Gleb Trikozov – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #15

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 19:11:41 +0000

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 15: Carolina defenseman Alexander Nikishin (21) watches the puck during his first NHL debut game during game five of the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs between the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals National Hockey League game on May 15, 2025 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 15th (May 2025 - 10th)
GM: Eric Tulsky Hired: May 2024
COACH: Rod Brind’Amour Hired: May 2018

The Carolina Hurricanes’ prospect pool is built from the blue line out, headlined by 23-year-old Alexander Nikishin. The 6-foot-4 Russian defender arrives after a dominant six-year KHL career in which he posted 54 goals and 177 points, leading all KHL defensemen in scoring for back-to-back seasons (2022–24). With his rare combination of size, skill, and poise, Nikishin is set to make his full-time NHL debut in 2025-26 and should be an immediate difference-maker.

Behind him, Carolina’s depth on defense is striking, with several of the organization’s top 15 McKeen’s prospects patrolling the blue line. Although Scott Morrow is now out of the picture – sent to the Rangers in a deal that brought in K’Andre Miller – other names to watch include Aleksi Heimosalmi, Simon Forsmark, Noel Fransen, Dominick Fensore, Dominik Badinka, and newly drafted Kurban Limatov.

Up front, the pipeline is thinner but still boasts high-end skill. Since Jackson Blake’s graduation, Bradly Nadeau has stepped into the role of top forward prospect. Fresh off a standout NCAA career at Maine, he led all rookies in goals (32) and finished second in points (58) among all rookies during his debut pro season, establishing himself as a legitimate scoring threat.

At the NHL level, new GM Eric Tulsky wasted no time making bold moves. Carolina’s aggressive summer began with the acquisition of Mikko Rantanen and continued with a quick pivot to bring in 23-year-old Logan Stankoven—one of the league’s top young forwards. Stankoven now joins a core featuring Seth Jarvis, Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho, and goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov, giving the Hurricanes both elite talent in their prime and a strong wave of youth on the horizon.

With a defensive pipeline that rivals any in the league and a few forwards capable of stepping into impact roles, Carolina’s system is well positioned to keep the team in contention for years. The challenge for Tulsky will be integrating these prospects into an already competitive roster without losing the depth that has long been a hallmark of the Hurricanes’ success.

Carolina Hurricanes Top-15 Prospects

1 - Alexander Nikishin

The Carolina Hurricanes found a gem in Alexander Nikishin, drafted in the third-round in 2020. At just 23, he was arguably the best defenceman in the KHL, playing with remarkable poise and is always calm under pressure. Nikishin excels defensively, using his awareness, timing, and angling to shut down plays effectively. He sticks to opponents well, sealing them against the boards with precise checks and using his active stick to disrupt plays. Offensively, he’s efficient rather than flashy, moving smoothly with the puck and delivering accurate, well-timed passes. He keeps his head up, scanning the ice for options, and has a heavy shot that’s netted him 17 goals this season. While he occasionally over handles the puck, he’s usually patient and makes smart decisions. Nikishin is NHL-ready and showed some great flashes with Carolina in the playoffs this past season. He projects as a top-pairing defenceman with unmatched two-way impact.

2 - Bradly Nadeau

It’s looking more and more like Bradly Nadeau will make the jump to the NHL this year, provided his training camp and preseason performance are up to his current standards. His performance in the AHL during the 2024-25 season was impressive, ranking among the best goal scorers. Nadeau started 2025 at a point-per-game pace and stayed red hot down the stretch and now is ready for the next step. He brings a high-level shot to the Canes’ bottom six with a variety of releases that are all equally deadly. There’s a real opportunity to earn a spot on Carolina’s power play this year if he can showcase the same offensive prowess he terrorized the AHL with last year. But he’s not just a shooter. Nadeau is also a strong playmaker who pre-scans for lanes and actively engages defenders to make his passes deceptive. Don’t be surprised to see Nadeau make waves during his rookie campaign. He has historically risen to the occasion and taken little time to find his groove in new leagues.

3 - Nikita Artamanov

Nikita Artamonov broke into the KHL last season as one of the league’s hardest working forwards, impressing with his relentless motor and ability to create offence through effort. This year, he took a major step forward, tallying 39 points in 63 games and setting a KHL record for goals by a DY+1 player with 22. His wrist shot and net-front awareness both improved significantly, and his game looks far more composed without losing the high-energy style that makes him so effective. Artamonov also remained a strong forechecker and transitioned pucks up ice with more control. He’s polished many of his roughest edges and now looks like a major steal for Carolina. He has just re-signed with Torpedo for two more seasons which will extend his time before making the jump to North America, but this should not scare Canes fans. He needs time to make improvements and has the potential to become a talented playmaker and checking forward for years to come.

4 - Kurban Limatov

Kurban Limatov was our highest ranked Russian player from last season and was snatched up by Carolina in the third round of the 2025 draft. He has explosive speed which he uses incredibly well to transport the puck into the offensive zone and a heavy shot which finds its way to the back of the net often. He is a physical defender who finishes his checks hard, using well timed step ups and intelligent angling to cut off his opponents and shut down play before it can even set up. Limatov needs to improve his playmaking ability and learn to use his passing to create offensive opportunities. A lot of the time this season, he was not much of a creator which held his team back offensively. Kurban projects as a top four defenceman whose strengths in the NHL will be shut down defence and great transporting ability. He will need some more time in Russia to continue to develop but looks on track to reach his full potential.

5 - Semyon Frolov

Semyon Frolov is the prototypical Russian-style goalie, and it is pretty easy to see why he was the third goalie picked in the 2025 draft. He has excellent athleticism, able to stretch and explode in many situations. He’s also an exceptional skater, having fluid, quick movement both on his feet and along the ice in any butterfly motions. He’s a competitive and aggressive goalie, someone that could really fire up a team by making huge saves. But he struggles with consistently making proper reads, executing correct plans and has erratic rebound control. Rebounds can be ironed out easily, but cognitive aspects of the game are harder to improve upon and can really hurt a goalie in higher levels. The raw physical talents of Frolov give him the potential to be an effective NHL goalie, but without development in the intellectual aspects of the game, could mean the difference between being a starter, and a backup, or worst case, a third string.

6 - Dominik Badinka

Badinka didn’t take a very big step forward, considering how good he looked in the SHL in his draft year. The young right-hander’s mobility and pace in the defensive zone looked good as ever and he was poised on the puck, but nothing really progressed. He’s added some weight, but the offensive zone play still leaves a lot to be desired. Despite his ice time in the SHL dwindling and his mysterious snub from Czechia’s WJC team, Badinka made the jump to AHL Chicago. The sample size is too small to make any judgements, but his toolkit should make his transition to smaller ice pretty smooth. The only snag is his lack of a pronounced physical game. He’ll finish checks, but he’ll have to turn it up a notch to keep up with the level of physicality in North America. If all goes well, Badinka could be a solid bottom pair defenceman, bringing defensive stability and puck moving skills.

7 - Felix Unger-Sorum

Felix Unger-Sorum made the jump across the pond this past year, joining the Chicago Wolves. He had a solid season adjusting to the North American game, which many expected to be a challenge given his offensive style that leans heavily on lateral movement and opening space for teammates to strike. He still lacks the physicality needed to take the next step, often shying away from contact instead of taking hits to make plays. Although his creativity has helped him earn top power play minutes and create dangerous chances, Felix Unger-Sorum needs to embrace contact and puck battles as opposed to his more avoidant approach. I’d expect him to rack up points in the Chicago Wolves’ top six in the coming years rather than grind out fourth-line minutes for the Canes. With the sheer number of similar players Carolina has in the system, it’s tough to project where Felix fits in at the next level.

8 - Ivan Ryabkin

One year ago, Ivan Ryabkin was being compared to other high-flying Russian offensive dynamos Matvei Michkov and Ivan Demidov. Putting up 58 points as a 16-year-old in the MHL was an impressive feat, and, naturally, everyone was expecting an even bigger offensive explosion. What ended up happening was an explosion of the worst kind. Rumored off-ice issues with Moscow Dynamo flared up almost immediately and seemed to be confirmed when he was shipped off to Muskegon in the USHL in January. Despite the negative reputation this location change gave him, Ryabkin turned around his case with his play. Finding a goal-scoring touch, his offence looked solid in his 41-game stint with the Lumberjacks. In addition to his shot, Ryabkin has always been a great distributor, creating great chances for his teammates consistently. I would also be remiss if I didn’t point out Ryabkin’s pestilence and grit. This guy is NOT fun to play against, becoming infamous for his borderline illegal hits and ability to piss off opposing teams. Some of his drawbacks naturally arise from this questionable play, tending to take some egregiously bad penalties at times. Ryabkin also struggles with skating speed and overall conditioning. Taking his height and weight into consideration, he is essentially a bowling ball on the ice. Ivan Ryabkin is undoubtedly one of the most divisive prospects in all of hockey today, though there is still a legitimate path for him to make the NHL.

9 - Justin Robidas

Justin Robidas entered his second pro season this past year with the Chicago Wolves after spending the previous year with the ECHL’s Norfolk Admirals. He posted extremely impressive totals with 55 points through 70 games in the AHL and two points in two games with the Carolina Hurricanes. While he’s on the shorter end, Robidas is incredibly smart and has some of the best timing of any AHL prospect I’ve seen recently. His game is so fluid that, as a viewer, I question if defenders have any impact on him when working the give-and-go on the rush. Justin hits cross crease passes with ease, using deception to open seams and throw goalies off. Robidas is another offensive-minded, undersized Canes forward, so the competition for ice time will be fierce, but Robidas deserves a greater shot to prove himself in the NHL next year, given how his brain has translated to points at every level of play so far.

10 - Noel Fransen

In spite of poor team performance, Fransen’s first full season of pro hockey was a resounding success and he’s looking like a potential draft steal. He was a key piece on the backend for Västerås IK, confidently carrying pucks end to end with his strong mobility and supplying a ton of offence thanks to his excellent playmaking ability and deadly shot. In fact, he led all defencemen in the HockeyAllsvenskan under the age of 21 in scoring. His defensive reads and defensive zone play in general still needs improvement, but it’s clear he’s getting better with experience. Fransén was projected to be a high-ceiling, low floor prospect in his draft year. As his defensive zone play, explosiveness, and physical strength and resilience improve, so too will his chance of hitting that ceiling. He’s passed the HockeyAllsvenskan test with flying colours, but the SHL will be a different beast. If he can find success there with Färjestad BK, then he should make the jump to North America a year or two after.

11 - Simon Forsmark

All before turning 22, Forsmark already has 150 games under his belt at the SHL level. A fourth-round pick in 2022, Forsmark has turned into a solid top four defenceman for Timrå IK. Forsmark has continued to improve his offensive production while remaining a solid defender. He should remain an impactful defenceman for Timrå IK before the Hurricanes sign him to an entry-level contract or let his rights expire on June 1.

12 - Domenick Fensore

Fensore is as dynamic a defender as they come and makes you forget that he is undersized at all. He was an almost 0.5 point-per-game player for the Wolves last season and shined in his two games with the Hurricanes when he was called up. With Scott Morrow out of the picture, Fensore’s usage will likely increase in almost all situations. Don’t be surprised if he runs away with the opportunity as the Wolves’ best offensive defenceman.

13 - Gleb Trikozov

Two leg injuries cost Trikozov almost his entire North American debut season. In the 20 games he did play, the Russian didn’t produce much that was noteworthy and largely struggled. Injuries and issues translating his game from Russia to the AHL will be the key things Trikozov looks to leave behind this season. If he can get back to his game, he should be a solid middle six playmaker for the Wolves.

14 - Aleksi Heimosalmi

Heimosalmi finds himself in a tough spot after a rough 2024-25 season in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves. A -29 plus-minus combined with 14 points in 56 games doesn’t help the Finn, who will be competing just for ice time this year. With Dominik Badinka moving over to North America, Heimosalmi likely finds himself in a make-or-break year as a prospect. He’ll be battling for third-pairing minutes in the AHL this season.

15 - Ryan Suzuki

At 24 years old, Suzuki may not even be considered a prospect by some. Last season, he led the Wolves with 59 points as the team’s first-line center. Suzuki will assume the same role this season as an older prospect / younger vet who can help get the best out of some of the other prospects. Barring unlucky injuries for the Hurricanes down the middle, Suzuki will remain with the Wolves as their best offensive-driving center.

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #10 Carolina Hurricanes – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Wed, 28 May 2025 12:32:42 +0000

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 15: Carolina defenseman Alexander Nikishin (21) waits for a face-off during his first NHL debut game during game five of the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs between the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals National Hockey League game on May 15, 2025 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire)

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Carolina 25 Prospects

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #13

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Derek Neumeier — Sat, 21 Sep 2024 18:00:36 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 13th (Previous Rank - 11th)
GM: Eric Tulsky Hired: May 2024
COACH: Rod Brind’Amour Hired: May 2018

Sporting three top 75 ranked prospects is a position any organization strives for, and the Carolina Hurricanes are no exception. Their prospect pipeline boasts not only depth but high-end talent, with one of their prospects sitting comfortably within our top 10. Now former GM, Don Waddell had a history of targeting high-upside, trajectory picks, and Alexander Nikishin (ninth ranked) is a prime example. Taken in the third round of the 2020 draft, the heavyset Russian defender has exploded into one of the top young two-way defencemen in the game. Over the last two seasons, Nikishin has contributed 28 goals and 111 points in 132 games, earning the title of top point-scoring KHL defenceman for two consecutive years. He also led the league with a plus–32 rating in 2023-24.

In addition to Nikishin, the Hurricanes have a wealth of defensive talent, with eight of their top 15 McKeen’s prospects patrolling the blueline. Scott Morrow (65th), who signed his pro contract last year, Aleksi Heimosalmi (137th), and Dominik Badinka (141st) represent the club’s top options. Morrow, in particular, is expected to make immediate contributions, either with the Hurricanes or the Norfolk Admirals.

On the farm, the Hurricanes are integrating three important prospects who could see NHL stints this season. Bradly Nadeau (47th), Jackson Blake (124th), and the aforementioned Morrow are poised to be key players. Nadeau made the jump to pro hockey after just one season in the NCAA, where he earned Hockey East All-Star honors with 46 points in 37 games alongside his brother at the University of Maine. Blake, a former NCHC Player of the Year, regular-season champion, and Hobey Baker finalist, was a dominant force for North Dakota, putting up 38 goals and 102 points in just 79 games over two years.

Under Don Waddell's leadership, the Hurricanes have reached the playoffs and won at least one round in each of his six seasons, all while managing to stockpile draft capital. With new management and a core group featuring Seth Jarvis, Andrei Svechnikov, Martin Nečas, Sebastian Aho, and goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov, alongside a strong and youthful cavalry on the way, it's easy to believe that this team’s championship window is just beginning to open.

Carolina Hurricanes Top-15 Prospects

1. Alexander Nikishin

Not only has Nikishin emerged as one of the best defence prospects in hockey, he is also arguably the best defenceman anywhere in the world outside of the NHL, at any age. This season he was named the captain of the storied KHL franchise SKA, he ended up as that team’s leading scorer, and he had the most points out of any defensemen in the league, all of which are simply incredible for a prospect who is still just 22 years old. The way that he is able to leave a huge impact with both his skill and his physical play, in all zones and all situations, is so rare. Carolina landing him in the 3rd round, 69th overall, in 2020 is looking like one of the biggest draft steals in recent history, and they have to be licking their chops about getting him to the NHL as soon as possible.

2. Brad Nadeau

You could give Nadeau the nickname Mr. Coast To Coast, both for his extreme continental criss-crossing over the past few seasons, as well as for his ability to make highlight-reel plays in transition. What he accomplished this year was nothing short of incredible, entering the NCAA as an 18-year-old and then leading his team in scoring with well over a point-per-game average. However, his success unfortunately flew under the radar a bit because Maine is usually a weaker program with a lower national profile compared to other schools that are top threats most seasons. He's a shifty, multi-faceted offensive weapon, and his high-end proficiency and deception as both a shooter and playmaker make him hard to defend against. Luckily for other college teams, the Hurricanes wanted him to turn pro sooner rather than later and already got him signed to his entry-level contract.

3. Scott Morrow

Morrow was a little bit of a risky pick for the Hurricanes at 40th overall in the 2021 draft, but he has rewarded their trust admirably in the years since, emerging as one of the best defense prospects in all of hockey. The program at UMass-Amherst turned out to be an ideal environment for his development, and after two consecutive seasons as his team’s leading scorer he signed his entry-level contract. Even more impressive, he joined Carolina’s roster immediately and made his NHL debut only a few short days after leaving college. He has sublime all-direction skating ability, crisp puck skills, and a big shot from the point. There were prior concerns about his defensive play and his risky, freewheeling style, but those have mostly abated. Don’t be surprised if he never sees time in the AHL at all and starts next season with the Canes.

4. Jackson Blake

Yet another recent alumni from the vaunted Chicago Steel prospect factory, Blake played like a man possessed this year for North Dakota. He was one of the top offensive producers in all of college hockey, and scored a staggering 31 more points than his nearest teammate, which goes to show just how integral he was for his squad. His efforts also made him a finalist for the Hobey Baker award, and rightfully so, though he did lose to the fully deserving wunderkind Macklin Celebrini. His dad, former NHLer Jason Blake, overcame his short stature with outsized perseverance, craftiness, and work ethic, and the apple didn't fall far from the tree here. He’ll get a good, long look from the Hurricanes in training camp in the fall to see if he's ready for full-time NHL duty, but some duty in the AHL instead shouldn’t slow down his current rate of progression.

5. Aleksi Heimosalmi

There has never been any doubt that Heimosalmi is a highly skilled defenceman. His talents as a skater are superb, and so are his abilities at controlling and making moves with the puck while flying around the ice at his highest gear. The difficulty, however, has involved him figuring out how to actually make the most out of his given gifts. His production this season was almost identical to what it was last year with the exact same team, and it’s never great to see stagnation in a young prospect instead of improvement. He has the physical tools to be more of a difference-maker on the scoresheet, but he needs to get a little more crafty and aware when it comes to dissecting opposing defensive structures. He’s already under contract for a few more years, so Carolina has plenty of time to help his offence come along.

6. Dominik Badinka

Badinka has been on something of a European tour over the past three seasons, going from his native Czechia over to Finland, and then Sweden. But his arrival in Malmö last year paid huge dividends for him, as he began playing against professional competition for the first time and more than proved that he belonged amongst them. His game is built around his rangy skating ability, using his long and powerful strides to aggressively close gaps or blaze up the ice in transition. His point totals are misleading to a casual observer, as he loves to attack offensively and has the wheels to create opportunities, but his whole team struggled to finish plays and score goals last year. There's a safe floor here as a supporting defensive piece, as well as some potential still bubbling beneath the surface that could still turn him into so much more than that.

7. Jayden Perron

Perron didn't necessarily have a seamless transition to the NCAA this season while following the same path as Blake, going from the star-studded Steel in the USHL to a more blue collar North Dakota group. The good news is that things eventually started to come together for him. That was fully expected, too, considering how great are his hockey IQ and drive to improve. He still likes to play bigger than his size and is already showing a proficiency for getting back into high-danger scoring areas against the bigger and older opponents he is now facing. He'll likely still need a few more years in college before he's ready for the pro leagues, but that will provide him plenty of time to keep adapting his offensive tools and add other elements to his game, which will both be essential for bolstering his chances of becoming an NHLer.

8. Nikita Artamonov

Artamonov really burst onto the scouting scene this past season, going from a middling junior-level prospect at the junior MHL level to one of the most successful teenagers that the KHL has seen in recent memory. Playing under Hall of Fame head coach Igor "The Professor" Larionov sure seems like it helped him learn a lot, and quickly. He's a smart, tenacious winger who always seems to know where to be and what he needs to be doing during every shift. He’s around the puck a lot and can be a bit of a pest to play against because he’s always grinding away. There are, however, limitations to his size, skating ability, and overall skill level, which cause concerns about his long-term ceiling. If he makes the NHL it will be in a depth role and he'll try to work his way up the lineup from there.

9. Gleb Trikozov

Trikozov is an electrifying winger who has consistently produced points over the past few seasons in Russia, in spite of regular shuttling up and down levels, albeit within the same parent organization. He has as deep of a bag of puck tricks as any other forward prospect out there, and always relishes beating enemy defenders one-on-one in dramatic fashion. And if that wasn’t enough, he can absolutely bury shots, including when others feed him for the one-timer. There are questions about how his loose playing style and tendency to try doing everything himself will translate to the NHL or just how well he can play within a greater structure, and his defensive commitment often isn’t where it needs to be. However, Carolina just signed him to an entry-level contract this spring, so they’re willing to see how everything unfolds, which is the right call for such an inherently talented prospect.

10. Noel Fransén

Fransén was one of the best-kept secrets in the scouting world last season. For some strange reason he really flew under the radar of NHL Central Scouting, the Swedish national program, and prospect fans at large, in spite of him having produced some electrifying play in Sweden's top junior league, including the rare feat of scoring 20 goals as a defenceman. He also finished the campaign as the top scorer on his entire team, which speaks volumes about how much of a difference-maker he is. He's fast and assertive, loving to turn on the jets in transition or activate from the offensive blueline with explosive bursts of acceleration. He might not get full-time duty at the professional level once again in 2024-25, but make no mistake, this is a player with a lot of future upside if he keeps advancing at his current rate.

11. Felix Unger Sorum

Unger Sorum is a highly entertaining player to watch because he's so slippery and elusive. He loves to attack east-west in the neutral and offensive zones and slants heavily towards passing instead of shooting. There are undoubtedly still some major adjustments that he will need to make before being NHL-ready, especially the extra strength and sturdiness needed to bounce off checks on the smaller North American ice, but there’s no rush for that to happen.

12. Ronan Seeley

Seeley is one of the few Hurricanes prospects who stuck around with the Chicago Wolves after the minor league organization severed ties with their former NHL affiliate, and it seemed to cause a step backwards in his development. Once a steady and trustworthy defender, he now looks like a shell of his former self. He has one year left on his contract, and he'll need to solidify his professional identity and reaffirm what kind of value he provides.

13. Domenick Fensore

It's very rare to see defensemen of Fensore's small size succeed in pro hockey, but he has a better chance than most because he always plays quicker than almost everyone else. He will need to maintain that quickness to continue moving forward as a defender who can exit the zone with control or apply pressure on opponents through tight gap control, which might allow him to contribute enough overall to offset his lack of reach and strength.

14. Anttoni Honka

Honka crossed the pond to North America for all of 2022-23 but then returned home for 2023-24 because of Carolina's lack of an AHL affiliate. Those globe-trotting circumstances didn’t do him any favours, as his development seems to have stalled. It's not easy to make a living as an undersized puck-moving defenceman, and he needs to demonstrate an elite proficiency in that role soon, because only the very best of the best are able to make it.

15. Justin Poirier

Poirier was the first 17-year-old player to produce a 50-goal season in the QMJHL since Sidney Crosby in 2004-05, which is an incredible feat. His shot accuracy and shooter’s instincts are impeccable. But will he be able to score at the NHL level? That's the big question, stemming from his small stature and poor skating ability. If nothing else, he will be one of the most fascinating development case studies to follow in the sport.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #11 Carolina Hurricanes – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Player Profiles - Derek Neumeier, Team Overview - Robert Howard — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 13:11:21 +0000

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 19: UMASS Minutemen defenseman Scott Morrow (23) during the Hockey East Championship game between the University of Massachusetts Minutemen and the University of Connecticut Huskies on March 19, 2022 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Since coach Rod Brind’Amour was hired, shortly after Don Waddell was installed as GM, the team has been to the Conference Final twice in the last six years. They have never missed the playoffs in that time, and advanced to at least the second round in each of the last four years. An impressive record, and even more so because in that time they have built a tremendous young core, learning how to win together. They are now entering their prime. Waddell is now leaving the team and the search is on for his replacement, while Eric Tulsky fills in as interim GM. Waddell had been patient over the years. Brent Burns was added in summer of 2022, but it wasn’t really until this trade deadline that he went for it. Adding Jake Guentzel from Pittsburgh for a huge package of prospects and picks. Guentzel is a free agent, but there does seem to be a mutual desire to work something out. If that does not come to fruition, they will likely be aggressive in free agency and on the trade front.

That such a successful organization ranks 11th in the league for their prospect pool is a testament to their scouting staff and development team. They have a talent for recognizing talent in later rounds and developing them into stars. They have only picked in the first round three times in the last five years. Those picks include last year’s 30th overall pick Bradly Nadeau (ranked 34th by McKeens), and emerging superstar Seth Jarvis, just off a breakout season, capped off by an outstanding playoff. They have graduated only one of three goalies in the entire NHL in second round pick Pyotr Kotchetkov. Leading the group is McKeen’s 7th ranked prospect in 6’ 3” Alexander Nikishin, drafted in the third round in 2020, who led his team, and all defensemen, in scoring in KHL. His contract is through 2024-25 and he can make an immediate impact when he is ready to come over. Ready to make the roster as early as next season is Scott Morrow (ranked 49th), who has signed his entry level contract.

RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Alexander Nikishin	D	22	6-3/195	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	`20(69th)	67	17	39	56	39
2	Bradly Nadeau	LW	18	5-10/165	Maine (HE)	`23(30th)	37	19	27	46	12
3	Scott Morrow	D	21	6-2/195	Massachusetts (HE)	`21(40th)	37	6	24	30	25
4	Aleksi Heimosalmi	D	20	5-11/170	Assat (Fin-Liiga)	`21(44th)	47	2	14	16	12
5	Jackson Blake	RW	20	5-10/160	North Dakota (NCHC)	`21(109th)	40	22	38	60	26
6	Jayden Perron	RW	19	5-9/165	North Dakota (NCHC)	`23(94th)	39	11	7	18	8
7	Gleb Trikozov	LW	19	6-1/185	Omskie Krylia (VHL)	`22(60th)	39	11	10	21	18
8	Felix Unger Sorum	RW	18	5-11/170	Leksands (SHL)	`23(62nd)	35	3	12	15	2
9	Anttoni Honka	D	23	5-10/180	JYP (Fin-Liiga)	`19(83rd)	48	2	21	23	12
10	Ronan Seeley	D	21	6-0/175	Chicago (AHL)	`20(208th)	58	2	12	14	16
11	Domenick Fensore	D	22	5-7/155	Chicago (AHL)	`19(90th)	39	2	14	16	18
12	Noel Gunler	RW	22	6-2/180	Karpat (Fin-Liiga)	`20(41st)	24	5	3	5	6
13	Zion Nybeck	LW	21	5-8/182	AIK (HockeyAllsvenskan)	`20(115th)	52	17	27	44	12
14	Simon Forsmark	D	20	6-2/195	Timra (SHL)	`22(101st)	52	6	13	19	2
15	Vladimir Grudinin	D	20	5-10/160	CSKA-Severstal (KHL)	`22(156th)	53	2	8	10	10

1. Alexander Nikishin, D, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)

Not only has Nikishin emerged as one of the best defense prospects in hockey, he is also arguably the best defenseman anywhere in the world outside of the NHL, at any age. This season he was named the captain of the storied KHL franchise SKA, he ended up as that team’s leading scorer, and he had the most points out of any defensemen in the league, all of which are simply incredible for a prospect who is still just 22 years old. The way that he is able to leave a huge impact with both his skill and his physical play, in all zones and all situations, is so rare. Carolina landing him in the 3rd round, 69th overall, in 2020 is looking like one of the biggest draft steals in recent history, and they have to be licking their chops about getting him to the NHL as soon as possible.

2. Bradley Nadeau, LW, University of Maine (NCAA)

You could give Nadeau the nickname Mr. Coast-to-Coast, both for his extreme continental crisscrossing over the past few seasons, as well as for his ability to make highlight-reel plays in transition. What he accomplished this year was nothing short of incredible, entering the NCAA as an 18-year-old and then leading his team in scoring with well over a point-per-game average. However, his success unfortunately flew under the radar a bit because Maine is usually a weaker program with a lower national profile compared to other schools that are top threats most seasons. He's a shifty, multi-faceted offensive weapon, and his high-end proficiency and deception as both a shooter and playmaker make him hard to defend against. Luckily for other college teams, the Hurricanes wanted him to turn pro sooner rather than later and already got him signed to his entry-level contract.

3. Scott Morrow, D, University of Massachusetts (NCAA)

Morrow was a little bit of a risky pick for the Hurricanes at 40th overall in the 2021 draft, but he has rewarded their trust admirably in the years since, emerging as one of the best defense prospects in all of hockey. The program at UMass-Amherst turned out to be an ideal environment for his development, and after two consecutive seasons as his team’s leading scorer he signed his entry-level contract. Even more impressive, he joined Carolina’s roster immediately and made his NHL debut only a few short days after leaving college. He has sublime all-direction skating ability, crisp puck skills and a big shot from the point. There were prior concerns about his defensive play and his risky, freewheeling style, but those have mostly abated. Don’t be surprised if he never sees time in the AHL at all and starts next season with the Canes.

4. Aleksi Heimosalmi, D, Assat (Liiga)

There has never been any doubt that Heimosalmi is a highly skilled defenseman. His talents as a skater are superb, and so is his ability to control and make moves with the puck while flying around the ice at his highest gear. The difficulty, however, has involved him figuring out how to actually make the most out of his given gifts. His production this season was almost identical to what it was last year with the exact same team, and it’s never great to see stagnation in a young prospect instead of improvement. He has the physical tools to be more of a difference-maker on the scoresheet but needs to get a little more crafty and aware when it comes to dissecting opposing defensive structures. He’s already under contract for a few more years, so Carolina has plenty of time to help his offense come along.

5. Jackson Blake, RW, University of North Dakota (NCAA)

Yet another recent alumni from the vaunted Chicago Steel prospect factory, Blake played like a man possessed this year for North Dakota. He was one of the top offensive producers in all of college hockey, and scored a staggering 31 more points than his nearest teammate, which goes to show just how integral he was for his squad. His efforts also made him a finalist for the Hobey Baker award, and rightfully so, though he did lose to the fully deserving wunderkind Macklin Celebrini. His dad, former NHLer Jason Blake, overcame his short stature with outsized perseverance, craftiness and work ethic, and the apple didn't fall far from the tree here. He’ll get a good, long look from the Hurricanes in training camp in the fall to see if he's ready for full-time NHL duty, but some duty in the AHL instead shouldn’t slow down his current rate of progression.

6. Jayden Perron, RW, University of North Dakota (NCAA)

Perron didn't necessarily have a seamless transition to the NCAA this season while following the same path as Blake, going from the star-studded Steel in the USHL to a more blue collar North Dakota group. The good news is that things eventually start to come together for him. That was fully expected, too, considering how great his hockey IQ and drive to improve are. He still likes to play bigger than his size and is already showing a proficiency for getting back into high danger scoring areas against the bigger and older opponents he is now facing. He'll likely still need a few more years in college before he's ready for the pro leagues, but that will provide him plenty of time to keep adapting his offensive tools and add other elements to his game, which will both be essential for bolstering his chances of becoming an NHLer.

7. Gleb Trikozov, LW, Omskie Krylia (VHL)

Trikozov is an electrifying, winger forward who has consistently produced points over the past few seasons in Russia, in spite of regular shuttling up and down levels, albeit within the same parent organization. He has as deep of a bag of puck tricks as any other forward prospect out there, and always relishes beating enemy defenders one-on-one in dramatic fashion. And if that wasn’t enough, he can absolutely bury shots, including when others feed him for the one-timer. There are questions about how his loose playing style and tendency to try doing everything himself will translate to the NHL or just how well he can play within greater structure, and his defensive commitment often isn’t where it needs to be. However, Carolina just signed him to an entry-level contract this spring, so they’re willing to see how everything unfolds, which is the right call for such an inherently talented prospect.

8. Felix Unger Sorum, RW, Leksands IF (SHL)

Unger Sorum is a highly entertaining player to watch because he's so slippery and elusive out on the ice. He loves to attack east-west in the neutral and offensive zones and slants heavily towards passing instead of shooting, and despite that book on him already being well known by now it doesn't make it much easier for opponents to actually stop him, because he's just that effective in the way that he plays. There are undoubtedly still some major adjustments that he will need to make before being NHL-ready, especially the extra strength and sturdiness needed to bounce off of checks on the smaller North American ice, but there’s no rush for that to happen, and his seamless transition from the J20 to the SHL this year for Leksand is a great sign for his ability to adjust to new challenges.

9. Anttoni Honka, D, JYP (Liiga)

Honka crossed the pond to North America for all of last season but then returned home to Jyväskylä for 2023-24 because of Carolina's lack of an AHL affiliate. Those globe-trotting circumstances don't appear to be doing him any favors, as his development seems to have stalled as of late. That's a worrying sign for various reasons, including the fact that something very similar happened to his brother, Julius, a former high draft pick of the Dallas Stars who is an almost identical style of blueliner and fell out of the NHL much sooner than expected. It's not easy to make a living as an undersized puck-moving defenseman, and Honka needs to soon demonstrate an elite proficiency in the role that he plays, because only the best of the very best are able to survive. Time is running out for him quickly.

10. Ronan Seeley, D, Chicago Wolves (AHL)

Seeley is one of the few Hurricanes prospects who stuck around with the Chicago Wolves after the minor league organization severed ties with their former NHL affiliate, and he seemed to be especially affected by the troubled and unusual circumstances, seemingly taking a step backwards in his development. Once a steady, trustworthy and well-rounded defender, he now looks like a shell of his former self. Just how much of that is his situation, and how much is an individual struggle to elevate his play to the AHL level? That jump is a steep one to make, even for former top defenders in junior leagues, and many never make it. He has one year left on his ELC with Carolina to figure everything out, but he'll need to solidify his professional identity and reaffirm what kind of value he could provide for the franchise long-term.

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

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #15

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt and Josh Bell — Sat, 23 Sep 2023 18:10:16 +0000

SUNRISE, FL - SEPTEMBER 29: Jamieson Rees #81 of the Carolina Hurricanes skating during the game between the Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, FL on September 29, 2022. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire)

Top 20 Carolina Hurricanes Prospects

1. Alexander Nikishin - D

There might not be a hotter prospect right now than Nikishin. Drafted 69th overall in 2020, the defender was coming off of his first season in the KHL, playing a solid defensive game with some flashes of two-way potential. That became the expectation for Nikishin, until last season. Sticking in the KHL with a new team, SKA St. Petersburg, the Russian exploded in the regular season, putting up a massive 55 points in 65 games. He finished sitting third all-time in points in a season from a defender and setting the record for a U20 defender. His strength is arguably his biggest asset. From his heavy shot to his physicality, opponents know when he’s on the ice. Despite the high scoring totals last season, don’t bet on him being overly offensive in the NHL. He likely falls into a solid two-way role, potentially even leaning more defensively. Canes fans will need to be patient though, as he’s signed through 2024-25 in Russia.

2. Scott Morrow - D

It’s not too often that you can nab a truly high-end prospect out of high school, but so far, it looks like that’s exactly what the Hurricanes did when they selected Morrow 40th overall in 2021. The mobile defender had a very strong career with Shattuck leading up to his draft year, showing off his ability to move the puck with either his feet or his stick. Post-draft, he joined the University of Massachusetts where he has continued to thrive. In his first season, he helped the team to a Hockey East Championship, while being named a First Team All-Star, All-American, and All-Rookie. He’s so strong in transition, using directional changes and his edges to create entries and ultimately, chances. His defensive game has been a concern since his draft year, drifting out of position and getting caught when he takes risks. Further development is needed, but the potential for him to be a highly offensive, top four defender is very real.

3. Bradly Nadeau - LW

Nadeau is the type of player who is a threat every time he touches the puck. He has such a well-rounded collection of abilities that he blends together, or can pick and chose from at will. He is a fast, sleek skater who has a great top gear and can shift all the way upwards in a hurry. His hands are dangerous, and he is self-assured about using them to try complicated things. He can play the roles of playmaker and shooter equally well and displays a great understanding of which one is best in any given situation. He can especially get his one-timer unloaded cleanly and with the exactitude of placing it in the top corner. He is also a diligent and effective defensive forward, applying himself getting back into his own zone, and aided by his high-end skating he is a major disruptive force as a backchecker. So much of his offense starts from his work to help his team regain possession, followed by his quick-strike ability to transition the puck back downhill. Not only is he a fairly safe prospect, there is also the real chance that his elite scoring prowess could carry over with him as his career progresses.

4. Ville Koivunen - LW

Another second-round selection from 2021, the Hurricanes selected Koivunen 51st overall out of the U20 SM-sarja, where he was Rookie of the Year. It turns out it was also his only year in the league, jumping to the Liiga where he’s spent the last two campaigns. He led all rookies in assists (18) and points (29) in his first year while dressing for Team Finland at the World Juniors both years as well, helping them to a silver medal in the 2022 edition. Koivunen is a very promising winger, who leans more toward a playmaker thanks to his excellent vision and accurate passing. He can bury the puck as well though. He has a talent for finding open space, both for himself and his teammates. He didn’t really take a step forward in his development last season, and he’s not the most defensive forward out there, but he’s still young. His ceiling looks to be a contributing middle-six winger.

5. Aleksi Heimosalmi -D

The Hurricanes have shown a lot of love towards Finnish players in recent years, and Heimosalmi is another one to add to the list. The defender is on the smaller size at 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, but he has an excellent skating stride and strong four-way mobility. After being drafted 44th overall in 2021, he remained in Finland, spending the last two seasons with Assat in the Liiga. After being a big riser in his draft year thanks to his movement, especially with the puck on his stick, he hasn’t quite found his groove in the Liiga. He has taken a small step forward each year, but he’s not continuing that steep rise that was seen in 2020-21. As seen in his draft year, his decision-making can still be a cause for concern and his strength is a definite area of improvement. He is already signed by the Hurricanes, so it will be interesting to see how the team handles his development. Whichever route, be patient with him.

6. Ryan Suzuki - C

Suzuki has had a rough path since being drafted 28th overall in 2019. On top of the impacts of the pandemic, he’s had a long list of injuries, including a high stick to the eye that left him with a permanent blind spot. Still, he’s played three seasons now in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves. Granted, he has yes to play a full season, playing in just 26, 34, and 50 games in each season. If he can remain healthy, he’s a very promising prospect. He’s a line driver, consistently pushing the pace and leading his team to scoring opportunities. He has great hands, with highlight-reel abilities when one-on-one with defenders. The ceiling for Suzuki has lowered since his draft day, but there’s still a clear route to the NHL for him. Instead of a potential top six, he looks more like a middle-six/bottom nine player though. His NHL debut doesn’t seem that far off at this point.

7. Vasili Ponomarev - C

It’s been an interesting path for Ponomaryov. The centreman started his playing career in Russia before heading to the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes for two seasons. He then went back to Russia in 2021-22, seeing time in the MHL, VHL, and KHL, while already signed by the Hurricanes. After the Russian season ended in 2021-22, he made the jump to the AHL, looking very comfortable and strong to end the season, even helping the team to a Calder Cup Championship. He continued to look comfortable in the AHL last season, showing off two-way skill and all-around offensive ability. Ponomarev isn’t going to wow or dazzle with his skill, but he’s consistent and seems to do all the little things right. Those are the exact type of players needed to fill out a roster. He’s not likely to be a star at the next level but could be a reliable forward to move up and down the lineup.

8. Jamieson Rees - C

After a strong OHL career with the Sarnia Sting and hearing his name called 44th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, Rees made the jump to the AHL in 2020-21. The forward fit in very well at the next level, a sign of things to come. His second season saw some slight regression though, although he was a contributor to the team winning the AHL Championship. Last season, he seemed to have bounced back and is had a very good campaign. Rees is a player that you can’t help but notice. He’s a highly competitive, highly energetic player that seems to be involved in every puck battle when he’s on the ice. He has the skill to back up his tenacious play as well, especially in his puck handling. There are still some kinks to work out in regard to his decision-making, but it does seem like all the pieces are there for him to be a contributing NHLer in the near future.

9. Jayden Perron - RW

We headed to the draft thinking that Jayden Perron was one of the more exciting prospects available, perhaps even an “end of the first round” kind of player. We also knew that, despite his considerable skill set and gaudy USHL numbers, he was only 5’8” and 157 pounds. Still, that he was first plucked 94th overall was a bit of a surprise considering Perron was one of the top playmakers in the entire class. We weren’t surprised to see Carolina be the team that decided to stop his fall late in the 3rd round. Perron’s game is all about puck distribution and creativity with his stick. He’s constantly scanning the ice and seems to always know where his teammates are. Possessing great patience, he’s adept at pulling defenders out of position and then hitting his teammates with bullseye passes. His on-ice intelligence is remarkable and certainly plays a role in his being johnny-on-the-spot so often, day in and day out, even if he could stand to shoot more. Alas, his lack of strength is evident in all facets of his game, including a lack of explosiveness in his skating. He heads to the University of North Dakota this fall where he’ll keep marinating his dreamy skill with added experience and a considerable addition of strength in the years to come.

10. Noel Gunler - RW

Ever since his DY-1 season, Gunler has been a polarizing prospect that no one can agree on. Coming up with Sweden’s Lulea, he got a taste of the SHL in 2018-19 before becoming a consistent SHLer in 2019-20. He showed enough for the Hurricanes to select him 41st overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. He continued in the SHL for two seasons and at the end of the 2021-22 SHL season, he signed with the Hurricanes. He headed to the AHL where he’s been fine, but not particularly standing out in the way that he has the potential to. Gunler has so much skill, from his elite shot to his excellent hands. But his work ethic, skating, and defensive game have been points of concern, however valid, since he started garnering attention. The Hurricanes are an excellent team at developing prospects, so expect them to be patient with Gunler and for them to find a way for him to reach his potential.

11. Jackson Blake - RW

The son of former NHL’er Jason Blake, Jackson is coming off of a fantastic freshman season with North Dakota that saw him named as the NCHC Rookie of the Year. He returns to UND this year and is starting to look like a very solid, future middle six piece for the Canes.

12. Gleb Trikozov - LW

A favourite of the amateur scouting community last year, Trikozov had a solid season in the VHL. His offensive upside remains high due to his creativity and skill, but hopefully he can get more reps at the KHL level this year.

13. Felix Unger Sorum - RW

Unger Sorum is a high energy complementary winger who was terrific for Sweden internationally last year, leading to his high selection by the Canes. He likely is left to develop in Sweden over the next few years in the hopes that he can become an SHL regular before making the jump.

14. Zion Nybeck - LW

Zion took positive steps forward this year for AIK in the Allsvenskan, emerging as a top offensive option at the pro level. The key for Nybeck is to continue to improve his game off the puck, especially given his lack of size.

15. Justin Robidas - C

A Memorial cup champion this year with Quebec, Robidas closed out his QMJHL career in grand fashion. The tenacious and stocky pivot projects as a middle six option in the future and will begin his pro career this year.

16. Anttoni Honka - D

Honka’s offensive skills translated seamlessly to the AHL in his first pro year in North America as he finished in the top five of AHL rookie defenseman scoring. The offensive game has never been doubted. Can he continue to improve enough defensively to be an NHL defender?

17. Ronan Seeley - D

The highly mobile Seeley is one of the better skaters in the Carolina system and is coming off a strong rookie season in the AHL. He will look to continue to build confidence in his offensive abilities with Chicago before taking that next step.

18. Domenick Fensore - D

Pint sized defender who was a great four year NCAA player with Boston University, serving as the captain last year as a senior. Fensore has finally turned pro and will play with Chicago this year. The million dollar question is…can he defend against pro level players?

19. Alexander Rykov - RW

A high-end playmaker who already got experience playing against men in the KHL and VHL last year. Rykov’s offensive upside is high, but he’s very much a long-term project…as you might expect from a recent fourth round pick.

20. Cruz Lucius - RW

Not a lot went well for the University of Wisconsin last year, but Lucius was one of the lone bright spots as the team’s leading scorer in his freshman year. Lucius is plenty skilled, and he excels as a playmaker because of it. The focus for his development is on his skating.

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #13 Carolina Hurricanes

Derek Neumeier — Sun, 21 May 2023 12:58:39 +0000

Since Rod Brind’Amour became coach of the Hurricanes they have not missed the playoffs and have always advanced beyond the first round except once. As of this writing they find themselves headed for a second Conference Final under his leadership. This has been accomplished with what remains a very young core group – Sebastian Aho (25-years old), Andre Svechnikov (23), injured for these playoffs, and Martin Necas (24). While a solid veteran core did much of the heavy lifting, the experience received by these young players will be invaluable in the future. They are joined by emerging star Seth Jarvis (21) and a late blooming Jesper Kotkaniemi (22), showing poise in the playoffs. Goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (23) looks to be the future in net.

GM Don Waddell, in place since 2018, retains a full slate of draft picks for the next three years, with a couple of late round additions. He owns a prospect pool led by one of the hottest prospects currently in Alexander Nikishin. He is signed in Russia until 2024-25 but adds another high-end piece down the road. The team has nine prospects in our top 200, which shows the depth of their development pipeline. There are a variety of styles and roles in that group, including plug and play Jack Drury (ranked #50) who could be a part of the mix as soon as next season. With a solid foundation that has had playoff success already, Waddell will continue to let the current line-up develop under a coach they continue to respond to. The Brent Burns addition in the summer points to the select moves they are likely to make. They are a perennial Stanley Cup threat for the foreseeable future and beyond.

PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 29: Carolina Hurricanes Left Wing Jack Drury (18) skates during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Carolina Hurricanes on November 29, 2022, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

Alexander Nikishin

There might not be a hotter prospect right now than Alex Nikishin. Drafted 69th overall in 2020, the defender was coming off of his first season in the KHL, playing a solid defensive game with some flashes of two-way potential. That became the expectation for Nikishin, until this season. Sticking in the KHL with a new team, SKA St. Petersburg, the Russian exploded in the regular season, putting up a massive 55 points in 65 games. He finished sitting third-all-time in points in a season from a defender and setting the record for a U20 defender. His strength is arguably his biggest strength. From his heavy shot to his physicality, opponents know when he’s on the ice. Despite the high-scoring totals this season, don’t bet on him being overly offensive in the NHL. He likely falls into a solid two-way role, potentially even leaning more defensively. Canes fans will need to be patient though, as he’s signed through 2024-25 in Russia.

2. Jack Drury

It’s been a long road for Jack Drury, after being selected way back in 2018, 42nd overall. When the Hurricanes selected him, he was coming off a solid season as the captain of the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks, being named to the Second All-Star Team. He’s seemed to get even better since then though. He first joined Harvard University for two seasons, being named to All-Star teams in both seasons while winning a World Juniors silver medal in there too. In the COVID-impacted 2020-21 season, he headed to Sweden and played in the SHL, winning a league championship. Since then, he’s signed with the Canes, mainly playing in the AHL. He’s not going to rack up the points in the NHL, but he looks like he should become a player that can plug in anywhere in the lineup and perform. He likely graduates in the very near future.

3. Scott Morrow

It’s not too often that you can nab a truly high-end prospect out of high school, but so far, it looks like that’s exactly what the Hurricanes did when they selected Scott Morrow 40th overall in 2021. The mobile defender had a very strong career with Shattuck leading up to his draft year, showing off his ability to move the puck with either his feet or his stick. Post-draft, he’s joined the University of Massachusetts where he continues to thrive. In his first season, he helped the team to a Hockey East Championship, while being named a First Team All-Stay, All-American, and All-Rookie. He’s so strong in transition, using directional changes and his edges to create entries and ultimately, chances. His defensive game has been a concern since his draft year, drifting out of position and getting caught when he takes risks. Further development is needed, but the potential for him to be a highly offensive, top-four defender is very real.

4. Ville Koivunen

Another second-round selection from 2021, the Hurricanes selected Ville Koivunen 51st overall out of the U20 SM-sarja, where he was Rookie of the Year. It turns out it was also his only year in the league, jumping to the Liiga where he’s spent the last two campaigns. He led all rookies in assists (18) and points (29) in his first year while dressing for Team Finland at the World Juniors both years as well, helping them to a silver medal in the 2022 edition. Koivunen is a very promising winger, who leans more toward a playmaker thanks to his excellent vision and accurate passing. He can bury the puck as well though. He has a talent for finding open space, both for himself and his teammates. He didn’t really take a step forward in his development this season, and he’s not the most defensive forward out there, but he’s still young. His ceiling looks to be a contributing middle-six winger.

5. Aleksi Heimosalmi

The Hurricanes have shown a lot of love towards Finish players in recent years, and Aleksi Heimosalmi is another one to add to the list. The defender is on the smaller size at 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, but he has an excellent skating stride and strong four-way mobility. After being drafted 44th overall in 2021. he’s remained in Finland, spending the last two seasons with Assat in the Liiga. After being a big riser in his draft year thanks to his movement, especially with the puck on his stick, he hasn’t found his groove in the Liiga. He has taken a small step forward each year, but he’s not continuing that steep rise that was seen in 2020-21. As seen in his draft year, his decision-making can still be a cause for concern and his strength is a definite area of improvement. He is already signed by the Hurricanes, so it will be interesting to see how the team handles his development. Whichever route, be patient with him.

6. Ryan Suzuki

Ryan Suzuki has had a rough path since being drafted 28th overall in 2019. On top of the impacts of the pandemic, he’s had a long list of injuries, including a high stick to the eye that left him with a permanent blind spot. Still, he’s playing in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves, already in his third season with the team. Granted, he played just 26 and 34 games in the previous two campaigns. If he can remain healthy, he’s a very promising prospect. He’s a line driver, consistently pushing the pace and leading his team to scoring opportunities. He has great hands, with highlight-reel abilities when one-on-one with defenders. The ceiling for Suzuki has lowered since his draft day, but there’s still a clear route to the NHL for him. Instead of a potential top-six, he looks more like a middle-six/bottom-nine player though. His NHL debut doesn’t seem that far off at this point.

7. Vasily Ponomarev

It’s been an interesting path for Vasili Ponomaryov. The centreman started his playing career in Russia before heading to the QMJHL’s Shawinigan Cataractes for two seasons. He then went back to Russia in 2021-22, seeing time in the MHL, VHL, and KHL, while already signed by the Hurricanes. After the Russian seasons ended, he made the jump to the AHL, looking very comfortable and strong to end the season, even helping the team to a Calder Cup Championship. He continues to look comfortable in the AHL this season, showing off two-way skill and all-around offensive ability. Ponomarev isn’t going to wow or dazzle with his skill, but he’s consistent and seems to do all the little things right. Those are the exact type of players needed to fill out a roster. He’s not likely to be a star at the next level but could be a reliable forward to move up and down the lineup.

8. Jamieson Rees

After a strong OHL career with the Sarnia Sting and hearing his name called 44th overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, Jamieson Rees made the jump to the AHL in 2020-21. The forward fit in very well at the next level, a sign of things to come. His second season saw some slight regression though, although he was a contributor to the team winning the AHL Championship. This season, he seems to have bounced back and is having a very good campaign. Rees is a player that you can’t help but notice. He’s a highly competitive, highly energetic player that seems to be involved in every puck battle when he’s on the ice. He has the skill to back up his tenacious play as well, especially in his puck handling. There are still some kinks to work out in regards to his decision-making, but it does seem like all the pieces are there for him to be a contributing NHLer in the near future.

9. Noel Gunler

Ever since his DY-1 season, Noel Gunler has been a polarizing prospect that no one can agree on. Coming up with Sweden’s Lulea, he got a taste of the SHL in 2018-19 before becoming a consistent SHLer in 2019-20. He showed enough for the Hurricanes to select him 41st overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. He continued in the SHL for two seasons and at the end of the 2021-22 SHL season, he signed with the Hurricanes. He headed to the AHL where he’s been fine, but not particularly standing out in the way that he has the potential to. Gunler has so much skill, from his elite shot to his excellent hands. But his work ethic, skating, and defensive game have been points of concern, however valid, since he was garnering attention. The Hurricanes are an excellent team at developing prospects, so expect them to be patient with Gunler and for them to find a way for him to reach his potential.

10. Gleb Trikozov

A recent draft pick selected 60th overall in 2022, Gleb Trikozov could very well be the most exciting forward prospect in the Hurricanes system. His time has been split this season between the MHL and the VHL, playing over a point per game in the MHL. He is very strong at finding open ice for himself, utilizing his edges to create space and his puckhandling to navigate traffic. He’s a dual, offensive threat as he has a great shot that’s well-balanced with his passing ability. His commitment to both sides of the puck does need work, as the effort he shows offensively isn’t always there in his own end. If he can work on his off-puck play, the ceiling is high for Trikozov. He’s well on his way to being a bottom-nine forward, but he will have lots of development time before that time comes.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Top 20 Prospects

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 16:07:00 +0000

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 28: Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (52) against the New York Rangers during Game 6 of round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs on May 28, 2022 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire)

1 - Pyotr Kochetkov G

It was quite the whirlwind year for Kochetkov, a former second round pick of the Hurricanes. He started the year in the KHL, where he performed well. Then he came over to North America in March to play in the AHL…where he performed well. This was followed by the necessity of Kochetkov being thrown into a handful of starts in the NHL playoffs for Carolina due to injuries to both Freddie Andersen and Antti Raanta. Lastly, his season culminated with a reassignment to AHL Chicago (after the Hurricanes were eliminated) where he helped the Wolves capture a Calder Cup. Not too shabby for a pro debut in North America. Kochetkov has proven to be so successful thus far because of his quickness and aggressiveness in the crease. A highly agile netminder, he can afford to cut down angles aggressively because he recovers so well moving post to post and front to back. Of course, NHL goaltending coaches (like Carolina’s Jason Muzzatti) will work to refine Kochetkov’s movement to make him a little quieter in the crease. However, he definitely has the make-up and resume of a topflight goaltending prospect, something that is reflected in our prospect rankings. As of right now, Kochetkov is projected to start the season in the AHL as Chicago’s starting netminder because both Andersen and Raanta have recovered from their knee injuries. A full year as a starter in North America will be great for his development. With the two goalies ahead of him set to become UFA’s after this coming season, it seems likely that Kochetkov is being groomed for an NHL position in 2023-24. - BO

2 - Scott Morrow D

To a certain extent, Scott Morrow’s freshman season at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst was a success. He was the team’s second-highest scorer and flashed the sort of offensive talent that isn’t commonly seen in defensemen, let alone defensemen who fall to the second round of the NHL draft. Morrow is a creative problem-solver in the offensive zone, acting with decisiveness and conviction when he has a chance in mind that he wants to create. For someone of his size (six-foot-two-, 195 pounds) Morrow moves very well and has definite upside as a transition defenseman in the NHL. He can deftly sift his way through traffic to facilitate zone entries, and the way he uses his big frame to protect the puck while he’s carrying it through the neutral zone is absolutely notable. Morrow’s offensive game is strong enough that he has the upside to eventually become a power play quarterback in the NHL. But while the offensive side to Morrow’s game is quite promising and developed, it’s the defensive side of his game that could hold him back. Morrow isn’t a physical player yet, and his reads in the defensive zone need improvement. There’s a great canvas of tools for an NHL development staff to work with in improving Morrow’s all-around game, but he’ll need to possibly make sacrifices in his offense in order to get there. If he can make some adjustments to make his game more sustainable and well-rounded, Morrow can become an extremely impactful NHL defenseman. If he remains an aggressive, risk-taking offensive force, he’ll still get his NHL chances, and could become a power-play specialist at the next level if no defensive development occurs. - EH

3 - Jack Drury C

The son of former NHL’er Ted Drury, and the nephew of current New York Rangers General Manager Chris Drury, Jack was excellent in his first AHL season last year. He was among the rookie scoring leaders during the regular season and then took his game to another level in the playoffs, averaging over a point per game in helping the Wolves capture the Calder Cup. Drury was even rewarded with a brief NHL call up that saw him score in both contests, while playing key minutes on the penalty kill. At this point, he seems destined to be a long-time middle six player for the Hurricanes thanks to his well-rounded skill set. There really isn’t anything that Drury does not do well, and this gives him such great versatility as a player. His coaches can employ him in any situation. With several openings in their bottom six this coming year, it seems likely that he will be a full time NHL player. Carolina believes that someone like Drury can replace Vincent Trocheck and Nino Niederreiter internally and on a cheap entry level contract, helping them to alleviate any cap concerns that they might have. One has to wonder if the Hurricanes see Drury as a replacement for pending UFA Jordan Staal in a year’s time if he performs admirably this year. - BO

4 - Alexander Nikishin D

It’s amazing how much can change in just one year and Alexander Nikishin is a perfect example of it: on year ago, in August of 2021, the biggest concerns regarding the blueliner revolved around his cardiac abnormalities, which he had to overcome to be able to play regular hockey and have a chance to establish himself as a full-time KHL player, but he did all of that and much more. Over 2021-22, Nikishin has become the top young defenseman in the KHL and even earned himself an Olympic invitation, where he won a silver medal. In the offseason he was the main part of a blockbuster KHL trade in which the powerhouse SKA traded nine (nine!!!) player assets for him including some of their top prospects. For Hurricanes fans this trade had some negative side effects, as it was announced that Nikishin will not only earn notably more money now, but also will add one more year to his contract length, locking him to the KHL through the 2024/25 season. That said, he will be only 23 when he frees up and with the way he is developing we can expect him to become a reliable hard-hitting top-4 D with some nice attacking abilities including a hard shot and a solid first pass. Until then, playing for a top KHL contender would give Nikishin a chance to push his game to new heights. - VF

5 - Ryan Suzuki C

Luck has not been on Ryan Suzuki’s side since the Hurricanes selected him in the first round of the 2019 draft. The year after being drafted, Suzuki suffered a significant eye injury that has left him with a permanent blind spot in that injured eye. Then the pandemic happened, and Suzuki was thrust into the AHL in a limited role, rather than starring for the OHL in his final year of junior eligibility. Last season, injuries plagued him yet again, limiting him to only 34 games. This included him missing the entire Calder Cup playoffs. The younger brother of Montreal Canadiens young star Nick, 21-year-old Ryan is far too young to give up on as a serious NHL prospect. Ryan is actually a better skater than his older brother and he possesses the same kind of passing touch and sense in the offensive zone. Despite battling injuries, he has taken steps forward to become a better and more engaged player without the puck. That said, the younger Suzuki’s calling card will be his ability to play as a top six center who can make plays with the puck for his wingers and push the pace of play. Until he stays healthy and emerges as a top producer at the AHL level, he likely will not push for a spot on the Hurricanes. Patience will be key here for Carolina and their development staff. - BO

6 - Gleb Trikozov LW

Gleb Trikozov, selected No. 60 by the Carolina Hurricanes, had a remarkable second half of the season. He looked incredible in the MHL (Russia's 1st youth league) playoffs, helping his team make a deep run. A decent sized forward, Trikozov has an effective offensive game, good hockey sense and skill. His skating is great, and he uses it effectively, especially in assisting in zone entries for his team. His explosiveness with the puck is also excellent. Without the puck, Trikozov constantly applies pressure, but could stand to play a little more physically to help him secure turnovers. Offensively he is calm and patient. This helps him maintain possession deep into the offensive zone. Trikozov is also a strong shooter. He often moves to the right before he shoots; his size allows him to create separation from his opponent in two steps, creating a good shooting lane. He effectively finds free space in the offensive zone, reacting and adapting to the play smartly. Moving forward it will be about proving himself at the higher levels in Russia before making the jump to North America. Adding strength and improving his ability to utilize his teammates are key next steps. Look for him to split this year between the VHL, MHL, and KHL. - DB

7 - Alexander Perevalov - LW

The first half of Alexander Perevalov’s MHL season was one of the most dominant performances of his age at this level that have been witnessed in years and even though the second half of the season wasn’t as bright, it is still curious how or why he lasted until the third round of the 2022 draft. A right-handed left-wing sniper who needs just a bit of time and space to make goalies look just useless, Perevalov has clear top six upside, and the Hurricanes and their fans should be pleased to have him in the organization. It won’t be a smooth path for him though, as his Lokomotiv KHL organization is a strong one and is not expected to give him big role next season, so the realistic outcome that we can hope for him will be splitting time between the MHL junior league and a 13th forward role in the KHL. Short-term role aside, Perevalov’s abilities can allow him to be effective even in a limited role (especially if the inconsistency issues of the second half of the season are over) and, hopefully gradually earn him more trust and ice time. Perevalov’s KHL contract runs for two more seasons so it is a bit early to discuss the possibility of him crossing the pond at this point, but it is a likely eventuality if he will not be getting enough development opportunities at home. - VF

8 - Ville Koivunen LW

A 2021 draftee of the Carolina Hurricanes, Koivunen continues to be very slenderly built with his 162-pound frame but that didn’t stop him from spending this past winter excelling in the Finnish Liiga. In his draft year, Koivunen played for Kärpät’s U20 team and was named the circuit’s Rookie of the Year, earning a multi-year contract in the process. He already began paying that back in spades this year earning a regular spot among the club’s top nine and collecting himself 29 points, making him one of the pro league’s top rookies. After a 10-point effort at the U18 Worlds in 2021, Koivunen was quiet on the scoresheet in a checking line role for Finland at this summer’s WJC but is staring at a prime spot on a scoring line for this winter’s tournament. Talented as both a playmaker and finisher, Koivunen is a complimentary player who demonstrates a calm and collective game with strong hockey IQ. Adept with the puck, he avoids crumbling under pressure and makes it hard on opponents to separate him from the puck. Whereas continued practice and the addition of leg and lower body strength will surely have a very positive effect on his skating, he’s still a ways away from possessing the type of skating that would allow him to make effective use of his skills at the NHL level. Intensity and conditioning over 60 minutes will need to improve as well, but there’s plenty of time for the young winger. In light of the importance of Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen for the Canes, it’s no wonder that the team enjoys success in selecting the few Finns is adds every couple of drafts. - CL

9 - Aleksi Heimosalmi D

A 2021 second round selection of the Carolina Hurricanes, Heimosalmi has continued in his development where he left off at the 2021 U18 Worlds, where he was named the tournament’s top defender thanks to his two goal, eight point effort over seven games. Although his role was often quite small, he spent this past season entirely in Liiga action, learning many of the nuances of professional play. Those lessons were on full display in this summer’s WJC as he put up a goal, seven points, and a +4 on his way to gaining a silver medal. There, he showed great edges, a strong command of the puck all along the blueline, and a keen ability to conduct productive transitions. His skating ability allows him to be highly effective in defending without having to overexert himself physically. The Hurricanes were all about accumulating bodies at the 2021 NHL draft, even moving back out of the first round to grab more darts in the second, where they selected Heimosalmi and fellow Finn Ville Koivunen. Both have continued to look like steals to date. For Heimosalmi, who is still under contract with Ässat, the key this season will be to take on more responsibility for his club team, ultimately exerting more of his exceptional talent along the opposition blueline. His fantastic skating and stickhandling will be his calling card moving forward, but he’ll need to continue adding strength every step of the way so as to avoid the kind of role he had last season. Having made 40 selections over the past four drafts, the Hurricanes have a stacked prospect bin and will happily give Heimosalmi all the time he needs. The hopes are high that he’ll one day be a prime transitional defenseman at the NHL level. – CL

10 - Noel Gunler RW

The 41^st overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft, Noel Gunler has proven that the inconsistency and character issues that were looming over him on draft day do not affect his immense skill for the game. The Carolina Hurricanes were able to take a flyer on Gunler in the 2^nd round due to other teams’ concerns about those issues and it has already paid dividends as the forward finished 5^th in SHL scoring for players 21 and under. Gunler saw his role with Brynas decrease as the year went on finishing the year averaging 10-14 minutes of ice time while producing 23 points in 52 games. After his SHL season was over, the Hurricanes brought him over to North America where he finished off the year with the AHL Chicago Wolves. In his time with Chicago, Gunler netted 5 points in 11 regular season games before playing 10 playoff games. Gunler’s game is based off the immense skill he possesses, and he has the unique ability to find the soft areas of the ice when off the puck, often positioning himself in high-danger areas of the ice. When he is in those high-danger areas, he uses his goal scoring instincts and quick release to beat goaltenders. In order to take his game to the next level, Gunler could work on improving his first step and his east-west movement. He is expected to be at NHL training camp with the Hurricanes and will most likely end up playing top-six minutes for Chicago in the AHL. Gunler projects as a top-nine forward who can inject scoring into the lineup. – ZS

11 - Vasily Ponomarev

The energetic, playmaking center played most of the year on loan in Russia but returned to North America in time to help Chicago win a Calder Cup Championship.

12 - Joey Keane

In an odd turn of events, just as Keane was set to become a full time NHL defender, he signed a one year deal in the KHL. He was one of the better defenders in the AHL last year and Carolina will retain his rights.

13 – Ronan Seeley

The two-way defender with great mobility served as the captain of the Everett Silvertips of the WHL last season and recently helped Canada win the August World Juniors. His pro upside may be a bit of an unknown, but he does have pro qualities.

14 - Anttoni Honka

An undersized, but strong skating, offensive defender, Honka led Liiga in assists from the back-end last season and will make his North American pro debut this coming season.

15 - Vladimir Grudinin

We had Grudinin ranked quite high for the draft, so it was surprising to see him fall the way he did. An intelligent two-way defender, Grudinin will try to break in as a full time KHL player this season.

16 - Jamieson Rees

A high energy forward with an aggressive attacking mentality, Rees helped Chicago win an AHL Championship this year in a depth role. The Hurricanes will be looking for him to take on more offensive responsibility this coming season.

17 - Justin Robidas

The son of former NHL defender Stephane Robidas, Justin is an intelligent and pesky center who never backs down from a challenge despite his size limitations. He had a great year as captain of Val’d’or last season.

18 - Domenick Fensore

Fensore’s junior season at Boston University served as a breakout campaign for the small, but skilled defender. He will return for a senior year and serve as captain of the Terriers.

19 - Jackson Blake

Opting to play another year in the USHL this season with Chicago, Blake will make his NCAA debut this season with UND. The son of former NHL’er Jason Blake, Jackson plays a similar up-tempo game.

20 - Patrik Puistola

A sharpshooting winger with a shoot first mentality, Puistola is coming off of his best Liiga season to date with 16 goals. He will look to take another step forward this season in the Jukurit program.

2022 NHL DRAFT REVIEW: EASTERN DIVISION – SCOUT’S FAVOURITES

Brock Otten, Will Scouch, and Sam McGilligan — Thu, 14 Jul 2022 11:46:37 +0000

The 2022 NHL Draft has come and gone. Montreal was a gracious host to not only NHL organizations and selected players, but also to McKeens' very own Brock Otten, Will Scouch, and Sam McGilligan. The three were in Montreal and in the thick of the action last week. To recap the draft, the three have highlighted their favourite selections for both Conferences. Additionally, we have provided a listing of each team's selections, coinciding with where the McKeen's scouting team had them ranked.

Denton Mateychuk - photo by Candice Ward

Brock Otten’s Favourite Selections

-in no particular order

Reid Dyck (BOS, #183)

Dyck isn’t the most consistent netminder out there. Part of that had to do with the youth movement in Swift Current and just how many high danger chances he saw against him. Part of it is because of some technical flaws. However, he has shown an ability to steal games and he was a real standout at the U18’s for Canada. A bit of Matt Murray in his game from his draft year.

Jake Richard (BUF, #170)

A real diamond in the rough. Richard improved a ton in the second half of the USHL season. He was one of the youngest guys available this year and I believe that as he matures physically, his skating can improve a lot. His skill and sense below the goaline is very impressive. Really good player in traffic. Watch out for him in the future.

Denton Mateychuk (CBJ, #12)

Just how much you value Mateychuk depends on how you view his defensive game and I think it has more potential than people give it credit for. Yeah, his play near the crease and near the wall needs to be better and he needs to increase his physical intensity. But I really like how he defends pace and I think his offensive skill set is unique and exciting. By drafting Jiricek AND Mateychuk, Columbus clearly had a plan and I’m here for it.

Lane Hutson (MTL, #62)

Unlike a few of my contemporaries, I wasn’t crazy about Hutson as a first rounder. I do think that there is a lot of risk here. But at the end of the second round? That risk is absolutely, one hundred percent worth it. He may be the most talented offensive defender available this year. How the rest improves remains to be seen, but at this spot, how could you be unhappy with this selection?

Calle Odelius (NYI, #65)

I can kind of understand why Odelius fell a bit. He does a lot of things well, but not a lot at an elite level. The one thing that he does do at a fairly elite level is skate and that is what has me excited about this selection. Between Odelius and Isaiah George, the Islanders took two of the better skating defenders available. That was obviously by plan. I really liked Odelius at the U18’s for Sweden and I think he has a great shot at outproducing this draft slot.

Adam Sykora (NYR, #63)

I figured that Sykora would go higher than this. Strong skater. Good physical tools. His game improved by leaps and bounds over the course of the year playing against men. Sykora looks like a really nice bet to be a strong middle six option and at #63, you can’t do much better than that. It will be interesting to see if he plays in the WHL this coming season.

Zam Plante (PIT, #150)

Love the value here. Plante is someone who consistently caught my attention when I watched him this year. Great energy in the offensive zone. Strong puck skill and boards play. As he matures physically, I think he could actually develop into a pretty good skater too, like his Dad. Plante is exactly the type of player that Pittsburgh has developed well the last decade.

Connor Kurth (TBL, #192)

One of the USHL’s most improved players this year, I was shocked to see Kurth go this low, especially with so many other re-entry USHL guys coming off the board. Needless to say, I love this pick. Kurth will need to continue to improve his skating and conditioning, but he is a terrific complementary offensive player because of his skill, finishing ability, and success playing through traffic. I think he develops into an NHL player for Tampa.

Nic Moldenhauer (TOR, #95)

If not for a couple freak injuries at the beginning of the year, I think Moldenhauer ends up being a top 50, maybe even first round selection. There is lots to like here. Good skater. Good at navigating traffic and finding success playing through the middle of the ice. Plays both ends. Regardless of whether he takes the NCAA route or comes to the OHL, I think Moldenhauer will prove to be a great pick and an eventual NHL player.

Ivan Miroshnichenko (WSH, #20)

Coming into the year, Miroshnichenko looked like a pretty solid bet to be a top ten pick. He has been unbelievable internationally. However, his play against men in the VHL did leave some to be desired and then of course he had that unfortunate cancer diagnosis. Sounds like he is healthy now and I think he has a chance to develop into a real solid top six forward for the Capitals. IMO, he has the potential to be the best goal scorer from this draft class.

TAMPERE, FINLAND - MAY 26: Slovakia's Adam Sykora #10 celebrates after scoring a first period goal against Finland during Quarterfinal Round action at the 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship at Nokia Arena on May 26, 2022 in Tampere, Finland. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Will Scouch’s Favourite Selections

Vladimir Grudinin (CAR, #156)

Part of me was stunned that NHL teams kept passing on Grudinin as long as they did, but I was also not surprised at the same time. It felt weird. Names like Dolzhenkov and Duda went as high as 120 picks higher than Grudinin, while Grudinin was clearly a more dynamic and mobile player playing at higher levels than the other two. Carolina was excited to land this player, I think, he’s massively mobile, just needs to work on making his forward stride more efficient generating separation, but his edges and skill are wonderful. I was a huge fan of this player, and I think Carolina got themselves a very good one.

Adam Sykora (NYR, #63)

Sykora is such a New York Ranger, I tell you what. Hard-working, intense, good skill, great defensive instincts, Sykora is just an admirable player that earns what he gets and has the advantage of youth. I was surprised he wasn’t picked at least in the top 40, and with the Rangers first pick, they got what I think is great value in Adam Sykora.

Jiri Kulich (BUF, #28)

The Sabres did an excellent job on Thursday night, capped off with selecting Jiri Kulich, who is a player I feel will be as good as he is strong at the end of the day. He’s smart, skilled, has a remarkable finishing ability, and is a smart positional player that can be knocked around a bit. The upside may not be as high with the finished product, but I feel Kulich will be a nice piece down the lineup in Buffalo that could be a power play option with the shot he has.

Gleb Trikozov (CAR, #60)

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Gleb Trikozov. He was in my top 10, and I love that he was the first name Carolina took. The tools are immense, and his issue is often consistency and bringing his intense puck skill game to his play off the puck defensively. An extremely exciting player to watch, Trikozov could be a massive get for Carolina at 60 with his dual threat offense and relative youth in the draft class.

Lane Hutson (MTL, #62)

Who doesn’t love Lane Hutson? Who doesn’t want to see him moving and shaking off defenders at the blueline, deceiving with his skill and opening passing lanes to get pucks into scoring areas? He’s going to need to improve his ability to create separation with his edges and generate speed under pressure, but his fluid footwork and excellent skill level are an excellent foundation to build on. He’s determined and confident, and I just love this guy. Getting him almost in the 3rd round, especially as the 4th player off your list, is just a great swing.

Filip Mesar (MTL, #26)

Mesar was ranked in my top 15. I love how he gets around the ice, and the intelligence he brings to the table off-puck especially. He’s skilled, brings a great motor, and is up near the top of the pile when it comes to mobility and speed in multiple directions. I do also think there could be a psychological factor uniting Mesar with childhood friend Juraj Slafkovsky. He was the first player I profiled this year and I really enjoyed what I saw. If he can improve his finishing skill and shot quality, especially off the rush, he could be an excellent offensive player in multiple positions and roles.

Noah Ostlund (BUF, #16)

I was honestly stunned that Noah Ostlund went just one pick after Jonathan Lekkerimaki and ahead of Liam Ohgren. Ostlund is one of the fastest and most agile players in the draft. He anticipates pressure and uses skill to create space and lanes to connect with linemates, and just needs to develop a quicker first couple steps to get into that space and continue driving play up the ice. He’s a soft playmaker, finding teammates through traffic while also being able to open lanes with skill. He’s small and slight, and may take time, but patience could be greatly rewarded, and I adore the Sabres’ approach to the first round.

Denton Mateychuk (CBJ, #12)

Some love Denton Mateychuk as a top-10 talent, some even higher. Others see him as a fringe first round pick. Personally, I fell somewhere in the middle. He gains a ton in his game from his confidence and freedom, but the talent with his skill level and deception that drives those traits feels like it will need to improve in order to get the job done at higher levels. He’s not the most mobile coverage defender on defensive rushes, but he has a strong sense of timing on puck movement and drove safe, but strong pass completion in huge volumes. I’m frankly just glad we know where he went in the draft and we can stop arguing, to be honest, and I love that Columbus went all in on him. If it works, it’ll be a ton of fun.

Ivan Miroshnichenko (WSH, #20)

I was pleasantly surprised to see Washington hand a pick to Ivan Miroshnichenko. I had him ranked 28th, and had he played a full season as he was before his diagnosis, I could see him being closer to where Washington drafted him. He has an excellent release, and great strength on his frame to fend off pressure in the VHL, but his puck management and vision of the ice was a limiting factor in transition and the skill level agility seemed to be lacking from his game relative to what I remember from previous years. With his cancer in remission, I’m really hopeful Miroshnichenko’s toughest days are behind him, and will be fascinated to see where he ends up.

Alexander Suzdalev (WSH, #70)

This guy is all hands, creativity and agility, but the footwork and ability to escape pressure with his feet really limits his upside and caused a bit of a slide relative to my ranking. He drove excellent efficiency moving pucks up the ice in great volumes at the J20 level in my tracking, but his lack of pace and need for processing time really limited his impact at the HockeyAllsvenskan level. He may not be SHL ready next year, but he may also be too good for the J20 level if his skating and strength improve. The skill level, problem solving, and creativity is high end and in the early 3rd round, you could’ve done significantly worse.

FRISCO, TX USA - MAY 1: Russia's Ivan Miroshnichenko #10 shoots the puck and scores a first period goal against the Czech Republic 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)

Sam McGilligan’s Favourite Selections

1: Ivan Miroshnichenko (WSH, #20)

This was easily my feel-good moment for the draft. Ivan Miroshnichenko had unfortunately caught a lot of negative attention throughout the season due to not meeting pre-season expectations, resulting in him flying down draft boards. Then his illness was revealed, throwing his future in hockey into question. I wasn't sure where Miro was going to end up going in the draft but seeing him go in the first round was a fantastic moment. Add in that Washington is one of the best organizations for high potential players slipping due to medical reasons and this becomes one of, if not my favourite pick in the draft

2: Gleb Trikozov (CAR, #60)

Gleb is one of the most entertaining prospects I've ever watched. There is such a high-level toolkit across the board -- skating, shooting, hands, passing, you name it. There's inconsistency in the processing of the game but even then, sometimes Trikozov is able to come up with complex solutions to problems that just wow me. He's the epitome of the "raw, boom or bust" archetype but I think there's enough smarts there to bet on the boom. The Hurricanes grabbed a first level talent at 60th overall, and it might just be the best value pick of the draft.

3: Noah Östlund (BUF, #16)

Östlund is one of three players I can confidently say are my favourites in the class, so there's a little bias here. Nonetheless, Östlund is as intelligent and dynamic as any forward you can find in the class. I believed he was very likely to be the last of the Djurgårdens' forwards to be taken, so imagine the shock on my face when Buffalo took him above Öhgren. Östlund is a high ceiling, connector-type center that will make the life of everyone around him easier. A primary playdriver with insanely high potential in all three zones, Östlund is one of the few with true star potential in this class. Buffalo deserves a ton of credit for this one whether it works out or not.

4: Calle Odelius (NYI, #65)

Calle Odelius slipping this far shocked me quite a bit. I think Odelius is the easiest of the Swedish defenders to project to the NHL while also carrying a fair bit more upside than others think. Calle's ability to manipulate pressure into creating space for himself is near the top of the class. His actions once entering the space can be hit or miss, but some of the greatest plays I've seen from a defender this year have come from Calle Odelius in open space so there's legitimate upside if his processing can be refined. Even if that doesn't happen, Odelius has strong enough fundamentals to be a complimentary defensive/transitional option.

5: Lane Hutson (MTL, #62)

If Lane Hutson is a few inches taller, he's a slam dunk top 10 guy. If Lane Hutson was just a bit more explosive, he's a slam dunk top 10 guy. If both of these things end up happening, then Hutson has "best player in the class" potential and that's not something I normally say lightly. As a Habs fan myself, I was internally screaming at the idea of picking Hutson and I'm beyond ecstatic he gets to enter the era of the Kent Hughes Canadiens. He fits everything that the team is looking for on the back end -- skill, manipulation, agility and brilliant decision making. The sky's the limit for this short defender.

6: Seamus Casey (NJ, #46)

Considering he has an argument amongst the best handlers in the draft regardless of position, Seamus Casey might just be the most skilled defender one could take this year, period. The problem with Casey is he seems less willing to activate and utilize his hilarious skill with the puck than you'd hope for someone of this talent. His NCAA career needs to be focused on re-integrating this ability with the puck across all facets of his game so that he becomes the ultimate transitional/OZ weapon that he was projected to be early in the year.

7: Vladimir Grudinin (CAR, #156)

This is probably just the best pure value pick there was in the draft. I think Grudinin is pretty clearly a first-round talent, yet he was found in the mid-late rounds of the draft. Vladimir spent the bulk of his season playing professional hockey in Russia across both the VHL and the KHL, never really looking too far out of the way in either league despite being undersized. His world class mobility helped circumvent that issue and allowed him to consistently play at the high pace these leagues demand. Once again, Carolina identifies and scoops up the value wherever it is.

8: Isaac Howard (TB, #31)

Isaac Howard's outfit alone could register him a spot on this list, but I'll defer to his hockey ability instead. This player managed to match pace with Cooley and Nazar, both highly regarded prospects in their own right, yet didn't earn similar draft stock due to some inefficiencies within his game that cast doubt on his ability to process professional hockey. I do think Howard is a level behind what those two considering the packages each currently offer, but I also believe Howard has upside in the same range due to the hilarious manipulative abilities he has. With the right development, Howard can contend with the best players in this draft.

9: Devin Kaplan (PHI, #69)

This was just a brilliant pick for pure value reasons. Kaplan frequently uses a fantastic set of hands and a great sense of space to be one of the smartest complimentary players the draft has to offer in both transition and the offensive zone. His skating doesn't create enough separation for his hands to be a primary creation threat, but there's nothing within his form that indicates this is an issue that can't be overcome. Considering this was the third round, Kaplan was one of the best picks a GM could make in that range.

10: David Jiricek (CBJ, #6)

I'm kind of surprised my pick for the best defender in the 2022 class fell out of the top five. He's everything NHL GM's look for -- skilled, dynamic, large but with lots of room for physical improvements and brutally aggressive. Jiricek's combination of skills make him a bit risky compared to Nemec, but the booming upside is so ridiculously high that I couldn't see the Flyers passing on him. Yet here we are, and the Blue Jackets were fortunate enough to have a true top pairing prospect fall on their laps. Jarmo made the easy, but right decision, and it immediately makes Jiricek one of the best selections in the draft.

2022 NHL DRAFT
Boston Bruins
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Matthew Poitras	C/W	54	73
Cole Spicer	C	117	82
Dans Locmelis	C	119	177
Frederic Brunet	D	132	NR
Reid Dyck	G	183	114
Jackson Edward	D	200	HM

Buffalo Sabres
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Matthew Savoie	C	9	6
Noah Ostlund	C	16	22
Jiri Kulich	C/W	28	15
Topias Leinonen	G	41	98
Viktor Neuchev	W	74	83
Mats Lindgren	D	106	35
Vsevolod Komarov	D	134	221
Jake Richard	W	170	111
Gustav Karlsson	C	187	NR
Joel Ratkovic Berndtsson	W	202	NR
Linus Sjodin	C	211	220

Carolina Hurricanes
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Gleb Trikozov	W	60	26
Alexander Perevalov	W	71	25
Simon Forsmark	D	101	68
Cruz Lucius	W	124	140
Vladimir Grudinin	D	156	32
Jakub Vondras	G	171	NR
Alexander Pelevin	D	205	NR

Columbus Blue Jackets
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
David Jiricek	D	6	5
Denton Mateychuk	D	12	17
Luca Del Bel Belluz	C	44	45
Jordan Dumais	W	96	72
Kirill Dolzhenkov	W	109	66
Sergei Ivanov	G	138	HM
James Fisher	W	203	NR

Detroit Red Wings
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Marco Kasper	C	8	24
Dylan James	W	40	63
Dmitri Buchelnikov	W	52	97
Anton Johansson	D	105	NR
Amadeus Lombardi	C	113	202
Maximilian Kilpinen	W	129	NR
Tnias Mathurin	D	137	122
Owen Mehlenbacher	W/C	201	216
Brennan Ali	C	212	103

Florida Panthers
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Marek Alscher	D	93	NR
Ludvig Jansson	D	125	102
Sandis Vilmanis	W	157	105
Josh Davies	W	186	199
Tyler Muszelik	G	189	HM
Liam Arnsby	C/W	214	197
Jack Devine	W	221	143

Montreal Canadiens
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Juraj Slafkovsky	W	1	3
Filip Mesar	W	26	16
Owen Beck	C	33	33
Lane Hutson	D	62	40
Vinzenz Rohrer	W	75	78
Adam Engstrom	D	92	HM
Cedrick Guindon	C/W	127	108
Jared Davidson	C	130	NR
Emmett Croteau	G	162	NR
Petteri Nurmi	D	194	HM
Miguel Tourigny	D	216	NR

New Jersey Devils
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Simon Nemec	D	2	4
Seamus Casey	D	46	39
Tyler Brennan	G	102	142
Daniil Orlov	D	110	131
Charlie Leddy	D	136	128
Petr Hauser	W	141	NR
Josh Filmon	W	166	148
Artem Barabosha	D	198	214

New York Islanders
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Calle Odelius	D	65	30
Quinn Finley	D	78	104
Isaiah George	D	98	61
Matthew Maggio	W	142	173
Daylan Kuefler	W	174	NR

New York Rangers
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Adam Sykora	W	63	48
Bryce Mcconnell-Barker	C/W	97	95
Noah Laba	C	111	NR
Victor Mancini	D	159	NR
Maxim Barbashev	W	161	183
Zak Karpa	C	191	NR

Ottawa Senators
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Filip Nordberg	D	64	NR
Oskar Pettersson	W	72	166
Tomas Hamara	D	87	76
Stephen Halliday	C	104	123
Jorian Donovan	D	136	194
Cameron O'Neill	W	143	191
Kevin Reidler	G	151	NR
Theo Wallberg	D	168	NR
Tyson Dyck	C/W	206	171

Philadelphia Flyers
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Cutter Gauthier	C/W	5	13
Devin Kaplan	W	69	69
Alex Bump	W	133	91
Hunter Mcdonald	D	165	NR
Santeri Sulku	W	197	206
Alexis Gendron	W	220	71

Pittsburgh Penguins
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Owen Pickering	D	21	37
Sergey Murashov	G	118	NR
Zam Plante	C/W	150	96
Nolan Collins	D	167	NR
Luke Devlin	C	181	HM

Tampa Bay Lightning
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Isaac Howard	W	31	23
Lucas Edmonds	W	86	116
Nick Malik	G	160	172
Connor Kurth	W	192	81
Dyllan Gill	D	223	NR
Klavs Veinbergs	W	224	NR

Toronto Maple Leafs
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Fraser Minten	C	38	101
Nicholas Moldenhauer	C/W	95	75
Dennis Hildeby	G	122	NR
Nikita Grebenkin	W	135	HM
Brandon Lisowsky	W	218	53

Washington Capitals
2022 NHL Draft Selections:

Name	Position	NHL Selection	McKeen's Ranking
Ivan Miroshnichenko	W	20	19
Ryan Chesley	D	37	34
Alexander Suzdalev	W	70	119
Ludwig Persson	W	85	88
Jake Karabela	W/C	149	84
Ryan Hofer	W	181	NR
David Gucciardi	D	213	178

MCKEEN’S 2022 NHL DRAFT GUIDE: MOCK DRAFT #2

Sam Happi — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 12:08:00 +0000

*Of note, this mock draft was completed prior to the start of the Conference Finals, with Sam predicting how the results of those and the Stanley Cup would affect the end of the first round’s order.

Montreal Canadiens – C Shane Wright, Kingston Frontenacs, OHL

Expectations become high when you have the best OHL rookie season since Connor McDavid, and Wright has felt the other side of those expectations as his dominant, but not otherworldly so season has been perceived as underwhelming by many. In the grand scheme of things, though, Wright was still one of the OHL’s best players and no other draft eligible prospect has done enough to realistically unseat him as the draft’s top prospect. Wright’s wide-ranging offensive toolkit should make him the long-term number one centre for the Canadiens, a team who has struggled in past years to find talent for that position. They’ll be happy to be rid of that concern.

New Jersey Devils – C/W Matthew Savoie, Winnipeg Ice, WHL

Logan Cooley, despite having a strong case for the second-best player in the draft, doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for a Devils team that already has Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, especially since Cooley’s connecting ability and two-way play, integral parts of his skillset, wouldn’t be as valuable out on the wing. Kemell would have been the natural choice in the fall, but the second half of his season hasn’t been nearly as strong as the first. Matthew Savoie has had an excellent draft season, can play both centre or wing, and has a great deal of powerplay acumen that could help New Jersey form one of the league’s premier top units, especially with triggerman Alexander Holtz in the system.

Arizona Coyotes – C Logan Cooley, USNTDP U18, USHL

The Coyotes are in the opposite situation of the Devils, possessing no real depth at centre (or anywhere else, but centre is considered the most important position to build at), so whereas Cooley seemed like a tough fit with the Devils, he is an obvious one in Arizona. He’s an excellent centre for a team with a lot of rebuilding in front of them to draft. Cooley is a strong two-way player with very good but not exceptional offensive upside, possibly making him better suited for the latter side of an eventual one-two punch for the team at the centre position. Cooley could be able to act as an adequate number one centre for the time being, with the idea of eventually being supplanted in that role by the type of top-of-the-draft star centre who the Coyotes, who don’t seem near any sort of breakup with the high side of the draft lottery, should still have several chances to grab.

Seattle Kraken – RD David Jiricek, HC Plzen, Czechia

A big, well-rounded right-shot defenceman is the type of player who can really stabilize a club, and the Kraken, still very young in their existence, are a team in need of stabilizing. Building a blueline is easier with a player to build around; bringing in a potential top-pairing staple would allow the Kraken to begin to determine the future of their blueline. This draft, uniquely, has two players who fit the description above in David Jiricek and Simon Nemec (even more interesting is the fact that both of them play in minor European leagues in Czechia and Slovakia, respectively). Jirichek seems to be the better liked of the two by most scouts, although it’s possible the Kraken lean towards Nemec if they favour a little more offensive punch.

Philadelphia Flyers – LW Juraj Slafkovsky, TPS Turku, Liiga

I’m not sure the Flyers will have any particular disposition towards any sort of positional need– they have some solid prospects all around but could use a high-impact prospect at each one. I think there’s tremendous potential for a club to fall in love with at least one of the Finnish prospects of Kemell, Juraj Slafkovsky, or Brad Lambert. Each one has their own reason– scoring for Kemell, exceptional physicality for Slafkovsky, and great speed for Lambert– but Slafkovsky’s stellar Olympic games has his stock quite high right now whereas Kemell and Lambert have had tough second halves to their seasons.

Columbus Blue Jackets – RD Simon Nemec, HK Nitra, Slovakia

Columbus already has some forward depth to their roster and plenty of scorers between Patrik Laine, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Cole Sillinger, Kent Johnson, and Emil Bemstrom. Additionally, a team having just experienced their first season removed from Seth Jones might feel the pull of a similarly big and mobile right-shot defender like Simon Nemec. There isn’t much depth to the right side of the Jackets’ blueline beyond Adam Boqvist, so this seems like a natural selection. If one of Nemec or Jirichek remain on the board at this point, I’d expect them to jump on it.

Ottawa Senators – RW Joakim Kemell, JYP, Liiga

Cutter Gauthier has been mocked to the Senators plenty after their surprise selection of Tyler Boucher last year, but I don’t know if the Senators will be eager to reach for another NTDP power forward considering the way Boucher played this past season. Despite his struggles over the second half, Joakim Kemell demonstrated some very real offensive skill with the start to his season and I expect there to remain plenty of believers in his ability as a scorer. He’d be an opportunity for the Senators to bet on skill, more akin to their Stutzle selection than the so-far less successful Boucher pick.

Detroit Red Wings – C Conor Geekie, Winnipeg Ice, WHL

It’s always difficult to predict what Detroit might do; perhaps they’ll run it back with a Seider-esque selection if one of the European blueliners fall to them (they could certainly use another quality defenceman or two). But Jirichek and Nemec may very well be off the board by pick 8, which likely leaves Detroit shopping for forwards. Michael Rasmussen doesn’t look like the top-six centre the Wings hoped him to be, but I could see them going back to the WHL for a centre with similar size, but far more skill to his game.

Buffalo Sabres – RW Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Djurgardens IF, SHL

The Sabres finally have some talent throughout their roster, making this pick a matter of accumulating depth and filling out their roster. Lekkerimaki has substantial scoring punch and was excellent at whatever level he played at this season, making him a strong choice for that type of pick. Adding a scoring winger never hurts.

Anaheim Ducks – LD Denton Mateychuk, Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL

I really think Mateychuk has a good chance to jump into the top ten, a result of a combination of his excellent play this season and the apparent gap between the top two defenders in the class and the next grouping. The Ducks have some aging players on their blueline that will be up for replacement in the next few years, and Mateychuk brings an exceptional neutral zone game similar to Ducks’ long-term defenceman Jamie Drysdale. We’re seeing a lot of quick, aggressive defenders like Mateychuk find quick success, and I think the league is trending towards giving these types of defencemen more opportunities in the earlier stages of their careers.

San Jose Sharks – LD Pavel Mintyukov, Saginaw Spirit, OHL

The Sharks might also be inclined to go after a defenceman, given the uncertainty of their future at that position. Mintyukov had a bit of an up and down year, looking rather blunder-prone at first but settling things down over time. The one thing that is for sure is that Mintyukov has plenty of offensive skill: he’s extremely quick and agile, allowing him to walk the blueline and frequently activate forwards into the offensive zone. He has a strong set of hands and a good shot, making him a significant threat at those points. He put together an excellent season overall for Saginaw and played very well in the second half.

Columbus Blue Jackets – RW Danila Yurov, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL

I have the Jackets taking Nemec, a defenceman, with their first pick, so it makes sense for them to look for a forward prospect that might be slipping down the board a little with their second try. In this mock, that forward is Danila Yurov. Yurov is well-accustomed to the professional game with over forty KHL games under his belt, but also found enough time between regular KHL appearances to dominate the MHL, Russia’s top junior league. He’s a strong forward with good speed and skill who might not be too far off from the NHL.

New York Islanders – LW/C Cutter Gauthier, USNTDP, USHL

Gauthier may not quite have the skill of teammates Isaac Howard and Frank Nazar, but his well-rounded offensive profile and more pro-suited game seem to have made him the most draftable NTDP forward in the class, especially after a strong showing at the U18s. Gauthier is a fast, strong power forward who does well to find opportunities around the slot with which to use his good shot and he’s eager to throw his body around, a trait the Islanders may value. His upside isn’t tremendous but he’s the type of solid all-around player that fits well with the Islanders’ identity.

Winnipeg Jets – C/RW Brad Lambert, Pelicans, Liiga

Winnipeg is a decent team with pretty solid depth at all positions. They’re more in need of an additional difference-maker than further depth, so they may be inclined to take a shot on Brad Lambert. Lambert is a terrific skater with impressive puck skills who entered the year as a top three candidate but underwhelmed in his draft season and has thus far failed to establish himself as a real contributor in Finnish professional hockey. It won’t be surprising if Lambert fizzles out in a third line, Kasperi Kapanen type role where he has little to contribute beyond excellent speed, but it also wouldn’t be surprising if he finally figures out the pro game and becomes the star he has potential to be.

Vancouver Canucks – LD Kevin Korchinski, Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL

The Canucks blueline is in weird shape. The headliner, Quinn Hughes, is an outstanding player, but he’s followed by a couple of controversial veterans in Ekman-Larsson and Myers and then a hodge podge of so-so youngish players. It’s a blueline that could use another high-level prospect on the way, and so I think the Canucks may find themselves tempted with a player like Kevin Korchinski. Korchinski, a 6’2” defender for Seattle, exploded on to the draft scene with an absolutely stellar season that saw him total 61 assists in 67 WHL games. He’s a great skater with excellent vision up ice, a pair of traits which, combined with his frame, should make him difficult to pass up at this point in the draft.

Buffalo Sabres (from Vegas) – Frank Nazar C/RW Frank Nazar, USNTDP, USHL

Nazar is a dynamic forward with a lot of upside. Buffalo is extremely well-positioned to add some major talent at this draft– Lekkerimaki and Nazar would be a great haul, as would any combination of the players listed here. The small NTDP forward doesn’t always seem to be the type of players that NHL teams are super eager to snap up early at the draft, but they often go on to NHL success. Nazar is a great skater with impressive dual-threat offensive ability. He and teammate (and often linemate) Isaac Howard had similar statlines and are often ranked similarly, but I believe Nazar’s game is less perimeter-oriented and so he’s much more likely to be the first of the two to go at the draft.

Nashville Predators – LW Rutger McGroarty, USNTDP, USHL

Zachary L’Heureux and Fyodor Svechkov are the primary content of a Predators’ prospect pool that is rather weak overall. They could use a defensive prospect, but the next tier of defencemen is better suited for later in the first round, and the Preds’ forward group isn’t strong enough to justify forcing a defenceman. If they take a forward, they should be pretty happy with McGroarty: he’s a versatile offensive player with a great shot and good hands. Having three first-round calibre U20 forwards that can all play centre in the system is a luxury that Nashville would be happy to indulge in. McGroarty had a strong U18 tournament while captaining the American side.

Dallas Stars – LD Owen Pickering, Swift Current, WHL

If there’s a team that might reach a little on a defenceman in this range, it sure seems like it could be the Stars. They have some young firepower on its way on offence, but the blueline is one with little direction for the future. Heiskanen will lead the defence for a long time, but Thomas Harley is the only one of Heiskanen’s current supporting cast who doesn’t seem to be in his last few years with the club. Pickering is a 6’4” defenceman who skates well and rose throughout the season while putting up solid offensive results on a poor Swift Current team. He’s raw and has yet to really grow into his body but transports the puck fairly well and has a frame that NHL teams will like.

Los Angeles Kings – C Marco Kasper, Rogle BK, SHL

Kasper is a responsible 200-foot forward with professional experience in the Swedish league. He’s an effective physical player, winning battles around the boards and net, and does well finding space around the net for offensive opportunities. He captained Austria’s WJC team at the postponed tournament this winter and is a remarkably mature player who did not look out of place in the pro game. The Kings are currently made up of younger talent that supplement their older core, and Kasper is a player who could effectively support Kopitar and the offence in a 3C role before moving up to bigger things once the older core vacates their spots.

Washington Capitals – LW Liam Ohgren, Djurgardens IF, SHL

Ohgren has plenty of skill. He’s a shifty, agile skater that mixes gears well and can cut around defenders with ease. His wrist shot is a real weapon, and he has an intelligent eye as a playmaker. His 33 goals and 58 points in Swedish junior were quite the feat, not to mention the 25 SHL games that he played as an 18-year-old. Ohgren played alongside Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Noah Ostlund for Djurgarden’s J20, and most sources seem to have tabbed Lekkerimaki as the jewel of the trio, but Ohgren (and Ostlund) are no joke themselves. Ohgren was the highest scoring of the three and certainly has the skill to rival Lekkerimaki in my eyes; if a team snags him in this range, they’ll be very happy.

Pittsburgh Penguins – LW Isaac Howard, USNTDP, USHL

There isn’t much in the system here, so Pittsburgh might be inclined to take a bit of a shot with the idea of injecting some real talent to their depth chart. Howard is a dynamic offensive player that attacks defenders and scores a lot of goals, aided by a hard, deceptive shot. His 82 points in 60 games for the NTDP is an excellent mark and he excelled at the U18s, where he led the American squad in scoring. Howard’s aggressive offensive style, with him often going right at defenders one-on-one, can lead to quite a few turnovers and he’ll certainly need to make some adjustments for the pro game, but there’s no shortage of skill in this selection.

Anaheim Ducks – RW Jimmy Snuggerud, USNTDP, USHL

The Ducks already exceed their fair share of NTDP alumni, but Snuggerud’s booming shot and versatile game make him a strong fit for a team that is still filling out their forward ranks. Snuggerud is 6’2”, has a great shot, is responsible defensively, an effective forechecker, and can play some centre, which makes him about the exact type of player that every team would want to fill out their middle-six. A deficit of high-level playmaking ability will likely keep Snuggerud from any type of driving role in a top-six role, but he seems like a perfect fit for a complementary role. An effective day-to-day middle-six winger is solid value at this point in the draft and may be exactly what a Ducks team, that already has Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry, needs.

St Louis Blues – C/LW Jiri Kulich, Karlovy Vary, Czechia

Kulich’s two-way game should make him a good fit with the Blues’ identity and his stock is sure to be on the rise after a terrific display for the Czech side at the U18s. Kulich played in the Czech professional league and had a solid, unspectacular season, as is typical for his age. The scoring ability (he led the U18s with 9 goals in 6 games), skating, and overall well-roundedness that Kulich demonstrated at the U18s should have NHL teams bullish that there’s more to Kulich than what may have consistently shown at the pro level, and so he’s a candidate to rise on draft day.

Minnesota Wild – RD Seamus Casey, USNTDP, USHL

Casey’s 5’10”/161 lb frame is a difficult thing for a defenceman to overcome in his draft season without a spectacular offensive season, but the team that employs Jared Spurgeon should be especially aware that a small defenceman with skill and intelligence is very much capable of contributing at a high level. The Wild have their offensive weapons of the future in Kaprizov, Boldy, and Rossi, but haven’t given as much attention to their blueline yet. Casey provides a higher ceiling than some of the other defencemen that might garner late-first consideration and the current position of Minnesota’s blueline prospect pool is one where they should be shooting for impact players, not third-pair guys.

Toronto Maple Leafs – RW/C Filip Mesar, HK Poprad, Slovakia

Mesar played professional hockey in Slovakia, a bit of a difficult place to attract first round consideration but managed to catch the eye of scouts with a very strong Hlinka-Gretzky Cup and another solid pro season. He’s well-accustomed to playing above his age bracket, having two seasons of professional hockey and two U20 World Junior appearances under his belt at 18 years old. Mesar is a great skater with an excellent transition game, good hands and excellent passing skills, making him a nice fit for Toronto’s system. It would likely be ideal for Mesar to graduate out of the Slovakian league shortly and the Marlies could be a strong environment for him.

Montreal Canadiens – LW Ivan Miroshnichenko, Omsk Avangard, VHL

Miroshnichenko was pegged as a potential top-five prospect until his diagnosis with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma was announced in March. He’s a strong power forward with a top-notch shot and excellent hands. He can barrel to the slot and beat goaltenders from all over the ice, making him a very dangerous offensive threat. His health is the concern, as there’s no saying when he’ll be able to return to hockey. But one thing is for certain: Miroshnichenko is fully deserving of a high pick, and I hope that a team will recognize that and support him through his recovery. Montreal snagged Wright at number one, so they can afford to take on a little more risk with their second first-rounder.

Arizona Coyotes – RW Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL

Here’s a team that badly needs talent, and Jagger Firkus has plenty. He’s extremely slight at 5’10”, 154 lbs, but Firkus was exceptional for Moose Jaw with 80 points in 66 games. He’s elusive, shifty, has a great release, and is always looking to work the puck to the slot. He reminds me of Seth Jarvis in a lot of ways, but with a little less puck skill. Firkus needs to bulk up and Jarvis’ 180 lbs on a 5’10” frame should probably be about the target. Arizona’s perpetual rebuild seems far from complete, as always, so they can afford to give Firkus some time to add strength and develop.

Buffalo Sabres – D Tristan Luneau, Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL

The Sabres have a third first rounder, having already grabbed forwards Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Frank Nazar in this mock. A former first overall pick in the QMJHL draft, Luneau had surgery last offseason and seemed to still be working his way up to full health for a good part of the year. He’s a two-way blueliner with a good outlet, a powerful shot, and a physical game. He’s fallen throughout the year as a result of his so-so draft season and rather average skating, but big right-shot defencemen that can chip in offensively are always prime targets at the draft and NHL teams might still view him highly.

Edmonton Oilers – D Ryan Chesley, USNTDP, USHL

With Evan Bouchard graduated and Philip Broberg knocking on the door, the Oilers are probably feeling that the time is just about right to bring in reinforcements to the prospect pool’s defensive corps. Chesley is a strong right-shot defenceman with an impressive transitional profile, consistently making the right reads on the breakout and moving the puck forwards efficiently. His offensive production wasn’t at the level usually seen from first round NTDP defenders, but he had a strong U18s and is ranked highly on Bob McKenzie’s scout poll, so this range isn’t unreasonable.

Tampa Bay Lightning – RW Jordan Dumais, Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL

Tampa hasn’t picked in the first round since 2019, so they’ll be looking to make the most out of this pick. Dumais ripped the QMJHL apart with 109 points in 68 games as a first-year draft-eligible but is most often ranked somewhere in the third round and didn’t even receive a combine invitation! He isn’t a great skater, doesn’t have the flashiest game, but is a highly intelligent forward with unreal offensive results. Current or former Lightning players like Brayden Point, Yanni Gourde, and Alex Barre-Boulet were overlooked by most teams for similar reasons, so I can see Tampa as one of the teams that will be interested in Dumais more than most.

Winnipeg Jets – C David Goyette, Sudbury Wolves, OHL

Goyette was an OHL rookie this season, since there were no games last year. He didn’t need much time to acclimatize though, immediately becoming Sudbury’s top-line centre as Quinton Byfield graduated to the NHL. As could be expected considering the circumstances, it was a bit of an up-and-down year for Goyette, but his season rates as quite impressive on an overall level. He skates well, has lots of puck skill, and was a dangerous scorer right from the get-go, but struggled with consistency throughout the year as he was effectively kept to the outside of the ice on some nights. Still, there’s lots of skill here and he deserves credit for putting together a nice season after being thrown right into the fire.

Arizona Coyotes – RW Adam Sykora, HK Nitra, Slovakia

This is pick number three for Arizona and the second near the end of the first round. Adam Sykora makes a fascinating upside pick for a team that already has eggs in a couple of baskets. He’s very young for the draft and won’t be eighteen until September, and yet he has two seasons of professional hockey in Slovakia under his belt and scored two goals in six games for Slovakia at the World Championships, where he was the youngest player in the tournament. He skates well, can score goals around the net, and has a very strong defensive game. This draft is loaded with talent from some of the smaller European hockey nations.

MCKEEN’S 2022 NHL DRAFT GUIDE: MOCK DRAFT #1

Zack Szweras — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 20:58:32 +0000

*Of note, this mock draft was completed prior to the start of the Conference Finals, with Zack predicting how the results of those and the Stanley Cup would affect the end of the first round’s order.

Montreal Canadiens: C Shane Wright, Kingston Frontenacs, OHL

While there has been speculation on who the Canadiens should select at first overall, Shane Wright is the clear-cut answer. Wright, who gained exceptional player status into the OHL at age 15 has been destined for NHL success from a young age. While his elite brain and two-way game are strong reasons for him to be selected first overall, he also produced this season putting up 94 points in 64 games for the Frontenacs. Wright provides the Canadiens with a potential top-six centre to pair with some already promising young talent with the likes of Kaiden Guhle, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and more.

New Jersey Devils: LW Juraj Slafkovsky, TPS Turku, Liiga

There was a large internal debate for this pick between Slafkovsky and Logan Cooley. While I feel Cooley may be the better prospect, Slafkovsky seems to be the perfect fit for the upcoming New Jersey team. Some NHL scouts believe Slafkovsky is close to NHL ready as he has NHL size and has already shown he knows how to use it, having great puck control and combining it with a good skating stride. The Devils already have a good centre depth with Hughes, Hischier and Mercer, adding the likes of Slafkovsky will fill a weakness on the wings and provide much needed scoring depth. A potential line of Slafkovsky-Hughes-Holtz should have Devils fans salivating.

Arizona Coyotes: C Logan Cooley, USNTDP U18, USHL

Arizona is in need of almost everything, so why not draft a centre who can do just about anything. Cooley is the perfect fit for the rebuilding Coyotes. He provides some elite offensive skill, including some wizardry with the puck on his stick, as well as solid play off the puck. Arizona has a shocking seven picks in the first two rounds. This should be a franchise defining draft for them and no better way to start it than securing a centre who should slot into their top-six in the next couple seasons. If Arizona is smart, they will send him to college for one year, let him develop and pair him with whatever top pick they get in next year’s draft.

Seattle Kraken: RD Simon Nemec, HK Nitra, Slovakia

Seattle’s GM Ron Francis looks to continue building his team from scratch, this year adding a potential franchise defenceman in Simon Nemec. After focusing on adding a franchise centre last year in Matty Beniers, Nemec adds a reliable force on the back end. Nemec’s game favours his offensive skill putting up 26 points in 39 games against men in the Slovakian league. He has also faced NHL competition participating in the World Championship where he has played nearly 19 minutes a night. Adding Nemec could give Seattle a bit clearer of an identity and direction the team is trying to build.

Philadelphia Flyers: RD David Jiricek, HC Plzen, Czechia

Philadelphia is in desperate need of a fresh start. With the end of their old core with the departure of long-time captain Claude Giroux, it is finally time for them to build a new core. While they made some bold decisions acquiring Rasmus Ristolainen and Ryan Ellis, the best decision they can make is adding the towering, bruising, hard hitting David Jiricek. Unfortunately, due to a knee injury suffered in the World Juniors, Jiricek has not been able to show his growth and development for the majority of this season. However, he has shown enough raw skills, with his strong skating, hard shot and use of his big body to warrant a selection inside the top five. While it may take him a little longer to get to the NHL, he can turn into a homerun pick for the Flyers at five.

Columbus Blue Jackets (Via CHI): C/W Matthew Savoie, Winnipeg Ice, WHL

With their first of two first round picks, the Blue Jackets should elect to go the skill route and take the WHL rookie scoring leader Matthew Savoie who finished with 90 points in 65 games. The Blue Jackets received this pick from Chicago as part of the Seth Jones trade last year and look to continue to add to their deep prospect pool. After drafting the likes of Kent Johnson and Cole Slinger, there should be no reason why Columbus doesn’t take a flyer on Savoie and hope to round out his game around his elite skill. If one of the two right-handed defenceman, Nemec or Jiricek, make it to this slot at six, there is no doubt that Columbus will snatch them up.

Ottawa Senators: C Conor Geekie, Winnipeg Ice, WHL

This is probably one of the hardest picks to predict at this point. There is no certainty if Ottawa will keep this pick or deal it for immediate help, and if they do keep it who knows if they go off the board like last year. Now to get to who I believe they will take if they keep this pick, is Conor Geekie, brother of Seattle Kraken Morgan Geekie. One large hole in the Ottawa depth chart is at centre, and Geekie fits the mold of a Senators’ centre with a large frame, physical and high-end skill with slick puck handling and long reach to complement. There are concerns about his skating stride and if he will be able to keep up with NHL-level speed, but Ottawa takes the risk given his other attributes.

Detroit Red Wings: C/RW Brad Lambert, Pelicans, Liiga

It is no secret that the Red Wings need centre depth, kind of like the Senators. With this pick Steve Yzerman takes the speedy, skillful Finnish player that many have slid down their board due to poor production in Brad Lambert. If you watch the way Lambert plays the game, he deserves to be in the conversation for a top 10 pick. If any GM is willing to take the gamble on him it would be Yzerman, who has taken the risk before, for example Mo Seider and that has worked out pretty well. Lambert is in desperate need of a change of scenery. His game is probably better suited for North American style of play, so it will be interesting to see if whichever team drafts him brings him over to the CHL, with his rights currently owned by Saskatoon.

Buffalo Sabres: RW Joakim Kemell, JYP, Liiga

Back-to-back Finnish stars, who used to be teammates go in this mock draft. Buffalo with their first of three picks in this first round take one of the best scorers in this draft class in Joakim Kemell. Buffalo is in need of pretty much everything as they are finally starting to rebuild correctly, Kemell adds much needed scoring depth and an offensive piece to build around. As much as a centre would be ideal given the lack of depth after the Eichel trade, it is not worth it to reach for a centre here when they could draft one later with one of their other three picks.

Anaheim Ducks: LW/C Cutter Gauthier, USNTDP, USHL

The Ducks are in a fun phase in their rebuild, one where they are starting to win with their youth, however not winning enough to allow them to add a couple more pieces to their future core. The right piece for them is Cutter Gauthier. Gauthier has had a tremendous season for the NTDP playing mainly on the wing of Logan Cooley and providing scoring chances for himself and his teammates. At 6’2, Gauthier has a nice combination of size and speed which he uses to be effective in transition as well as on defence. Already having strong future centre depth lined up with Zegras, McTavish and Lundestrom, adding a scoring winger like Gauthier to complement will only boost them in the future.

San Jose Sharks: RW Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Djurgardens IF, SHL

After selecting William Eklund out of Djurgardens last year with their first pick, they go to the same well again selecting his teammate, Jonathan Lekkerimaki. Going into the year, Lekkerimaki was mainly known for his shot and goal scoring ability. However, as the year progressed, it was evident that Lekkerimaki was improving his playmaking ability and was starting to make smarter decisions with the puck. Looking at the Sharks prospect pool, they have plenty of playmakers, but are lacking true finishers, adding a player like Lekkerimaki could be an important piece in their rebuild.

Columbus Blue Jackets: LD Kevin Korchinski, Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL

With their second pick in this draft, the Blue Jackets decide to go the defensive route, taking WHL offensive standout Kevin Korchinski. Korchinski was a playmaking machine this season producing 61 assists in 67 games for the Thunderbirds. He also has a strong combination of size and speed which he uses in transition and in the offensive end, to fend off oppositions and advance play offensively. The biggest knock on Korchinski is his lack of defensive awareness and his over-aggression to make a play. However, Columbus is willing to take a chance on him given his enormous offensive talent who has the ability to be a powerplay quarterback. After trading Seth Jones last year, adding Korchinski could help strengthen the backend of this retooling team.

New York Islanders: C Marco Kasper, Rogle BK, SHL

The Islanders are in a weird phase of aging veterans with very little in the cupboards in terms of the future. With what seems like their first lottery pick in forever, the Islanders decide to continue to build on their centre depth taking Austrian centre Marco Kasper. Kasper has spent the last couple seasons playing for a strong SHL team in Rogle and has proven to be a well-rounded player. Some of the skills he possesses include his long reach which he uses to defend well against men and his skating, which scouts rave about, especially his four-way mobility. While his offensive game is in question, given his low production in the SHL, he finished the SHL playoffs with 6 points in 13 games which is extremely impressive for an SHL player in his draft year.

Winnipeg Jets: LD Pavel Mintyukov, Saginaw Spirit, OHL

After focusing on drafting forwards in the past couple of drafts, the Jets decide to take a defenceman with their lottery pick this year. Granted Mintyukov is more of an offensive player than a defensive one. When Mintyukov has possession of the puck, look out, he is creative, speedy and aggressive with the puck, often moving it up ice to create offensive chances for Saginaw. His defensive efforts are concerning at times; however, some may be due to the unusual defensive play of Saginaw as a team. If the Jets draft Mintyukov and can fix some of the defensive issues, they will be left with a future top-pairing defenceman.

Vancouver Canucks: C/RW Frank Nazar, USNTDP, USHL

The Canucks are looking to add more offensive talent to their prospect pool and Frank Nazar will give you exactly that. Nazar has played the centre position almost exclusively this year for the USNTDP program but given his small stature at 5’10 a move to the wing in the NHL may be likely. Nazar has a great combination of speed and talent, often taking the puck from his own end and transitioning the puck into the offensive zone. Nazar was given the opportunity to play both special teams on top of being a top-six centre and has been able to make game-altering plays on both. His defensive game is probably the biggest concern as of now as at times he looks lost and unwilling to engage physically. Nazar could be a nice fit next to the likes of Elias Petterson and Brock Boeser for years to come.

Buffalo Sabres (Via VGK): LW Liam Ohgren, Djurgardens IF, SHL

With their second selection in the first round, Buffalo will go the Swedish route taking winger Liam Ohgren. At this point in their rebuild, Buffalo should focus on grabbing the best player available and not worry about positional depth. After drafting Isak Rosen out of Sweden last year and having three first round picks they may be likely to take at least one of the three Swedish forwards who project as first rounders (Lekkerimaki, Ostlund and Ohgren). With Ohgren, Buffalo will be getting another strong motor offensive player. Ohgren is a hard worker who relies on his strength and above average shot to attack defenders. Adding both Kemell and Ohgren could boost the goal scoring depth of Buffalo’s farm system.

Nashville Predators: RW Danila Yurov, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL

While there is some speculation that Russian players may fall in the draft due to the uncertainty of getting players over to North America, Nashville takes a chance on a player with top-10 talent in Danila Yurov. Nashville has a history over the last couple of years of drafting out of Russia with the likes of Fyodor Svechkov, Yegor Afanasyev and Yaroslav Askarov. Yurov is a bit of an interesting case for this year’s draft. He split time between the MHL and the KHL, where he dominated play in the MHL and then, when he was in the KHL, they would barely play him making it tough for evaluators to get a good read of his play against men. Yurov clearly has skill when you watch him play, often being able to combine his puck handling and speed to get around defenders. He also provides strong backchecking and defensive play as a forward. Time will tell if Yurov can develop into a strong middle-six winger.

Dallas Stars: LW Isaac Howard, USNTDP, USHL

The Dallas Stars have been killing it with their drafts over the past couple of years, taking players like Wyatt Johnston, Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque. They decide to continue adding to their forward pool by taking USNTDP winger Isaac Howard. Howard is an excellent player in transition, often understanding where the open lanes are on the ice and exploiting them. His best attribute is his shot, which has a quick release with good accuracy. When watching Howard play, he often drives play on a line with Frank Nazar on it. Howard could use some work on his skating and overall defensive play, but he could turn out to be another strong offensive forward for the Stars who are currently shifting into this new core.

Los Angeles Kings: C/LW Jiri Kulich, Karlovy Vary, Czechia

The Kings are finally shifting out of their rebuild into a contending team with the majority of their young talent coming up and contributing already. While they could go the defensive route and add a defender like Mateychuk, Pickering or Bichsel, they decide to continue adding offensive playmakers in Jiri Kulich. Kulich is coming off of winning the MVP award at the U18 tournament, which featured the likes of Logan Cooley, Frank Nazar, Connor Bedard and more. He is another player who skates well and is heavily involved in transition. When in the offensive zone, his number one tool is his shot, something that was featured in the U18 tournament, leading the tournament in scoring with nine goals in six games. Kulich has the chance to stick down the middle at centre but could also be moved to the wing depending on the Kings’ need.

Washington Capitals: LD Denton Mateychuk, Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL

The Capitals dominant era is near the end, and they are probably starting to look at how to retool their farm system. While they currently have a lot of talent up front, it makes sense to add to the backend and take a prospect like Denton Mateychuk. Mateychuk is another high-flying offensively talented defenceman. He uses his speed to help transition the puck well and join the rush. When in the offensive zone, he is able to find the open passing lanes and set his teammates up. Mateychuk is also a fine defender, not outstanding but good enough to warrant a selection here.

Pittsburgh Penguins: LW Rutger McGroarty, USNTDP, USHL

Just like the Capitals, all signs point towards the end of a strong era in Pittsburgh with the likes of Malkin and Letang potentially out the door. While Pittsburgh’s prospect pool is fairly bare, they look to add a player with leadership, physicality and goal scoring ability in Rutger McGroarty. The captain of the USNTDP McGroarty has led this strong group of players to many wins this season, often helping by scoring 35 goals in 54 games. With the old Pittsburgh core out the door, it is nice to start the new core with a player with his kind of leadership.

Anaheim Ducks (Via BOS): LW Ivan Miroshnichenko, Omsk Avangard, VHL

It was a tragic moment in the hockey world when it was announced that Ivan Miroshnichenko was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. There is positive encouragement about his progression through Lymphoma, making teams think about using their first-round pick on him. The Ducks with multiple picks in the first round decide to take a chance on Miroshnichenko in hopes that he can get back to the level of hockey he was playing and turn into a top-six power forward. Miroshnichenko has a good combination of size and speed which he uses to protect the puck and cycle play. On top of that he also has a wicked shot, something which carried him to be a consensus top-5 pick at the start of the year.

St. Louis Blues: LD Owen Pickering, Swift Current, WHL

St. Louis is another one of those weird teams rocking an aging core, although their window seems to be more open than some others. The biggest hole in their depth chart and prospect pool seems to be defence, so they decide to add to it by taking the towering defenceman out of Swift Current, Owen Pickering. Pickering plays his game with good size and speed, often leading his team in zone exits and entries transitioning play to the offensive end. On top of his mobility and transition game, he also uses his size and speed to close gaps easily and lay the body when necessary. There is a bit of limited offensive upside in Pickering’s play but adding a reliable big puck moving defenceman at this point in the draft is worth it for the Blues.

Minnesota Wild: RW/C Filip Mesar, HK Poprad, Slovakia

Mesar is often the forgotten Slovakian in this year’s draft. Everyone knows the big names of Slafkovsky and Nemec and even Adam Sykora is getting attention after his play at the World Championship. Mesar should not be forgotten and probably will end up being a steal if he falls down to 24th overall. Mesar’s bread and butter is his smooth skating and strong playmaking ability. When he has the puck, he always has his eyes up scanning the ice for open teammates and a lane to feed the puck through. Minnesota has a knack for finding talent throughout the draft and it will not shock me if they find more talent, this time with Mesar. Minnesota is also reaching some cap trouble and may need to rely more heavily on some of their prospects developing soon. Mesar has already played against men in the Slovakian league the past two seasons.

Toronto Maple Leafs: RW Gleb Trikozov, Omsk Yastreby, MHL

Gleb Trikozov is one of the most polarizing prospects this year, even between our own scouts, there are people who absolutely love his game and some who don’t see how he will make much of an impact. I am one of the people who love Trikozov’s game. He has a strong combination of size and speed as well as slick hands, dominating play in the MHL. In transition it is nearly impossible to stop Trikozov as he brings the puck into the offensive end and when he is in the offensive end, he has the playmaking and scoring skills to generate scoring chances. Toronto is another team who has drafted plenty from Russia in the past and strikes me as a team not afraid to do so again.

Montreal Canadiens (Via CGY): RD Sam Rinzel, Waterloo Black Hawks, USHL

With their second pick in the first round, Montreal should focus on upgrading their defensive depth. Rinzel seems to fit the mold the new Canadiens’ regime is aiming for. He has a great toolkit with strong skating ability, good offensive game and size to back it up standing at 6’4. Rinzel may be more of a project than some other defencemen in this draft, however the upside he provides with his raw talent and good athletic ability is too tempting for a rebuilding team like Montreal to pass up on.

Arizona Coyotes (Via CAR): LD Lian Bichsel, Leksands IF, SHL

As mentioned up above, Arizona is in need of everything looking at their current roster and prospect pool. In Bichsel, Arizona is getting a strong defender who is already proving himself as a regular in Sweden’s top league the SHL. While he may not be the flashiest defender or have much offensive game, he provides good defensive intangibles including a long reach, physicality and good gap control. Even if his offence does not translate to the NHL Bichsel should make it as a regular on his defence alone. Adding Bichsel strengthens the backend prospect wise for Arizona, who can continue strengthening their prospect pool with five more picks left in the first two rounds.

Buffalo Sabers (Via FLA): C Noah Ostlund, Djurgardens IF, SHL

With their final pick in the first round, Buffalo addresses their lack of centre depth by taking a second Swedish player from the Djurgardens system in Noah Ostlund. Ostlund is a playmaking centre who plays well in transition due to his combination of speed and puck skills. What is more impressive about Ostlund is his play off the puck, always putting himself in position to be open allowing his teammates to rely on him when they are in trouble. Ostlund put up strong numbers in the Swedish junior league producing 33 assists in 32 games. Adding both Ostlund and Ohgren as they have done in this mock draft, would give Buffalo a pair of teammates who complement each other.

Edmonton Oilers: RW Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL

After making a deep playoff run this year, Edmonton is in a position to add to their offensive depth. This time taking Jagger Firkus, a winger with some of the best stickhandling ability in this draft. When Firkus has the puck on his stick, there is always a strong possibility of him pulling off an insanely creative move. On top of his puck skills, Firkus also has a speedy shot, with a quick release that can fool goaltenders. He was also one of the top rookie producers in the WHL this year, finishing the season with 36 goals and 80 points in 66 games for the Warriors. While Edmonton is very top heavy with their talent with McDavid, Draisaitl, Hyman and more, adding Firkus can provide them with depth scoring and a middle-six piece for the future.

Tampa Bay Lightning: RD Seamus Casey, USNTDP, USHL

Tampa Bay’s farm system needs some replenishing and without first round picks in 2023 and 2024 they need to hit on this pick. With their pick, the Lightning decide to add to their defensive depth by taking USNTDP defenceman Seamus Casey. Casey is most comfortable in the offensive zone, using his strong playmaking ability to find teammates for good scoring chances. Casey was the USNTDP’s primary powerplay quarterback, using his playmaking ability to set up plenty of powerplay goals. The knock on Casey is that his defence is just okay, and his skating could be a problem once he reaches the NHL level, but the Lightning, who have developed a ton of players that are now on their Stanley Cup roster, are not worried about it and hope to turn him into a top-four defenceman.

Winnipeg Jets (Via NYR): C Nathan Gaucher, Quebec Remparts, QMJHL

With rumours circulating about Mark Scheifele potentially being dealt, it makes sense for the Jets to use their second first round pick on a centre. The Jets acquired this first round pick through the deadline deal with the Rangers for Andrew Copp. With Nathan Gaucher, the Rangers are getting a big bruising forward who uses his physicality in both the offensive and defensive end. In the offensive zone he is a strong net-front presence players, often winning positioning and puck battles extending offensive play for his team. The biggest flaws in Gaucher’s game are his poor skating and lack of awareness. Gaucher seems to have a safe floor as a bottom-six centre providing value physically, however the upside seems limited.

Arizona Coyotes (Via COL): C Owen Beck, Mississauga Steelheads, OHL

With their last pick in the first round Arizona should focus on continuing to improve their centre depth by selecting Owen Beck. Beck is another example of a two-way centre as he uses his combination of good speed and puck skills to help in transition, the offensive zone, on the penalty kill, basically wherever Mississauga needs him. While Beck is a well-rounded player, there isn’t much about his game that stands out as being great, which is why he projects as a top-nine centre. If Beck can add some muscle and improve physically, he will be an important bottom-six swiss army knife who can contribute on both special teams. Arizona can afford to give him as much time as he needs to develop considering they are in the thick of a rebuild.

Gleb Trikozov – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #15

Carolina Hurricanes Top-15 Prospects

1 - Alexander Nikishin

2 - Bradly Nadeau

3 - Nikita Artamanov

4 - Kurban Limatov

5 - Semyon Frolov

6 - Dominik Badinka

7 - Felix Unger-Sorum

8 - Ivan Ryabkin

9 - Justin Robidas

10 - Noel Fransen

11 - Simon Forsmark

12 - Domenick Fensore

13 - Gleb Trikozov

14 - Aleksi Heimosalmi

15 - Ryan Suzuki

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #10 Carolina Hurricanes – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #13

Carolina Hurricanes Top-15 Prospects

1. Alexander Nikishin

2. Brad Nadeau

3. Scott Morrow

4. Jackson Blake

5. Aleksi Heimosalmi

6. Dominik Badinka

7. Jayden Perron

8. Nikita Artamonov

9. Gleb Trikozov

10. Noel Fransén

11. Felix Unger Sorum

12. Ronan Seeley

13. Domenick Fensore

14. Anttoni Honka

15. Justin Poirier

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #11 Carolina Hurricanes – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

1. Alexander Nikishin, D, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)

2. Bradley Nadeau, LW, University of Maine (NCAA)

3. Scott Morrow, D, University of Massachusetts (NCAA)

4. Aleksi Heimosalmi, D, Assat (Liiga)

5. Jackson Blake, RW, University of North Dakota (NCAA)

6. Jayden Perron, RW, University of North Dakota (NCAA)

7. Gleb Trikozov, LW, Omskie Krylia (VHL)

8. Felix Unger Sorum, RW, Leksands IF (SHL)

9. Anttoni Honka, D, JYP (Liiga)

10. Ronan Seeley, D, Chicago Wolves (AHL)

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #15

Top 20 Carolina Hurricanes Prospects

1. Alexander Nikishin - D

2. Scott Morrow - D

3. Bradly Nadeau - LW

4. Ville Koivunen - LW

5. Aleksi Heimosalmi -D

6. Ryan Suzuki - C

7. Vasili Ponomarev - C

8. Jamieson Rees - C

9. Jayden Perron - RW

10. Noel Gunler - RW

11. Jackson Blake - RW

12. Gleb Trikozov - LW

13. Felix Unger Sorum - RW

14. Zion Nybeck - LW

15. Justin Robidas - C

16. Anttoni Honka - D

17. Ronan Seeley - D

18. Domenick Fensore - D

19. Alexander Rykov - RW

20. Cruz Lucius - RW

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #13 Carolina Hurricanes

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – CAROLINA HURRICANES – Top 20 Prospects

2022 NHL DRAFT REVIEW: EASTERN DIVISION – SCOUT’S FAVOURITES

Brock Otten’s Favourite Selections

Reid Dyck (BOS, #183)

Jake Richard (BUF, #170)

Denton Mateychuk (CBJ, #12)

Lane Hutson (MTL, #62)

Calle Odelius (NYI, #65)

Adam Sykora (NYR, #63)

Zam Plante (PIT, #150)