Denton Mateychuk – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – This week, more young talent in San Jose, Canada passes on Sam Bennett, goaltending situations to monitor in Carolina and Ottawa, plus Mikael Backlund, Noah Hanifin, Eeli Tolvanen, and so much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 02 Jan 2026 14:58:24 +0000

SAN JOSE, CA - DECEMBER 31: San Jose Sharks left wing Igor Chernyshov (92) skates with the puck during the NHL game between the Minnesota Wild and the San Jose Sharks on December 31, 2025 at SAP Center in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Scott Dinn/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, more young talent in San Jose, Canada passes on Sam Bennett, goaltending situations to monitor in Carolina and Ottawa, plus Mikael Backlund, Noah Hanifin, Eeli Tolvanen, and so much more!

#1 Drafted by the San Jose Sharks with the 33rd pick in the 2024 Draft, winger Igor Chernyshov had 55 points (19 G, 36 A) in 23 games for Saginaw in the OHL last season and started this season in the American Hockey League, where he put up 23 points (11 G, 12 A) in 25 games for the San Jose Barracuda to earn his promotion to the NHL. With these outstanding scoring credentials, it’s no surprise that the Sharks are giving Chernyshov a real shot to produce at the NHL level and he’s skating on the Sharks’ top line with Macklin Celebrini and Collin Graf. In his first seven games for the Sharks, Chernyshov has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 16 shots on goal and that kind of production is going to keep him in a prime spot alongside Celebrini, one of the preeminent stars in the game.

#2 One of the surprising omissions from Team Canada’s Olympic Men’s Hockey Team was Florida Panthers centre Sam Bennett, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoff MVP last season, and he played a key role for Canada in the Four Nations Faceoff. Bennett did get off to a relatively slow start this season but he has picked up the pace lately. He is riding a seven-game point streak and has 17 points (7 G, 10 A) with 44 shots on goal in his past 14 games. He’s skating on a line with veterans Carter Verhaeghe and Brad Marchand on his wings, so Bennett is in a good spot to keep producing and it appears that he will get a long break in February while others head to the Olympics.

#3 Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov is out for the rest of the season after requiring surgery for a lower-body injury. With Frederik Andersen struggling, this could be a prime opportunity for 27-year-old Brandon Bussi, who had a .912 save percentage in 15 games for the Hurricanes this season before getting lit up for six goals on just 22 shots against Montreal on Thursday.

#4 The Ottawa Senators have a goaltending situation in flux as well, as Linus Ullmark has taken a leave from the team for personal reasons. The vague nature of his absence makes it difficult to forecast a return date, so expect Leevi Merilainen to get the starter’s workload for as long as Ullmark is away from the Sens. That’s a dicey situation for Ottawa, as Merilainen has managed a .869 save percentage in 11 games this season, which is not nearly good enough if he’s going to be playing as the Sens’ starter. Merilainen did have a .925 save percentage in a dozen games for Ottawa last season, so if he could get back to that level, that would be ideal.

#5 Calgary Flames captain Mikael Backlund has never been a huge scorer, topping out with 56 points during the 2022-2023 season, but he has always been a reliable two-way performer, finishing in the Top 10 of Selke Trophy voting three times in his career. He is on a great offensive run right now, though, with nine points (5 G, 4 A) and 23 shots on goal during a six-game point streak. The Flames have a 5-1 record during that streak, and Backlund has a good thing going with linemates Blake Coleman and Matt Coronato.

#6 Vegas Golden Knights defenceman Shea Theodore is out of the lineup with an upper-body injury and while it’s not considered a long-term injury, the Golden Knights can afford to be patient. Veteran blueliner Noah Hanifin has stepped up with eight assists and 16 shots on goal in his past six games. Five of those eight assists have come on the power play, so Hanifin is handling the quarterbacking duties just fine.

#7 Seattle Kraken winger Eeli Tolvanen has always been able to fire the puck, and it’s part of the reason that the Kraken claimed him off waivers from the Nashville Predators in December of 2022. In his past eight games, Tolvanen has 10 points (3 G, 7 A) and 19 shots on goal. He is skating with Chandler Stephenson and Frederick Gaudreau at evens, but Tolvanen is also getting first unit power play time, so he has a chance to remain a quality scoring option. On top of that, Tolvanen has 102 hits and 41 blocked shots in 38 games, making him one of three forwards (Will Cuylle and Beck Malenstyn are the others) with at least 40 blocked shots and 100 hits.

#8 The Buffalo Sabres have won 10 straight games and, not surprisingly, that has made Sabres players more appealing for fantasy managers. Defenceman Bowen Byram has elevated his game and in the past five games, he has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and six shots on goal while averaging more than 24 minutes of ice time per game. Byram isn’t the only Sabres blueliner bringing more offence to the table. Mattias Samuelsson has put up seven points (1 G, 6 A) with 11 shots on goal while averaging 24:50 of ice time per game in his past seven games. For added fantasy appeal, Samuelsson has 15 hits and 13 blocked shots in those seven contests, too.

#9 While Ivan Demidov gets a lot of the fanfare as a top rookie for the Montreal Canadiens, don’t sleep on Oliver Kapanen, who is proving to be a reliable contributor. He has five points (2 G, 3 A) and 16 shots on goal in his past six games, and he is tied with Anaheim’s Beckett Sennecke for the rookie goal-scoring lead with 12. Kapanen is in a good spot right now, skating between Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky.

#10 While there has been some frustration with the inconsistent production from star players for the Toronto Maple Leafs, they are getting production from the supporting cast. Bobby McMann has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 23 shots on goal in his past seven games. Nicholas Robertson also has seven points (2 G, 5 A) and 14 shots on goal in his past seven games. Robertson doesn’t get as much ice time as McMann, but Robertson has shown that when he is given the chance to play, he can produce. Since the start of the 2023-2024 season, Robertson has 1.13 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play, which ranks 17th out of the 391 forwards that have played at least 1,000 five-on-five minutes in that time frame.

#11 The Nashville Predators have been a more competitive squad, winning 12 of their past 18 games and right winger Luke Evangelista has been a playmaking force in that time. In his past 19 games, Evangelista has delivered 20 points (4 G, 16 A) and 45 shots on goal. He is skating on a line with Erik Haula and Michael Bunting at even strength, but Evangelista does get first unit power play time for the Preds and 11 of his 30 points this season have come via the power play.

#12 Colorado Avalanche winger Valeri Nichushkin had a modest start to the season, with 14 points in 22 games, but the powerful winger has started to heat up lately. In his past nine games, Nichushkin has 12 points (4 G, 8 A) and 33 shots on goal, while playing 19:42 per game. Nichushkin is playing with Brock Nelson and Artturi Lehkonen at even strength and getting first unit power play time for the Avs.

#13 Anaheim Ducks centre Mason McTavish went through a tough stretch in early December, managing one point in an eight-game span, but he has pulled it back on track with five points (3 G, 2 A) and 22 shots on goal in his past six games. McTavish is currently skating on a line with rookie Beckett Sennecke and veteran Chris Kreider in addition to having a spot on the Ducks’ top power play unit.

#14 The Vancouver Canucks are in a tough spot right now with Marco Rossi and Conor Garland both out with injuries. Rossi’s absence leaves the second line centre spot for Max Sasson, the 25-year-old rookie who does have five points (4 G, 1 A) in the dozen games in which he has played at least 12 minutes. Garland’s injury opens the door for Linus Karlsson to play on the Canucks’ top line with Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk. Karlsson has five points (4 G, 1 A) with six shots on goal in his past five games and, again, that shot rate is too low to be very exciting, but Karlsson is starting to earn additional ice time and the injuries are just providing him with an even better opportunity. He has five points (4 G, 1 A) in the nine games in which he has played at least 12 minutes this season.

#15 This is not the first time this season that Pittsburgh Penguins right winger Justin Brazeau has been highlighted, but it has been a remarkable season for a player who had 22 points (11 G, 11 A) in 76 games last season. Brazeau missed some time with an injury but has produced 20 points (12 G, 8 A) in 25 games for the Penguins, including six points (4 G, 2 A) and 11 shots on goal in his past four games. Brazeau is playing on a line with Anthony Mantha and Tommy Novak as well as getting time on the Penguins’ second power play unit.

#16 Although Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Zack Werenski is expected to return to action this weekend, the Blue Jackets have been getting some nice production from others on the blueline. Veteran Damon Severson has contributed six points (1 G, 5 A) and 10 shots on goal in his past five games while second-year defenceman Denton Mateychuk has five points (1 G, 4 A) and seven shots on goal, while averaging a whopping 25:29 of ice time per game, in his past five contests. Werenski’s return will limit their offensive upside, but Mateychuk could still hold some appeal in deeper leagues.

#17 Maybe wins don’t always come so easily in Columbus, but Blue Jackets goaltender Jet Greaves is still widely available for fantasy managers despite posting a .909 save percentage in 26 games. His 8.33 Goals Saved Above Expected in all situations ranks 21st among goaltenders and it’s notably better than Elvis Merzlikins, his competition in the Columbus crease, who has -6.10 Goals Saved Above Expected. Greaves’ increasingly strong hold on the starting job for the Blue Jackets does give him some appeal for fantasy managers.

#18 Buffalo’s winning streak has been the tide to lift all of the Sabres’ ships and that includes goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who become increasingly important with Alex Lyon and Colten Ellis both injured. Luukkonen has stopped 76 of 79 shots (.962 SV%) in his three starts during the 10-game winning streak, and that followed some uneven performances on his way to a .884 save percentage through his first 10 appearances of the season.

#19 More from the Maple Leafs’ supporting cast: Max Domi is not especially consistent in his offensive production and some if it has to do with where he is in the lineup, so it’s noteworthy that he’s getting a chance on the top line, skating with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies. Domi has six points (1 G, 5 A) and 10 shots on goal in his past five games after he had 12 points (3 G, 9 A) and 50 shots on goal in his first 33 games. A player who was considered an option for that first-line right wing spot when he was acquired in the offseason, Matias Maccelli has contributed six points (2 G, 4 A) and eight shots on goal in his past seven games as he skates on a line with Bobby McMann and Scott Laughton.

#20 Keep an eye on Dallas Stars rookie left winger Justin Hryckowian, who has five points (3 G, 2 A) with eight shots on goal in his past seven games. That shot rate is far too low to have real sustainable value, but Hryckowian is on a line with veterans Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn, and this looks like progress after he started the season with eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 33 shots on goal through his first 33 games of the season.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS – Team Preview/Player Profiles/Predictions

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 19:04:12 +0000

COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 01: Columbus Blue Jackets center Sean Monahan (23) on the ice during the second period of the National Hockey League game between the Winnipeg Jets and Columbus Blue Jackets on November 1, 2024 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)

It was a season spent in agony mourning the sudden loss of Johnny Gaudreau, but that tragedy led to inspiration for the Columbus Blue Jackets as they inserted themselves into the playoff picture out of nowhere in the Eastern Conference. The Blue Jackets went from 66 points in 2023-2024 to 89 and a fourth-place finish in the Metropolitan Division in 2024-25. Two years ago, Columbus had a minus-63 goal differential and flipped that to a plus-5 last year. By scoring more goals and allowing fewer, they were able to take advantage of a weaker-than-usual division and finished two points out of the final wild card. New head coach Dean Evason helped turn things around with his more disciplined system and despite being without captain Boone Jenner for most of the season (28 games played) and going without Sean Monahan and Kent Johnson for long stretches, it was an encouraging season to build on. Norris Trophy finalist Zach Werenski provided the kind of leadership and play from the blue line they haven’t had before and if that’s a sign of things to come, Columbus is in a good place moving forward.

What’s Changed?

The Blue Jackets improved their forward depth adding Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood from Colorado and gave up prospect Gavin Brindley to make it happen. That’s a tough cost, but Blue Jackets GM Don Waddell recognized they’re in a spot to compete for the playoffs now. They also re-signed defencemen Dante Fabbro (four years, $16.5 million) and Ivan Provorov (seven years, $59.5 million) to long-term deals and re-signed Dmitry Voronkov to a two-year, $8.35 million bridge deal. They also added further depth to their forward group signing Isac Lundestrom (two years, $2.6 million) and Hudson Fasching (one year, $775,000). Columbus also traded goalie Daniil Tarasov to Florida which opens up the backup job to Jet Greaves.

What Would Success Look Like?

If the Blue Jackets can build off of what they started last year, they’ll be in position for the playoffs in the Metropolitan Division as well as the wild card. Giving goalie Elvis Merzlikins more of a break with Greaves challenging for more starts is the kind of thing that should work out well, especially since Greaves was outstanding in the AHL and in a handful of NHL starts last season. The emergence of Werenski as an elite No. 1 defenceman is vital to steadying out the defence group but also gives them a high-end power play quarterback. The growth of Kirill Marchenko as a dangerous high-skill scorer, Adam Fantilli as an all-around scoring threat and Kent Johnson’s playmaking and scoring can help their offence take another step. With Sean Monahan’s solid play and leadership and the continued growth of Cole Sillinger and evolution of Mathieu Olivier’s game, the Blue Jackets can beat teams in a lot of ways. Getting to the playoffs would be a massive accomplishment.

What Could Go Wrong?

If classic Columbus fumbling happens, it could quickly become another season in the draft lottery. You could argue the Blue Jackets won games despite the play of Merzlikins last season (.892 save percentage) and if he struggles again, it’ll put more stress on the rest of the team to outscore the tougher nights. The Blue Jackets had five players score 20-or-more goals last season and two of them had 30-plus (Marchenko, Fantilli) and one of them was a defenceman (Werenski, 23). As wide of a swath of offence that is, they only had four other players reach double-figures in goals. Being that top-heavy leads to teams loading up against the top guys to shut them down. If Columbus’ attack doesn’t diversify, it’ll be more of a slog for them and against the best teams in the East, that’ll make for much harder nights.

Top Breakout Candidate

While we’ve seen many of the Blue Jackets’ young forwards have breakout years recently, it’s goalie Jet Greaves who’s worth keeping an eye on. At 24 years old, he’s been heavily tested in the AHL with 158 regular season games played for Cleveland along with 19 playoff appearances. His .909 save percentage in the AHL is skewed by his play in his first two seasons, but the past two years he’s posted .910 and .920 save percentages. He’ll start the season as Elvis Merzlikins’ backup, but with how well he played in Columbus in limited action (11 GP; 7-2-2, .938 save percentage, 1.91 goals-against average, two shutouts), the opportunity to take the starting job is there.

FORWARDS

Sean Monahan

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
60	20	38	58	0.97

Considering all that Sean Monahan went through last season, it’s hard to call his results anything but successful. Monahan stepped into a leadership position with the team after they suffered the loss of a close friend, Johnny Gaudreau, before the start of the year. Despite the circumstances and missing 26 games with a wrist injury, Monahan delivered one of his most productive seasons in years. He rounded out the season with 19 goals and 57 points in 54 games played. His even-strength offensive Wins Above Replacement put him in the 92^nd percentile of NHL forwards. His 1.06 points per game lead Columbus forwards, and he also paced that group in puck-possession share and expected goal share at even-strength. Monahan blended veteran poise with creative playmaking, especially on the power play, where he was a key distributor on the Blue Jackets’ top unit. His leadership on and off the ice was crucial, particularly in the emotional wake of Johnny Gaudreau’s death. For his impact with the team, Monahan won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. Entering his age-31 season, Monahan is expected to retain his top six role and continue driving play offensively. He’ll likely continue to log heavy power play minutes and take on a mentorship role as the organization looks to shepherd its young core.

Kirill Marchenko

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	34	42	76	0.93

The 24-year-old Kirill Marchenko burst into stardom during the 2024–25 season, delivering a true breakout campaign. In 79 games, he tallied 31 goals and 43 assists for 74 points. His even-strength goal output put him in the 97^th percentile of NHL forwards. His two-way play was reflected in his team-best +27 ranking that put him in the top 20 of NHL forwards. Marchenko combines a lethal release with excellent off-puck instincts, consistently finding soft areas in coverage to turn passes into scoring chances. Additionally, he ranked in the 90^th percentile of NHL forwards concerning his ability to exit the defensive zone with possession of the puck. Marchenko played with a combination of power and skill that made him a difficult player for NHL defensemen to manage. He was struck with a puck in the face and broke his jaw, missing only three games as he played with his mouth wired shut. Now entering his age‑25 season under a three-year deal signed in July 2024, Marchenko looks poised to take the next step as Columbus’s premier goal threat. Barring injury, a 30–35 goal, 80–85 point projection is realistic. His two-way strengths and high-end upside make him the core building block around which Columbus will continue to shape its offense. Expect him to remain a top six fixture while also seeing time on the power play.

Adam Fantilli

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	34	34	68	0.83

Adam Fantilli emerged as a bona fide offensive force in his first full NHL season. In 82 games, the 20-year-old tallied 31 goals and 23 assists for 54 points, tying for the team lead in goals with Kirill Marchenko. Fantilli was crucial to the Blue Jackets’ postseason push, netting seven goals in his final six games as Columbus sought to make a charge. At 6-foot-2 and nearly 200 pounds, Fantilli blends scoring touch with explosiveness and smart two-way instincts. He excels in traffic with his ability to find soft spots on the ice and deliver quick-release shots from high-danger areas, shows strong edge work on both ends, and projects as a high-IQ forward who can drive play in any situation. His even-strength goals output put him in the 98^th percentile of NHL forwards. There’s an opportunity for him to improve his puck distribution in the coming year and he’ll need to continue to find ways to extend possessions in the offensive zone. Now with a full season under his belt, Fantilli enters the 2025–26 campaign positioned to be a leader for the Blue Jackets’ offense. Expect a target of 35–40 goals and 70–75 points as he continues to gain confidence and experience. The expectation is for continued growth, a more prominent role, and to push Sean Monahan for the top center spot.

Kent Johnson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	27	39	66	0.86

Kent Johnson’s 2023-24 campaign left him with a lot of question marks heading into last season, and he answered almost all of them. In his third full NHL season, Johnson produced his best work yet: 24 goals and 33 assists for 57 points in 68 games, matching Sean Monahan in scoring and landing among the team’s top offensive catalysts. While he can be a streaky scorer, Johnson’s overall finishing ability bucketed him in the 99^th percentile of NHL forwards. While he likely won’t shoot at a 19 percent success rate perennially, Johnson’s ability to create scoring chances from his passing in the offensive zone and off the rush put him in the 77^th and 74^th percentile of NHL forwards, respectively, a testament to his dual-threat nature offensively. Defensively, he had the lowest rate of shot attempts against per hour of any Columbus forward. Now locked into a three-year deal, Johnson enters his age-23 season poised to be a critical piece of the Blue Jackets’ top six forward group. Expect even higher usage in key moments, with a projection of 25–30 goals and 65–70 points, especially as he continues to build chemistry with players like Adam Fantilli, and the continued evolution of his decision-making and consistency could firmly position him as a centerpiece in Columbus’s offensive identity.

Boone Jenner

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
60	18	20	38	0.63

Boone Jenner enters the 2025-26 campaign hoping for good health. Limited to just 26 games last season after being sidelined with shoulder surgery before the season even began, Jenner was still able to pack a lot into a short period. He returned after the Four Nations Faceoff and put together a respectable run down the stretch that aided the Blue Jackets in their push for the postseason. Jenner played a variety of roles with a variety of linemates upon his return, but mainly was found alongside Cole Sillinger and Kent Johnson, acting as a space creator for both young forwards. Jenner was his usual, physical self on the penalty kill and in the faceoff circle. He registered seven goals and 12 assists for a total of 19 points in 26 games. He finished third among Blue Jacket forwards in puck possession share and was fourth among Blue Jacket forwards in expected goal share at even-strength. A core leader of the team, Jenner will be entering the final year of his team-friendly contract and will be looked upon as an influence on the younger crop of forwards. While he may shift to more of a bottom six role this season, expect him to receive a good number of defensive assignments and plenty of time on the penalty kill. He’ll also feature on the second power play unit in a net-front role. While another 60-point pace might be a stretch, expect Jenner to land around his usual 45 points.

Dmitri Voronkov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	25	27	52	0.67

In his second NHL season (2024–25), the 24-year-old Voronkov made significant strides in stepping into a steady, impactful role offensively. He was featured for a good portion of the season on the top line with Kirill Marchenko and Sean Monahan, where he played a simple, straightforward role of space creation and effective finishing. Standing at 6-foot-5 and built at 227 pounds, Voronkov brings a physical power-forward element; he’s effective in board battles and in front of the net. He appeared in 73 games, tallying 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points, the best single season scoring effort of his young career. Voronkov finished in the 89^th percentile of forwards in offensive Wins Above Replacement but was in the fourth percentile of NHL forwards in defensive Wins Above Replacement. Now under a freshly signed two-year deal with a $4.175 million cap hit, Voronkov enters a key period in his development where he’ll be expected to solidify his top six forward status. With growing experience and minutes, a projection of 25–28 goals and 50–55 points is realistic. His size, net-front presence, and physical edge make him a natural asset on the power play and in traffic-heavy situations. Continued upward trajectory could see him emerging as a formidable middle six force and a potential building block in Columbus's forward core.

Charlie Coyle

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	15	24	39	0.48

Charlie Coyle is reunited with Head Coach Dean Evason, who is familiar with and a big fan of Coyle’s work from their time together in Minnesota, where Evason served as an assistant coach during Coyle’s time there. Acquired along with Miles Wood in a trade with Colorado for a prospect and two draft picks, Coyle is coming off a 17-goal and 18-assist performance, having split time between Boston and Colorado. Coyle’s strengths lie in his two-way reliability, strong faceoff play, net‑front presence, and physicality in puck battles. His ability to generate shots off of his high danger passes put him in the 94^th percentile of NHL forwards. A reliable penalty killer, his results between both teams put him in the 80^th percentile of NHL forwards in limiting power play shots and scoring chances. Slated to start as Columbus’s third‑line center and see time on the second power play unit, Coyle brings flexibility as he’ll be able to slide up the lineup as needed. Expect a 35–45 point projection, anchored by his role at both ends of the ice and his league-veteran savvy. His presence will be a key glue-piece, bridging the gap between seasoned forwards and emerging talents like Fantilli and Marchenko. This season is the final of Coyle’s six-year contract, making it a critical period for him as he looks to make a strong case for his next deal.

Cole Sillinger

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	12	22	34	0.45

Cole Sillinger played up and down the lineup for the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2024-25. Used in a variety of fashions, head coach Dean Evason did not hesitate to put Sillinger into a blender as far as roles and linemates go, but it didn’t hamper him from finding success. It’s easy to forget that Sillinger is only 22 years old, having already completed four full NHL seasons. Sillinger posted 11 goals and 22 assists for 33 points in 66 games, hitting the 30-point threshold again, marking his third such season to do so despite missing 11 games with a shoulder injury. Sillinger thrives in the battle areas of the ice and is comfortable exiting the defensive zone with the puck, as he finished in the 94^th percentile of NHL forwards. Sillinger has a great work ethic and excels in the battle areas of the ice but lacks critical edge work and agility in his skating, which prevents him from contributing more offensively. Overall, his offensive and defensive Wins Above Replacement were below the 10^th percentile of NHL forwards. Heading into the final year of his contract, expect 10–13 goals and 33–35 points, assuming health and a more regular deployment. Given organizational depth, he may also emerge as a trade candidate should Columbus seek roster flexibility before the 2026 deadline.

Yegor Chinakov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	16	21	37	0.49

Chinakov lands here now but note that a formal trade request was submitted on his behalf earlier this summer. After a promising 2023–24 breakthrough (29 points in 53 games), Chinakhov’s 2024–25 season was derailed by a back injury that sidelined him for 39 games. He returned to tally seven goals and eight assists for 15 points in 30 games and spent some time as a healthy scratch after coming back. Over his NHL career, the former first-round pick (2020, 21st overall) has accumulated 71 points (34 goals, 37 assists) in 175 games. While he’s shown the ability to impact games with his dynamic hands and size, he lacks consistency. When he isn’t playing with pace and engagement offensively, he doesn’t bring much else to the lineup, and there are certainly gaps in his level of performance. His shot is quick and accurate, and he flashes playmaking flair when fully engaged. He is a handful when he uses his size, but it isn’t a regular part of his game. With one year left on a two-year, $2.1 million AAV deal and arbitration rights looming, Chinakhov enters an important season. If he remains in Columbus and healthy, 15–20 goals with 35–40 points is reasonable, assuming stability in role and minutes. Ongoing tension with coaching staff and limited availability may continue clouding his trajectory.

DEFENCE

Zach Werenski

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	20	55	75	0.93

The 2024-25 campaign was one of Zach Werenski’s best of his career, if not the best. It’s clear head coach Dean Evason’s system is designed to allow Werenski the freedom to impact the game based on reads and hockey IQ. In 81 games, he shattered franchise records for a defenseman with 23 goals, 59 assists, and 82 points, the second-most among NHL blueliners behind only Cale Makar. He led Columbus in assists and total points and logged a remarkable 26:44 average ice time, the highest in the league, while also ranking third in total shots on goal among defensemen. His offensive Wins Above Replacement at even-strength was in the 100^th percentile of NHL defensemen. His total assists on primary scoring chances put him in the 99^th percentile of NHL defensemen. A smooth-skating, puck-moving defenseman with exceptional vision, Werenski thrives under pressure and proved he is capable of tilting the ice at both ends. Entering his age-28 season in the fourth season of a six-year deal ($9.58M AAV), Werenski remains Columbus’s most indispensable player. Expect him to continue anchoring the top pairing while serving as the quarterback on the power play. Barring injury, another 75+ point season is realistic, especially if he sustains that workload of elite minutes. The road to Columbus qualifying for the post-season goes directly through the performance of Werenski and it’s clear he has the complete trust of the coaching staff.

Dante Fabbro

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	8	23	31	0.40

Dante Fabbro’s performance was an underrated part of the Blue Jacket’s push for the playoffs last season. Picked up via waivers in November 2024, Fabbro revitalized his career by forming a formidable top pairing with Zach Werenski, playing over 1,000 minutes together at even-strength. That pairing immediately clicked, and the duo maintained a 54.4% expected goals share at even-strength, signaling elite two-way chemistry and control of the game. In 62 games with Columbus, Fabbro posted nine goals and 17 assists for 26 points. His even-strength goals total was in the 92^nd percentile of NHL defensemen. He put up a strong performance defensively as well, evidenced by his even-strength defensive Wins Above Replacement putting him in the 76^th percentile of NHL defenders. Fabbro brings a calm, composed presence on the ice. He makes sound, high-percentage plays under pressure, making him the perfect complement to Werenski’s chance-taking nature. Fabbro solidified his place in Columbus with a four-year, $16.5M extension ($4.125M AAV) signed in June. As Werenski’s long-term defensive partner, he is poised to remain a top-pair fixture and power play contributor. Another season in lockstep with Werenski could translate to 30–35 points, anchored by his positioning and transition play. The continuity and trust in their pairing make Fabbro a quiet but critical building block as Columbus pushes toward competitive relevance.

Ivan Provorov

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	6	26	32	0.39

In the 2024–25 season, Ivan Provorov appeared in all 82 games, delivering seven goals and 26 assists for 33 points, a performance good enough to earn him a seven-year contract extension from Columbus in July. Provorov is the definition of reliability, as eight of his nine seasons in the league have seen him play every game on the schedule, a remarkable feat with the rigours of today’s league. His ability to quarterback play from the back end, make smart outlet passes, and maintain strong defensive positioning makes him a true all‑situation defender. Statistically, he was a mixed bag and mostly fell under the “good but not great” category, evidenced by his zone exit success rate being in the 66^th percentile of NHL defenders. He did his best work in the neutral zone, acting as a conduit between the defense and forward groups. Provorov enters his age‑28 season as a cornerstone on the back end, signed through the 2031‑32 season via a seven-year deal with an $8.5 million cap hit. Expect him to continue anchoring the top pairing and power play unit, with another 30–40 point performance within reach. An important piece who steadies the blue line for a club focused on taking the next step. His edge in decision making and puck management makes him a quiet leader, essential for transitioning Columbus from contender to playoff presence.

Denton Mateychuk

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	6	26	32	0.41

A first-round pick in 2022, Mateychuk made an immediate impact after his NHL debut on December 23, 2024. He played in 45 of Columbus’s final 48 games, logging the second-most ice time among rookie defensemen over that span and bumping Damon Severson out of the lineup. He recorded four goals and nine assists for 13 points and earned a spot on the NHL All-Rookie team for the year. Mateychuk stands out as a mobile, intelligent two‑way defender with strong positional awareness and smooth transitions through all three zones. He’s a strong puck‑mover with a hard, accurate shot—though he’s still adjusting to the physical rigours of the professional game. Despite needing improvement in board work, he doesn’t turn the puck over under duress. He found immediate success and chemistry with Ivan Provorov on the second defensive pairing. He averaged 18:02 per game, a testament to the staff’s increased trust in him. Entering his age-22 season under a standard entry-level contract (cap hit just under $900,000), Mateychuk is poised to solidify himself as a top four defenseman. Expect continued growth in physical engagement and reliability—projecting a 35–40 point season with steady minutes across all situations. A truly homegrown talent that rose through the Blue Jackets system, a leap forward in development for Mateychuk would be invaluable to the Blue Jacket’s push for the post-season.

Goal

Elvis Merzlikins

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
48	24	19	4	2	.901	3.02

It seems hard to believe that the Columbus Blue Jackets still won't give Elvis Merzlikins any help. But unless things change drastically in the early weeks of the season, expect Columbus to continue making Merzlikins earn every cent of the massive contract extension he inked following his exciting NHL debut - something he's been struggling to live up to ever since.

At this point, it's hard to really know if the Merzlikins who dazzled NHL fans as a surprise standout rookie in 2019 still exists. His game has suffered both rhythmically and from a decision-making standpoint, and while he hasn't struggled nearly as much in the last two years as he did during his 2022-23 campaign, he still sits as one of the league's least reliable starting options overall. And perhaps most surprisingly, the Blue Jackets moved out his tandem partner from last year, Daniil Tarasov - but didn't bring in a voice with veteran experience to help shoulder the workload and potentially bolster locker room culture among the team's goaltending depth chart. He'll be backed up by a highly-promising Jet Greaves, but the Blue Jackets will need to ensure that Greaves - who plays a game that chameleons to mimic what the defence in front of him is doing, but lacks some of the top-tier reaction timing that made Merzlikins such a standout - doesn't get overworked in a way that could cause his regression before the team is ready to make him their clear number one.

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #13 COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Tue, 27 May 2025 15:37:28 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - APRIL 06: Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Denton Mateychuk (5) passes the puck during first period National Hockey League action between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators on April 6, 2025, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

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Columbus 25 Prospects

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – DeBrusk paying off for Canucks, Werenski having best season of his career, changes in Chicago, AHL rookies to watch, Seguin on the shelf, and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 15:35:42 +0000

BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 26: Vancouver Canucks left wing Jake DeBrusk (74) plays the puck up ice during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks on November 26, 2024, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I’ll dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, Jake DeBrusk is paying off in a big way for the Canucks, Zach Werenski is having the best season of his career, changes in Chicago, AHL rookies to watch, Tyler Seguin is on the shelf, and much more!

Here is this week’s edition of 20 Fantasy Points:

#1 After a slow start to his first season in Vancouver, Canucks winger Jake DeBrusk has picked up his scoring pace in a dramatic way. Since the beginning of November, he `has 16 points (11 G, 5 A) with 40 shots on goal in 15 games. Elias Pettersson has eight points on DeBrusk’s 16 points over that span while Quinn Hughes has seven points. In his first nine games, DeBrusk had just 13 shots on goal, just 1.44 per game, but that average has climbed to 2.67 per game since then.

#2 Usually, we focus on players that are available in more leagues, but sometimes it’s worth paying attention to the production of players that are widely rostered, too. Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Zach Werenski is having the best season of his career. Werenski had a career-high 57 points (11 G, 46 A) in 70 games last season, but he has taken it to another level this season. Through 24 games, Werenski has 26 points (8 G, 18 A) with 90 shots on goal while playing a career-high 26:06 per game. Durability has tended to be an issue for Werenski, who last played more than 70 games in a season in 2018-2019, but if he can stay relatively healthy this season, Werenski should have career-best production.

#3 The Chicago Blackhawks fired head coach Luke Richardson, replacing him with Anders Sorensen, who had been coaching for AHL Rockford. Connor Bedard has found it tough going in his second NHL season, with five goals in 26 games, and Chicago’s leading goal scorer has been journeyman Ryan Donato, who has 10 goals in 24 games. Those are the only two forwards on the Blackhawks roster averaging better than 0.50 points per game, which means the likes of Teuvo Teravainen, Tyler Bertuzzi, Taylor Hall, and Philipp Kurashev are not living up to expectations. Can Sorenson draw out better production from this group? If not, could top prospect Frank Nazar be on the verge of a call-up? The 13th pick in the 2022 Draft, Nazar is thriving in the AHL, with 24 points (11 G, 13 A) in 18 games as a rookie pro for Rockford.

#4 Some other rookie pros making an immediate impact in the AHL include defenceman Denton Mateychuk, who has 22 points (7 G, 15 A) in 21 games. He was taken by Columbus with the pick before Nazar in the 2022 Draft. Collin Graf is a 22-year-old who was signed by San Jose as a free agent out of Quinnipiac in the spring. Graf has 22 points (5 G, 17 A) in 19 games and could push for a spot with the improving Sharks later this season. Graf’s teammate, Luca Cagnoni, is undersized, but has delivered 18 points (7 G, 11 A) in 19 games and the 2023 fourth-round pick could force the Sharks to give him a look. Rounding out the top five rookie scorers in the AHL, Justin Hryckowian has 18 points (5 G, 13 A) in 19 games for the Texas Stars. Hryckowian finished last season in the AHL after he was signed as a free agent out of Northeastern University.

#5 Less than a week after noting how productive Tyler Seguin has been for the Dallas Stars, it was announced that the veteran forward needs hip surgery which will keep him sidelined for four-to-six months. If the Stars need an offensive boost in Seguin’s absence, perhaps Hryckowian will get a look in Dallas.

#6 Utah Hockey Club right winger Nick Schmaltz has always been an accomplished playmaker, but he was having a terrible time finding the net this season, going 23 games without a goal to start the 2024-2025 campaign. Schmaltz has scored three goals in the past two games – his first goals of the season – and he does have seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 16 shots on goal in his past six games. Even with his goal-scoring slump, Schmaltz still has 20 points (3 G, 17 A) in 25 games, and he continues to play on the top line with Clayton Keller and Barrett Hayton as well as holding a spot on Utah’s top power play unit.

#7 As the San Jose Sharks have become much more competitive over the past month – at least prior to Thursday’s 8-1 shellacking in Tampa Bay – defenceman Jake Walman has become increasingly productive. In his past 15 games, Walman has accumulated 17 points (4 G, 13 A) with 38 shots on goal while playing 22:35 per game. Given the direction Walman and the Sharks have been trending, it does not make sense for him to still be available on the fantasy waiver wire.

#8 Veteran Florida Panthers blueliner Aaron Ekblad is getting more time on the power play and his production is starting to take off. In his past eight games, Ekblad has seven points, including three on the power play, while playing nearly 25 minutes per game. Ekblad recorded a career-high 57 points (14 G, 43 A) in just 61 games in 2021-2022, and while he is not likely to get back to that level of production, a regular spot on the Panthers’ top power play unit could make him a valuable fantasy contributor in 2024-2025.

#9 Although his track record has been poor to inconsistent through much of his career, Boston Bruins netminder Joonas Korpisalo is making a push for more playing time, especially while starter Jeremy Swayman struggles to find his form. Korpisalo has a .909 save percentage in 10 games and has 1.11 Goals Saved Above Expected. In the long run, Swayman is clearly the guy for the Bruins but, in the short term, when the team needs wins, Korpisalo could see more action.

#10 With Darcy Kuemper injured, David Rittich is again getting a run of starts for the Los Angeles Kings. Rittich surrendered seven goals in a November 25 loss at San Jose, but in the 10 appearances around that disaster start, spread out over the past month, Rittich has a .932 save percentage. Playing behind a Kings team that is among the best in terms of shot suppression, Rittich holds decent value for fantasy managers that might need some short-term help between the pipes.

#11 With the New Jersey Devils upgrading their blueline in the offseason, Luke Hughes missed the start of the season as he recovered from shoulder surgery and, as a result, he is down 2:26 in ice time per game compared to last season. Hughes has six assists and 13 shots on goal in his past six games, suddenly thrusting himself into fantasy relevance after a terribly slow start to the season.

#12 Anaheim Ducks right winger Troy Terry has seven assists and 17 shots on goal in his past five games and has enjoyed success this season when skating with Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome at even strength. The trio has a Corsi percentage of 54.2 percent and expected goals percentage of 58.4 percent during five-on-five play. The veteran trio is Anaheim’s only line to have more than 50 minutes together and still be on the right side of those ledgers.

#13 The fourth pick in the 2023 Draft, Will Smith came into his rookie season with great expectations, but he managed just three points (2 G, 1 A) in his first 14 games. The Sharks made him a healthy scratch for some games and then moved him to right wing from centre. In 10 games since, Smith has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 17 shots on goal. That relatively low shot rate is enough reason to pause before adding Smith, but he is making rapid progress after a difficult start to his pro career, so he is worth having on your radar now.

#14 St. Louis Blues winger Jake Neighbours went through a lean period from late October through mid-November, managing just two assists in nine games, but he appears to be moving in the right direction once again. In his past nine games, Neighbours has six points (4 G, 2 A) and 23 shots on goal while playing 16:43 per game. As new head coach Jim Montgomery plays around with line combinations in St. Louis, Neighbours is skating on a line with Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, a solid opportunity to continue putting up points.

#15 A reliable play-driving winger, Oliver Bjorkstrand of the Seattle Kraken is riding a seven-game point streak, during which he has eight points (3 G, 5 A) with 17 shots on goal. It’s fair to be cautious about adding Bjorkstrand because he skates on Seattle’s second power play unit and at evens he is playing with Shane Wright and Eeli Tolvanen. He’s obviously making it work, but the sustainability of it all seems harder under those circumstances.

#16 Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon has missed some time with injuries, which is not uncommon for him, but the veteran blueliner has seven points (3 G, 4 A) and 18 shots on goal in his past 10 games. He is quarterbacking Minnesota’s top power play unit, and as long as that is the case, Spurgeon has a chance to provide legitimate fantasy value.

#17 With Wild centre Joel Eriksson Ek considered week-to-week with an injury, opportunity knocks once again for Marco Rossi, who will move up to centre Minnesota’s top line while getting first unit power play time. In 18 games in which he has played at least 16 minutes, Rossi has produced 17 points (6 G, 11 A) and 27 shots on goal.

#18 Early in the season, New York Islanders captain Anders Lee was skating on the third line, playing in a supporting role and not producing much. Injuries forced the Islanders to turn to Lee again and he moved back up the depth chart. In his past 16 games, Lee has 17 points (8 G, 9 A) with 40 shots on goal. He is skating on the top line with Bo Horvat and Simon Holmstrom, but also in his familiar net front spot on the Islanders’ top power play unit.

#19 Tampa Bay Lightning centre Anthony Cirelli was named to Canada’s roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off, and the noted checking centre is enjoying the best offensive season of his career. Through 24 games, Cirelli has 24 points (11 G, 13 A) with 51 shots on goal. In the past 10 games, Cirelli has 11 points (9 G, 2 A) with 31 shots on goal and while he is not going to keep scoring on 29 percent of his shots, if Cirelli is averaging more than three shots per game, he has a good chance to sustain his offensive production. Barring injury, Cirelli should obliterate his career high of 45 points, which was set last season.

#20 Veteran Calgary Flames centre Nazem Kadri is finding his name in trade rumours and he is not hurting his value with his production. In his past 10 games, Kadri has eight points (3 G, 5 A) and 33 shots on goal. He is on a line with Jonathan Huberdeau and Martin Pospisil. Consistency remains elusive for Huberdeau, but he does have six points (2 G, 4 A) and 16 shots on goal in his past eight contests.

#21 Managers in deep leagues may want to keep tabs on Boston Bruins right winger Justin Brazeau, who is still on the lower end of the depth chart, but he is forcing his way into prominence. In his past seven games, Brazeau has five points (2 G, 3 A) and 14 shots on goal, while playing 13:41 per game. He has moved up the depth chart to the second line with second-unit power play time, so if the 6-foot-5 winger continues to produce, there ought to be more ice time available to him.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.

AHL: MOROZ – AHL Rookies to Watch – North Division

Michael Moroz — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 13:00:01 +0000

_{NEWARK, NJ - JULY 14: New Jersey Devils defenseman Seamus Casey (72) skates during New Jersey Devils Development Camp on July 14, 2023, at RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)}

The AHL season is well underway and we have seen some exciting games across the slate. We have also gotten a small preview of what we can expect to see from some of this year’s top rookies. This week we are continuing our AHL division previews, focusing on rookies to watch across all four divisions.

This week: the North Division.

Nikita Grebyonkin - Toronto Marlies

Maple Leaf fans have been just as excited about Grebyonkin as they have been about some of their top prospects from recent years - and for good reason. Grebyonkin may still be unknown to some NHL fans, but the 2022 fifth-round pick has made headlines by making steady contributions as a player on Metallurg Magnitogorsk’s Gagarin Cup-winning team last season in the KHL. Grebyonkin has seemingly parlayed last year’s solid season - 19 goals and 22 assists in the KHL - into a strong start with the Toronto Marlies, and with his unique combination of size and skill, it is only a matter of time before he starts suiting up with the big club. Who doesn’t love a player with size that can make plays?

Honorable mentions from the Toronto Marlies: Artur Akhtyamov and Jacob Quillan

Filip Mesar - Laval Rocket

It is evidently apparent in the hockey world that two assessments can be true. On the one hand, Filip Mesar’s junior hockey career with the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL probably didn’t go as expected. Mesar didn’t score as much as he was expected to, but performed well in last year’s OHL playoffs. At the international level, Mesar performed quite well with Slovakia’s under-20 team, but results matter nonetheless. This season, Mesar has gotten off to a hot start with the Laval Rocket - and he’s showing signs of why the Canadiens took him in the first round back in 2022. Nobody has doubted Mesar’s ability to make plays; he just needs to consistently make those plays and looks to be doing so to start the season.

Dylan Duke - Syracuse Crunch

I think many scouts would make the case that Dylan Duke was selected too low coming out of the United States National Development Program at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Since then, Duke has done nothing but prove his critics wrong, and after three successful seasons at the University of Michigan - Duke is making his mark in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch. One of the best parts of Duke’s game is his willingness to go to the hard areas, even though he’s not the biggest player on the ice. Combine Duke’s no-fear attitude with his underrated ability to shoot the puck and make plays, and you see the makings of a future bottom-six forward in the NHL. Time will tell if he ultimately gets there, but he’s making the case that he deserves a shot.

Stephen Halliday - Belleville Senators

Halliday has been one of the better success stories since he was passed on twice at the NHL draft in 2020 and 2021. After a 95-point season with the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL in 2022, the Ottawa Senators drafted Halliday in the 4th round, and the pick has looked better and better every day since. Halliday played two seasons at Ohio State University and led the team in scoring both years, earning a contract with the Senators at the end of his sophomore season in 2024. From there he joined the Belleville Senators and immediately made offensive contributions for the team in the playoffs with his cerebral playmaking abilities. Halliday was one of Ottawa’s better players at their rookie camp, and he looks like he will continue his strong start with the Belleville Senators this season.

Denton Mateychuk - Cleveland Monsters

There are some kids you just know will play in the NHL, and you can identify them from a young age. Ask anyone in Manitoba and they’ll say the same about Denton Mateychuk. Mateychuk can skate, make plays, and can also be downright nasty - he’s always a willing combatant for net-front battles and loose pucks in the corners. These unique combinations of skills make teams salivate over adding a player of Mateychuk’s caliber to their prospect systems, and it’s only a matter of time before Mateychuk sees significant minutes with the Columbus Blue Jackets. I hope all AHL fans enjoy watching Mateychuk in person this season - because he won’t be there for long.

Vsevolod Komarov - Rochester Americans

Vsevolod Komarov knows how to win, and these are elements the Buffalo Sabres faithful have been hoping to incorporate into their big club for several seasons. Komarov won the QMJHL Championship and Memorial Cup with the Quebec Remparts in 2023, the QMJHL Championship again with the Drummondville Voltigeurs and the Emile Bouchard Trophy as the QMJHL’s top defenceman in 2024. Komarov also won these accolades by playing top pairing minutes and being plus-38 and plus-47, respectively. Komarov competes, plays hard, and knows what he is. I have a feeling he’ll be playing in the NHL as a serviceable top-six defenceman for a long time.

Seamus Casey - Utica Comets

Casey started the season with the New Jersey Devils and had an immediate effect on Devils fans with his offensive prowess and playmaking abilities. The knock on Casey has always been his defending, but Casey showed he can play on both ends of the ice at the NHL level. The Devils have a plethora of young defencemen looking to make their mark with the big club, so perhaps Casey is the victim of a numbers game, but he will be back in the NHL in no time. Comets fans - enjoy watching him play, and go watch him in person. He’s one of a kind.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #11

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Derek Neumeier — Sun, 22 Sep 2024 18:00:39 +0000

_{ALLENTOWN, PA - MARCH 26: Michigan Wolverines Forward Gavin Brindley (4) skates with the puck during the first period of the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Regional Final between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Michigan Wolverines on March 26, 2023, at the PPL Center in Allentown, PA. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)}

Prospect System Ranking – 22nd (Previous Rank - 11th)
GM: Don Waddell Hired: May 2024
COACH: Dean Evason Hired: July 2024

The Columbus Blue Jackets have ushered in a new regime this summer, with former Carolina Hurricanes GM Don Waddell and newly appointed Head Coach Dean Evason taking the helm. This marks the third head coach in as many years for the Blue Jackets, as Evason takes over with a mandate to set a ship that has floundered at times straight.

Luckily, he inherits a strong youth movement fueled by an influx of high-end prospects. Over the last four drafts, Columbus has selected seven players in the first round, six of whom were chosen 12th overall or higher. Anchored by an already established veteran group of Boone Jenner, Zach Werenski and Ivan Provorov, the club managed to graduate a total of five (5!) youngsters last year. Those names include: David Jiricek, Adam Fantilli, Cole Sillinger, Kent Johnson, and Yegor Chinakhov. All five will push for major roles on the team this season after showing their readiness at various levels.

Looking to join this group in 2024-25 is standout defenceman Denton Mateychuk (49th), fresh off an incredible season with the Moose Jaw Warriors, where he earned WHL Defenceman of the Year, WHL Playoff MVP, and WHL (East) First All-Star Team honors. While Mateychuk may see some time in Cleveland, he feels ready to make the leap to the NHL. Gavin Brindley (85th), who signed his pro papers after being named NCAA (B1G) Player of the Year at Michigan as the Conference scoring champion, is another promising young forward expected to make his debut soon.

The farm system in Cleveland is also strong, with several key prospects developing steadily. Defencemen Stanislav Svozil (101st) and Corson Ceulemans (128th) have recently completed their AHL rookie seasons, while Samuel Knazko is now considered a two-year veteran presence in the AHL.

On the forward side, Jordan Dumais (136th), fresh off a spectacular junior career of 325 points in 193 QMJHL games, joins the ranks. He’ll be joined by already established AHL pros like Luca Del Bel Belluz (238th) and James Malatesta. In just a few years’ time, you can add 2024 first rounder, Cayden Lindstrom (14th) to this list of reinforcements.

In their 23-year history, the Blue Jackets have made the playoffs only six times and have won just two series. However, with a major influx of young talent and several high-pedigree prospects in the pipeline, Columbus’s window that has been left ajar could be broken open in short order.

Columbus Blue Jackets Top-15 Prospects

1. Cayden Lindstrom

Lindstrom missed half of his draft-eligible season due to injury, but he just looked so utterly tantalizing in the games he was able to play in that it became undeniable that he deserved to get picked as high as he did. He's an incredibly rare kind of player, who is able to blend great footwork, soft hands and imposing physicality, sometimes all within the same shift. When all the cylinders are firing for him at once he is an unstoppable force who leaves a significant impact in different ways. His Tigers team is poised to run roughshod over the WHL over the next two seasons and challenge for back-to-back league titles, and that kind of experience should help provide an additional boost to his development. Between him and Adam Fantilli the Blue Jackets could be downright scary down the middle for the next decade or more.

2. Denton Mateychuk

Moose Jaw really leaned into their high-flying, run-and-gun style this season, to impressive results, and Mateychuk had the best seat in the house as their number one defenceman. Therein lies the secret to his success: his ability to see and break down the ice in front of him. He’s not the biggest, fastest, or most purely talented blueliner out there, and he likely never will be, but only a tiny fraction of his peers can understand the sport and feel its flow as well as he can. It also helps that he’s as competitive as they come, with an intense drive to win that is worth its weight in gold at the NHL level but is far from universal. He’ll still need to put in more work with his strength and conditioning before he’s ready for full-time duty in Columbus, but once that happens, he’ll be primed to shine.

3. Gavin Brindley

It's impossible to not root for Brindley, who is usually both the smallest player out on the ice and, simultaneously, the hardest worker. He is an absolute menace who always loves to push the pace and be right in the middle of the action. He's far from brainless or reckless, though, and is very aware and methodical with his decisions, pinpointing his pressure in ways that force turnovers and win pucks. His game is all about controlling the chaos that he creates, and he is an expert at it. There's no shortage of skill on display either, as he can weave through traffic with his skating and puck skills, and he is precise with his shooting and passes. He seems inevitably destined for the NHL with how consistently effective his presence is, but some questions remain about how high his ceiling will go.

4. Stanislav Svozil

Svozil’s scoring totals from his final year in Regina were undeniably admirable, but the help of a little-known teammate of his — some kid named Connor Bedard — might have given Blue Jackets fans the wrong idea about what his game is really about. He’s far less of an offensive generator or powerplay specialist, and moreso an even-strength puck rusher and game manager, but that’s OK, because there is value in both kinds of defensemen. He has quick feet and a pesky attitude, and he uses them in tandem to help him dodge forecheck pressure on retrievals and zone exits, as well as close gaps and provide sticky man-to-man coverage when defending. It would be nice if he was bigger or flashier with the puck, but neither of those things should prevent him from eventually carving out a spot for himself in the NHL.

5. Corson Ceulemans

The Columbus organization is overflowing with young defensemen right now, and Ceulemans feels like a bit of a forgotten man, despite being a recent 1st-round pick of the team. He missed most of his draft year due to COVID, then found himself stuck in an unexpectedly bad situation at the University of Wisconsin for two seasons, and then the situation he found himself mired in next with AHL Cleveland wasn’t much better due to extreme roster turnover and drama with the parent club. Simply put, it hasn’t been a conducive few years for a prospect who was always a bit boom-or-bust, even going back to his AJHL days. Regardless, he’s a rangy right-shot defenseman who can play with both power and finesse, and at times he’s shown flashes of just how good he can be. The Blue Jackets would be wise to continue being patient with him.

6. Jordan Dumais

Dumais is one of the most interesting case studies in the prospect world right now. He is an exceptionally smart winger who is also a dazzling magician with the puck. Using those gifts he absolutely torched the QMJHL over the past two seasons, scoring at a torrid pace of two points per game. So then why wasn’t he selected until 96th overall in the 2022 draft? It’s because he’s small, lacks strength, and is not a particularly proficient skater, and players with that combination of deficiencies rarely find success in the NHL. His chances of making it aren’t zero, and he was fully deserving of getting picked at some point in the draft, but his gaudy point totals don’t truly reflect his NHL potential. Are his strengths elite enough to fully overcome his weaknesses? That’s the big question that we’ll see play out with him moving forward.

7. Charlie Elick

Elick was a frustrating and bewildering player to scout at times last year, but Columbus was nevertheless surely thrilled to draft him where they did, because he can still become a truly impactful NHL defenceman one day. There's more than enough raw material here to work with, it just needs to be heavily and carefully refined. He's a masterful skater for a defender of his stature, and there's an old-school flavour to his toughness and penchant for laying thunderous body checks. His game will probably always be one-dimensional, because there are major limitations to his puck-handling and decision-making that are still too deep-rooted to be sufficiently removed. However, if everything else clicks for him he could turn out to be one of the best shutdown specialists in the NHL, able to systematically get stops against both the rush and the cycle.

8. William Whitelaw

The University of Michigan seems like it's becoming an unofficial farm team of the Blue Jackets, with Kent Johnson, Adam Fantilli, Gavin Brindley, and Nick Blankenburg all having played there recently. You can now add Whitelaw to the list too, after he recently used the NCAA transfer portal to leave the University of Wisconsin for new pastures that he believes will be greener for him. On paper it seems like a good fit for the two sides, as both the Wolverines and the dangerous winger prioritize mercilessly inflicting offensive damage. Whitelaw is an aggressive, menacing attacker who shoots the puck in bunches because he knows, correctly, that his shot is good enough to beat goalies from almost anywhere, but he also has the skill and the will to cut into prime shooting real estate to give himself better looks.

9. Luca Del Bel Belluz

Del Bel Belluz had an impressive freshman season as a professional hockey player, transitioning out of junior more cleanly and effectively than some might have expected. Not only were there big questions coming in about whether his skating ability would be good enough or not for him to keep up at the AHL level, he had to endure the ongoing turbulence afflicting the Blue Jackets organization, which has had a spillover effect to their farm team and has been quite disruptive for some of his young compatriots. So then, give him high marks on both fronts, for elevating his skating to another level and for successfully tuning out the noise around him. He’ll still always be more of a slow-things-down kind of forward, though, who uses his size and reach to drive possession and lug pucks to the net down in the cycle.

10. Luca Pinelli

Pinelli is an interesting case study for a prospect, because the limitations in size and skating ability are prominent and would be highly limiting at the NHL level, but he's just so solid in other areas that it's hard to doubt him. He's the primary conduit for OHL Ottawa's offense, using exceptional sense and feel to consistently be one step ahead of the opposition, and he's a deadly finisher around the net when the puck finds its way to him. He's also good at bearing down and being strong and enduring in puck protection, which is important, because that will probably be his most effective means of driving play at the professional levels, finding pucks along the boards and carrying them into more dangerous areas. The leadership role he's still growing into right now could provide a boost for his promotion chances, too.

11. James Malatesta

Malatesta is already becoming a new fan favourite in Columbus because of his infectious personality and extreme tenacity. He is a relentless buzzsaw of a player, with a motor that never seems to run out of gas. He was a big part of the Quebec Remparts team that won the 2023 QMJHL championship and then the Memorial Cup as well. A natural-born pest, opposing NHLers are going to get sick of him before he even plays a full season.

12. Guillaume Richard

Richard will be heading back to Providence College in the fall for his fourth season with the Friars, which could be considered a questionable decision. He hasn’t exactly proven that he’s ready for the professional levels, but at the same time, his development has seemingly plateaued in his current environment. As far as stay-at-home defenders go, he’s not among the biggest, fastest, or meanest, so he’ll need to find some other dimension that he can bring into his game.

13. Andrew Strathmann

Strathmann is as feisty as they come, as evidenced by three straight seasons with 100 penalty minutes or more. Unfortunately, he also has a bad habit of crossing the line with his physical play and he was suspended five separate times in 2023-24 alone. He’s not big or an especially talented skater or puck mover, so the edge that he plays with is what sets him apart, and he’ll need to walk a fine line with how he applies it.

14. Jet Greaves

Greaves is The Little Engine That Could of hockey goalies. He went undrafted and missed a full year in the OHL due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but turned pro anyway, immediately started succeeding, and hasn’t looked back since. He’s fast, focused, driven, and endlessly self-assured. Smaller goalies like him always have an uphill battle, but Columbus will be happy to keep him around so long as he continues finding ways to stop pucks and win games.

15. Evan Gardner

Gardner led the WHL in save percentage last year and won the starting job for Saskatoon during their big playoff push. Those are both incredibly impressive feats for a draft-eligible goalie who was in his rookie season in the league. However, the Blades were rock solid defensively, so he didn’t get challenged as much as other netminders. Is his upside legitimately high, or was it a one-time mirage caused by his environment?

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #22 Columbus Blue Jackets – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Player Profiles - Derek Neumeier, Team Overview - Robert Howard — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 14:55:22 +0000

ANN ARBOR, MI - FEBRUARY 23: Michigan Wolverines forward Gavin Brindley (4) looks to pass during a college hockey game between the Michigan Wolverines and Notre Dame Fighting Irish on February 23, 2024 at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor, MI. (Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)

Change finally arrived after eleven years of management by Jarmo Kekalainen, and he was relieved of his duties while President of Hockey Operations, John Davidson, looks for a replacement in the offseason. Pascal Vincent was promoted from associate coach, after the short-lived Mike Keenan tempest that embarrassed the organization. Another futile season netted them yet another high draft pick for the 2024 NHL Draft at fourth overall. They have drafted six times in the first round in the last three drafts, five of those picks were 12th or higher. So, how does an organization fall from 11th to 22nd with that many opportunities? Columbus is one of the better teams in the league with five graduated prospects as David Jiricek (6th overall) and Adam Fantilli (3rd) joined Cole Sillinger (12th), Kent Johnson (5th) and Yegor Chinakhov (21st). The team has tended to push prospects into the NHL early, and you can debate whether that hurt development as none have had a breakout yet.

As of this writing, Davidson is looking at General Manager candidates. That choice will set the direction for the organization, but with the wealth of young players, all drafted high, in their roster they will want to bolster the depth around their potential young stars. The Johnny Gaudreau free agent signing is now an isolated incident, apart from a deal for Ivan Provorov last summer that cost a first and second round pick. Those moves signaled a willingness to accelerate the timeline, but since then management has been quiet. The team does have three prospects that ranked within our top 100 in Denton Mateychuk, Gavin Brindly (34th in 2023) and Stanislav Svozil. Another defenseman in Corson Ceulemans just missed the top 100 along with the high scoring Jordan Dumais. There are some solid pieces for the new GM to work with. A fresh start will be welcomed all around.

RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Denton Mateychuk	D	19	5-11/190	Moose Jaw (WHL)	`22(12th)	52	17	58	75	31
2	Gavin Brindley	C	19	5-9/165	Michigan (B1G)	`23(34th)	40	25	28	53	28
3	Stanislav Svozil	D	21	6-1/180	Cleveland (AHL)	`21(69th)	57	5	18	23	24
4	Corson Ceulemans	D	20	6-2/200	Cleveland (AHL)	`21(25th)	47	3	9	12	12
5	Jordan Dumais	RW	20	5-8/165	Halifax (QMJHL)	`22(96th)	21	16	31	47	6
6	Luca Del Bel Belluz	C	20	6-1/185	Cleveland (AHL)	`22(44th)	58	9	22	31	12
7	Luca Pinelli	C	19	5-9/165	Ottawa (OHL)	`23(114th)	68	48	34	82	44
8	William Whitelaw	RW	19	5-9/173	Wisconsin (B1G)	`23(66th)	37	10	7	17	17
9	James Malatesta	LW	20	5-9/190	Cleveland (AHL)	`21(133rd)	56	12	10	22	79
					Columbus (NHL)	`21(133rd)	11	2	2	4	5
10	Hunter McKown	C	21	6-1/205	Cleveland (AHL)	FA(3/23)	53	9	15	24	26
11	Guillaume Richard	D	21	6-2/175	Providence (HE)	`21(101st)	35	3	15	18	27
12	Samuel Knazko	D	21	6-1/198	Cleveland (AHL)	`20(78th)	44	2	10	12	12
13	Andrew Strathmann	D	19	5-11/190	Youngstown (USHL)	`23(98th)	48	7	32	39	120
14	Jet Greaves	G	23	6-0/184	Cleveland (AHL)	FA(2/22)	46	29	12	2.93	0.910
15	Mikael Pyyhtia	C	22	6-0/175	Cleveland (AHL)	`20(114th)	60	7	21	28	6
					Columbus (NHL)	`20(114th)	17	0	2	2	0

1. Denton Mateychuk, D, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)

Moose Jaw really leaned into their high-flying, run-and-gun style this season, to impressive results, and Mateychuk had the best seat in the house as their number one defenseman. Therein lies the secret to his success: his ability to see and break down the ice in front of him. He’s not the biggest, fastest or most purely talented blueliner out there, and he likely never will be, but only a tiny fraction of his peers can understand the sport and feel its flow as well as he can. It also helps that he’s as competitive as they come, with an intense drive to win that is worth its weight in gold at the NHL level but is far from universal. He’ll still need to put in more work with his strength and conditioning before he’s ready for full-time duty in Columbus, but once that happens he’ll be primed to shine.

2. Gavin Brindley, C, University of Michigan (NCAA)

It's impossible to not root for Brindley, who is usually both the smallest player out on the ice and, simultaneously, the hardest worker. He is an absolute menace who always loves to push the pace and be right in the middle of all of the action. He's far from brainless or reckless, though, and is very aware and methodical with his decisions, pinpointing his pressure in ways that force turnovers and win pucks. His game is all about controlling the chaos that he creates, and he is an expert at it. There's no shortage of skill on display either, as he can weave through traffic with his skating and puck skills, and he is precise with his shooting and passes. He seems inevitably destined for the NHL with how consistently effective his presence is, but some questions remain about how high his ceiling will go.

3. Stanislav Svozil, D, Cleveland Monsters (AHL)

Svozil’s scoring totals from his final year in Regina were undeniably admirable, but the help of a little-known teammate of his — some kid named Connor Bedard — might have given Blue Jackets fans the wrong idea about what his game is really about. He’s far less of an offensive generator or powerplay specialist, and moreso an even-strength puck rusher and game manager, but that’s OK, because there is value in both kinds of defensemen. He has quick feet and a pesky attitude, and he uses them in tandem to help him dodge forecheck pressure on retrievals and zone exits, as well as close gaps and provide sticky man-to-man coverage when defending. It would be nice if he was bigger or more flashy with the puck, but neither of those things should prevent him from eventually carving out a spot for himself in the NHL.

4. Corson Ceulemans, D, Cleveland Monsters (AHL)

The Columbus organization is overflowing with young defensemen right now, and Ceulemans feels like a bit of a forgotten man, despite being a recent 1st-round pick of the team. He missed most of his draft year due to COVID, then found himself stuck in an unexpectedly bad situation at the University of Wisconsin for two seasons, and then the one he went to next with Cleveland in the AHL wasn’t much better due to extreme roster turnover and drama with the parent club. Simply put, it hasn’t been a conducive few years for success for a prospect who was always a bit boom-or-bust, even going back to his AJHL days. Regardless, he’s a rangy right-shot defenseman who can play with both power and finesse, and at times he’s shown flashes of just how good he can be. The Blue Jackets would be wise to continue being patient with him.

5. Jordan Dumais, RW, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

6. Luca Del Bel Belluz, C, Cleveland Monsters (AHL)

Del Bel Belluz had an impressive freshman season as a professional hockey player, transitioning out of junior more cleanly and effectively than some might have expected. Not only were there big questions coming in about whether or not his skating ability would be good enough for him to keep up at the AHL level, he had to endure the ongoing turbulence afflicting the Blue Jackets organization, which has had a spillover effect to their farm team and has been quite disruptive for some of his young compatriots. So then, give him high marks on both fronts, for elevating his skating to another level and successfully tuning out the noise around him. He’ll still always be more of a slow-things-down kind of forward, though, who uses his size and reach to drive possession and lug pucks to the net down in the cycle.

7. Luca Pinelli, C, Ottawa 67's (OHL)

Pinelli is an interesting prospect case study, because the limitations in size and skating ability are prominent and would be highly limiting at the NHL level, but he's just so solid in other areas that it's hard to doubt him. He's the primary conduit for OHL Ottawa's offense, using exceptional sense and feel to consistently be one step ahead of the opposition, and he's a deadly finisher around the net when the puck finds its way to him. He's also good at bearing down and being strong and enduring in puck protection, which is important, because that will probably be his most effective means of driving play at the professional levels, finding pucks along the boards and carrying them into more dangerous areas. The leadership role he's still growing into right now could provide a boost for his promotion chances, too.

8. William Whitelaw, RW, University of Wisconsin (NCAA)

The University of Michigan seems like it's becoming an unofficial farm team of the Blue Jackets, with Kent Johnson, Adam Fantilli, Gavin Brindley and Nick Blankenburg all having played there recently. You can now add Whitelaw to the list too, after he recently used the NCAA transfer portal to leave the University of Wisconsin for a new pasture that he believes will be greener for him. On paper it seems like a good fit for the two sides, as both the Wolverines and the dangerous winger prioritize mercilessly inflicting offensive damage. Whitelaw is an aggressive, menacing attacker who shoots the puck in bunches because he knows, correctly, that his shot is good enough to beat goalies from almost anywhere, but he also has the skill and the will to cut into prime shooting real estate to give himself better looks.

9. James Malatesta, LW, Cleveland Monsters (AHL)

Malatesta is already becoming a new fan favourite in Columbus because of his infectious personality and extreme tenacity. He is a relentless buzzsaw of a player, with a motor that never seems to run out of gas. He’s also feisty as can be, rarely backing down from physical challenges against bigger opponents. It must be impossible to be a teammate of his who wants to take a night off, because he sets such a high standard that others have to try to match it. He was a big part of the Quebec Remparts team that won the 2023 QMJHL championship and then the Memorial Cup as well, as him getting to play under a fiercely competitive coach like Patrick Roy was a match made in heaven. A natural-born pest, opposing NHLers are going to get sick of him before he even plays a full season.

10. Hunter McKown, C, Cleveland Monsters (AHL)

McKown played on a pretty bad, pretty thin Colorado College team all three years that he was in the NCAA, which meant that he had to work a little extra hard to get results. In a fortuitous twist, leaning further into that blue-collar identity is exactly what scouts wanted to see more of with him, and would have been a huge reason why Columbus offered him a contract as an undrafted free agent. Sure, he's pretty pigeonholed into being a meat-and-potatoes kind of forward, but there are always some jobs in the NHL for guys who are the cream of that particular crop. If he keeps working on his physical presence, penalty killing and ability to chip in greasy goals on a semi-regular basis he will give himself a realistic chance to stick around the league for a long time.

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 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

MCKEEN’S 2024 WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP GUIDE – Team and Player Predictions – Biggest Surprises

The McKeen's Scouting Team — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 12:31:13 +0000

The 2024 World Junior Championships are set to kick off on Boxing Day (December 26), with Gothenburg, Sweden hosting. Can Canada accomplish a three peat for the first time in over a decade? Can host Sweden capture their first gold medal in over a decade? Can the betting line favourites, the United States, live up to their high expectations? Members of the McKeen’s team have come together to bring you our predictions for the tournament.

Final Medal Standings Predictions

GOLD

USA - 5 votes

Sweden - 4 votes

Canada - 2 votes

SILVER

USA - 5 votes

Sweden - 3 votes

Canada - 2 votes

Slovakia - 1 vote

BRONZE

Canada - 5 votes

Czechia - 3 votes

Sweden - 2 votes

USA - 1 vote

Cutter Gauthier. Photo by Rena Laverty, USA Hockey.

Who Wins Tournament MVP?

Cutter Gauthier -3 votes

Jonathan Lekkerimaki - 2 votes

Also receiving votes (1): Denton Mateychuk, Lane Hutson, Matthew Poitras, Rutger McGroarty, Ryan Leonard, Will Smith

Who Wins Best Forward?

Cutter Gauthier - 2 votes

Jiri Kulich - 2 votes

Jonathan Lekkerimaki - 2 votes

Also receiving votes (1): Rutger McGroarty, Ryan Leonard, Will Smith, Macklin Celebrini, Matthew Poitras

Lane Hutson of USA during the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship bronze medal game between USA and Sweden on January 5, 2023 in Halifax.
Photo: Simon Hastegård / BILDBYRÅN

Who Wins Best Defender?

Axel Sandin Pellikka - 5 votes

Lane Hutson - 3 votes

Denton Mateychuk - 2 votes

Also receiving votes (1): Seamus Casey

Who Wins Best Goaltender?

Trey Augustine - 3 votes

Michael Hrabal - 2 votes

Hugo Havelid - 2 votes

Also receiving votes (1): Matthias Rousseau, Adam Gajan, Jacob Fowler, Niklas Kokko

BASEL, SWITZERLAND - APRIL 27: Canada's Macklin Celebrini #17 celebrates with teammates during the Canada vs Switzerland Quarterfinal Round action at 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at St. Jakob Arena on April 27, 2023 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/IIHF)

Which NHL Draft Eligible Prospect Has the Best Tournament?

Macklin Celebrini

“I know this is the obvious answer, given his status as a potential first overall pick, but it's the obvious one for a reason. He's going to be put in a position to earn significant ice time on a strong team, which isn't guaranteed of the other draft eligibles. I see him having a really strong round robin but expecting him to take over games in the medal round at such a young age might be a little too unreasonable.”

“One couldn't be faulted for making an argument that Konsta Helenius might be the guy here based on the fact that Celebrini has a lot more competition for prime offensive minutes on a team that should roll 4 lines more often than just about any participant in Gothenburg. But one look at Group A competition gives me reason to think Finland will have a hard time scoring. Canada, on the other hand, is put together such that opponents should be kept busy in so many ways that Celebrini will be able to take the bull of a 2nd line center role by the horns and run with it. That should include ample PP time as well. Whatever line he ends up pivoting, he'll be working with players who are used to generating offense. It's also a safe bet that Canada's defensemen will be solid with their breakout passes. Celebrini should show up in a scoring capacity and challenge for Canada's lead in production.”

“The obvious choice. Celebrini had a great camp, and his performance has secured him a top-six role on Team Canada. He's a dynamic talent who creates offence, has a ton of skill and plays the game at a high pace. He has the potential to have a great impact on the tournament and help Canada to secure a medal.”

“Macklin Celebrini is dominant on the Powerplay and produces at a goal per game pace solidifying himself at #1st overall.”

“Even with Matt Poitras joining Canada, Celebrini may still be the player with the best chance of having a dominant WJC tournament. He's been absolutely brilliant at BU and I see no reason for him to not continue that brilliance onto this big stage.”

“He's a hyper advanced hockey player for his age in all facets of the forward position, and he already knows how to excel against strong older competition. The Canadian coaches will give him opportunities to play his game and be himself, and he'll excel.”

Zeev Buium

“He’s going to play a pivotal role on the tournament's best roster and really establish himself as one of the best defenders in the 2024 draft class. His ability to control the pace of play from the blue-line is really going to help the Americans throughout the tournament.”

Adam Jiricek

“I think Adam Jiricek steps up and has a big tournament for Czechia. Just a perfect storm of a short tournament where a player who can struggle with consistency gets hot and plays a huge role on a team that isn’t a favourite but could still do some damage.”

Konsta Helenius

“I think Macklin Celebrini is the easy answer here as he's expected to be a catalyst for the Canadians, but Helenius is likely coming in as the 1C and arguably the top player for the Finns. I expect him to lead Team Finland in this event and likely be the offensive leader. Playing against men and excelling this season, Helenius will likely pop against U20 competition. Look for him to drive the Finnish offense, be a tournament leader in assists, and impress with his non-stop motor.”

Michael Brandsegg Nygård

“Tough, but gotta go with my boy Michael Brandsegg Nygård. I think he's going to be in the spotlight for Norway every game, which is something he isn't going to take lightly. I think he's going to rise to the occasion and be "the guy" and really turn some heads this tournament.”

What is the Biggest Surprise of the Tournament?

“This is probably not the answer that Canadians want to hear, but I think Canada ends up being a surprise disappointment. At one point they were the betting line favourite to win (if you are into that sort of thing), which I believe is unfair given the strength of some other nations in the tournament. The team draws both Sweden and Finland in the round robin. A loss to one or both of those nations would set up a quarterfinal matchup with one of Czechia or Slovakia, two teams which might scare me even more than Finland this year. I'm just not confident that this team will be able to score enough against the other top teams (even with the surprise addition of Matt Poitras), in addition to getting the kind of game stealing netminding needed to find success at the WJC's.”

“Latvia - they’re going to come into the tournament, make it to the Semi's and keep it close between the big dogs in their division. This is the deepest Latvia roster we’ve ever seen at the WJC and they’re going to be playing spoiler all tournament long.”

“Whereas part of me would like to mention Team Sweden simply because it's not easy to win this tournament at home in a country whose hockey media will be religiously following your every move for 3 straight weeks (and I'm thinking the Swedes will win gold anyhow!), I'm going to tip my hat on Czechia being the big surprise over the next few weeks. The team simply has everything necessary at all five positions to rather safely finish no less than 2nd in Group B play. In addition, the sheer amount of players currently competing - and excelling - in North America has me thinking they'll be able to give both the US and Canada a real run for their money, which was obviously already the case last winter. I've now got them facing Canada in the playoffs at some point. Lastly, my interior hockey energy radar is getting massive blips anytime I hear the name Jiri Kulich, as the AHL's top scorer among U20 players was not only a force last winter with his 7 goals and 9 points, but currently leads the entire AHL in goalscoring. With his determination and a shot like his, I'm thinking we'll be seeing him light the lamp a good 10-12 times in this tournament.”

“Team Slovakia - The Slovaks have brought a strong roster to Sweden, featuring eleven drafted players, including three 1st round picks and four second-rounders. They stood out at the last tournament, gave Canada a hard time in the quarterfinals and even had the best goaltender in Adam Gajan. The team is now more experienced (15 returnees) and hungry for success. Slovakia doesn't lack high-end talent (Dvorský, Mešár, Honzek) or top goaltending (Gajan) and I do believe they can medal this year. However, the absence of Juraj Slafkovský and Šimon Nemec raises concerns and the defense seems mediocre.”

“Latvia’s Sandis Vilmanis finishes top 15 in tournament scoring. I think Latvia’s top-heavy offense is dangerous enough that they’ll pile up some goals and hopefully make things interesting, even if they don’t challenge much in the Round Robin. Vilmanis is the centerpiece of any offensive creation on the roster.”

“Team Norway - The recently promoted Norwegian group will avoid relegation and could even avoid the relegation game altogether. They have some impressive pieces and a potential surprise star of the tournament in Michael Brandsegg-Nygård. We've seen some teams widely considered for relegation surprise before, and I think that Norway could be one of those teams that steals a big, shocking win in this event.”

“Norway, for once, doesn’t get relegated. Latvia and Germany are the ones fighting for relegation due to a surprise upset by Norway against an established team, snatching valuable points which end up being the difference.”

“Oliver Moore makes teams regret passing on him as he works his way up the USA lineup throughout the tournament and plays a big role in the State's success.”

“Hugo Hävelid; It won't exactly be a surprise for people who have paid attention to Hävelid and the hometown crowd in Sweden, but to a wider audience, the undrafted goaltender could come away as the breakout star of the tournament. Highly athletic, Hävelid will benefit from a formidable Swedish blueline as well as a reputation for raising his form as the stakes get higher.”

“The Czechs. I predict they will have a strong round robin, put up a great fight in a narrow losing effort in the semifinal against Canada or the United States, and then pull off a big upset of Sweden in the bronze medal game.”

“Jordan Dumais - we will witness his offensive prowess during this tournament.”