GABRIEL SZTURC – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #29

The McKeen's Scouting Team — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 20:03:10 +0000

Sam O'Reilly of the London Knights. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

Prospect System Rank – 29th (May 2025 - 26th)
GM: Julien BriseBois Hired: September 2018
COACH: Jon Cooper Hired: March 2013

The Tampa Bay Lightning are fresh off an eighth straight playoff berth and haven’t skipped a beat despite bidding farewell to long-time captain Steven Stamkos. They finished with the NHL’s seventh-highest point total, still powered by the familiar core of Nikita Kucherov (31), Victor Hedman (31), Brayden Point (29), Andrei Vasilevskiy (30), and now newcomer Jake Guentzel (30).

True to form, GM Julien BriseBois continued to prioritize the present over the future, dealing his 2025 first-round pick along with 2026 and 2027 first rounders to bolster the middle six. It’s a familiar trade-off in Tampa—maximize the window now, worry about tomorrow later.

That approach has inevitably taken a toll on the prospect pool. In addition to the graduation of Connor Geekie, the offseason saw their top-ranked prospect, Isaac Howard, moved out, which was a necessary decision given his unwillingness to sign with the club. In return, they acquired Sam O’Reilly, who now claims the top spot in their pipeline.

Beyond O’Reilly, the depth is thin. 2023 second-rounder Ethan Gauthier has joined the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch alongside Dylan Duke and Niko Huuhtanen. While all three continue to develop, none project as immediate difference-makers at the NHL level.

Years of trading premium picks for playoff reinforcements have left the organization reliant on uncovering late-round steals and shrewd external acquisitions to keep the system afloat.

The upside? The Lightning’s core remains firmly in its prime, and as long as it does, the team’s championship window stays wide open. BriseBois is all-in once again, betting that this veteran group has another Stanley Cup run left in them—even if it means the cupboard stays bare.

Tampa Bay Lightning Top-15 Prospects

1 - Sam O'Reilly

Acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Isaac Howard, O’Reilly emerged as one of the OHL’s premier two-way players. The offensive numbers didn’t completely pop off, but the details in O’Reilly’s game greatly improved. He looked noticeably quicker and stronger, allowing him to become an elite shutdown pivot who can protect leads late in games and kill penalties. He’s a very intelligent player who shows great promise as a playmaker too; he’s patient and poised with the puck. Next year, O’Reilly will be counted upon to be the go-to offensive player for London and that will be terrific for his development. His projection hasn’t likely changed from being a quality middle six pivot who can play in all situations, however, as the physical tools continue to be upgraded, he becomes more and more likely to reach that projection.

2 - Ethan Gauthier

Ethan Gauthier was the first QMJHL player taken in the 2023 NHL Draft, selected 37th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning. After a point-per-game draft year with Sherbrooke, he was traded to Drummondville, where he helped capture a QMJHL title. In 2023-2024, the right winger produced 71 points in 64 games and 25 points in 19 playoff games, finishing second in postseason scoring. His 2024–25 season followed a similar pattern with 62 points in 50 games, plus 12 in seven playoff contests, ranking second in playoff points per game. He also appeared in all five of team Canada’s World Junior games in 2025, and even played three games in the AHL with Syracuse. Gauthier has, so far, developed as expected. He has maintained a high work ethic while showing his reliability as an elite junior goal scorer, with 20 goals in 26 games over his last two playoff campaigns. His lethal one-timer can be fired from anywhere with impressive accuracy. He is also a strong player who imposes his power forward style. Next season, he will likely play full time with Syracuse in the AHL, and a lot of questions will be answered, especially regarding his skating and pace.

3 - Max Crozier

It’s been a slow burn for Crozer, a fourth-round selection out of the USHL in 2019. He played four years at Providence College and has now played two seasons split between the AHL and NHL level. At every stop, he’s been a highly effective two-way defender and it seems like only a matter of time before Crozier is patrolling Tampa’s blueline permanently. When he played for the Lightning, he performed well, but depth has kept him with Syracuse. However, he recently signed a new deal, and Crozier is also no longer exempt from waivers next season, suggesting his roster spot might be locked up. Crozier took a big step forward offensively in the AHL this past year. He’s quarterbacking the power play. He’s still bringing it physically and operating as a shutdown defender. The big right shot defender was among the league leaders in ice time this past year, averaging over 25 minutes per game. Needless to say, Crozier is NHL ready.

4 - Ethan Czata

The physically intense, two-way forward was a second-round selection of the Lightning this past year and has already been rewarded with his ELC, a rarity this quickly for players drafted outside of the first round. It’s a testament to how the Lightning view Czata as a potentially elite third line player in the future. He’s versatile thanks to a well-rounded skill set and the ability to play any forward position. He’s physically assertive and projects as an above average defensive player at the NHL level. Offensively, he started the past year well for the Niagara IceDogs but faded a bit down the stretch. This season, he’ll look to become more consistent with the puck and should receive a ton of ice time for an improving Niagara team. He’ll also look to improve his finishing ability, an area that needs refining, especially given how many looks he earns in tight with his hard work through the middle of the ice. Tampa is likely hoping that Czata can develop into the next Anthony Cirelli for them.

5 - Dylan Duke

A former standout with the U.S. NTDP and at the University of Michigan, there was some concern about Duke’s ability to translate his skill set to the pro game. However, he was excellent for Syracuse as a rookie, leading the Crunch in goal scoring and even earning a brief NHL call-up that saw him score his first NHL goal. Duke’s hard-working nature, high IQ, and quick feet have allowed his lack of size to be a relative non-factor in the AHL. He’s now put himself in a position to push for a depth spot with the Lightning next year. Duke’s upside isn’t likely to be extremely high. He probably tops out as a complementary third line winger. However, Tampa has maintained their success through developing similar players extremely well. The focus for Duke will need to be improving his strength on the puck further and then he’ll put himself in a position to be that next man up.

6 - Connor Kurth

2024-25 was a great season for Kurth, a former scoring star in the USHL, as he emerged as a go-to offensive player for Minnesota in his junior year. As a result, the Lightning signed him to an ELC, and he has a chance to move fairly quickly if he performs well in a system without a ton of offensive firepower. Kurth is a stocky play driver who is more skill oriented than reliant on power. However, his game did add more truculence to it this past year and it was one of the main reasons why he was able to finally break out offensively. The other main reason was improvement to his quickness and pace of play. There’s likely to be an adjustment period for Kurth at the pro level, just as there was for him when he moved from the USHL to the NCAA; he’s going to need time to adjust to the pace and strength of the pro game. However, as his progress this year has shown, he has the well-rounded game to be a middle six contributor for Tampa Bay down the line.

7 - Niko Huuhtanen

Huuhtanen came into the 2024-25 season with a fair amount of hype after two great years in Liiga with Jukurit. The big power forward was even considered a sneaky candidate to earn a role with the Lightning. However, his first pro season with Syracuse showed that he’s still got some work to do before being ready for the NHL. There’s no question that he still has NHL upside. He drives the net effectively playing a north-south power game. He hits like a truck. He has a heavy shot that could end up being a weapon on the power play. However, his pace of play lags behind. Dating back to his draft year, skating has been the knock on Huuhtanen, but he’s worked hard to improve it, including those two years in Finland after playing in Everett (WHL). Yet, there’s a need to improve it further to be successful in North America.

8 - Jack Finley

Finley got a late start to his third professional season after injuring himself prior to the start of the season. After returning in January, Finley was one of Syracuse’s top players. The big pivot has the ability to dominate down low and near the net front. His skating has come a long way as a pro too, to the point where he can be the focal point of offensive attacks. This offseason will be a big one for Finley as he prepares to try to earn a roster spot in Tampa Bay next year. He’s out of options, so Tampa Bay will need to make a tough decision if they feel that his game is still not ready. A more likely scenario sees him catch on as Tampa Bay’s fourth line center to start the year, so long as he has a good training camp. Finley’s NHL upside isn’t significant, but there’s a chance he could be a very good bottom six player and a secondary power play option.

9 - Everett Baldwin

One of the pre-draft favourites of the McKeen’s scouting team this past year, Baldwin was a terrific selection by the Lightning in the fifth round. While drafting out of the prep loop can be a little bit tricky, Baldwin’s strong skating ability gives him a foundation to work with, even if many aspects of his game need refinement. A Providence College commit, Baldwin has elected to spend this coming season in the QMJHL with Saint John, an excellent decision for his development. The Sea Dogs are trying to turn things around next year and Baldwin should receive a ton of ice time in all situations. He has a chance to have a big offensive season from the blueline and that will give us a better indication of his true upside. Make no mistake, Baldwin is a long-term project, as many prep players are, but Tampa’s patience could pay off in a big way as he learns to refine his approach.

10 - Daniil Pylenkov

Daniil Pylenkov was a nice pick up for the Lightning a few years ago in the seventh round of the draft. He has developed well over the last few seasons into a very serviceable two-way defenceman. He lacks the flash that your typical modern defenceman may possess but makes up for it with patient decision making on both sides of the puck. He has become a valuable distributor on Dynamo Moskva’s power play, snapping the puck around well and firing tippable shots from the point. Defensively he is responsible in his positioning and does a good job breaking up plays with an active stick. He has just re-signed with Dynamo Moskva for the next two seasons so it is unlikely he will be playing for Tampa in the near future if at all. If he does come over, he will likely need some time in Syracuse to continue his growth but may get some looks with the Lightning on their bottom pair at some point in the near future.

11- Jayson Shaugabay

The University of Minnesota-Duluth will be led by two undersized playmakers: Max Plante and Jayson Shaugabay. Shaugabay had two fewer points in 13 more games than the former yet is still an offensive threat with his passing. Minnesota-Duluth hasn’t loaded up with talent like some other NCAA programs, so a lot of weight will be put on Shaugabay’s shoulders to put up points this season as their number two forward.

12 - Gabriel Szturc

Szturc was signed last summer by the Lightning as an undrafted free agent after a couple of point per game seasons with the Kelowna Rockets. He made the transition to the AHL this year, where he scored 19 points in 54 games. He has a decent shot, but not much high-end offensive skill beyond that. He’ll likely serve as a middle six winger in Syracuse, where he can continue to develop his production.

13 - Hagen Burrows

It’s hard not to like a prospect with size who has a sniper-esque shot like Burrows has. Unfortunately for Burrows, he is a poor skater and a slow skater. Playing at the NCAA level last year, it was clear his skating issues were holding him back, scoring one goal in 39 games. Entering his second season with Denver, Burrows will look for a larger role, although that hinges on his skating improvements.

14 - Roman Schmidt

Roman Schmidt is simply a big shutdown defenceman. You won’t get many points out of him, however, he balances that out with how little he gives up. He plays a physical brand of hockey that leaves a mark. He isn’t afraid to mix it up with his opponents or stand up for a teammate. He’ll be in the AHL with Syracuse for now, but at 6-foot-5 and a right shot, it shouldn’t be long before he gets his first NHL game.

15 - Dyllan Gill

In the upcoming season, Gill is looking to keep his injuries behind him. Gill has had two shoulder surgeries that have caused significant missed time the past two seasons. He’s a two-way defenceman with some moderate offensive potential. The seventh-round draft pick has shown he can improve when he’s on the ice, and that seems to be the hardest part. He’ll be with the Crunch full-time next season but may split some time in the ECHL.

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #26 TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Sun, 18 May 2025 14:59:01 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - JULY 07: Tampa Bay Lightning pick Isaac Howard stands between management during the first round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft on July 07, 2022 at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

Subscribers can download the PDF in subscriber downloads.

Please note you can scroll through the PDF document here as well

Tampa Bay 25 Prospects

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – TAMPA BAY LIGHTING – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #30

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Brock Otten — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 13:00:39 +0000

_{NEWARK, NJ - FEBRUARY 25: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Maxwell Crozier (65) looks on during a game between the against the against the Tampa Bay Lightning and New Jersey Devils on February 25, 2024 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)}

Prospect System Rank – 30th (Previous Rank - 29th)
GM: Julien BriseBois Hired: September 2018
COACH: Jon Cooper Hired: March 2013

The Tampa Bay Lightning continues to embody the "run it back" philosophy, relying on a veteran core to remain competitive year after year. It's hard to argue with the results, as they are just two years removed from three consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearances and back-to-back championships. However, with aging veterans and little value sitting on the shelves, the end of the runway may be in sight.

Julien BriseBois has been notably averse to first-round picks, having selected in the first round only twice since his hiring in 2018. Unless future trades are made, that trend could continue into the 2025 NHL Entry Draft after bringing back a familiar face in Ryan McDonough for a top 10 protected first pick.

However, for the first time in what feels like a decade, perhaps we’ve finally seen a change in strategy.

In a surprising move, the Lightning acquired top prospect Conor Geekie (ranked 32nd by McKeen’s) from the Utah Hockey Club in exchange for 26-year-old Mikael Sergachev. This trade gives Tampa Bay their first top 50 McKeen’s ranked prospect in quite some time and may signal a shift towards replenishing their prospect pool—an unfamiliar prospect for Lightning fans.

Adding the likes of Geekie, who may even see games in the 2024-25 campaign, is a step in the right direction, but there is still a long road ahead.

Gage Goncalves, a 2020 second-round pick, has been developing steadily in Syracuse, coming off a strong season with 58 points in 69 games to finish just outside the top 10 in AHL scoring. At 23 years old, he’s likely to be given a longer leash after a brief stint in the 2023-24 season.

Isaac Howard (157th), the Lightnings’ only first-round draft pick in the last five years, remains a key part of their future, though he will continue to develop at the collegiate level with Michigan State. While there’s hope he could see NHL ice time as early as this spring, the team’s status as a perennial playoff contender raises questions about whether rushing him into the lineup is the best course of action.

The recent swap of Steven Stamkos for Jake Guentzel indicates that the Lightning will continue their push to remain relevant as long as players like Victor Hedman (33), Nikita Kucherov (31), Brayden Point (28) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (30) are in town.

Tampa Bay’s championship window is still wide open, but with little depth, and a lack of draft capital, they are treading in dangerous waters for the future.

Tampa Bay Lightning Top-15 Prospects

1. Conor Geekie

One of the big pieces acquired from Utah in the Mikhail Sergachev deal, Geekie immediately became Tampa’s best prospect. The big power pivot is such a difficult player to stop North/South, as he drives the middle lane with speed and advanced puck protection ability. The former 11th overall selection nearly broke the 100-point barrier in the WHL last season and is ready to take that next step as a pro. The big debate surrounding Geekie revolves around his upside as an NHL player. When his size and power advantage is neutralized, how effective will he be as an offensive player? Does he think the game at a high enough level to drive play and make those around him better at the NHL level? Geekie’s future could take a variety of different turns. Could he be a top six power center cut from the same cloth as the Tkachuk brothers? Or is he destined to be more of a bottom six contributor? Tampa Bay will learn a lot more about Geekie’s upside this year at the pro level.

2. Ethan Gauthier

Gauthier, the son of former NHL defender Denis Gauthier, and the 37th overall pick in last year’s draft, had another successful season in the QMJHL, this time with Drummondville after an offseason trade. The physically assertive forward plays a pro style game that revolves around being able to earn touches between the hash marks. He drives the net, forechecks hard, and has continued to round out his game as a two-way player. Gauthier also shoots the puck well and his goal scoring ability is the component of his offensive arsenal that likely translates the best to the pro level. To be an effective pro, Gauthier continues to work on his skating, working to become more explosive and agile. He’ll return to the QMJHL this season and should be one of the league’s top forwards as a 20-year-old. Depending on the development of his off puck play and skating, he could be NHL ready, sooner rather than later.

3. Isaac Howard

Howard, the team’s only first round selection in the last five years, had a terrific sophomore season after hitting the transfer portal the previous offseason. Howard shifted from Minnesota-Duluth to Michigan State, and it had a very positive impact on his development. He led the Spartans in scoring last year and also played a crucial role for the United States at the WJC’s, helping them capture gold. Howard was noticeably stronger on the puck last season, helping him take greater advantage of his strong skating ability to generate scoring chances. He’s a very dangerous player on the counterattack, and despite his low goal total at Michigan State, actually possesses high upside as a goal scorer because of his quick release. Howard will return to Michigan State this year as a junior and he should be considered a preseason candidate for the Hobey Baker. He might just have the highest upside of any player in Tampa’s system.

4. Niko Huuhtanen

Huuhtanen continued on the terrific development path that he started after a breakout season with WHL Everett in 2022. Two years ago, he was the rookie of the year in Liiga and this past year he led Jukurit in scoring. The big power forward signed late last season and finished his year in the AHL, giving him a taste of what to expect this coming year, his first as a pro in North America. Huuhtanen is a throwback power winger who plays a very heavy game. He’s a relentless physical player who is still learning how to walk the line in terms of discipline. However, he is most effective when he plays the power game, dominating the wall and the net front area. Huuhtanen is a prolific goal scorer, too, thanks to a very heavy release and one timer. His positive development curve has put him on a path to become a quality middle six option for the Lightning in the near future.

5. Gage Goncalves

It’s been a long road for Goncalves. The former WHL standout has now played three seasons in the AHL, improving in each of them. He led Syracuse in scoring by a significant margin this past season and finally earned a cup of coffee with the Lightning. The two-way pivot has proven to be a versatile pro. He plays an intelligent game at both ends, excelling on and off the puck. His attention to detail as a defensive player is likely going to be the thing that gets him into the NHL in a depth role before he carves out a larger one. As an offensive player, his vision and playmaking ability stand out most. He understands how to alter pace to manipulate defenses and is hard on pucks to help his line prolong offensive zone time. This year, Goncalves will need to pass through waivers in order to go to the AHL, so it seems likely that if he has a good camp, he will be given a bottom six role in Tampa Bay.

6. Max Crozier

The Lightning have to be ecstatic about what Crozier showed this past season after turning pro. Earlier last season he did not look out of place in Tampa Bay when the Lightning were having serious injury issues on the blueline. Closing out the year with Syracuse, Crozier was a near point per game defender in the AHL. Full of confidence, we saw the full scope of the impact that he can have on the game at both ends. The 6-foot-2 right shot defender does a lot of things well. He defends well thanks to an aggressive approach, a long reach, and good mobility. He takes away space from opposing forwards and defends tight spaces well thanks to his physical assertiveness. Crozier also makes a clean exit pass and has flashed an ability to quarterback the powerplay, with a strong ability to get shots through traffic. While Crozier might not have significant NHL upside, he looks like someone who can be a stable #4 or 5 defender for many years.

7. Declan Carlile

Carlile is about to be a third-year pro after a strong performance at Merrimack College and is a standout in the defensive end. He projects as a quality stay at home defender at the NHL level and he may be ready for an NHL roster spot as early as this season. He has the size. He has the reach. He is mobile. He brings physicality. He has an active stick but is also aggressive in taking away space. Carlile looks like he can help anchor a penalty killing unit in the NHL. As an offensive player, his heavy point shot helps to generate scoring chances or goals and he can make a good exit pass, but he is at his best when he keeps things simple. Much like Max Crozier, Carlile looks like a long time NHL defender for Tampa Bay, but probably tops out as a third pairing type.

8. Dylan Duke

On a Michigan team full of potential front end NHL players, Duke stood out consistently for all the right reasons this past season, finishing third in scoring and first in goals on the Wolverines. It was a very promising junior season for the diminutive pivot. Duke has always been a highly skilled playmaker who creates time and space for himself with his hands, but upgrades to his strength, off puck play, shot, and skating really upgraded his projection as a pro. Somewhat surprisingly, Duke decided to turn pro, signing with Tampa Bay at the end of the season. It might have been wise for him to return to Michigan to continue to upgrade his physical tools; he would have had a shot at being one of the better players in College Hockey this year. However, it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to the AHL level. While he may still be a bit of a long shot given his lack of high-end physical tools, his upside remains intriguing.

9. Jack Finley

The massive center took a nice step forward in his second pro season with Syracuse last year. Teams have to be patient with bigger forwards as they grow into their frame and Finley has been no different. He dominated down low at the WHL level before turning pro but had to continue to upgrade his strength and conditioning in order to do that at the AHL level. Behind the net is his office and he has very good vision coming off the wall and the cycle. Finley has also had to adjust to the pace of the pro game, especially as an only average skater. He’s likely still a bit away from making an impact in Tampa Bay, but the Lightning have to be hoping that he can continue to develop into an Adam Lowry kind of high end third line center in the future. The Lightning will be hoping that Finley can inch closer to the point per game mark with Syracuse this year.

10. Daniil Pylenkov

Pylenkov’s development has been steady since the Lightning drafted him in 2021 in his second last year of eligibility. Now 23 (turning 24 soon), Pylenkov has emerged as one of the top young defencemen in the KHL. He still has a year remaining on his KHL deal so he won’t be coming over this year, but after that? He could be an option for Tampa as a bottom pairing defender. Pylenkov is certainly not a flashy player, however he’s a very crafty one. He makes a clean exit. He is a great stick on-puck defender. He makes sound decisions with his reads with and without the puck. His NHL upside is likely limited, but the progression of his offensive game in the KHL suggests that his projection could continue to improve. Defensive depth never hurts and Tampa has built that up well.

11. Hagen Burrows

Last year’s winner of Minnesota’s Mr. Hockey Award, Burrows was a fourth-round pick of the Lightning in 2024. The big winger was excellent last season, splitting time between the USHL and high school hockey. Burrows plays a mature game, tough to separate from the puck and an excellent playmaker coming off the wall. There’s a definitive need for him to improve his skating and he’ll try to do that at the University of Denver this season.

12. Hugo Alnefelt

Expectations were pretty high for Alnefelt a few years ago when he made the jump from the SHL to the AHL in Tampa’s system. At the time, he was considered one of the top European goaltending prospects. Since then, his development has stagnated to a certain degree. He has the tools to be one, but consistency has remained an issue for him. He will compete for the back-up job this year, but still has another year of waiver eligibility remaining.

13. Jayson Shaugabay

One of the most skilled and creative players in Tampa’s system, Shaugabay opted to play a full season in the USHL last season before making the jump to the NCAA. This allowed the diminutive forward to continue to build strength so that he can take greater advantage of his offensive gifts. Shaugabay will now head to Minnesota-Duluth this year and will likely be given a good shot to play a key offensive role as a freshman.

14. Lucas Edmonds

After a strong rookie season in the AHL two years ago, last season was a step back for Edmonds. No question, he’s a talented playmaker. However, there’s a strong need for him to upgrade his physical tools still to be a more consistent pro. 2024/25 is going to be a critical season for his development. A qualifying offer is likely dependent on his performance and progress.

15. Gabriel Szturc

The Lightning have had some good success signing free agents out of the CHL and the team dipped into that pool again a few times last year. Czech pivot and former Kelowna Rocket captain Gabriel Szturc is one such player. He’s a competitive, two-way, playmaker who, ignoring the cliche, plays much larger than his size. He projects as a versatile bottom six forward for Tampa Bay.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2023 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP – TEAM PREVIEW – CZECHIA

Matej Deraj — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 17:33:39 +0000

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - AUGUST 14: Czechia's David Jiricek #5 passes the puck during Preliminary Round - Group A action against Latvia at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship at Rogers Place on August 14, 2022 in Edmonton, Alberta. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)

TEAM CZECHIA GROUP A

Czechia is bringing an experienced roster to Canada. Many players have at least one World Juniors appearance under their belt, which can certainly help the Czech team. They had a great summer tournament; beating USA 4-2 in the quarterfinals, which earned them a chance to medal. Despite losing both semifinals (5-2 vs. Canada) and the bronze medal game (3-1 vs. Sweden), the young Czech team was one of the most positive surprises of the tournament. With many returning players on the team (the most in the tournament), they want to build on the recent success and fight for a medal.

The two biggest names on the Czech team are first round picks from the last NHL Draft. David Jiříček (#6) was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets. He´s playing in the AHL with the Blue Jackets´ affiliate the Cleveland Monsters and he´s been heavily praised for his mature game. He even managed to earn his NHL debut. The other expected star player is center Jiří Kulich, who´s part of the Buffalo Sabres´ prospect system. Kulich is also playing in the AHL. Both players have previous professional experience from the Czech top league and they´ll certainly play a big role.

Forward Eduard Šalé is the youngest player on the team, being the only one born in 2005. He´s the most notable Czech prospect for the upcoming draft; it´ll be interesting to watch how big of a role he´ll earn on an older team. He hasn´t thrived in the Czech league recently, but the World Juniors could be a nice opportunity to turn things around.

The Czech are bringing a strong defensive core this year. Apart from Jiříček, they can rely on Stanislav Svozil, Jiří Ticháček, David Špaček or Tomáš Hamara. They have a lot of international experience and will make sure scoring on the Czech goalie won´t be an easy job. The offensive power seems a bit limited, but two Golden Knights´ prospects Jakub Brabenec and Matyáš Šapovaliv should help with scoring goals. Indubitably, Czechia will be a tough opponent even for the strongest teams on the tournament.

10 TO WATCH

DAVID JIŘÍČEK, D

YEAR TEAM GP G A PTS PIM

2021-22 HC Plzeň (Cze) 29 5 6 11 49

2022-23 Cleveland (AHL) 15 4 9 13 8

Jiříček has been producing well in the AHL, he´s almost a PPG player (13 points in 15 games), which is a fantastic start for a 19-year-old European prospect. Jiříček is a big-bodied (6´3”) punishing defenseman, who plays an aggressive style and loves to throw a big hit. He´s offensively gifted and has a great shot, making him a threat even in the offensive zone. His play in his own zone might be a bit shaky, but his overall potential is high. Jiříček will be the key player for Czechia and an absolute leader. He started last year´s winter tournament really well, but he got injured in an initial game causing him to miss a couple of months. However, he did return for the summer tournament, helping the Czechs earn a fourth place finish. It will be a bit of a revenge tournament for Jiříček, who wants to succeed at his last World Juniors.

JIŘÍ KULICH, C

YEAR TEAM GP G A PTS PIM

2021-22 Karlovy Vary (Cze) 49 9 5 14 4

2022-23 Rochester (AHL) 22 5 9 14 2

Kulich is a smart two-way center who has adjusted to the North American ice in a great way. He´s played well with the Rochester Americans, scoring a respectable number of points (14) in 22 games. Kulich possesses a strong shot and he´s able to find an ideal spot to receive a pass from teammates. He is definitely a dangerous powerplay option, but he also has great speed, can escape opponents even in tight spaces. He also plays an intelligent game. The Sabres´ first round pick (#28) had an excellent WJC-18 tournament last year, scoring nine goals in six matches and earning an MVP title. He also played really well at the summer World Juniors, scoring over a PPG rate (2+6 in 7 games).

FRISCO, TX USA - MAY 1: The Czech Republic's Stanislav Svozil #14 skates with the puck while Russia's Prokhor Poltapov #13 chases him down during preliminary round action at the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Comerica Center on May 1, 2021 in Frisco, TX USA. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/HHOF-IIHF Images)

STANISLAV SVOZIL, D

YEAR TEAM GP G A PTS PIM

2021-22 Regina (WHL) 59 10 31 41 23

2022-23 Regina (WHL) 28 5 32 37 16

Playing with Connor Bedard definitely helps your points total, but it´s not just about the future superstar when it comes to Stanislav Svozil´s production. The Czech defenseman is having a great year in the WHL; he averages over a one assist a game (32 helpers in 28 matches). Svozil is a second round pick from the 2021 draft and another Blue Jackets prospect. It´d be nice to see him on the same pairing as David Jiříček, two potential future Columbus defensemen. Svozil is one of the most experienced players on the Czech roster, he´s going to play at his third World Juniors. He´s a mobile two-way defenseman who likes to join the attack, but doesn´t lack defensive awareness. He plays a physical game, but doesn´t go over the edge.

JAKUB BRABENEC, C/LW

YEAR TEAM GP G A PTS PIM

2021-22 Charlottetown (QMJHL) 58 17 47 64 8

2022-23 Charlottetown (QMJHL) 28 8 17 25 16

Brabenec singed an entry-level contract with the Vegas Golden Knights two weeks before the tournament, so he´s coming to the World Juniors with a fresh motivation. He´s the leading scorer of the Charlottetown Islanders with slightly under a PPG average (25 points in 28 games). Brabenec is an intelligent player and a gifted playmaker, he likes to find an open teammate and plays a passing-first game. He managed to get 47 helpers in 58 QMJHL games last year too. Brabenec sees the ice well and his vision helps him to make his teammates better. His game is mainly about offence; he should be one of the main scoring threats on the Czech team.

MATYÁŠ ŠAPOVALIV, C

YEAR TEAM GP G A PTS PIM

2021-22 Saginaw (OHL) 68 18 34 52 26

2022-23 Saginaw (OHL) 30 11 19 30 18

Šapovaliv is another great playmaker drafted by the Golden Knights. He was a second round pick in the last draft, the 48^th pick overall. Šapovaliv is playing in his second season in the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit. He´s currently a PPG player. The Czech center has a great size (6´3”) that allows him to protect the puck well and win board battles. He´s creative and can surprise defenders with his skill. His weakness is his skating, which is somehow understandable for such a big junior player. He usually doesn´t play the game in a high speed, rather slows it down, but his skating also seems to have improved a bit.

EDUARD ŠALÉ, RW

YEAR TEAM GP G A PTS PIM

2021-22 Brno (Cze Jr.) 39 42 47 89 56

2022-23 Brno (Cze) 26 3 3 6 0

After a great start to the season, Šalé has been struggling in the Czech top tier league. He hasn´t earned a single point in two months and his time on ice has started to drop as well. The World Juniors could be a refreshing change for the most talented Czech for the upcoming draft. Šalé has been a top 10 candidate since the beginning of the season, but his scoring drought certainly doesn't help his case. Šalé is a quick and skilled forward who is always a scoring threat. He likes to create chances for himself and drives to the net very often, making him a solid prospect with a translatable skill set. His usage on the Czech team is still not certain, but it´s quite likely he´ll earn a top-six, even a top line role.

JIŘÍ TICHÁČEK, D

YEAR TEAM GP G A PTS PIM

2021-22 Kladno (Cze) 41 2 6 8 14

2022-23 Kladno (Cze) 27 0 3 3 10

Ticháček was considered an interesting prospect in his draft year, but as an undersized defenseman (5´9”), he was in an extremely tough position. He´d never been drafted and likely won´t ever be. Ticháček is a very mobile, quick and offensively gifted defenseman who likes to distribute the puck. He has a high hockey IQ, good passing game and is also a solid powerplay option. His main weakness is obviously his size and lack of physicality. Moreover, his 2022-23 season hasn´t been great in terms of points – he has only managed to collect three assists in 27 Czech top tier league games while being -17 in plus/minus, but his whole team has been struggling. The World Juniors will bring a welcoming change of atmosphere.

TOMÁŠ SUCHÁNEK, G

YEAR TEAM GP W L GAA SV%

2021-22 Tri-City (WHL) 42 12 24 3.87 0.901

2022-23 Tri-City (WHL) 23 13 9 3.61 0.901

Suchánek earned a starter role at the last tournament and now he is expected to continue at the same position. He had a great game against Canada in the group stage, he managed to get 52 saves against the clear favorite in a 5-1 loss. Suchánek helped his team to beat USA in the quarterfinals (4-2), but the Czechs lost the next two games and ended up being 4^th. Suchánek has the needed experience at the U20 level and he was one of the best players on Team Czechia the last time, so it´s no surprise he should be the #1 goalie this time as well. On a club level, he plays for the Tri-City Americans in his second year in the WHL.

DAVID ŠPAČEK, D

YEAR TEAM GP G A PTS PIM

2021-22 Sherbrooke (QMJHL) 57 12 38 50 44

2022-23 Sherbrooke (QMJHL) 29 6 20 26 18

Špaček was awarded as the best Czech defenseman at the summer World Juniors. Despite not scoring a lot of points (he only had one assist in seven games) for such an offensively minded D-man, he had the highest time on ice and played in most crucial situations for Czechia. Špaček was drafted by the Minnesota Wild as an overager after a successful season in the QMJHL. He is a smart offensive defenseman who likes to shoot the puck, goes deep into the offensive zone and joins the attack. He has a dangerous shot and enjoys to hold the puck on his stick. Špaček is a son of a former NHL defensive defenseman Jaroslav Špaček who seems to have taught him a thing or two; despite being offensively minded, David Špaček is also very solid at defending in his own zone and doesn´t lose one-on-one battles very often.

GABRIEL SZTURC, C

YEAR TEAM GP G A PTS PIM

2021-22 Kelowna (WHL) 67 16 25 41 6

2022-23 Kelowna (WHL) 26 10 27 37 18

Szturc is a dangerous offensive forward who´s having a great year in the WHL; he´s almost matched his last season´s point total in spite of playing less than half games. He´s progressed in many areas of his game since the last year. He´s comfortable with the puck on his stick and also has a great shot. Szturc is a bit undersized (5´10”) and not overly physical, but he plays a smart two-way game. Although he wasn´t selected in the last NHL Draft by any team, he could hear his name this time if he continues to play the same way.

SURPRISE PLAYER

TOMÁŠ HAMARA, D

YEAR TEAM GP G A PTS PIM

2021-22 Tappara (Fin Jr.) 32 6 19 25 16

2022-23 Kitchener (OHL) 24 2 9 11 11

Hamara is one of the youngest players on the stacked Czech defence, but he could end up as one of their crucial defensemen. The Ottawa Senators´ third round pick (#87) from the last draft is a smart D-man who plays a two-way game. He protects the net and defends well in his own zone, but he also likes to join his team on the rush and displays great puckhandling skills. He was important for Czechia even at the last tournament in summer, but this could be the year Hamara takes a bigger step forward. He´s used to the North American ice from playing in the OHL and could earn a role on the Czech first two pairings.