Hunter Brzustewicz – McKeen's Hockey

AHL: WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2025-26

Michael Moroz — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 11:35:37 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 17: Calgary Flames Defenseman Hunter Brzustewicz (48) watches play during a Los Angeles Kings game versus the Calgary Flames on April 17th, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Rob Curtis/Icon Sportswire)

Hunter Brzustewicz - Calgary Wranglers

One player to keep an eye on this season is Hunter Brzustewicz, a talented offensive defenceman who is entering his second full season with the Calgary Wranglers. Brzustewicz is a former third round pick of the Vancouver Canucks who ended up in Calgary as part of the Elias Lindholm trade, and he was viewed as a piece that could be a future power play quarterback at the NHL level. Brzustewicz did not disappoint offensively in his first pro season, where he put up five goals and 27 assists for 32 points in 70 games, with many coming on the power play. Brzustewicz’ game has even made great steps in the defensive zone, where the knock on his game in junior was his ability to defend in his own zone, so there’s a real chance that we see Brzustewicz get more games with the Flames this season. He’s still a couple of seasons away from full time NHL deployment, but he’s an exciting prospect to watch in the Flames’ organization.

Luca Cagnoni - San Jose Barracuda

There’s simply no other way of putting it - Luca Cagnoni might be the most skilled player in the American Hockey League. When the puck is on his stick, he’s always a threat to create offensive chances for himself and his teammates. He can find teammates with no-look passes, can spring players on breakaway passes from his own zone, and his shiftiness as a skater allows him to stun opposing players in the offensive zone. The knock on Cagnoni’s game has always been his size, as he is quite easy to knock off the puck, especially at the pro level, but Cagnoni’s game in the offensive zone is so dynamic that it’s hard to envision a scenario where he doesn’t become a full time NHL player. Cagnoni’s game is very similar to Lane Hutson, and while it might take him a bit longer than Hutson to become a full-time NHL player, there’s a very good chance that Cagnoni becomes a power play dynamo for the San Jose Sharks in a couple of seasons.

Matvei Gridin - Calgary Wranglers

Matvei Gridin is a talented offensive forward who can score from almost anywhere, and he’s showcased that skill at both the USHL and CHL levels over the past couple of seasons. Gridin started this season with the Calgary Flames and looked quite good in some of his games for a nineteen-year-old who is only entering his fourth full season in North America, and first at the pro level. Now that he has been sent down, look for Gridin to boom offensively while he figures out his defensive game at the pro level. He will have ample time to play the flank on the power play with the Wranglers where he will get great opportunities to score, and working with Brett Sutter in Calgary will better prepare him for the demands of the pro defensive game. It might take Gridin a bit of time to adapt to the AHL after starting in the NHL, but don’t be surprised if we see him back with the Flames at some point this season.

Riley Heidt - Iowa Wild

It’s hard to find a player that scored more at the CHL level than Riley Heidt over the past three years. Heidt torched the scoresheet with the Prince George Cougars in the WHL, where he put up a whopping 304 points in 194 regular season games over his last three seasons with the Cougars. Now that he has graduated into the pro ranks with the Iowa Wild, look for Heidt to continue his scoring success while he acclimates the rest of his game to the pro level. It’s always a tough task for a player to learn how to play positionally and compete against men, especially coming out of junior, but Heidt has the skills and awareness to make quick work of the AHL game. Heidt is an unkind presence in the offensive zone who is unwilling to shy away from tough battles, and he competes very well for a player with a smaller size. Combine Heidt’s no-quit attitude with his elite offensive skill, and you have a player that should be a regular contributor in the NHL very soon. It’s definitely possible to see Heidt get games with the Minnesota Wild this season.

Kirill Kudryavtsev - Abbotsford Canucks

Kirill Kudryavtsev might be the most intriguing prospect in the entire Canucks’ system. He was selected as a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft from the Soo Greyhounds, where he went from being an offensive defenceman to an all-situations defenceman who could be used in the final moments of a close game. Kudryavtsev then took his talents to the pro level with the Calder Cup-winning Abbotsford Canucks, where he contributed offensively while being a strong presence defensively, ending up at +18 in 21 playoff games while logging important minutes on the blueline. This season, we should expect Kudryavtsev’s offensive game to continue to grow, where he should get more looks on the power play as a sophomore pro. He may never become a top-unit power play quarterback at the NHL level, but he is tracking well as a future top four defender who can be counted upon at both ends of the ice.

Atro Leppänen - Bakersfield Condors

Atro Leppänen was a bit of an unknown commodity in the Finnish professional ranks until the 2023-2024 season. Playing most of his professional career in the Finnish Mestis, Leppänen did not make the full time jump to the Finnish Liiga until he was 24 but immediately excelled as an offensive puck distributor and power play quarterback with Sport. Now entering his first full season in North America, Leppänen had many good moments for the Edmonton Oilers in the preseason and was one of their later cuts on defence. There’s no doubt that Leppänen’s offensive ability is already at the NHL level. He’s a smart playmaker with a strong first pass, and he can make difficult plays in tight against opposing players. Leppänen’s defensive game still needs a bit of work, however, especially with regard to adding urgency to his game. He still has to learn that he has less time to make plays on the North American sheet, but once he does, look out. There’s a real chance Leppänen becomes a full time NHL player.

Tristan Luneau - San Diego Gulls

Tristan Luneau has been a dominant offensive defenceman at the CHL and AHL levels over the past couple of seasons. Originally a second-round pick by the Anaheim Ducks in 2022, Luneau excelled as an minute-munching all-situations defenceman for the Gatineau Olympiques, and was named the QMJHL’s best defenceman in 2022-2023. Now in his second full season with the San Diego Gulls in the AHL, Luneau is on the cusp of making it as a full-time NHL player. He particularly excels with the puck on his stick, as he has silky hands that allow him to distribute the puck to open teammates with ease. He’s also very shifty and deceptive when he walks the blueline, which allows him to draw defenders in, making space for his teammates. Luneau has even added a bit of weight and strength to his game, which has allowed him to make a quick transition to defending against men in the pro ranks. Luneau ultimately projects as a top four defenceman who can contribute at both ends of the ice for the Anaheim Ducks.

Tanner Molendyk - Milwaukee Admirals

Tanner Molendyk is one of the best skating defencemen in the American Hockey League, and he hasn’t even played a full season yet in the pro ranks; he’s just that good with his feet. When he’s on his game, Molendyk is a one-man breakout machine who can skate the puck out of trouble to make time and space for his teammates. He’s also a very capable playmaker in the offensive zone, and has the ability to quarterback a power play in the pro ranks. One knock on his game is that he isn’t the biggest defenceman in the world, but Molendyk makes up for it with his skating. He can also make a big hit when needed, although that isn’t the biggest part of his game. Look for Molendyk to put up strong offensive numbers for the Milwaukee Admirals this season and potentially get a couple of games with the Nashville Predators.

Oliver Moore - Rockford IceHogs

Drafted in the first round back in 2023, Oliver Moore is entering his first full pro season with the Rockford IceHogs after a strong nine game stint with the Blackhawks last season. Moore played college hockey at the University of Minnesota and excelled as a dependable two-way player with blazing speed; perhaps the best in all of college hockey last season. Offensively, Moore’s toolkit is a combination of goal scoring and playmaking; his breakaway speed generates many chances to score, but he’s more of a playmaking type when he’s on the power play. Defensively, Moore’s speed and edgework always allows him to stay in good position, where he rarely gets burned in the defensive zone against opposing players. Moore ultimately projects as a top six forward who can play dependable minutes at both ends of the ice, and he should have a big season in store for Chicago Blackhawks and Rockford IceHogs fans this season.

Josh Samanski - Bakersfield Condors

Josh Samanski may be a bit of an unknown commodity to Edmonton Oilers and Bakersfield Condors fans, but that won’t last very long. Signed out of the German DEL, Samanski is a big power forward that competes well in the hard areas of the ice. He’s got very good hands and skating for a man of his size, and he’s a capable playmaker who should be able to put up solid offensive numbers as a first year North American professional. Like many other first year North American pros, it may take Samanski a bit of time to adjust to the American Hockey League game, but he showed very well in training camp with the Edmonton Oilers and looks to be one of Edmonton’s better young prospects in their minor league system. Expect to see Samanski play middle-six minutes at both ends of the ice for the Condors this season, and there’s a chance he may even get a look with the big club come mid-January.

McKeen’s 2025-26 Hockey Pool Yearbook Feature – Fantasy Prospect Rankings

Peter Harling — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 19:47:09 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 12: Boston defenseman Cole Hutson (44) handles the puck during the championship game of the NCAA D1 Frozen Four between the Boston University Terriers and the Western Michigan Broncos on April 12, 2025, at Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire)

When preparing for a fantasy draft or evaluating prospects for a trade in your fantasy league you need to understand the difference between rankings, and fantasy rankings. The difference can be subtle, or significant depending on your leagues scoring and format. Generally speaking, fantasy rankings are based on projected point production. I have found that the vast majority of readers who read and follow my work are in dynasty keeper leagues with peripheral stats, or bangers leagues. The following rankings are based on projected point production and include added value to players who can contribute other stats, such as hits, blocks, PIMs, and faceoff wins. In fantasy hockey, we have a limited number of prospect roster spots and as such I put higher value on prospects who have a quicker ETA to the NHL or have superstar upside. This will help you identify the top 30 forwards, 20 defencemen and ten goalies to target in your fantasy leagues. To be considered a prospect skaters must be under 26-years-old as of September 15th, 2024, and have played in under 60 career games, or less than 35 in a single season. For goalies, less than 30 career games played, or 15 in a single season.

Forwards

1 - Ivan Demidov, RW – Montreal Canadiens

Demidov made his NHL debut with much anticipation and expectations, and he did not disappoint with a two-point showing in his first game. There is a lot of hype surrounding Demidov and if he lives up to the potential, he could very well go down as one of the all-time scoring leaders in Montreal and flirt with 1,000 career points, joining the ranks of legends like Guy Lafleur, Jean Beliveau, and Henri Richard.

2 - Ryan Leonard, C – Washington Capitals

The big man on campus was the Hockey East Player of the Year and scoring champion with 49 points in 37 games at Boston College. He also captained Team USA to a WJC Gold Medal and then made his NHL debut in Washington scoring his first career goal. Leonard will be an NHL regular starting in the 2025-26 season and should be a Calder contender in his rookie season. His value in multi-category leagues is even higher.

3 - Isaac Howard, LW – Edmonton Oilers

Hot off a Hoby Baker Award winning season as a senior with Michigan State, Howard and the Lightning were at a contract impasse. Rather than lose him as an unrestricted free agent this summer, the Lightning traded him to the Oilers. Howard should see an opportunity to crack the Oilers roster in a top six role given their lack of prospect depth. His new ELC will fit in the Oilers budget and playing with either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl could push Howard into the forefront of the Calder race.

4 - Beckett Sennecke, RW – Anaheim Ducks

A late season surge pushed Sennecke up the draft ranking all the way to third overall in his draft season. He has carried that momentum into hi D+1 season scoring 86 points in 56 games for the Generals. Don’t make the same mistake Team Canada made by erroneously omitting him from the 2025 WJC roster, Sennecke is a play driving forward with tremendous hockey sense and skill as well as size at 6-foot-4. Sennecke has another year of junior eligibility but could make the Ducks roster as soon as this season.

5 - Michael Misa, C – San Jose Sharks

Drafted second overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, Misa has been the first overall selection in all my fantasy drafts and mock drafts. Misa has been a highly anticipated fantasy prospect since becoming the latest OHL exceptional status recipient. He has a Memorial Cup Championship on his resume, is coming off a 134-point campaign and will spend his D+1 season developing in the NCAA against bigger, stronger, faster competition that will only make him more NHL ready for his ETA of 2026-27.

6 - Jimmy Snuggerud, RW – St. Louis Blues

After posting 51-points as captain of the Minnesota Golden Gophers and a finalist for the Hoby Baker, Snuggerud made a splash in the NHL with the Blues. Playing in the Blues final seven regular season games, he notched four points and then duplicated that performance in the playoffs. Snuggerud looks to be a lock for a top six role with the Blues and could be a solid Calder sleeper candidate if his early chemistry with Robert Thomas continues.

7 - Gabe Perreault, LW – New York Rangers

A lot of super-star players have come from the USNTDP, but Perreault holds the single season point record with 132 points in the 2022-23 season. Perreault just completed his sophomore season at Boston College and posted 16 goals and 32 assists in 37 games with the Eagles. He also was a key player in the USA WJC Gold Medal with 10 points in seven games. Perreault is a dynamic playmaker that also has a nose for the net and can finish. He played in five NHL games to close the season and while not a lock to make the Rangers out of training camp, he is their top prospect and a fantasy must own.

8 - Berkley Catton, C – Seattle Kraken

Catton was the 2024 draft class leading scorer with his 115-points, which puts him in the company of an elite group of players the likes of Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane and Connor Bedard to post such lofty production in their draft year. I am not suggesting that Catton has that kind of NHL and fantasy value, but he is the Krakens most dynamically gifted offensive player and has tremendous upside.

9 - Ilya Protas, LW – Washington Capitals

When the Capitals drafted Alexei Protas’ younger brother in the third round, it might have appeared to be a pick motivated by nepotism. Then Ilya moved from the USHL to the OHL with the Windsor Spitfires and had a breakout season to the tune of 50 goals, and 124 points (second in OHL scoring) and now looks like a steal of a third-round pick. Since he was drafted from the USHL, he can move up to the AHL for the coming season and further his development. Look for the Protas brothers to be a force in the Nations capital for the foreseeable future.

10 - Tij Iginla, LW – Utah Mammoth

The first pick in Utah’s franchise history, Iginla was on pace for a stellar D+1 season with 14 goals and 31 points in 21 games with Kelowna before a hip injury ended his season early. After surgery, the expectation is that he will return to Kelowna for an important season of development in the WHL, and with Canada at the WJC before he joins the NHL. Tij was drafted higher than his father, Hall-Of-Famer and Calgary legend Jarome Iginla, can Tij match his old mans career status?

11 - Porter Martone, RW – Philadelphia Flyers

Two things stand out with Martone: his dynamic offensive game and his size. However, for all you banger leaguers reading, don’t be fooled to think he is going to rack up hits and PIM’s as that is not really his game. He is a finesse playmaking winger. Martone has committed to take his development to Michigan State in the NCAA for his D+1 season in hopes that playing against older, stronger and better competition will make him NHL ready for the 2026-27 season.

12 - James Hagens, C – Boston Bruins

The consensus number one ranked prospect heading into the 2025 draft was Hagens. He played his draft year in the NCAA with Boston College and despite posting solid numbers as a freshman, he was unable to keep pace with Macklin Celebrinis’ pace from the previous season, and he fell on draft day to the Bruins. It is quite possible that Hagens ends up being the best fantasy prospect from his draft class, but he will return for at least one more year in the NCAA. Look for a spike in his production and for him to challenge for a Hoby Baker nomination.

13 - Cayden Lindstrom, C – Columbus Blue Jackets

Lindstrom is a unicorn as a 6-foot-4, 214-pound center that scored 46 goals and 46 points in 32 games with Medicine Hat in his draft year. He combines skill, skating, smarts, and size in such a rare and dominant package. A well documented herniated disc back injury that ended his draft season after 32 games and all but eliminated his D+1 season minus a few playoff, and Memorial Cup games is the other side of his story. Lindstrom will play the coming season in the NCAA with Michigan State where he will try to regain his health, conditioning and further his development. If he can realize his massive potential, he has franchise upside and would be a dominant player in multi-category leagues. Or, he could have a set back from his back injury and follow Nolan Patrick’s career path. High risk, but high reward potential.

14 - Arseni Gritsyuk, RW – New Jersey Devils

Gritsyuk may be a sleeper prospect, but don’t sleep on the Russian sniper. He is coming in hot from the KHL where he posted 17 goals and 44-points in 49 games. While he was only a fifth-round pick from the 2019, the now 24-year-old is NHL ready and will step into a top six role in New Jersey. He may not have the same offensive upside as some of the players in the range of his ranking but given his advanced development the wait time is zero, which moves the needle.

15 - Dalibor Dvorsky, C – St. Louis Blues

The AHL can be a meatgrinder that chews up and spits out teenage hockey prospects. Despite that, Dvorsky played last year as a 19-year-old and posted 21 goals and 45 points in 61 games with Springfield and was second in league rookie scoring. Dvorsky also shone at the WJC last year with Slovakia, scoring nine points in just five games. His play earned him an NHL cup of coffee, two games but he failed to record any points playing limited minutes. Dvorsky still needs more AHL development, but his promising development suggests the 10^th overall pick from the 2023 draft is well on his way to becoming an NHL regular and a fantasy must own player.

16 - Jonathan Lekkerimaki, RW – Vancouver Canucks

His first full season in North America was a success as the Canucks 2022 15^th overall pick split time between the NHL and Abbotsford in the AHL. In the AHL he posted 28 points in 36 games and another seven in 16 playoff games en route to a Calder Cup Championship. In his 24 NHL games the Swedish winger posted six points while averaging 12:30 of ice time. Expect him to be a full time NHL player this year and to see elevated minutes, leading to numbers similar to what he produced in the AHL.

17 - Brad Nadeau, RW – Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes must feel like the drafted a top ten player with their 30^th overall pick from 2023. As a freshman in his D+1 season at University of Maine, Nadeau posted 19 goals and 46 points in 37 games. He followed up that with an impressive rookie season in the AHL to the tune of 32 goals and 58 points in 64 games with the Chicago Wolves. His underwhelming production at the WJC with Canada was curious, but the entire team underwhelmed. Nadeau made his NHL debut on April 16^th and earned his first career point against Montreal. Look for his sophomore season to see more NHL opportunities as he plays his way into a top six role with the Canes.

18 - Anton Frondell, C – Chicago Blackhawks

Drafted third overall by the Hawks in 2025, the Swedish center brings size at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, a high-level hockey sense, and skill level to his game. He would be better slotted as a second line center at the NHL level as his two-way game is more his calling card as opposed to a go-to offensive driver. The 18-year-old will likely play two more seasons in the SHL before crossing over to North America, meaning a little more wait time and a limited offensive ceiling compared to his draft status.

19 - Danila Yurov, RW – Minnesota Wild

The 21-year-old Russian saw his production dip from 0.79 to 0.54 points per game in the final year of his KHL contract. Despite the disappointing production, with 209 career KHL games of development he has signed with the Wild and will play in North America to the delight of fantasy managers who roster Yurov. With Yakov Trenin, Vlad Tarasenko, and Kirill Kaprizov providing some fellow Russian support, he should adjust quickly and could play his way into a top six role sooner than later.

20 - Caleb Desnoyers, C – Utah Mammoth

Desnoyers could be the most underrated player in the 2025 draft, which says a lot sine he was selected fourth overall. A 6-foot-2 center Desnoyers has excellent hockey sense, size, skating, skill and compete. He has played a key role and produced all season starting with a point per game to lead Canada to Gold at the Hlinka. He was the first line center for Team CHL at the Prospects Challenge and was a point per game again. With his club team in Moncton, he posted 84-points in 56 games and lead the Wildcats in playoff scoring with 30-points in 19 games to be named playoff MVP, and a league championship. He is the best two-way player, and that takes nothing away from his offensive game.

21 - Rutger McGroarty, C – Pittsburgh Penguins

After being acquired from the Jets for Brayden Yager, McGroarty made his pro debut and impressed, splitting time between the NHL and AHL. In Wilkes-Barre/Scranton he played 60 games, notching 14 goals and 39 points. While he only played in eight NHL games, he impressed with three points, playing a physical game as well showing he can have an impact away from the puck. With the Pens looking to rebuild, he is a corner stone player going forward, starting now.

22 - Quentin Musty, RW – San Jose Sharks

Musty had a frustrating season. It began by holding out for a trade from Sudbury in the OHL. A deal never happened so he resumed playing and scored 59 points in 33 games before an injury put him on the shelf until the playoffs. He returned for game two but despite four points, the Wolves were swept in four by Kingston. He will turn pro now and play his rookie season in the AHL. The 6-foot-2 winger has size and played a power game at the OHL; he could be an impactful top six winger with his size and shot.

23 - Calum Ritchie, C – New York Islanders

When the Islanders acquired Ritchie at the NHL trade deadline, he instantly became their top prospect. Ritchie started the season in the NHL with the Avalanche where he played seven games and scored his first career goal with his signature shootout move (a spectacular deke as he fakes the shoot like he fanned then quickly backhands it home). He returned to the Oshawa Generals where he dominated with 70 points and 50 PIM in 47 games and led the Generals back to a league championship rematch vs London. Ritchie should be a regular on Long Island this fall.

24 - Matthew Savoie, RW – Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers added Savoie in a trade with Buffalo, and he instantly became the Oilers top prospect. Savoie is an undersized forward at 5-foot-9, 179 pounds but he is also a prolific offensive player. He posted some hefty point totals in the WHL and in his first full pro season, he scored 19 goals and 54 points in 66 games in Bakersfield. He made his debut in Edmonton as well, playing in four games and recorded his first career point. He has the skill to play and produce in the NHL, but size is a concern.

25 - Igor Chernyshov, LW – San Jose Sharks

The big Russian winger made the move to North America after the Sharks selected him with the first pick of round two in the 2024 NHL Draft. His debut was delayed following an off-season shoulder surgery, but when he resumed playing with Saginaw in the OHL he dominated with 19 goals and 55 points in just 23 games. Saginaw was eliminated in the first round, and he was called up to play two AHL games with the Barracuda. It is expected he will play the coming season in the AHL, to further his development, but he has NHL top six winger upside with his size, skating and shooting ability.

26 - Easton Cowan, C – Toronto Maple Leafs

The Leaf's top prospect is poised to bring his game to the NHL for the coming season. In his final year in the OHL with the London Knights, Cowan led the OHL in playoff scoring (39-points in 17 games), added a second straight league championship, and led the Memorial Cup in soring to lead the Knights to victory. He is slightly undersized at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds but he plays a physical game to complement his dynamic skill and vision.

27 - Andrew Cristall, LW – Washington Capitals

A true boom-or-bust player. Cristall is as dynamic an offensive player as you will find. His career WHL point production is off the chart with 412 points in 248 games (1.66 points per game). He finished his WHL career with Spokane in the playoffs where he scored 21 goals and 41 points in 19 games. How could such a dominant player be a bust? He is just 5-foot-10 and 183 pounds as the NHL trends towards size again. Also, his defensive game and compete level is a liability. These factors kept him off the Canada WJC roster. If he plays in the NHL, he will be great, but there have been plenty of prolific junior scorers that never made the NHL.

28 - Cole Eiserman, RW – New York Islanders

“Goal” Eiserman is a polarizing player. His offensive upside is significant. He is the all-time NTDP goal scoring leader, was a key player for USA winning Gold at the 2025 WJC with seven points. As a freshman at Boston University, he scored 25 goals and 36 points in 39 games. His play away from the puck is where scouts have concerns with his game. Eiserman will return for his sophomore season with the Terriers where he will continue to score goals, and more importantly develop his overall game.

29 - Jake O’Brien, C – Seattle Kraken

Perhaps the player from the 2025 draft class with the most upside is O’Brien. The 6-foot-2 center has tremendous vision and hockey sense, a late June birthday means he has plenty of development road head where his potential can grow. While his physical game is lacking as his slender 176-pound frame needs to fill out, there are very few flaws in his game overall.

30 - Liam Ohgren, LW – Minnesota Wild

Ohgren made his North American debut last season and had a tremendously successful rookie season in the AHL scoring 37 points in 41 games on a poor Iowa Wild team. His play earned him an NHL audition of 24 games, but he was limited to an average of 11:06 in ice time and only managed five points. Ohgren should be ready for a bigger role in Minnesota, and his point production should increase with more playing time.

Defence

1 - Zayne Parekh, RD – Calgary Flames

Parekh dominated the OHL in his draft year and then returned for his D+1 season and posted 33 goals, 107 points and 96 PIM. He was an egregious omission from the Team Canada WJC roster and made his NHL debut on April 17^th scoring his first career NHL goal in a 5-1 win over LA. Parekh is still junior eligible as a 19-year-old but is almost assured to be a full time NHL player this season. It should not take long for him to secure a top four pairing and first power play role in Calgary. Parekh could have a similar rookie season as Lane Hutson had and be a Calder candidate.

2 - Cole Hutson, LD - Washington Capitals

Hutson 2.0 is a similar player to his older brother Lane. Cole is developing in the NCAA at Boston University and posted 48 points in 39 games in his freshman season. His real breakout however was on the World stage with USA at the WJC where he led the tournament in scoring with 11 points in seven games. Cole has another season with the Terriers coming up before he is ready to join the Capitals in the NHL. When he arrives, it is not out of the question for him to have the same impact Lane Hutson had, or even better.

3 - Matthew Schaefer, LD – New York Islanders

The top pick from the 2025 Draft class has signed with the Islanders, and all signs point towards him making the Islanders out of training camp and becoming an NHL rookie. A shoulder injury limited him to just 17 games in Erie last season, so a return to the OHL would not be the worst scenario for his long-term development.

4 - Zeev Buium, LD – Minnesota Wild

All Buium does is win. At 19-years-old his trophy case already includes a World Championship, an NCAA Championship, two WJC Golds and a U-18 Gold. Buium made his NHL debut in the playoffs and recorded his first career point playing in four games. Buium is not only a lock to make the Wild roster, but he should also be a top pairing impact player right out of the gate.

5 - Alexander Nikishin, LD – Carolina Hurricanes

The 23-year-old Russian blueliner has been one of the most anticipated players to come from the KHL for several years. The 6-foot-4, 216-pound defender captained SKA St. Petersburg for two seasons and posted career KHL stats of 54 goals and 177 points in 288 games. He has signed in Carolina and made his NHL debut in the playoffs, earning his first career point in four games. He will have to compete with Shane Gostisbehere and K’Andre Miller for top power play deployment but count on Nikishin playing big minutes in his rookie season.

6 - Artyom Levshunov, RD – Chicago Blackhawks

The 2024 second overall pick only played 18 NHL games in his rookie season, but as a 19-year-old he produced 22 points in 52 AHL games with Rockford. Can he breakout as the Hawks top pairing and first power play quarterback in his sophomore season? He will have to outplay Sam Rinzel and Kevin Korchinski to do so, but it is a real possibility as soon as this fall.

7 - Luca Cagnoni, LD – San Jose Sharks

All Cagnoni is missing to be ranked higher is size and draft pedigree. At 5-foot-9 he comes up short by todays NHL standards, and as a fourth-round pick, he lacks the golden ticket first round picks get. However, his on-ice production speaks volumes, scoring 16 goals and 52 points in 64 games as a AHL rookie with the Barracuda. Cagnoni is the future first power play quarterback in San Jose on a unit that will include Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and Michael Misa. Cagnoni could be a fantasy beast!

8 - Sam Dickinson, LD – San Jose Sharks

Where will Dickinson play in the 2025-26 season? He posted 91 points in 55 games, won a second consecutive OHL Championship and a Memorial Cup Championship. He has another year of junior eligibility remaining, so the AHL is not an option, but has signed an NHL contract so the NCAA is not an option either. He has nothing left to learn in the OHL, so he looks ready to make the jump to the NHL.

9 - Axel Sandin-Pellikka, RD – Detroit Red Wings

ASP is a rising star and the Wings top prospect. The 5-foot-11 right shot defender has tremendous poise on the ice, sees the ice very well, carries the puck and dictates the play with authority. After a solid SHL career of 52 points in 107 games including an SHL Championship, he made his debut in the AHL to close the season. A full year of AHL development is to be expected under GM Steve Yzerman, but a future blueline anchored by Mo Seider, Simon Edvinsson and ASP sets up the Red Wings for a decade.

10 - Tristan Luneau, RD – Anaheim Ducks

After injury limited Luneau to just 13 combined AHL and NHL games in his rookie season, he returned in 2024-25 to post near point per game production with the Gulls with 52 points in 59 games. The 6-foot-1 right shot offensive defenceman has great upside, but he also has his work cut out for him to crack the Ducks top four with competition the likes of Jacob Trouba, Jackson Lacombe, Olen Zellweger, and Pavel Mintyukov.

11 - Carter Yakemchuk, RD – Ottawa Senators

There were a lot of skeptics when Ottawa selected the 6-foot-4 right shot offensive defenceman at seven ahead of Zayne Parekh, Zeev Buium and Sam Dickinson at the ’24 Draft. A lot of those critics were silenced when Yakemchuk nearly made the Sens roster after a tremendous preseason performance. He was returned to the WHL for his senior year and was slightly underwhelming seeing his point totals dip and failing to be make the Canadian WJC roster. His pro career will begin, likely in Belleville for a season before assuming the top pairing role on the right side in Ottawa next to Jake Sanderson.

12 - Sam Rinzel, RD – Chicago Blackhawks

Rinzel had a breakout season in 2024-25. It was not just his 10-goal, 32-point performance as a sophomore at University of Minnesota, but his nine game NHL audition in which he averaged over 23 minutes of ice time including an average of 2:24 powerplay time on ice where he delivered five points. The 21-year-old is the early favorite to be the first power play quarterback heading into the upcoming season. Don’t sleep on Rinzel, he has some big upside.

13 - Seamus Casey, RD – New Jersey Devils

The 5-foot-10 right shot offensive defenceman had a strong rookie season starting in the NHL with an eight-game run with the Devils where he posted three goals before an AHL assignment. Overall, he racked up 18 points in 30 AHL games and finished the season back in the NHL with New Jersey. With Dougie Hamilton, Luke Hughes, and Simon Nemic in the fold, getting ice time, let alone power play time will be difficult barring injury.

14 - Scott Morrow, RD – New York Rangers

Acquired from Carolina along with a first and second round pick in the K’Andre Miller trade, Morrow could fill the gap from Miller out of camp behind Adam Fox on the Rangers second pairing. Morrow had a strong rookie season the year prior posting 39 points in 52 games with the Chicago Wolves and had a 14-game NHL run with the Hurricanes scoring six points.

15 - Logan Mailloux, RD – St. Louis Blues

Acquired from Montreal for Zac Bolduc this summer, Mailloux is now the top defensive prospect in the Blues system. Mailloux is NHL ready after a second AHL campaign with 80 points and 165 PIM in 135 career games, and five points in eight career NHL games. Mailloux will no longer be considered a prospect as he will make the Blues roster full time, and battle Justin Faulk and Cam Fowler for top power play deployment.

16 - David Reinbacher, RD – Montreal Canadiens

The 6-foot-2 Austrian defender made a splash in his AHL debut in 2023-24 when he posted five points in the final 11 games in Laval. Injuries kept him out of action until he returned for the Olympics with Austria and finished the season again in the AHL with Laval. His six points in 13 playoff games with the Rocket are promising but a nearly full season lost to injury suggest he may need a time in the AHL before he is ready for Montreal. The departure of Logan Mailloux improves his stature in Montreal.

17 - Oliver Bonk, RD – Philadelphia Flyers

Widely considered to be a shutdown defender, a red flag in fantasy, Bonk has considerable fantasy value. At 6-foot-2 he has decent size and can play a physical role and contribute hits and blocks. But he has also contributed significant offensive numbers with 150 career regular season points in 189 games with the London Knights. Bonk was deployed as the net front presence on the power play regularly with London and was tried as the first powerplay quarterback for Canada at the WJC. His pro career will begin with a season in the AHL with Lehigh Valley before he becomes a top four NHL regular.

18 - Tanner Molendyk, LD – Nashville Predators

Nashville has a strong track record of drafting and developing top quality NHL defencemen. Tanner Molendyk is the latest and he nearly made the Predators out of training camp last year before returning for his final year in the WHL. He was a point per game player with Saskatoon and Medicine Hat and at the Memorial Cup. Molendyk will be an AHL rookie this season, but it likely won’t be long before he is patrolling the Predators blueline in a top four capacity.

19 - Hunter Brzustewicz, RD – Calgary Flames

His fantasy value took a big hit when the Flames drafted Zayne Parekh. Brzustewicz is an offensive defenceman that posted a 92-point season in the OHL, and in his AHL rookie campaign last year impressed with five goals and 32 points in 70 games with the Wranglers. Brzustewicz was a key piece in return from the Elias Lindholm trade so the Flames are invested, he has great offensive and fantasy upside, but the Parekh addition will take some of that critical power play ice time up.

20 - Tom Willander, RD – Vancouver Canucks

After two seasons in the shadow of a Hutson with the Boston University Terriers, Willander may be an underrated fantasy defenceman. With all the top offensive deployment at BU going to the Hutson’s, lane and Cole, Willander still managed to produce 49 points in 77 career games with the Terriers. His play with Sweden at the WJC was impressive as well with five points in seven games. Willander is a strong skating, puck moving two-way defender with offensive upside. Willander was signed by the Canucks and will start his professional career in the AHL with defending Calder Cup Champions Abbotsford.

Goalies

1 - Yaroslav Askarov – San Jose Sharks

The Sharks are building something special and Askarov should be a key piece of that puzzle. A top ranked goalie prospect for years, the move from Nashville and out from under Juuse Saros, gives Askarov has the opportunity to seize a starting role in San Jose. With the young core and foundations now in place, it’s just a short matter of time before this team becomes a powerhouse, and Askarov is a fantasy star.

2 - Jesper Wallstedt – Minnesota Wild

There is no sugar coating this, Wallstedt had a terrible season posting brutal numbers in both the AHL, and NHL in his third season in North America. Despite the setback, Wallstedt remains an elite goalie prospect and with the Wild building a defence that consist of Brock Faber, Zeev Buium, and David Jiricek the future still remains very bright.

3 - Jacob Fowler – Montreal Canadiens

It is difficult to understand how Fowler was not the top goalie selected in his draft year. Five other goalies went before he was selected 69^th overall in the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft. Since then, he has established himself as an elite prospect playing at Boston College in the NCAA. Fowler has won a WJC Gold Medal with USA, a Hockey East Championship, and was named the Goalie of the Year winning the Mike Richter Award. Fowler is trending to be the next great Montreal Canadiens goalie following the likes of Ken Dryden, Patrick, Roy and Carey Price.

4 - Ilya Nabokov – Colorado Avalanche

A late bloomer, Nabokov was drafted in 2024 by the Avalanche after a breakout season in the KHL as a 21-year-old, where Nabokov won a Gagarian Cup and playoff MVP. Nabokov has signed his ELC with Colorado but has been loaned back to play the 2025-26 season in the KHL to ensure he gets playing time. Expect him to finish the season in the AHL as the KHL season ends in March, allowing him a small sample of North American hockey before being full time in 2026-27.

5 - Sebastian Cossa – Detroit Red Wings

The Wings 2021 15^th overall draft pick has now played three full seasons of professional hockey with time in the ECHL, AHL, and he made his NHL debut in December with a 6-foot-5 shootout win over Buffalo. The past two seasons have been consistent and strong for Cossa, playing 40+ games in Grand Rapids and posting 20+ wins. The addition of John Gibson suggests that Detroit thinks he needs a little more development before he becomes their starting goalie.

6 - Drew Commesso – Chicago Blackhawks

On last years list I suggested Commesso was on track to develop into the Hawks starting goalie for the Connor Bedard glory years. Since then, the Hawks acquired Spencer Knight, and he appears to be the incumbent franchise goalie for the foreseeable future. Commesso had another impressive year of development in the AHL and is still quite capable of being an NHL starting goalie. Where and when are less certain now.

7 - Trey Augustine – Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings added insulation to their goaltending future when they selected Augustine 41^st overall in 2023. Since then, he has been developing with Michigan State U. in the NCAA with a career record of 42-16-6, two Big Ten Championships and two WJC Gold Medals with USA. Augustine will play his junior season with the Spartans and will also need some AHL development time. He is further away than Cossa, but his upside could be higher.

8 - Niklas Kokko – Seattle Kraken

Kokko made his North American debut last season, and it was a strong one posting a 20-10-2 record in the AHL with a 2.26 GAA and .913 SV%. His strong play earned him an NHL recall, and he had a rough start coming in to relieve Joey Daccord in a 7-2 loss to the Blues where he allowed two goals on six shots. With Grubauer and Daccord under contract for the next two seasons, the 21-year-old Finnish netminder can continue to develop in the AHL with Coachella. He is a prospect on the rise.

9 - Mikhail Yegorov – New Jersey Devils

The Devils selected the Russian goalie from the USHL with their second-round pick in 2024 and Yegorov started his D+1 season back in the USHL with Omaha. Committed to Boston University in the NCAA, the Terriers were having goaltending concerns and brought “Big Mike” in just in time for the Bean Pot Tournament where he was outstanding leading the Terriers to victory. Yegorov played in 18 games total with an 11-6-1 record and 2.15 GAA. Still only 19-years-old, the 6-foot-5 netminder is a long way from the NHL, but he is showing tremendous potential.

10 - Hampton Slukynsky – Los Angeles Kings

Perhaps Slukynsky is still a little under the radar and not quite a household name in less deep dynasty leagues, but that is about to change. Selected 118^th overall by the Kings, Slukynsky posted a 19-5-1 record as a freshman at Western Michigan and a sparkling 1.90 GAA. His trophy case includes USHL Goalie of the Year, Championships from the USHL, NCAA National and NCHC, and Gold Medals with USA from the U-18, WJC and World Championship. He is still just 20-years-old and needs a lot of development time before the NHL, but his stock is rising fast!

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – CALGARY FLAMES – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #13

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 20:39:55 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 13th (May 2025 - 11th)
GM: Craig Conroy Hired: May 2023
COACH: Ryan Huska Hired: June 2023

The Calgary Flames continue to benefit from the impact of a stellar 2024 draft, which injected 10 new prospects into the system—four of whom landed in McKeen’s top 200. Even with a slight dip in our rankings, Calgary’s pipeline remains one of the strongest assets in GM Craig Conroy’s rebuild, combining high-end talent with promising depth.

Leading the charge is Zayne Parekh, the first OHL defenseman in over a decade to hit the 100-point mark, a feat last achieved by Ryan Ellis. Parekh capped his draft-plus-one season with a one-game NHL call-up, scoring his first goal on a net-front deflection. Ranked fifth among McKeen’s defensive prospects, the dynamic right-handed blueliner looks poised for a prolific NHL career.

The 2025 draft brought further reinforcements, with Calgary adding two significant pieces to its prospect core: Cullen Potter and Cole Reschny, who now sit second and third in the organizational rankings behind Parekh.

The AHL’s Calgary Wranglers are teeming with talent ready to challenge for NHL jobs. Rory Kerins, William Strömgren, Jeremie Poirier, Samuel Honzek, and Hunter Brzustewicz all made notable strides, with Kerins, Honzek, and Brzustewicz already getting NHL minutes.

In junior, Jacob Battaglia broke out with a 90-point season in 68 games for the Kingston Frontenacs (OHL), cementing himself as a forward on the rise. Meanwhile, 2024 second-rounder Andrew Basha looked primed for a breakout WHL season before injuries slowed his draft-plus-one campaign.

With Parekh nearing NHL readiness, multiple AHLers pushing for roster spots, and a steady stream of junior standouts on the horizon, the Flames’ prospect system remains a cornerstone of their rebuild. If Conroy can continue to balance patient development with timely opportunities, Calgary could see its next competitive window arrive sooner than expected.

Calgary Flames Top-15 Prospects

1 - Zayne Parekh

The first OHL defender to hit the 100-point mark since Ryan Ellis did over a decade ago. That’s a pretty significant accomplishment, especially when you consider all the talent that has passed through Ontario during that time. It’s a testament to Parekh’s skill and vision. Few control the offensive blueline the way that he does. In the same way that Lane Hutson has taken the NHL by storm with Montreal, Parekh consistently creates offence; he routinely escapes pressure to get pucks on net or to the middle of the ice thanks to the way his feet work in sync with his hands. Parekh has taken a positive step forward as a defensive player too. He’ll never be mistaken for Chris Chelios, but he’s worked hard to become tougher to play against and he only needs to be passable in the defensive end given what he can do with the puck. No offence to Mackenzie Weegar or Rasmus Andersson, but this is Calgary’s power play quarterback sooner, rather than later.

2 - Cullen Potter

Fewer prospects were more fun to watch than Arizona State’s Cullen Potter this past season. Bursting on the NCAA scene with his exhilarating speed, stick skill, and shot, Potter proved his doubters wrong and had a successful freshman year in college despite his size. Due to the role he filled on the Sun Devils’ power play and in transition on five-on-five, Potter will only see an increase in points and overall offensive power in a bigger role in Tempe next season. Combining all of his offensive upside with his relentless motor in all three zones of the ice, we had no choice but to rank him as the Flames’ second-best prospect, notably ahead of Cole Reschny, who was drafted ahead of him. When talking about his NHL upside, it is imperative to bring up that Cullen Potter is just a shade under 5-foot-10, so it will be more of an uphill climb for him to be a mainstay in Calgary. There will also need to be some rounding out in his offensive game, specifically in his passing game. However, after examining the full package, Cullen Potter looks like a potentially special prospect for the up-and-coming Calgary Flames.

3 - Cole Reschny

The newest top prospect in the organization's pipeline, Reschny made all kinds of sense as Calgary's target with their first pick in the 2025 draft. Not only is he a true center, which filled the biggest hole that the organization had in their prospect pipeline, his high character and blue collar, rural, Western Canadian roots fit the identity of what they’re trying to build. There were some questions about him starting to bubble up in the scouting community after a slower start than expected last season, but he silenced all critics with a phenomenal finish as Victoria’s go-to forward. After two impressive seasons in the WHL it's a smart choice by him to now be heading to the NCAA, especially when you consider that all the extra training time should help him improve his skating ability, which would then in turn allow him to unlock another level to his game. There's a lot to like about Reschny, and he should be a core piece of the Flames roster in due time.

4 - Samuel Honzek

This season was the most relatively healthy that Honzek was able to stay over the last few years, and that's probably the most important 2024-25 takeaway for him. Despite what his modest point totals thus far in his career might suggest, his toolbox is overflowing: he has size, he skates well, he can shoot, he can handle the puck, and he can make plays at a high level. More willingness to engage physically would be preferred but isn’t a necessity. The challenge has always been that he needed more time and experience than other top prospects to get better at blending everything together, especially when he was starting to get regular reps playing center instead of wing, and those long-term plans have been repeatedly disrupted by injuries. Luckily for the Flames, they have accumulated enough young depth at forward that they can afford to be patient with Honzek while hoping that everything eventually starts to click for him sooner or later.

5 - Matvei Gridin

After being selected 28th overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2024 NHL Draft, Matvei Gridin left the USHL to join the Shawinigan Cataractes in the QMJHL. In his debut season, he posted 79 points in 56 games, ranking fifth in league scoring and first on his team. Gridin was also able to tally 17 points in 16 playoff games, leading the Cataractes once again. Unfortunately, his team lost to the Oceanic in an intense seven game series. The Russian winger has been one of the QMJHL’s most dominant players, showing why the Flames used a first-round pick on him. Gridin is a highly talented and flashy player, especially when carrying the puck at speed. Standing at 6-foot-2 and with ridiculous top speed, puck abilities and offensive tools, Gridin brings a complete offensive potential. That said, as he progresses in his career, he will need to find other ways to be an efficient player, especially off the puck. Improving this while maintaining his special offensive talent could turn him into a solid middle six winger. Having signed his entry level contract, Gridin could see AHL time as early as next season.

6 - Hunter Brzustewicz

The Flames were flush with promising young left-shot defencemen in the AHL this season, which made it easier for the right-shooting Brzustewicz to play important minutes. And it's not like he didn't earn that ice time, either. Much like when he was playing with Kitchener in the OHL, he did a great job for the Wranglers as a confident, heads-up defender who could safely protect the puck while also opening things up offensively from the attack blueline. His strong play even led to him making his NHL debut, which was also fully earned. While he's not nearly as effective without the puck, stemming from his average size and average mobility, he has made a lot of progress throughout his first year as a pro and things are clearly trending in the right direction on that front. Expect Brzustewicz to play a bigger role in the organization next season, which could also include more call-up duty to the NHL.

7 - Jacob Battaglia

Calgary’s 2024 selections out of Ontario look terrific thus far, with Battaglia being another player who took a huge step forward this past season. The big winger is such an intelligent player. Few players are as good as he is at working the wall in the OHL and he has the playmaking chops to take advantage of the extra time he creates through his protection skill. His pace of play really improved too, although his power and speed will need to continue to improve in order for him to be as dynamic at the higher levels. It’s important to note that Battaglia should not be miscast as a power forward, despite his size. Physicality isn’t likely to ever be a huge part of his game; he’s more of a high IQ, finesse player who just happens to have the size to be an asset down low and in the cycle. At this point, Battaglia’s improvement as an offensive player suggests that he could be capable of being a top six support winger for Calgary in the future.

8 - Henry Mews

Perhaps lost in the Zayne Parekh hype was the outstanding draft plus one year that Henry Mews had in the OHL, split between Ottawa and Sudbury. Mews finished the year third in defenceman scoring and second in power play assists. He’s dynamic and talented in his own right and has the potential to be a great option behind Parekh in the future, as a puck mover and power play quarterback. In a perfect world, both defenders can slot into Calgary’s top four, paired with more stable defensive players. Like Parekh, Mews plays a higher risk offensive game that can come with turnovers; it’s a tradeoff you have to live with. However, like Parekh, he has worked hard to be more assertive physically this year and his play in his own end has been more stable because of it. Refining his decision making further is a need, but Calgary has to be happy with his progress thus far. Taking advantage of the new eligibility rules, Mews will play for the Michigan Wolverines next year, hoping that the NCAA can help him refine his defensive abilities.

9 - Étienne Morin

Étienne Morin was the first defenceman drafted out of the QMJHL in 2023, at 48 overall by the Calgary Flames. In his draft year, he tallied 72 points in 67 games, ranking third among QMJHL defencemen and tying for first on his team. He was also able to score 17 points in 12 games in the playoffs. Since then, Morin’s production has dipped below a point-per-game pace in consecutive seasons. While his game has rounded out, it is surprising to see that such a talented offensive defenceman has not ran through the QMJHL, given his heavy usage on a strong Moncton team. His defensive game, especially the breakouts and the decision making, has developed, as he was relied upon a ton by the Wildcats in their dominant season, but visibly at the expense of his offence. Questions remain about his physical game, and the skating and mobility concerns noted in his draft year are still present. Morin will likely play in the AHL next season, and a lot of questions will be answered regarding his projection for the rest of his career. Morin will need to rekindle his offensive spark from his draft year going forward, as ultimately, he is an offensive defenceman.

10 - Andrew Basha

It surely must have been a frustrating year for Basha, who missed the majority of his season due to injury. On the bright side, he did get back into the lineup just in time to help Medicine Hat clinch their WHL title and take part in the Memorial Cup, though he was clearly not fully healthy for any of those games. To some degree, bangs and bruises come with the territory of his game. He plays fast and hard, with a fiery focus and intense competitiveness that few others can match. The real appeal with him, though, is how well he can still handle the puck and make plays when he's zooming around the ice with pace and purpose. Despite the health setback, Basha will likely force his way up to the NHL eventually in some capacity, and the homegrown Calgarian has what it takes to become a local fan favourite. He’s eligible to play in the AHL for2025-26 but could also go back to the Tigers for his overage season if it’s deemed to be the best thing for his long-term development.

11 - Aydar Suniev

Suniev is a skilled playmaker with an electrifying quality about him thanks to his heavy shot and passing ability. Having now spent two years in the NCAA, where he was above a point per game in his final season, he’ll now make the jump to the AHL to refine his overall game. The Flames may have a diamond in the rough if he can refine his overall game.

12 - William Stromgren

Stromgren is a deft stickhandler that possesses a hard shot, often breaking down defenders one-on-one in the AHL. He has the size, mobility, and skill to potentially crack an NHL top six, but his quickness will need to continue to improve. Entering his third pro season in North America, he will look to crack the Flames’ lineup out of camp.

13 - Jeremie Poirier

Poirier is a physically strong puck moving defenseman. Although not the fleetest of foot, he uses smart angles and his larger frame to win puck battles and track oncoming attackers. In addition, he can aggressively seek out offensive chances. With three AHL seasons now under his belt, he seems poised to challenge for NHL duty in the near future, but how well he adjusts to the NHL speed will ultimately determine his upside there.

14 - Rory Kerins

Kerins is a scrappy forward who isn’t afraid to go to the dirty areas, often battling through traffic and contact to find a close-range chance. With 33 goals in the AHL last season, the question now becomes whether he can translate that production to the NHL level. Now entering his fourth pro season, he could be primed to make the leap to Calgary.

15 - Luke Misa

Misa is a quick and crafty forward coming off two strong seasons in the OHL where he put up 80-plus points. He’s headed to Penn State in the fall, where he’ll have an opportunity to build on his under-sized frame. He could be a guy that carves out a career as a high IQ depth forward with some skill, with upside to play above that.

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #11 Calgary Flames – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Wed, 28 May 2025 12:23:23 +0000

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 17: Calgary Flames Defenseman Zayne Parekh (89) takes his “Rookie Lap” before his first NHL game between the Los Angeles Kings versus the Calgary Flames on April 17th, 2025, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Rob Curtis/Icon Sportswire)

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Calgary 25 Prospects

AHL: HALL – AHL Rookies to Watch – Pacific Division

Dave Hall — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 19:54:43 +0000

The American Hockey League season is officially upon us, and the NHL affiliates aim to reclaim their spot as the best development system in North America. With unique and perhaps unpopular league rules, including a veteran cap and required age minimum, the AHL offers an interesting balance between competitive and developmental rosters.

However, each year, the league receives a healthy injection of 20-year-olds, typically considered high-pedigreed prospects within their respective systems. This year is no different. Here at Mckeens, we will look at a few rookie skaters to watch this year within each Division.

First up: the Pacific Division.

Jagger Firkus, RW, Coachella Valley Firebirds

Seattle Kraken's 2022 second-round draft pick, Jagger Firkus, is coming off an explosive final season in the WHL and is now ready to take that firepower to the professional ranks. The 2023-24 season was a banner year for the undersized winger, as he racked up an exhausting list of accolades, including:

CHL Player of the Year
CHL Top Scorer Award (126 points)
WHL (East) First All-Star Team
WHL Champion
Bobby Clarke Trophy (Most Points in WHL)
Four Broncos Trophy (WHL Player of the Year)
WHL Playoffs Most Points (32 points)

Firkus led the entire Canadian Hockey League in scoring with 126 points, wrapping up a 310-point (144 goals, 166 assists) junior career across 230 games, all with the Moose Jaw Warriors. Despite his smaller size at 5-foot-11, Firkus continues to find new creative ways to light up the scoreboard with his incredible release and fluid offensive creativity.

Now in his third-year post-draft, he will look to translate that dynamic scoring ability to the AHL with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, who will aim to make an appearance in the Calder Cup finals for a third consecutive season.

Jonathan Lekkerimäki, RW, Abbotsford Canucks

After a challenging draft-plus-one year that was riddled with health setbacks, Jonathan Lekkerimäki burst onto the scene in 2023-24 with an incredible rookie performance in the SHL. He led all SHL rookies with 19 goals and led that same field, along with his team, with 31 points. His dominant offensive play extended to the World Juniors, where he led the tournament in goals (7) and won the MVP award, contributing to Sweden's Silver Medal on home soil.

Lekkerimäki will now look to bring his scoring prowess to the Abbotsford Canucks, where he will be a central figure on the team's offence. Known for his elite-level release from the perimeter, he will be tasked with handling all of Abbotsford’s heavy lifting in the offensive zone, grabbing the keys to the team’s top-line minutes while being a key piece on the power play. Assuming a strong start doesn’t earn him an NHL call-up sooner rather than later, he’ll be a must-see prospect within this Pacific Division.

Luca Cagnoni, LD, San Jose Barracuda

Luca Cagnoni’s ability to produce offensively as a defenceman has been nothing short of impressive. After a stellar 2023-24 season that saw him notch 90 points with the Portland Winterhawks, he says goodbye to a near-point-per-game WHL career with 193 points in 205 games. Now set to embark on his pro career with the San Jose Barracuda, Cagnoni will focus on adapting his high-octane offensive game to the AHL level as a go-to option in all necessary scoring situations.

Standing at just 5-foot-9, Cagnoni's size continues to raise questions about his ability to handle professional hockey's physical demands. However, as one of the more underrated and dynamic offensive defenders within the prospect circuit, his pedigree continues to hold merit as a future NHL hopeful and is certainly worth keeping an eye on as he looks to make his mark in the Pacific Division.

Matt Savoie, C, Bakersfield Condors

The Edmonton Oilers are pushing for a Stanley Cup, but that pursuit has left their farm system lacking in young offensive talent—until they traded for Matt Savoie. The very moment the deal was finalized, the 20-year-old inherited the responsibility as the organization’s top prospect and will immediately be one of the Bakersfield Condors' primary offensive weapons.

Savoie, fresh off a fruitful WHL career, recording 263 points in just 183 WHL games, has already shown he can handle professional play. Although a small sample size, he already posted five points (two goals, three assists) in a six-game AHL stint with the Rochester Americans last season.

Though his smaller frame at 5-foot-9 might pose challenges as he levels up through the pro ranks, his speed and creativity should allow him to thrive at the AHL level, making him one of the most exciting players to watch not only in Bakersfield but the entire AHL, this season.

Hunter Brzustewicz, RD, Calgary Wranglers

It’s not every day that an NHL organization trades one of their newly minted prospects on the verge of flirting with 100 points as an OHL defenceman. Yet, that’s exactly what the Canucks did, sending Hunter Brzustewicz to the Calgary Flames organizations at last year’s NHL deadline in exchange for a rental asset. With that in his rearview, pushing for an NHL spot in Alberta is on the menu, and although he has yet to play a game at the pro level, it doesn’t feel too far away.

After turning heads during his first NHL preseason with Calgary, Brzustewicz looked strong enough to battle for a spot on the Flames' roster, eventually falling just short. Now that reality has set, Brzustewicz will naturally kick off his pro career deployed on the Wranglers’ defensive corps but will do so as the team’s top right-handed option.

His poised, polished two-way game is defined by his high hockey IQ, excellent edgework, and smooth transitions. He may not play at the fastest pace, but his ability to dictate play, quarterback the power play, and ability to consistently make smart decisions has made him a key addition to the Wranglers.

Now, following a year in which he finished second among OHL defenders in scoring with a whopping 92 points, he’ll be looking to show why he should have been taken well above his eventual 75th overall landing spot.

Filip Bystedt, C, San Jose Barracuda

Filip Bystedt may not garner as much attention as some of his fellow Sharks’ prospects. Still, he has quietly been developing into an impressive two-way player and an important piece to this system’s future while overseas. Joining the Barracuda late in the 2023-24 season, Bystedt kicked the door down immediately, commanding the respect of Sharks fans, scoring seven points (four goals, three assists) in eight games, including a standout three-point debut.

The 2022 first-round pick carries a unique combination of size (6-foot-4) and skill, which he compliments with an elegant skating stride and ability to play two-way hockey. While fulfilling a top-line role at the NHL level may not be in the cards, he feels destined to play meaningful middle-six minutes for the Sharks somewhere down the road.

For now, he brings an exciting mix of responsible yet skilled game to the Barracuda and should formulate part of this team’s top-six forward group as they look to improve on their spot in the basement of the Pacific Division from last year.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – CALGARY FLAMES – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #9

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Josh Bell — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 18:00:53 +0000

_{VANCOUVER, BC - SEPTEMBER 25: Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf (32) in net during their preseason NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on September 25, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire)}

Prospect System Ranking – 9th (Previous Rank - 12th)
GM: Craig Conroy Hired: May 2023
COACH: Ryan Huska Hired: June 2023

Thanks to a recent trade haul that saw the Flames inject four of their top 15 McKeen’s ranked prospects into the system, Calgary has clawed their way into the top 10 of our prospect rankings.

This surge is highlighted by Zayne Parekh (ranked 27th), one of the most dynamic defencemen the organization has seen in years. Parekh exemplifies the modern-day offensive defenceman and carries tremendous potential as a future NHL powerhouse. He’ll return to his Saginaw Spirit team, fresh off a Memorial Cup victory as tournament hosts. Alongside Parekh, Calgary added key names like Matvei Gridin (186th), Andrew Basha (205th), and Henry Mews (249th) who all show promise as potential future NHL’ers.

The Flames graduated just one prospect in 2023-24 (Connor Zary), but that list is set to grow significantly within the next year. Four of the club’s top six prospects will push for spots on the main roster, and most are likely to succeed. Dustin Wolf, ranked 20th overall and the third-ranked goalie at McKeen’s, will likely be making the biggest impact. With Jacob Markstrom now out of the picture, there is a starting job to apply for, and he’ll battle Dan Vladař for that role. He’ll be joined by Matthew Coronato (56th) and Jakob Pelletier (96th) as hopefuls looking to crack the Flames’ roster.

On the rise is 2023 first-rounder Samuel Honzek (81st), who will begin his professional rookie campaign alongside the recently acquired Hunter Brzustewicz (199th). Both are considered big pieces to the Flames’ future and will have the opportunity to develop one step away from their ultimate goal in the NHL. Additionally, Jérémie Poirier (160th), Yan Kuznetsov, and forward William Strömgren continue to make strides with the AHL’s Calgary Wranglers.

The retooling process is just beginning in Calgary, but with a healthy flow of young talent and four first-round picks over the next two years, GM Craig Conroy has positioned the Flames to bolster their roster significantly over the coming seasons.

Calgary Flames Top-15 Prospects

1. Dustin Wolf

Dustin Wolf's rookie season wasn't the anticipated breakthrough season that many expected. After a stellar NHL debut in 2023, his 2023-24 campaign was a rollercoaster. A 0.923 save percentage in the AHL is decent, but not quite his previous dominance. At times throughout the season, we saw flashes of brilliance, but consistency eluded him. Questions arose. Was the pressure of the backup role a factor? Did the increased competition expose weaknesses? While the jury's still out, Wolf did show glimpses of his star potential and still remains a top goaltending prospect in the world. He’s extremely athletic and focused, his puck tracking is extremely impressive, and he’s continued to mature over the years as a calm and composed netminder. The 2023-24 season served as a reality check for Wolf. The path to NHL stardom is rarely linear. How he responds to this adversity will be a major storyline heading into next year.

2. Zayne Parekh

Zayne Parekh had a record-breaking season as an 18-year-old OHL defender, surpassing even stars like Ryan Ellis, Drew Doughty, and Alex Pietrangelo at the same age. His performance earned him the title of top defender in both the OHL and CHL. Despite being injured in the playoffs, he bounced back to help the Saginaw Spirit win the Memorial Cup, showcasing his resilience. Parekh is an exceptionally creative player with a high hockey IQ and vision, making him a reliable offensive threat. His lateral movement and edgework allow him to navigate the offensive zone with ease, while his defensive stick work is an underrated aspect of his game. However, concerns about his slight frame and average first-step acceleration have kept him just outside the top ten rankings. While he occasionally cheats for offence, his potential is undeniable. As Parekh matures, he could develop into an elite offensive defenceman, with tremendous upside from the back end.

3. Matthew Coronato

Matthew Coronato didn't disappoint in his much-anticipated rookie season with the Flames. While not quite cracking the Calder Trophy conversation, he solidified his reputation as an offensive weapon. The 2021 13th-overall draft pick’s speed and puck handling created havoc for defenders throughout the season. He wasn't afraid to mix it up in the dirty areas either, using his frame to protect the puck and win board battles. He plays a very confident game and loves to drive the play. He also shows off a quick, hard shot that he can get off from anywhere on the ice. Questions remain about his defensive consistency, but his offensive contributions were undeniable. Coronato's strong rookie campaign suggests a bright future in Calgary. He's already a legitimate NHL contributor, and further refinement in his defensive game could elevate him into a top six role. Flames fans have a lot to be excited about with Coronato on their wing.

4. Samuel Honzek

The Flames' first rounder in 2023, Samuel Honzek had a 2023-24 season defined by inconsistency. A pre-season injury delayed his WHL return, and while he looked electric upon returning (seven points in five games), his production dipped significantly afterward. The World Juniors offered a bounce-back (three goals, one assist), but consistency remained the biggest issue for the prospect. Despite leading the Giants in scoring last year, Honzek finished the 2023-24 season with a pedestrian 31 points in 33 games. Questions linger about his ability to adapt to a new role (center) and translate his offensive dominance to the pro level. However, flashes of brilliance and a strong showing at the World Juniors offer a glimmer of hope. Development will be key for Honzek, and the Flames will be closely monitoring his progress this season. His future remains uncertain at this point though.

5. Jakob Pelletier

Pelletier's 2023-24 campaign was a season of flashes and frustrations. An upper-body injury delayed his NHL debut, limiting him to just 13 games with the Flames in a season many thought he would stick with the big club. While he managed a goal and three points, the limited sample size makes a full evaluation difficult. However, glimpses of the skilled winger Flames fans were excited about did emerge. He’s such an intelligent player who helps drive his team’s pace and play. He always keeps his foot on the gas and makes opponents rush decisions, forcing turnovers. The question remains: can he translate those flashes into consistent NHL production? Pelletier's development hinges on staying healthy and earning a more permanent role with the Flames. If he can improve his defensive awareness, a breakout season could still be in the cards in the near future.

6. Jeremie Poirier

Poirier's 2023-24 campaign was derailed by a skate laceration just four games into the season with the Calgary Wranglers. The promising defenceman, known for his offensive instincts, was sidelined for months while recovering from surgery. Poirier finally returned to the lineup in March, but his impact was limited. In his 23 games, he managed three goals and 10 assists, a decent output considering the long absence. However, questions remain about his conditioning and overall effectiveness. The Flames' defensive shakeup at the trade deadline opened a potential window for a permanent NHL call-up that never materialized. Despite the lost season, Poirier's talent is undeniable and the improvement he’s shown since being drafted hasn’t gone unnoticed. He makes fewer and fewer mistakes, showcasing the offensive instincts and transition ability that had him earning first-round discussion in his draft year. The upcoming year will be crucial in determining if he can recapture his pre-injury form and establish himself as a future NHL contributor.

7. Matvei Gridin

Matvei Gridin, a Russian prospect, took an uncommon path by moving to North America early, playing for the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL. After a solid first season, he broke out in 2023, leading the league in points and earning a spot at the University of Michigan for the upcoming NCAA season. At 6-foot-1 and 182 pounds, Gridin has good size and a well-rounded skill set, but his offensive abilities, particularly his shot, stand out. His hard, accurate shot can surprise goaltenders, and his creativity and unpredictability make him a dangerous offensive player. He often leads zone entries and is relentless in his pursuit once in the offensive zone. However, his off puck play outside the offensive zone remains inconsistent and will need improvement, especially in his own end. Despite this, Gridin’s intelligence and quick decision-making make him a very promising prospect.

8. Hunter Brzustewicz

Hunter Brzustewicz is a mobile and intelligent defenceman with high upside. Acquired this past season from the Vancouver Canucks in the Elias Lindholm deal, the defender easily becomes one of the most exciting prospects in the system. He excels at reading plays and anticipating opponents' attacks, using his quick feet and active stick to intercept passes and clear the zone. Brzustewicz's vision and anticipation allow him to spark transition play, and his accurate shot makes him a threat from the point, although he’s more likely to find a pass, hence his OHL-leading 79 assists in 2023-24. He's also a physical presence, using his size and strength to win battles and protect his teammates. With continued development, Brzustewicz has the potential to become a top four defenceman and a key contributor on the Flames blue line. His upside as a reliable, two-way defender makes him an exciting prospect in the Flames' pipeline.

9. Andrew Basha

Andrew Basha’s game is built on quickness—quick reads, decisions, footwork, and puck plays. Basha’s speed allows him to navigate through traffic while keeping the puck glued to his stick, often dazzling spectators. He’s also effective in regaining possession, whether on the forecheck or in his defensive zone and quickly transitions into creating scoring chances. Despite his smaller stature, Basha plays with an edge, fearlessly battling bigger defenders for position or taking hits to make plays. While Basha had a standout season, it’s important to note that he has a late 2005 birthday and is in his third WHL campaign, putting him ahead in development compared to his draft-class peers. Scouts agree he has NHL potential, but opinions vary on his long-term upside. Will he be a top six scorer or settle into a bottom six, energy role? The Flames hope that it will be the former.

10. Henry Mews

Mews was one of the most debated prospects in the 2024 NHL Draft, known for his inconsistent defensive play and decision-making. Having only recently transitioned to defence, he shows flashes of brilliance but struggles with consistency, often varying from dominant to frustrating even within the same game. Despite these challenges, Mews possesses significant upside. He's highly skilled with the puck, excels in transition with his speed and edgework, and shows potential as a powerplay quarterback due to his scoring instincts. However, his decision-making falters under pressure in the defensive zone, leading to turnovers. His physical engagement is inconsistent, and his defensive game suffers from a lack of intensity and elite size. Mews embodies the "boom/bust" label—if he refines his game, he could be a major point producer from the back end. If not, his NHL future remains uncertain.

11. Etienne Morin

Drafted 48th overall by Calgary in 2023, Morin's season with the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats saw a dip in offensive production, with 12 goals and 49 points in 58 games. Despite this, his shot generation improved, and his vision and confidence with the puck are notable. While he shows defensive promise, especially in board battles, inconsistency and struggles defending the rush remain concerns. His development will depend on refining his offensive instincts and adapting to the pro game.

12. Aydar Suniev

Aydar Suniev’s freshman year at UMass highlighted his offensive potential, with 12 goals and 25 points in 36 games. Drafted by Calgary in the third round, he impressed with his shot and skillful hands. However, his skating, while not a liability, doesn’t fully match his offensive tools, and consistency was an issue. Suniev’s future depends on improving his skating and maintaining his production; if he succeeds, he could be a steal for the Flames, but skating limitations could cap his NHL ceiling.

13. Cole Schwindt

While not a breakout year, Schwindt showcased his potential with strong skating and puck protection. However, his offensive consistency and decision-making need improvement, as he was sometimes dominant but also disappeared at times. At 22, he has room to grow and briefly played with the Flames, earning no points in four games. This NHL experience could drive him to improve. Schwindt’s future depends on addressing these inconsistencies and regularly displaying his offensive skills; success in these areas could lead to a full-time role with Calgary.

14. Rory Kerins

Rory Kerins has been on a steady trajectory since the Flames drafted him in 2020, making selecting him at 174th overall look like some stellar scouting for Calgary. He’s coming off his first full season in the AHL, where he showed off his balanced offensive talent with 16 goals and 16 assists. He can tend to disappear at times, and his off-puck play is somewhat lacking, but he’s still trending the right way.

15. William Stromgren

The Flames drafted Stromgren for his potential as a dominant winger, flashing exceptional talent at times. However, his play has been inconsistent, oscillating between hot and cold, with his best performance coming during his draft year. Despite mixed results in the seasons since, Calgary signed him to an entry-level contract, hoping he'll develop into a top six NHL scoring threat, allowing him time to grow within the system.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #12 Calgary Flames – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Josh Bell — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 18:00:58 +0000

VANCOUVER, BC - SEPTEMBER 25: Calgary Flames goaltender Dustin Wolf (32) in net during their preseason NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on September 25, 2022 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire)

The Calgary Flames had to make a tough decision on their direction this season, after coming into the year hoping to take a step forward with a solid, veteran group, and a new general manager in Craig Conroy, and coach in Ryan Huska. Conroy made the call to start breaking this group up, making some massive trades this season, moving Noah Hanafin, Chris Tanev, Elias Lindholm, Nikita Zadorov, and Tyler Toffoli. But in doing that, he’s added Yegor Sharangovich, Hunter Brzustewicz, Joni Jurmo, Artem Grushnikov, and Daniil Miromanov, on top of a plethora of draft pick, including two first rounders.

They have a gem in goalie Dustin Wolf, #13 on McKeen’s list and the third-ranked goalie. He did make the jump to the NHL this season, looking like he could stick next season. Connor Zary also graduated to the NHL and Matthew Coronato looks to be following right behind. They have an opportunity at the draft to build a solid foundation for many years to come. They have five first-round picks over the next three drafts and eight in the first four rounds in the 2024 draft. They also have some promising pieces in Jakob Pelletier, Samuel Honzek, and Jeremie Poirier, on top of the players they’ve added via trade over the past year. The Flames were very active this season on the trade market and remain in the rumour mill, in particular around the future of goaltender Jacob Markstrom, who could well be on the move. Leading up to the 2024 NHL Draft and free agency, keep an eye on this team as they continue to stockpile future pieces.

RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Dustin Wolf	G	23	6-0/166	Calgary (AHL)	`19(214th)	36	20	12	2.45	0.922
2	Matthew Coronato	RW	21	5-10/183	Calgary (AHL)	`21(13th)	41	15	27	42	19
					Calgary (NHL)	`21(13th)	34	3	6	9	4
3	Samuel Honzek	LW	19	6-4/186	Vancouver (WHL)	`23(16th)	33	10	21	31	18
4	Jakob Pelletier	LW	23	5-9/170	Calgary (AHL)	`19(26th)	18	5	7	12	10
					Calgary (NHL)	`19(26th)	13	1	2	3	2
5	Daniil Miromanov	D	26	6-4/200	VGK-Cgy (NHL)	T(VGK-3/24)	24	3	4	7	8
6	Jeremie Poirier	D	21	6-1/196	Calgary (AHL)	`20(72nd)	23	3	10	13	22
7	Hunter Brzustewicz	D	19	5-11/185	Kitchener (OHL)	T(Van-1/24)	67	13	79	92	24
8	Etienne Morin	D	19	6-0/180	Moncton (QMJHL)	`23(48th)	58	12	37	49	31
9	Cole Schwindt	RW	23	6-2/182	Calgary (AHL)	T(Fla-7/22)	66	14	22	36	31
10	Aydar Suniev	LW	19	6-2/198	Massachusetts (HE)	`23(80th)	36	12	13	25	25
11	Rory Kerins	C	22	5-10/175	Calgary (AHL)	`20(174th)	54	16	16	32	8
12	William Stromgren	LW	20	6-3/175	Calgary (AHL)	`21(45th)	68	7	20	27	16
13	Yan Kuznetsov	D	22	6-4/209	Calgary (AHL)	`20(50th)	63	5	8	13	27
14	Parker Bell	LW	20	6-4/192	Tri-City (WHL)	`22(155th)	59	33	31	64	38
15	Ilya Solovyov	D	23	6-3/208	Calgary (AHL)	`20(205th)	51	5	10	15	34
					Calgary (NHL)	`20(205th)	10	0	3	3	4

1. Dustin Wolf, G, Calgary Wranglers (AHL)

Dustin Wolf's rookie season wasn't the anticipated breakthrough season that many expected. After a stellar NHL debut in 2023, his 2023-24 campaign was a rollercoaster. A .923 save percentage in the AHL is decent, but not quite his previous dominance. While some nights in the season we saw flashes of brilliance, but consistency eluded him. Questions arose. Was the pressure of the backup role a factor? Did the increased competition expose weaknesses? While the jury's still out, Wolf did show glimpses of his star potential and still remains a top goaltending prospect in the world. He’s extremely athletic and focused, his puck tracking is extremely impressive, and he’s continued to mature over the years as a calm and composed netminder. This season served as a reality check for Wolf. The path to NHL stardom is rarely linear. How he responds to this adversity will be a major storyline heading into next year.

2. Matthew Coronato, RW, Calgary Wranglers (AHL)

Matthew Coronato didn't disappoint in his much-anticipated rookie season with the Calgary Flames. While not quite cracking the Calder Trophy conversation, he solidified his reputation as an offensive weapon. The 2021 13th-overall draft pick’s speed and puck handling created havoc for defenders throughout the season. He wasn't afraid to mix it up in the dirty areas either, using his frame to protect the puck and win board battles. He plays a very confident game and loves to drive the play. He also shows off a quick, hard shot that he can get off from anywhere on the ice. Questions remain about his defensive consistency, but his offensive contributions were undeniable. Coronato's strong rookie campaign suggests a bright future in Calgary. He's already a legitimate NHL contributor, and further refinement in his defensive game could elevate him into a top-six role. Flames fans have a lot to be excited about with Coronato on their wing.

3. Samuel Honzek, LW, Vancouver Giants (WHL)

The Flames' first rounder in 2023, had a season defined by inconsistency. A pre-season injury delayed his WHL return, and while he looked electric upon returning (seven points in five games), his production dipped significantly afterward. The World Juniors offered a bounce-back (three goals, one assist), but consistency remained elusive. Despite leading the Giants in scoring last year, Honzek finished the 2023-24 season with a pedestrian 31 points in 33 games. Questions linger about his ability to adapt to a new role (center) and translate his offensive dominance to the pro level. However, flashes of brilliance and a strong showing at the World Juniors offer a glimmer of hope. Development will be key for Honzek, and the Flames will be closely monitoring his progress next season.

4. Jakob Pelletier, LW, Calgary Wranglers (AHL)

Pelletier's 2023-24 campaign was a season of flashes and frustrations. An upper-body injury delayed his NHL debut, limiting him to just 13 games with the Flames in a season many thought he would stick with the big club. While he managed a goal and three points, the limited sample size makes a full evaluation difficult. However, glimpses of the skilled winger Flames fans were excited about did emerge. He’s such an intelligent player who helps drive his team’s pace and play. He always keeps his foot on the gas and makes opponents rush decisions, forcing turnovers. The question remains: can he translate those flashes into consistent NHL production? Pelletier's development hinges on staying healthy and earning a more permanent role with the Flames. If he can improve his defensive awareness and stay healthy, a breakout season could still be in the cards in the near future.

5. Daniil Miromanov, D, Calgary Flames (NHL)

Miromanov's season started with a whimper, not a bang. A lingering injury kept him out until January, forcing him to prove himself in the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights. There, he flashed his offensive potential with six points in five games. The trade to the Calgary Flames in March offered a fresh start. While cracking the lineup consistently proved challenging, Miromanov did manage seven points in 20 games. However, his defensive struggles – a knock on him previously – were evident at times. Overall, Miromanov's 2023-24 was a season of transition. While glimpses of his offensive talent emerged, consistency and defensive refinement remain key questions. The Flames signed him to a two-year extension, suggesting they believe in his upside. Can he develop into a reliable NHL contributor next season? That's the burning question for the young Russian defenseman.

6. Jeremie Poirier, D, Calgary Wranglers (AHL)

Poirier's 2023-24 campaign was derailed by a skate laceration just four games into the season with the Calgary Wranglers. The promising defenseman, known for his offensive instincts, was sidelined for months while recovering from surgery. Poirier finally returned to the lineup in March, but his impact was limited. In his 23 games, he managed three goals and 10 assists, a decent output considering the long absence. However, questions remain about his conditioning and overall effectiveness. The Flames' defensive shakeup at the trade deadline opened a potential window for A permanent NHL call-up never materialized. Despite the lost season, Poirier's talent is undeniable and the improvement he’s shown since being drafted hasn’t gone unnoticed. He makes less and less mistakes, showcasing the offensive instincts and transition ability that had him earning first-round discussion in his draft year. The upcoming year will be crucial in determining if he can recapture his pre-injury form and establish himself as a future NHL contributor.

7. Hunter Brzustewicz, D, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

Hunter Brzustewicz is a mobile and intelligent defenseman with a high upside. Acquired this season from the Vancouver Canucks in the Elias Lindholm deal, the defender easily becomes one of the most exciting prospects in the system. He excels at reading plays and anticipating opponents' attacks, using his quick feet and active stick to intercept passes and clear the zone. Brzustewicz's vision and anticipation allow him to spark transition play, and his accurate shot makes him a threat from the point, although he’s more likely to find a pass, hence his OHL-leading 79 assists this season. He's also a physical presence, using his size and strength to win battles and protect his teammates. With continued development, Brzustewicz has the potential to become a top-four defenseman and a key contributor on the Calgary Flames' blue line. His upside as a reliable, two-way defender makes him an exciting prospect in the Flames' pipeline.

8. Etienne Morin, D, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

Drafted 48th overall by Calgary in 2023, Morin spent the majority of his season with the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats. While Morin's offensive production in Moncton dipped compared to his draft year (12 goals, 49 points in 58 games), his underlying shot generation improved. The season might be a bit of a disappointment after his breakout season a year ago, but the prospect still has impressive tools worth keeping an eye on. He loves to jump up in the rush and his vision stands out whenever he has the puck. He’s solid carrying the puck himself too, an area where his confidence has noticeably grown over the past year. While the defender shows some defensive prowess in his board battles and his stick-checking, he struggles in defending the rush. The jury's still out on Morin. The flashes of offensive potential are encouraging, but consistency remains a question mark. His development will hinge on refining his offensive instincts and adapting to the pro game.

9. Cole Schwindt, RW, Calgary Wranglers (AHL)

While it wasn't a breakout year, Schwindt showed flashes of his potential, particularly his strong skating and ability to protect the puck. However, questions about his offensive consistency remain. There were stretches where he looked like a dominant force, only to disappear at other times. His decision-making also needs refinement, with turnovers occasionally disrupting the flow of play. The good news: he is still young (22 years old) and has time to develop. He did see a brief stint with the Flames, registering no points in four games. This taste of NHL action could be a motivator heading into next season. Schwindt's future hinges on ironing out his inconsistencies and displaying his offensive prowess more regularly. If he can do that, a call-up to Calgary could become a reality.

10. Aydar Suniev, LW, University of Massachusetts (NCAA)

Aydar Suniev's freshman year at UMass was a showcase of his offensive potential. Drafted by the Calgary Flames in the third round, Suniev wasted no time turning heads with his impressive shot and slick hands. He impressed with 12 goals and 25 points in 36 games, showcasing his ability to find the net and create for linemates. However, questions remain about his skating. While not a liability, it doesn't quite match his offensive tools. Consistency was also an issue, with stretches of dominance punctuated by quieter periods. Suniev's future hinges on refining his skating and maintaining his offensive production. If he can do that, he could become a steal for the Flames. But if skating limitations persist, his NHL ceiling might be a bottom-six role. This season was a promising start, but the next chapter will reveal whether Suniev can address his weaknesses and solidify his status as a future NHL contributor.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Subscribers can link to the full top 200 listing here

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

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

Risers

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

Logan Stankoven (27 to 5) - Dallas Stars

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

Ryan Leonard (32 to 6) – Washington Capitals

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

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

Josh Roy (63 to 35) – Montreal Canadiens

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

Conor Geekie (68 to 18) – Utah

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

Mavrik Bourque (79 to 23) – Dallas Stars

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

Gabe Perreault (86 to 19) – New York Rangers

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

Bradly Nadeau (109 to 34) – Carolina Hurricanes

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

Jagger Firkus (112 to 47) – Seattle Kraken

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

Gavin Brindley (122 to 66) – Columbus Blue Jackets

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

Quentin Musty (125 to 51) – San Jose Sharks

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

Jani Nyman (135 to 81) – Seattle Kraken

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

Logan Mailloux (145 to 45) – Montreal Canadiens

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

Josh Doan (153 to 55) - Utah

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

Riley Heidt (157 to 44) – Minnesota Wild

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

Ville Koivunen (165 to 71) – Pittsburgh Penguins

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

Ethan Del Mastro (169 to 73) – Chicago Blackhawks

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

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

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

Carson Rehkopf (201 to 69) – Seattle Kraken

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

Easton Cowan (204 to 67) – Toronto Maple Leafs

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

Seamus Casey (214 to 63) – New Jersey Devils

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

Jacob Fowler (222 to 52) – Montreal Canadiens

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

Fraser Minten (226 to 84) – Toronto Maple Leafs

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

Jackson Blake (277 to 117) – Carolina Hurricanes

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

Erik Portillo (Unranked to 118) – Los Angeles Kings

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

Rodwin Dionicio (Unranked to 139) – Anaheim Ducks

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

Fallers

EDM - Xavier Bourgault

Xavier Bourgault (from 48 to 113) – Edmonton Oilers

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

Eduard Sale (72 to 140) – Seattle Kraken

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

Jack Rathbone (96 to not ranked) – Pittsburgh Penguins

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

Jacob Perreault (127 to not ranked) – Montreal Canadiens

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

Jan Jenik (156 to not ranked) - Utah

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

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

2024 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: TOP 200 NHL PROSPECTS

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

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

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

Subscribers can link to the listing here

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

NHL: DADOUN – THE FANTASY WEEK AHEAD – Trade season gets underway with some big names moving – Some teams and players to target in an uneven week

Ryan Dadoun — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 16:20:24 +0000

PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 11: Vancouver Canucks right wing Andrei Kuzmenko (96) skates during the third period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Vancouver Canucks on January 11, 2024, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

Although the Vancouver Canucks acquiring Elias Lindholm from the Calgary Flames on Wednesday in exchange for Andrei Kuzmenko, two prospects (Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo) and two 2024 picks (a first rounder and a conditional fourth-round selection) wasn’t the first trade of the 2023-24 campaign, you could make the argument that the blockbuster marks the real beginning of what could be a very busy month and change of trades.

The Flames have to be really happy with the return they got for a player who might have left as an unrestricted free agent this summer anyway. Although Kuzmenko hasn’t fit in with Vancouver this season, recording just eight goals and 21 points after finishing 2022-23 with 39 goals and 74 points in 81 outings, he’ll be given a fresh start in Calgary. Kuzmenko shouldn’t be expected to bounce back to his level of production from last season, but he might prove to be a decent top-six forward and replace at least some of the offense lost from Lindholm.

In the long run, Brzustewicz has been looking fantastic in OHL Kitchener this campaign, posting eight goals, 69 points and a plus-30 rating through 47 contests. Jurmo, who is currently playing for KooKoo of the Finnish hockey league, also has the potential to eventually benefit the Flames’ defensive corps. Then, of course, there is the first-round pick, which gives Calgary an opportunity to further boost its prospect pool. Ultimately, it will be a long time before we’ll know definitively if this trade worked out for the Flames, but what we can say today is that Calgary set a high standard for this year’s rental market.

On the Canucks’ end, Lindholm should be a good fit. Although his scoring is a bit down this year at 32 points (nine goals) through 49 contests compared to 64 points (22 goals) and 82 points (42) in 2022-23 and 2021-22, respectively, Lindholm hasn’t had ideal linemates in Calgary this year and should have better forwards to play off in Vancouver, so his offensive production might increase thanks to this trade. It also helps that the 29-year-old is versatile and capable of playing a two-way game while serving either as a center or a right winger. Due in part to that versatility, there’s an argument to be made that he was the top candidate on this year’s rental market, so the Canucks scooping him up well before the deadline is a nice win on their part.

Vancouver already had the second-best offense in the league (3.80 goals per game), but an argument could be made that the forward corps was somewhat top-heavy with a huge drop after JT Miller, Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser, who have 67, 64 and 52 points, respectively, and the Canucks’ next best forward in Conor Garland, who has just 24 points. It’s dangerous for a team to be that top heavy come playoff time, and Lindholm helps address that.

With there being no guarantee that Lindholm will stay with Vancouver after his six-year, $29.1 million contract expires this summer, it’s clear that the Canucks are betting heavily on the 2024 playoffs, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see them make further additions before the deadline, and now that the Canucks have started the arms race with a bang, other contenders might feel eager to make splashes of their own. In fact, the acquisition of Lindholm might have been what influenced Winnipeg to pull the trigger on trading a 2024 first-round pick and 2027 conditional third-round selection to Montreal in exchange for Sean Monahan on Friday.

This should be the start of a fun trade season.

Boston Bruins – TUE VS CGY, THU VS VAN, SAT VS WAS

The Bruins will kick off their post-All-Star break schedule with a home stretch involving the Flames on Tuesday, the Canucks on Thursday and the Capitals on Saturday. The Canucks will be a tough adversary, but Calgary and Washington have been slipping out of the playoff picture.

Charlie Coyle will look to continue his fantastic run after contributing eight goals and 21 points over his past 17 contests, including 12 points (four goals) during his active eight-game scoring streak. After recording 44 and 45 points over the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns, respectively, Coyle has taken a huge leap forward with 42 points through 49 appearances this year, but that jump makes some sense given his increased responsibilities. He’s averaging a career-high 18:02 of ice time and is likely to remain in that top-center role.

Trent Frederic has taken a step forward this season as well. After setting career highs in 2022-23 with 17 goals and 31 points in 79 contests, he’s already collected 14 goals and 29 points across 49 outings this campaign. Frederic has been inconsistent but is enjoying a five-game scoring streak in which he’s supplied a goal and six points.

Speaking of inconsistent forwards, James van Riemsdyk has been a weird one. The 34-year-old has enjoyed some good stretches along with prolonged cold streaks, but he’s also had big nights that don’t seem to lead anywhere. Over his past 12 contests, he has a solid two goals and 10 points, but that production has come entirely due to four multi-point efforts sprinkled in amongst eight scoreless showings. It makes him a somewhat frustrating option, especially in daily leagues, but in standard season-long leagues, van Riemsdyk still has a bit of value as long as you’re willing to tolerate his day-to-day unpredictability.

Colorado Avalanche – MON @ NYR, TUE @ NJD (BTB), THU @ CAR, SAT @ FLA

The Avalanche are one of the few teams slated to play four games next week, although all their games will be on the road. They’ll face the Rangers on Monday, the Devils on Tuesday, the Hurricanes on Thursday and the Panthers on Saturday.

With three road games in the span of four nights, it seems reasonable to believe Ivan Prosvetov will soon get his first start since Jan. 6. However, Prosvetov has struggled this campaign with a 4-3-1 record, 3.16 GAA and .895 save percentage across 11 outings and all his potential adversaries (the Rangers, New Jersey and Carolina) are strong offensively, so don’t pick up the 24-year-old unless you’re desperate for starts.

If you’re looking for someone on the Avalanche to grab, you might want to consider Ross Colton instead. He’s done well recently, providing six assists over his last three contests while averaging 16:08 of ice time, which is up from his season average of 13:50. He’s been respectable in 2023-24 with 10 goals, 26 points, 45 PIM and 64 points, and the 27-year-old could see his production increase in the second half if he can hold onto his current top-six role.

Of course, Nathan MacKinnon will continue to be the Avalanche’s standout forward. He’s on a 13-game scoring streak in which he’s provided an incredible 12 goals and 28 points, bringing him up to 31 markers and 84 points through 49 appearances this season. Although it would be an oversimplification to suggest that the Hart Trophy race involves only MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov (85 points), they have certainly pushed themselves a step above the rest of the pack at this point.

Dallas Stars – TUE @ BUF, WED @ TOR (BTB), SAT @ MTL

The Stars will play in Buffalo on Tuesday, Toronto on Wednesday and Montreal on Saturday. A three-game all-road schedule might not be worthy of highlighting if this was a busier week, but part of the appeal of this stretch is that the Stars are facing two teams significantly outside of the playoff picture in the Sabres and the Canadiens.

Thomas Harley is worthy of selection if he’s still available in your league. The 22-year-old is having a breakout campaign with 12 goals and 29 points in 49 games this season and has been incredibly lately, providing three goals and eight points across his last five outings. The one downside is he doesn’t have much of a power-play role. When Miro Heiskanen missed 10 straight games from Jan. 6-23 because of a lower-body injury, Harley’s ice time with the man advantage jumped to an average of 2:15 compared to his 0:52 per contest overall this season. However, now that Heiskanen’s back, Harley’s work with the man advantage has dropped.

Speaking of Heiskanen, he’s hit the ground running since returning, supplying a goal and three points (one on the power play) over his past two games. The 24-year-old won’t replicate his 73-point 2022-23 campaign, but Heiskanen’s five goals and 30 points across 39 outings this season is still nothing to sneeze at. As long as he stays healthy, he should be among the most productive offensive defensemen in the second half.

Dallas’ defense has done great in its own end too, ranking sixth this season with a 2.82 xGA/60, but Jake Oettinger hasn’t fulfilled his side of the deal. The 25-year-old had an earned reputation as one of the league’s top goaltenders going into this season, but he’s floundered in 2023-24 with a 16-9-2 record, 3.04 GAA and .900 save percentage through 28 contests. His struggles have continued too with him allowing 16 goals on 126 shots (.873 save percentage) over his past four appearances.

At least Dallas’ strong offense allows Oettinger to often win regardless, but Dallas certainly needs more from the netminder. Given the strength of the team in front of him, there is an argument to be made that he’s a solid buy-low candidate in the hope that he’ll rebound in the second half, but you would be taking a risk.

Florida Panthers – TUE VS PHI, THU VS WAS, SAT VS COL

The Panthers will play at home versus the Flyers on Tuesday, the Capitals on Thursday and the Avalanche on Saturday. It’s a fairly tough series of games, though at least the Panthers will have the benefit of playing them in Amerant Bank Arena.

Sam Reinhart will be looking to extend his scoring streak beyond its current 13 games. During that stretch, he’s scored an incredible 14 goals, and he also has 20 markers over his past 19 outings. It’s hard to know what’s crazier, that the 28-year-old is on a roughly 62-goal pace (37 tallies through 49 contests) or the fact that’s good enough for only second place in the goal-scoring race.

Regardless, Reinhart will be one to watch once play resumes, as will his similarly hot teammate Matthew Tkachuk, who has contributed 11 goals and 27 points over his past 15 appearances. Tkachuk had a terrible stretch from Nov. 16-Dec. 14 in which he recorded two goals and three points across 14 outings, but slumps of that extent are rare for the 26-year-old, so it’s fair to expect that to be the only extreme drought he deals with this year.

Of course, Reinhart and Tkachuk are already taken in virtually every fantasy league. If you’re looking for a pickup from Florida because the team is somewhat top heavy offensively, but Sam Bennett is the exception. He’s not having an amazing campaign overall with 11 goals and 23 points through 37 contests, but he’s been great recently, providing six goals and 13 points over his last 14 appearances.

Toronto Maple Leafs – MON VS NYI, WED VS DAL, SAT @ OTT

Toronto has three reasonably spread-out games next week. The Maple Leafs will host the Islanders on Monday and the Stars on Wednesday before visiting Ottawa on Saturday.

It’s believed Joseph Woll (ankle) is close to practicing, but he likely won’t factor into any of those three games. Instead, Ilya Samsonov might get all the work for the coming week. Earlier this campaign, that would he been something for the Maple Leafs to fear, but Samsonov appears to have turned a corner, winning his last three games while saving 72 of 75 shots (.960 save percentage). It will be interesting to see if Samsonov can keep this up. If he does, then he might even be able to maintain the starting gig after Woll returns, which is something that appeared near impossible just a few weeks ago.

Up front, Toronto’s biggest story is, who else, Auston Matthews. He’s scored seven goals over his last six outings, bringing him up to 40 markers through 46 appearances in 2023-24. Earlier this year, I brought up the possibility of him reaching 50-in-50. The 26-year-old is almost certain to fall short of that mark, but his play in the first half is still nothing short of incredible. At this rate, he’ll become the first player of the salary cap era to reach the 60-goal milestone in two separate seasons.

Toronto’s scoring depth could use work, though, and it was hurt a little further by the loss of Calle Jarnkrok, who suffered a broken knuckle during practice last Friday and is consequently week-to-week. Nick Robertson is likely to play more consistently in Jarnkrok’s absence and might take advantage of the additional work. Robertson has seven goals and 14 points in 29 contests with the Maple Leafs this season as well as five goals and 11 points in nine outings with the AHL’s Marlies.

Vancouver Canucks – TUE @ CAR, THU @ BOS, SAT @ DET, SUN @ WAS

The Canucks are on the road next week and their overall competition is fierce, but at least they’ll be playing four games, so those with Vancouver players on their fantasy team will get plenty of opportunities to use them. The Canucks will travel for games in Carolina on Tuesday, Boston on Thursday, Detroit on Saturday and Washington on Sunday.

The big question is how Vancouver will deploy Lindholm. As mentioned up top, Lindholm is a versatile forward, who can play either center of the wing as well as up and down the lineup, so there are a lot of potential combinations the Canucks could go with.

One possibility is that Lindholm might skate alongside Elias Pettersson and Ilya Mikheyev. That’s a role Kuzmenko sometimes held before his departure, so it wouldn’t disrupt the Canucks’ lines too much. Alternatively, the Canucks might opt to load the top line with Miller, Pettersson and Boeser while having Lindholm headline the second unit as its center. Lindholm’s linemates in that scenario would likely be Pius Suter and Mikheyev, which would hurt Lindholm’s fantasy value compared to the opportunity to play alongside Miller or Pettersson. Still, any combination will likely involve Lindholm getting minutes on the top power-play unit, so he’ll at least get some time with Vancouver’s best forwards regardless.

Keep an eye on that situation during Vancouver’s practices immediately following the break to get some insight into how things might shake out.

One player who should benefit regardless is Thatcher Demko. He was already having a fantastic campaign with a 26-8-1 record, 2.44 GAA and .920 save percentage in 35 contests this season, and the team in front of him just got better offensively and defensively, so his job has been made proportionally easier. Naturally backup goaltender Casey DeSmith will get the same benefit when he’s between the pipes. DeSmith’s next opportunity to start will likely come over the weekend against either the Red Wings or the Capitals. If it’s against Washington, which ranks 30th offensively with 2.38 goals per game, then DeSmith will be a great pickup option for a situational start.

Washington Capitals – TUE VS MTL, THU @ FLA, SAT @ BOS, SUN VS VAN

Speaking of the Capitals, they also have a busy week ahead of them. They’ll host the Canadiens on Tuesday, then play in Florida on Thursday and Boston on Saturday before returning home for Sunday’s contest versus the Canucks. It’s not an easy schedule and worthy of note only because Washington is one of the few teams set to play four games.

Max Pacioretty left last Saturday’s contest because of a lower-body injury, but fortunately, it’s not related to his previous Achilles problems, per Tarik El-Bashir of Monumental Sports Network. Perhaps he’ll even be available for Tuesday’s game, though that’s far from a certainty. Pacioretty had been doing decently with a goal and seven points through 12 outings, and Washington is hurting for offense, so the Capitals could certainly use him back as soon as possible.

The silver lining is Dylan Strome is hot going into the second half. He’s provided three goals over his last two games, bringing him up to 19 markers and 31 points across 47 appearances in 2023-24. T.J. Oshie is also enjoying a good run. The 37-year-old had just two goals and four points over his first 22 outings this year, but dating back to Jan. 13, he’s collected six goals and eight points in eight games.

Then there’s Alex Ovechkin, who the Capitals have to hope picks up the pace after the break. He’s disappointed this campaign with nine goals and 31 points through 44 appearances. Ovechkin seems to be heating up, though, with three goals and 11 points over his last 11 games, so maybe the worst is behind him.