, I would not be able to justify a higher ranking at this time.

Chase Pirtle

Wing - Mount St. Charles Academy (USHS-Prep)

6’2, 185lbs

Grades: Skating: 55, Shot: 45, Skills: 55, Smarts: 50, Physicality/Compete: 50

OFP: 51.25

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https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2-chase_pirtle_-_3rd_period_12_33_-_12_45.mp4

Notes: I was already fairly familiar with Pirtle’s game dating back to his OHL draft year with the North Jersey Avalanche (playing alongside Quentin Musty, Matthew Mania and Nick Moldenhauer). His combination of size and skating ability is definitely going to intrigue NHL scouts; his athleticism is impressive. He routinely likes to play at a breakneck pace, often leading the charge in transition. He is an excellent transporter with his great top end speed, and he can control the puck well at full speed, using changes of pace or direction to evade pressure, often without significant speed loss. He shows good skill and creativity in small spaces, often evading the first layer of pressure with a quick move and can explode to the net coming off the wall. The rest of his game is definitely best described as a work in progress. For all his speed and skill, he can skate himself into trouble far too often. A lot of his impressive drives end up dying on his stick once inside the offensive zone, as he attempts to drive through defenders or makes an ill-timed pass. One has to wonder how his game would have looked had he gone the USHL route this year (his rights are now owned by Omaha) and played with more talented linemates (no offense meant to his Mount St. Charles teammates).

Additionally, Pirtle’s finishing ability is not a strength. He does not generate significant power on his wrist shot, often failing to elevate it quickly. He can struggle to hit the net at times or puts it straight into the goalie’s chest. He does earn good looks thanks to his quickness and power, but he can also struggle to finish in tight, sometimes failing to corral loose pucks. I’d also love to see Pirtle use his size and power more consistently off the puck. He could be a great forechecker and he could be quite the presence near the net front (especially at the prep level), but he can be too perimeter oriented. He flashes physicality, but it’s certainly not a huge part of his game. Armed with a scholarship to Cornell, is Pirtle a true NHL draft prospect? I would definitely say yes, even with his current shortcomings. His athleticism is impressive, and his upside is high. He can have a profound impact on the transition game and Cornell is a great spot for him to improve his off-puck play, given the program’s strong defensive acumen.

Connor MacPherson

Wing - Leamington Flyers (GOJHL)

6’0, 176lbs

Grades: Skating: 45, Shot: 55, Skills: 55, Smarts: 55, Physicality/Compete: 45

OFP: 51

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/connor_macpherson_-_2nd_period_10_51_-_11_8.mp4

Notes: Only one player in the history of the NHL has been drafted out of the GOJHL (formerly junior B in Ontario); Daultan Leveille, 29th overall to Atlanta from the St. Catherines Falcons. MacPherson has a real chance to be the second. Along with his twin brother Ryan, Connor has been one of the best players in the league with Leamington and has a scholarship to New Hampshire in his back pocket. Connor is a cerebral winger who has many layers of deception built into his game. Not a quick or powerful skater, he prefers to slow the game down to a crawl, offering himself an opportunity to see the ice. His quick hands routinely afford him the extra time and space that his feet do not. He can keep the puck on a string as he stops, starts, and pivots to help him evade pressure and maintain possession. His vision with the puck is high end. His off-puck anticipation and reads are high end. He times his cuts perfectly and routinely finds himself with scoring chances in the slot and near the crease.

Connor is also a competitor who will get to the net or take a hit to make a play. Unquestionably, adding strength will be key for him as he moves forward as he can be pushed off the puck too easily at times. Obviously, his skating needs to be upgraded too, as does his confidence playing with pace. His shorter strides prevent him from gaining separation speed. MacPherson suited up for a GOJHL all-star team that captured the title at a U18 prep school showcase in late January, however he was a relative non-factor offensively at the event that was highly attended by NHL scouts. At this point, a lack of dynamic skating in combination with him playing in an, admittedly, lower-level league, would cause me to hesitate to recommend him as a draft selection at this time. I’d be more curious to see how he handles a move to a higher level next season, be it the NCAA or another feeder league.

Jack Ziliotto

Center/Wing - Mississauga (OJHL)

6’1, 175lbs

Grades: Skating: 45, Shot: 55, Skills: 50, Smarts: 55, Physicality/Compete: 50

OFP: 51

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/jack_ziliotto_-_3rd_period_5_43_-_5_55.mp4

Notes: A power forward, Ziliotto was, at one time, considered one of the better forward prospects in Ontario during his minor hockey days. However, his development really plateaued in his U15-U16 years, and it led to him being a later round pick in the OHL. As such, Ziliotto took a long, hard look at the NCAA route and it’s been good for his development. Playing at the OJHL level, Ziliotto has improved incrementally over the last two years. This is especially true of the second half of this OJHL season where he put a weak Chargers team on his back and ended up leading the team in scoring by a significant margin, averaging almost two points per game down the stretch. Ziliotto has some intriguing components to his game. He shoots the puck well, owning a powerful, whip-like release on his wrister that can beat goalies clean from a distance. He also shows well as a playmaker deep in the offensive zone, spinning off checks to get pucks to the slot, or to drive the net. He definitely tries to play with power and is middle of the ice focused, often taking up residence near the crease when he’s not supporting his linemates in the cycle or carrying in transition.

Ziliotto also shows great potential as a two-way player. He has a really good stick and anticipation in the neutral zone and in the defensive end, helping him to force turnovers which he can use to counterattack. The key for him has always been and continues to be the need to improve his skating. He has a hunched over posture, inconsistent stride length, and is rather stiff when trying to play off his edges or alter his direction. I think this is preventing him from being a truly consistent two-way force. I’m also not confident about his ability to stick at center. The skating and skill limitations probably will force him to the wing, and I mean, he was also only 44% on the draw this year in the OJHL. I’d really like to see Ziliotto head to the USHL for a season before going to RPI. Not only will that give him another year to improve and build confidence, but it could also allow him to play with some more talented players…no offense meant to his teammates the last two seasons.

Giacomo Martino

Wing - St. Michael’s (OJHL)

5’10, 160lbs

Grades: Skating: 50, Shot: 52.5, Skills: 52.5, Smarts: 52.5, Physicality/Compete: 45

OFP: 50.75

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/giacomo_martino_-_2nd_period_7_57_-_8_14.mp4

Notes: Giacomo, the younger brother of Dallas Stars draft pick and Clarkson standout Ayrton Martino, came into the draft year with pretty high expectations after he was a point per game player in the OJHL as a U17 player. However, he hasn’t really taken that next step to become a dominant Junior A player, at least to the level where he would be considered a slam dunk draft pick. If you recall, Ayrton had one of the highest point per game averages in the OJHL and was a standout at the World Junior A Challenge as a U18 player. Whereas Giacomo has been good, but not outstanding with St. Mike’s, and was a relative non-factor at the World Junior A Challenge. Giacomo does have a well-rounded offensive profile. Good shot and shooting mechanics. Good offensive zone instincts. Solid skill with the puck. Has a similar stride to his brother in the sense that he is confident on his edges and is very agile. Solid top speed, but certainly not the type of dynamic skater that you’d like to see from a 5’10 forward. Martino does work hard in the offensive zone and is a quality forechecker. Adding strength is a necessity for him moving forward as he can be too easily pushed off the puck at the OJHL level. Martino’s defensive zone play needs work too. I’d really love to see him head to the USHL for a season, like his brother did, before heading to Northeastern. I guess my concern is that he’s an undersized winger who lacks dynamic skating ability and athleticism, in addition to having a fairly average offensive projection. Could definitely see a team using a later round pick on him if they are convinced that he will really blossom as he matures physically.

A.J. Lacroix

Wing/Center - Chilliwack Chiefs (BCHL)

6’0, 195lbs

Grades: Skating: 50, Shot: 50, Skills: 50, Smarts: 50, Physicality/Compete: 55

OFP: 50.75

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/a.j._lacroix_-_2nd_period_27_2_-_27_19.mp4

Notes: Lacroix is a competitive and versatile forward playing out of the BCHL. He has dual citizenship and thus was a top nine forward on the U.S. Hlinka/Gretzky squad in the summer, where he had three assists in four games. A Michigan State commit, Lacroix’s best asset is his tenacity. He competes hard off the puck, applying himself physically in puck pursuit, consistently finds his way to the net front, and works hard in the defensive end to tie up opposing players and block shots. Because of this, he is an excellent penalty killer. As an offensive player, his ceiling likely has some limitations. He is an adequate skater, who does build in linear crossovers to help him build speed, however his wide stance also prevents him from being truly explosive or agile East/West. He has a fairly quick release on his shot and can operate as a goal scorer in tight, but he can struggle to cleanly catch passes at times too. A standard North/South attacker, he operates best in puck pursuit as a dump and chase player or forechecker, as he does not have the kind of high-end skill or creativity to consistently beat defenders one on one. His playmaking ability shows potential but is also inconsistent. Some shifts his passes and reads prove to be on the mark, as he creates after forcing turnovers or by attacking wide and delaying. However, other times, the precision on his passes is not strong and they miss the mark, resulting in turnovers. Lacroix’s positional versatility, competitiveness, and the potential to improve his athletic tools could interest NHL teams in the later rounds this year, but it would also not be shocking to see them pass on him to see how he performs at a higher level first (perhaps as a re-entry following a year in the USHL or in the NCAA).

Finn Brink

Wing - Maple Grove High (USHS-MN)/Madison (USHL)

5’9, 180lbs

Grades: Skating: 45, Shot: 55, Skills: 50, Smarts: 55, Physicality/Compete: 45

OFP: 50

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/finn_brink_-_2nd_period_2_23_-_2_35.mp4

Notes: Brink is a smaller, high IQ winger who is having a terrific offensive season this year between the Minnesota high school ranks (where he is a top Mr. Hockey candidate) and the USHL. He has terrific offensive instincts and is great at finding gaps in coverage. Armed with a quick release, Brink is able to consistently take advantage of the scoring chances that his anticipation and awareness afford him. At the high school level, Brink is able to work as a lead attacker with decent top end speed and puck skill, driving North/South to enter the zone. However, at the USHL level he is much more of a complementary piece with limitations due to a lack of explosiveness and overall agility. His initial short, choppy strides prevent him from building speed quickly and this makes him a step behind the play at the USHL level at times. One would have to believe that it would have even larger negative implications at the NCAA level and above, the primary reason that Brink was not ranked by NHL Central Scouting despite such a strong offensive season. Brink is also not a player you would consider to be a high-end physical presence or defensive player. The reality is that Brink does have some offensive potential due to that high IQ and skill. However, the physical tools need to be upgraded. Maybe an NHL team throws a later round selection at him in hopes of him developing slowly. However, it seems more likely that NHL teams put him on a watch list to see how areas of his game develop next year with a full USHL season or the following year in the NCAA with Wisconsin, before selecting him.

2023 NHL DRAFT: MCKEEN’S MID-SEASON TOP 100 RANKING (SUBSCRIBERS)

Brock Otten — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 18:05:54 +0000

Connor Bedard. Photo by Candice Ward.

Many important scouting events have come and gone, such as the World Junior Championships, the World Junior A Challenge, the Biosteel All American game, and the CHL Top Prospect’s Game. That means it is time for McKeen’s Hockey to update our draft rankings for the 2023 NHL draft. Back in November, we released our preliminary top 50 (found here). This time around, we have expanded our ranking to a top 100 (plus 20 honorable mentions).

The first round of this list continues to be dominated by the Western Hockey League. Four of our top ten and nine of our top 32 (first round graded) are WHL players. The United States has a very strong presence in our first round ranking too, with eight players playing south of the Canadian border.

Positionally, forwards continue to dominate the vast majority of our first-round spots, with only six defenders and two goaltenders bucking that trend. Of particular interest, we do not have a defender ranked inside of our Top 13. Is it possible that no defender is drafted inside of the top 10 in Nashville this June? According to our scouts…yes. However, it is also important to note that this is exceptionally rare. The last time no defender was taken inside of the Top 10 was 1983 (Bobby Dollas at 14th overall to Winnipeg)!

Several players made huge leaps upward in our midseason rankings. Among them are Ryan Leonard, Oliver Moore, Dmitri Simashev, Oliver Bonk, David Reinbacher, and Quentin Musty. Leonard is a strong two-way goal scoring winger with an athletic skill set. Oliver Moore is one of the best skating forwards available this year and also plays a mature two-way game. Both have stood out positively of late for the U.S. NTDP. Dmitri Simashev is a massive defender who brings physicality and mobility, but who is also gaining confidence in his offensive abilities. Oliver Bonk has emerged as one of the top defensive defenders in the OHL; a fact that was on display at this year’s Top Prospect’s Game. David Reinbacher continues to perform well in Switzerland and was a standout for an overmatched Austrian squad at the WJC’s. All three defenders are surging up our rankings and could finish the year even higher with continued strong play. Meanwhile, Quentin Musty has played very well in Sudbury post coaching change and his upside remains extremely intriguing.

Without further ado, here is our Top 100 (with 20 honorable mentions):

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Connor Bedard	C	Regina (WHL)	5-10/185	17-Jul-05	34-42-43-85
2	Adam Fantilli	C	Michigan (B1G)	6-2/195	12-Oct-04	22-16-24-40
3	Leo Carlsson	C	Orebro (SHL)	6-3/200	26-Dec-04	31-5-13-18
4	Matvei Michkov	RW	HK Sochi (KHL)	5-10/170	9-Dec-04	14-4-2-6
5	Will Smith	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/175	17-Mar-05	36-28-41-69
6	Andrew Cristall	LW	Kelowna (WHL)	5-9/165	4-Feb-05	36-26-36-62
7	Zach Benson	LW	Winnipeg (WHL)	5-9/160	12-May-05	41-25-41-66
8	Nate Danielson	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-1/185	27-Sep-04	45-23-33-56
9	Eduard Sale	LW	Kometa Brno (Cze)	6-2/175	10-Mar-05	34-3-5-8
10	Dalibor Dvorsky	C	AIK (Allsvenskan)	6-1/200	15-Jun-05	27-4-7-11
11	Ryan Leonard	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/190	21-Jan-05	34-25-27-52
12	Oliver Moore	C	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/185	22-Jan-05	37-21-26-47
13	Brayden Yager	C	Moose Jaw (WHL)	5-11/165	3-Jan-05	48-20-35-55
14	Dmitri Simashev	D	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	6-4/200	4-Feb-05	15-0-0-0
15	Colby Barlow	LW	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-0/195	14-Feb-05	42-36-27-63
16	Lukas Dragicevic	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-1/190	25-Apr-05	44-13-42-55
17	Axel Sandin Pellikka	D	Skelleftea (SHL)	5-11/180	11-Mar-05	19-2-3-5
18	Mikhail Gulyayev	D	Avangard Omsk (KHL)	5-11/170	26-Apr-05	12-0-1-1
19	Daniil But	LW	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	6-5/200	15-Feb-05	12-1-0-1
20	Carson Bjarnason	G	Brandon (WHL)	6-3/185	30-Jun-05	17-14-2, 2.90, .911
21	Calum Ritchie	C	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/185	21-Jan-05	43-19-25-44
22	Gavin Brindley	C	Michigan (B1G)	5-8/165	5-Oct-04	26-3-14-17
23	Gabe Perreault	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/165	7-May-05	39-35-41-76
24	Matthew Wood	RW	UConn (HE)	6-3/195	6-Feb-05	27-9-16-25
25	Riley Heidt	C	Prince George (WHL)	5-10/180	25-Mar-05	44-19-41-60
26	David Reinbacher	D	Kloten (Sui-NL)	6-2/185	25-Oct-04	36-2-17-19
27	Caden Price	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-0/185	24-Aug-05	44-5-19-24
28	Ethan Gauthier	RW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	5-11/175	26-Jan-05	45-17-32-49
29	Quentin Musty	LW	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/200	6-Jul-05	32-12-36-48
30	Kasper Halttunen	LW	HIFK (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/205	7-Jun-05	24-0-1-1
31	Otto Stenberg	C	Frolunda (Swe J20)	5-11/180	29-May-05	23-8-12-20
32	Michael Hrabal	G	Omaha (USHL)	6-6/210	20-Jan-05	6-9-3, 3.18, .899
33	Samuel Honzek	LW	Vancouver (WHL)	6-3/185	12-Nov-04	31-17-26-43
34	Jayden Perron	RW	Chicago (USHL)	5-9/165	11-Jan-05	37-16-18-34
35	Carson Rehkopf	LW	Kitchener (OHL)	6-1/195	7-Jan-05	42-19-18-37
36	Roman Kantserov	RW	Stalnye Lisy (MHL)	5-9/175	20-Sep-04	38-21-22-43
37	Oliver Bonk	D	London (OHL)	6-2/175	9-Jan-05	43-9-19-28
38	Beau Akey	D	Barrie (OHL)	5-11/170	11-Feb-05	42-7-29-36
39	Timur Mukhanov	C	Omskie Krylia (VHL)	5-8/170	17-Jun-05	28-3-4-7
40	Koehn Ziemmer	RW	Prince George (WHL)	6-0/205	8-Dec-04	44-26-36-62
41	Bradly Nadeau	LW	Penticton (BCHL)	5-10/165	5-May-05	37-31-42-73
42	Tom Willander	D	Rogle (Swe J20)	6-1/180	9-Feb-05	30-4-15-19
43	Luca Pinelli	C	Ottawa (OHL)	5-8/165	5-Apr-05	44-20-27-47
44	William Whitelaw	RW	Youngstown (USHL)	5-9/170	5-Feb-05	35-20-15-35
45	Trey Augustine	G	USN U18 (USDP)	6-1/185	23-Feb-05	14-0-2, 2.29, .925
46	Theo Lindstein	D	Brynas (SHL)	6-0/180	5-Jan-05	19-1-1-2
47	Mathieu Cataford	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	5-11/185	1-Mar-05	45-22-31-53
48	Charlie Stramel	C	Wisconsin (B1G)	6-3/215	15-Oct-04	23-5-4-9
49	Kaden Hammell	D	Kam-Evt (WHL)	6-1/175	12-Mar-05	45-6-10-16
50	Alexander Rykov	RW	Chelmet Chelyabinsk (VHL)	5-11/170	14-Jul-05	20-4-7-11
51	Maxim Strbak	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-1/205	13-Apr-05	29-5-10-15
52	Tanner Molendyk	D	Saskatoon (WHL)	5-11/185	3-Feb-05	43-6-19-25
53	Anton Wahlberg	C	Malmo (Swe J20)	6-3/195	4-Jul-05	32-14-13-27
54	Carey Terrance	C	Erie (OHL)	6-0/175	10-May-05	43-20-11-31
55	Cam Allen	D	Guelph (OHL)	6-0/195	7-Jan-05	39-4-15-19
56	Tyler Peddle	LW	Drummondville (QMJHL)	6-0/195	28-Jan-05	45-18-13-31
57	Gracyn Sawchyn	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/160	19-Jan-05	43-15-32-47
58	Jesse Nurmi	LW	KooKoo (Fin-U20)	5-10/165	7-Mar-05	35-19-27-46
59	Carter Sotheran	D	Portland (WHL)	6-3/195	26-Jun-05	45-3-16-19
60	Nikita Susuyev	RW	MHK Spartak Moskva (MHL)	6-0/170	6-Feb-05	34-9-16-25
61	Aram Minnetian	D	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/190	19-Mar-05	38-5-18-23
62	Arttu Karki	D	Tappara (Fin-U20)	6-1/175	8-Dec-04	30-12-22-34
63	Noah Dower Nilsson	LW	Frolunda (Swe J20)	6-0/175	25-Apr-05	26-24-21-45
64	Scott Ratzlaff	G	Seattle (WHL)	6-0/175	9-Mar-05	17-5-0, 2.26, .917
65	Andrew Strathmann	D	Youngstown (USHL)	5-10/190	27-Feb-05	29-2-23-25
66	Kalan Lind	LW	Red Deer (WHL)	6-0/160	25-Jan-05	41-15-27-42
67	Jesse Kiiskinen	RW	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	5-11/180	23-Aug-05	27-17-21-38
68	Etienne Morin	D	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-0/180	9-Mar-05	43-15-31-46
69	Coulson Pitre	RW	Flint (OHL)	6-0/170	13-Dec-04	41-19-22-41
70	Felix Nilsson	C	Rogle (Swe J20)	6-0/176	22-Jun-05	26-16-17-33
71	Hunter Brzustewicz	D	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/185	29-Nov-04	42-3-30-33
72	Jakub Dvorak	D	Bili Tygri Liberec (Cze)	6-5/205	25-May-05	24-0-2-2
73	Andrew Gibson	D	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-3/195	13-Feb-05	38-7-11-18
74	Ondrej Molnar	LW	Erie (OHL)	5-10/170	8-Feb-05	16-2-7-9
75	Martin Misiak	RW	Nove Zamky (Svk)	6-2/195	30-Sep-04	29-1-9-10
76	Luca Cagnoni	D	Portland (WHL)	5-9/180	21-Dec-04	44-12-34-46
77	Lenni Hameenaho	RW	Assat (Fin-Liiga)	6-0/175	7-Nov-04	35-5-10-15
78	Alex Ciernik	LW	Sodertalje (Swe J20)	5-11/175	8-Oct-04	11-7-7-14
79	Denver Barkey	C	London (OHL)	5-8/160	27-Apr-05	43-12-28-40
80	Oliver Tulk	C	Calgary (WHL)	5-7/170	19-Jan-05	46-19-22-41
81	Oscar Fisker Molgaard	C	HV 71 (SHL)	6-0/165	18-Feb-05	28-4-1-5
82	Matthew Mania	D	Sudbury (OHL)	6-1/180	11-Jan-05	43-7-18-25
83	Gavin McCarthy	D	Muskegon (USHL)	6-1/180	2-Jun-05	20-4-14-18
84	Noel Nordh	RW	Brynas (SHL)	6-3/195	25-Jan-05	10-1-0-1
85	Jacob Fowler	G	Youngstown (USHL)	6-1/215	24-Nov-04	13-6-3, 2.63, .914
86	Aydar Suniev	LW	Penticton (BCHL)	6-1/200	16-Nov-04	33-26-31-57
87	Emil Jarventie	LW	Ilves (Fin-U20)	5-9/165	4-Apr-05	21-8-11-19
88	Danny Nelson	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/200	3-Aug-05	38-12-16-28
89	Yegor Klimovich	RW	Sibirskie Snaipery (MHL)	5-9/160	14-May-05	28-9-21-30
90	Adam Gajan	G	Green Bay (USHL)	6-2/165	6-May-04	5-1-0, 2.48, .906
91	Quinton Burns	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-1/180	14-Apr-05	36-1-20-21
92	Grayden Siepmann	D	Calgary (WHL)	5-10/185	26-May-04	45-8-27-35
93	Yegor Zavragin	G	Mamonty Yugry (MHL)	6-2/185	23-Aug-05	9-6-1, 2.55, .919
94	Owen Beckner	C	Salmon Arm (BCHL)	6-1/175	27-Feb-05	36-12-21-33
95	Aiden Fink	RW	Brooks (AJHL)	5-9/155	24-Nov-04	43-30-50-80
96	Matthew Soto	RW	Kingston (OHL)	5-10/180	31-Aug-05	44-13-22-35
97	Eric Pohlkamp	D	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	5-10/200	23-Mar-04	31-12-20-32
98	Nick Lardis	LW	Pbo-Ham (OHL)	5-10/165	8-Jul-05	41-21-16-35
99	Jayson Shaugabay	RW	Warroad (USHS-MN)	5-9/155	4-May-05	18-22-39-61
100	Brad Gardiner	C	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/180	6-Mar-05	45-17-11-28
HM	Ethan Miedema	LW	Wsr-Kgn (OHL)	6-4/205	22-Mar-05	45-12-22-35
HM	Brady Cleveland	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-5/210	1-Apr-05	34-0-5-5
HM	Joey Willis	C	Saginaw (OHL)	5-10/170	14-Mar-05	44-9-17-26
HM	Juraj Pekarcik	LW	Nitra (Svk)	6-1/185	12-Sep-05	26-0-3-3
HM	Spencer Sova	D	Erie (OHL)	6-0/185	10-Jan-04	44-14-17-31
HM	Zeb Forsfjall	C	Skelleftea (SHL)	5-9/170	16-Jan-05	10-1-0-1
HM	Kalle Carlsson	C	Orebro (Swe J20)	6-0/175	2-Mar-05	34-6-21-27
HM	David Edstrom	C	Frolunda (Swe J20)	6-3/185	18-Feb-05	22-10-12-22
HM	Felix Unger Sorum	RW	Leksands (Swe J20)	5-11/170	14-Sep-05	32-9-30-39
HM	Alex Pharand	C	Sudbury (OHL)	6-3/205	1-May-05	44-16-14-30
HM	Tuomas Uronen	RW	HIFK (Fin-U20)	5-11/180	19-Mar-05	31-13-19-32
HM	Tanner Adams	RW	Tri-City (USHL)	5-11/185	2-Sep-05	27-8-10-18
HM	Mazden Leslie	D	Vancouver (WHL)	6-0/195	15-Apr-05	45-8-25-33
HM	Juha Jatkola	G	KalPa (Fin-Liiga)	6-1/175	12-Sep-02	16-10-6, 2.14, .909
HM	Connor Levis	RW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-1/190	5-Oct-04	43-11-25-36
HM	Owen Outwater	LW	Kingston (OHL)	6-2/160	4-Jan-05	39-10-18-28
HM	Easton Cowan	RW	London (OHL)	5-10/170	20-May-05	44-12-17-29
HM	Rasmus Kumpulainen	C	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	6-2/190	8-Aug-05	36-11-20-31
HM	Emil Pieniniemi	D	Karpat (Fin-U20)	6-2/170	2-Mar-05	26-0-10-10
HM	Austin Roest	C	Everett (WHL)	5-9/175	22-Jan-04	46-26-35-61