Brad Lambert – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #18 Winnipeg Jets – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:00:06 +0000

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 20: Boston University Terriers defenseman Sascha Boumedienne (78) skates during the Hockey East semifinal game between the Boston University Terriers and the UConn Huskies on March 20, 2025, at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 18th (Last Year - 23rd)
GM: Kevin Cheveldayoff Hired: September 2011
COACH: Scott Arniel Hired: May 2024

The Winnipeg Jets boast seven prospects within McKeen’s Top 200. It's a pipeline that received a notable boost at the NHL trade deadline with the acquisition of Isak Rosen (44th) from the Buffalo Sabres, along with a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 second-round selection. Now in his fourth season at the AHL level, Rosen has produced at nearly a point-per-game pace and enters the system as the Manitoba Moose’s top scorer.

In Manitoba, several other highly regarded prospects are working to establish themselves at the professional level. Names such as Brayden Yager (64th), Brad Lambert (141st), Nikita Chibrikov, and Colby Barlow (179th) remain key pieces within the organization’s future plans, though each is still searching for a consistent breakout in the AHL. While Winnipeg’s 2025 draft class was relatively small, the club did add an intriguing piece on the blue line with the selection of defenseman Sascha Boumedienne (71st) at 28th overall. One of the system’s biggest risers has been 2024 sixth-round pick, Kieran Walton (132nd). The forward is on pace for a second consecutive 90-point season and is trending toward finishing his OHL career at better than a point-per-game pace across four seasons.

At the NHL level, the Jets remain anchored by a stable core that includes Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey, Gabe Vilardi, and Cole Perfetti — all signed long-term. The organization is now waiting for the next wave of prospects to emerge and help push the club toward sustained contention.

From a draft capital perspective, Winnipeg has maintained a relatively stable outlook, retaining its first-round picks while only parting with its 2026 second-round selection in recent trades. However, a disappointing season that has seen the Jets fall near the bottom of the NHL standings could ultimately turn that 2026 first-round pick into a valuable opportunity to add another high-end piece to the pipeline.

NHL	RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	2024-25 TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
Wpg	1	Isak Rosen	RW	23	6-0/175	Rochester (AHL)	37	25	18	43	6
Wpg	1	Isak Rosen	RW	23	6-0/175	Buf-Wpg (NHL)	37	6	4	10	0
Wpg	1	Isak Rosen	RW	23	6-0/175	Grastorps (Swe Hockeyettan)	2	0	0	0	0
Wpg	2	Brayden Yager	C	21	6-0/180	Manitoba (AHL)	68	10	20	30	10
Wpg	2	Brayden Yager	C	21	6-0/180	Winnipeg (NHL)	3	0	0	0	2
Wpg	3	Sascha Boumedienne	D	19	6-2/185	Boston University (NCAA)	35	2	8	10	14
Wpg	4	Elias Salomonsson	D	21	6-1/185	Winnipeg (NHL)	32	1	4	5	12
Wpg	4	Elias Salomonsson	D	21	6-1/185	Manitoba (AHL)	29	1	8	9	10
Wpg	5	Kieron Walton	C	20	6-6/210	Sby-Pbo (OHL)	62	40	48	88	26
Wpg	6	Brad Lambert	C	22	6-0/180	Manitoba (AHL)	34	6	7	13	18
Wpg	6	Brad Lambert	C	22	6-0/180	Winnipeg (NHL)	25	3	3	6	6
Wpg	7	Colby Barlow	LW	21	6-0/195	Manitoba (AHL)	65	8	8	16	18
Wpg	8	Danny Zhilkin	C	22	6-1/195	Manitoba (AHL)	62	12	12	24	21
Wpg	8	Danny Zhilkin	C	22	6-1/195	Winnipeg (NHL)	6	0	1	1	0
Wpg	9	Domenic DiVincentiis	G	22	6-2/185	Manitoba (AHL)	34	13	16	3.03	0.896
Wpg	10	Nikita Chibrikov	RW	23	5-10/170	Manitoba (AHL)	53	6	10	16	28
Wpg	10	Nikita Chibrikov	RW	23	5-10/170	Winnipeg (NHL)	11	0	0	0	14
Wpg	11	Alfons Freij	D	20	6-1/195	Timra (SHL)	42	6	5	11	14
Wpg	11	Alfons Freij	D	20	6-1/195	Manitoba (AHL)	5	0	1	1	2
Wpg	12	Kevin He	LW	20	5-11/185	Nia-Fln (OHL)	60	39	38	77	26
Wpg	13	Zach Nehring	RW	21	6-3/180	Western Michigan (NCAA)	35	5	12	17	12
Wpg	14	Edison Engle	D	19	6-2/175	Brantford (OHL)	61	3	25	28	8
Wpg	15	Thomas Milic	G	23	6-0/180	Manitoba (AHL)	41	20	13	2.64	0.905

Isak Rosen, RW, Rochester Americans (AHL) (Currently with the Winnipeg Jets, NHL)

In what will be his fourth full AHL season, there is little left to prove for Isak Rosen at this level. He was only three goals away from tying his career high in 24 fewer games. After being acquired by the Winnipeg Jets in a deadline deal for Logan Stanley, one has to wonder how long it will be before the Jets try out Rosen in a top nine role to see what they’ve acquired in him. He played with the NHL club after arriving receiving fourth line minutes. Rosen’s game may be one-dimensional, but it’s also highly effective. He attacks with lots of speed and then rockets the puck toward the net. He needs someone on his line who will feed him shooting opportunities, and Helenius’ emergence as that playmaker had benefitted them both this season. Can he find that partner in the Winnipeg system? Rosen is not a guy who plays a strong two-way or forechecking game, so he’ll have to play his way into a top six role. A 30-30 second-line winger is not out of reach for Rosen in the future.
Brayden Yager, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Yager is the type of prospect who is best seen as being the sum of his parts. There isn’t one element of the game that he truly excels at, but that’s OK because he can do everything at a medium to high level, and he does so while playing center. The true value of what he brings was best seen back in 2023-24, where he was the picture of consistency throughout the entire WHL regular season and then helped lead his Moose Jaw Warriors to a league championship as their go-to man down the middle, hopping over the boards for every big moment in every big game. He’s the type of player who probably won’t pull you out of your seat during a game or show up often in the highlights, but if you check the score sheet, you’ll see that he picked up a couple of points and won more faceoffs than anyone else. If the Jets want to get the most out of Yager long-term they will need to be patient and let him take another year or two to grow with the Moose.
Sascha Boumedienne, D, Boston University (NCAA)

Boumedienne has taken even more solid steps in his development here in his sophomore season, with his skating standing out the most. His ability to create space in open ice on transitions, in his own zone and in the offensive zone has improved drastically from last season and the results were shown clearly at the World Juniors. Boumedienne has even massively improved his physical game, using his 6-foot-2 frame much more to kill opposing chances left and right. However, he has been a turnover machine this season, accounting for one too many slip ups a game that put his net minder in trouble. That tendency to just throw the puck holds him back from being a play driver at the next level and fixing those turnovers should be the spotlight of his development as he looks to play his junior year next season. There are bright spots of a solid two-way defenceman who can be relied upon in a bottom or mid-pairing role, he will just need to iron out the
Elias Salomonsson, D, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

It came as a surprise when the 21-year-old Salomonsson got the opportunity to make his NHL debut earlier this season, which happened sooner than expected. What was even more surprising, however, was that he played so well that the Jets gave him an extended look, and now the team will find themselves in a difficult position if they have to send him back down to the AHL. The right-shooting Swede is playing the same game and relying on the same talents that he did before, which consists primarily of using his slick skating ability to break pucks out of his own zone and help transport them safely down the ice. Luckily for him, that was a problem that Winnipeg desperately needed help solving. Will he be able to do anything else in the NHL at a high level? That's a little less certain, because he's failed to really prove it at other levels. Salomonsson might be nothing more than a one-trick pony, but at least it's a pretty impressive trick.
Kieron Walton, C, Peterborough Petes (OHL)

Walton is now in his fourth season in the Ontario Hockey League and yet again improved on his point totals from the year previous. Simply put, someone who is 6-foot-6 shouldn’t be able to execute the things he does with the puck. Walton is anything but a perimeter player, driving to the net for chances and cutting across the ice to feed passes back against the grain. For a larger guy, his hands in tight are incredible, giving more faith he’ll be able to work in tighter windows as space closes in the NHL and AHL. He may not use his size much in a physical sense at this point, but his long reach and size allow him to protect the puck from defenders when putting his shoulder down and driving to the slot. He could work harder at being a physical presence, as this would very likely earn him in an NHL role in the coming years. Even without it, there’s a chance he becomes a top six skill forward, but a lack of a true B game does hurt his odds.
Brad Lambert, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

The Jets currently find themselves in a difficult position with Lambert. The fit between player and team hasn’t worked out as hoped in the years that followed after the Finnish forward was selected 30th overall in the 2022 draft, leading to a recent trade request that came from the prospect. However, his individual development appears to have stalled, with lackluster results in the AHL and an inability to prove that he belonged in the NHL in the handful of opportunities that were given to him. All parties probably agree that a mutual parting of ways would be ideal, but it’s always difficult for a team to trade one of their best young assets when his value is at its lowest. For his part, Lambert remains a tremendous skater and puck handler, and those are always in high demand around the NHL. This is an ugly situation that could continue to deteriorate if Lambert doesn’t find a way to turn his game around while the Jets carefully explore their options on the trade market.
Colby Barlow, LW, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

The Jets were publicly quite thrilled that Barlow was still available for them at 18th overall in 2023, believing that they might have gotten the steal of that year's draft. It would be interesting to know how their front office feels now, though, as the forward prospect's stock has fallen precipitously ever since then. He's fast and powerful in straight lines, going hard to the enemy net to press for goals or pressuring the blueline while killing penalties, and he was successful in that way during his OHL days. His game is way too one note and predictable, however, which has made him ineffective at the AHL level so far. It was also telling how he was snubbed by Hockey Canada back when he was still eligible for the World Juniors, after being a go-to forward for them at earlier events. There are serious questions about how well he thinks the game and what that means for his NHL future. Barlow is under contract for two more seasons after this one, and the Jets badly need to see more growth out of him during that span.
Danny Zhilkin, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Zhilkin was fairly unremarkable and uneventful during his freshman and sophomore professional campaigns, but he has found a way to elevate himself and his impact on games this season. The two-way center is making strides in both directions, having already surpassed his combined point total from the previous two years, while also assuming a heavier defensive workload. He even dressed for a few games up with the Jets, where he was already trusted enough by the team's coaches to take faceoffs and kill penalties, which are tasks that he's been accomplishing ever since his early OHL days. There isn't very much long-term upside with Zhilkin, and he’ll probably never be particularly exciting to watch, but there are still ways that he can be a useful contributor on a successful team, and he seems to understand exactly what those are. If he can keep building upon what's working for him right now then he'll keep getting looks in the NHL as a depth forward, and he may even stick around there for the long haul.
Domenic DiVincentiis, G, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

The starting job between the pipes for Manitoba was blown wide open last season as the team went through long stretches where they couldn’t buy a save, yet it was DiVincentiis, the youngest of their goalie options, who turned out to be the biggest stabilizing presence. That was a welcome sigh of relief for both player and club, as he had lost his way a little bit at the end of 2023-24 and ended up as the backup for North Bay in the OHL by the time the playoffs rolled around. The Jets organization decided to play it safe this year and run a tandem between him and fellow goalie prospect Thomas Milic, making sure to not give either goalie too heavy of a workload, and that was probably the right call. DiVincentiis is a true Jack-of-all-trades netminder, with a perfectly adequate package all around, from his size to his technique to his reflexes to how well he processes the play in front of him. With enough patience and the right hands-on guidance there could be a future NHL goalie here.
Nikita Chibrikov, RW, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Any optimism about Chibrikov that existed within the Jets organization is starting to disappear in a hurry. The offensive winger showed flashes of promise in the previous two seasons in both the AHL and the NHL, and he was expected to be a go-to player for the Manitoba Moose in 2025-26 after signing a two-year contract extension in October, but he hasn't been up to the task whatsoever, languishing near the bottom of the team in scoring. His eight-game cup of coffee with the big club this winter was pretty unremarkable, too. In his defence, injuries have played a part in slowing him down, and those issues might still be prevalent behind the scenes. Regardless of the causes of his struggles, Chibrikov's job is still to produce points, and he doesn’t have much in the way of a “B” game, so there will be problems for both him and the Jets if he doesn't find a way to start showing up on the score sheet again soon.
Alfons Freij, D, Timra IK (SHL) (Currently with Manitoba Moose, AHL)

This season in Sweden, he has taken on more responsibility and shown a steadier overall presence. Freij’s game is built on positioning and control in his own end. From a projection standpoint, Freij most realistically profiles as a depth NHL defenceman, with an outside chance of becoming a number four who can see powerplay time.
Kevin He, LW, Flint Firebirds (OHL)

Speed, tenacity, and scoring prowess are the highlights of He’s game. He’s always in attack mode and he’s worked hard to become a smarter player. He’ll turn pro next season and looks like a potential middle six player for the Jets.
Zach Nehring, RW, Western Michigan University (NCAA)

Nehring helped Western Michigan capture an NCAA championship last year as an effective freshman, but his numbers have dipped as a sophomore. The big winger is a highly effective complementary player, but he’ll need to break out offensively at some point to prove that he has significant NHL upside.
Edison Engle, D, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

Engle made the decision to jump to the OHL this year with Brantford before joining Ohio State next year. He’s a detail oriented defender who has been really good for Brantford at even strength this year. The question remains…what’s his future NHL role?
Thomas Milic, G, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

You have to give credit to Milic for battling to earn an NHL call up this year, even if it was under dire injury circumstances. The undersized netminder has the quickness to overcome his lack of size and could end up developing into an NHL back-up for the Jets.

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – WINNIPEG JETS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #23

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 17:05:31 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 23rd (May 2025 - 16th)
GM: Kevin Cheveldayoff Hired: September 2011
COACH: Scott Arniel Hired: May 2024

With 11 players ranked in McKeen’s top 200, Winnipeg boasts a balanced blend of established NHL contributors and prospects poised to make an impact in the near term.

Anchored by a stable core—Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele, Josh Morrissey, Gabe Vilardi, and Neal Pionk—all signed long-term, plus Cole Perfetti and Kyle Connor nearing extensions, the Jets are built for sustained contention.

That core did take a hit during the off-season, with their biggest offseason storyline was the departure of Nikolaj Ehlers to Carolina in free agency. While they offset the departure by signing a savvy veteran in center Jonathan Toews, it’s a big blow to their overall top six offense.

At the top of the prospect chart are Brad Lambert, Nikita Chibrikov, and Elias Salomonsson, each waiting for their opportunity to break into the NHL. In the AHL, the Manitoba Moose are set to welcome Colby Barlow and Brayden Yager as full-time pros after standout junior careers. The organization did take a hit, however, with Chaz Lucius forced into early retirement due to a rare tissue disorder.

One of the biggest risers in the system is Kieran Walton. In his draft-plus-one season with Sudbury (OHL), he exploded offensively, finishing with 92 points—22 more than his closest teammate—and placing top 10 in league scoring.

While Winnipeg didn’t have a large draft class in 2025, they did add a quality piece in defenseman Sascha Boumedienne with the 28th overall pick. Draft capital remains limited over the next few seasons, meaning continued growth will rely heavily on developing their existing pipeline rather than restocking it in bulk.

With a core still firmly in its prime and young talent pushing from below, the Jets are well-positioned to contend in the short term. The challenge now is balancing the drive to maximize the current window with the patience needed to let their next wave of talent reach full potential.

Winnipeg Jets Top-15 Prospects

1 - Brayden Yager

Yager has gone through two trades in the past calendar year, first involving his NHL team (going from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Jets) and then again in the WHL a few months later. Through it all, Yager has stayed Yager, playing to the same strengths that have made him so consistently successful going as far back as his early teens: he's strong on pucks, reliable in all three zones, and has a wicked release on his shot. He's the type of player that doesn't necessarily jump out at you with his on-ice contributions, but when you look at a box score after a game you notice how many points he collected and how many minutes of ice time that he logged. Even though Yager wasn't initially selected by the Jets he should nevertheless be an ideal fit for the team's persona and style of hockey, making the NHL sometime soon as a trustworthy depth forward before steadily working his way up the lineup as he continues to develop.

2 - Brad Lambert

Playing on the second worst team in the entire AHL (Manitoba Moose) certainly didn’t have a positive effect on the development of Lambert last season. He saw his goal scoring numbers crash significantly and his overall offensive production was down. Not exactly ideal for the Jets’ top prospect. Is this a case of a lack of support hurting Lambert or a lack of development from Lambert? Truthfully, it’s a bit of column A and a little bit of column B. Lambert is, unquestionably, an extremely talented offensive player. He excels as a playmaker with his ability to push pace, thanks to his blazing speed, and with his elite hands and creativity. He can develop into a top six forward for the Jets and he may be given that opportunity next year. Yet, this past year has brought to light the fact that he still needs to upgrade his strength and improve the consistency of his physical engagement. He needs to play with more jam every shift, working to play through the middle of the ice, rather than just the perimeter.

3 - Elias Salomonsson

It’s been a long road back to prospect relevancy for Salomonsson, but he’s certainly achieved it. At one point in time, he was considered to be one of the top 2004 birth years on the planet. However, a disappointing couple of years in Sweden (around his draft year and draft year plus one), really did a number on his “stock.” He has since rebounded very well and is coming off an excellent first professional season in North America with Manitoba; the argument could be made that he was their best player this past season. His combination of length and mobility is a real asset in the defensive zone. He’s very difficult to beat one on one. Additionally, his puck management and overall offensive game has been better than expected, suggesting that his upside could be higher than initially believed. There’s a really good chance that if Salomonsson continues on this development path, he could be a quality top four defender for the Jets.

4 - Colby Barlow

While Barlow remains a quality NHL prospect, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that his two years of development post draft were slightly disappointing. Even a move to the stronger Oshawa Generals did not prevent his goal scoring from dipping for the second straight year. There’s still hope that Barlow can develop into a quality middle six, complementary winger. His two-way compete level is solid. He finds success playing that North-south power game. Of course, he still has that high-end shot, even if the production hasn’t been eye popping. So where’s the disconnect? His decision making with the puck and overall playmaking ability did not improve to the point where he could become a true primary play driver at the OHL level. Next season, he’ll turn pro and it will be interesting to see how his offensive game translates to the AHL level. We will get a better indication of how close Barlow is to an NHL position at that time.

5 - Sascha Boumedienne

Towards the end of his season, Boumedienne stood out on a Boston University team that had some incredible offensive defencemen. When given the opportunity, he showed off some solid offensive upside in his freshman season with BU. However, during his play against tougher opponents, his offence became muted in favor of some real, hard-nosed defensive stability. Sascha Boumedienne is still a raw prospect, which is apparent in his skating and defensive details, but it’s important to talk about how solid he played in the tough Hockey East conference. Jets fans have a lot to look forward to in this upcoming year and beyond for Sascha Boumedienne.

6 - Nikita Chibrikov

Despite the fact that an awkward play last January ended his season prematurely thanks to a lower body injury, you could make the argument that Chibrikov had a better developmental year than top prospect Brad Lambert. When healthy, Chibrikov was leading Manitoba in scoring and he performed extremely well in a small cup of coffee for the Jets that saw him score his first NHL goal. Chibrikov is a highly skilled player. He’s not big, but he’s so elusive in the offensive zone, adept at avoiding checks, because of his quick feet and quick hands. He doesn’t need a ton of space to execute, be it a quick wrister or a well placed pass. Through two years in North America, Chibrikov definitely looks like he could be ready to be a complementary piece on a scoring line at the NHL level. The question is will he be healthy to start next year and will he be able to continue to improve his conditioning this offseason?

7 - Kieron Walton

The big winger was one of the OHL’s most improved players this past season as he emerged as an offensive leader for the Sudbury Wolves. Walton is such a dangerous player in transition with his ability to play a North-south game. He’s a strong skater for a big man and he also has terrific hands. He routinely turns OHL defenders inside/out as he drives the net and works his way to the middle of the ice. Yes, he slipped to the sixth round last year, but a lot of that had to do with his poor second half and the inconsistency of his off puck intensity, and not his upside. The off puck play and physical engagement still needs to improve further, but given the positive steps forward taken this year, Walton’s projection and value as a prospect has improved greatly. He’ll return to the OHL next season, where the focus will be on rounding out his game further to prepare him for the pro game. Expect him to be one of the highest scoring players in Ontario in 2025-26.

8 - Domenic DiVincentiis

DiVincentiis is a very interesting case as a prospect. After having a very dominant OHL season, putting himself on the map, he followed it up with pedestrian numbers on a great team the following season. After he split time with Winnipeg’s AHL and ECHL teams this past year, he’s put up underwhelming numbers in the ECHL but pretty solid numbers in the AHL on a horrible Manitoba Moose. He’s got a pretty nice toolset, but the inconsistency in numbers and the sporadic poor performances are a bit concerning. He’s a very solid skater, great positionally, and seems to anticipate play at a high level. But his rebound control is very bad, leading to a lot of extra chances given up, and he gets beat cleanly more than you’d like to see, suggesting he may not be tracking shots into saves very well. He could be a backup in the NHL, but he needs to iron out these consistency issues and string together good seasons as a starter before that can happen.

9 - Kevin He

Much like fellow Jets’ OHL prospect Kieron Walton, He made extremely positive strides this year. One of the most energetic players in the OHL, He’s work rate is tremendous. He uses his speed to be a real difference maker without the puck. He’s extremely dangerous on the forecheck and he is a tremendous penalty killer. This is a player who is hungry to earn possession for his team. The big difference in He’s game this year was the improvement in his playmaking and decision making with the puck. As a draft eligible player, his game was too one note and predictable as an attacker; offensive zone turnovers were an issue. However, this past year he worked to refine his approach to play less “hero puck,” utilizing teammates more effectively by finding them in open space and altering his pace to help prolong possession. As He continues to improve his two-way game, he has a chance to become a very effective middle six player for the Jets in the future.

10 - Alfons Freij

What was supposed to be an excellent opportunity to get some pro experience in the HockeyAllsvenskan ended up being a season from hell for Freij. He stumbled out of the gate with Björklöven, barely produced points, and then got injured for three months, essentially missing the rest of the HA season and playoffs. In the games that he did play, though, Freij’s skating and playmaking still looked as dynamic as ever. He can carry the puck from end to end effortlessly. It’s just that he didn’t progress much in the areas he really needed to progress in. Namely, anything to do with the defensive side of play. Despite the tough year, Freij still has a ton of potential to reach his ceiling as an offensive puck moving defenceman. He’ll be on loan with Timrå in the SHL for the upcoming season, so hopefully a fresh start with a new team can be a mental reset and springboard him forwards in his development.

11 - Zach Nehring

An aggressive right shot wing with size, Nehring had a solid freshman season at Western Michigan with 30 points in 42 games. The question will be whether this season will be his last in college so that he can sign with Winnipeg, or if he’ll remain longer.

12 - Dmitry Rashevsky

Rashevsky signed a three-year deal with Avangard in the KHL this season, so Jets fans will have to wait a while longer to see him, if ever. The high-octane winger remains intriguing, consistently putting up solid offensive seasons in the KHL for the last three years.

13 - Jacob Julien

The tenacious Julien saw a dip in his offensive output in London this season, but followed that up with over a point per game in the Knights’ playoff run. Given the NHL factory that is London, he seems poised to make a smooth transition to pro hockey this season for the Manitoba Moose.

14 - Owen Martin

A third-round pick for Winnipeg this summer, Martin established himself as a strong checking center for a good Spokane team last season. Martin has yet to sign his ELC with the Jets, perhaps leaving open the NCAA door.

15 - Parker Ford

Ford notched his first NHL goal last season in his first stint with the big club and after spending two years now in the AHL, could be set to battle for a depth role with his high compete style come training camp.

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #16 Winnipeg Jets – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Sun, 25 May 2025 12:48:00 +0000

Winnipeg Jets forward Brad Lambert C (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

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Winnipeg 25 Prospects

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – WINNIPEG JETS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #18

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Derek Neumeier — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 13:00:20 +0000

_{MONTREAL, QC - SEPTEMBER 29: Winnipeg Jets forward Brad Lambert (47) tracks the play during the Winnipeg Jets versus the Montreal Canadiens preseason game on September 29, 2022, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)}

Prospect System Ranking – 18th (Previous Rank - 13th)
GM: Kevin Cheveldayoff Hired: September 2011
COACH: Scott Arniel Hired: May 2024

The Winnipeg Jets are the epitome of a middling team striving to take that next step. With just three playoff series wins to show for their seven playoff appearances since moving to Manitoba, it’s been a constant battle for the Jets to improve.

Despite this, the team has managed to stay competitive both at the NHL level and within their prospect system. With seven prospects in our top 200 and the recent graduation of Cole Perfetti, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has ensured a steady influx of youthful talent.

The Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg’s AHL affiliate, has been home to an impressive crop of young players recently, all of whom have put together strong seasons early in their careers. Most notably, Brad Lambert (39th) is coming off a potent rookie campaign, finishing second among all AHL rookies with 55 points in 64 games. While he’s likely to start the year back on the farm, there’s a strong chance he will get his first taste of NHL action this season. Nikita Chibrikov (122nd), who finished with 48 points, also placed in the top 10 among AHL rookies. Chaz Lucius (105th) continues to be a highly regarded prospect, but his durability remains a concern. He has suited up in just 71 games since the start of the 2021-22 season, putting his development on hold for much of his post-draft career. When healthy, Lucius is an upside player, but the challenge has been keeping him on the ice.

On the backend, Ville Heinola (119th) continues to develop his game, and with 152 AHL games under his belt, it feels like his number should be called this upcoming season for full-time employment. He’ll be joined by 2022 second-rounder Elias Salomonsson (240th), who is set to make his North American debut after a solid career in Sweden.

Colby Barlow, who sits just outside our top 50 (53rd), is still a few years away, but another strong season with the Owen Sound Attack could see his ranking rise considerably.

GM Cheveldayoff was able to resolve a difficult situation with Rutger McGroarty, who effectively forced a trade, indicating he had no plans to join the Jets post NCAA. He moved him in a one for one trade for Brayden Yager. The two prospects are ranked closely by McKeens with McGroarty at 61st and Yager at 69th, representing a good value return with his hands tied. Yager will return to Moose Jaw for one more season in the WHL. After scoring 250 points across 211 WHL games, he is expected to go out with a bang in his fifth and final junior year.

Winnipeg Jets Top-15 Prospects

1. Brad Lambert

Getting to join the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds halfway through last season was exactly what the doctor ordered for Lambert’s development. He found himself excelling at a high level once again, he got to feed off other top prospects in his age group, he got to experience what it takes to win a league championship, and most important of all, he has carried over all that progress with him to the professional level. He had an incredible AHL rookie season with the Moose, finishing as the team’s top scorer. That barn can get pretty raucous at times, and the way that he was able to regularly feed off of that energy and use it to his advantage was a great preview to him being able to do it in the NHL. He is a thrilling center who is borderline elite with his skating ability and puck skills.

2. Colby Barlow

Barlow's game did not take a big step forward this season as expected, and while there's no reason to overreact or hit the panic button, the Jets surely would have had questions for him about what happened. In his defense, playing for an outgunned Owen Sound team that never really looked like a contender was probably a large part of the equation. And even though his assist totals cratered, he still cracked the 40-goal mark for the second consecutive year. He's an explosive skater, hard-nosed grinder, and an authoritative finisher, and he shouldn't need to make any serious adjustments to how he plays in order to be successful as an NHLer because his strengths are so useful in multiple roles and situations. He's an odds-on favourite to make the Canadian roster for the next World Juniors and might even wear a letter for that group.

3. Brayden Yager

Brayden Yager continued to terrorize WHL defences. The dynamic center amassed 95 points in 57 games for the Moose Jaw Warriors, showcasing his elite shooting ability and knack for finding teammates. He's quite strong and compact, which helps him out in various ways, whether that's staying on his feet as he fights through checks or generating a lot of power through his shot. While his offensive production is undeniable, consistency remains a talking point. There were stretches where he dominated, but there were also quieter nights. The bright spots, however, were undeniable. His work on the power play was a highlight, and his burgeoning two-way play suggests a well-rounded future. He'll need to add strength to compete at the NHL level, but the raw tools are undeniably there. Expect him to spend another year in the WHL before turning pro, but his NHL debut could be on the horizon soon.

4. Chaz Lucius

Is Lucius one of the unluckiest top prospects in the hockey world? It certainly seems that way. He’s only 21 years old but has already experienced his hockey career being beset with knee, ankle, and shoulder injuries that have all required surgery. It’s an incredible shame, too, because he always looks excellent when he’s healthy, and has shown no trouble at all adjusting to different leagues and levels of hockey. The greatest strengths of his game have always been in the offensive zone and around the opposing team’s crease, but that’s also an area where a lot of punishment is doled out, and there are now unfortunate yet unavoidable questions about whether his body will be able to withstand making a career out of playing that way. If good luck isn’t going to come to him naturally then he might need to make some adjustments to save his career.

5. Ville Heinola

If Heinola doesn’t make the Jets out of training camp next fall the reaction from some fans of the team could be riotous, because he’s a highly touted prospect who’s been on the cusp of making the team for five years in a row without being allowed to fully take that plunge. Making matters even more urgent, his waiver eligibility begins in 2024-25, so there would be a huge risk in trying to send him down again. He is a clever, fleet-of-foot defenceman who excels with puck retrievals and breakouts. There’s some offensive generation to his game as well, but it’s unlikely he’ll ever be a powerplay quarterback in the NHL. There are also concerns about his play-stopping ability that will be hard to ever shake. Winnipeg has three defencemen coming up for free agency this summer, so it feels like it’s going to be now or never for Heinola.

6. Nikita Chibrikov

After three straight years of splitting time across three levels of hockey, Chibrikov enjoyed newfound stability in 2023-24, dressing for 70 games with the Moose. And he must have had no complaints whatsoever about the single outlying game where he donned a different sweater, because that was his NHL debut with the Jets, and he got to celebrate it by scoring his first goal. He and fellow AHL rookie Lambert have found a lot of chemistry together, as they both possess blazing speed and slick hands that can make enemies miss, and they're bringing much-needed fresh blood into the organization's forward ranks. He’s also handled the increased physicality of hockey on this side of the world much better than was expected. As he continues to adjust to the structure of North American hockey his skill should gradually keep shining through.

7. Alfons Freij

Freij was a bit of a tricky prospect to get a comfortable read on this season. There were some games where he was a true standout, but in some others, you wouldn’t be able to pick him out of a police lineup. And while he would routinely dazzle you with his shifty footwork and deceptive dekes, a lot of those plays failed to result in goals, leaving his point totals on the season looking a little lackluster. Was he simply unlucky, or is there a disconnect somewhere in how he utilizes his teammates or reads the play? One way or the other, he possesses a high base level of skill, which could potentially be built up over time, and he’s going to keep getting looks with the Swedish national program and gain more access to their resources.

8. Elias Salomonsson

Injuries continue to be a recurring theme in Salomonsson's young career, but the good news is that they don't seem to be slowing down his long-term progression all that much. Him earning a legitimate roster spot and regular ice time on a great Skellefteå team has played a key role in keeping things on track, because they fought their way to back-to-back appearances in the SHL final, which provided him with more games to play in and a beneficial type of experience that not all prospects receive. He's a puck-moving defenceman who is slippery and serpentine on breakouts and at the offensive blueline, in an oddly similar way to Skellefteå alumnus John Klingberg, and has been rounding out his game in the time since his draft day by becoming more gritty and committed in his own zone.

9. Dmitry Rashevsky

Rashevsky isn’t exactly considered a top prospect, but when it comes to sheer entertainment value, there aren’t many others out there who can match him. He’s an offense-first winger who is almost monomaniacal about beating opposing defenders one-on-one, and it’s kind of hard to fault him for that, because he’s undeniably great at it. He’s endlessly confident, and at the drop of a hat is always ready to launch another attack. There were previous frustrations about him having horse blinders on too often and not working with his teammates enough, as well as about him not applying the same level of furious commitment to his off-puck play, but he’s made a lot of progress in those areas over the past three seasons in the KHL. Can he stick in the NHL with how he plays? If it does happen, he’ll be pretty unique among wingers in the league.

10. Jacob Julien

The secret to scouting doesn't lie with simply analyzing what a prospect is good or bad at right now, but rather, trying to project how they will develop and predict what their game will look like in the future. That was Winnipeg's philosophy when they drafted Julien, and so far it's looking pretty darn wise. The lanky center keeps growing into his body, the London Knights keep using their development expertise to grow his skillset, and the results of the project have been fantastic, with significant year-over-year growth. As of this writing he's one of the top scorers on a Knights team that is chasing an OHL title, and as their number one center he had back-to-back hat tricks to eliminate Kitchener in the second round. His long reach and fluid footwork make him hard to contain and help him navigate the ice while exerting minimum effort.

11. Danny Zhilkin

Zhilkin enjoyed some moderate success during his time in the OHL but had a disastrous first year in the AHL. Drafted relatively high because of perceived upside as a two-way center, there are now concerns because his progression in both areas seems to have stalled. None of his individual tools stand out enough and the overall package might not be enough to set him apart. Can he make a regular living in the NHL as a bottom six pivot?

12. Domenic DiVincentiis

It was a trying year for DiVincentiis, who battled injury and consistency issues, which cost him a roster spot at the World Juniors and then North Bay’s starting job in the playoffs. It was especially a shame because he had some wind under his sails coming into the season after an impressive sophomore campaign. An NHL future isn’t out of the question so long as he can get things back on track.

13. Thomas Milic

All Milic ever does is defy the odds and quiet his naysayers. After winning a WHL title in 2023 and then getting drafted as a re-entry prospect, he turned pro, before quickly surging up the organization’s goalie depth chart from fifth to third. His goalie IQ is miles above most of his peers. He’ll never be big, but does he have a bit of that magic that Dustin Wolf and Devon Levi possess as undersized netminders?

14. Dmitri Kuzmin

The jump to professional hockey proved to be a steep one this season for Kuzmin, as he failed to hold down a spot in the AHL and then didn’t really make any kind of statement a level lower in the ECHL. For as good as he is with the puck and as hard as he can shoot it, he’s not nearly quick or agile enough for his size, which he will need to rectify sooner rather than later.

15. Kevin He

Give a loud stick tap to He, who had to suit up for an atrocious Niagara team in his draft season but still came to the rink every day ready to play and to compete. There’s something to be said about getting consistently blown out on the scoreboard but still finding the inner will to pot 31 goals. He’s a speedster who is all gas and no brakes, but at least he knows how to finish plays.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #13 Winnipeg Jets – Organization Overview – Top 15 Profiles

Player Profiles - Derek Neumeier, Team Overview - Robert Howard — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 15:02:11 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - SEPTEMBER 29: Winnipeg Jets forward Brad Lambert (47) tracks the play during the Winnipeg Jets versus the Montreal Canadiens preseason game on September 29, 2022, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

What a difference a year makes. The Jets have had high expectations for a number of seasons, coach Rick Bowness had inspired the team to squeak into the playoffs in 2022-23, but ultimately lost in the first round of the playoffs. There was a lot of speculation to start the season around two key players in Mark Scheifele and elite goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck, and their future on the prairies. In the summer, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff traded Pierre Luc Dubois for a healthy return in Alex Iaffalo, Gabriel Vilard, Rasmus Kupari, along with Montreal’s second in 2024 (37th) suggesting further change to come. He then surprised the hockey world by signing both his key free agents to eight-year, $8.5 million AAV contracts on the eve of the start of the season, cementing them as core pieces. Retiring coach Bowness, while missing some time for health reasons, did a masterful job producing a 100-point season, good for fourth in the league. Hellebuyck returned to Vezina trophy form, and there is optimism in Winnipeg again.

Cheveldayoff was an aggressive buyer at the deadline picks to acquire Sean Monahan, Tyler Toffoli and Colin Miller, all UFA’s this summer. The return was a first (2024), second (2025), third (2024) and a fourth-round picks (2026). Effectively clearing out significant draft capital. Whether any of those players return, with only a first-round loss to Colorado to show for it, Cheveldayoff sent a message that their window is now. The prospect system remains healthy, and relatively deep. There are seven prospects in our top 200, with a couple of players who could join Cole Perfetti as a graduate next season in Brad Lambert and Ville Heinola. They know their window for a championship is open, and with picks already gone, it would not be surprising to see any of the players move for more immediate help.

RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Brad Lambert	C	20	6-0/180	Manitoba (AHL)	`22(30th)	64	21	34	55	38
					Winnipeg (NHL)	`22(30th)	1	0	1	1	0
2	Colby Barlow	LW	19	6-0/195	Owen Sound (OHL)	`23(18th)	50	40	18	58	27
3	Chaz Lucius	C	20	6-1/185	Manitoba (AHL)	`21(18th)	17	2	11	13	6
4	Rutger McGroarty	LW	20	6-1/200	Michigan (B1G)	`22(14th)	36	16	36	52	6
5	Ville Heinola	D	23	6-0/180	Manitoba (AHL)	`19(20th)	41	10	17	27	24
6	Nikita Chibrikov	RW	21	5-10/170	Manitoba (AHL)	`21(50th)	70	17	30	47	53
					Winnipeg (NHL)	`21(50th)	1	1	0	1	0
7	Elias Salomonsson	D	19	6-1/185	Skelleftea (SHL)	`22(55th)	31	2	9	11	58
8	Dmitry Rashevsky	RW	23	6-1/165	Dynamo Moskva (KHL)	`21(146th)	67	24	19	43	20
9	Jacob Julien	C	19	6-4/180	London (OHL)	`23(146th)	67	29	49	78	53
10	Danny Zhilkin	C	20	6-1/195	Manitoba (AHL)	`22(77th)	44	2	5	7	22
11	Domenic DiVincentiis	G	20	6-2/185	North Bay (OHL)	`22(207th)	42	27	9	3.13	0.895
12	Thomas Milic	G	21	6-0/180	Manitoba (AHL)	`23(151st)	33	19	9	2.72	0.900
13	Daniel Torgersson	LW	22	6-3/200	Manitoba (AHL)	`20(40th)	52	1	8	9	12
14	Dmitri Kuzmin	D	21	5-10/175	Norfolk (ECHL)	`21(82nd)	24	2	7	9	4
					Manitoba (AHL)	`21(82nd)	18	1	2	3	6
15	Parker Ford	C	23	5-8/170	Manitoba (AHL)	FA(3/23)	72	18	23	41	57

1. Brad Lambert, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Getting to join the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds halfway through last season was exactly what the doctor ordered for Lambert’s development. He found himself excelling at a high level once again, he got to feed off of other top prospects who were his age, he got to experience what it takes to win a league championship, and most importantly of all, he has carried over all that progress with him to the professional level. He had an incredible AHL rookie season with the Moose, finishing as the team’s top scorer. That barn can get pretty raucous at times, and the way that he was able to regularly feed off of that energy and use it to his advantage was a great preview of him being able to do it in the NHL. He is a thrilling center who is borderline elite with his skating ability and puck skills.

2. Colby Barlow, LW, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)

Barlow's game did not take a big step forward this season as expected, and while there's no reason to overreact or hit the panic button, the Jets surely would have had questions for him about what happened. In his defense, playing for an outgunned Owen Sound team that never really looked like a contender was probably a large part of the equation. And even though his assist totals cratered, he still cracked the 40-goal mark for the second consecutive year. He's an explosive skater, hard-nosed grinder and an authoritative finisher, and he shouldn't need to make any serious adjustments to how he plays in order to be successful as an NHLer because his strengths are so useful in different roles and situations. He's an odds-on favourite to make the Canadian roster for the next World Juniors and might even wear a letter for that group.

3. Chaz Lucius, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Is Lucius one of the unluckiest top prospects in the hockey world? It certainly seems that way. He’s only 21 years old but has already experienced his hockey career being beset with knee, ankle and shoulder injuries that have all resulted in surgery being required. It’s an incredible shame, too, because he always looks excellent when he’s healthy, and has shown no trouble at all adjusting to different leagues and levels of hockey. The greatest strengths of his game have always been in the offensive zone and around the opposing team’s crease, but that’s also an area where a lot of punishment is doled out, and there are now unfortunate yet unavoidable questions about whether his body will be able to withstand making a career out of playing that way. If good luck isn’t going to come to him naturally then he might need to make some adjustments to save his career.

4. Rutger McGroarty, LW, University of Michigan (NCAA)

McGroarty is a very intriguing prospect, because his game is fairly pigeonholed, yet he’s an undeniable expert in two specific areas: in the cycle and at the net front. There’s actually an art to scoring greasy, blue-collar goals, and he seems to have mastered it. He is an absolute tank sometimes down low, with an abundance of lower-body strength, and once he gets himself dug in at the top of the crease, he can be nearly impossible to box out or win body positioning against. He’s also very hard to contain when he tries to take the puck from the wall or behind the goal line into a better scoring position. His feet are, unsurprisingly based on what was just said, quite heavy and slow, but he keeps working hard to improve his quickness and mobility. There was talk of him turning pro this spring, but he elected to spend another year in college.

5. Ville Heinola, D, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

If Heinola doesn’t make the Jets out of training camp next fall the reaction from some fans of the team could be riotous, because he’s a highly touted prospect who’s been on the cusp of making the team for five years in a row without being allowed to fully take that plunge. Making matters even more urgent, his waiver eligibility begins in 2024-25, so there would be a huge risk in trying to send him down again. He is a clever, fleet-of-foot defenseman who excels with puck retrievals and breakouts. There’s some offensive generation to his game as well, but it’s unlikely he’ll ever be a powerplay quarterback in the NHL. There are also concerns about his play-stopping ability that will be hard to ever shake. Winnipeg has three defensemen coming up for free agency this summer, so it feels like it’s going to be now or never for Heinola.

6. Nikita Chibrikov, RW, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

7. Elias Salomonsson, D, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Injuries continue to be a recurring theme in Salomonsson's young career, but the good news is that they don't seem to be slowing down his long-term progression all that much. Him earning a legitimate roster spot and regular ice time on a great Skellefteå team has played a key role in keeping things on track, because they fought their way to back-to-back appearances in the SHL final, which provided him with more games to play in and a beneficial type of experience that not all prospects get to receive. He's a puck-moving defenseman who is slippery and serpentine on breakouts and at the offensive blueline, in an oddly similar way to Skellefteå alumnus John Klingberg, and has been rounding out his game in the time since his draft day by becoming grittier and more committed in his own zone.

8. Dmitry Rashevsky, RW, Dyanmo Moskva (KHL)

Rashevsky isn’t exactly considered to be a top prospect, but when it comes to sheer entertainment value, there aren’t many others out there who can match him. He’s an offense-first winger who is almost monomaniacal about beating opposing defenders one-on-one, and it’s kind of hard to fault him for that, because he’s undeniably great at it. He’s endlessly confident, and at the drop of a hat is always ready to launch another attack. There were previous frustrations about him having horse blinders on too often and not working with his teammates enough, as well as about him not applying the same level of furious commitment to his off-puck play, but he’s made a lot of progress in those areas over the past three seasons in the KHL. Can he stick in the NHL with how he plays? If it does happen, he’ll be pretty unique among wingers in the league.

9. Jacob Julien, C, London Knights (OHL)

10. Danny Zhilkin, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Zhilkin enjoyed some moderate success during his time in the OHL but had a disastrous first year in the AHL. Drafted because of perceived upside as a two-way center, there are now concerns because his progression in both areas seems to have stalled. None of his individual offensive tools stand out and the overall package doesn’t seem like it will be enough to set him apart, so his shot at becoming a future NHLer will rest on his skillfulness killing penalties, handling tough matchups, and eating a lot of heavy defensive zone minutes in general. Can he make a regular living in the NHL as a Bottom 6 pivot? He already has the commitment and shift-over-shift work rate in place, but he will still need to improve his top speed and mix in a little more sandpaper to his defending than he’s used to currently.

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

MCKEEN’S 2024 PROSPECT REPORT: Brad Lambert: A Star Fallen, a Lesson Learned, and a Triumphant Resurgence

Tony Ferrari — Tue, 04 Jun 2024 11:27:53 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - SEPTEMBER 29: Winnipeg Jets forward Brad Lambert (47) celebrates his goal with his teammates during the Winnipeg Jets versus the Montreal Canadiens preseason game on September 29, 2022, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

As a 16-year-old, Brad Lambert was considered one of the best players in the world in his age group. His year in the Finnish U20 league went so well that he got his first taste of Liiga action, adding two assists in four games against men.

Lambert was among those in contention to go at the top of the 2022 NHL draft and potentially setting up for him to be the first Finnish player taken first overall in the NHL draft.

Just two years later, when his draft year rolled around, some up-and-down play in a system that didn’t mesh with his skill set saw his stock plummet as the year went on. He was a square peg that was being shoved into a round hole.

Lambert excelled when playing with pace and attacking the opposing team head-on. JYP Jyväskylä’s coaching and system called for the team to play a tactical game that was lower-pace and low-event hockey.

After a mutual contract termination midseason, he left JYP and made his way to the Lahti Pelicans, the organization he played with in his youth. Although the fit was better from a stylistic standpoint, the poor start already left a bad taste in NHL scout’s mouths.

“It was a necessary change,” explained Lambert looking back on the situation. “I just needed to start fresh and get my head right. I always loved playing in Lahti and I was really thankful I could finish my year there.”

The move was more about a mental reset than anything on the ice. Lambert’s physical tools were on display whether or not his production matched up. His elite skating, impressive hands, slick playmaking, and exciting pace were all evident when you watched him play. Things just weren’t quite clicking.

When scouts watched Lambert that season, they saw flashes of his transition game and the elite skating upon which it was built. He showed some excellent passing to the middle of the ice, but it often went unreceived as his teammates were seldom in the high danger areas. There were other times in which Lambert’s passes hit a teammate right on the tape on the back door, but it was bobbled or shot wide.

Scouts also saw Lambert skate into pressure on zone entries. They noted that his passes often went to no one, and he was hoping to complete them rather than actually finding teammates in position to score. They saw a player who was a bit overmatched along the boards from a strength perspective.

“I’d be surprised if he went in the first round and I’m not the only one who thinks so,” said one anonymous Finnish scout just weeks before the draft.

“He has the potential to be the steal of the first round if he figures it all out,” said a different NHL after his selection.

MONTREAL, QC - SEPTEMBER 29: Winnipeg Jets forward Brad Lambert (47) shoots the puck beside Montreal Canadiens defenceman Kaiden Guhle (21) during the Winnipeg Jets versus the Montreal Canadiens preseason game on September 29, 2022, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

Opinions on Lambert on draft day were all over the place. The unfortunate timing of a tough year resulted in a fall down the draft board to 30th overall where he was taken by the Winnipeg Jets. Interestingly, the Jets did not have a dedicated Finnish scout for the 2022 draft cycle.

The impressive showings at a few international events, including a five-point performance over two games in a COVID-cancelled World Junior Championship, may have been the selling point for Lambert. The pedigree he had earlier in his career may have been the saving grace for a team looking to take a gamble on a highly skilled prospect late in the first round.

Almost immediately, Lambert decided the best course of action for him from a development perspective was to head to North America. He would begin the next season with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose after a good preseason with the Jets and eventually find himself back in junior, playing with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds.

“Playing in Seattle was a lot of fun. It was the first time I won a championship,” mentioned Lambert. “I was able to fit in really well. We played fast hockey there and I felt comfortable which helped me play some of my best hockey.”

Lambert was one of the most impactful forwards for that Seattle squad. He was playing the up tempo game that he thrived in and didn’t have to be the guy on a team that was full of other talent. When Lambert reached into his bag of tricks creatively as a playmaker, there was someone there to bury the chance. It was refreshing for the young skilled forward.

This past season was Lambert’s first full AHL season and to say it was successful would be a bit of an understatement. He made the AHL All-Star Game, led the Manitoba Moose in scoring, and was named to the All-Rookie team at the end of the season. Lambert was fully back.

“This season has been so much fun. I owe the guys I’ve been playing with the credit. I feel lucky that I’ve been put in a position to play with so many good players,” said Lambert when reflecting on his season.

The success that Lambert has found this year hasn’t come from some improved level of processing or a massive leap in the quality of his tools. Of course, there has been some physical maturity that naturally takes place as a player goes from 17 to 20 years old, most notably the strength you develop as you mature physically.

Lambert has always used his speed to pressure on the forecheck and hunt pucks down but now that he has the strength to go with it, he has become more effective on the forecheck. His ability to enter and exit a pile with the puck has become more consistent as he blends his puck skill and strength.

“When you’re playing against men at 16 or 17, you have to find ways to get around not being as strong as those guys,” Lambert noted. “You rely on your skill a bit more and now that I’ve gotten a bit stronger, I can still lean on my skill, it’s just that I am a bit stronger.”

Lambert’s rookie year in the AHL earned him a one-game call-up at the end of the regular season and he did what he’s done all year, find the scoresheet. His one assist wasn’t anything fancy. It was a nice play along the boards to cycle the puck down low, which resulted in a pass out front to a teammate for a secondary assist.

That’s the added layer in his game. Lambert looked comfortable with the speed and skill at the NHL level. He was a natural in transition, carving up the neutral zone and weaving into the offensive zone. He was quick to loose pucks and make plays to advance the puck toward more dangerous scoring situations. It’s the kind of thing that has always been there if you looked closely enough at his game.

“Of course, you want to make the exciting play,” laughed Lambert before continuing. “Sometimes you just have to make the right play and that’s how the exciting plays happen.”

Lambert wants to make the NHL roster out of camp this fall and while it will be tough on a very good Winnipeg roster, he is poised to at least push for a spot. Even if he starts with the AHL club, it may not be long before he’s knocking on the door for a role with the Jets.

At the end of the day, scouts and analysts alike may have been too quick to disregard the high-end skating and skill that Lambert has displayed throughout his young hockey career. Sometimes it’s difficult to contextualize a player’s situation when you’re not close enough to see the day-to-day goings-on.

Lambert is a high-pace offensive playmaker who wants to drive the puck up ice, and create something with his puck handling, speed, and agility by scanning the ice and threading passes to teammates. He wants to attack the middle of the ice.

Those traits aren’t necessarily what drive play at the Liiga level. The Liiga is a league that plays tactical, methodical hockey where shots from distance are effective and five-man breakouts are the norm. It’s vastly different hockey than the NHL so when players play the up-tempo NHL style of game, it doesn’t always translate – especially when it’s a skill-based game like Lambert.

We’ve seen a number of high-end Finns in recent years take some time to adjust and adapt to the tempo and pace that the NHL game is played. Whether it’s Kaapo Kakko, Jesper Kotkamiemi, or even Juraj Slafkovsky, a Slovak who played in Finland, it hasn’t been the smoothest of transitions for high-end Finns with the speed of the game being the biggest adjustment they have had to make.

Hockey is about adapting, reading the playing surface and being able to alter course. Perhaps it’s time that scouts take a page out of the book they’re trying to read – maybe it’s time that the talent evaluators and scouts adapt, read the trends, and alter course on how we evaluate players coming from Finland’s top ranks in terms of projection.

The NHL is the best league in the world. Pace and skill are the name of the game in the modern NHL. All told, maybe knocking Lambert for not conforming with the low-paced play was the wrong way to look at his game.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: TOP 30 NHL PROSPECTS

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 12:22:26 +0000

At McKeen’s Hockey we do a ranked affiliated prospect list twice a season. Our first, this ranking, follows the end of the regular season for most prospects but does not include the playoffs. It is a ranking of the top 200, plus the top 15 by team, prior to the NHL Draft. Once the NHL Draft is complete, we begin the process of updating the organizational ranking to a top 20, and then rank the top 300. That is completed in August, once the dust has settled on free agency, and any trades that are made in the meantime. We include that ranking in our McKeen’s NHL Yearbook, published in late August, Early September.

Our team of 16 scouts are based in key markets around the world, in the rinks, supported by video scouting. They utilize some terrific tools from Hudl/InStat, which can isolate so many aspects of a player’s game, along with proprietary statistics. They spend countless hours in rinks and in front of screens and are deeply familiar with these players and their progression. Our management team of Brock Otten (Director of Scouting) and Derek Neumeier (Assistant Director of Scouting/Senior Western Regional Scout), along with Video Scouting Coordinator, Josh Bell, will take the teams input and finalize the list you see below. Brock, Derek and Josh are responsible for the player write-ups in the Prospect Guide.

The organizational rankings are based on an algorithm that takes into account how many prospects are ranked within the top 200. The teams are broken down by the number of prospects in our top 1 -25, 26 - 50, 51 - 100, and 101 - 200. A weight is attached to each group and then some subjective tweaking is done based on our knowledge of the players. There can be a wider discrepancy in the top 25 group than the latter groupings that needs to be taken into account.

Here is our definition of an NHL prospect: Players under 26 years of age as of 9/15/2024 who have appeared in less than 60 NHL games (30 for goalies) and less than 35 in one season (25 for goalies).

Check back in with us in the fall to see how things change following the draft. We are releasing out top 30 NHL Prospects free to non-subscribers. If you want to learn more, link here.

Subscribers can link to the full top 200 listing here

Here is an excerpt of Brock Otten's Risers and Fallers article from the magazine to give you more perspective and a little taste of our content.

The best part of scouting is the somewhat unpredictable nature of human development. Some players improve dramatically from one year to the next…others do not. When we compare the rankings from our 2023-24 NHL Yearbook (where we did a Top 300 prospect ranking) to now, these are the players who have risen/fallen the most.

Risers

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

Logan Stankoven (27 to 5) - Dallas Stars

Stankoven’s jump from one of the best players in the WHL to one of the best players in the AHL has been impressive. So has his quick start in the NHL.

Ryan Leonard (32 to 6) – Washington Capitals

Leonard is returning to Boston College after a Championship barely eluded him this year. However, he has proven to be an elite play driver to go with his strong off puck play.

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 11: Look on Montreal Canadiens right wing Joshua Roy (89) during warm-up before the St. Louis Blues versus the Montreal Canadiens game on February 11, 2024, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

Josh Roy (63 to 35) – Montreal Canadiens

Roy continues to prove doubters wrong after a terrific AHL season with Laval. His skill set has become so well rounded since being drafted.

Conor Geekie (68 to 18) – Utah

Geekie’s power game from the middle of the ice makes him such an interesting prospect for today’s NHL. His skating continues to improve.

Mavrik Bourque (79 to 23) – Dallas Stars

Bourque emerged as one of the best players in the AHL this season as a sophomore professional. He’s ready to take that next step with the Stars.

Gabe Perreault (86 to 19) – New York Rangers

Once thought to be the third wheel on the talented Will Smith/Ryan Leonard threesome, Perreault’s progression as a play driver at Boston College this season has altered the perception that he can be a front-line NHL player.

Bradly Nadeau (109 to 34) – Carolina Hurricanes

Drafting early out of the BCHL has yielded inconsistent results, however Nadeau was exceptional as a freshman at Maine. Did he leave school too early though?

Jagger Firkus (112 to 47) – Seattle Kraken

Firkus took his game to another level this year in his final WHL season, leading the league in scoring. He’s ready to be a pro.

Gavin Brindley (122 to 66) – Columbus Blue Jackets

One of the most improved players in the NCAA this year, Brindley emerged as a star for the University of Michigan and really altered his projection as a potential top six forward.

Quentin Musty (125 to 51) – San Jose Sharks

The dynamic American winger worked hard to fine tune components of his game in Sudbury this year and deserves a bump for improving his consistency.

Jani Nyman (135 to 81) – Seattle Kraken

Nyman emerged as one of the top goal scorers in Finland this season as a U20 player. This, combined with his strong WJC performance, has helped push him up our board north.

Logan Mailloux (145 to 45) – Montreal Canadiens

Mailloux proved to be way more refined at the AHL level than previously perceived. Simply put, he was one of the best defensive prospects in the AHL this year.

Josh Doan (153 to 55) - Utah

What a terrific story to the end of the Coyotes franchise. Doan emerged as a potential star this season and finished the year strong in the NHL, scoring in his debut.

Riley Heidt (157 to 44) – Minnesota Wild

We still don’t understand how Heidt fell as far as he did in the 2023 draft, however he is proving NHL scouts wrong thus far after a remarkable year with Prince George.

Ville Koivunen (165 to 71) – Pittsburgh Penguins

The main piece of the Jake Guentzel to Carolina deal, Koivunen emerged as one of the top players in Liiga this year.

Ethan Del Mastro (169 to 73) – Chicago Blackhawks

There was little doubt that Del Mastro’s strong defensive ability would translate to the AHL level well, but he continues to improve offensively and that has altered his projection.

Theo Lindstein (185 to 91) – St. Louis Blues

Lindstein’s strong year for Brynas has helped to elevate his upside as a two-way defender. We may have ranked him too low in our 2023 Draft Rankings.

Carson Rehkopf (201 to 69) – Seattle Kraken

Consistency off the puck and a lack of engagement held Rehkopf back last year. This year marked improvement in those areas helped him emerge as a top offensive talent in the OHL.

Easton Cowan (204 to 67) – Toronto Maple Leafs

One of the surprises of the 2023 draft, Cowan set a new OHL record with a 42-game point streak. More than just a high energy guy now, he can be a difference maker offensively.

Seamus Casey (214 to 63) – New Jersey Devils

Casey continues to improve in the NCAA. He may not have elite size, but he has everything else, and it has the Devils excited about his future.

Jacob Fowler (222 to 52) – Montreal Canadiens

Fowler compiled a list of accolades as a freshman this year at Boston College, emerging as one of the top goaltending prospects in the game.

Fraser Minten (226 to 84) – Toronto Maple Leafs

After starting the year with the Leafs, Minten returned to the WHL and ended up captaining Canada at the World Juniors.

Jackson Blake (277 to 117) – Carolina Hurricanes

A finalist for the Hobey Baker this year, Blake became an NCAA star for North Dakota, and he now turns pro.

Erik Portillo (Unranked to 118) – Los Angeles Kings

Acquired by the Kings, Portillo turned pro after three years at Michigan and he was one of the best goaltenders in the AHL as a first-year pro.

Rodwin Dionicio (Unranked to 139) – Anaheim Ducks

Dionicio still plays a high risk, high reward game from the back end, but his offensive upside has become too large to ignore.

Fallers

EDM - Xavier Bourgault

Xavier Bourgault (from 48 to 113) – Edmonton Oilers

After a mediocre first professional year last season, Bourgault was even more disappointing as a sophomore with Bakersfield. The Oilers just haven’t been developing prospects well in recent years.

Eduard Sale (72 to 140) – Seattle Kraken

Sale’s first year in North America did not go according to plan as he struggled to be a consistent impact player in the OHL.

Jack Rathbone (96 to not ranked) – Pittsburgh Penguins

Perhaps we ranked Rathbone too aggressively this summer, but not only did he fail to earn a spot on Vancouver, but he’s now an NHL after thought after entering Pittsburgh’s organization via trade.

Jacob Perreault (127 to not ranked) – Montreal Canadiens

Perreault’s off puck play and skating just haven’t improved to the point where he can be a consistent pro and it caused the Ducks to move on from him, trading him to Montreal.

Jan Jenik (156 to not ranked) - Utah

Once a highly ranked prospect, Jenik continues to fall. He just hasn’t been able to take that next step and even passed through waivers this year unclaimed.

RNK	PLAYER	NHL	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Will Smith	SJ	C	19	6-0/175	Boston College (HE)	41	25	46	71	14
2	Matvei Michkov	Phi	RW	19	5-10/170	SKA St. Petersburg-HK Sochi (KHL)	48	19	22	41	26
3	Brandt Clarke	LA	D	21	6-2/185	Los Angeles (NHL)	16	2	4	6	10
4	Cutter Gauthier	Ana	LW	20	6-2/190	Boston College (HE)	41	38	27	65	18
5	Logan Stankoven	Dal	C	21	5-8/170	Dallas (NHL)	24	6	8	14	4
6	Ryan Leonard	Wsh	RW	19	5-11/190	Boston College (HE)	41	31	29	60	38
7	Alexander Nikishin	Car	D	22	6-3/195	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	67	17	39	56	39
8	Yaroslav Askarov	Nsh	G	21	6-3/175	Milwaukee (AHL)	44	30	13	2.39	0.911
9	Jesper Wallstedt	Min	G	21	6-3/215	Iowa (AHL)	45	22	19	2.70	0.910
10	Matthew Savoie	Buf	C	20	5-9/179	Wen-MJ (WHL)	34	30	41	71	10
11	Simon Edvinsson	Det	D	21	6-6/215	Detroit (NHL)	16	1	1	2	4
12	Jonathan Lekkerimaki	Van	RW	19	5-11/170	Orebro (SHL)	46	19	12	31	10
13	Dustin Wolf	Cgy	G	23	6-0/166	Calgary (AHL)	36	20	12	2.45	0.922
14	Devon Levi	Buf	G	21	6-0/192	Rochester (AHL)	26	16	6	2.42	0.927
15	Olen Zellweger	Ana	D	20	5-9/180	Anaheim (NHL)	26	2	7	9	4
16	Dmitri Simashev	Ari	D	19	6-4/198	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	63	4	6	10	18
17	David Reinbacher	Mtl	D	19	6-2/185	Kloten (Sui-NL)	35	1	10	11	18
18	Conor Geekie	Ari	C	19	6-3/193	Wen-SC (WHL)	55	43	56	99	66
19	Gabe Perreault	NYR	RW	18	5-11/165	Boston College (HE)	36	19	41	60	29
20	Daniil But	Ari	LW	19	6-5/203	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	55	10	11	21	10
21	Shane Wright	Sea	C	20	6-0/200	Coachella Valley (AHL)	59	22	25	47	18
22	Jiri Kulich	Buf	C	20	6-1/186	Rochester (AHL)	57	27	18	45	26
23	Mavrik Bourque	Dal	C	22	5-10/190	Texas (AHL)	71	26	51	77	32
24	Nate Danielson	Det	C	19	6-2/185	Bdn-Por (WHL)	54	24	43	67	42
25	Danila Yurov	Min	RW	19	6-1/175	Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)	62	21	28	49	35
26	Brennan Othmann	NYR	LW	21	6-0/175	Hartford (AHL)	67	21	28	49	65
27	Lane Hutson	Mtl	D	20	5-10/160	Boston University (HE)	38	15	34	49	24
28	Tom Willander	Van	D	19	6-1/180	Boston University (HE)	38	4	21	25	12
29	Marco Kasper	Det	C	20	6-1/185	Grand Rapids (AHL)	71	14	21	35	30
30	Dalibor Dvorsky	StL	C	18	6-1/200	Sudbury (OHL)	52	45	43	88	17

2024 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: TOP 200 NHL PROSPECTS

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 25 May 2024 17:02:31 +0000

At McKeen’s Hockey we do a ranked affiliated prospect list twice a season. Our first is following the end of the regular season for most prospects but does not include the playoffs. It is a ranking of the top 200, plus the top 15 by team, prior to the NHL Draft. Once the NHL Draft is complete, we begin the process of updating the organizational ranking to a top 20, and then rank the top 300. That is completed in August, once the dust has settled on free agency, and any trades that are made in the meantime. We include that ranking in our McKeen’s NHL Yearbook, published in late August, Early September.

Check back in with us in the fall to see how things change following the draft.

Subscribers can link to the listing here

RNK	PLAYER	NHL	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Will Smith	SJ	C	19	6-0/175	Boston College (HE)	41	25	46	71	14
2	Matvei Michkov	Phi	RW	19	5-10/170	SKA St. Petersburg-HK Sochi (KHL)	48	19	22	41	26
3	Brandt Clarke	LA	D	21	6-2/185	Los Angeles (NHL)	16	2	4	6	10
4	Cutter Gauthier	Ana	LW	20	6-2/190	Boston College (HE)	41	38	27	65	18
5	Logan Stankoven	Dal	C	21	5-8/170	Dallas (NHL)	24	6	8	14	4
6	Ryan Leonard	Wsh	RW	19	5-11/190	Boston College (HE)	41	31	29	60	38
7	Alexander Nikishin	Car	D	22	6-3/195	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	67	17	39	56	39
8	Yaroslav Askarov	Nsh	G	21	6-3/175	Milwaukee (AHL)	44	30	13	2.39	0.911
9	Jesper Wallstedt	Min	G	21	6-3/215	Iowa (AHL)	45	22	19	2.70	0.910
10	Matthew Savoie	Buf	C	20	5-9/179	Wen-MJ (WHL)	34	30	41	71	10
11	Simon Edvinsson	Det	D	21	6-6/215	Detroit (NHL)	16	1	1	2	4
12	Jonathan Lekkerimaki	Van	RW	19	5-11/170	Orebro (SHL)	46	19	12	31	10
13	Dustin Wolf	Cgy	G	23	6-0/166	Calgary (AHL)	36	20	12	2.45	0.922
14	Devon Levi	Buf	G	21	6-0/192	Rochester (AHL)	26	16	6	2.42	0.927
15	Olen Zellweger	Ana	D	20	5-9/180	Anaheim (NHL)	26	2	7	9	4
16	Dmitri Simashev	Ari	D	19	6-4/198	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	63	4	6	10	18
17	David Reinbacher	Mtl	D	19	6-2/185	Kloten (Sui-NL)	35	1	10	11	18
18	Conor Geekie	Ari	C	19	6-3/193	Wen-SC (WHL)	55	43	56	99	66
19	Gabe Perreault	NYR	RW	18	5-11/165	Boston College (HE)	36	19	41	60	29
20	Daniil But	Ari	LW	19	6-5/203	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	55	10	11	21	10
21	Shane Wright	Sea	C	20	6-0/200	Coachella Valley (AHL)	59	22	25	47	18
22	Jiri Kulich	Buf	C	20	6-1/186	Rochester (AHL)	57	27	18	45	26
23	Mavrik Bourque	Dal	C	22	5-10/190	Texas (AHL)	71	26	51	77	32
24	Nate Danielson	Det	C	19	6-2/185	Bdn-Por (WHL)	54	24	43	67	42
25	Danila Yurov	Min	RW	19	6-1/175	Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)	62	21	28	49	35
26	Brennan Othmann	NYR	LW	21	6-0/175	Hartford (AHL)	67	21	28	49	65
27	Lane Hutson	Mtl	D	20	5-10/160	Boston University (HE)	38	15	34	49	24
28	Tom Willander	Van	D	19	6-1/180	Boston University (HE)	38	4	21	25	12
29	Marco Kasper	Det	C	20	6-1/185	Grand Rapids (AHL)	71	14	21	35	30
30	Dalibor Dvorsky	StL	C	18	6-1/200	Sudbury (OHL)	52	45	43	88	17
31	Brad Lambert	Wpg	C	20	6-0/180	Manitoba (AHL)	64	21	34	55	38
32	Ivan Miroshnichenko	Wsh	LW	20	6-1/185	Washington (NHL)	21	2	4	6	6
33	Axel Sandin Pellikka	Det	D	19	5-11/180	Skelleftea (SHL)	39	10	8	18	17
34	Bradly Nadeau	Car	LW	18	5-10/165	Maine (HE)	37	19	27	46	12
35	Joshua Roy	Mtl	RW	20	6-0/190	Montreal (NHL)	23	4	5	9	0
36	Denton Mateychuk	CBJ	D	19	5-11/190	Moose Jaw (WHL)	52	17	58	75	31
37	Brayden Yager	Pit	C	19	5-11/165	Moose Jaw (WHL)	57	35	60	95	20
38	Calum Ritchie	Col	C	19	6-2/185	Oshawa (OHL)	50	28	52	80	20
39	Joakim Kemell	Nsh	RW	20	5-10/185	Milwaukee (AHL)	67	16	25	41	23
40	Colby Barlow	Wpg	LW	19	6-0/195	Owen Sound (OHL)	50	40	18	58	27
41	Jimmy Snuggerud	StL	RW	19	6-1/185	Minnesota (B1G)	39	21	13	34	42
42	Matthew Coronato	Cgy	RW	21	5-10/183	Calgary (NHL)	34	3	6	9	4
43	Frank Nazar	Chi	C	20	5-10/180	Michigan (B1G)	41	17	24	41	18
44	Riley Heidt	Min	C	19	5-10/180	Prince George (WHL)	66	37	80	117	42
45	Logan Mailloux	Mtl	D	21	6-3/215	Laval (AHL)	72	14	33	47	91
46	Sebastian Cossa	Det	G	21	6-6/229	Grand Rapids (AHL)	40	22	9	2.41	0.913
47	Jagger Firkus	Sea	RW	20	5-10/155	Moose Jaw (WHL)	63	61	65	126	30
48	Mikhail Gulyayev	Col	D	19	5-11/170	Avangard Omsk (KHL)	64	4	8	12	8
49	Scott Morrow	Car	D	21	6-2/195	Massachusetts (HE)	37	6	24	30	25
50	Matthew Wood	Nsh	RW	19	6-3/195	Connecticut (HE)	35	16	12	28	43
51	Quentin Musty	SJ	LW	18	6-2/200	Sudbury (OHL)	53	43	59	102	72
52	Jacob Fowler	Mtl	G	19	6-1/215	Boston College (HE)	39	32	6	2.14	0.926
53	Fabian Lysell	Bos	RW	21	5-11/181	Providence (AHL)	56	15	35	50	37
54	Shakir Mukhamadullin	SJ	D	22	6-3/180	San Jose (AHL)	55	7	27	34	24
55	Josh Doan	Ari	RW	22	6-1/183	Arizona (NHL)	11	5	4	9	0
56	Thomas Bordeleau	SJ	C	22	5-9/180	San Jose (NHL)	27	6	5	11	18
57	Lian Bichsel	Dal	D	19	6-6/233	Rogle (SHL)	29	2	2	4	28
58	Nikolai Kovalenko	Col	RW	24	5-10/180	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	42	11	24	35	30
59	Aatu Raty	Van	C	21	6-2/185	Abbotsford (AHL)	72	18	34	52	18
60	Oliver Moore	Chi	C	19	5-11/185	Minnesota (B1G)	39	9	24	33	8
61	Samuel Honzek	Cgy	LW	19	6-4/186	Vancouver (WHL)	33	10	21	31	18
62	Jakob Pelletier	Cgy	LW	23	5-9/170	Calgary (NHL)	13	1	2	3	2
63	Seamus Casey	NJ	D	20	5-9/165	Michigan (B1G)	40	7	38	45	14
64	Tristan Luneau	Ana	D	20	6-1/195	Anaheim (NHL)	7	1	2	3	4
65	Chaz Lucius	Wpg	C	20	6-1/185	Manitoba (AHL)	17	2	11	13	6
66	Gavin Brindley	CBJ	C	19	5-9/165	Michigan (B1G)	40	25	28	53	28
67	Easton Cowan	Tor	RW	18	5-10/170	London (OHL)	54	34	62	96	64
68	Zachary L'Heureux	Nsh	LW	20	5-11/195	Milwaukee (AHL)	66	19	29	48	197
69	Carson Rehkopf	Sea	LW	19	6-1/195	Kitchener (OHL)	60	52	43	95	45
70	Filip Bystedt	SJ	C	20	6-4/205	Linkopings (SHL)	47	8	9	17	2
71	Ville Koivunen	Pit	LW	20	6-0/175	Karpat (Fin-Liiga)	59	22	34	56	26
72	Noah Ostlund	Buf	C	20	5-11/163	Vaxjo Lakers (SHL)	38	12	11	23	4
73	Ethan Del Mastro	Chi	D	21	6-4/210	Rockford (AHL)	69	7	30	37	54
74	Lukas Cormier	VGK	D	22	5-10/180	Henderson (AHL)	58	4	16	20	33
75	Liam Ohgren	Min	LW	20	6-1/200	Farjestads (SHL)	26	12	7	19	12
76	Marat Khusnutdinov	Min	C	21	5-11/175	Minnesota (NHL)	16	1	3	4	6
77	Mackie Samoskevich	Fla	RW	21	5-11/190	Charlotte (AHL)	62	22	32	54	24
78	Stanislav Svozil	CBJ	D	21	6-1/180	Cleveland (AHL)	57	5	18	23	24
79	Zachary Bolduc	StL	LW	21	6-1/175	St. Louis (NHL)	25	5	4	9	6
80	Rutger McGroarty	Wpg	LW	20	6-1/200	Michigan (B1G)	36	16	36	52	6
81	Jani Nyman	Sea	RW	19	6-3/215	Ilves (Fin-Liiga)	48	26	17	43	2
82	Andrew Cristall	Wsh	LW	19	5-9/165	Kelowna (WHL)	62	40	71	111	46
83	Oliver Bonk	Phi	D	19	6-2/175	London (OHL)	60	24	43	67	32
84	Fraser Minten	Tor	C	19	6-1/185	Kam-Sas (WHL)	43	22	26	48	25
85	Tanner Molendyk	Nsh	D	19	5-11/185	Saskatoon (WHL)	50	10	46	56	18
86	David Goyette	Sea	C	20	5-10/175	Sudbury (OHL)	68	40	77	117	29
87	David Edstrom	SJ	C	19	6-3/185	Frolunda (SHL)	44	7	12	19	8
88	Anton Wahlberg	Buf	C	18	6-3/194	Malmo (SHL)	43	5	5	10	4
89	Emil Andrae	Phi	D	22	5-9/185	Lehigh Valley (AHL)	61	5	27	32	66
90	Trey Augustine	Det	G	19	6-1/185	Michigan State (B1G)	35	23	9	2.96	0.915
91	Theo Lindstein	StL	D	19	6-0/180	Brynas (HockeyAllsvenskan)	49	4	11	15	4
92	Mads Sogaard	Ott	G	23	6-7/195	Belleville (AHL)	32	18	9	2.45	0.916
93	Isak Rosen	Buf	RW	21	6-0/175	Rochester (AHL)	67	20	30	50	12
94	Maveric Lamoureux	Ari	D	20	6-7/214	Drummondville (QMJHL)	39	9	24	33	53
95	Drew Commesso	Chi	G	21	6-2/180	Rockford (AHL)	38	18	16	2.65	0.906
96	Ville Heinola	Wpg	D	23	6-0/180	Manitoba (AHL)	41	10	17	27	24
97	Carter Mazur	Det	LW	22	6-0/170	Grand Rapids (AHL)	60	17	20	37	48
98	Otto Stenberg	StL	C	18	5-11/180	Frolunda (SHL)	31	3	3	6	8
99	Egor Afanasyev	Nsh	LW	23	6-3/205	Milwaukee (AHL)	56	27	27	54	60
100	Nikita Chibrikov	Wpg	RW	21	5-10/170	Manitoba (AHL)	70	17	30	47	53
101	Zach Dean	StL	C	21	6-0/175	Springfield (AHL)	49	9	5	14	24
102	William Dufour	NYI	RW	22	6-2/195	Bridgeport (AHL)	55	15	10	25	35
103	Sam Rinzel	Chi	D	19	6-4/180	Minnesota (B1G)	39	2	26	28	20
104	Joel Blomqvist	Pit	G	22	6-2/185	Wilkes-Barre (AHL)	45	25	12	2.16	0.921
105	Arseni Gritsyuk	NJ	RW	23	5-10/170	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	50	19	19	38	8
106	Corson Ceulemans	CBJ	D	20	6-2/200	Cleveland (AHL)	47	3	9	12	12
107	Michael Hrabal	Ari	G	19	6-6/209	Massachusetts (HE)	30	16	12	2.59	0.912
108	Brendan Brisson	VGK	C	22	5-11/180	Vegas (NHL)	15	2	6	8	2
109	Owen Pickering	Pit	D	20	6-4/180	Swift Current (WHL)	59	7	39	46	35
110	Owen Beck	Mtl	C	20	5-11/185	Pbo-Sag (OHL)	57	34	47	81	18
111	William Wallinder	Det	D	21	6-4/190	Grand Rapids (AHL)	65	3	12	15	10
112	Xavier Bourgault	Edm	C	21	6-0/170	Bakersfield (AHL)	55	8	12	20	24
113	Jordan Dumais	CBJ	RW	20	5-8/165	Halifax (QMJHL)	21	16	31	47	6
114	Aleksi Heimosalmi	Car	D	20	5-11/170	Assat (Fin-Liiga)	47	2	14	16	12
115	Brandon Bussi	Bos	G	25	6-4/218	Providence (AHL)	41	23	10	2.67	0.913
116	Jackson Blake	Car	RW	20	5-10/160	North Dakota (NCHC)	40	22	38	60	26
117	Erik Portillo	LA	G	23	6-6/210	Ontario (AHL)	39	24	11	2.50	0.918
118	Sean Farrell	Mtl	C	22	5-8/175	Laval (AHL)	47	9	19	28	10
119	Kasper Halttunen	SJ	RW	18	6-3/205	London (OHL)	57	32	29	61	61
120	Topi Niemela	Tor	D	22	5-11/165	Toronto (AHL)	68	8	31	39	43
121	Ethan Gauthier	TB	RW	19	5-11/175	Drummondville (QMJHL)	64	36	35	71	42
122	Daniil Miromanov	Cgy	D	26	6-4/200	VGK-Cgy (NHL)	24	3	4	7	8
123	Ruslan Iskhakov	NYI	C	23	5-8/155	Bridgeport (AHL)	69	18	32	50	30
124	Shai Buium	Det	D	21	6-3/210	Denver (NCHC)	43	7	29	36	14
125	Jakub Dobes	Mtl	G	22	6-3/200	Laval (AHL)	51	24	18	2.93	0.906
126	Oliver Kapanen	Mtl	C	20	6-0/170	KalPa (Fin-Liiga)	51	14	20	34	32
127	Danny Nelson	NYI	C	18	6-3/200	Notre Dame (B1G)	30	9	14	23	32
128	Lenni Hameenaho	NJ	RW	19	6-0/175	Assat (Fin-Liiga)	46	14	17	31	10
129	Nick Lardis	Chi	LW	18	5-11/165	Brantford (OHL)	37	29	21	50	12
130	Ty Nelson	Sea	D	20	5-10/195	North Bay (OHL)	54	16	36	52	50
131	Isaac Howard	TB	LW	20	5-10/185	Michigan State (B1G)	36	8	28	36	10
132	Fyodor Svechkov	Nsh	C	21	6-0/185	Milwaukee (AHL)	57	16	23	39	18
133	Jeremie Poirier	Cgy	D	21	6-1/196	Calgary (AHL)	23	3	10	13	22
134	Reid Schaefer	Nsh	LW	20	6-3/215	Milwaukee (AHL)	63	7	14	21	39
135	Zack Ostapchuk	Ott	C	20	6-3/205	Belleville (AHL)	69	17	11	28	47
136	Nathan Gaucher	Ana	C	20	6-3/207	San Diego (AHL)	72	10	15	25	68
137	Rodwin Dionicio	Ana	D	20	6-2/207	Wsr-Sag (OHL)	60	25	48	73	108
138	Eduard Sale	Sea	LW	19	6-1/170	Bar-Kit (OHL)	49	15	23	38	8
139	Danil Gushchin	SJ	RW	22	5-8/165	San Jose (AHL)	56	20	34	54	24
140	Sean Behrens	Col	D	21	5-10/175	Denver (NCHC)	44	4	27	31	53
141	Christian Kyrou	Dal	D	20	5-10/170	Texas (AHL)	57	8	15	23	22
142	Niklas Kokko	Sea	G	20	6-3/185	Pelicans (Fin-Liiga)	13	9	0	1.49	0.926
143	Vasily Ponomarev	Pit	C	22	5-10/180	Tuc-Chi-WBS (AHL)	45	9	21	30	16
144	Ryan Winterton	Sea	RW	20	6-2/190	Coachella Valley (AHL)	58	22	13	35	23
145	Dmitri Buchelnikov	Det	LW	20	5-10/165	Admiral Vladivostok (KHL)	55	13	16	29	8
146	Oscar Fisker Molgaard	Sea	C	19	6-0/165	HV 71 (SHL)	50	9	12	21	6
147	Aku Raty	Ari	RW	22	6-1/190	Tucson (AHL)	55	15	29	44	22
148	Matyas Sapovaliv	VGK	C	20	6-3/180	Saginaw (OHL)	54	19	43	62	22
149	Georgii Merkulov	Bos	C	23	5-11/175	Providence (AHL)	67	30	35	65	20
150	Topias Vilen	NJ	D	21	6-1/195	Utica (AHL)	54	2	27	29	16
151	Ryan Chesley	Wsh	D	20	6-0/200	Minnesota (B1G)	39	2	6	8	19
152	Jayden Perron	Car	RW	19	5-9/165	North Dakota (NCHC)	39	11	7	18	8
153	Tristen Robins	SJ	C	22	5-10/175	San Jose (AHL)	42	7	11	18	12
154	Calle Odelius	NYI	D	19	6-0/190	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	10	0	4	4	2
155	Vincent Iorio	Wsh	D	21	6-2/190	Hershey (AHL)	60	4	10	14	30
156	Raphael Lavoie	Edm	RW	23	6-4/215	Bakersfield (AHL)	66	28	22	50	64
157	Ronnie Attard	Phi	D	25	6-3/210	Lehigh Valley (AHL)	48	10	17	27	37
158	Niko Huuhtanen	TB	RW	20	6-2/205	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	52	19	27	46	46
159	Carson Bjarnason	Phi	G	18	6-3/185	Brandon (WHL)	46	24	17	3.01	0.907
160	Lukas Dragicevic	Sea	D	19	6-1/190	Tri-City (WHL)	66	14	36	50	52
161	Leevi Merilainen	Ott	G	21	6-2/160	Belleville (AHL)	24	10	9	2.87	0.906
162	Tyler Kleven	Ott	D	22	6-4/200	Belleville (AHL)	53	5	16	21	51
163	Hunter Brzustewicz	Cgy	D	19	5-11/185	Kitchener (OHL)	67	13	79	92	24
164	Ryan Greene	Chi	C	20	6-1/180	Boston University (HE)	40	12	24	36	6
165	Damian Clara	Ana	G	19	6-6/214	Brynas (HockeyAllsvenskan)	34	25	8	2.23	0.913
166	Carson Lambos	Min	D	21	6-1/200	Iowa (AHL)	69	4	10	14	64
167	Denver Barkey	Phi	C	19	5-8/160	London (OHL)	64	35	67	102	28
168	Gage Goncalves	TB	C	23	6-1/170	Syracuse (AHL)	69	13	45	58	43
169	Arshdeep Bains	Van	LW	23	6-0/185	Abbotsford (AHL)	59	16	39	55	28
170	Bogdan Konyushkov	Mtl	D	21	5-11/175	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	65	6	22	28	18
171	Alexei Kolosov	Phi	G	22	6-1/185	Dinamo Minsk (KHL)	47	22	21	2.39	0.907
172	Samuel Fagemo	LA	RW	24	6-0/195	Ontario (AHL)	50	43	19	62	26
173	Filip Mesar	Mtl	C	20	5-9/175	Kitchener (OHL)	45	19	33	52	12
174	Matthew Robertson	NYR	D	23	6-3/200	Hartford (AHL)	68	4	17	21	49
175	Adam Engstrom	Mtl	D	20	6-2/185	Rogle (SHL)	51	4	18	22	4
176	Michael Buchinger	StL	D	20	5-11/185	Guelph (OHL)	52	10	37	47	37
177	Semyon Chistyakov	Nsh	D	22	5-11/180	Avangard Omsk (KHL)	59	4	20	24	16
178	John Farinacci	Bos	C	23	5-11/197	Providence (AHL)	71	12	26	38	16
179	Angus Crookshank	Ott	LW	24	5-10/180	Belleville (AHL)	50	24	22	46	60
180	Yegor Sidorov	Ana	RW	19	6-0/180	Saskatoon (WHL)	66	50	38	88	66
181	Samu Tuomaala	Phi	RW	21	5-10/175	Lehigh Valley (AHL)	69	15	28	43	12
182	Logan Morrison	Sea	C	21	6-0/180	Coachella Valley (AHL)	64	16	25	41	4
183	Jean-Luc Foudy	Col	C	21	5-11/175	Colorado (AHL)	26	4	10	14	18
184	Adam Gajan	Chi	G	19	6-3/167	Green Bay (USHL)	43	23	12	3.35	0.893
185	Nolan Allan	Chi	D	21	6-2/195	Rockford (AHL)	60	5	12	17	47
186	Oskar Olausson	Col	RW	21	6-1/180	Colorado (AHL)	39	11	9	20	24
187	Samuel Poulin	Pit	C	23	6-1/205	Wilkes-Barre (AHL)	41	16	15	31	35
188	Brett Berard	NYR	LW	21	5-9/165	Hartford (AHL)	71	25	23	48	62
189	Colton Dach	Chi	C	21	6-4/205	Rockford (AHL)	48	11	15	26	39
190	Jack Thompson	SJ	D	22	6-0/180	Syr-SJ (AHL)	62	6	35	41	16
191	Riley Kidney	Mtl	C	21	5-11/170	Laval (AHL)	65	7	13	20	41
192	Roby Jarventie	Ott	RW	21	6-3/195	Belleville (AHL)	22	9	11	20	22
193	Carey Terrance	Ana	C	18	6-1/175	Erie (OHL)	56	29	23	52	25
194	Luca Del Bel Belluz	CBJ	C	20	6-1/185	Cleveland (AHL)	58	9	22	31	12
195	Luca Pinelli	CBJ	C	19	5-9/165	Ottawa (OHL)	68	48	34	82	44
196	Francesco Pinelli	LA	C	21	6-1/185	Ontario (AHL)	67	13	7	20	24
197	Elias Salomonsson	Wpg	D	19	6-1/185	Skelleftea (SHL)	31	2	9	11	58
198	Sam Colangelo	Ana	RW	21	6-2/205	Western Michigan (NCHC)	38	24	19	43	23
199	Sasha Pastujov	Ana	RW	20	6-0/185	San Diego (AHL)	46	10	13	23	14
200	Andrew Gibson	Det	D	19	6-3/195	Saul St. Marie (OHL)	68	12	32	44	58

PROSPECTS: BELL – 20 Prospect Points – Gauthier, Firkus, Connelly, Hage and More

Josh Bell — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 13:54:58 +0000

BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 06: Boston College Eagles forward Cutter Gauthier (19) skates with the puck during a Dunkin' Beanpot semifinal game between the Boston College Eagles and the Harvard Crimson on February 6, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire)

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

This edition dives into the biggest news in the prospect world as of late, Cutter Gauthier’s trade to the Anaheim Ducks, as well as the return of Canadians from the World Juniors, some standout netminders in the AHL, the impressive rise of Trevor Connelly, and much more.

Drafted Prospects

#1 Unless you’ve been living under a rock, the biggest recent prospect news is Cutter Gauthier being traded to the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Jamie Drysdale. Reports have revealed that he didn’t want to sign with the Philadelphia Flyers, sparking the move. Gauthier joins a very exciting, young group in California with Trevor Zegras, Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Olen Zellweger, and Pavel Mintuykov. The future is looking extremely bright.

#2 Drafted 19th overall back in 2016 by the New York Islanders, it’s been a long, tough road for Kieffer Bellows. But could he finally be putting it all together? He joined the Toronto Marlies on a PTO and impressed with 27 points (15 goals, 12 assists) in 26 games. Now, he’s signed to an AHL deal with the team. Could the NHL be next? This is very much a story to keep an eye on.

#3 It seems that Seattle Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus took exception to not making the Team Canada World Juniors roster right out of the gate (he was added for two games filling in for injury). Back in the WHL with the Moose Jaw Warriors, he’s been absolutely on fire, with 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in just four games. He’s up to 75 points (!) in 36 games with no signs of slowing down.

#4 Another Warrior and Team Canada returnee, Buffalo Sabres’ prospect Matt Savoie returned to the WHL to make his debut for Moose Jaw. You could say it went well, with Savoie racking up five points (two goals, three assists) after only collecting one assist throughout the World Juniors. Savoie is playing at a 2.42 point-per-game pace this season through just 12 games.

#5 Some disappointing news for Halifax Mooseheads superstar and Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Jordan Dumais, who will be out for some extended time due to requiring double hip surgery and a sports hernia repair. It’s expected that he’ll miss about six weeks, which could put him back on the ice at the end of the regular season.

#6 Alright, one more Team Canada returnee to talk about - Oliver Bonk. It seems to be a pattern that some of these Canadians have returned to their regular teams with a chip on their shoulder after failing to medal at the World Juniors. The Flyers prospect has returned to the OHL’s London Knights and has been on absolute fire. The defender has put up 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in just five games back - his most productive stretch this season. Keep an eye on him moving forward.

#7 Once thought to be in the conversion for the top pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, the Winnipeg Jets’ called Brad Lambert’s name 30th overall. Making the jump to the AHL this season - the Jets absolutely made the right call and potentially got a steal in the young Finn. Lambert was named to the AHL All-Star Classic to represent the Manitoba Moose, after collecting 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) in 29 games. He may have slid down the draft board, but Lambert is proving to be the skilled player that many thought he could be.

#8 On to the goalies! One of the best goaltending prospects in the world, Nashville Predators’ prospect Yaroslav Askarov has been tremendous in the AHL for the Milwaukee Admirals, earning a call-up to the Preds where he was perfect in relief for 16:40 and then started a game, earning his first NHL win thanks to a .923 save percentage. It seems to have boosted his confidence in returning to the Admirals, where he’s won four straight including three shutouts. Get ready Preds’ fans - he’s coming.

#9 Speaking of excellent goaltending prospects, Minnesota Wild rearguard Jesper Wallstedt earned his first call-up and start in the NHL, granted he let in seven goals in a 7-2 loss to the Dallas Stars. He’s had a tough stretch in the AHL lately, but he still has impressive numbers through 20 games with a .917 save percentage. It won’t be long before he gets the promotion again.

#10 Askarov, Wallstedt… Damian Clara? The Italian netminder and Anaheim Ducks prospect has been tremendous in his first full season in the HockeyAllsvenskan for Brynas IF, going 15-3-0 and sporting a .907 save percentage. The 19-year-old is on a seven-game winning streak, including one shutout. The goaltender is an under-the-radar prospect despite being drafted 60th overall. Keep an eye on him.

Draft-Eligible Prospects

#11 One of the hottest draft-eligible prospects out there right now, Trevor Connelly seemingly can’t be stopped. After helping Team USA to a World Junior A Challenge bronze medal last month (and being named to the All-Star Team thanks to his 11 points in six games), he’s returned to the USHL’s Tri-City Storm on fire with nine points (three goals, six assists) in five games. He’s a player on the rise at the mid-point of the year.

#12 Speaking of prospects that are exploding right now, Zayne Parekh may need a permanent place on this list. The OHL’s Saginaw Spirit defender is seemingly unstoppable right now, on pace for the second-best OHL season for a draft-year eligible prospect all time. At this point, he’s a must-watch prospect and is almost sure to stand out in every game.

#13 Over in the WHL, a prospect that hasn’t been earning the discussion that he perhaps deserves, Clarke Caswell has been commanding attention as of late with points in nine of his last 10 games and is up to 47 points (12 goals, 35 assists) in 41 points. If you’re looking for prospects to watch in the back half of the season, be sure to check out Caswell.

#14 While he started off fairly slow (due to limited minutes in the KHL), Ivan Demidov is very much here. Now playing consistent minutes in the MHL with SKA-1946 St. Petersburg, he’s producing at an impressive rate. He has 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in his last nine games, playing over two points per game. Crazy what can happen if a player actually plays!

#15 Ondrej Becher was a standout performer at the World Juniors for Team Czechia, en route to a bronze medal for his team. He was instrumental in that bronze medal game, putting up five points (three goals, two assists) in the exciting final game. This should come as no surprise though given his season with the Prince George Cougars, as the Czech prospect has been excellent with 48 points (17 goals, 31 assists) in 32 games.

#16 Another WHL prospect who has been excellent this season is Medicine Hat Tigers’ Cayden Lindstrom. Unfortunately, he’ll be on the sideline for four to six weeks following surgery for an upper-body injury. Lindstrom has 46 points (27 goals, 19 assists) in 32 games and should be back to the WHL playoffs and potentially the World Under 18 Championships. Don’t expect his draft stock to be hit because of this.

#17 Konsta Helenius didn’t have a great World Juniors tournament production-wise with just two points through seven games, but he’s now back in the Liiga with Jukurit and back to putting up the points with two assists in two games (ok, the two assists came in one game). While he wasn’t a standout at the World Juniors, his draft stock remains high and being the youngest player on Team Finland, the tournament shouldn’t impact his ranking.

#18 Another prospect that should have a regular spot on this list, Macklin Celebrini has returned to Boston University on a mission with four points through his two games back. He was arguably Canada’s top forward at the World Juniors, with eight points in five games, and has continued that production back in the NCAA. His No. 1 overall ranking remains extremely firm.

#19 Michael Hage is a prospect that is very much under the radar in this draft class. The 17-year-old is currently leading the USHL’s Chicago Steel in points with 31 (14 goals, 17 assists) in 28 games and was strong in the All-American Game. He’s a player who’s on the cusp of the first round in many public rankings but should be a solid first-rounder by the time the draft rolls around.

#20 We’re looking way out with this one. Gavin McKenna, eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft and the cousin of Connor Bedard, is absolutely dominating the WHL as a 16-year-old. His 1.40 points-per-game ranks sixth all-time for a U17 player in the league, with half of the season still to go. He’s up to 49 points (16 goals, 33 assists) in 35 games and shows no signs of slowing down. It’s a long road to the 2026 NHL Draft, but it’s worth starting to follow the path of this young player.

AHL: Early Standout Forward Rookies – Joshua Roy, Logan Stankoven, Brad Lambert, John Farinacci with video analysis

Jared Brown — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 13:51:34 +0000

BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 29: Boston Bruins center John Farinacci (32) on the penalty kill during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Philadelphia Flyers on September 29, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Joshua Roy - Forward - Laval Rocket - Montreal 2021 5th round, 150th overall

2003-08-06

Hey, sometimes you miss on predictions! Roy was not on my “Preliminary Top 10 AHL Rookies” heading into the season, instead naming his Laval teammate Sean Farrell as my top rookie to watch. I didn’t feel confident that Roy’s pace and skating were at a level high enough to adjust to the pace of the AHL right away. However, his skating has not appeared to be an issue at all and even though he still skates with that upright stance, his stride power seems to have increased over the summer. He’s off to a fantastic start for Laval thanks to his dual-threat offensive tools although has been in a slump recently.

Roy recorded 12 points in his first six pro games which included a hat trick and five-point night on Oct. 20th. Impressively, eleven of his twelve points have been primary points (six primary assists). He also sits second amongst rookies in shots. Laval’s powerplay has only been clicking at 13.2% (they lead the league in powerplay opportunities), however, Roy has asserted himself as a key piece on the man advantage where he sets up on his offside in the right-hand faceoff circle. He’s shown no fear in being the triggerman for the Rocket and has been utilizing his swift half-wind-up one-timer to pepper pucks on the net. His shot is a weapon, but he also possesses some nifty quick mitts to beat goalies in tight 1-on-1 which you’ll see in the video clips below.

What I’ve found most impressive so far is how quickly he’s making plays in the offensive zone and his puck handling. His hands are terrific. When you combine his quick silky-smooth hands and terrific vision, you get a player who can adapt while under pressure and quickly recognize openings in the defensive coverage to take advantage of. His puck control and stickhandling mechanics are at an above-average level where he can attack East/West to get himself in between the dots. Having intelligence with and without the puck is a key trait NHL players need to have if they want to stick and last in the show and it would appear that Roy has the offensive hockey IQ to succeed. He’s very adept with his off-puck movements in the attacking end to make himself available for his teammates.

One main area I’ve noticed that Roy needs to work on is his puck management and decision-making along the boards in the defensive zone. As he’s getting pressured, he can occasionally make soft plays on the puck that opposing defencemen can easily read and keep pucks in at the line. Roy also could take better routes on the forecheck and be more assertive in his puck pursuits to be a more effective checker. He’s got the offensive skills to produce but he has struggled to make an impact without the puck to start his pro career.

Into The Archives!

*Number 10 in all the clips*

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-1-Shooting-Passing-Threat-Example-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

This is where Roy has looked most dangerous in the AHL this season. In this clip, he shows his awareness shifting into the passing lane before connecting with that half-wind-up one-timer (looks like he hits his teammate in front, or else he gets a goal here). When he gets the puck back, he doesn’t stay on the wall. Instead, loads the puck as if he’s going to shoot which drags the defender to him, opening up the downlow pass to create this tally for Laval.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-2-J.-Roy-1st-AHL-Goal.mp4

Here’s Roy’s first AHL goal and although it most definitely is a shot the goalie should’ve saved, it’s the lead-up before the goal that impressed me. You’ll see as he picks up the puck, he throws a little body fake that he’s going downlow but instead goes up to the blueline. He then recognizes his defenceman pinching through the middle, hits him with a pass, and continues to slide through the vacated space that the defenceman left for Roy. Unfortunately, the clip has a bit of a skip, but it looks like Roy dances around his man before taking the shot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-3-Slick-Puck-Handling-through-the-Middle-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

Watch how he avoids multiple stick checks with those quick handles. He’s got to worry about the defender in front of him and the forward checking him from behind. Roy opened up the space for his teammate to get behind the Rochester defence en route to this goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-4-B2B-Goals-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

This is a good look at Roy’s skill 1on1 with the goalie. Maybe don’t allow him to be all alone against the goalie in quick succession.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-5-Fake-Shot-Pass-Assist-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

Sells the shot which freezes the goaltender before sliding the pass over. Excellent shot-threat mechanics loading the puck up on his hip.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-6-Weak-Play-Along-The-Boards-in-DZ-and-Poor-Breakout-Positioning-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

This is an example of where Roy needs to improve. This is a habit of his in the defensive zone. He tends to make lazy plays on the puck. In this scenario, he needs to make a smarter play like bumping the puck back to his open defenceman. Also, he didn’t help his defenceman out on the breakout with his positioning at the end of the clip.

Logan Stankoven - Texas Stars - Dallas 2021 2nd round, 47th overall

2003-02-26

I think it’s fair to say that Stankoven has earned the trust of his coaching staff considering he averages the second most ice time amongst Stars forwards with 18:06 according to InStat. He’s been held off the scoresheet only twice in his first ten games to start his pro career. He leads AHL rookies in goals (6) and points (14) in 10 games. Logan has to be close in the pecking order as a call-up for the Stars but there are a few areas of his game he still needs to develop to be a full-time NHLer.

A key area for Stankoven to work on which will be pivotal once he eventually makes the jump to the NHL is managing the puck better in the offensive zone at times and being a bit more patient. Due to how quick his instincts are, he can be prone to turning pucks over with his quick one-touch passes. He needs to find that fine line between attempting those high-danger passes and when he should hang onto the puck and make a safer play to sustain possession. He’s got plus-level edges that I would like to see him utilize to shake off pressure more when along the boards. I wonder if he has some fear of hanging onto the puck for too long considering his size, and although he’s a stocky, athletic player, he has struggled against contact in the dirty areas.

That being said, there’s no denying that there have been a ton of positives from his play as a first-year AHLer coming out of the CHL. He’s a dual-threat shooter and passer. As an offensive winger, Stankoven often displays his quick hands in small spaces. His hand-eye coordination is excellent as he possesses the soft touch and soft hands with the puck. He can make those short 5-10ft passes underneath sticks or through feet to move the puck out of tight situations. He’s a great puck facilitator who can dish pucks off his backhand accurately. Stankoven is an above-average playmaker when you combine his quick agility, fast twitch hands, and heads-up awareness. I think he’s going to be an even more lethal playmaker once he starts to show more patience and adds a delay game to his passing skillset.

On top of having an above-average playmakers toolkit, he also has that lightning-quick release on his snap shots that can quickly beat a goalie if they aren’t set yet. If he receives the puck in between the dots, you can bet your money that the puck is getting whistled off his stick instantly. He’s got real big upside as a 20-goal scorer in the NHL with the power and speed of his shot. He’s shown to be versatile on the powerplay for Texas thus far, being able to play the bumper position or the half wall on his offside.

Into The Archives!

*Number 11 in all the clips*

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-1-L.-Stankoven-Hits-Post-Then-Scores-1st-AHL-Goal-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

Logan was known for his quick release in the WHL and in this clip he showcases it. Right off the draw, he slings the puck off the post before later receiving the puck in the bumper position, pounding the puck home with authority for his first AHL goal.

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This release on the breakaway is so deceptive and so good. Stankoven gets his hands away from his body which helps activate the flex of his stick, making it seem like he’s looking to raise the puck (also shooting five hole from the hashmarks on a breakaway is a savvy move that I love).

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This is just an overall clip of what Stankoven can do. First, he delivers a perfect saucer pass onto the tape for a breakaway chance. Then he swoops in, steals the puck, and makes a nice feed under the stick to set up another scoring chance. Finally, he smartly positions himself away from the pile to be open for a tap-in to score.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-4-Stankovens-Playmaking-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

Here’s an example of Stankoven’s puck facilitation ability. He helps create the first chance with a quick bump pass off his backhand along the boards. Then, he delivers a perfect rink-wide pass to set up the powerplay goal.

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Plays like these have been a slight issue for Stankoven so far this season. You can see his vision here but a couple of missed passes on these rush attempts would have a coach probably unhappy. If the pass is too hard to make, maybe a shot for a rebound with your teammate going to the net is the better play here.

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I’d love to see more of this from Stankoven. A big strength in his game is his edgework and shiftiness. He’s been getting swallowed up a little too frequently on the cycle but if he can use those edges to create space for himself in the corners and along the wall, he’ll become more reliable playing a cycle game.

Brad Lambert - Manitoba Moose - Winnipeg 2022 1st round, 30th overall

2003-12-19

Lambert got a taste of the AHL last year playing 14 games before heading off to represent Finland at the World Juniors and then being assigned to the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL in December of 2022. This was definitely the right call for his development. After putting up three points in his first four games, he then went pointless in his next 10 and was a -11! He has definitely looked more comfortable this year thus far and is playing in the middle of the ice instead of along the wing like he did last year.

There is no question what Lambert's greatest asset is. He’s a gifted skater who can turn defenders around with his linear crossover acceleration and can swiftly shift away from a defender with his cutbacks. He’s got an explosive top gear carrying the puck through the neutral zone to operate as a fast north/south attacker. He handles the puck smoothly in full flight, possessing that deadly combination of speed and skill. I think he’s a better shooter than playmaker. The ceiling is very high for Lambert. He can drive the transition and has the ability to dominate shifts, as long as he keeps his feet moving. Creating space is much harder to do at the pro level but I think Lambert has looked effective in his space generation both off the rush and in the offensive zone.

I like to use the term “Individual Skillset” when describing a player like Lambert. What I mean is, he’s got all the tools to be a play driver. Now, these types of players can be prone to hanging onto pucks for too long or trying to be too cute (Lambert definitely can fit into this narrative), but they’re able to control the pace of play, open the ice up for either himself or teammates, and drive possession shifts. Lambert is an expert at creating space either linearly or laterally and he also can do that with or without the puck. The trick for him has been to be consistent, which I think he’s done slightly a better job with this time around in Manitoba.

He doesn’t quite have that “man-strength” yet and an issue he’s had is not being able to protect the puck using his body along the boards. Lambert relies on his puck handling and skating to protect the puck (something he’s very good with) but a lack of strength has been noticeable in battles. He’s also probably not going to be a checking forward in the NHL. Defensively he’s just okay and he very rarely comes away with takeaways either on the forecheck or in the defensive zone. He has the skill, but he needs to develop his off-puck game to be more impactful as he won’t be able to dominate every night through skill and speed alone in the NHL. I see a forward with his kind of speed and think he could be a very threatening forechecker if he chooses to be.

Into The Archives!

*Number 13 in all the clips*

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-1-B.-Lamberts-Skating-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

For those who don’t know how gifted of a skater Lambert is, here you go.

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Here are some of the good and bad with Lambert. I like his support down the dot lane for the breakout, accelerating to gain entry into Calgary’s end. However, he kills the play as he hits the corner and can’t steal the puck back. This was at the 50-second mark of his shift too.

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Two clips from the same game. Lambert tends to fly the zone if he isn’t the low-supporting forward. This is a reason for him being better suited as a winger than a centre. Look at how much room he creates through the neutral zone in both clips. His transitional skillset with or without the puck is at a high level.

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Lambert makes a good read to jump behind the defence at the start of the clip and finishes with a crafty chip shot going the other way as he’s getting his feet taken out.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-5-Creating-Space-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

Here we go, creating space with his feet. The puck is on a string for him in this clip and he creates a scoring chance.

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Again, Lambert creating space and displaying good offensive awareness. He’s looking to make a pass after coming out of the board battle (#6 should’ve activated), but he doesn’t force a play, creates some space coming out from below the goal line, recognizes he’s got a screen in front, and throws the puck on net.

John Farinacci - Providence Bruins - Arizona 2019 3rd round, 76th overall (Signed with Boston in August 2023)

2001-02-14

The Boston Bruins organization has potentially found two NHL-caliber players out of the second round of the NHL Draft in Mason Lohrei and Matthew Poitras. Although they didn’t draft John Farinacci, whoever made the call to sign him deserves some recognition as I believe they have another future NHL-caliber player here in Farinacci.

While Farinacci is a completely different player from the other three players in this article, it can’t be understated how efficient his play has been this season, particularly his play without the puck. He does a lot of the little things that go unnoticed and he’s been solid on both the powerplay and penalty kill this season for Providence. It’s fitting to see how intelligent of a hockey player he is considering he’s coming out of Harvard, where he spent three seasons. His best asset is his ability to read the play. He puts himself in good spots to support his teammates, has good poise to make intelligent passes, and avoids forcing and killing plays. Defensively, he hasn’t been perfect as a 22-year-old rookie as he at times does lose his assignment. However, he does a solid job at protecting the middle of the ice and being the low-support forward. He appears to use a longer stick but that helps him direct play away from the middle and break up possession along the perimeter with quick pokes at the puck.

He’s not big by any means, but he’s unafraid of the dirty areas. Once he makes a play from the boards, he’ll usually go straight to the crease or find an opening in between the hash marks to slide into. He battles through stick checks in front of the net to get his stick available. Most of his goals are going to come from the hash marks and lower. Farinacci is also an astute passer along the perimeter and that’s partly thanks to his quick shoulder checks and constant scanning. In summary, he’s a very slot-oriented player. Whether that’s him playing inside it or making plays to it, he can create offence in small spaces which makes up for his lack of dynamic skill.

Now, his lack of creativity along with his average skating is what limits his ceiling. It will be hard for Farinacci to become a top-six forward in the NHL since he doesn’t push the offence but instead makes supporting plays. He tends to go into a glide when possessing the puck in the offensive zone where he could be generating more space if he kept moving his feet. The transition game isn’t an area he shines. His foot speed is average, so his north/south acceleration isn’t strong enough to be a threat through the neutral zone, plus he doesn’t add in many crossovers. He’s a versatile 200ft centreman with the hockey intelligence to impact games without being flashy but improving the quickness in his boots would do him wonders.

Into The Archives!

*Number 26 in all the clips*

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-1-PK-Goal-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

Two great plays with his stick on the penalty kill here from Farinacci. First, the poke at the blueline, then the steal, and a nice backhand finish on the breakaway. I’m a big fan of how he uses his stick defensively.

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Farinacci takes advantage of the turnover and showcases solid patience going around the net and hitting his teammate in the slot. If you noticed though, here’s that gliding with the puck I was talking about. Now it doesn’t hurt him in this clip, but I’m not a fan of him constantly entering that A-stance when handling the puck.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-3-Passes-Off-The-Wall-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

A couple of examples of his ability to make plays off the perimeter into the middle of the ice. In both clips, he shoulder checks to identify his target.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-4-PP-Shift-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

There are a lot of small things he does on this powerplay shift that helps prolong possession. Great pressure after losing the draw to help nullify the clearing attempt and then gets a scoring chance for his efforts. He makes 3-4 plays to keep pucks alive, rotating in his positioning to fill in gaps, making himself available at the net front while changing his body position for either a tap-in or redirect play, and lastly, he makes a great feed at the end of the clip to set up the goal. He knows where to position himself and what his responsibilities are. That’s IQ.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-5-Slot-Pass-Slot-Goal-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

Here he is involving himself in the slot and getting rewarded with a tally.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Clip-6-Quick-Hands-In-Tight-Pass-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

He’s shown to have decent quick side-to-side hands in college but those hands haven’t been on display too much this season. Here was a nice example though. Pulls the puck off the wall cleanly in motion and evades the stick check while making the in-tight pass.

Brad Lambert – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #18 Winnipeg Jets – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Prospect System Ranking – 18th (Last Year - 23rd) GM: Kevin Cheveldayoff Hired: September 2011 COACH: Scott Arniel Hired: May 2024

Isak Rosen, RW, Rochester Americans (AHL) (Currently with the Winnipeg Jets, NHL)

Brayden Yager, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Sascha Boumedienne, D, Boston University (NCAA)

Elias Salomonsson, D, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Kieron Walton, C, Peterborough Petes (OHL)

Brad Lambert, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Colby Barlow, LW, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Danny Zhilkin, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Domenic DiVincentiis, G, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Nikita Chibrikov, RW, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

Alfons Freij, D, Timra IK (SHL) (Currently with Manitoba Moose, AHL)

Kevin He, LW, Flint Firebirds (OHL)

Zach Nehring, RW, Western Michigan University (NCAA)

Edison Engle, D, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

Thomas Milic, G, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – WINNIPEG JETS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #23

Winnipeg Jets Top-15 Prospects

1 - Brayden Yager

2 - Brad Lambert

3 - Elias Salomonsson

4 - Colby Barlow

5 - Sascha Boumedienne

6 - Nikita Chibrikov

7 - Kieron Walton

8 - Domenic DiVincentiis

9 - Kevin He

10 - Alfons Freij

11 - Zach Nehring

12 - Dmitry Rashevsky

13 - Jacob Julien

14 - Owen Martin

15 - Parker Ford

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #16 Winnipeg Jets – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – WINNIPEG JETS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #18

Winnipeg Jets Top-15 Prospects

1. Brad Lambert

2. Colby Barlow

3. Brayden Yager

4. Chaz Lucius

5. Ville Heinola

6. Nikita Chibrikov

7. Alfons Freij

8. Elias Salomonsson

9. Dmitry Rashevsky

10. Jacob Julien

11. Danny Zhilkin

12. Domenic DiVincentiis

13. Thomas Milic

14. Dmitri Kuzmin

15. Kevin He

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #13 Winnipeg Jets – Organization Overview – Top 15 Profiles

1. Brad Lambert, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

2. Colby Barlow, LW, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)

3. Chaz Lucius, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

4. Rutger McGroarty, LW, University of Michigan (NCAA)

5. Ville Heinola, D, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

6. Nikita Chibrikov, RW, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

7. Elias Salomonsson, D, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

8. Dmitry Rashevsky, RW, Dyanmo Moskva (KHL)

9. Jacob Julien, C, London Knights (OHL)

10. Danny Zhilkin, C, Manitoba Moose (AHL)

MCKEEN’S 2024 PROSPECT REPORT: Brad Lambert: A Star Fallen, a Lesson Learned, and a Triumphant Resurgence

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: TOP 30 NHL PROSPECTS

Risers

Logan Stankoven (27 to 5) - Dallas Stars

Ryan Leonard (32 to 6) – Washington Capitals

Josh Roy (63 to 35) – Montreal Canadiens

Conor Geekie (68 to 18) – Utah

Mavrik Bourque (79 to 23) – Dallas Stars

Gabe Perreault (86 to 19) – New York Rangers

Bradly Nadeau (109 to 34) – Carolina Hurricanes

Jagger Firkus (112 to 47) – Seattle Kraken

Gavin Brindley (122 to 66) – Columbus Blue Jackets

Quentin Musty (125 to 51) – San Jose Sharks

Jani Nyman (135 to 81) – Seattle Kraken

Logan Mailloux (145 to 45) – Montreal Canadiens

Josh Doan (153 to 55) - Utah

Prospect System Ranking – 18th (Last Year - 23rd)
GM: Kevin Cheveldayoff Hired: September 2011
COACH: Scott Arniel Hired: May 2024