Arvid Drott – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #30 Florida Panthers – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 18:00:42 +0000

SUNRISE, FL - DECEMBER 02: Florida Panthers right wing Jack Devine (38) looks on in the first period during a NHL game between the Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers on December 02, 2025 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL.(Photo by Chris Arjoon/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 30th (last year - 32nd)
GM: Bill Zito Hired: September 2020
COACH: Paul Maurice Hired: June 2022

Who needs prospects when you’re busy winning Stanley Cups? Ultimately, championships are the goal, and the Florida Panthers have accomplished exactly that by capturing back-to-back titles and making three consecutive Finals appearances. Success at the NHL level, however, often comes at the expense of organizational depth, and Florida’s prospect pipeline has taken the expected hit as a result.

The Panthers entered the 2025–26 season hoping to extend their championship window. Unfortunately, a devastating injury to Aleksander Barkov, compounded by Matthew Tkachuk also missing significant time, quickly derailed those ambitions. While the team may be set to miss the postseason, there could be a silver lining. Although it was not widely reported, Florida’s 2026 first-round pick — previously traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Seth Jones — carries top-10 protection. That protection creates a meaningful possibility that the Panthers could retain the selection and inject much-needed high-end talent into a prospect system that has struggled for depth. It has been five drafts since Florida last made a first-round selection, a drought that is clearly reflected in the pipeline.

At the top of the current prospect hierarchy is 21-year-old Gracyn Sawchyn (126th), who is navigating his first professional season in the American Hockey League after a prolific WHL career that saw him produce 200 points in just 166 games. Alongside him is Jack Devine, a 22-year-old forward and former NCAA standout who has transitioned well to the professional ranks in his first full season, contributing on a strong offensive Texas Stars squad.

Even with the possibility of adding a 2026 first-round selection, Florida’s approach shouldn't stray far from the usual. Bill Zito has built this organization around winning in the present, and once the Panthers’ core players return to full health, maintaining that championship standard will remain the front office’s primary focus.

NHL	RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	2024-25 TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
Fla	1	Gracyn Sawchyn	C	21	5-11/160	Charlotte (AHL)	35	6	17	23	12
Fla	2	Jack Devine	RW	22	5-11/175	Charlotte (AHL)	63	18	25	43	57
Fla	2	Jack Devine	RW	22	5-11/175	Florida (NHL)	6	0	0	0	2
Fla	3	Sandis Vilmanis	LW	22	6-1/190	Charlotte (AHL)	48	17	21	38	26
Fla	3	Sandis Vilmanis	LW	22	6-1/190	Florida (NHL)	19	3	2	5	4
Fla	4	Linus Eriksson	C	20	6-0/190	Timra (SHL)	43	2	5	7	12
Fla	5	Shea Busch	LW	18	6-3/215	Everett (WHL)	12	13	5	18	10
Fla	6	Matvei Shuravin	D	20	6-3/195	Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)	21	0	1	1	4
Fla	7	Marek Alscher	D	22	6-3/205	Charlotte (AHL)	52	3	8	11	32
Fla	7	Marek Alscher	D	22	6-3/205	Florida (NHL)	4	0	3	3	0
Fla	8	Kirill Gerasimyuk	G	22	6-2/180	Charlotte (AHL)	19	9	6	2.50	0.901
Fla	8	Kirill Gerasimyuk	G	22	6-2/180	Savannah (ECHL)	7	3	3	2.22	0.918
Fla	9	Michael Benning	D	24	5-9/185	Charlotte (AHL)	57	8	23	31	40
Fla	9	Michael Benning	D	24	5-9/185	Florida (NHL)	18	2	4	6	2
Fla	10	Simon Zether	C	20	6-3/175	Rogle (SHL)	40	1	8	9	12
Fla	11	Cooper Black	G	24	6-8/240	Charlotte (AHL)	42	25	13	2.47	0.903
Fla	12	Mads Kongsbak Klyvo	LW	19	6-2/195	Frolunda (Swe J20)	15	4	10	14	2
Fla	12	Mads Kongsbak Klyvo	LW	19	6-2/195	Frolunda (SHL)	2	0	0	0	0
Fla	13	Arvid Drott	RW	18	6-0/185	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	28	15	10	25	34
Fla	14	Shamar Moses	RW	19	6-1/200	North Bay (OHL)	48	8	10	18	60
Fla	15	Hunter St. Martin	LW	20	6-1/175	Charlotte (AHL)	46	5	8	13	33

1. Gracyn Sawchyn, C, Charlotte Checkers (AHL)

Coming at a time when he was leading the team in assists and tied for first in points, Gracyn Sawchyn suffered a long-term upper-body injury that has left him off the ice since the start of 2026. Sawchyn is at his best when he’s on the puck, darting around the ice. He’s so quick that he often pulls in multiple defenders at once, and if he can’t dangle around them, he more often than not finds his open teammate. Sawchyn, being undersized, 5-foot-10 and 155 pounds, is definitely starting to become more of a factor now that he’s playing against men. He’s an excellent defender with his stick, but he struggles to battle through puck carriers who can shield him off. Assuming he adds some weight, he’ll be even more irritating to play against, as opponents won’t be able to easily shrug him off. Sawchyn’s style translates strictly to a top-nine role, and there shouldn’t be any concerns about his game translating to the wing if that’s what Florida chooses if he makes the NHL. In all likelihood, a middle-six winger is where Sawchyn will end up as long as he can stay healthy and continues to build on his good offensive habits.

2. Jack Devine, RW, Charlotte Checkers (AHL)

Despite his rookie status, Jack Devine sits second on the team in points in Charlotte and is doing it in nine fewer games than the leader. He’s shown why he was one of the NCAA’s top scorers the past two seasons, as well as one of the AHL’s best rookies this year. Both on the offensive and defensive sides, Devine is a solid half-ice player. No trait stands out more than his hockey IQ in the way he is always in the right spot at the right time. The NHL game is played at a pace like no other league in the world, and in Devine’s six-game call-up with the Florida Panthers, he found out the hard way. Devine’s lack of footspeed put him behind the play more often than not as he struggled in a role not conducive to his play style. Without an improvement in this area, it’s hard to see Devine sticking at the next level, especially in Florida. Barring major improvements in his skating, it’s more than likely Devine winds up a bottom-six winger.

3. Sandis Vilmanis, LW, Charlotte Checkers (AHL)

It’s pretty easy to see why Sandis Vilmanis has played more than just a handful of games with the Florida Panthers this season. After notching 38 games with the Checkers, Vilmanis earned his call-up and has stuck in Sunrise. No matter what line Vilmanis has been thrust into, he hasn’t looked out of place. At 22 years old, Vilmanis already excels at using his 6-foot-2 frame to get inside of opponents and hold onto possession in tight areas. He plays with a bit of an edge, one that Charlie McAvoy was caught on the wrong side of. Not many guys his age know how to use their bodies as well as he does. He isn’t just a physical grinder either; he’s got skill and finesse that can separate him from defenders, giving him room to rip the puck or link up with a teammate. He’s a good skater, and you can trust him in any situation on the ice. With so many guys injured for Florida right now, he should continue to get NHL games, but as they come back, he might get reassigned. He’s not making that decision easy for head coach Paul Maurice. Vilmanis has real middle-six potential and will be a feature of the Panthers by next year if not sooner.

4. Linus Eriksson, C, Timra (SHL)

Eriksson’s second year in the SHL is already much stronger than his first. While the production isn’t there, his skating quickness and physical skills have taken a step and look pro ready. He reads the game at a level above the SHL as well, and his two-way game looks solid as ever. He was also a valuable role player and leader on the Swedish team that won gold at the WJC in Minnesota. All signs are pointing to Eriksson developing into a fine defensive forward at the NHL level. The only drawback is his stalling offensive upside. He’s got a great shot but rarely finds the space he needs to get it off at even strength. His passing and playmaking ability are very practical and projectable, but there isn’t a whole lot of dazzle to his puck skills. He’ll probably never rack up the points in the NHL, but he’ll shut down opposing scorers, force turnovers on the forecheck, and kill penalties. Considering the Panthers have their core locked up long term, Eriksson is exactly the type of bottom 6 role player and locker room presence a perennial cup contender is looking to add whenever they can. Think Oskar Bäck, but with a higher hockey IQ.

5. Shea Busch, LW, Everett Silvertips (WHL)

Shea Busch’s 2025-2026 season has been injury plagued. He suffered an upper body injury in late October and has been out ever since. Before the injury, he was leading his WHL team, the Everett Silvertips, in goals, with 13 goals in 12 games and was playing wing on their top line and power play. It’s unclear as of this writing if and when he’ll return to the Silvertips lineup this season. Before the injury, Busch had been showing good signs of improvement in his offensive game. His wrist shot looked harder and more accurate, and he was being used as a shooter along the wall on the power play. During his draft season, he had been used as the net-front forward because his shot wasn’t nearly as good as it is this season. Busch’s skating has also improved, but it’s not yet to the point of being pro ready. He plays a power forward game, but unless his skating continues to improve, it will likely keep him at an NHL depth forward level. If he can get his skating to a high enough level, he could be a useful bottom six forward.

6. Matvei Shuravin, D, CSKA Moscow (KHL)

Shuravin’s development has stagnated this season, unable to maintain a spot on the KHL roster and lacking the production that he showed in the MHL previously. The flashes of offense are still few and far between, showing that he has the skill to create, but not nearly making enough of an impact. If he isn't activating on the half wall, he is usually getting caught flat-footed on the blue line and taking low danger shots or dumping it to a corner. His physical game is coming along well, though. He looks stronger along the boards and is throwing solid hits, but he struggles mightily against power moves on the rush when playing at higher levels. Decision making, once seen as a strong part of his game, has been more inconsistent, as has his ability to make effective breakout passes. When he is in his own end, he is at his best, anticipating play, protecting the net and winning battles. At this point in time, he looks like a quality MHL defenseman, which at 19 years old is fine. But to be more confident with his development, he needs to prove he is capable of playing at higher levels of competition.

7. Marek Alscher, D, Charlotte Checkers (AHL)

With the 2025-26 season nearing its end, Marek Alscher has already eclipsed his point total from last season and has continued to improve defensively as a minute-munching defenseman for the Checkers. Alscher’s game is predicated on making few mistakes and using his size and mobility to shut down attackers in his own zone. Alscher’s largest area of improvement has come from breaking the puck out of his own zone. Whether it has been through a stretch pass or taking the puck himself, Alscher has improved his two-way ability and is progressing towards something more than just a big body on the blue line. If his offense continues to grow, Alscher can likely start to compete for a third-pairing role next season. He and Mikulas Hovorka will likely be battling it out for that spot, with the advantage going to the older and bigger Hovorka. Alscher is only 21 years old with less than two years of pro experience. It’s more than likely he’ll continue to spend a majority of his time, if not all, in Charlotte for the near future as he continues to expand his offensive capabilities and work toward an NHL third-pairing role.

8. Kirill Gerasimyuk, G, Charlotte Checkers (AHL)

Although nearly a third of the games in which Gerasimyuk has appeared have been in the ECHL, he has largely spent his first year in North America backing up Cooper Black in Charlotte. After years of putting up excellent numbers in the MHL and VHL, Gerasimyuk’s skills have seemingly translated fairly well. In 18 AHL games, he’s 9-6-1 with a 0.902 save percentage, 2.49 goals against average and four shutouts. Gerasimyuk tracks the puck extremely well from side to side and consistently puts on display his lateral agility. Gerasimyuk’s largest area for improvement comes from his lack of rebound control. He’ll often have to generate multiple saves from one shot because he isn’t swallowing pucks or deflecting them to the corners. Teams that are crashing the net can often get second chances in high-danger areas against Gerasimyuk. His athletic ability in net gives his team the opportunity to steal games, but until he shows more consistency and rebound control, he projects more as a fringe NHL backup.

9. Michael Benning, D, Charlotte Checkers (AHL)

From his first season in the AHL to his second, Mike Benning’s point production jumped 14 points in 18 fewer games. Now in his third year, Benning’s point totals have so far plateaued. Benning is still producing at more than a 0.5 point per game pace; however, it’s likely not enough to overlook his small stature. Benning is Charlotte’s most utilized defenseman, except on the penalty kill. He’s a threat from the point to score and leverages that to be an effective passer. He times his pinches in the offensive zone well to hold possession for his team, and his skating ability allows him to do so without getting caught going the other way. Unsurprisingly, he struggles against larger opponents who can shield him from the puck, which is the majority of his competition. Benning is not the offensive dynamo where you ignore his defensive inadequacies. There may be an NHL team that can find a role for Benning, but it’s more likely than not that he will be a career AHLer.

10. Simon Zether, C, Rogle BK (SHL)

Zether is still having a bit of a tough time figuring out who he is as a player in his third season of pro hockey. There isn’t much about his game that sticks out as projectable or screams “NHL player”. Still, he’s only 20 years old. There is still plenty of time for an epiphany, and Zether has tools to be hopeful about. Firstly, he puts his 6-foot-3 frame to good use to shield pucks from defenders. He’s a quick skater for a forward his size, and his hands are decent, too. While I wouldn’t consider him a strong two-way player, his positional awareness and work rate are quite good. The drawbacks are the lack of a strong physical game, a fairly SHL-average hockey sense, and a lack of high-end offensive tools. He has a tendency to defer a lot of defensive and offensive responsibilities and fade into the background. While that doesn’t necessarily sound encouraging, Zether was always going to be a long-term project who needs to marinate overseas for a few years. If he can lean into his size and start throwing his weight around more, there’s an outside chance he could fashion a career as a bottom line checking forward in the NHL.

11. Cooper Black, G, Charlotte Checkers (AHL)

The massive netminder out of Dartmouth has been solid in his first season as an AHL starter, and he looks like he could end up being a serviceable back-up for the Panthers, who really lack serviceable depth beyond this year.

12. Mads Kongsback Klyvo, LW, Frolunda (SHL)

The big winger with solid skating ability projects as a future bottom six option thanks to his physical tools and two-way awareness. First, he’ll have to establish himself as an SHL regular.

13. Arvid Drott, RW, Djurgardens (SHL)

A similar player to Klyvo; a big winger with strong skating ability who can be impactful away from the puck. Drott also profiles best as a future bottom six fixture. His offensive numbers have improved in the Swedish U20 league this year.

14. Shamar Moses, RW, North Bay Battalion (OHL)

It’s been a step back for Moses this year in his draft year plus one. His skating continues to need to improve and there’s a need for him to be more consistently physically engaged.

15. Hunter St. Martin, LW, Charlotte Checkers (AHL)

St. Martin was a breakout star in last year’s WHL playoffs as he helped Medicine Hat capture a WHL championship. This year, the big winger has been a depth piece as a first-year pro.

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – FLORIDA PANTHERS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #32

Josh Bell — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 17:41:21 +0000

240402 Djurgårdens Linus Eriksson under uppvärmningen inför semifinal ett i Hockeyallsvenskan mellan Djurgården och Mora den 2 april 2024 i Stockholm.
Foto: Jesper Zerman / BILDBYRÅN / kod JZ / JZ0506

Prospect System Ranking – 32nd (Previous Rank - 32nd)
GM: Bill Zito Hired: September 2020
COACH: Paul Maurice Hired: June 2022

The Florida Panthers are fully committed to chasing a third straight Stanley Cup Final appearance—and potentially back-to-back championships. But as has been the case in recent years, their success in the present has come at a steep cost to their future.

Already operating with one of the league’s thinnest prospect pools, Florida once again skipped the first round of the NHL Draft for the fourth consecutive year. With no trades to move back into the early rounds, the Panthers didn’t make a pick until the fourth round of the 2025 draft.

That potential reality didn’t stop them from doubling down at this year’s trade deadline. Florida sent its 2026 first-round pick and top goaltending prospect Spencer Knight to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for veteran defenseman Seth Jones. Barring any 2026 trades, the move will push their streak to five years without a meaningful early-round addition to the system.

As a result, there’s been little change in their prospect pool from May 2025. Mackie Samoskevich has officially graduated, leaving just two players in McKeen’s top 200: 2023 second-rounder Gracyn Sawchyn, who put up 200 points in 166 WHL games and is poised to make the leap to the pros. Meanwhile, Jack Devine, who capped off a productive NCAA career with 163 points in 162 games at the University of Denver, has now turned pro and offered a strong Calder Cup playoff stint.

Beyond that, the system is filled with long shots and depth hopefuls.

With that in mind, it’s full steam ahead for GM Bill Zito, who has clearly prioritized maximizing the club’s current championship window. For the Panthers, the mandate is clear: leverage every asset to win now—even if it means leaving the cupboard bare.

Florida Panthers Top-15 Prospects

1. Gracyn Sawchyn

Gracyn Sawchyn had little left to prove after a nearly 80-point season in his final year of junior eligibility. There’s no question he’s an effective junior scorer with some edge but now comes the next step in his career with the opportunity to play for the Charlotte Checkers. Sawchyn is very pesky in pursuit of the puck carrier and is, overall, a very tough player who is hungry for goals. Florida has the unique advantage of having Brad Marchand to mentor Sawchyn, given that the two have some similar elements stylistically, and Sawchyn could likely benefit from working with a player of the same archetype. If Sawchyn can reduce the turnovers and become a more efficient player, he will no doubt slot into Florida’s bottom six eventually. This year, Sawchyn should try to bulk up from his current sub-160-pound frame to translate the physical aspects of his game into a men’s league.

2. Jack Devine

After leading the NCAA in scoring last year and finishing seventh in nationwide scoring the year before (as well as back to back showings as a Hobey Baker finalist), it is easy to see why Jack Devine is one of Florida’s top prospects. The 2022 seventh-round pick won two national championships in Denver and slid right into the Charlotte Checkers lineup after the Pioneers’ season was done last year. Devine is an excellent puck distributor with high-end hockey IQ but also is not afraid to drive the net. One aspect that Devine needs to improve is his skating, as he can end up chasing the play at times, particularly on the forecheck. If he can add a gear or two to his skating speed, he should be able to contribute as a bottom six forward in Florida. For this season, he will continue his development in the AHL.

3. Linus Eriksson

Injuries and playing a constant game of “catch up” in the HockeyAlssvenskan made for a very tough D+1 season for Eriksson. He was eventually loaned to Timrå in the SHL to close out the year, but he had to work hard just to stay afloat in a bottom six role. That being said, there is nowhere to go but up for the Stockholm native. Eriksson is a smooth skater and a sneaky good finisher. He plays a physical and intelligent two-way game. He supports his line mates off-puck both offensively and defensively. He’s a leader, something many guys in the Panthers organization are. He is not the flashiest or highest upside prospect, but teams who are all in on their core like the Panthers need some solid, bottom six center depth like Eriksson their pipeline. The next step is to come back to the SHL with a vengeance (and a clean bill of health) and to get a full season’s worth of reps in.

4. Matvei Shuravin

Florida’s 2024 third-round pick, Matvei Shuravin, made steady progress this season, especially in his defensive play. He reads threats well and shuts down chances before they develop, with improved timing and angles leading to a tighter defensive game. His skating also took a leap, generating more speed and power through each stride. With possession, he’s more confident and willing to rush pucks up with his feet, but his decision-making remains a major concern. He often forces low percentage passes, mishandles breakouts, and tries to do too much in transition. Shuravin needs to become more disciplined and make smarter choices with the puck. While he has shown growth, the expectation was that he would gain more VHL experience this year, and he looked disengaged in the MHL at times. A move to the pro level next season is necessary for his development. Long term, he projects as a bottom-four shutdown defenceman but must refine his puck play to succeed in the NHL.

5. Sandis Vilmanis

Sandis Vilmanis found decent success in his first pro season with Charlotte, scoring 27 points in 61 games playing 13 minutes per game. He’s got tons of skill, as seen when carrying the puck in transition, where he combines head fakes with slick stickhandling to sneak by defenders. Sandis is also effective at dangling in the offensive zone in a more lateral sense to create open lanes for his teammates and drive to the net. His forechecking and defensive game are both passable, but there’s no denying that if he makes the big leagues, it’ll be as a skill player. For that reason, it’ll be a little tougher to crack the NHL roster given the talent the Panthers already have, but Vilmanis is still a few years out, so a spot could emerge. This year, Vilmanis will likely be entrusted with a top six forward role on Charlotte, so better production is to be expected. This year will be a telling one whether Vilmanis will be able to hit another gear.

6. Michael Benning

Michael Benning’s point totals spiked last year, showing his commitment to improvement, showing fixes to his game year after year. Standing at just 5-foot-9 and playing as a defenceman, Benning still has an uphill battle just to secure an NHL roster spot, but he does have some fun attributes. Benning's compete is very solid in front of the net and when battling for lost pucks, but he lacks reach and strength against larger opponents; he'll likely need a more sheltered role to thrive. Benning possesses a cannon of a shot, able to beat goalies frequently by teeing up from the point, also forcing defenders to respect it and play tighter defence. Benning frequently uses his feet and activates deep in the zone to find backdoor opportunities or passing lanes with the puck. What was once a long shot upside swing by the Cats is looking more and more like a future depth roster player.

7. Marek Alscher

Alscher made his pro debut last season with the Charlotte Checkers and fit what we've come to expect from him: a solid defensive presence, good mobility for a larger guy, and safe decision-making with the puck. His limited point totals in the AHL are to be expected; however, he does make an effort to pinch at the blue line and tries to make plays. At this point in his development, the Panthers likely want to see Alscher take on a minute-munching role in the AHL next year. Marek’s use of physicality to knock forwards off balance and win net-front battles also makes him an attractive option for a future bottom-pair NHL role, but his limited offence puts a limit on his ceiling. 2025-26 will be a key year for him to prove he can be a consistent defensive defenceman and perhaps earn a stint on the defending champs’ bottom pair should any injuries sideline Kulikov or Mikkola.

8. Hunter St. Martin

There were probably times this season where St. Martin had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming. His shooting ability is his strongest asset, and he got plenty of opportunities to show that off following passes from frequent linemate Gavin McKenna, who is one of the best playmakers that the WHL has ever seen. If anything, it's kind of surprising that St. Martin finished with only 39 goals on the year. He can bury chances from medium range as easily as he can from the real prime spots. Right now, no other single piece of his skill set comes close to the impressiveness of his finishing ability, but his mother, Susan, is a former Olympic figure skater who then became a power-skating coach, so there are justifiable hopes that his mobility will keep improving as he continues to develop. St. Martin still has a long way to go, but within Florida’s shallow prospect pool he’ll receive opportunities to work his way up.

9. Mads Kongsbak Klyvø

Kongsbak Klyvø really caught fire in the second half of the season with Frölunda J20 and looked like the type of player that teams trip over themselves to draft. Big, fast, skilled, and smart. He fit right in with Frölunda’s fast-paced, rush-attack heavy style. His vision and puck management as a rush QB was remarkable. While the ingredients of a modern power forward are present, a key one still needs development: physicality. MKK has a big body but doesn’t play heavy. He doesn’t leverage his size in puck battles or to attack the middle as often as you’d like, either. His skating helps him annoy puck carriers on the forecheck and when backpressuring, but he’s fairly low event away from the puck. Kongsbak Klyvø is still quite raw and will need plenty of time to refine his finesse and develop that grit and sandpaper element to his game. Expect him to split time between the U20 level and the SHL next season.

10. Arvid Drott

The Panthers definitely had a checklist in mind when drafting out of Sweden in 2025. Much like Mads Kongsbak Klyvö, Drott plays a heavy, north-south style of hockey that seems to embody the Florida style of play. Drott is a speedy, physical winger with legitimate goal scoring upside. He can rip the puck, he goes to the net, and he can bang home rebounds with the best of them. He doesn’t have the ability to make high levels plays or pick apart defences on his own, but he’s great at catching passes in speed, making him an excellent target in transition for a rush attack. Provided his ability to read and react to play away from the puck continues to improve in time (and that he gets an opportunity to play a meaningful role with a pro team in Sweden), Drott could be a fantastic value add for the defending Stanley cup champions. Drott will be back with Djurgarden’s U20 team next year and is poised to take on a top six role with them.

11. Shea Busch

There is no Busch Light version of Shea Busch. His strength is his strength and there is no easy way to move him off the puck or away from the net. He’s refined his skills to score goals off deflections and in dirty areas because there is no going around a defender, just through. After moving to Everett midseason last year, Busch will have a full year in the WHL to show why his physically imposing playstyle is simply effective.

12. Simon Zether

Zether spent most of his draft year in the SHL, although this year was loaned out to Västerås IK in the HockeyAllsvenskan. He only played 25 games there due to injury, where he picked up 12 points. He’s a defensive-minded center who uses his frame and reach to shut down attackers. His offence is limited by his skating and overall speed. He should be back with Rögle BK in the SHL, getting consistent playing time.

13. Shamar Moses

Moses is a rare breed of big power forward and playmaker. He’s dangerous off the half-wall and can thread the needle. He plays both ends of the ice well, getting involved defensively with a stick to intercept the passing lanes he exploits on the other end. Moses struggled at the tail end of the season with North Bay, but if he can improve his overall skating, he could end up leading the way for the Battalion next year.

14. Kirill Gerasimyuk

Kirill Gerasimyuk has spent the past few seasons bouncing between the MHL and VHL, putting up very solid numbers. He signed a two-year ELC on July 1, making the jump from the VHL to the AHL. Gerasimyuk is a very agile goaltender who tracks the play well from side to side. He should be one of the featured goaltenders in Charlotte, and if the jump proves too large, he may spend more time in the ECHL.

15. Ryan McAllister

Sometimes, the most brutal injuries are when they happen at the most pivotal times. Ryan McAllister, an undrafted free agent, was piecing together a point-per-game season with Charlotte in the AHL before an injury sidelined him for the rest of the season. Despite being undersized, McAllister has still put up points at every level and will have one more chance to show he belongs next season in Charlotte before his ELC expires.

2025 NHL DRAFT: TOP 100 PLUS HONOURABLE MENTIONS – March edition – FOR SUBSCRIBERS

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 14:34:18 +0000

Porter Mantone of the Brampton Steelheads. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

It’s time for an update to our 2025 NHL draft rankings. Back in December, prior to the World Junior Championships, we released our top 64. Now, not only are we updating, but we’re expanding to a Top 100 (plus honorable mentions). This will be our final draft ranking prior to the release of our Top 300 (along with our annual draft guide).

Erie Otters defender Matthew Schaefer remains on top, despite not playing since our last release due to a collarbone injury suffered at the World Juniors. However, we have no doubt that Schaefer will return stronger than ever. He has been skating recently and is gearing up for a return for the OHL playoffs. At this point, Schaefer is our clear number one and we don’t expect that to change.

The other players in our top ten are all the same, with some minor shuffling. Michael Misa moves ahead of James Hagens based on his strong production with Saginaw, mixed with Hagen’s drop in production with Boston College post World Juniors. We feel that both players have similar projections as top six pivots, but we feel Misa’s frame gives him a greater opportunity to be a more complete pro. Caleb Desnoyers is the other big riser. While, admittedly, we do have some minimal concerns about his offensive upside, we appreciate his pro style of play and safe floor, in combination with the improvement he has shown offensively over the course of this season. Roger McQueen is the big “faller” inside our top ten due to injury and durability concerns. He has recently returned to action and we’re eager to see how he performs down the stretch.

Among the biggest risers, Bill Zonnon, Cole McKinney, and Jake O’Brien standout. O’Brien is knocking on the door of the top ten, moving from 23 to 13 thanks to his elite playmaking ability and three zone awareness. McKinney elevated his play in the second half to become the top pivot on the US NTDP, giving our scouts a better indication of his offensive upside. Zonnon is an energetic forward with a pro frame who has been a favourite of our Eastern scouts thanks to consistent production.

Among the biggest fallers are Malcolm Spence (from 13 to 23, switching with O’Brien), Luca Romano (24 to 44), Ivan Ryabkin (26 to 39), and Tomas Pobezal (from 39 to 81).

You may have caught our recent, and annual second chances series that outlined the top “re-entries” available for 2025. Kristian Epperson (49), Francesco Dell’Elce (82), Petteri Rimpinen (84), and Sam Laurila (98) cracked our Top 100. Additionally, Jamiro Reber is listed as an honorable mention.

Overall, the picture is becoming more and more clear regarding this draft class. Simply put, the majority of our scouts are not enamored with the depth of this group. “In a normal year, when we put together our March list, the debate for the first round is often charged, with the regional scouts all fighting to have their personal, regional favourites included in the top 32,” said Director of Scouting Brock Otten. “But this year, the debate was more about who actually deserved to be ranked in the first round…there was significantly less table pounding.”

“The way I see it” continues Otten, “there is a clear drop off after about the 20th position. There are unquestionably some solid players available outside this range, but few high upside players. Potential role players are the name of the game this year. As a staff, we’re really hoping some players step up in their respective league playoffs and at the U18’s to help give this draft class a little more excitement.”

You can expect our final draft ranking to be released in late May, coinciding with the release of our annual draft guide.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS
1	Matthew Schaefer	D	Erie (OHL)	6-2/180	5-Sep-07	17	7	15	22
2	Michael Misa	C	Saginaw (OHL)	6-1/185	16-Feb-07	62	59	67	126
3	James Hagens	C	Boston College (NCAA)	5-10/175	3-Nov-06	35	10	25	35
4	Porter Martone	RW	Brampton (OHL)	6-3/205	26-Oct-06	54	32	60	92
5	Jackson Smith	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-3/195	13-May-07	65	7	41	48
6	Caleb Desnoyers	C	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-2/180	11-Apr-07	56	35	49	84
7	Victor Eklund	LW	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	5-11/160	3-Oct-06	42	19	12	31
8	Anton Frondell	C	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	6-1/195	7-May-07	29	11	14	25
9	Roger McQueen	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-5/195	2-Oct-06	14	9	9	18
10	Lynden Lakovic	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-4/190	12-Dec-06	45	24	31	55
11	Radim Mrtka	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-6/205	9-Jun-07	41	3	31	34
12	Brady Martin	C	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-0/175	16-Mar-07	55	30	37	67
13	Jake O'Brien	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-2/170	16-Jun-07	64	32	64	96
14	Cullen Potter	C	Arizona State (NCAA)	5-10/170	10-Jan-07	34	13	9	22
15	Justin Carbonneau	RW	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-1/190	25-Nov-06	61	46	43	89
16	Kashawn Aitcheson	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-1/195	21-Sep-06	63	25	33	58
17	Cameron Reid	D	Kitchener (OHL)	6-0/190	8-Apr-07	66	14	39	53
18	Ben Kindel	C	Calgary (WHL)	5-10/175	19-Apr-07	62	34	64	98
19	Braeden Cootes	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/180	9-Feb-07	58	25	36	61
20	Carter Bear	LW	Everett (WHL)	6-0/180	4-Nov-06	56	40	42	82
21	Jack Murtagh	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-1/200	22-Aug-07	42	20	24	44
22	Cameron Schmidt	RW	Vancouver (WHL)	5-7/160	19-Jan-07	59	39	37	76
23	Malcolm Spence	LW	Erie (OHL)	6-1/200	22-Sep-06	62	32	38	70
24	Joshua Ravensbergen	G	Prince George (WHL)	6-5/190	27-Nov-06	50	33	12	2.93
25	Jack Nesbitt	C	Windsor (OHL)	6-4/185	12-Jan-07	63	24	39	63
26	Cole McKinney	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/200	16-Mar-07	45	21	29	50
27	Eric Nilson	C	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	5-11/155	11-May-07	37	12	26	38
28	Logan Hensler	D	Wisconsin (NCAA)	6-2/190	14-Oct-06	32	2	10	12
29	Henry Brzustewicz	D	London (OHL)	6-2/200	9-Feb-07	65	10	29	39
30	Blake Fiddler	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-4/210	9-Jul-07	62	9	22	31
31	Shane Vansaghi	RW	Michigan State (NCAA)	6-2/210	11-Oct-06	35	6	10	16
32	Bill Zonnon	C	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/185	3-Oct-06	62	28	53	81
33	Jakob Ihs Wozniak	RW	Lulea (Swe J20)	6-2/185	1-Feb-07	40	23	34	57
34	Nathan Behm	RW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-1/190	18-Apr-07	57	31	35	66
35	Adam Benak	C	Youngstown (USHL)	5-7/160	10-Apr-07	53	16	38	54
36	Kurban Limatov	D	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-3/195	20-Mar-07	45	8	15	23
37	Carter Amico	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-5/225	15-Mar-07	13	0	3	3
38	Cole Reschny	C	Victoria (WHL)	5-10/180	6-Apr-07	60	23	63	86
39	Ivan Ryabkin	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-0/195	25-Apr-07	18	11	8	19
40	Milton Gastrin	C	MoDo Hockey (Swe J20)	6-1/185	2-Jun-07	40	18	24	42
41	Will Moore	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-2/175	24-Mar-07	49	21	22	43
42	Sascha Boumedienne	D	Boston University (NCAA)	6-1/175	17-Jan-07	35	3	9	12
43	Conrad Fondrk	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/190	1-Jun-07	40	13	14	27
44	Luca Romano	C	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/175	25-Jun-07	65	25	26	51
45	Alexander Zharovsky	RW	Tolpar Ufa (MHL)	6-1/165	22-Feb-07	45	24	26	50
46	Max Psenicka	D	Portland (WHL)	6-4/175	18-Jan-07	22	1	5	6
47	Jack Ivankovic	G	Brampton (OHL)	5-11/180	22-May-07	41	23	12	3.13
48	Maxim Agafonov	D	Tolpar Ufa (MHL)	6-2/195	10-Apr-07	33	6	7	13
49	Kristian Epperson	LW	Saginaw (OHL)	5-11/180	7-May-06	55	26	51	77
50	Vaclav Nestrasil	RW	Muskegon (USHL)	6-5/185	6-Apr-07	51	14	19	33
51	Jimmy Lombardi	C	Flint (OHL)	6-0/180	16-Feb-07	61	13	28	41
52	Gustav Hillstrom	C	Brynas (Swe J20)	6-1/175	20-Jan-07	43	16	22	38
53	Pyotr Andreyanov	G	Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)	6-0/205	22-Jan-07	37	23	6	1.75
54	Arvid Drott	RW	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	6-0/180	11-Aug-07	40	18	18	36
55	Matthew Gard	C	Red Deer (WHL)	6-5/190	7-Apr-07	63	18	17	35
56	Ethan Czata	C	Niagara (OHL)	6-1/175	29-May-07	65	20	33	53
57	Hayden Paupanekis	C	Spokane-Kelowna (WHL)	6-4/195	4-Feb-07	68	22	19	41
58	Charlie Trethewey	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-1/200	2-Aug-07	51	6	12	18
59	Aleksei Medvedev	G	London (OHL)	6-2/180	10-Sep-07	33	22	7	2.72
60	Daniil Prokhorov	RW	MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg (MHL)	6-5/210	27-Apr-07	41	19	7	26
61	William Horcoff	C	Michigan (NCAA)	6-5/190	23-Jan-07	18	4	6	10
62	Tyler Hopkins	C	Kingston (OHL)	6-1/180	23-Jan-07	64	19	31	50
63	Lasse Boelius	D	Assat (Fin-U20)	6-0/180	16-Mar-07	34	4	14	18
64	Eddie Genborg	RW	Linkopings (SHL)	6-1/180	20-Apr-07	28	2	0	2
65	Semyon Frolov	G	MHK Krylia Sovetov (MHL)	6-3/200	17-Jan-07	5	2	2	2.75
66	Ben Kevan	RW	Des Moines (USHL)	6-0/180	3-Jan-07	46	12	29	41
67	Peyton Kettles	D	Swift Current (WHL)	6-5/195	1-Sep-07	51	5	9	14
68	Zeb Lindgren	D	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	6-1/195	14-Apr-07	38	4	15	19
69	Everett Baldwin	D	St. George's School (USHS-RI)	5-11/175	15-Jan-07	22	10	10	20
70	Ryker Lee	RW	Madison (USHL)	5-11/180	8-Nov-06	48	27	33	60
71	Michal Svrcek	LW	Brynas (Swe J20)	5-10/175	26-Jan-07	30	14	16	30
72	Zachary Morin	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/185	25-Jan-07	54	16	20	36
73	Jacob Rombach	D	Lincoln (USHL)	6-6/200	1-Apr-07	50	3	15	18
74	Alex Huang	D	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-0/170	30-Jul-07	62	6	33	39
75	Tommy Lafreniere	C	Kamloops (WHL)	5-11/170	16-Jan-07	66	24	32	56
76	Haoxi (Simon) Wang	D	Oshawa (OHL)	6-6/210	27-Jul-07	29	0	2	2
77	William Belle	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/220	14-Jan-07	50	4	11	15
78	Jan Chovan	RW	Tappara (Fin-U20)	6-3/185	9-Jan-07	39	11	12	23
79	Luka Radivojevic	D	Muskegon (USHL)	5-9/165	3-Jan-07	28	1	16	17
80	Shamar Moses	RW	North Bay (OHL)	6-1/200	6-May-07	58	12	35	47
81	Tomas Pobezal	C	HK Nitra (Svk)	5-10/180	18-Sep-06	42	15	8	23
82	Francesco Dell'Elce	D	Massachusetts (NCAA)	6-0/170	23-Jun-05	38	6	16	22
83	Vojtech Cihar	LW	Karlovy Vary (Czechia)	6-0/175	29-Mar-07	43	4	5	9
84	Petteri Rimpinen	G	Kiekko-Espoo (Fin)	6-0/175	25-Apr-06	40	16	9	2.36
85	Carlos Handel	D	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-0/170	31-Mar-07	50	3	23	26
86	Burke Hood	G	Vancouver (WHL)	6-3/195	30-Apr-07	41	18	13	3.21
87	Melvin Novotny	LW	Leksands (Swe J20)	6-1/185	3-Apr-07	41	12	26	38
88	Sean Barnhill	D	Dubuque (USHL)	6-5/205	8-Jan-07	46	4	4	8
89	Tomas Poletin	LW	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	6-1/200	30-Apr-07	25	13	7	20
90	Roman Bausov	D	MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg (MHL)	6-5/180	28-Apr-07	39	2	9	11
91	Mason Moe	C	Madison (USHL)	6-1/185	26-Mar-07	41	13	24	37
92	Reese Hamilton	D	Calgary-Regina (WHL)	6-0/170	26-Mar-07	59	4	10	14
93	Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen	D	Michigan (NCAA)	6-0/180	18-Dec-06	35	3	6	9
94	Nathan Quinn	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	5-11/170	29-Aug-07	52	17	29	46
95	Samuel Meloche	G	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-2/190	22-Jul-07	49	29	13	2.96
96	Maceo Phillips	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-6/225	25-Feb-07	47	2	4	6
97	Eduard Bondar	D	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	6-5/195	31-Jan-07	52	3	9	12
98	Sam Laurila	D	Fargo (USHL)	6-1/185	2-Sep-06	50	7	28	35
99	Owen Conrad	D	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-2/210	10-Mar-07	62	7	19	26
100	Malte Vass	D	Farjestads (Swe J20)	6-2/185	28-Mar-07	40	2	9	11
HM	Karl Annborn	D	HV 71 (Swe J20)	6-1/185	6-Mar-07	39	3	21	24
HM	Lucas Beckman	G	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-1/180	23-Aug-07	51	30	18	2.68
HM	Carson Cameron	D	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/190	27-Jun-07	60	7	16	23
HM	Hayden Harsanyi	C	Medicine Hat-Saskatoon (WHL)	5-10/175	10-Jan-07	34	11	12	23
HM	Dmitri Isayev	LW	Avto Yekaterinburg (MHL)	5-9/150	26-Jun-07	43	22	23	45
HM	Atte Joki	C	Lukko (Fin-U20)	6-1/190	21-Jul-07	40	15	17	32
HM	Viktor Klingsell	RW	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	5-10/185	10-Feb-07	43	17	22	39
HM	Nathan Lecompte	C	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	5-10/165	19-Jan-07	56	14	35	49
HM	Jeremy Loranger	C	Sherwood Park (BCHL)	5-9/160	15-Jun-07	50	37	57	94
HM	Jamiro Reber	C	HV 71 (SHL)	5-10/170	4-Sep-06	47	8	7	15
HM	Grayden Robertson-Palmer	C	Phillips Academy (USHS-MA)	5-11/195	29-Aug-07	30	16	23	39
HM	David Rozsival	RW	Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia U20)	6-0/185	1-Jun-07	30	17	20	37
HM	Lukas Sawchyn	LW	Edmonton (WHL)	5-10/175	27-Feb-07	64	15	38	53
HM	Theo Stockselius	C	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	6-2/180	24-Jul-07	40	22	29	51
HM	Mason West	RW	Edina (USHS-MN)	6-5/205	3-Aug-07	31	27	22	49
HM	Max Westergard	RW	Frolunda (Swe J20)	5-11/160	3-Sep-07	41	19	31	50

2025 NHL DRAFT: DECEMBER RANKING – TOP 64 + Honourable Mentions – PRE-WJC

Brock Otten — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:10:07 +0000

Matthew Schaefer of the Erie Otters. Photo courtesy of the OHL.

Ahead of the 2025 World Junior Championships in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, we are updating our draft ranking for the 2025 NHL Draft. For this update, we’re expanding our list to a top 64.

Now sitting atop our list is Erie Otters (and Team Canada) defender Matthew Schaefer, supplanting Boston College (and Team USA) pivot James Hagens. In reality, we like both players and the decision to move Schaefer ahead was not unanimously supported by our scouting team. However, we believe that Schaefer is the complete package as a potential number one defender. Not only does he project as an all-situations minute eater, but he is a natural born leader who could captain and be the face of an NHL franchise too.

While the World Juniors are not always the best showcase for draft eligible talent; it can be tough for underagers to be impactful players. It will be interesting, nonetheless, to see Schaefer (and Porter Martone) square off against Hagens. All three should be playing key roles for potential medal favourites.

Not at the World Juniors is Saginaw center Michael Misa, our third ranked prospect. Misa’s transition back to the middle of the ice has allowed him to become one of the CHL’s most dynamic and highest scoring players. His skating ability, tenacity, and creativity allow him to impact the game in so many different ways and we see him as a potential franchise center.

The previously mentioned Porter Martone rounds out our top four, a group that we consider to have separated themselves from the pack to create a clear grouping of potential first overall candidates. Martone is a pesky power forward who is likely to develop into a first line winger who can play in all situations for his future NHL team. It’s rare to find a winger who can be on the ice whether his team is down a goal or up a goal with a minute to go.

Filling up the rest of our top ten are Brandon center Roger McQueen, Swedish winger Victor Eklund, Tri-City (WHL) defenseman Jackson Smith, Swedish forward Anton Frondell, Moncton pivot Caleb Desnoyers, and Moose Jaw power winger Lynden Lakovic. McQueen is the prototype of the modern-day top NHL pivot, with size and skill, however, injuries have disrupted his development and that is cause for concern. He is slated to return to action around February and will need a huge finish to his WHL season in order to push his way back into top four consideration. Anton Frondell is another player worth discussing as the previously hyped forward has also struggled with injuries and consistency. He has the kind of well-rounded game that makes him a potentially valuable pro player, but have we previously over projected his potential upside?

Among the highest risers on this list are Kitchener defender Cameron Reid, Barrie defender Kashawn Aitcheson, NTDP winger Jack Murtagh, Swedish pivot Eric Nilson, and Kamloops winger Nathan Behm. Reid has been one of the highest scoring defenders in the OHL this year with the surprising Kitchener Rangers; his mobility and two-way sense are very impressive. Aitcheson has really impressed us with the improvements made to his decision making and puck play, helping to elevate his potential upside as a top four, throwback defender. Murtagh has been the best player on the U.S. NTDP U18 team this year and projects as a Ryan Leonard type of top six complementary piece at the NHL level. Eric Nilson, the son of former Calgary Flame and Florida Panther pivot Marcus Nilson, is the same kind of determined two-way player that his father was, however, he’s shown positive progression offensively that has us reevaluating his upside. Lastly, Behm is the kind of intriguing athlete on the wing that NHL teams have been focusing on developing in recent years. There’s room for improvement in a lot of areas, but when he puts everything together and grows into his frame, he could be a real solid top six asset.

One of the biggest fallers on our list is Russian forward Ivan Ryabkin. He remains in our first round for now, but we would be lying if we weren’t concerned about the kind of season he has had and the lack of progression he has shown. As is, his game needs to mature a lot in order for him to be a successful NHL player. The upside is still incredibly tantalizing, but at some point, his lack of production and development needs to be held against him.

You can expect our next ranking sometime early in the new year as we expand our midseason list to a top 100, with honorable mentions.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1	Matthew Schaefer	D	Erie (OHL)	6-2/180	5-Sep-07	17	7	15	22	8
2	James Hagens	C	Boston College (NCAA)	5-10/170	3-Nov-06	16	5	15	20	4
3	Michael Misa	C	Saginaw (OHL)	5-11/160	16-Feb-07	30	30	31	61	21
4	Porter Martone	RW	Brampton (OHL)	6-3/195	26-Oct-06	26	21	33	54	41
5	Roger McQueen	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-5/190	2-Oct-06	8	8	3	11	18
6	Victor Eklund	LW	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	5-11/160	3-Oct-06	24	8	7	15	31
7	Jackson Smith	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-3/190	13-May-07	30	2	22	24	26
8	Anton Frondell	C	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	6-0/195	7-May-07	7	1	2	3	6
9	Caleb Desnoyers	C	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-2/190	11-Apr-07	26	17	25	42	14
10	Lynden Lakovic	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-4/190	12-Dec-06	29	16	22	38	4
11	Radim Mrtka	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-6/200	9-Jun-07	9	2	5	7	10
12	Justin Carbonneau	RW	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-1/190	25-Nov-06	31	22	23	45	26
13	Malcolm Spence	LW	Erie (OHL)	6-2/200	22-Sep-06	29	15	22	37	20
14	Cameron Schmidt	RW	Vancouver (WHL)	5-8/150	19-Jan-07	26	24	14	38	16
15	Cullen Potter	C	Arizona State (NCAA)	5-9/160	10-Jan-07	16	4	4	8	6
16	Brady Martin	C	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-0/175	16-Mar-07	28	15	14	29	42
17	Cameron Reid	D	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/160	8-Apr-07	33	6	23	29	20
18	Kashawn Aitcheson	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-1/190	21-Sep-06	29	10	13	23	48
19	Logan Hensler	D	Wisconsin (NCAA)	6-2/185	14-Oct-06	17	0	7	7	19
20	Jack Murtagh	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/180	22-Aug-07	20	10	12	22	10
21	Joshua Ravensbergen	G	Prince George (WHL)	6-4/180	27-Nov-06	24	16	4	3.06	0.899
22	Carter Bear	C	Everett (WHL)	6-0/175	4-Nov-06	26	22	24	46	22
23	Jake O'Brien	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-2/170	16-Jun-07	33	18	23	41	8
24	Luca Romano	RW	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/170	25-Jun-07	32	14	15	29	8
25	Blake Fiddler	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-3/195	9-Jul-07	27	4	8	12	18
26	Ivan Ryabkin	C	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-0/170	25-Apr-07	15	1	11	12	26
27	Ben Kindel	C	Calgary (WHL)	5-10/165	19-Apr-07	29	19	27	46	18
28	Eric Nilson	C	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	5-11/155	11-May-07	23	8	20	28	14
29	Braeden Cootes	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/170	9-Feb-07	29	13	17	30	10
30	Nathan Behm	RW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-2/185	18-Apr-07	31	18	19	37	10
31	Kurban Limatov	D	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-4/185	20-Mar-07	26	5	11	16	16
32	Will Moore	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-2/160	24-Mar-07	29	11	11	22	2
33	Henry Brzustewicz	D	London (OHL)	6-1/195	9-Feb-07	32	5	15	20	45
34	Jack Nesbitt	C	Windsor (OHL)	6-4/175	12-Jan-07	33	13	16	29	30
35	Cole Reschny	C	Victoria (WHL)	5-9/160	6-Apr-07	29	11	27	38	28
36	Shane Vansaghi	RW	Michigan State (NCAA)	6-1/190	11-Oct-06	16	2	9	11	16
37	Arvid Drott	RW	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	6-1/180	11-Aug-07	24	13	12	25	10
38	Adam Benak	C	Youngstown (USHL)	5-7/160	10-Apr-07	26	8	16	24	20
39	Tomas Pobezal	C	HK Nitra (Svk)	5-10/170	18-Sep-06	26	12	5	17	14
40	Milton Gastrin	C	MoDo Hockey (Swe J20)	6-2/180	2-Jun-07	20	7	12	19	12
41	Jakob Ihs Wozniak	LW	Lulea (Swe J20)	6-3/180	1-Feb-07	22	7	21	28	6
42	Carter Amico	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-5/205	15-Mar-07	13	0	3	3	10
43	Cole McKinney	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/190	16-Mar-07	26	8	15	23	21
44	Ben Kevan	RW	Des Moines (USHL)	5-11/165	3-Jan-07	16	6	10	16	23
45	Conrad Fondrk	C	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/175	1-Jun-07	28	6	12	18	2
46	Vojtech Cihar	LW	Karlovy Vary (Czechia)	6-1/170	29-Mar-07	25	3	4	7	6
47	Luka Radivojevic	D	Muskegon (USHL)	5-10/155	3-Jan-07	19	0	10	10	8
48	Alex Huang	D	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-0/160	30-Jul-07	31	1	13	14	8
49	Charlie Trethewey	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-1/190	2-Aug-07	29	4	6	10	16
50	Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen	D	Michigan (NCAA)	6-0/170	18-Dec-06	18	1	4	5	2
51	Pyotr Andreyanov	G	Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)	6-0/205	22-Jan-07	17	10	3	1.83	0.942
52	Zeb Lindgren	D	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	6-2/175	14-Apr-07	22	2	9	11	20
53	Haoxi (Simon) Wang	D	King Rebellion (OJHL)	6-6/210	27-Jul-07	35	3	15	18	69
54	Maxim Agafonov	D	Tolpar Ufa (MHL)	6-0/180	10-Apr-07	20	4	3	7	16
55	Bill Zonnon	LW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-2/180	3-Oct-06	31	16	29	45	18
56	Ethan Czata	C	Niagara (OHL)	6-0/160	29-May-07	33	15	20	35	35
57	Sascha Boumedienne	D	Boston University (NCAA)	6-1/170	17-Jan-07	16	0	3	3	23
58	Peyton Kettles	D	Swift Current (WHL)	6-4/185	1-Sep-07	20	2	3	5	34
59	Eddie Genborg	LW	Linkopings (Swe J20)	6-2/185	20-Apr-07	22	16	13	29	22
60	Zachary Morin	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/185	25-Jan-07	25	10	14	24	2
61	Jimmy Lombardi	C	Flint (OHL)	6-0/180	16-Feb-07	32	5	13	18	17
62	Jack Ivankovic	G	Brampton (OHL)	5-11/180	22-May-07	21	12	7	3.49	0.898
63	Carlos Handel	D	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-0/160	31-Mar-07	28	2	9	11	8
64	Jan Chovan	C	Tappara (Fin-U20)	6-2/180	9-Jan-07	25	9	8	17	4
HM	William Belle	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-4/215	14-Jan-07	28	2	5	7	18
HM	Lasse Boelius	D	Assat (Fin-U20)	6-0/180	16-Mar-07	23	3	8	11	6
HM	Donny Bracco	D	USN U18 (USDP)	5-10/160	26-Jul-07	29	0	9	9	6
HM	Carson Cameron	D	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/175	27-Jun-07	33	5	9	14	14
HM	Kieren Dervin	C	Kingston (OHL)	6-1/170	31-Mar-07	1	0	0	0	0
HM	Semyon Frolov	G	MHK Spartak Moskva (MHL)	6-3/170	17-Jan-07	4	2	1	1.48	0.945
HM	Matthew Gard	C	Red Deer (WHL)	6-4/190	7-Apr-07	31	8	11	19	36
HM	Emile Guite	LW	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-1/165	31-May-07	30	6	5	11	8
HM	Love Harenstam	G	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	6-1/185	18-Jan-07	8	3	5	3.52	0.899
HM	Lev Katzin	C	Guelph (OHL)	5-8/170	13-May-07	8	5	10	15	0
HM	Viktor Klingsell	LW	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	5-10/170	10-Feb-07	24	7	10	17	0
HM	Ryker Lee	RW	Madison (USHL)	5-9/150	8-Nov-06	20	10	14	24	4
HM	Samuel Meloche	G	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-3/195	22-Jul-07	27	14	6	2.75	0.898
HM	L.J. Mooney	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-7/150	8-Mar-07	14	1	9	10	4
HM	Tomas Poletin	C	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	6-1/195	30-Apr-07	15	11	3	14	6
HM	Max Psenicka	D	HC Plzen (Czechia)	6-4/175	18-Jan-07	13	1	0	1	0
HM	Nathan Quinn	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	5-11/160	29-Aug-07	30	11	21	32	13
HM	Sam Spehar	C	Sioux Falls (USHL)	5-10/170	20-Apr-07	20	8	8	16	2

2025 NHL DRAFT: DECEMBER RANKING – TOP 32 – PRE-WJC

Brock Otten — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:10:01 +0000

Matthew Schaefer of the Erie Otters. Photo courtesy of the OHL.

Ahead of the 2025 World Junior Championships in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, we are updating our draft ranking for the 2025 NHL Draft. For this update, we’re expanding our list to a top 64.

You can expect our next ranking sometime early in the new year as we expand our midseason list to a top 100, with honorable mentions. The top 32 are available to all in this article. Subscribers can access the top 64 plus honourable mentions by linking here.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1	Matthew Schaefer	D	Erie (OHL)	6-2/180	5-Sep-07	17	7	15	22	8
2	James Hagens	C	Boston College (NCAA)	5-10/170	3-Nov-06	16	5	15	20	4
3	Michael Misa	C	Saginaw (OHL)	5-11/160	16-Feb-07	30	30	31	61	21
4	Porter Martone	RW	Brampton (OHL)	6-3/195	26-Oct-06	26	21	33	54	41
5	Roger McQueen	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-5/190	2-Oct-06	8	8	3	11	18
6	Victor Eklund	LW	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	5-11/160	3-Oct-06	24	8	7	15	31
7	Jackson Smith	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-3/190	13-May-07	30	2	22	24	26
8	Anton Frondell	C	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	6-0/195	7-May-07	7	1	2	3	6
9	Caleb Desnoyers	C	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-2/190	11-Apr-07	26	17	25	42	14
10	Lynden Lakovic	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-4/190	12-Dec-06	29	16	22	38	4
11	Radim Mrtka	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-6/200	9-Jun-07	9	2	5	7	10
12	Justin Carbonneau	RW	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-1/190	25-Nov-06	31	22	23	45	26
13	Malcolm Spence	LW	Erie (OHL)	6-2/200	22-Sep-06	29	15	22	37	20
14	Cameron Schmidt	RW	Vancouver (WHL)	5-8/150	19-Jan-07	26	24	14	38	16
15	Cullen Potter	C	Arizona State (NCAA)	5-9/160	10-Jan-07	16	4	4	8	6
16	Brady Martin	C	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-0/175	16-Mar-07	28	15	14	29	42
17	Cameron Reid	D	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/160	8-Apr-07	33	6	23	29	20
18	Kashawn Aitcheson	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-1/190	21-Sep-06	29	10	13	23	48
19	Logan Hensler	D	Wisconsin (NCAA)	6-2/185	14-Oct-06	17	0	7	7	19
20	Jack Murtagh	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/180	22-Aug-07	20	10	12	22	10
21	Joshua Ravensbergen	G	Prince George (WHL)	6-4/180	27-Nov-06	24	16	4	3.06	0.899
22	Carter Bear	C	Everett (WHL)	6-0/175	4-Nov-06	26	22	24	46	22
23	Jake O'Brien	C	Brantford (OHL)	6-2/170	16-Jun-07	33	18	23	41	8
24	Luca Romano	RW	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/170	25-Jun-07	32	14	15	29	8
25	Blake Fiddler	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-3/195	9-Jul-07	27	4	8	12	18
26	Ivan Ryabkin	C	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-0/170	25-Apr-07	15	1	11	12	26
27	Ben Kindel	C	Calgary (WHL)	5-10/165	19-Apr-07	29	19	27	46	18
28	Eric Nilson	C	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	5-11/155	11-May-07	23	8	20	28	14
29	Braeden Cootes	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/170	9-Feb-07	29	13	17	30	10
30	Nathan Behm	RW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-2/185	18-Apr-07	31	18	19	37	10
31	Kurban Limatov	D	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-4/185	20-Mar-07	26	5	11	16	16
32	Will Moore	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-2/160	24-Mar-07	29	11	11	22	2

2025 NHL DRAFT: SUMMER OF 25′ – Introducing Sweden

Felix Robbins — Sun, 18 Aug 2024 17:57:58 +0000

The 2024 NHL Draft saw a historic two Norwegian prospects selected in the 1^st round. However, I don’t know if the Swedish region, more specifically Sweden the country, has ever had such a down year at the draft. Of the six players selected in the top 50, only three of them were Swedish-born. Sweden fans, fret not. While it is still early, the regional class of 2025 is looking very talented and very deep – especially at forward. Let’s get to know some of the big names!

Djurgårdens Anton Frondell.
Photo: Kenta Jönsson / BILDBYRÅN

#1 - Anton Frondell – C/LW, Djurgarden (HockeyAllsvenskan)

To those who watched him last year, should come as no surprise that Frondell is headlining the Swedish 2025 draft class. He dominated the J20 level and made his pro debut with Djurgården playing up to 20 minutes a night and looking great doing so. Had his season not been cut short due to a lower body injury, I’m certain his name would be more prominent in conversations about who starts the year at 1st overall.

Brilliant hockey sense. Reads the ice and anticipates play almost innately. Grandmaster levels of tactical play on display night in, night out. With the puck on his stick, expect trickery and manipulation in order to set up the play he planned out in his head before even touching the puck. His shot is laser quick and he can whip it with pinpoint accuracy. He makes expert passing plays other players could only dream of. A triple threat on offence, and a mature, refined two-way game. He’s a pickpocket with the stick, has an exceptional sense of timing and positioning off puck, and has advanced physical skills for his age.

I could go on and on, but the point is this: Anton Frondell is the total package on offence and on defence. You could easily project him as a top 6, do-it-all forward already. So why not a slam-dunk star? What holds Frondell back from that elusive 1st overall type of projection is the relative lack of explosiveness and pace to his game that the truly elite players of the sport possess. It affects his ability to create separation when carrying pucks in transition or to cycle around the offensive zone and play keep away from the opposition. He can’t use pure agility and quickness to tilt the ice in the same way that a Kiril Kaprizov or a Nathan McKinnon can. Frondell is nowhere near a poor skater, in fact he’s a good one, but that’s what’s missing from the equation.

I remember thinking the same thing about Leo Carlsson in 2023 - if he only had some extra quickness to his already fantastic toolkit, maybe him going 2nd overall would haven been a much different conversation. While Carlsson was a more highly touted prospect heading into his draft year, Frondell has a very similar play style and will face similar obstacles to reach his true potential. We witnessed the birth of a pro last year. He’s set himself up for a big year in 2025 in the HockeyAllsvenskan - will we witness the birth of a star?

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-Frondell-good-tactician.mp4

Everyone is playing checkers while Frondell (#14 blue) is playing chess. Before he even receives the puck, he sees the wide-open space in the middle and his teammate sneaking behind the defence on the far side. So, he orchestrates a give and go play to beat his man, draw in additional pressure on him and set up his teammate for a tap in on the doorstep.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-Frondell-good-dangles.mp4

I don’t know if I’ve ever seen this move before. Frondell (#14 blue) has some serious hands and a quick processor in his brain to be able to pull that off.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-Frondell-ripper-of-a-shot.mp4

I mean… what are you supposed to do about that as a goalie? Sure, he had to slide all the way over, but Frondell (#14 Blue) didn’t shoot it right away. Just a perfect shot through the puck-sized hole over the shoulder.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/4-Frondell-Not-enough-explosiveness.mp4

Here is an example of that lack of explosive skating. It looks like Frondell (#14 White) thought about chipping it in, but the D didn’t close in on him right away so he chooses to skate it. It looks like wanted to take this puck all the way deep, but his defender caught up and he ran out of room. Had he been quicker, he could have probably kept his initial step on his man and taken it all the way behind the net.

#2 - Victor Eklund – LW, Djurgarden (HockeyAllsvenskan)

Much like his brother William (San Jose), Victor Eklund is entering his draft year with a solid sample size of pro hockey under his belt and “top prospect” status attached to his name. While his lineage does account for his high work rate, fine skill, and solid hockey sense, that alone doesn’t tell the full story.

You don’t have to look very hard to see that players who play like Eklund are plentiful in the NHL. You can throw him over the boards in any situation and good things will happen. He uses his quick and shifty skating on zone entries, on the forecheck, and to push opponents back on their heels when attacking. He’s adept at finding little pockets of ice to work in and is skilled enough to create and maintain that space. Though he’s slightly undersized, he’s tenacious and physical along the wall and in the corners, never backing down from a battle. He shows great two-way habits through smart off-puck positioning and a good stick. On top of it all, he’s got excellent playmaking instincts, inviting in pressure from multiple defenders with his puck-handling in order to free up a passing lane to a teammate in a dangerous spot.

While Eklund’s bravery is undoubtedly a positive trait, it can sometimes border on recklessness and overconfidence, especially with the puck on his stick. At his current skill level, Eklund can sometimes invite too much pressure for him to stickhandle or pass his way out of and will end up turning the puck over. While his fine skill continues developing, he’ll have to hone his decision making and figure out the happy-medium between risk and reward at the pro level. In the dirty areas, it’s a bit more straightforward: he’s got to get physically stronger to play his game at higher levels. Eklund has the tools to play effectively through contact in the HA, and he’s certainly got that dawg in him, but he still needs a bit more bite behind his bark. Not really a whole lot of negative traits to talk about – these are more steps I’d like to see him take to really elevate his game to the next level.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-Victor-Eklund-Good-evasive-and-tenacious.mp4

Here’s the evasiveness and work ethic on full display. Eklund (#7 Blue) takes this puck along the wall and is looking to move it along, dodging stick check and buying himself some space with some nice agility. His pass to his defender is risky and he turns it over, but he grits his teeth and gets that puck back. How can you not love this guy?

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-Victor-Eklund-Good-following-play-and-scoring-second-chance.mp4

Eklund (#7 white) never giving up on the play. He recovers this puck off of a missed shot and moves it from low to high. He gets around the reach of one defender and throws it on net. It’s deflected, but he follows his shot and scores on the second effort.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-Eklund-bad-falling-oof.mp4

Eklund (#7 Blue) gets this puck at his blueline and is looking to move it all by himself. He skates it just past the offensive blueline and cuts back before running into a defender, but he falls. It’s a bit of a scramble an he buys some time for reinforcements to arrive, but he ultimately gets knocked off the puck and turns it over. Maybe a little too much bravery here when a simple chip n chase would have accomplished the same thing.

#3 - Luka Radivojevic – RHD, Örebro HK (SHL)

Radivojevic first caught my eye while watching the great crop of 2024 draft eligibles on the powerhouse Örebro J20 team. He was easily their most skilled puck-moving defenceman, balancing creative playmaking with refined and responsible play in the defensive zone. At the J20 level, he outscored some of his draft eligible teammates who play forward. He even drew into a few games in the SHL, even if he only played a grand total of 20 minutes or so. He also played a big role internationally with Slovakia at both the U18 and the U20 WJC, supplying some much-needed offence from the blueline.

If I had a nickel for every time Radivojevic got the puck along the blueline, drew in multiple defenders by looking shot all the way, all before slipping a pass to a teammate for a scoring chance, I could buy a Mercedes. So much of Radivojevic’s offence flows through his mobility, deception and shot - or the threat of it, anyway. He’s got quite a rip. Defenders have to respect it, which opens up tons of space for Luka’s teammates to get fed the biscuit. Every now and then, he’ll activate into the play below the blueline and even behind the net to really send the defence into a frenzy with some shifty maneuvering from his edges.

He's not all offence, though. Radivojevic has pretty refined physical skills and can deal with larger opponents vying for pucks in dirty areas effectively. He does struggle to get inside positioning and can’t box them out from the net-front, instead relying on his reads and smarts to advantageously position himself where he can tie up sticks or push and pull loose pucks from a maze of feet. Honestly, he plays a pretty well-rounded game for a 5’10” defenceman.

For all the magical moments Luka showed in 2023-2024, there were times his lack of quickness held him back. Most of the time, he can move pucks effectively through both passing and skating in the Swedish juniors. However, it’s a bit tough to project his puck-moving abilities to higher levels without that extra top gear. He could be a surefire 1^st rounder if he adds some extra quickness to his step.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-luka_radivojevic_-_3rd_period_23_20_-_23_52.mp4

All the best parts of Radivojevic (#29 Red) coming together in one play. He moves the puck from coast to coast, he skates down low and fires a quick shot that glances off the goalie, he makes a ridiculous play for a tap in goal. Looking for more of this in 2025.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-luka_radivojevic_-_3rd_period_8_42_-_8_54.mp4

He can take the body, too. Radivojevic (#26 Blue) makes a great defensive play, laying out his man and causing a turnover.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-luka_radivojevic_bad.mp4

Quick and deceptive, but not quick and deceptive enough. Radivojevic (#29 Red) tries to skate the puck from his defensive end through the neutral zone, but can’t escape the reach of the lone forechecker in his way. He ends up taking a penalty on a play where a quicker player would have just blown by his man.

#4 - Filip Ekberg – LW/C, Almtuna IS (HockeyAllsvenskan)

I can’t quite explain it, but it feels like Filip Ekberg is already flying under the radar heading into 2025. He didn’t make the Swedish 2023 Hlinka Gretzky team (although he made the roster in 2024), nor did he play in the U18 worlds, but he did dominate at the U17 level internationally. He scored at nearly a point per game in the j20 for a middling Almtuna IS team and played a ton of games in the HA for a 16-year-old. At face value, that’s a pretty impressive resume for a D-1. So, where’s the hype?

At his peak, Ekberg is a quick, shifty puck handler, dynamic on his edges, faking out defender after defender, on a mission to create a scoring chance. He can really explode into a sprint on rush chances, and it rarely feels like he stops moving his feet once he gets them going. He sees the ice well, hitting teammates with creative and accurate passes. He’s got a laser of a shot that I wish he used more often. There is even a will to get physical, even if he doesn’t quite have his man strength yet. When Ekberg is pushing the pace on and off the puck and he’s driving his line, he is a 1^st round talent, no questions asked.

However, moments where that Filip Ekberg showed up only came in flashes. You saw that Filip Ekberg emerge at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky against Slovakia, and then disappear for the rest of the tournament. In fact, he was a healthy scratch in the bronze medal game against Team USA. When he’s off, more specifically off-puck, he’s invisible. Boxed out, pinned against the wall, pushed to the perimeter. Carelessness with the puck, skating with a lack of awareness, turning it over without a fight. There were painful moments in the HA (even a few in the J20) where the physicality and the pace of play overwhelmed him, which is frustrating because he’s shown that he can keep up and he can ride the lightning. Ideally, as he continues to gain experience at the pro level, his confidence in his skill with the puck will increase and he’ll figure out a way to make a greater impact on play away from the pucks. Sounds optimistic, but that’s what you have to be with high upside swings like Ekberg. Not unlike Lucas Pettersson’s (ANA) profile just last year. You bet on the potential and hope everything comes together in due time.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-Ekberg-good.mp4

This is peak Ekberg (#67 White). Pushing defenders on their heels with skill and evasive skating, manipulating their sticks and bodies to free up passing and skating lanes, making PLAYS. He makes gorgeous feed to a wide-open teammate who hammers it home.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-filip_ekberg_-_2nd_period_24_13_-_24_25.mp4

This is a pretty ridiculous shot. Sharp angle, not a lot of room to get it off, and he roofs it. Would love to see Eklund (#67 red) use his shot more at the pro level.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-Ekberg-bad-i-guess.mp4

One of those moments where Eklund (#67 red) really looked like a junior player amongst men. Gets the puck with tons of space, fumbles it, gets smooshed against the wall and basically eliminated from play. More mental and physical maturity should prevent situations like this from arising too often in the future.

#5 - Viktor Klingsell – LW, Skellefteå AIK (SHL)

Klingsell made a bit of a mockery of the J18 level in 2024, scoring 28 goals and 34 assists in 31 games and going over a point per game at the u17 level internationally for Sweden. His stint at the J20 level proved to be an adequate challenge for him. The higher pace of play, physicality, and skill meant that the undersized forward couldn’t just score at will. However, if his performance against the world’s top prospects at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky is any indication, it looks like Klingsell has his sights set on dominating whatever level he climbs to in 2025.

Klingsell is a lethal weapon offensively. He’s a perimeter player, but he still makes magic happen. He oozes skill. His passing ability, peripheral vision, and his ability to read the play is extremely high-level. It allows him to skate and stickhandle with his head up, spot streaking teammates across the ice, and hit them with a perfect tape to tape pass. He’s poised and patient on puck, surveying his options, never feeling the heat - even in tight spaces. He can control play almost equally well from his backhand as he can his forehand. His shot is quick and accurate, on and off his stick in an instant thanks to his quick hands. Quick hands, quick shot, quick skating, quick thinking. Seemingly everything Klingsell does is quick, yet never feels rushed.

When the pucks not on his stick, things get murky. He supports his teams transitional play very effectively, but can sometimes cheat for offense a bit too much. Despite this, he’s actually a pretty good backchecker and defends opposing offensive transitions well with the stick. However, he doesn’t forecheck or play with much of a physical edge at all. In fact, he has a pretty tough time making plays through physical contact… at the U18 level. If there’s one thing Klingsell is going to have to do in order to reach his enormous potential, it’s the same thing countless undersized offensive forwards have had to do: get physically stronger in order to play your game through heavy contact. He could also stand to chip in on defence a bit more, but if he’s filling the net with pucks, you can live without it – even if it substantially lowers his floor.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/1-Klingsell-quite-the-move.mp4

Here we see the playmaking prowess of Klingsell (#39 Yellow). He receives the puck at the offensive blueline and starts working over his defender. Opening and closing his stance, daring the defenceman to make a move, getting him all the way behind the net before pulling a pretty insane spinning pass right on the tape of his teammate in front for the easiest goal of his life. Knowing Klingsell, that was 100% intentional.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2-viktor_klingsell_-_1st_period_14_41_-_14_53.mp4

Klingsell (#25 Yellow) finishing off a 2-on-1 with a gorgeous shot. He and his line absolutely carried Sweden at the Hlinka. Most conversations for best forward/tournament MVP may have been between Gavin McKenna (CAN) and Adam Benak (CZE), but I think Klingsell edged them out.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/3-viktor_klingsell_bad.mp4

If there was any doubt that Klingsell (#25 blue) has a tough time playing through contact, here he is getting knocked over by 5’8” Cameron Schmidt of Team Canada White, turning the puck over for a 2 on 0 against. That simply cannot happen. Time to hit the weightroom.

#6 - Viggo Nordlund – F, Skellefteå AIK (SHL)

After a monster 2nd half of the regular season, going nuclear in the J20 playoffs, and being selected to the Swedish U18 WJC roster, Nordlund cemented his status as a top prospect to watch for 2025. The undersized forward found phenomenal chemistry on Skellefteå J20’s unstoppable top line with Oskar Vuollet (CAR 2024) and Swedish U18 WJC teammate Valter Lindberg, carrying the team to a J20 Nationell championship.

When Nordlund hits the ice, expect the unexpected. He’s got silk in his mitts and a deep bag of tricks. With his great vision, skill, and creativity, he pulls off passing plays and chains together moves that you normally only see in video games. Nordlund plays with lots of quickness and pace thanks to his strong skating and agility on his edges. He’s a shifty and slippery puck carrier. He shows off a lot of intelligence on the fly and adaptability, using cutbacks to pivot to plan B when plan A is no longer an option. His shot, like everything else, is quick and accurate.

Despite his small stature, Nordlund doesn’t shy away when the physicality of the game increases. While he’s tenacious and fights through contact well, the reality remains that he gets removed from play fairly easily in the dirty areas - either by a bigger player, or by virtue of him not being strong enough to make a difference in puck battles. He also has a tendency to play a bit of hero puck. While I would rather see a skilled player take risks and learn what works and what doesn’t while developing, there are moments where the obvious best option would be for him to use his teammates… and he looks them off to go 1v5.

He’s a ton of fun to watch, and that shouldn’t change too much while still playing at the J20 level. However, Nordlund isn’t the first small, extremely skilled forward out of the region to be hyped before his draft year. The same question marks apply to him as well. How well will he deal with increased physicality? Will his quickness be enough to be an advantage at higher levels? How much of his skill will translate to smaller ice surfaces? Can he make an impact outside of the offensive zone? There is definitely a boom-bust factor here. Nordlund has shown a lot to be optimistic about, but he’s going to have to prove it at every level he climbs to.

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Here is a regular shift featuring regular moves from Viggo Nordlund (#8 Yellow) … only regular if you’re him, though. The idea was spectacular even if the pass didn’t quite connect.

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Another extended clip of Nordlund (#8 Yellow) being a one-man army, battling through contact, even throwing a reverse hit, slipping and sliding through everyone to set up a man on the doorstep from behind the net. I never tire of watching him.

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Nordlund’s (#8 Yellow) amazing skill on the puck is also a double-edged sword, as we see him look off a good pass option through the middle and skate into an unwinnable situation, turning the puck over.

#8 - Jakob Ihs Wozniak – LW/C, Luleå HF (SHL)

The Ihs Wozniak hype train left the station at lightspeed after a ridiculously productive year both at home and internationally. The big, Australian-born forward led all D-1 players in the J20 Nationell in scoring with 50 points and placed top 15 in points scored overall. That’s quite the bar he’s set for himself heading into his draft season. If I’m being completely honest, I’m not sure how he’s going to live up to expectations. After a rather disappointing start to his draft year campaign at the Hlinka Gretzky, mustering only 4 goals in 5 games, I may not be the only one who thinks so. Now, I’m a big believer in Ihs Wozniak’s stellar offensive package. However, I feel like there are so many tools that he hasn’t figured out how to get the most out of yet.

What he’s definitely got working for him is his passing ability. He’s got the ability to find seams across the ice and put it right to his teammate’s tape. He’s got a lot of poise on odd-man rushes as well, waiting until the defender(s) and the goalie is down and out before sending a cross-crease pass for a tap in goal. Ihs Wozniak has got a terrific shot as well, which may even be better than his playmaking. He can get a lot of whip behind his wrister and seems to put it wherever he wants. He shines his brightest on the man advantage, where he has the time and space to plan from behind the net. It should be mentioned that he had a bit of a tough time generating scoring chances at even strength since neither his hands nor his feet are quick enough to create the same space he thrives in on the PP.

While the points came in bushels and the offensive tools are great, there are bound to be growing pains. Ihs Wozniak is a very raw prospect. He’s still figuring out how to make an impact outside of the offensive zone. He’s got a tall, lanky frame, and has no idea how to leverage it to his advantage yet. No real physical edge, no battling along the wall. Limited contributions defensively, save for using his long reach to poke or deflect pucks. In this regard, he reminds me of Simon Zether (FLA) – lots of hype, lots of points in his D-1, wasn’t able to round out his game during his draft year and fell all the way to the 5^th round. There is still time for Ihs Wozniak to figure that stuff out. Big men usually need a little extra seasoning. I just want to throw up a bit of a warning sign before the hype train goes completely off the rails in the pre-season.

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A perfectly placed shot from Ihs Wozniak (#71 Red), above the pad and below the blocker. Goalie had no idea where it went. If he has the time and space to get it off, his shot is the most lethal weapon in his arsenal.

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I love this play from Ihs Wozniak (#71 Red) on the rush. He uses his big frame and reach to protect the puck from a defender’s stick, but still has the hands to pull the puck across his body a few inches from the crease to thread a pass to his teammate for a tap in goal.

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That’s not what hitting looks like. I know that he’s young, but he’s also 6’3”. Ihs Wozniak (#71 yellow) has got to learn to use that frame to his advantage away from the puck.

#8 - Arvid Drott – RW, Djurgården (HockeyAllsvenskan)

Despite being overshadowed by his Djurgården teammates at the top of the list, Drott is an impressive talent in his own right. Drott profiles as a power-winger. He’s got good size and plays with a physical edge. He’s an exceptional skater with lightning quick straight-line speed and impressive agility, which he uses to create miles of separation on the rush. He’s constantly pushing the pace on and off the puck, pushing defenders on their heels on offence and disrupting opposing breakout attempts by forechecking hard. In addition, Drott sees the ice quite well and can typically find skating lanes in transition or pockets of soft ice to work with in the offensive zone without much of a hassle. He’s got a nice shot and he can get it off in stride, adding to the lethality of his rushing game.

Drott has shown flashes of finesse with the puck and has good playmaking instincts, but he tends to turn the puck over a bit easier than you’d hope for. He’s a determined, creative player, but his hands need to catch up to his feet and his ideas. To take it a step further, it would be very beneficial for Drott to work on adding some east-west into his already very promising north-south offensive game. Again, this hinges on his ability to refine his puck handling ability.

If his Hlinka performance is any indicator, Drott can do everything you need from a bottom six forward already, but the offensive game still needs a bit more time to cook. I don’t expect him to make the jump to the HA right away like his two highly touted teammates already have. However, I could easily see him getting into pro games later in the season, depending on how far his game progresses and how big of a role he seizes with the Djurgården J20 squad. Drott already has a pretty high floor thanks to his skating, physicality, and motor. If the softer skill continues to develop, we might be mentioning his name among the best in the region in a few months.

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Really good speed, really good shot. Drott (#66 White) showing off the best parts of his game on this play. He’s pretty hard to stop once he picks up his feet. Would love to see more drives to the net in situations like this, too.

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Drott (#66 White) using his speed, frame, and motor to turn a blocked shot into some offensive zone time. I love his intensity and the way he initiates contact in the corner. Gold star in my books.

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Unfortunately, Drott (#66 White) hasn’t learned how to apply his skill at the pace he plays the game yet. As a result, you get situations like this. You can clearly see he wants to pass the puck to his teammate waiting along the boards near the blueline, but he has to stop moving his feet to attempt a pass or a move.

#9 - Oliwer Sjöström – LHD, Luleå HF (SHL)

Making the list is another undersized, offensive defenceman who earned a brief call up to the SHL. Luleå is chalk full of interesting prospects in their system, and Sjöström is no exception. He led the Luleå J20 team in scoring by defencemen as a D-1 and moved the puck up ice well with some smooth and mobile skating. Points are great and all, but points don’t tell the full story. In that respect, it feels like Sjöström has a little bit more to prove despite his productive year.

Sjöström definitely looks his best in the offensive zone. He can walk the blueline with some great lateral mobility, he can bomb a shot from the point, or spot and feed a teammate set up for a shot. He can activate into the play, exhibiting stellar control from his edges and pull in defenders to open up space for his teammates in high danger areas of the ice. Sjöström’s IQ helps him seemingly always be in the right place at the right time off-puck, whether it be jumping up on the rush or supporting the breakout. He rarely leads the breakout, however. His passing and puck handling in general is very safe and lacks a certain creative flair.

Unfortunately for Sjöström, creative flair and risk is something I tend to want from undersized blueliners, especially on offence. He lacks a certain dynamism, too timid to attempt the dramatic. I know he’s skilled and capable enough to pull those kinds of plays off, so it’s frustrating to watch him play it safe. Defensively, there isn’t enough pace or compete in his own zone, even if his physical skills are pretty good. He tends to fade into the background quite a bit in general. This point was further reinforced by his diminutive performance at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky. He just couldn’t find a way to make much of an impact. I think Sjöström must go within himself and find a little more confidence. Players who profile like he does don’t go far unless they can prove that they’re game breakers in one form or another. As it stands right now, the best parts of Sjöström’s game are solid, but haven’t shown to be ice-tilters at higher levels *yet*.

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Here, we see the smarts and the playmaking of Sjöström (#27 Red) allow his team to take advantage of a poor change and score. It isn’t the highest pace play; he doesn’t try to do everything himself. Instead, he calmly skates up the ice and distributes the puck to a teammate with a ton of space and a good shooting angle.

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Once we put his feet to the fire a little bit in the SHL, some good stuff starts to happen. The speedy Isak Born is barreling down the wing and Sjöström (#26 Red) has him gapped up. It looks like he’s about to be beat, but Sjöström smacks the puck out of Born’s control and takes him to the boards. The puck comes free, there’s a bit of scrambling, but Sjöström takes initiative and grabs it before rimming it to a less busy side of the ice.

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So where was that at the J20 level? This is an extended shift for Sjöström (#27 Yellow), but there’s really no excuse to defer this much or to be this passive and removed from play. I need to see the fire, the want, the need to get that puck.

#10 - Milton Gästrin – C/LW, MoDo Hockey (SHL)

It wasn’t every game that they shared the ice, but Gästrin certainly caught my eye a few times while watching last year’s 35^th overall pick Lucas Pettersson. If you only go by counting stats, his 16 points in 41 games with MoDo’s J20 squad may not be the most interesting thing in the hockey world. If you factor in his performance at the u17 WJC and the most recent Hlinka Gretzky cup, however, you’ll see that every high-flying offensive duo needs a pacey workhorse to do their dirty work. This was Gästrin’s role on the Klingsell-Gästrin-Stenberg line, far and away the most productive line at the tournament. brings size, speed and intelligence to the ice, and, since he’s captained almost every international team he’s played for, intangibles to the locker room.

He plays a very solid two-way game and has refined physical skills for his age. He knows how to use his frame to get inside positioning on foes in stationary battles along the wall, but he also uses his strong skating ability to backcheck opponents and knock pucks loose with his reach. He plays with great spatial awareness on offence and can skate the puck up ice pretty well in transition. Gästrin is the fantastic compliment to higher-skilled players who struggle in the dirtier areas, playing a vital role in retrieving pucks on dump-ins and supplying a steady dose of forechecking pressure.

Offensively, there isn’t a whole lot going on just yet. He’s got a bit of a tough time controlling the puck at a high pace, he often skates with his head down while handling, and he doesn’t have a lot of slick moves in his bag. He does have some vision and passing skill, so he can supply some secondary playmaking in a pinch. He probably won’t be scoring a ton of goals from the quality of his shot alone, but he can tap them in from the doorstep or clean up the garbage. Gästrin will always be a great glue guy with some intriguing tools. However, unless the offence takes a big step in his draft year, he may be limited to just that. We’ve already seen one positive step, considering he had 10 points (3G, 7A) in 5 games at the Hlinka. Will he be able to build on that heading into the J20 season and, more importantly, be able to create that kind of offence himself?

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Here we see the amazing speed of Gästrin (#49 White) and his ability to use it to move the puck in transition. He gets a shot off in stride, too, even if it isn’t the best.

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Gästrin (#49 White) digging deep at the end of his shift to catch up to an opposing puck carrier and stripping him of it.

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The thing holding Gästrin (#49 White) back from being able to fully utilize his speed: Stickhandling with his head down because he has a hard time controlling the puck at high speeds. He runs right into a defender and can’t make a move in time before turning the puck over.

Honourable Mentions

Eric Nilson – C/LW, Djurgården (HockeyAllsvenskan)

You might have caught Nilson’s heroic performance in the bronze medal game vs the US at the Hlinka just a few days ago, where he scored three goals and added an assist in Sweden’s 6-3 victory. Nilson, son of former NHLer Marcus Nilson, is an Alberta-born Swedish forward who spent a good chunk of last season with Örebro alongside two of the top scoring draft eligibles in the whole J20 Nationell (Alex Zetterberg and Melvin Fernstrom (VAN)). Someone had to play defence on that line, and, luckily for the other two, that someone was Nilson. He’s got a mature, positionally smart two-way presence and solid physical skills for a kid who only weighs a buck-fifty according to his most recent measurements. He’s not afraid of using his frame to block shots or lay hits, and he clearly subscribes to the idea that “the best time to get the puck back is right after you lose it” – in other words, deftly using his stick to strip opponents of the puck in the OZ or in transition.

Nilson is a very smart player in general, lending itself to his patient puck distributing abilities in the offensive zone and his vision lets him make some great passing plays. He’s got a decent shot that he locates well, and can get a surprising amount of power behind his one-timers. However, he lacks the high-end puck-handling abilities and quickness that would make his offensive game more projectible. If he can find some sort of go-to space creator, I could see Nilson being someone that skyrockets up draft boards in the mid to late season. It has just recently been announced that he’s transferred from Örebro to Djurgården, a team stacked with high-end offensive talent. Hopefully some of that rubs off on him.

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Here we see transition defence turn to a goal for from the stick of Nilson (#19 Red). Some great awareness and off-puck movement to follow the play and to pounce on a puck-bobble by the defenceman trying to break it out, and some great moves to tuck the puck home.

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Nilson (#19 Red) can’t pick his feet up or put a move on the defender closing him out in time and gets pinned to the wall. His 154 lbs frame can’t really push back too much, either, and the puck is stuck in a scrum. If he had higher-end skating or handling, he might have been able to escape that unscathed.

Mikkel Eriksen - C/LW, Färjestad BK (SHL)

After a historic draft for Norway in 2024, it looks like the country is entering a golden era of producing talent. Eriksen, nephew of Espen “Shampo” Knutsen, hopes to continue the trend. He was on my radar as one of the top Norwegian prospects for 2025 and did not disappoint at the u18 WJC, playing a huge role in staving off relegation and staying at the top level of competition. He showed a few different things at different levels of play in Sweden and in Norway, but ever-present was his high-end puck handling ability, high-end hockey sense, and stellar finishing touch. His sense of timing, his awareness and his ability to read and react to play is markedly above average and he’s weirdly good in the faceoff dot as well.

His two-way game is still developing, mostly relying on smart positioning on defence. Something I’m really missing from him is pace and intensity in his off-puck game. He can look very passive, especially since he plays without much of a physical edge and without much willingness to battle. Seeing that in high-end junior scorers always makes me skittish, but Eriksen is one of the youngest players in the draft so he’ll have loads of time to figure it out. Not to mention, he’s going spend 2025 in the terrific Färjestad BK program, who have the cupboards chalk full of Norwegians – including former Vålerenga teammate Stian Solberg (ANA) – so maybe they’ll have some tips for him.

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Not a good idea to leave Eriksen (#16 Red) all alone in front. He’s got quite the scoring touch to be able to roof that thing from right up close.

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This type of behaviour would frustrate any coach. Eriksen (#10 white) is skating the puck from the neutral zone deep into the Leksands zone with a defender a half step behind. As soon as the defender looks to close the gap, he just pulls away and cedes possession. I get that you don’t want to get hit, but that was a little bit soft to be completely honest. Hopefully he learns how to absorb contact properly so something like this doesn’t happen again.

Max Westergård – F, Frölunda HC (SHL)

Another very young prospect for the draft class and I love the cut of his jib. The Finnish Westergård is a quick, pacey offensive forward who does a great job of reading the play developing in front of him and reacting accordingly. Strong positional awareness, a great set of hands, feet, and a nice finishing touch saw him enjoy a torrid D-1 season in Frölunda’s junior system. Now, he’s very light, but that doesn’t stop him from driving the net and taking contact to make a play. The lightness doesn’t do him any favours in battles along the boards, but the heart and the hustle are there. We love intent, folks.

He’s a blast to watch when he gets his feet moving and dekes around guys, but his passing ability is still developing. The ideas are there, it’s just the execution and timing that has to improve. This is true in transition as well as in the offensive zone. His offensive game would be pretty hard to stop if he focuses on improving that this season.

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And here I thought driving the net was illegal if you’re under 6’0! Westergård (#22 White) with a fantastic power move, catching everyone off guard and leading directly to a rebound goal.

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One of the many well-intentioned passes that simply do not work out in Westergård’s (#22 Red) favour. They always seem to hit a leg or go just long/short. However, after many such cases, you gotta think the passing skills need some work.