Aram Minnetian – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #32 Dallas – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 18:00:14 +0000

Emil Hemming of the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Prospect System Ranking – 32nd (Last Year - 31st)
GM: Jim Nill Hired: April 2013
COACH: Glen Gulutzan Hired: July 2025

It's no secret that winning comes at a cost, and the Dallas Stars’ prospect pool reflects the price of contention. While the franchise has yet to capture a Stanley Cup, Jim Nill has been aggressive in recent years, consistently reinforcing his roster in pursuit of the organization’s first championship since its lone victory in 1999. That push, combined with a steady stream of prospect graduations, has significantly depleted the system. Frequent buyers at the trade deadline, the Stars have not slowed their willingness to leverage future assets. Dallas currently holds just five draft picks in 2026 — a second, fifth, sixth, and two seventh-round selections — leaving limited opportunity to replenish the pipeline in the immediate future.

That pipeline is headlined by Emil Hemming (119th), the club’s first-round selection from the 2024 draft class and the only Dallas prospect appearing within McKeen’s Top 200. The 19-year-old began the season with a short stint with the Texas Stars but struggled to find traction at the professional level before returning to junior hockey. Since landing in the OHL, Hemming has rediscovered his form, producing at an elite pace and ranking among the league’s leaders in points per game. Out west, 2025 third-round pick Cameron Schmidt is establishing himself as one of the WHL’s most dangerous producers. Split between the Vancouver Giants and Seattle Thunderbirds, Schmidt completed his regular season as the league’s top goal producer with 51 goals. Now 19, the dynamic winger could make the jump to the AHL as early as next season under the league’s updated rules.

With Dallas firmly positioned in its championship window, the prospect landscape remains volatile. In a win-now environment, few prospects or draft picks are considered untouchable as management continues to prioritize the present.

NHL	RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	2024-25 TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
Dal	1	Emil Hemming	RW	19	6-1/205	Barrie (OHL)	46	26	37	63	22
Dal	1	Emil Hemming	RW	19	6-1/205	Texas (AHL)	5	0	0	0	0
Dal	2	Cameron Schmidt	RW	19	5-8/160	Van-Sea (WHL)	72	51	49	100	58
Dal	3	Tristan Bertucci	D	20	6-1/180	Texas (AHL)	63	5	19	24	53
Dal	4	Aram Minnetian	D	21	5-11/190	Boston College (NCAA)	36	2	9	11	38
Dal	4	Aram Minnetian	D	21	5-11/190	Texas (AHL)	8	0	3	3	6
Dal	5	Brandon Gorzynski	C	19	6-2/185	Cgy-PA (WHL)	65	27	42	69	47
Dal	6	Arno Tiefensee	G	24	6-4/190	Texas (AHL)	20	10	7	3.30	0.892
Dal	6	Arno Tiefensee	G	24	6-4/190	Idaho (ECHL)	11	7	1	2.32	0.926
Dal	7	George Fegaras	D	22	6-1/188	Cornell (NCAA)	34	5	16	21	30
Dal	8	Atte Joki	C	18	6-2/200	Lukko (Fin-Liiga)	40	4	8	12	14
Dal	9	Matthew Seminoff	RW	22	5-11/190	Texas (AHL)	72	24	26	50	24
Dal	10	Samu Tuomaala	RW	23	5-10/175	LV-Tex (AHL)	19	2	8	10	6
Dal	11	Antonio Stranges	LW	24	5-11/185	Texas (AHL)	70	14	20	34	12
Dal	12	Ayrton Martino	LW	23	5-11/185	Texas (AHL)	41	2	10	12	4
Dal	12	Ayrton Martino	LW	23	5-11/185	Idaho (ECHL)	3	2	2	4	0
Dal	13	Arttu Hyry	RW	25	6-2/210	Texas (AHL)	27	9	10	19	13
Dal	13	Arttu Hyry	RW	25	6-2/210	Dallas (NHL)	20	3	2	5	2
Dal	14	Charlie Paquette	RW	20	6-2/205	Gue-Bfd (OHL)	65	29	34	63	34
Dal	15	Jeremie Poirier	D	23	6-1/195	Cgy-Tex (AHL)	51	5	11	16	33

1. Emil Hemming, RW, Barrie Colts (OHL)

Emil Hemming entered the 2025-26 season with an opportunity to play with the Texas Stars and went scoreless through five games. The best of those five came against Rockford, where he fit in, utilizing his deadly one-touch wrister and skill for finding loose pucks to rack up four scoring chances. After returning to Barrie, he’s become a large part of the powerhouse Colts’ offense, scoring over 1.5 points per game, forming an elite duo with Cole Beaudoin. The World Juniors wasn’t quite what he had hoped for with 3 points through 7 games and a boot in the semi-finals to their Swedish rivals, but now back in Ontario, he’s looking to be an integral part of a deep Barrie playoff run. His shot is the focal point of his game, looking to set himself up for cross-ice passes before surgically finishing them with his signature one-timer. He’s got solid downhill speed and shows flashes of making some deceptive passes, but his defensive game can still be inconsistent. As for his role in the NHL, Hemming should eventually fit into Dallas’ middle-six to provide relief scoring.

2. Cameron Schmidt, RW, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

The Dallas Stars didn't get to make a selection in the 2025 NHL draft until 94th overall, so they swung big with that pick by using it on Schmidt, a prospect with rare talents and upside. The western winger is a true high-risk, high-reward prospect. There's no denying his offensive threat level, with explosive acceleration, a lethal scoring touch, and deceptive hands that can beat defenders one-on-one. Where things start to get tricky with him is that he's badly undersized and lacking in strength. He usually needs to exert maximum effort to be effective, but that's nearly impossible to accomplish every shift of every game, and it can also make him a serious liability when he gets stuck on the ice with an empty gas tank, especially when it’s so easy to move the puck around someone his size. There's a legitimate chance that Schmidt becomes an NHL support scorer one day, but that's the only path that's available to him, and the Stars will need to be very careful and hands-on with his development in order for that to actually happen.

3. Tristan Bertucci, D, Texas Stars (AHL)

Bertucci's development in his final two years in the OHL wasn't as extensive as expected for a prospect with his tool package and draft placement. Luckily for the Stars, however, that didn't hinder the young defenseman's transition to the professional level, where he has been consistently effective as an AHL rookie, carving out a regular role on the Texas Stars blueline despite there being quite a logjam of defenders on that roster. The entire foundation of his game, both offensively and defensively, is built around his skating, with sleek footwork and long, looping crossovers. He's equally adept at using his mobility to defend the rush as he is at using it to open up space on the attack. He can be assertive at times, though you'd like to see more of a killer instinct out of him overall, as his default mode is a little too quiet and reserved. It’s almost like Bertucci doesn’t fully realize just how good he could become if he just dug in a little deeper and ratcheted up his game another level or two.

4. Aram Minnetian, D, Texas Stars (AHL)

Minnetian has blossomed into a very solid shutdown defender in Hockey East, and it’s largely due to his powerful skating. He has been excellent at retrievals, defending the rush, and in-zone defense. The power he generates from his feet is crucial to making him so solid in his own end of the ice. Despite being only 6 feet, he can kill plays with his stick or even his 200-pound body, the latter being more of an occasional usage. Offensively, he has been fine, primarily excelling in the transition game and with his puck-carrying in general. Minnetian shows flashes of high IQ activation in the offensive zone as well, but it will not be a mainstay of his game at the next level. He will likely feature in the AHL for the Stars, but I am unsure if his NHL upside at this point is anything above a seventh Defenseman. Look for him to start his pro journey, sooner rather than later after completing his junior year for Boston College.

5. Brandon Gorzynski, C, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

Gorzinski is a very easy prospect to like and believe in. It doesn’t take much imagination to think of how a winger with this blend of size, athleticism and versatility would be a roster priority for an NHL organization. What makes him extra interesting, however, is that he still looks like he has a lot of runway for improvement in multiple different directions. Is there a chance that he could grow his offensive abilities enough to establish a Top 6 role one day? Absolutely. Alternatively, could he add more energy and physicality to his game, helping him to become a truly great shutdown forward? That’s also totally realistic. Maybe even both types of growth will happen to some degree. The Stars certainly have options for how they want to try to influence and contribute to his individual development, and it will be interesting to see how they approach it. He should be busy this spring as a go-to forward for the Prince Albert Raiders as they chase a WHL championship.

6. Arno Tiefensee, G, Texas Stars (AHL)

The Stars made a somewhat peculiar decision when they drafted Tiefensee in 2023, at 157th overall. Not only was he one of the select few German prospects to get chosen, he was also one of the oldest players among all nations, having gone unselected the three prior times. But he had emerged that season as a regular in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga and then starred for his club in that league's playoffs, which were signs that he could succeed at other professional levels of hockey as well. And sure enough, after two more impressive campaigns back home he moved to North America for 2025-26, starting briefly in the ECHL before quickly playing his way up to the AHL. His goaltending style certainly isn't glamorous or exciting, with stiff movements and a heavy reliance on staying square to shooters and letting his big, blocky frame do most of the work, but he gets results and can handle a decent workload without getting fatigued. If Tiefensee maintains his current trajectory then he should see NHL action at some point.

7. George Fegaras, D, Cornell University (NCAA)

Fegaras has patrolled the Cornell blueline admirably for the past three seasons, playing a two-way shutdown role. Standing at 6’2 and weighing in at 210+lbs, he makes it hard for opponents to go around him at times. Fegaras has a ton of hand-eye coordination, being able to swat flying pucks and pokecheck more than many others in his conference. The Stars have had to be very patient with his development after drafting him out of the OJHL in 2022. But his development has slowly come around, giving him a chance to become a quality depth piece for the organization. Fegaras is not flashy, per say. The offensive upside is not significant as a pro. However, he does a good job of getting pucks to the net and his mobility is more than adequate for his size. The pace of the pro game, eventually, will be a true test for him and will likely dictate whether he has what it takes to be a solid bottom pairing defender or more of an AHL depth piece.

8. Atte Joki, C, Lukko (Liiga)

Atte Joki has established himself as a premier defensive-minded center and a high-floor prospect within the Lukko system. While he may not possess the flashy offensive toolkit of some of his peers in the 2025 draft class, Joki’s value lies in his professional-grade habits, physical engagement, and specialized role-playing capabilities. His performance at the international stage, especially at the World Juniors in Minnesota, solidified his reputation as a "coach’s player" who can be trusted in high-leverage defensive situations. The core of Joki’s game is built on the forecheck and net-front utility. Standing at 6-foot-2, he excels at using his frame to shield pucks along the boards and disrupt opposing breakouts with a relentless motor and an active stick. He is a constant nuisance for goaltenders, providing elite screening and hunting rebounds with a blue-collar mentality. Defensively, Joki is solid for his age. His reads are mature, his positioning is disciplined, and he is a reliable option on the penalty kill, often prioritizing the right side of the puck over risky offensive gambles. The primary hurdles for Joki remain his skating mechanics and offensive ceiling. His development will take time, but Joki has the DNA of a reliable bottom-six NHL center.

9. Matthew Seminoff, RW, Texas Stars (AHL)

Seminoff's tenure at the AHL level is coming along almost identically to how it did at the WHL: starting first as a high-energy checker in the depths of his lineup, before doggedly forcing his way upwards by also finding ways to contribute offensively. He is a determined, focused, heart-and-soul kind of player who earns the respect of his coaches and teammates. He is fully aware that he's not the most naturally skilled or physically gifted, so he tries to make up for it by working harder and being more adaptable than his peers, to much success. He's highly opportunistic, jumping on unsuspecting opponents to clear the zone on the penalty kill or spring a scoring chance in transition. With such a distinct identity and clear understanding of how he needs to play, it’s easy to foresee Seminoff receiving call-ups to the NHL in the not-too-distant future to plug a lineup hole, and maybe even seriously challenging for a depth roster spot in Dallas as soon as the fall of 2026.

10. Samu Tuomaala, RW, Texas Stars (AHL)

After falling out of favor in the Flyers organization Tuomaala was traded to Dallas in a change-of-scenery kind of exchange for Christian Kyrou, another prospect who is the exact same age and had been in the exact same situation. The early returns for the Finnish winger in his new organization were promising down in the AHL with the Texas Stars, until he was knocked out of the lineup due to injury. There's no denying how dangerous he can be when he's in the offensive zone and the puck is on his stick, but he brings little to no value in any other scenario, which is primarily due to his lackluster effort and nonexistent physical intensity. It seems like his only pathway to the NHL would be as a scoring winger and powerplay specialist who needs to be sheltered a lot at even strength. Tuomaala is a restricted free agent at the end of the season, and the Stars have a pretty shallow prospect pool, so it will be interesting to see if he gets an extended look with the organization.

11. Antonio Stranges, LW, Texas Stars (AHL)

Realistically, Stranges’ time in the Dallas organization may be reaching an end. He’s talented offensively, no doubt, but he doesn’t have the physical tools to drive play consistently at the pro level. He remains ranked due to the limited depth in Dallas’ organization.

12. Ayrton Martino, LW, Texas Stars (AHL)

A Hobey Baker award finalist last year with Clarkson, Martino’s first pro season has been a major disappointment. He has struggled mightily on and off the puck and badly needs to add power and strength to his game to be a solid AHL player, let alone NHL contributor.

13. Arttu Hyry, RW, Texas Stars (AHL)

After a promising first season in the AHL after signing out of Finland, Hyry has battled injuries this year, which has limited his impact. A solid two-way center, he still has a chance to carve out a role as a depth player for the Stars.

14. Charlie Paquette, RW, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

Paquette was a breakout star in the OHL with Guelph last year and he’s having another solid year, now with Brantford. He’s a big power forward who can be an asset on the powerplay. At the very least, he should serve as excellent organizational depth.

15. Remi Poirier, G, Texas Stars (AHL)

Poirier has been steady for Texas of the AHL the last few seasons and he’s played himself into Dallas’ organizational depth plans. A possible back-up candidate down the line, even if he’s going to require waivers soon.

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – DALLAS STARS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #31

Josh Bell — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 17:49:00 +0000

CHICAGO, IL - DECEMBER 29: Justin Hryckowian #49 of the Dallas Stars during the third period against the Chicago Blackhawks on December 29, 2024 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 31st (Previous Rank - 23rd)
GM: Jim Nill Hired: April 2013
COACH: Peter DeBoer Hired: June 2022

The Dallas Stars’ prospect pool has taken a noticeable hit, falling from 17th to 23rd all the way down to 31 after ranking in the top 10 just two years ago. The drop is due to a combination of key graduations—Thomas Harley, Mavrik Bourque, and Wyatt Johnston—plus the trade of Logan Stankoven. For a Stanley Cup contender, it’s the cost GM Jim Nill is more than willing to pay.

At the trade deadline, Nill pushed all-in, landing Mikko Rantanen and Mikael Granlund in exchange for Stankoven, first-round picks in 2025, 2026, and 2028, and a package of additional assets. Having rarely dealt first-rounders in his decade-long tenure, this move was a clear signal: the time to win is now. While Rantanen was locked up long-term, Granlund set sail for California after signing with the Anaheim Ducks in free agency.

Now headlining the club’s pipeline all the way down as our 200th ranked prospect is their 2024 first-rounder, Emil Hemming (29th overall). He made the jump to North America in 2024-25 and delivered a solid OHL rookie campaign with 48 points in 60 games.

In the AHL, Justin Hryckowian had a terrific Calder Cup playoff run after a 60-point rookie season, while Clarkson senior Ayrton Martino joined Texas late in the season following a career-best 51 points in 39 games, good for sixth in NCAA scoring.

While they weren’t particularly busy at the 2025 Entry Draft, the Stars did add Cameron Schmidt to their depth chart, a smaller but speedy, competitive forward who boosts their prospect mix.

Dallas remains firmly in its championship window, meaning no prospect or draft pick is truly safe from being moved. For Jim Nill, it’s all about maximizing the present—even if it leaves the future in a constant state of flux.

Dallas Stars Top-15 Prospects

1 - Emil Hemming

Expectations were pretty high for Hemming coming into this year after he signed with Barrie of the OHL, however, he did not meet them in what was a pretty unremarkable offensive season. Granted, the Colts did not have a single player hit the 60-point plateau, operating a well-balanced lineup. Hemming also was considerably better in the OHL postseason. Overall, his season resembled that of Seattle first rounder Eduard Sale in his lone OHL year in that there were some difficulties adjusting to the smaller ice and North American game. It’s clear that Hemming has terrific offensive upside due to his puck skill and heavy shot. However, his engagement off the puck leaves you wanting more; there’s a need to use his size and skating combination more consistently to earn touches, especially through the middle of the ice. The flashes of strong play give hope that he can figure things out and where he plays next year remains a mystery. Like Sale, could he play in the AHL as a 19-year-old so that Dallas could take a more hands on approach with their former first rounder?

2 - Justin Hryckowian

Justin Hryckowian was picked up by the Stars after impressing at a tryout following the conclusion of his final NCAA season. This past year, he made a strong entrance into his first full pro season, maintaining just under a point-per-game pace and even getting a brief stint in the NHL. Though Justin is on the shorter side, he has a stocky build and likes to set up shop beside the net, where he can make quick return feeds to his linemates. Offensively, he benefits from playing alongside Blumel, a proven goal scorer, but where Hryckowian truly stands out is defensively. He consistently gives his best effort, battling for pucks on the forecheck and in his zone. Given his well-rounded skill set, I could see Hryckowian becoming a valuable rotational depth piece for the Stars in the coming years. He should get another crack at NHL time this year, should Dallas find themselves comfortably in a playoff position down the stretch, or if injuries occur.

3 - Ayrton Martino

It took four years, but Martino finally popped off in his senior year at Clarkson, emerging as one of the top offensive players at the collegiate level. Coming into the year, Martino was probably a bubble player to be signed by the Stars, however he really forced their hand with his progression this year and subsequently earned his ELC. Martino is best described as a slippery offensive player. He’s not the biggest. He’s not the strongest. However, his edgework and agility are a strong suit; he routinely escapes pressure thanks to his quick feet. He’s also got great vision with the puck; he excels as a playmaker both in transition and coming off the wall. The adjustment to the pro level could be a difficult one for him. He will likely need a few years at the AHL level to build strength and adapt his game to the pro level. He’s very much a classic “boom or bust” prospect. In that sense, he’s going to be a top six player for the Stars or a classic tweener.

4 - Cameron Schmidt

The Stars didn't get to make their first selection in the 2025 draft until 94th overall, so general manager Jim Nill and his scouting staff would have known that they'd have to take a swing if they hoped to add a prospect with high upside. Luckily for them, Schmidt was still available at the time, and he fits the bill perfectly. He can single-handedly generate scoring chances out of nothing with his explosive acceleration, and he can also finish off those chances thanks to a lethal scoring touch. When he’s really engaged his fire shines bright, and he has what it takes to torch the other team. Future NHL success for him is still far from a guarantee, however, because players of his small size almost never make the NHL, and he still has a lot to learn about how to be reliable and effective defensively. If Schmidt doesn't become good enough to play as a top six winger and power play contributor, it's hard to see him making it work in any other kind of role.

5 - Arttu Hyry

Hyry arrived from Karpat for his first season in North America, spending the majority of the year in the AHL with a short stint in the NHL. Hyry wasted no time and jumped right in, scoring five points in his first six games. He projects to be a bottom six forward who can step into the lineup when needed. Arttu scores most of his goals by getting into dirty areas and finishing off rebounds or quick tap-ins. He possesses a deceptive release and quick elevation, making him a threat in front of the net. Arttu Hyry’s puck-carrying game mostly involves slipping down the boards and driving deep into the zone to center the puck. As for carving out an NHL spot, he seems like a potential fourth liner for this upcoming year if he impresses in camp. No doubt he will start to make more NHL appearances over the next two years.

6 - Tristan Bertucci

Dallas fans might be concerned about the fact that Bertucci’s offensive production declined in both years post draft, however, it’s important to note that the downswing in production came as a result of Bertucci remodeling his game. This past year in Barrie, he really focused on improving his defensive play to become one of the more effective transitional defenders in the OHL. Think of the way John Marino plays. Bertucci activated less, focusing more on clean exit passes and it’s clear that Dallas (and Barrie) had asked him to become a little more “safe.” While he’s not likely to quarterback a power play at the next level, there’s still offensive upside to Bertucci’s game thanks to a smooth stride and the ability to escape pressure. He projects as a number four to six defender who could provide reliable depth to Dallas in the future, although he’s going to need time in the AHL to build confidence.

7 - Aram Minnetian

A mobile two-way defender, Minnetian just finished his sophomore season at Boston College, where he established himself as a key member of the program. He also captured a gold medal at the World Juniors Championships with the United States, playing a support role. While his offensive production hasn’t been significant at the collegiate level, Minnetian is a reliable defensive player because of his ability to initiate the breakout and defend in transition. As an average sized, jack of all trades type, the question is, what kind of role would Minnetian fill at the NHL level? Could his defensive game be as successful at the pro level given his average size? He’ll return to BC as a junior and the hope is that he can take over the team’s power play unit and gain more confidence in his ability to be a difference maker with the puck. It will likely be the key to unlocking his potential to become a solid number four to six defender for the Stars in the future.

8 - Antonio Stranges

Stranges finished his third full season in the pros in 2024-25, still showcasing what we’ve come to expect: impressive edgework, good pace, and dynamic stickhandling. At this stage in his development, it’s starting to look like he’s fallen behind some of the Stars’ other undersized forwards and may only get occasional call-ups when injuries hit. That said, I wouldn’t count Antonio out just yet. His recent jump in production reflects his ability to adapt to a faster, stronger league. He’s diversified his offence more, becoming a more creative threat outside of his signature move. If Stranges gets the call, I could see him racking up points alongside another young talent like Mavrik Bourque and potentially earning a part-time roster spot. Stranges is incredibly talented but doesn’t fit in an NHL bottom six the same way guys ahead of him on this list do. Being a consistent, AHL top six forward is his most likely outcome.

9 - George Fegaras

Drafted out of the OJHL (tier two in Ontario), Fegaras was always going to be a longer-term project for the Stars. However, he’s coming off a solid sophomore season with Cornell and his progression of late offers hope that he can become an NHL defender in some capacity. The offensive game hasn’t really developed a ton thus far, but he’s become a very impactful defensive player thanks to his size and mobility, from the right side to boot. As a junior, Fegaras should get significantly more playing time for the Big Red and this will give the Dallas organization a better idea of what he’s truly capable of. Can he quarterback a power play with his big point shot? Can he gain confidence in his puck moving ability? Can he continue to improve the consistency of his physical play to take that next step as a defensive stalwart? Lots of questions to be answered before the Stars decide whether or not to sign Fegaras, but he is showing some positive signs of progression.

10 - Christian Kyrou

Kyrou’s second AHL season yielded similar offensive output to his first, as the dynamic offensive defenceman once again showed his ability to create big plays with his feet, shifty body fakes, and a deadly accurate shot. Kyrou still struggled with physicality, weighing in at under 170 pounds and rarely using his body to make plays. He’s an interesting player archetype; he isn’t the biggest or strongest and wants to play an offensive game but isn’t yet refined enough to crack an NHL top four role. Kyrou has compensated for his lack of strength with fairly aggressive rush defence, rushing in to break up plays with his stick. There’s potential, but as a 22-year-old heading into his third AHL season, it’s time to start taking the next step if he wants to make the NHL. He must be reliable on breakouts and recoveries and be more comfortable engaging physically in the defensive zone.

11 - Brandon Gorzynski

The speedy Gorzynski chipped in 42 points in the WHL last year thanks to his tenacity on the puck and nose for the net. He’s got one more year in the WHL before heading to Arizona State, so he’s got plenty of time to round out his game and potentially evolve into a solid bottom six piece for Dallas.

12 - Remi Poirier

Poirier has done nothing but post solid numbers since arriving in the AHL three seasons ago and is poised to take another step this season for Texas. His reflexes are high-end, and although not the biggest goaltender, can get across the crease quickly. He’ll be 24 in October and still has plenty of runway to become an NHL goaltender.

13 - Atte Joki

A high work rate center with a plus-shot, Joki will look to potentially take a step into Liiga this season while continuing to establish himself in U20.

14 - Arno Tiefensee

Tiefensee has been a consistent high-end goalie in the DEL for the last seasons now thanks to his size and lateral speed, taking on a bigger work load each year. He tracks pucks well, keeping his hands out in front of him, while seemingly always remaining calm and collected. He must continue to work on his puckhandling to make the jump to North America, but the tools and demeanor are all there.

15 - Angus MacDonell

A speedy forward with a snappy shot, MacDonell improved on his production in his final OHL season and will now make the jump to the AHL where he will adapt to the pro game. He profiles as yet another pacey depth forward that the Stars seem to covet.

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #23 DALLAS STARS – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Thu, 22 May 2025 18:48:51 +0000

ST. PAUL, MN - APRIL 06: Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel (6) looks on during the second period of the NHL game between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild on April 6th, 2025, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

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Dallas 25 Prospects

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – DALLAS STARS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #17

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Derek Neumeier — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 18:00:42 +0000

_{DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 05: Dallas Stars Center Mavrik Bourque (22) passes the puck during the game between the Dallas Stars and the St. Louis Blues on October 5, 2023 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. (Photo by George Walker/Icon Sportswire)}

Prospect System Ranking – 17th (Previous Rank - 10th)
GM: Jim Nill Hired: April 2013
COACH: Peter DeBoer Hired: June 2022

The Dallas Stars have consistently been praised for their drafting ability, and for good reason. Not only has their track record of hitting on picks held up, but they also manage to keep the team competitive while retaining first-round picks. It appears that GM Jim Nill follows a fire safe strategy of sticking with the high probability draft picks, while leveraging the rest. Since his hiring in 2013, Nill has only missed the first round once (in 2023) and has now carved out quite the significant list of “hits”.

Those first and second-round picks have now formed the backbone of the Stars' high-end and relatively young core, highlighted by the incredible haul in 2017 of Miro Heiskanen, Jake Oettinger, and Jason Robertson. They are now being complemented by more recent finds, including Wyatt Johnston (2021 first round) and Logan Stankoven (2021 second round), as well as Thomas Harley (2019 first round), who enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2023-24. Don’t forget about 2015 second-rounder Roope Hintz, who has also blossomed into a well-versed heavy hitter on this team’s top six installment.

Logan Stankoven, currently ranked as McKeen’s seventh overall prospect, hasn’t technically graduated yet but is expected to make the jump out of training camp full-time. Fresh off of a Rookie of the Year-worthy campaign in the AHL, scoring 57 points in 47 games, Stankoven said goodbye to his minor league career with a strong showing during the final regular season stretch and Conference Final run.

Beyond Stankoven, the Stars' top prospect group includes Mavrik Bourque (34th), who has transitioned to the AHL seamlessly, firing at nearly a point-per-game pace with 129 points in 147 games for the Texas Stars. On defence, Lian Bichsel (ranked 76th) and Christian Kyrou (ranked 170th) are developing well and look set to follow in Thomas Harley’s footsteps as key pieces of the Stars’ backend over the next few seasons.

With a young core, and a few more midrange-pedigree names on the way, the window looks wide open for the Stars to remain competitive for the foreseeable future.

Dallas Stars Top-15 Prospects

1. Logan Stankoven

From the first few shifts of his very first NHL game, it was abundantly obvious that Stankoven was never going back to the AHL ever again. As exceedingly rare as it is to see someone of his size step into the sport’s best league and immediately start making an impact, those who have closely followed “Stank” over the past few seasons weren’t surprised one bit, because there haven’t been any challenges that he’s faced where he hasn’t been fit for the task. He’s a Tasmanian Devil who never quits on plays or takes a shift off, but he combines that energy with elite hockey sense and play tracking, making him a delightfully chaotic entity who is constantly disrupting enemy possessions and creating bang-bang scoring chances. He’s a truly special kind of player, and is already quite unique from everyone else in the entire NHL.

2. Mavrik Bourque

Bourque’s full-time arrival in the NHL was delayed, understandably, by his AHL teammate Stankoven grabbing a spot within the deep Dallas forward corps first. He won’t have to wait long, however, because he’s already proven himself more than worthy of receiving that opportunity. And spending more time down on the farm with the Texas Stars allowed him to keep racking up points, which eventually led to him finishing with the distinction of being the league’s top scorer and thereby winning the corresponding John B. Sollenberger Trophy, which is one heck of a consolation prize. His game is built around blending high-end smarts, vision, playmaking ability, and character, and the fact that he is a center who looks casually comfortable in all three zones is delicious icing on the cake. How high his ceiling will reach as an NHLer will depend on how much more speed he can add to his game.

3. Lian Bichsel

In a prospect pool largely consisting of players who are on the smaller side, Bichsel stands out in a big way — literally. In fact, there aren’t many top prospects across the entire hockey world who are as physically imposing as the substantial Swiss. Making matters even more enticing, he is fully aware of how he can use his enormous size to his advantage, and clearly gets a vexatious kick out of inflicting severe punishment on opponents in ways that help his teams win games. He’s also a powerful and technically proficient skater, and once he gets some wind under his sails it can be jaw-dropping to watch him fly down the ice. His puck control and the decisions he makes with it are spotty at times, but they’re both improving nicely. It’s only a matter of time before he’s a force of nature at the NHL level.

4. Emil Hemming

The Stars said that they had Hemming higher on their draft list than where they picked him, and it's easy to understand why. His game is readily projectable to the NHL level, and he also shows occasional flashes that he can eventually become a high-end performer and difference-maker. He was dominant early on last year at the Finnish junior level, and while he didn't shine quite as much in the Liiga after getting called up full time, he still held his own and already looked like he belonged playing against men. He's a dangerous shooter, especially with his one-timer, and he can drive play forward with his physicality and straight-line speed. If he can't reach his ceiling as a scoring-line winger, his game is well-rounded enough that he should be able to find a spot or role elsewhere in the lineup.

5. Christian Kyrou

There’s no denying that Kyrou is a prospect with an enviable amount of pure skill, as evidenced by his ability to create points and highlight-reel plays during his OHL days. The challenge for him since then, however, has been adjusting his style of play in a way that is more conducive to success at the AHL level. His riverboat gambler ways of old, where he hung onto pucks for extended periods of time as he looked for ways to dance around opponents or make other fancy plays, simply don’t work as well within the structured confines of the pro leagues. He also doesn’t have the size, reach, or athleticism needed to readily help him clean up his own mistakes when they happen. The foundation of an NHL powerplay quarterback is still buried deep somewhere inside of him, but it might take an archaeologist’s patience and precision to unearth it.

6. Matej Blumel

Blumel didn’t get to see any action with the big club last season after a six-game cup of tea the year before, and getting inarguably bumped down the organization’s forward depth chart certainly has to sting, but producing a 30-goal season in the AHL as a 23-year-old is nothing to sneeze at. There will always be interest in players who have a knack for filling the back of the net, and he’s proven over the course of his young career so far, across different leagues and levels, that he’s one of those guys. The elusive part for him has been showing exactly what else he can do really well. Nothing else in his game grades out all that highly, which raises concerns about how he’d handle the workload of a full NHL season. His goal-scoring prowess can only buy him so much time if he doesn’t add something else notable with it.

7. Tristan Bertucci

It was a trying season for Bertucci, who was one of the few competent defensemen on a terrible Firebirds squad, and on top of that, also played through injury down the stretch. He was asked to do a lot of heavy lifting for his club, probably more than he was ready for. However, the Stars must have been impressed by how well he handled his challenging circumstances, because they signed him to his entry-level contract this March, a full season sooner than they needed to. The impressive tools that give him NHL potential - and led to Dallas using a 2nd-round pick on him - are still there: the reach, the fluid four-direction mobility, the smooth puck control in motion, and the vision in the offensive zone. If his difficult situation has wizened up some of the immature tendencies in his game, then it will have been worth it in the long run.

8. Antonio Stranges

The question about Stranges has always been whether or not he can become more than a one-trick-pony, and as we near the four-year mark of his draft day that question is still very much unanswered. In all fairness, his trick — the 10 & 2 or “mohawk” skating style — is pretty darn impressive, and there are still times where he can use it to make magic happen. The problem is that having to rely on it makes him more predictable, and predictable forwards are easier to defend. So, what else does he have to work with? His pucks skills can be pretty slick at times, and his wrist shot is sneakily dangerous. He blended these tools to flash more offensive pop in the OHL than has been seen so far in the AHL, so maybe there’s still more potential in here somewhere that can still be unlocked.

9. Ayrton Martino

It seems like the NCAA keeps partitioning further and further into the haves and the have-nots due to its loose recruitment rules, and that has to make things harder for prospects like Martino, who are plenty talented but don’t receive a ton of support around them. The good news for the Stars is that while Clarkson University might not be the best place for a prospect’s development, talent doesn’t usually just disappear if it isn’t nurtured in the most ideal of environments, and Martino sure has a lot of talent at his disposal. He is blazingly quick with both his hands and his feet, which allows him to create separation space for himself and then make complicated plays at his top speed. He’ll be heading back to college for his senior year, and once that’s wrapped up Dallas will surely be waiting with a contract and a pen.

10. Aram Minnetian

Minnetian is a sneakily good young blueliner. He doesn’t always get the attention or credit that he deserves because he doesn’t put up gaudy point totals or get crowds roaring by landing big hits. What he does do, however, is keep tight gaps against opposing forwards, retrieve pucks deep in his own end, evade oncoming forecheck pressure, and exit the defensive zone cleanly with possession by skating it out or passing it out. And he does all of those things with advanced precision and dependability. It’s not a coincidence that both the NTDP in 2022-23 and Boston College in 2023-24 were highly successful teams while using him as one of their go-to defenders. Minnetian will still need to find another gear in his game and evolve from being a good defender into a great defender to stand out enough to win an NHL roster spot, but things are moving in the right direction.

11. Kyle McDonald

McDonald is an interesting prospect because the strengths and weaknesses of his game are both so pronounced. First, the good: he is an excellent net-front presence. He's so big and strong that he can bully his way to the enemy crease. The bad is, well, almost everything else. His skating is slow and clunky, and he doesn't drive play. The only achievable NHL pathway for him is as a depth winger and powerplay specialist, but it’s a realistic possibility.

12. Chase Wheatcroft

Wheatcroft had a fantastic season in 2022-23, earning the contract that Dallas offered him as an undrafted free agent. However, the transition to the professional level wasn't immediately smooth. That said, during his WHL days he was a late bloomer who went through a bumpy development, so these kinds of trials aren't new to him. The key for him now will be to forge a clear identity as a two-way forward who can chip in work wherever his team needs it.

13. Justin Ertel

Ertel needed a big 2023-24 season to turn things around and earn his entry-level contract, and he delivered emphatically. He really leaned into his role on North Bay as a penalty killer, pest, and physical presence and got great results from it, especially during the playoffs. That’s an encouraging sign, because that kind of specialization, although not glamorous, is his best ticket to playing in the NHL one day.

14. Gavin White

After winning back-to-back OHL championships White had some wind under his sails coming into his first professional season. He handled the difficulty level of the AHL just fine when he played but got caught in a bit of a numbers game on the crowded Texas blueline and didn't always get to dress for games, usually through no fault of his own. He drives puck possession effectively using his feet, though it doesn't often result in producing points.

15. Connor Punnett

From his hits to his shots, everything that Punnett does is strong and heavy. And that's a good thing for him, because it set him apart from other young, undrafted defensemen so much that Dallas wanted to sign him as a free agent prospect. He's a tough customer who’s not afraid to stick up for his teammates, and that leadership trait was part of why Barrie named him their captain this season.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #10 Dallas Stars- Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Player Profiles - Derek Neumeier, Team Overview - Robert Howard — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 15:00:06 +0000

DALLAS, TX - APRIL 22: Dallas Stars center Logan Stankoven (11) reacts to a goal score during game one of the Western Conference First Round between the Dallas Stars and the Vegas Golden Knights on April 22, 2024 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire)

In over a decade as GM, Jim Nill has kept the franchise largely in contention, while retooling his roster to add surprisingly elite young talent throughout the line-up, despite not drafting particularly high. Nill has largely hung onto his picks, particularly his first rounders. That has netted him outstanding graduated prospects Wyatt Johnston and Thomas Harley. Johnston delivered an outstanding playoff, and Harley emerged as a potential top pairing offensive defenseman with a high ceiling. They will be joined by second round phenom, Logan Stankoven, who immediately made his presence felt in the NHL. Add them to three emerging superstars under 25-years of age in goaltender Jake Oettinger, Defenseman Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson. Oettinger and Heiskanen could be future award winners and are already among the best at their positions in the league. Robertson delivered 107 points a year ago and led the team in scoring this year. That is a core that will be a Stanley Cup threat for a long time alongside Roope Hintz (27).

After qualifying for the conference finals for a second straight season, having the 10th ranked prospect group is quite an achievement for their scouts and development team. They have placed three players in the McKeen’s top 60 in the aforementioned Stankoven (5th overall), AHL scoring leader, Mavrik Bourqe (23rd) and Lian Bischel (57th), a 6’ 6” defender who can skate like the wind. Nill has also shown a tendency to be patient with his prospects, and all evidence to date would have done nothing to convince him otherwise. All three players look to be impact NHL’ers. Dallas only has three picks in the upcoming draft but is more likely to trade for more picks than move prospects or even future picks. Standing pat and letting his excellent group of youngsters gain another year of experience together, particularly in the playoffs, may be the smart bet.

RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Logan Stankoven	C	21	5-8/170	Texas (AHL)	`21(47th)	47	24	33	57	26
					Dallas (NHL)	`21(47th)	24	6	8	14	4
2	Mavrik Bourque	C	22	5-10/190	Texas (AHL)	`20(30th)	71	26	51	77	32
3	Lian Bichsel	D	19	6-6/233	Rogle (SHL)	`22(18th)	29	2	2	4	28
					Texas (AHL)	`22(18th)	16	1	6	7	34
4	Christian Kyrou	D	20	5-10/170	Texas (AHL)	`22(50th)	57	8	15	23	22
5	Matej Blumel	LW	23	6-0/200	Texas (AHL)	FA(6/22)	72	31	31	62	37
6	Tristan Bertucci	D	18	6-1/180	Flint (OHL)	`23(61st)	61	10	34	44	77
7	Antonio Stranges	LW	22	5-11/185	Texas (AHL)	`20(123rd)	55	11	12	23	10
8	Ayrton Martino	LW	21	5-11/185	Clarkson (ECAC)	`21(73rd)	31	9	18	27	8
9	Kyle McDonald	RW	22	6-4/220	Texas (AHL)	FA(3/23)	58	15	11	26	22
10	Chase Wheatcroft	C	21	6-2/190	Texas (AHL)	FA(3/23)	46	3	13	16	28
11	Gavin White	D	21	6-0/195	Texas (AHL)	`22(115th)	49	0	11	11	18
12	Aram Minnetian	D	19	5-11/190	Boston College (HE)	`23(125th)	40	3	6	9	29
13	Francesco Arcuri	C	20	6-2/195	Idaho (ECHL)	`21(175th)	64	25	21	46	38
14	Brad Gardiner	C	19	6-0/180	Ottawa (OHL)	`23(79th)	67	16	33	49	34
15	Ben Kraws	G	23	6-5/195	St. Lawrence (ECAC)	FA(3/24)	37	14	17	2.49	0.919

1. Logan Stankoven, C, Texas Stars (AHL)

From the first few shifts of his very first NHL game it was abundantly obvious that Stankoven was never going back to the AHL ever again. As exceedingly rare as it is to see someone of his size step into the sport’s best league and immediately start making an impact, those who have closely followed “Stank” over the past few seasons weren’t surprised one bit, because there haven’t been any challenges that he’s faced where he hasn’t been fit for the task. He’s a Tasmanian Devil who never quits on plays or takes a shift off, but he combines that energy with elite hockey sense and play tracking, making him a delightfully chaotic entity who is constantly disrupting enemy possessions and creating bang-bang scoring chances. He’s a truly special kind of player and is already quite unique from everyone else in the entire NHL.

2. Mavrik Bourque, C, Texas Stars (AHL)

Bourque’s full-time arrival in the NHL was delayed, understandably, by his AHL teammate Stankoven grabbing a spot within the deep Dallas forward corps first. He won’t have to wait long, however, because he’s already proven himself more than worthy of receiving that opportunity. And spending more time down on the farm with the Texas Stars allowed him to keep racking up points, which eventually led to him finishing with the distinction of being the league’s top scorer and thereby winning the corresponding John B. Sollenberger Trophy, which is one heck of a consolation prize. His game is built around blending high-end smarts, vision, playmaking ability and character, and the fact that he is a center who looks casually comfortable in all three zones is a delicious icing on the cake. How high his ceiling will reach as an NHLer will depend on how much more speed he can add to his game.

3. Lian Bichsel, D, Rogle BK (SHL)

In a prospect pool that largely consists of players who are on the smaller side of things, Bichsel stands out in a big way — literally. In fact, there aren’t many top prospects across the entire hockey world who are as physically imposing as the substantial Swiss. Making matters even more enticing, he is fully aware of how he can use his enormous size to his advantage, and clearly gets a vexatious kick out of inflicting severe punishment on opponents in ways that help his teams win games. He’s also a powerful and technically proficient skater, and once he gets some wind under his sails it can be jaw-dropping to watch him fly down the ice. His puck control and the decisions he makes with it are spotty at times, but they’re both improving nicely. It’s only a matter of time before he’s a force of nature at the NHL level.

4. Christian Kyrou, D, Texas Stars (AHL)

There’s no denying that Kyrou is a prospect with an enviable amount of pure skill, as evidenced by his ability to create points and highlight-reel plays during his OHL days. The challenge for him since then, however, has been adjusting his style of play in a way that is more conducive to success at the AHL level. His riverboat gambler ways of old, where he hung onto pucks for extended periods of time as he looked for ways to dance around opponents or make other fancy plays, simply don’t work as well within the structured confines of the pro leagues. He also doesn’t have the size, reach or athleticism needed to readily help him clean up his own mistakes when they happen. The foundation of an NHL powerplay quarterback is still buried deep somewhere inside of him, but it might take an archaeologist’s patience and precision to unearth it.

5. Matej Blumel, LW, Texas Stars (AHL)

Blumel didn’t get to see any action with the big club this season after a six-game cup of tea last year, and getting inarguably bumped down the organization’s forward depth chart certainly has to sting but producing a 30-goal season in the AHL as a 23-year-old is nothing to sneeze at. There will always be interest in players who have a knack for filling the back of the net, and he’s proven over the course of his young career so far, across different leagues and levels, that he’s one of those guys. The elusive part for him has been showing what else, exactly, he can do really well. Nothing else in his game grades out all that highly, which raises concerns about how he’d handle the workload of a full NHL season. His goal-scoring prowess can only buy him so much time if he doesn’t add something else notable with it.

6. Tristan Bertucci, D, Flint Firebirds (OHL)

It was a trying season for Bertucci, who was one of the few competent defensemen on a terrible Firebirds squad, and on top of that, also played through injury down the stretch. He was asked to do a lot of heavy lifting for his club, probably more than he was ready for. However, the Stars must have been impressed by how well he handled his challenging circumstances, because they signed him to his entry-level contract this March, a full seasoner sooner than they needed to. The impressive tools that give him NHL potential, and led to Dallas using a 2nd-round pick on him, are still there: the reach, the fluid four-direction mobility, the smooth puck control in motion, and the vision in the offensive zone. If his difficult situation has wisened up some of the immature tendencies in his game, then it will have been worth it in the long run.

7. Antonio Stranges, LW, Texas Stars (AHL)

8. Ayrton Martino, LW Clarkson University (NCAA)

9. Kyle McDonald, RW, Texas Stars (AHL)

McDonald is an interesting prospect because the strengths and weaknesses of his game are so pronounced and far apart from each other. First, the good: he is an excellent net-front presence on the powerplay. He's so big and strong that he can bully his way to the enemy crease and is quite a handful to box out or tie up once he gets there. Most of his goals are of the greasy variety, but he's also a heavy finisher from mid-range if he has enough time and space. The bad is, well, almost everything else. His skating is slow and clunky, he doesn't drive much play himself, and he's not as much of a physical presence as you'd like to see. The only probable NHL pathway for him is as a 4th-line winger and powerplay specialist, but luckily for him and the Stars, he has a realistic chance to earn that pigeonholed role.

10. Chase Wheatcroft, C, Texas Stars (AHL)

Wheatcroft had a fantastic final season in the WHL in 2022-23, collecting praise as one of the best players in the league and fully earning the contract that Dallas offered him as an undrafted free agent. However, like what was experienced by a lot of former overage junior stars who have worn those same shoes, the transition to the professional level wasn't immediately smooth. His welcome to the AHL included battling through injury, bouncing around the lineup looking for a consistent role, and sitting at times as a healthy scratch. That said, during his WHL days he was a late bloomer who went through a bumpy development and came out better on the other side, so these kinds of trials aren't entirely new to him. The key for him now will be to keep forging a clear identity as a trustworthy two-way forward who can chip in good work wherever his team needs it.

PROSPECT CRITERIA: Players under 26 years of age as of 9/15/2024 who have appeared in less than 60 games (30 for goalies) and less than 25 in one season (25 for goalies).

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – DALLAS STARS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #21

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt and Josh Bell — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 14:35:15 +0000

SAINT PAUL, MN - OCTOBER 08: Dallas Stars Center Logan Stankoven (57) looks on during the NHL game between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild, on October 8th, 2022, at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

Top 20 Dallas Stars Prospects Rankings

1. Logan Stankoven - C

Stankoven has the endurance of the Energizer Bunny and the tenacity of Taz the Tasmanian Devil. He has arguably the best motor in all of junior hockey, and he is relentlessly competitive shift over shift and game over game. The Kamloops Blazers are a big draw locally, and their star centre has always been worth the price of admission because he is wildly entertaining to watch, not just when he's scoring (which he does a lot), but also because of the heroic effort he always puts forth. The Blazers hosted the Memorial Cup last year, and Stankoven led the tournament in points. He has a mantle full of gold medals and other awards, adding to that significantly in the past two seasons. He is a textbook example that a player his size can be a truly elite prospect.

2. Lian Bichsel - C

Bichel is an uproariously entertaining player to watch, partially because there are so few top prospects out there like him. He's a huge, hulking teen who plays with an old-school edge and seems to highly enjoy throwing his body around. His hits can be absolutely bone-rattling and easily knock opponents off their feet. Don't mistake him for some mindless goon, though: he's whip smart and knows how to be physically dominant without getting into penalty trouble. He's also a powerful skater with long strides. Combine that skating with his frame and strength and good luck trying to slow him down when he gets a head of steam going with the puck on his stick. He left a serious mark playing for the Swiss at the World Juniors, giving fans a great taste of how impactful he will be on the smaller North American ice.

3. Thomas Harley - D

The plan with Harley was always to take the slow and steady route with his development, and even though he looked more than NHL-ready in 34 games with Dallas in 2021-22, the Stars elected not to change course, putting back him in the AHL for most of last season. The results have been very noticeable. While his point totals aren't eye-popping, he has made impressive progression in his overall game, becoming a much more consistent and reliable player. He was jogging with the Texas Stars, got himself warmed up, and when he got called up to Dallas late in the year, he began sprinting. With his reach, mobility, puck skill, and poise he is incredibly well-equipped for how the game is played these days. It's very easy to get excited about just how good Harley could be when he reaches the prime years of his career.

4. Mavrik Bourque - C

Bourque found his footing as an AHL rookie almost immediately, and while his scoring totals so far are more modest than gaudy, the points will definitely come soon, and in bunches! He's a heady, hardworking centre who watches, learns, and improves with an almost machine-like consistency. He's quiet and subtle in ways that lure opponents into a false sense of security, but when he gets the puck on his stick, Bourque is an assassin. There are few prospects in the entire sport who can work a power play from the half wall like he can. He is an expert passer, with an underrated shot to back it up. Bourque will make the NHL sooner rather than later in a support role, and it won't take him long to work his way up to his natural place in the top six.

5. Christian Kyrou – D

Kyrou’s post draft year ended up being a really good one in the OHL as he emerged as one of the top defensemen in Ontario. Nearly every facet of his game progressed in a positive way, giving encouragement to both Stars management and Stars fans that he can develop into a quality puck mover at the NHL level. Without question, Kyrou’s tremendous point shot and his slick four-way mobility remain his two best assets, and his likely calling card to an NHL career. However, his explosiveness, defensive engagement, and decision making all showed great improvement, giving him a better outlook. Splitting the year between Erie and Sarnia, Kyrou really increased his physical intensity level in the defensive end, making him a more assertive two-way player and one who required less sheltering at the junior level. Of course, the pro level will offer an even greater challenge in this regard for Kyrou. Patience will likely be required as he continues to improve his defensive zone effectiveness. However, if afforded the opportunity to quarterback the powerplay, his offensive production could carry over immediately. In a best case scenario, Kyrou could develop into a top unit powerplay quarterback and a reliable top four defender at even strength

6. Tristan Bertucci - D

Much like John Marino in New Jersey, Bertucci has a real chance to develop into a dependable two-way defender thanks to his length, smarts, and mobility. He had 37 points in his final 38 games with Flint, emerging as a dominant two-way leader for the Firebirds. The key will be building upon that this season to become a more consistent defensive leader at the OHL level. A competent powerplay quarterback, Bertucci has high end four-way mobility, and he does a really good job of getting pucks on net to help generate second chance opportunities. As a defender, he has a clear understanding of how to defend in the modern style. He is aggressive in stepping up early on attackers, using his quickness to stay with puck carriers and his length to disrupt them. There is a need to add strength to improve his assertiveness in high traffic situations and to be more consistent in 50/50 battles. There is also a need to refine his approach as his over-aggressiveness can take him out of position at both ends of the ice. After a few seasons in the OHL, the Stars could definitely have another potential top four defender on their hands if his development goes according to plan.

7. Matej Blumel - LW

Blumel was originally drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 2019, but went unsigned, becoming a free agent two years later, after which he was scooped up by Dallas in the summer of 2022. In this situation, one team's loss is another's gain, as the Czech winger became an immediate fit within the Stars organization. He started his first season in the AHL at a torrid scoring pace and was quickly and deservedly called up to the big club, where he scored his first NHL goal during a six-game tryout. He was back down on the farm for the remainder of the season after that, but maintained his status as one of the top forwards on the team. His shot is undoubtedly his best asset, dangerous as both a wrister and one-timer, but he also does a pretty good job with his puck protection and cycling, and isn't a liability when he has to defend.

8. Riley Damiani - C

This has been an incredibly trying season for Damiani. Not only has his development hit a wall, but it’s also like he has taken a step backwards compared to his first two professional seasons. His counting stats were down, and he has just not been influencing the play like he had beforehand. Making matters even more confusing, the Texas Stars were one of the best teams in the AHL and were rolling all four forward lines, with incredible results. Plus-minus is a flawed stat, but on a team full of pluses, his big minus stuck out disconcertingly. At his best, Damiani is a top notch puck handler and play driver, making high-end passes, using his anticipation and awareness to stay ahead of the flow, and displaying tenacity in battles. However, that version of Damiani hasn't been seen a lot lately, and his absence has become quite concerning.

9. Ayrton Martino - LW

Martino just gets better year over year, and it only took him until his second season in the NCAA to emerge as the best forward on Clarkson, just like he was previously with both St. Michael's in the OJHL and Omaha in the USHL. He is a dynamic, offense-generating winger, who uses his explosive acceleration to burst through spaces, hits an excellent top gear that can easily gain separation from opposing defenders to lead to breakaways or odd-man rushes, and has little trouble corralling, deking, or passing the puck in full flight. He is also a legitimate driver on the power play, showing how well he can also play at lower speeds. Martino is going back to college for at least one more season, and it won't be a surprise if the Stars push hard to get him signed and turned pro next spring.

10. Francesco Arcuri - C

Arcuri definitively cemented himself as one of the best goal-scorers currently in the OHL, and that prowess made him a trade target for Kitchener in their championship aspirations last season. He wasted little time acclimating to his new surroundings and continuing his net-filling ways, eventually helping the Rangers upset the Windsor Spitfires (and former teammate Shane Wright) in the opening round of the playoffs. Arcuri is a big-bodied winger who can also make plays fairly well but has limitations with his quickness and skating. Interestingly, that is a very similar profile to Jason Robertson, another former member of the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs who was also drafted by the Stars. While it would be unfair to compare Arcuri too closely to one of the NHL's newest superstars, just how much can his game also grow if his development is handled the exact same way by the team?

11. Antonio Stranges - LW

It wasn’t the easiest transition to pro hockey for Stranges, which may have been expected given his unique style of play and reliance on the 10 to 2, mohawk stride. However, he finished strong and that provides optimism heading into this year that he can be more consistent.

12. Aram Minnetian - D

We certainly didn’t expect Minnetian to fall to the fourth round at this year’s draft. However, the smooth skating defender needs to develop a clear identity on the ice and improve his decision making. Dallas should get a better indication of the finished product after a few years at Boston College.

13. Brad Gardiner - C

Gardiner is a versatile forward who was a recent third round selection by Dallas out of Ottawa in the OHL. He can play multiple positions and fill multiple roles. His offensive upside remains a question mark but he is set for a big ice time increase this season with the 67’s.

14. Artyom Grushnikov - D

While there was some hope that his offensive game would develop in the OHL, it is very clear now that what you see is what you get with Grushnikov. He’s a defensive workhorse, but his offensive game is fairly limited. He will turn pro this year with Texas.

15. Matthew Seminoff - RW

Seminoff earned a contract from Dallas thanks to a terrific season for Kamloops last year. An intelligent and tenacious off puck player, he could project as a Michael Bunting type down the line.

16. Chase Wheatcroft - C

Talk about a breakout season. Wheatcroft scored more points and goals last year than he did in all of his other WHL seasons combined. OA signings out of the CHL can be difficult to project, but Wheatcroft is a very intriguing prospect thanks to his high-level skills, quick release, and an ability to navigate traffic well.

17. Kyle McDonald - RW

Another OA free agent signing out of the CHL, McDonald is a big power forward with a terrific shot. He has clear scoring potential if he can continue to improve his skating. He had a tremendous playoffs with North Bay last year.

18. Matthew Murray - G

Last year, we all got our wish as the “other Matt Murray” got some games in with Dallas, providing those that cover the league with an abundance of double Matt Murray jokes. In all seriousness, Murray, a former UMass standout, continues to improve and could push for a backup role soon.

19. Gavin White - D

The last two seasons in the OHL have been very kind to White as he captured back-to-back OHL Championships with Hamilton and Peterborough. There are still some concerns over his ability to defend at the pro level, but the skating is high level.

20. George Fegaras

Drafted out of tier two in Ontario, Fegaras was always going to be a long-term project. After playing last year in the USHL, the Stars should get a better indication of what they have as Fegaras jumps to NCAA Cornell this season. Lots of good attributes, but are any truly above average?

2023 NHL DRAFT: A Review

Chase Rochon — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 14:10:53 +0000

Another long year of amazing hockey has come and passed as we oficially end the 2023 scouting season and shift from the star-studded offensive draft class to the defensive-heavy 2024 NHL draft. This year's class was super fun and had the potential to bring the big stars and deep depth that we saw in the 2015 draft. This makes it very difficult to rank the winners and losers as every team acquired some very talented athletes in their organization that should make an impact for many years to come. Some teams acquired some elite star players at draft positions they didn't think would be possible at lower picks and later rounds. Those picks make the difference between good and great drafting by ﬁnding those diamonds in the rough.

NHL hockey operations departments are made up of the best of the best in the industry and have been through more drafts and different case studies over more years than I have been alive, which creates some hesitation in handing out grades for teams that we felt drafted poorly or passed on talent or upside. It is important to remember that teams take into consideration so many intangibles and factors outside any eye test or analytics can tell us. They have considerable resources and information networks public scouting teams can only dream of.

Most importantly, people need to remember these young athletes are human beings that just had the best week of their lives and treating them disrespectfully and pre-judging a young man that has yet to fully develop mentally and physically is completely unfair. I think every fan base should be showing love and support for the future players that are going to put in blood sweat and tears for the team you cheer for and go to war against the opposition.

With all that in mind, here is how I think all 32 teams performed at the 2023 NHL Draft based on my own rankings as well as the wonderful team at McKeen’s that I have the pleasure working alongside.

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA - DECEMBER 29: Canada's Connor Bedard #16 backhands the puck while Austria's Tim Geifes #21 defends during Preliminary Round - Group A action at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship at Scotiabank Centre on December 29, 2022 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/IIHF)

#1 Chicago Blackhawks (A+)

1 Connor Bedard (F)

19 Oliver Moore (F)

35 Adam Gajan (G)

44 Roman Kantserov (F)

55 Martin Misiak (F)

67 Nick Lardis (F)

93 Jiri Felcman (F)

99 Alex Pharand (F)

131 Marcel Marcel (F)

167 Milton Oscarson (F)

195 Janne Peltonen (D)

It feels very ﬁtting that the number one ranked team had the number one pick this year in the generational talent of Connor Bedard, who is expected to make an immediate impact. Kyle Davidson clearly agrees by bringing in some veteran support this summer in Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno and Corey Perry. This pick was obvious. What makes the Blackhawks stand out is what might be my favourite selection of the entire draft in Oliver Moore at 19th overall, where I, alongside Davidson, was in shock this player was still on the board—followed by selecting one of if not one of the best goaltenders in Adam Gajan. We absolutely loved Nick Lardis at McKeens, and we ﬁnd this to be amazing value in the early third round. Roman Kantserov, Martin Misiak, Alex Pharand and Marcel Marcel are other great pickups to round out the real depth of this draft class for the Blackhawks as they build the next generation in Chicago.

#2 Columbus Blue Jackets (A)

3 Adam Fantilli (F)

34 Gavin Brindley (F)

66 William Whitelaw (F)

98 Andrew Strathmann (D)

114 Luca Pinelli (F)

156 Melvin Strahl (G)

194 Oiva Keskinen (F)

224 Tyler Peddle (F)

The Blue Jackets' dreams came true when Adam Fantilli was still waiting for them at third overall, as the rookie Hobey Baker winner would have been selected ﬁrst overall in any other draft. Followed up by his Michigan teammate Gavin Brindley who we at McKeens had ranked #26. William Whitelaw ranked at #39 by McKeen’s, and Andrew Strathmann, ranked #39 by me, are amazing values. I really like Luca Pinelli at #114 and thought it was a great move to trade for the last pick in the draft and select Tyler Peddle, who was in attendance and should have been selected much higher. This will be the draft that could really put the Blue Jackets over the top to be a future contender in the Metro.

#3 Philadelphia Flyers (A)

7 Matvei Michkov (F)

22 Oliver Bonk (D)

51 Carson Bjarnason (G)

87 Yegor Zavragin (G)

95 Denver Barkey (F)

103 Cole Knuble (F)

120 Alex Ciernik (F)

135 Carter Sotheran (D)

172 Ryan MacPherson (F)

199 Matteo Mann (D)

The Flyers got a player with arguably the highest upside in the class in 7th overall in Matvei Michkov alone, which is enough to rank them this high. Aside from whether there is any truth to rumours that he somehow orchestrated his way to Philadelphia, he was genuinely excited to be drafted by the organization. The possibility that he will be coming to play in North America perhaps sooner rather than later could completely alter the landscape of the rebuild for GM Daniel Briere. They followed up by selecting Oliver Bonk, who our Ontario scouts adore at McKeens, including myself. Bonk will continue to develop in London. The Carson Bjarnson pick could age very well as a good young goaltender with a long road of development ahead. Denver Barkey and Alex Cienik are great value picks at 95th and 120th.

#4 Seattle Kraken (A-)

20 Eduard Sale (F)

50 Carson Rehkopf (F)

52 Oscar Fisker Mølgaard (F)

57 Lukas Dragicevic (D)

84 Caden Price (D)

116 Andrei Loshko (F)

148 Kaden Hammell (D)

168 Visa Vedenpää (G)

180 Zeb Forsfjäll (F)

212 Zaccharya Wisdom (F)

Seattle has been consistently one of the better drafting teams since they entered the league, and they continued that streak in Nashville. Eduard Sale is very much a gamble with questions about his compete lvel and lack of production against pros. However, he possesses elite ﬁnishing ability and was dominant against players his own age. He has a very high ceiling that I believe can be developed properly in the OHL, followed by the development team in Seattle. At the end of the day, with such a great prospect pool, you can take a swing for upside at #20 overall and can add a true top-line ﬁnisher for Shane Wright or Matty Beniers. The Kraken continues to favour the CHL and loaded up with more players in Carson Rehkopf, Lukas Dragicevic and Caden Price in the late second round. They had all been viewed as late ﬁrst/early second round talents. Oscar Fisker Mølgaard has the potential to bring some real energy to the bottom six and PK and become a really good role player for the team. I had him ranked at #30th betting on his high motor and relentless pressure with some ﬁnishing ability.

#5 Carolina Hurricanes (A-)

30 Bradly Nadeau (F)

62 Felix Unger Sörum (F)

94 Jayden Perron (F)

100 Alexander Rykov (F)

126 Stanislav Yarovoy (F)

139 Charles-Alexis Legault (D)

158 Ruslan Khazheyev (G)

163 Timur Mukhanov (F)

190 Michael Emerson (F)

222 Yegor Velmakin (G)

Bradley Nadeau was the highest player selected from the BCHL after having a monster year. He was ranked #27 by McKeens, which makes for a good pick late in the ﬁrst. Where Carolina impressed us was how well they drafted in the later rounds picking up some of the biggest steals of the draft in Jayden Perron who we ranked 34th and Timur Mukhanov ranked 98th. As they typically do, Carolina drafted great to add to the loaded prospect pool.

#6 Buffalo Sabres (A-)

13 Zach Benson (F)

39 Anton Wahlberg (F)

45 Maxim Strbak (D)

86 Gavin McCarthy (D)

109 Ethan Miedema (F)

141 Scott Ratzlaff (G)

173 Sean Keohane (D)

205 Norwin Panocha (D)

Draft after draft Buffalo ﬁnds themselves selecting some great players but I think Zach Benson could be the final elite piece they need to take them back to the playoffs and end the long drought. Benson is the smartest player in the draft after Connor Bedard. They followed up with good picks in Anton Wahlberg and Maxim Strbak. I really like the value of Ethan Miedema and Scott Ratzlaff in rounds 4 and 5.

#7 St. Louis Blues (B+)

10 Dalibor Dvorský (F)

25 Otto Stenberg (F)

29 Theo Lindstein (D)

74 Quinton Burns (D)

76 Juraj Pekarcik (F)

106 Jakub Stancl (F)

138 Paul Fischer (D)

170 Matthew Mayich (D)

202 Nikita Susuyev (F)

Dalibor Dvorský and Otto Stenberg could be an amazing one-two punch down the middle in the near future as the Blues shift towards the future and away from the team that won them the 2019 Stanley Cup. I think Dvorsky and Stenberg both have been underrated as they tend to be looked at as “safe picks” - a term that I sometimes hate because it shouldn’t discount the true skill these players have. Because they are viewed as having lower ceilings than some other top names in the class they fell at the draft, and St. Louis took full advantage and selected the best player available. The rest of the Blues draft was very average, not making any poor selections but also not taking any swings on some big names with upside.

#8 Washington Capitals (B+)

8 Ryan Leonard (F)

40 Andrew Cristall (F)

104 Patrick Thomas (F)

136 Cameron Allen (D)

200 Brett Hyland (F)

206 Antoine Keller (G)

The Capitals may not have had the luck they had hoped for in having Michkov fall to them, but they were very quick to the podium to select the NTDP gritty winger in Ryan Leonard. He brings a hard game and that’s no slight on the raw skill this kid has. After this year’s playoffs, NHL teams are looking to mold their roster after the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights and Leonard ﬁts that profile. Many, including myself, expected Andrew Cristall to fall on draft day but to 40th overall was quite surprising and Washington took full advantage, taking some risk on a junior perimeter player. Going into the draft year we expected Cameron Allen to be the ﬁrst OHL player off the board, but after a brutal season his stock plummeted. It’s hard to believe this talented young player entirely forgot how to play hockey and I think the Caps were willing to take this bet at 136.

#9 Colorado Avalanche (B)

27 Calum Ritchie (F)

31 Mikhail Gulyayev (D)

155 Nikita Ishimnikov (D)

187 Jeremy Hanzel (D)

219 Maros Jedlicka (F)

The Avalanche wouldn’t have expected to select Calum Ritchie and Mikhail Gulyayev with these very late ﬁrst rounders who we ranked 19th and 24th. This is great value at these picks. I ﬁnd it very interesting that they went with a very smart player who has a low ceiling and a high ﬂoor in Ritchie but then took a bit of a gamble on Gulyayev who is the polar opposite with a high ceiling and low ﬂoor. Not having many picks, and not many high ones, they can consider it a win if Colorado can get a couple NHLers from such minimal selections.

#10 Los Angeles Kings (B)

54 Jakub Dvorak (D)

78 Koehn Ziemmer (F)

118 Hampton Slukynsky (G)

150 Matthew Mania (D)

182 Ryan Conmy (F)

Jakub Dvorak has been such an underrated player all season long because he hasn’t been playing due to injury and is not flashy and doesn’t have much of a highlight reel but he might be the best defensive defenseman to come from this draft class. Big frame players like Dvorak are rare and hard to ﬁnd and are typically viewed as underrated even in the NHL because they are never noticeable with the puck. Dvorak shut down all the top players in the U.S. NTDP top line, Dvorsky, Michkov and even Connor Bedard at international competitions. He makes life so hard for attackers and will be a nightmare for goal scorers in the NHL and people will wonder how he was selected so late. The Kings followed this up with good picks in Koehn Ziemmer and Matthew Mania.

#11 Florida Panthers (B)

63 Gracyn Sawchyn (F)

127 Albert Wikman (D)

159 Olof Glifford (G)

191 Luke Coughlin (D)

198 Stepan Zvyagin (F)

Florida was another team that capitalized on an underrated player who slid on draft day in Gracyn Sawchyn. He played on a star-studded Seattle Thunderbirds team and didn’t get the opportunity to play top minutes but that didn’t stop him from putting up over a point per game. He will continue to grow under a great development program as he gains more ice time and expect him to put up monster numbers in the WHL for the next two seasons.

#12 Dallas Stars (C+)

61 Tristan Bertucci (D)

79 Brad Gardiner (F)

125 Aram Minnetian (D)

157 Arno Tiefensee (G)

189 Angus MacDonell (F)

221 Sebastian Bradshaw (F)

Dallas had very minimal draft capital and made the absolute most of it to no one's surprise as they usually do. Amazing value in Tristan Bertucci and Aram Minnetian.

#13 Vegas Golden Knights (B-)

32 David Edstrom (F)

77 Mathieu Cataford (F)

96 Arttu Kärki (D)

192 Tuomas Uronen (F)

Vegas selecting David Edstrom almost felt destined to happen as the last pick of the first round as we expected him to be selected in the ﬁrst round. Great pick for the Stanley Cup winners. Arttu Karki was also my favorite Finnish defense this year and I think 96 is excellent value for a player of his skill.

#14 San Jose Sharks (B-)

4 Will Smith (F)

26 Quentin Musty (F)

36 Kasper Halttunen (F)

71 Brandon Svoboda (F)

123 Luca Cagnoni (D)

130 Axel Landén (D)

132 Eric Pohlkamp (D)

196 David Klee (F)

203 Yegor Rimashevsky (F)

The Sharks drafted the highly skilled forward Will Smith very high, and I know he has gained some real hype over the past few months to get into the top 5 but personally having him just outside the top 10 makes it very hard to justify so much talent and other options at pick 4. This is a take that really could come back to bite me but I just don't love what Smith and Musty bring to the table outside of the high offensive skill that they clearly both have. In terms of value picks I think Halttunen is the Sharks best pick. If he played in London last season, he would have been called on day one of the draft and still has the opportunity to come over next season and be one of the best players in the league right away. The Sharks drafted very well but 13 other teams just did better.

#15 Calgary Flames (B-)

16 Samuel Honzek (F)

48 Étienne Morin (D)

80 Aydar Suniev (F)

112 Jaden Lipinski (F)

176 Yegor Yegorov (G)

208 Axel Hurtig (D)

The Flames had a solid draft and got a player we can expect the be a safe NHLer in Samuel Honzek that was expected in this range. I think Etienne Mornin could be the steal for them. This is a player that is extremely intelligent, and I personally have a lot of faith will continue to have success in his own development each season and could be viewed as a late ﬁrst rounder in the near future. Aydar Suniev at 80th overall is also great value.

#16 Montréal Canadiens (B-)

5 David Reinbacher (D)

69 Jacob Fowler (G)

101 Florian Xhekaj (F)

110 Bogdan Konyushkov (D)

128 Quentin Miller (G)

133 Sam Harris (F)

144 Yevgeni Volokhin (G)

165 Filip Eriksson (F)

197 Luke Mittelstadt (D)

Montréal might be the most talked about team post draft for all the wrong reasons so being dead in the middle at 16 may come as a surprise to most. The dislike for me comes from picks 101-197 where they took seven guys they could have gotten in rounds 6 or 7, and unfortunately some of those picks were in rounds 4 and 5. Jacob Fowler is a good goalie that could be huge for them, with the organization having such little depth in that department. Now Reinbacher who is the talk of Twitter and unfortunately for terrible reasons. The only argument I can understand against him is that Michkov should have been the pick, but there were many question marks surrounding the Russian and his intentions, leaving the Habs in a situation with lots of uncertainty at pick #5. So, they understandably took a player with a lot of certainty in elite defenseman David Reinbacher. He has been the only player under 18 shutting down grown professional athletes and ex-NHLers for two years. If that's not impressive enough he didn't just defend, he also produced higher than anyone in their DY-2 and DY-1 ever.

David has a good head on his shoulders and will develop all the necessary skills to round out his game to become a high-end defenseman who will eat lots of minutes and make a huge impact. He may not put up great offensive numbers or make highlight reel plays. That's ok, he plays defense for a reason. Leave that for the loads of talented players you already have and let Reinbacher make the other team's life a living hell and win hockey games, because that's what it's all about.

#17 Arizona Coyotes (B-)

6 Dmitri Simashev (D)

12 Daniil But (F)

38 Michael Hrabal (G)

70 Jonathan Castagna (F)

72 Noel Nordh (F)

81 Tanner Ludtke (F)

88 Vadim Moroz (F)

102 Terrell Goldsmith (D)

134 Melker Thelin (G)

160 Justin Kipkie (D)

162 Samu Bau (F)

166 Carsen Musser (G)

Arizona may have not drafted our best player available in their slots, but they took an interesting strategy to this year's draft that might have been the best option based on the current state of the team. Dmitri Simashev was our number one ranked defenseman in the class while Danill But has displayed shades of Evgeni Malkin at times. Both played on the same team this past season. This put Arizona in a safer situation to swing on upside and internally develop them together and could very well be a big payoff. Hrabal is the pick that gives some extra value as my personal favorite goaltender in the class. Drafting all players over 6'0" is another interesting strategy that is hard to disagree with. Middle of the pack supports my mixed feelings on the drafting of the Coyotes.

#18 Winnipeg Jets (C)

18 Colby Barlow (F)

82 Zachary Nehring (F)

146 Jacob Julien (F)

151 Thomas Milic (G)

210 Connor Levis (F)

Winnipeg is facing a lot of potential turnover on their roster this season. Colby Barlow makes an excellent pick for the Jets, bringing in a character Canadian guy, on and off the ice, as a key piece to build upon. You can expect Barlow to score lots of goals in the near future. The rest of the picks are very average, so they receive an average grade.

#19 New York Rangers (C)

23 Gabe Perreault (F)

90 Drew Fortescue (D)

152 Rasmus Larsson (D)

178 Dylan Roobroeck (F)

183 Ty Henricks (F)

Gabe Perreault was good value at 23rd as I thought his production this season would lead to him going much higher than he should have and I think this was a good range for him. A smart player who can be a great complement to some high-end skill just like he did with the NTDP. The rest of the picks were not very average.

#20 Detroit Red Wings (C)

9 Nate Danielson (F)

17 Axel Sandin Pellikka (D)

41 Trey Augustine (G)

42 Andrew Gibson (D)

47 Brady Cleveland (D)

73 Noah Dower Nilsson (F)

117 Larry Keenan (D)

137 Jack Phelan (D)

147 Kevin Bicker (F)

169 Rudy Guimond (G)

201 Emmitt Finnie (F)

Detroit's draft was very interesting to me because I find it hard to criticize Steve Yzerman’s picks which have been excellent in the past with some home runs to show for it. Nate Danielson and Axel-Sandin Pellika are great players who will be NHLers and good ones. They just didn't strike me as the types of players Detroit has recently drafted with some hard nose battlers that are going to be warriors. I think it might take a while for either to become impact playoff players relative to some of the skill still left on the board, such as Oliver Moore at pick #9 and still available at #17. They pass with a C as most other picks were good, but just that they were good and not great, where teams ahead of them made some great picks.

#21 Edmonton Oilers (C)

56 Beau Akey (D)

184 Nathaniel Day (G)

216 Matt Copponi (F)

Beau Akey is a good pick that has a good path in front of him to reﬁne his offensive talents and become a threat from the point for the Colts over the next couple of seasons and get a real chance to make the Oilers. Hard to judge a team with such little options at the draft.

Leo Carlsson of Sweden at a practice session during the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship on May 25, 2023 in Riga.
Photo: Joel Marklund / BILDBYRÅN /

#22 Anaheim Ducks (C-)

2 Leo Carlsson (F)

33 Nico Myatovic (F)

59 Carey Terrance (F)

60 Damian Clara (G)

65 Coulson Pitre (F)

85 Yegor Sidorov (F)

97 Konnor Smith (D)

129 Rodwin Dionicio (D)

161 Vojtech Port (D)

I think passing on Fantilli will be something that will haunt Anaheim for a long time and really hurts their grade even though they are getting a great talent in Leo Carlsson. Unfortunately, I have a hard time seeing Carlsson being the 2nd best player that comes from this class and when they are a top team in the league soon this selection might be the difference between a contender and a champion. Other than that, Myatovic, Terrance and Pitre are solid picks.

#23 Vancouver Canucks (D+)

11 Tom Willander (D)

75 Hunter Brzustewicz (C-)

89 Sawyer Mynio (D)

105 Ty Mueller (F)

107 Vilmer Alriksson (F)

119 Matthew Perkins (F)

171 Aiden Celebrini (D)

Willander was ranked 23rd by us at McKeens and is a great defenseman who happens to be in a star studded offensive heavy draft. I think the Canuks were guilty of drafting for need rather than best player available and that affected the grade. Other than that, there isn’t too much to like in the class other than Hunter Brzustewicz at 75 was a great selection.

#24 Nashville Predators (C-)

15 Matthew Wood (F)

24 Tanner Molendyk (D)

43 Felix Nilsson (F)

46 Kalan Lind (F)

68 Jesse Kiiskinen (F)

83 Dylan MacKinnon (D)

111 Joseph Willis (F)

121 Juha Jatkola (G)

143 Sutter Muzzatti (F)

175 Austin Roest

218 Aiden Fink

Nashville was the host of this year’s draft and advised by new GM Barry Trotz in an interview to take some swings on high upside to add some high-end skill to the prospect pool. Well, they just didn’t do any of that and delivered a mediocre draft outside of top prospect Matthew Wood. What makes their draft so disappointing is that after 10 consecutive picks, the next best value pick was David Poiles last pick in Aiden Fink in the 7th round. Expectations were high and far from reached.

#25 Tampa Bay Lightning (D)

37 Ethan Gauthier (F)

115 Jayson Shaugabay (F)

179 Warren Clark (D)

193 Jack Harvey (F)

211 Ethan Hay (F)

Tampa will ﬁnd a way to develop these players, especially Ethan Gauthier, because that’s what they do best within their system. I just believe they could have done it with the better options available and left talent on the table with every pick.

#26 New Jersey Devils (D+)

58 Lenni Hämeenaho (F)

122 Cam Squires (F)

154 Chase Cheslock (D)

164 Cole Brown (F)

186 Daniil Karpovich (D)

New Jersey was very inactive and didn’t take many swings this year and they are in a situation where they didn’t need to. Lenni Hameenaho was ranked 84 for us at McKeens and was a bit of a reach.

#27 Ottawa Senators (D)

108 Hoyt Stanley (D)

140 Matthew Andonovski (D)

204 Owen Beckner (F)

207 Vladimir Nikitin (G)

215 Nicholas VanTassell (F)

Ottawa did not have many picks and none very high. Hoyt Stanley is the only pick which has had some hype going into the draft and been noticeable this season. I wouldn’t expect anyone from the class to make the roster.

#28 Pittsburgh Penguins (D-)

14 Brayden Yager (F)

91 Emil Pieniniemi (D)

142 Mikhail Ye. Ilyin (F)

174 Cooper Foster (F)

217 Emil Järventie (F)

223 Kalle Kangas (D)

Another situation where good players were selected but when I look at this class, and Emil Jarventie is the best value pick in the 7th round, that is an issue for me. Yes, Brayden Yager is an excellent player with a deadly shot and a good head on his shoulders. It’s hard to give high grades when top 5-10 talents were still available where he was picked. This strikes me as more of a situation where the Penguins scouting staff were left to make the pick, more so than Dubas, and they went with the guy they targetted going into the draft rather than the best player available.

#29 Toronto Maple Leafs (D-)

28 Easton Cowan (F)

153 Hudson Malinoski (F)

185 Noah Chadwick (D)

The Easton Cowan pick is very difficult to grade because it really could go both ways. I understand the pick because you’re getting, debatably, the hardest working player in the class whose development is skyrocketing at a high pace under the teachings of the Hunters in London. You can expect this growth to continue over the next couple seasons. It woudl appear the Leafs aren’t selecting the 28th best player currently and are banking on Cowan being a ﬁrst round talent in 3-5 years, an approach I agree with. The issue I have with this pick is I really think you could have selected him later, and possibly much later. The 2nd round Is still a reach but at least you’re not leaving talent on the table in this deep draft and getting the maximum value out of each pick. I just think this was some poor asset management and the Leafs just focused on getting their guy. Time will be the true indicator.

#30 New York Islanders (D)

49 Danny Nelson (F)

113 Jesse Nurmi (F)

145 Justin Gill (F)

177 Zach Schulz (D)

209 Dennis Good Bogg (D)

Islanders drafted some good leadership in a pair of Captains in Danny Nelson and Zach Shulz. When that is the best thing to be said about the selections that is an issue.

#31 Boston Bruins (F+)

92 Christopher Pelosi (F)

124 Beckett Hendrickson (F)

188 Ryan Walsh (F)

214 Casper Nässén (F)

220 Kristian Kostadinski (D)

Beckett Hendrickson is the only reason they aren’t ranked 32nd.

#32 Minnesota Wild (F)

21 Charlie Stramel (F)

53 Rasmus Kumpulainen (F)

64 Riley Heidt (F)

149 Aaron Pionk (D)

181 Kalem Parker (D)

213 Jimmy Clark (F)

The Wild are the only team that gets an F grade. It’s not because I don't like the players in Charlie Stramel and Rasmus Kumpulainen because they are prospects I had on my personal board, but it’s very hard to justify these picks with the options still available on the board at the time of the picks. These are just too far off the board to not trade back and still get the player you want. We at McKeens ranked both these players as 3rd round talents.

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL DRAFT GUIDE – Two Round Mock Draft

Brock Otten — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 22:05:22 +0000

First Round

1 - Chicago Blackhawks - Connor Bedard (Regina, WHL)

Regardless of whether you believe that the Hawks deserved to win the first overall selection…it did happen. And the timing for the Chicago organization couldn’t have been better as they transition from the Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews era to the Connor Bedard era. This is a game changer that should accelerate the Blackhawk’s rebuild.

2 - Anaheim Ducks - Adam Fantilli (Michigan, NCAA)

Talk about power down the middle. By selecting the University of Michigan star, the Ducks can now boast a one/two punch at center of Mason McTavish and Adam Fantilli. That likely pushes Trevor Zegras to the wing long term, which might not be a terrible thing considering his struggles at the faceoff circle and defensively. Fantilli is one of the most polished two-way forwards in the league and his speed and strength should allow him to jump into the NHL immediately.

3 - Columbus Blue Jackets - Leo Carlsson (Orebro, SHL)

This is where things get really interesting. Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen doesn’t draft a ton out of Sweden (Finnish bias?...lol), however I believe that this would be the best pick for the organization. Carlsson is the most ready to make an immediate impact in the NHL and he would give the Jackets a potential two-way rock to build their forward group around. This is a team who wants to compete soon and turn their fortunes around.

4 - San Jose Sharks - Will Smith (USNTDP)

For the life of me, I just can’t see Mike Grier going with Michkov here. Smith would give San Jose a highly skilled playmaker to continue to build around. He could help to elevate the play of some of the team’s complementary players. He may take a few years in College with BC, but the end product should be a high-end offensive player. Question…would it be shocking to see the Sharks reach for a defender like David Reinbacher here?

5 - Montreal Canadiens - Ryan Leonard (USNTDP)

It really seems like the Canadiens would pass on Michkov should he be available to them. It could be smoke and mirrors, but all signs do point to that fact. So, who do they select? Lots of hype around Reinbacher. I think they’re happy with their defensive depth right now. IMO. I truly believe that Ryan Leonard could be their target. Here’s a forward who can make an impact in a lot of different ways and who plays the power game that Montreal really seems to want to play in the future. Obviously Dalibor Dvorsky could be an option here too.

6- Arizona Coyotes - Matvei Michkov (HK Sochi, KHL)

I just can’t see Michkov falling that far. Yes, there is inherent risk. But the reward is so great. Arizona wants to become relevant again, but they also want to have sustainability. They haven’t shied away from drafting Russians in recent years, and this is a big fish. The timing of his arrival in the NHL should be perfect for Arizona’s inevitable resurgence.

7- Philadelphia Flyers - David Reinbacher (Kloten, NL)

A big, right shot defender, it seems like a sure thing that he’ll be drafted in the top ten, even if he’s our third ranked defender. The Flyers seem like a really good fit for him. Reinbacher is a potential two-way force from the right side who could develop into an all-situations player for Philadelphia and would complement other young defenders like Cam York and Emil Andrae exceptionally well.

8 - Washington Capitals - Oliver Moore (USNTDP)

Would it be shocking to see Moore drafted ahead of Ryan Leonard? I don’t think so. NHL teams put such a premium on true centers and Moore is just that. Watching the Capitals in recent years, it’s obvious that they need to focus on upgrading the speed quotient of this team again and Moore is the best skating player available this year. The range of outcomes for him runs the gamut of Dylan Larkin to Andrew Cogliano, but Moore should play and would fit in well with this roster, perhaps better than some of the power wingers slated to go here. Nate Danielson could be an option here too, especially given Washington’s Western bias.

9 - Detroit Red Wings - Dalibor Dvorsky (AIK, Allsvenskan)

I think one thing Detroit proved at last year’s draft was that they wanted to focus on getting back to being difficult to play against in the future. There is a desire for the full rebuild to be over and it’s now time to focus on getting players who can be strong playoff performers. Dvorsky is raw, but as we have seen internationally, he is a big game player who can potentially grow into an all-situations type.

10 - St. Louis Blues - Axel Sandin Pellikka (Skelleftea, SWEJ20)

One of the top offensive defenders available this year, Sandin Pellikka proved at this year’s U18’s that he can defend too. The progression in his game over the course of the year should have teams lining up to select him given the weakness of the defense crop. St. Louis needs to inject new life into their blueline, specifically in the puck moving department.

11 - Vancouver Canucks - Nate Danielson (Brandon, WHL)

Lots to like here for the Canucks. Danielson is a strong candidate to be an all situations top six center for them in the future. And let’s face it, the center depth in the organization isn’t amazing right now. There is a need for a player like Danielson. He’s really the last player in this grouping of ranked players who is likely to stick down the center, so I’d expect all these guys to go high.

12 - Arizona Coyotes (via Ottawa) - Matthew Wood (UConn, NCAA)

Skating concerns be darned, someone is going to bite on Matthew Wood early in the first round. He’s just been too good the last few years. As we’ve seen with Jason Robertson, skating development can occur as conditioning improves. Wood has so many other good qualities and he would be the perfect complementary player for them in the future.

13 - Buffalo Sabres - Dmitri Simashev (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL)

Our top ranked defender, can you imagine a future where the Sabres have both Owen Power and Dmitri Simashev? The massive defender skates well and should at least develop into a high end stay at home type. The Sabres haven’t been scared off by taking Russian players too. This seems like a great fit.

14 - Pittsburgh Penguins - Daniil But (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL)

One of the things Pittsburgh needs to do at the draft this year is focus on selecting players with upside. For far too long, the focus was on safer prospects and the combination of that, plus a lack of first round selections, has left the system in disarray. Insert Daniil But, a big winger who could end up being an Evgeni Malkin kind of player thanks to his combination of power and skill. The Penguins have had some success drafting out of Russia, so I don’t see it scaring them off.

15 - Nashville Predators - Tom Willander (Rögle, SWE J20)

One of the draft's biggest risers, Willander was so good in the second half, and it has caused many (including us) to shift their opinion of his potential. He now looks like a lock to be a top four, right shot defender. I see Nashville looking at adding a potential defender at this spot and perhaps they go more offensively oriented with Gulyayev or Dragicevic, but the well-rounded profile seems to fit them more.

16 - Calgary Flames - Zach Benson (Winnipeg, WHL)

The fall for Benson ends here with Calgary selecting him. We love Benson, but there’s definitely some concern that NHL scouts are concerned with the fact that he’s undersized and not a dynamic athlete. However, his playmaking ability would really help the Flames moving forward and I think they need to gamble on his upside. I could also see Calgary opting for an offensively oriented defender here too.

17 - Detroit Red Wings (via New York Islanders) - Mikhail Gulyayev (Avangard Omsk, KHL)

One of the top skating defenders available this year, Gulyayev would be a great fit in the Detroit system. The Red Wings have a lot of solid young defenders in their system, but none have the skating ability, shot, and powerplay quarterbacking potential that Gulyayev possesses. Getting him and Ryan Leonard in the first round would be terrific for an organization trying to take that next step and sustain it.

18 - Winnipeg Jets - Colby Barlow (Owen Sound, OHL)

Obviously, there are a lot of different routes that the Jets could take here, but Barlow makes a lot of sense. The high-end goal scorer is also very versatile and plays a powerful North/South game. Maybe there are some similarities between him and Rutger McGroarty, but this Jets team wants to have multiple players of that ilk on their roster.

19 - Chicago Blackhawks (via Tampa Bay) - Gabe Perreault (USNTDP)

Where Perreault goes on draft day will be really interesting. His athletic tools aren’t terrific, but you can’t argue with the success he had this year. He’s just such an intelligent and creative player. With your new team identity forming around Connor Bedard, Perreault seems like an amazing fit to play with him in the future. Plus, Perreault is a bit of a local kid, having grown up as part of the Chicago Mission program.

20 - Seattle Kraken - Samuel Honzek (Vancouver, WHL)

The Kraken wouldn’t have had to travel far to get a good look at Honzek this year. After using their top picks on centers in their first two drafts, they opt for a big, skilled winger to play with them in 2023. Honzek’s upside is excellent, and he is actually someone who could go much higher than this.

21 - Minnesota Wild - David Edstrom (Frölunda, SWE J20)

Doesn’t this just scream a Minnesota Wild selection. Edstrom was a late season riser thanks to the progression he showed over the year from an offensive perspective. He has both a solid floor and a high ceiling and given the draft’s lack of true centers, I expect him to go pretty high on draft day.

22 - Philadelphia (via Columbus, via Los Angeles) - Eduard Sale (HC Kometa Brno, Czechia)

Philly is up for the second pick of the first round, acquired in the Provorov trade. After adding a defenseman to replace him with the seventh pick, they opt for the best forward available on the board. That is a quality playmaking winger with size in Eduard Sale, currently ranked #17 by McKeen's. Sale could definitely go higher than this too, so the value is terrific.

23 - New York Rangers - Cal Ritchie (Oshawa, OHL)

Cal Ritchie grew up playing for the Oakville Rangers, so this just seems like a great story. Tons of pictures of him wearing Rangers gear at a young age! But this would be a great pick for New York for a lot of reasons. Ritchie is one of the most intelligent forwards available this year and while his OHL season wasn’t outstanding, his international performances were.

24 - Nashville Predators (via Edmonton) - Brayden Yager (Moose Jaw, WHL)

Maybe Yager goes higher than this. We’re certainly lower on him than the consensus in the scouting community. However, he seems like the kind of player that Nashville would love to add into their system; the kind of player they’ve been drafting for the last decade or so, helping them to remain consistently strong.

25 - St. Louis Blues (via Toronto) - Quentin Musty (Sudbury, OHL)

We’ve got Musty outside of the first round because of concerns over his feet and wavering compete levels, but given his size and skill package, it seems unlikely that he falls out of the first. St. Louis would be a good place for Quentin, and I could see them being quite interested in him. There’s a need to inject new skill and life into the wing group in St. Louis and Musty has one of the higher offensive ceilings in the draft.

26 - San Jose Sharks (via New Jersey) - Bradly Nadeau (Penticton, BCHL)

The Sharks have focused on drafting some pretty good playmakers in recent years and they took Will Smith fourth overall earlier in this mock. So why not take a chance on a high-end finisher like Brad Nadeau. Nadeau also brings a strong compete level and is someone with a good upside, so long as you believe that the BCHL competition was good enough to truly challenge him this year.

27 - Colorado Avalanche - Ethan Gauthier (Sherbrooke, QMJHL)

A solid complementary goal scorer, Gauthier has a good motor too. There is a need for him to get quicker and consistency was an issue at times this year. However, the Avs are going to want a player who can jump into their lineup in a few years and help them win and Gauthier has a lot of strong pro level attributes already. He scores from between the dots and Colorado missed that a bit this year with so many injuries to those types of players.

28 - Toronto Maple Leafs (via Boston) - Gavin Brindley (Michigan, NCAA)

Kyle Dubas is no longer at the helm, but for now it looks like the scouting staff will remain the same under Brad Treliving. Brindley is the type of player that the Leafs organization has been targeting lately at the draft. His compete level and skating are at the top of this draft class and his offensive upside might be a tad underrated. This is someone who is going to play through the middle six for years to come.

29 - St. Louis Blues (via Dallas) - Oliver Bonk (London, OHL)

The Blues have the luxury of three first round picks this year and that gives them a ton of flexibility. So far in our mock they’ve taken Sandin Pellikka and Musty, so grabbing a safer defender like Bonk could make a lot of sense. A highly intelligent two-way player, Bonk has the bloodlines and the work ethic to help him improve.

30 - Carolina Hurricanes - Anton Wahlberg (Malmö, SHL)

The Hurricanes always seem to align their draft ideals with the amateur scouting community, often selecting independent scout darlings in recent years. Insert Anton Wahlberg. Much like Swedish teammate David Edstrom, he improved massively over the course of the year, learning to use his size and quickness to be a very effective player inside the offensive zone. The athletic tools are going to be very intriguing to Carolina.

31 - Montreal Canadiens (via Florida) - Riley Heidt (Prince George, WHL)

Coming into the year, this pick would have been seen as a steal, but this is sort of where Heidt is projected to go now. I could see Montreal being very interested in Heidt as he possesses similar qualities to other forwards they have drafted recently. How his game ultimately comes together at the pro level remains a mystery, but he has a lot of interesting tools.

32 - Vegas Golden Knights - Tanner Molendyk (Saskatoon, WHL)

Molendyk is not only one of the smarter defenders available this year, but he’s also one of the better skaters. That combination will be very intriguing to a team like Vegas. He’s way more athletic than the defenders they have been selecting the last five or so years and would give the organization a bit of a different look on the back end.

Second Round

33 - Anaheim Ducks - Michael Hrabal (Omaha, USHL)

If we don’t have a goalie taken in the first round, I would suspect that we see a huge run on them early in the second. The Ducks haven’t drafted a goalie since Lukas Dostal. He’s turned into a great prospect, but there’s a need to look further down the road. Hrabal is raw, but he might have the best upside of the goalies available.

34 - Columbus Blue Jackets - Carson Bjarnason (Brandon, WHL)

The goalie run continues with the Jackets taking Carson Bjarnason. He has number one upside as he continues to learn to harness his athleticism and he helps fill an organizational need in the future.

35 - Chicago Blackhawks - Lukas Dragicevic (Tri-City, WHL)

It could be surprising if Dragicevic drops out of the first round considering the talent he brings from the back end, but there are definitely concerns over how good he can become defensively. The Hawks are swinging for true upside here and hope that he can be a strong powerplay quarterback for them in the future.

36 - San Jose Sharks - Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener, OHL)

One thing that the Sharks really seem to be focusing on as a scouting team is drafting athletes. They’re looking for guys who can play fast, who bring size, and who have a large runway to improve. Rehkopf had a very inconsistent year, but the talent is there. With all the graduations in Kitchener this year, it’ll be his team to run moving forward.

37 - Montreal Canadiens - Trey Augustine (USNTDP)

We know how commonly the Canadiens have gone to the U.S. Development program in recent years and Augustine was the rock for that team in net, helping them capture gold at the U18’s. It seems likely that Montreal will look to draft a goalie fairly high this year because Primeau hasn’t really developed according to plan, and they let Dichow’s rights expire.

38 - Arizona Coyotes - Otto Stenberg (Frölunda, SHL)

I really like Stenberg. I think he’s a lot better than he showed in the SHL and when playing outside of international competition. Part of me doesn’t believe that he falls, but players with his profile have fallen outside of the first many times. This would be a great selection for Arizona, adding speed and skill to their forward group in the future.

39 - Buffalo Sabres (via Philadelphia) - Danny Nelson (USNTDP)

One of the most improved players in this draft class from start to finish this year, Nelson is an intriguing athlete. There’s a chance that he might not be more than an Adam Lowry type. But it will be interesting to see how his offensive game develops outside of the shadow of Smith and Moore. The Sabres system is stacked, but this type of center is something that they could focus in on.

40 - Washington Capitals - Adam Gajan (Chippewa, NAHL)

I fully expect someone to jump on Gajan pretty early. He was so good at the U20’s this year and he has the athletic tools needed to reach a high ceiling as an NHL starting netminder. The Capitals haven’t focused a ton of attention on goaltenders at the draft in recent years, but there is a need to add one into the system. Additionally, they have been an organization that does not shy away from drafting re-entry players.

41 - Detroit Red Wings - Kasper Halttunen (HIFK, Liiga)

The first of three consecutive selections for the Wings, look for variance in these selections. In Halttunen, the Wings get a high upside goal scoring winger who struggled playing against men this year, but who dominated his own age group. He could easily go higher than this.

42 - Detroit Red Wings - Maxim Strbak (Sioux Falls, USHL)

Strbak would be a great selection for the Wings in this area as a potential top four, defensively oriented defender. He is a fierce competitor, and his offensive skill set might be a tad underrated. If the feet can improve more at Michigan State, he could be quite the player.

43 - Detroit Red Wings - Charlie Stramel (Wisconsin, NCAA)

There is a significant chance that Stramel will go in the first round even after a poor year at Wisconsin. NHL teams love his profile; that big power center with middle six upside. For the Wings, I believe that this would be a no- brainer if he is still available. Stramel is a little more athletic than Rasmussen and has better physical tools than Veleno.

44 - Chicago Blackhawks (via Ottawa) - Nick Lardis (Hamilton, OHL)

One thing that the Hawks really focused on last year at the draft was adding speed and strong skaters to their prospect group. I’m sure that this was extremely intentional and there aren’t many better skaters than Nick Lardis available this year. His second half explosion has vaulted him up into this kind of territory thanks to his combination of speed and goal scoring ability.

45 - Buffalo Sabres - Andrew Cristall (Kelowna, WHL)

Quite the fall for Cristall, but there is real concern inside the NHL scouting community around his size and skating combination. He is so reliant on using his edges and lacks the linear quickness to gain separation against better skating defenders. But the upside is so significant because of his creativity, skill, and IQ. Well worth the risk in this area of the draft, especially for an organization with a deep talent pool.

46 - Nashville Predators (via Pittsburgh) - Nico Myatovic (Seattle, WHL)

This is the kind of player that the Predators have won with previously, that hardnosed, physical, strong two-way forward out of the CHL. Myatovic improved a lot in the second half with the Thunderbirds and he is the type of player that I believe NHL scouts are going to like a lot more than independent, amateur ones.

47 - Nashville Predators - Arttu Karki (Tappara U20, U20 SM-sarja)

After taking Willander in the first, the Predators take Karki, a strong puck moving defender who was excellent in Finland this past season. Lots to like about his skating ability and offensive upside. He’s almost like a more athletic version of Kulonummi, who they took last year.

48 - Calgary Flames - Beau Akey (Barrie, OHL)

After taking Zach Benson in the first round, the Flames opt for an athletic blueliner from the OHL in the second, taking Akey. He is one of the better skating defenders in the draft and is still learning how to use that mobility to his advantage at both ends. Shades of a young TJ Brodie here, waiting to be unlocked and that worked out well for the Flames in 2008.

49 - New York Islanders - Jayden Perron (Chicago, USHL)

This is the fourth straight year that the Islanders don’t have a first-round selection and their talent pool is hurting because of it. So, the focus needs to be on selecting a player with significant upside. The highest upside player remaining is probably Perron, an undersized, but skilled forward with the Chicago Steel. He excels playing with pace and would immediately become one of the better prospects in their system.

50 - Seattle Kraken (via Winnipeg) - Andrew Gibson (Sault Ste. Marie, OHL)

One of the better defensive defenders available in the draft this year, Gibson would give the Kraken a type of player that they haven’t really drafted yet in their two years of existence; a staunch, physical defender with reach. He had a really good U18’s for Canada and we know how much Seattle loves drafting from the OHL.

51 - Chicago Blackhawks (via Tampa Bay) - William Whitelaw (Youngstown, USHL)

This just seems like the type of player that Chicago scouts would really love. Again, we have the speed component. But we also have a competitive player who can score goals. There are concerns over his size and IQ, but he had a great playoff for Youngstown in helping them capture a Clark Cup.

52 - Seattle Kraken - Jacob Fowler (Youngstown, USHL)

Personally, I believe Fowler is the top goaltender in this class. But I think that because his physical/athletic tools aren’t quite as strong as the likes of Hrabal and Bjarnason, he probably ends up more in this range. His performance in the Clark Cup playoffs was a masterpiece. Yes, Seattle did draft Niklas Kokko early last year, but when you’re trying to build out a strong prospect group, you need good goaltending depth.

53 - Minnesota Wild - Coulson Pitre (Flint, OHL)

Pitre is exactly the kind of player that the Wild could use in their system; a competitive power winger who can play in all situations. Pitre is one of the most physical forwards available this year and he is that rare kind of power forward who also has good vision with the puck. He’s the perfect complementary piece.

54 - Los Angeles Kings - Oscar Fisker Mølgaard (HV71, SHL)

The second straight draft that the Kings don’t have a first-round selection and they have to be very happy to see Oscar Fisker Mølgaard still available here. The Kings love players like him. He’s a competitive two-way forward with versatility who can probably move through their system pretty quickly.

55 - Chicago Blackhawks (via New York Rangers) - Tristan Bertucci (Flint, OHL)

At this point, the Blackhawks have about half the picks in the first two rounds it seems like. Here they nab Tristan Bertucci, a player who improved substantially in the second half at both ends. He has intriguing physical and athletic tools and could project as a John Marino kind of player with the right development.

56 - Edmonton Oilers - Koehn Ziemmer (Prince George, WHL)

It seems like Edmonton has been searching for this kind of player at the draft for several seasons now. They took Reid Schaefer last year but then dealt him in the Ekholm deal. Ziemmer is a pure goal scorer, but he also brings a competitive edge. The only thing holding him back is a lack of dynamic skating ability.

57 - Seattle Kraken (via Toronto) - Carey Terrance (Erie, OHL)

Speed is the name of the game for Terrance. But versatile is a word that also fits. He showed at the U18’s with the U.S. team that won gold, that he can play a complementary role different from the play driving role that he fills in Erie. He is already a committed two-way player too. Lots to like here.

58 - New Jersey Devils - Gracyn Sawchyn (Seattle, WHL)

Definitely a bit of a fall for Sawchyn, at least compared to where a lot of independent scouting agencies have him ranked (including us). But there are concerns over his slight frame and lack of dynamic skating. That said, this is a great selection for a New Jersey team that doesn’t have a first this year. Sawchyn has great offensive upside and the Devils haven’t shied away from taking players with skating weaknesses in recent years.

59 - Anaheim Ducks (via Colorado) - Easton Cowan (London, OHL)

Have to think that there were quite a few NHL scouts impressed with Cowan’s playoff performance for London in the OHL playoffs where he transformed into a much more assertive offensive player. He has speed to burn and he’s tenacious to boot. This is a future high character, middle six guy for the Ducks.

60 - Anaheim Ducks (via Boston) - Aram Minnetian (USNTDP)

Pretty rare to see the first U.S. NTDP defender off the draft board this late, but it’s an odd group. Minnetian seems like the most likely to go in the second-round range (or Fortescue). This is a solid upside pick for the Ducks because of how well Minnetian skates. Consistency was an issue for him, especially in the defensive end, but he’ll be given time to grow.

61 - Dallas Stars - Martin Misiak (Youngstown, USHL)

It took some time for Misiak to adjust to the USHL, but as the USHL playoffs rolled around, he was firing on all cylinders along with Will Whitelaw. He was a huge piece of that Phantoms’ Clark Cup winning team. He plays a two-way power game and projects as a solid middle six option for Dallas in the future.

62 - Carolina Hurricanes - Jakub Dvorak (Bili Tygri Liberec, Czechia)

It wasn’t the easiest season for Dvorak, as he battled through injuries. However, he returned in time to play at the U18’s, giving scouts a taste of what he can bring to the table as a future top four, stay at home defender. The Hurricanes love raw, toolsy types like Dvorak and they’ve drafted players out of Czechia the last two drafts.

63 - Florida Panthers - Felix Nilsson (Rögle, SHL)

It was really unfortunate that Nilsson had to miss the U18’s due to a wrist injury. He was shooting up draft lists with his strong second half. Ain intelligent and high energy playmaking center, Nilsson fits the Florida Panthers MO at the draft and would be a great pick for a team without a first-round selection this year.

64 - Minnesota Wild (via Los Angeles) - Drew Fortescue (USNTDP)

No defender on the U.S. U18 team improved as much as Fortescue did this year. His athletic tools are through the roof and at the very least, he looks like he could be a solid #5, safe, stay at home type. But what if his game continues to improve at a rapid rate? The Wild have targeted similar kinds of defenders at the draft in recent years.

2023 NHL Combine: Part One – Fitness Testing Overview & Results

Chase Rochon and Joely Stockl — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 22:07:17 +0000

Another NHL Combine has come and gone in Buffalo, NY this past week. For the 106 invited players, it was a week full of 1-on-1 interviews with NHL teams, interviews with the media, and a variety of fitness tests. The fitness testing results mean more to some NHL executives than they do to others, but nonetheless it is always fascinating to see who finished atop the leaderboards in the fitness testing categories. The Combine is also the final opportunity for players to submit their height and weight, which is always an intriguing progression to monitor. The NHL Combine is the perfect precursor to the NHL Draft. It is some of these player’s first times meeting their competitors on the draft board, and it allows for these players to meet their future management of the team that drafts them in Nashville in just a few weeks.

Standouts

Nick Lardis of the Hamilton Bulldogs placed 1st in four categories: Vertical Jump, Squat Jump, No Arm Jump, & Pull Ups (15). This standout performance puts more eyes on the late riser, who arrived in Hamilton and tore it up through the second half of the season putting up 46 points in 33 games. Lardis has skyrocketed on many draft boards, including McKeen’s, as he finished 32nd overall and snuck his way into the tail end of the first round. He is a player that has certainly benefited from being the “go-to” player on the Bulldogs, and his success will hopefully lead into next season as the team moves to Brantford.

Another player from the OHL, Brad Gardiner also performed exceptionally well in the fitness tests. The two-way centre from the Ottawa 67’s finished in the top 10 in five of the categories completed on the weekend of the Combine, as well as in the Grip Strength test completed earlier in the week. Gardiner likely drew some more attention with this performance, as he was one of the later ranked players out of the 106 at the Combine (McKeen’s has Brad Gardiner ranked at 163rd).

Leading the results in the consensus “most difficult” category, the VO2 MAX, was Seattle Thunderbirds forward Nico Myatovic. In their media availability, nearly every player stated that the VO2 MAX was the hardest fitness test of them all. The VO2 MAX is a gruelling test of oxygen utilized during maximum effort. By winning in this category, Myatovic has likely gained some respect points from teams and players.

The tallest player at the Combine measured up at 6 '6.75”, and that was Czech goaltender Michael Hrabal. Hrabal is one of the top ranked goaltenders heading into the NHL Draft, and he was one of seven goalies invited to the Combine. Hrabal’s size is definitely a draw for some teams, as we see NHL goaltenders getting taller and taller each year.

Fitness Testing Results (excluding Functional Movement Screen & Grip Strength)

Top 10 from each category;

VO2 Max

Nico Myatovic
Brad Gardiner
Bradly Nadeau
Beckett Hendrickson
Noel Nordh
Easton Cowan
Aram Minnetian
Paul Fischer
Axel Sandin Pellikka
Hunter Brzustewicz

Wingate Test

Noah Dower Nlsson
Danny Nelson
Tom Willander
Hunter Brzustewicz
Cameron Allen
David Edstrom
Brayden Yager
Tanner Molendyk
Samuel Honzek
Jonathan Castagna

Pull Ups

Nick Lardis- 15
Danny Nelson- 14
Bradly Nadeau- 14
Cameron Allen- 14
Connor Bedard- 14
Brad Gardiner- 13
Jaden Lipinski- 13
Nate Danielson- 13
Oliver Moore- 13
Denver Barkey- 12

Pro Agility (Right)

Easton Cowan
Jonathan Castagna
Brady Cleveland
Samuel Honzek
Scott Ratzlaff
Brandon Svoboda
Brad Gardiner
Beau Akey
Andrew Gibson
Hunter Brzustewicz

Pro Agility (Left)

Easton Cowan
Jonathan Castagna
Oliver Moore
Brandon Svoboda
Jayden Perron
Brad Gardiner
Ethan Gauthier
Beau Akey
Andrew Gibson
Bradly Nadeau

Bench Press (50% of Body Weight)

Axel Sandin Pellikka
Charlie Stramel
Mathieu Cataford
Lukas Dragicevic
Ryan Leonard
Cameron Allen
Jonathan Castagna
Bradly Nadeau
Brad Gardiner
Nate Danielson

Standing Long Jump

Charlie Stramel- 118”
Samuel Honzek- 117.5”
Cameron Allen- 117”
Tom Willander- 116.5”
Beau Akey- 116”
Nick Lardis- 114.5”
Maxim Strbak- 112.8”
David Reinbacher- 112”
Nate Danielson- 111.5”
Jayden Perron- 111”

Vertical Jump

Nick Lardis
Cameron Allen
Colby Barlow
Caden Price
Charlie Stramel
Nate Danielson
Jesse Nurmi
Beau Akey
Oliver Moore
Ethan Gauthier

No Arm Jump

Nick Lardis
Oliver Moore
Samuel Honzek
Jesse Nurmi
Colby Barlow
Cameron Allen
Jayden Perron
Jonathan Castagna
Nate Danielson
Charlie Stramel

Squat Jump

Nick Lardis
Jesse Nurmi
Colby Barlow
Nate Danielson
Jonathan Castagna
Cameron Allen
Tanner Molendyk
Noah Dower Nilsson
Oliver Moore
Tom Willander

Heights & Weights

Name Height /Weight

Beau Akey 6’0”/175

Cameron Allen 6’0”/192

Trey Augustine 6’1.25”/190

Denver Barkey 5’8.75”/155

Colby Barlow 6’0.5”/195

Connor Bedard 5’9.75”/185

Zach Benson 5’9.75”/170

Tristan Bertucci 6’1.75”/175

Carson Bjarnason 6’3.25”/190

Oliver Bonk 6’1.5”/180

Gavin Brindley 5’8”/168

Hunter Brzustewicz 5’11.75”/190

Luca Cagnoni 5’9”/182

Jonathan Castagna 6’2.25” /195

Mathieu Cataford 5’11”/190

Alex Ciernik 5’10.25”/174

Brady Cleveland 6’4.75”//210

Easton Cowan 5’10.5”/170

Andrew Cristall 5’9.5”/175

Nate Danielson 6’1.5”/186

Noah Dower Nilsson 5’11.75 “/185

Lukas Dragicevic 6’1”/194

Jakub Dvorak 6’5”/210

Dalibor Dvorsky 6’1”/200

David Edstrom 6’3”/185

Paul Fischer 6’1”/200

Drew Fortescue 6’1”/176

Adam Gajan 6’2.75”/180

Brad Gardiner 6’1”/184

Ethan Gauthier 5’11.5”/183

Andrew Gibson 6’2.75”/202

Terrell Goldsmith 6’4”/220

Kasper Halttunen 6’3.25”/215

Lenni Hameenaho 6’1”/185

Riley Heidt 5’10.5”/180

Beckett Hendrickson 6’1.5”/174

Samuel Honzek 6’3.25”/195

Michael Hrabel 6’6.75”/215

Larry Keenan 6’3.25”/186

Jesse Kiiskinen 6’0.25”/190

Rasmus Kumpulainen 6’2.75”/190

Nick Lardis 5’11”/168

Ryan Leonard 5’11.75 “/190

Kalan Lind 6’0.5”/158

Theo Lindstein 6’0”/185

Jaden Lipinski 6’3.75”/210

Dylan MacKinnon 6’2”/190

Matteo Mann 6’5.5”/230

Gavin McCarthy 6’1.5”/186

Ethan Miedema 6’4”/208

Aram Minnetian 5’11”/195

Martin Misiak 6’1.5”/200

Tanner Molendyk 5’11”/181

Oscar Fisker Molgaard 5’11.75“/166

Oliver Moore 5’11”/195

Etienne Morin 6’0”/180

Carsen Musser 6’4”/212

Quentin Musty 6’1.5”/200

Nico Myatovic 6’2.5”/180

Sawyer Mynio 6’0.5”/163

Bradly Nadeau 5’10.25”/160

Zach Nehring 6’2.75”/182

Danny Nelson 6’3”/212

Felix Nilsson 6’0.5”/187

Noel Nordh 6’1.5”/200

Jesse Nurmi 5’11”/168

Tyler Peddle 6’1”/204

Gabriel Perreault 5’10.75”/163

Jayden Perron 5’9”/166

Alex Pharand 6’2.5”/205

Emil Pieniniemi 6’2.25”/175

Luca Pinelli 5’8.75”/167

Aaron Pionk 6’0.75”/173

Coulson Pitre 6’0.75”/170

Caden Price 6’0.5”/190

Scott Ratzlaff 6’0.5”/175

Carson Rehkopf 6’2.5”/195

David Reinbacher 6’2.25”/194

Eduard Sale 6’1.75”/175

Axel Sandin-Pellikka 5’11”/180

Gracyn Sawchyn 5’10.75”/155

Zachary Schulz 6’1”/197

Jayson Shaugabay 5’9.25”/165

William Smith 5’11.75 “/180

Jakub Stancl 6’3”/202

Otto Stenberg 5’11”/185

Charlie Stramel 6’3”/222

Andrew Strathmann 5’10.75”/185

Maxim Strbak 6’1.25”/198

Aydar Suniev 6’1.5”/192

Brandon Svoboda 6’3.25”/209

Carey Terrance 6’0.25”/178

Jordan Tourigny 5’11.25”/165

Anton Wahlberg 6’3.25”/192

William Whitelaw 5’8.75”/175

Tom Willander 6’1”/180

Matthew Wood 6’4”/197

Brayden Yager 5’11”/170

Koehn Ziemmer 6’0.25”/210

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

Aram Minnetian – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #32 Dallas – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Prospect System Ranking – 32nd (Last Year - 31st) GM: Jim Nill Hired: April 2013 COACH: Glen Gulutzan Hired: July 2025

1. Emil Hemming, RW, Barrie Colts (OHL)

2. Cameron Schmidt, RW, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

3. Tristan Bertucci, D, Texas Stars (AHL)

4. Aram Minnetian, D, Texas Stars (AHL)

5. Brandon Gorzynski, C, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)

6. Arno Tiefensee, G, Texas Stars (AHL)

7. George Fegaras, D, Cornell University (NCAA)

8. Atte Joki, C, Lukko (Liiga)

9. Matthew Seminoff, RW, Texas Stars (AHL)

10. Samu Tuomaala, RW, Texas Stars (AHL)

11. Antonio Stranges, LW, Texas Stars (AHL)

12. Ayrton Martino, LW, Texas Stars (AHL)

13. Arttu Hyry, RW, Texas Stars (AHL)

14. Charlie Paquette, RW, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

15. Remi Poirier, G, Texas Stars (AHL)

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – DALLAS STARS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #31

Dallas Stars Top-15 Prospects

1 - Emil Hemming

2 - Justin Hryckowian

3 - Ayrton Martino

4 - Cameron Schmidt

5 - Arttu Hyry

6 - Tristan Bertucci

7 - Aram Minnetian

8 - Antonio Stranges

9 - George Fegaras

10 - Christian Kyrou

11 - Brandon Gorzynski

12 - Remi Poirier

13 - Atte Joki

14 - Arno Tiefensee

15 - Angus MacDonell

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #23 DALLAS STARS – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – DALLAS STARS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #17

Dallas Stars Top-15 Prospects

1. Logan Stankoven

2. Mavrik Bourque

3. Lian Bichsel

4. Emil Hemming

5. Christian Kyrou

6. Matej Blumel

7. Tristan Bertucci

8. Antonio Stranges

9. Ayrton Martino

10. Aram Minnetian

11. Kyle McDonald

12. Chase Wheatcroft

13. Justin Ertel

14. Gavin White

15. Connor Punnett

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #10 Dallas Stars- Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

1. Logan Stankoven, C, Texas Stars (AHL)

2. Mavrik Bourque, C, Texas Stars (AHL)

3. Lian Bichsel, D, Rogle BK (SHL)

4. Christian Kyrou, D, Texas Stars (AHL)

5. Matej Blumel, LW, Texas Stars (AHL)

6. Tristan Bertucci, D, Flint Firebirds (OHL)

7. Antonio Stranges, LW, Texas Stars (AHL)

8. Ayrton Martino, LW Clarkson University (NCAA)

9. Kyle McDonald, RW, Texas Stars (AHL)

10. Chase Wheatcroft, C, Texas Stars (AHL)

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – DALLAS STARS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #21

Top 20 Dallas Stars Prospects Rankings

1. Logan Stankoven - C

2. Lian Bichsel - C

3. Thomas Harley - D

4. Mavrik Bourque - C

5. Christian Kyrou – D

6. Tristan Bertucci - D

7. Matej Blumel - LW

8. Riley Damiani - C

9. Ayrton Martino - LW

10. Francesco Arcuri - C

11. Antonio Stranges - LW

12. Aram Minnetian - D

13. Brad Gardiner - C

14. Artyom Grushnikov - D

Prospect System Ranking – 32nd (Last Year - 31st)
GM: Jim Nill Hired: April 2013
COACH: Glen Gulutzan Hired: July 2025