Jan Jenik – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – Risers and Fallers

Brock Otten — Mon, 27 May 2024 19:22:48 +0000

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.

TEMPE, AZ - MARCH 30: Arizona Coyotes Right Wing Josh Doan (91) follows the play during an NHL game between the Arizona Coyotes and New York Rangers on March 30, 2024, at Mullett Arena in Tempe, AZ. (Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)

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 Rehkopfi of the Kitchener Rangers. Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images

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.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – ARIZONA COYOTES – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #4

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt and Josh Bell — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:00:22 +0000

Top 20 Arizona Coyotes Prospects

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 15: Arizona Coyotes right wing Dylan Guenther (11) made his NHL debut during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Arizona Coyotes on October 15, 2022, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

1. Logan Cooley - C

Cooley grew up in Pittsburgh during the peak of Sidney Crosby's career, and it's almost uncanny how much the former's game has been clearly influenced by the latter. While the former University of Minnesota center doesn't project to become a generational player like Sid has been, Cooley’s game is built around a very similar foundation: ample lower body strength and balance, excellent hockey sense, tenacious competitiveness, sublime puck skill, commitment in all three zones, and an advanced maturity for how he conducts himself. There were some scouts in the industry who argued for him to be the first prospect picked in the 2022 draft, and that argument is even stronger now. Arizona is trying to build things from the ground up (figuratively and literally), and Cooley is about as good as it gets as a foundational piece to build around.

2. Dylan Guenther - RW

Guenther started his 2022-23 season in the NHL and looked right at home, scoring at a nice clip. When Arizona let him go to the World Juniors and then back to the WHL afterwards it wasn't as a punishment — it was to let him stretch his legs a little more, add a gold medal that he didn't already have, maybe get a healthy crack at the Memorial Cup after injuries held him out during the previous year, and finally come back to the NHL as an even better player in 2023-24. It must feel like a punishment to all the junior-aged players he has gone up against though, because he was basically too good for that level already. He lit up the WHL playoffs in Seattle and barely looked like he was breaking a sweat while doing so. He should enjoy the moment, because once he's back in the NHL he won't be leaving again.

3. Dmitri Simashev - D

Simashev is a unicorn of a player, with a tantalizing amount of raw skill contained within a menacing physical package. He is a truly remarkable skater for such a gigantic defenseman. Not only is he explosive in a straight line, with long, flawless strides, but his crossovers and edge work are both essentially perfect. The way that he can pick the puck up behind his own net, reach his top gear within a few steps and then blow down the entire length of the ice without breaking a sweat is simply jaw-dropping. He can also gap up on opponents with ease, and good luck ever dumping the puck into his corner, because he's going to get to it first, quickly pivot, and then use his frame to help him shield the puck. His low point totals might suggest that he's not much of an offensive contributor, but he helps his team enter the attacking zone and set up, and if he sees an opportunity to take the puck all the way to the opposing net himself, he will do so. He also uses his elusive footwork well to control the offensive blueline. All that being said, he probably won't ever be a big point-scorer.

4. Daniil But - LW

When you have a 6’ 5” forward who can skate, shoot, handle the puck, and make plays how do you even begin to describe him? There might not actually be one single trait that But has that is elite, however his overflowing toolbox of very good traits makes him special. It's nearly impossible to miss someone that big during his shifts, yet he makes it even easier to notice him because he covers so much ice all the time with his skyscraper legs and how he works to get them churning to build momentum. He can also create with his hands, whether that's with a long sweeping move to get around a defender or some quick manoeuvring in traffic to maintain possession. He is a major threat on both the rush and in the cycle because he's just so powerful and hard to contain. Sometimes he plays with clever nuance, while at other times he is a bull in a china shop. He's pretty uncoordinated and clumsy right now, although it's obvious that he is still filling out his frame after a big teenage growth spurt. It's almost scary to think of how good But could potentially be when he's done developing.

5. Conor Geekie - C

Geekie did not seem to progress very much last season compared to his draft year, which is concerning when you consider the incredibly favourable situation he has been in, playing on a dominant Winnipeg Ice team. With talented linemates to work with, and opposing defense spread thin with too much to handle, it should have been a feast for a prospect with such an overflowing toolbox. Instead, he blended into the scenery more often than he stood out. Luckily for the Coyotes though, there is still a ton here for their development staff to work with. His puck skills, hands, and shot are all high end, and he should be able to make improvements with his skating ability while using his size and strength to bully opposing defenses in the cycle. When all the cylinders are firing for him at the same time, Geekie is one of the scariest prospects in the country, and getting that to happen more frequently is the long-term focus.

6. Victor Soderstrom - D

After three seasons in North America, Soderstrom has yet to establish himself as a full-time NHLer, and questions are beginning to arise about where things are going to go with his career next. It's never a good sign when a player hits a plateau season over season in his early 20s. His mobility and hands are both still assets, but he is having trouble utilizing them in ways that make a positive difference. The offensive production isn't really coming along, and he's struggling with defending and moving pucks out of trouble. At the same time, the whole organization is going through growing pains, so further patience is needed to fully analyse the situation. The Coyotes want Soderstrom to be a key piece on their roster and will likely give him more chances to prove that he can be one.

7. Josh Doan - RW

Doan finds himself in a truly unique situation, not just as the son of a former NHLer who was drafted by the same organization that his father starred for, but also because he is already playing in the same state that his dad helped bring hockey to for the first time. If the built-in expectations and scrutiny created any unwanted pressure, the younger Doan certainly hasn't show that he’s been frightened by its effects. If anything, he seems to relish being a future face of hockey in Arizona. His game presents a three-zone blend of skill, grit, and leadership, and there is little question as to where he gets that from. He'll be a huge part of this organization for years to come, both as someone who can log a lot of ice time in all situations, but also as someone that can help instil a positive culture and identity in the locker room.

8. Jan Jenik - C

It's a real shame that Jenik battled through injury issues last season, because if he had stayed healthy, he was on course to have a big breakout season in the NHL. He is one of the most well-rounded and complete players in the Coyotes organization, and it's hard to find any real faults in his game. Coaches love to send him over the boards in various situations because he's always around the puck or involved in the play, battling or thinking his way into earning copious puck touches. When he gets to work in the offensive zone, he is very hard to contain thanks to his size, puck skill, and offensive versatility. Everything about his game just screams long-term professional. Expect him to see a lot of NHL minutes this season if he is healthy.

9. Michael Hrabal - G

Coming up as a dominant, borderline generational netminder in his home country of Czechia, Hrabal is no stranger to expectations. Standing at 6’6”, it doesn’t take much for him to cover the net, even from his knees. His frame covers the twine so well when he’s down in a butterfly that his pads take away the entire bottom of the net. Despite this size, his mobility and footwork are also both big strengths of his. He navigates the crease well, going post-to-post with ease. His feet are very quick, kicking away stray pucks as needed. He has quick hands to match, especially his glove hand. Given his size, he tends to play back in his net too far, so he will need to learn to challenge a bit more to really cut down the amount of net he leaves open, especially when facing better shooters at higher levels. Goaltenders always take a longer path, and he will be no exception. That's not a concern though, as he has all of the tools in place to become a starting netminder in the NHL one day, or at least a likely reliable backup.

10. Maveric Lamoureux - D

Lamoureux missed the first half of last season due to injury, and once he was healthy joined a Voltigeurs team that struggled to climb out of the basement of the league. But what matters most about his profile is that when he was playing, it was in an important role, because he is very much a long-term project who needs as much ice time as possible if he's going to reach his full potential. It's so rare to find a prospect of this size who has this much raw skating ability, and that kind of player usually takes a long time to grow into his body and figure out the necessary small-area skills for success. The hope is that his reach and range will help him eventually grow into a space-dominating player who can log top-four minutes without having to expend as much energy as other defenders moving around the ice.

11. Artyom Duda - D

In a strange twist of events, Duda has left Russia to pursue a scholarship at the University of Maine. Due to him having played at the KHL level already, there are hurdles to jump through regarding his eligibility, but this move should be great for his development. A smooth skating, two-way defender, Duda was a very high pick in 2022.

12. Julian Lutz - LW

For Lutz, the battle to stay healthy remains his largest hurdle. He has had issues with injuries the last two seasons, and this has prevented him from playing a significant role at the DEL level in Germany. The talent is there. Perhaps a move to North America (like say in the OHL) would be best for his development.

13. Aku Raty - RW

Raty was fantastic in Liiga action last year, finishing among the leading scorers on a strong Ilves team. Now the hard working, complementary winger will be coming to North America to get his first taste of action across the pond. If he has a good camp and performs well in the AHL, he could move through the system quickly.

14. Vladislav Kolyachonok - D

2022-23 was a positive year for Kolyachonok’s development as he emerged as one of Tuscon’s top defensive players. The key to his success remains his strong skating ability and he has a chance to crack the Arizona blueline full time soon.

15. Nathan Smith - C

After starting so well in the NHL after signing at the end of the 2021-22 season, Smith’s first full season in the AHL was a disappointment last year. His upside at the NHL level may be capped, but he needs to become a go-to offensive player with Tuscon first.

16. Sam Lipkin - LW

A former standout with the Chicago Steel, Lipkin had a remarkable freshman year with Quinnipiac. Not only did he capture an NCAA championship, but he was named ECAC rookie of the year. Lipkin is returning to college to continue to improve his skating, but the skill components of his game are progressing nicely.

17. Miko Matikka - RW

Matikka is a big, skilled winger with significant offensive upside. He played in the USHL last year but will be attending the University of Denver this year in hopes of earning a top six role immediately. The question is whether Matikka can improve his off-puck play.

18. Michael Kesselring - D

Acquired from the Oilers in exchange for Nick Bjugstad, Kesselring is a big defender with a surprisingly smooth stride. He saw some time with the big club last year and could be a contender for a permanent roster spot this year.

19. Ilya Fedotov - LW

A competitive winger with skill and upside who finally broke through as a KHL contributor last year. Fedotov has since moved to the SKA organization for next year and is still in Arizona’s long-term plans.

20. Maksymilian Szuber - D

The big German defender improved a lot last year in the DEL, impressing enough to earn both a WC invite and an ELC from the Coyotes. He’ll be loaned back to EHC Munchen again though, where it is hoped that he continues with his rapid progression.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – ARIZONA COYOTES – Top 20 Prospects

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 12:30:54 +0000

1 - Logan Cooley C US

The Arizona Coyotes are slowly building their next contender, stockpiling picks and prospects more aggressively than any NHL franchise has done before. Armed with the third overall pick at the 2022 draft, the Coyotes began to lay the foundation for their next era by selecting Logan Cooley, a center out of the U.S. National Team Development Program. Cooley instantly became the most promising prospect in the Coyotes’ system, and just one look at his game film from his draft year will show why. Despite playing on a USNTDP team fully stocked with top prospects, Cooley kept finding ways to stand out above the pack. There’s one word that best describes Cooley’s game: dynamic. Cooley’s puck skills are elite, and he’s always finding creative ways to get himself out of trouble and make his way through defensive coverage. When the puck is on his stick, Cooley’s linemates are always open for a pass. Cooley is more of a creative skater than a true burner, relying more on his edgework and stop-start ability than pure speed. While that fact of his game means his skating won’t set him apart at the NHL level the way his puck skills will, it also means he’ll have an easier time translating his offensive habits to the NHL level, where most defenders are strong enough on their feet to avoid being beaten through speed outright. Cooley has a wide-open offensive toolbox that is arguably the best in his age group, and he’ll head to the University of Minnesota next season with the expectation of being an instant impact scorer. With the Cooley pick, the Coyotes added an all-too-rare commodity to their system: a prospect with the chance to become an NHL number-one center in the NHL. - EH

2- Dylan Guenther RW WHL

At this time last year, one would have probably assumed that Guenther would play out the season with Edmonton (WHL) and then make a run at the Arizona Coyotes roster in 2022/23, possibly as a top Calder candidate. However, a knee injury suffered in the WHL playoffs this year has altered those plans. Guenther will not be ready for Coyotes training camp this year and that likely means he returns to the WHL for another year. The Coyotes will be patient and cautious with one of their top prospects. Guenther did have a great year for the Oil Kings last season and remains one of the top goal scoring wing prospects in the NHL. His combination of size and skill is impressive and rare these days. And while he’s not a power forward in the traditional sense, he took big steps forward this season as someone who can play that power game by driving the net and playing through contact. His shot is a major weapon, and his offensive zone awareness is at a near elite level. He is never likely to be a top end two-way player and there is still some room for improvement in his decision making/vision with the puck, but his development has him tracking towards being a quality top six winger for the Coyotes and someone who could potentially be a consistent 30 goal scorer. If his injury recovery goes according to plan, he should be ready to jump into Arizona’s lineup in 2023/24. - BO

3 - Matias Maccelli LW AHL

The only U22 forward in the AHL to have a better points per game average than Maccelli last season was top prospect Jack Quinn. Since being drafted in the fourth round in 2019, Maccelli has done nothing but progress positively. Two strong years in Liiga (in Finland), the first of which saw him named as Liiga’s rookie of the year. Then the aforementioned strong AHL debut last year. Granted, he did struggle in his first attempt at the NHL after a midseason call-up, scoring a single goal across 23 games (despite getting decent ice time and some powerplay responsibility). However, this was only the first bump in the road for Maccelli. The 5’11 winger is extremely skilled and creative, giving him significant upside as a top six NHL forward. Originally, there were concerns over his lack of speed, explosiveness, and ability to dictate pace, however he has made significant strides in these departments since being drafted. Of course, as his brief stint in the NHL showed, he still has room to grow as a player, but the potential for him to develop into a solid point producer for the Coyotes is very real. Look for Maccelli to secure a permanent spot on the Coyotes this year out of training camp, as he will be given every opportunity to jump into a top nine role. He may even be a nice sleeper for the Calder Trophy (still eligible because he played just under 25 games). - BO

4 - Conor Geekie C WHL

While Geekie's statistical output from the 2021-22 isn't especially notable, it doesn't sufficiently reflect how good of a hockey player he is — and just how much better he can become over time, with the right development. The 2nd overall pick in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft (behind Winnipeg Ice teammate Matthew Savoie) and the 11th overall selection by the Arizona Coyotes in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, he possess an enticing and hard to find package of size, deft puck skill and advanced offensive vision. He has a natural touch for the puck, able to get it under control with ease or distribute it naturally on the forehand or backhand. He can also really lean into his wrist shots, getting enough power behind them that the speed and force can cause problems for goalies. Even better, with his bulky 6'4" frame he is able to fend off defenders more effectively than most of his peers, giving him more time to scan the play unfolding around him and find more opportunities to create offense. At his best, his skill package makes him a major headache for opposing defenders to handle. He is, however, a below-average skater. Skating will never be a strength for him, but something that he can improve — and needs to focus on improving — is his pace and willingness to keep his feet moving. He also had a bad tendency last season on a stacked team to hang back and let his teammates lead the charge. There were too many shifts where he wasn't noticeable, and that inconsistency ultimately showed up in his scoring totals. The Ice are primed for another championship-contending season in 2022-23, and Geekie is expected to be a bigger part of their efforts. - DN

5 - Victor Soderstrom D AHL

Arizona has been excited about getting Söderström into its lineup, but it ended up being just 16 pointless games last season and all he had to show for it was a -7 rating. He kicked the season off with the team but was eventually sent back to the AHL and re-called for a stint in January and again in April. In between, he enjoyed his most productive AHL outing to date, even if his 19 points in 32 games was accompanied by a -12 rating. The 11^th overall pick in the 2019 draft, Söderström was drafted straight out of the SHL. He upgraded an already impressive SHL season in his draft year with an even more impressive sophomore season for Brynäs, leading many to feel he was on the fast track to a spot in the desert. His six-point performance in the 2020 WJC only helped boost this impression. Alas, it’s been somewhat slow cooking since arriving in North America.A very confident player with the puck on his stick, Söderström has spent considerable time on learning and reinforcing his habits without the puck. His competitiveness continues to be one of his strongest traits. When suiting up for Arizona this past season, he never once saw less than 11:45 of ice time and only saw less than 15:20 minutes in two of his 16 outings. In a 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers, he chalked up over 20 minutes of ice time. As such, the question has not been whether he’s ready and willing to take a regular shift, but rather just how much he has to gain from an all-round perspective playing with a still growing club in the NHL when he could be an all-purpose player in the AHL. For now, Arizona will be going to camp with a spot open for Söderström right from the beginning, so opportunity abounds. - CL

6 - Josh Doan RW US

At face value, the selection of Josh Doan near the top of the second round at the 2021 NHL draft looked more like an organization hoping to please its fans than an organization looking to select the absolute best player available. Doan had gone undrafted in his first year of draft eligibility and was selected by the Coyotes after a 70-point campaign with the USHL’s Chicago Steel. But after a freshman year at Arizona State that saw Doan rank among the team’s top scorers, the Coyotes’ choice is looking wiser and wiser. In his first year in the NCAA, Doan began to show why he was such a high selection at the 2021 draft. Despite the lofty expectations that come with his name in Arizona, Doan’s game stands on its own merit. Doan has an active motor and wants to be the focal point of every shift. Offensively, his shot is his best weapon, and he’s got the ability to pick a corner on a goalie and score from a distance. He has the ability to fire strong shots from less than opportune angles, and his goal-scoring is his most translatable NHL tool. Doan also is comfortable with the physical side of the game, and he’s growing into his six-foot-two frame, learning to better use his size to consistently win battles for pucks. Defensively, Doan is more of a work-in-progress, but he should improve that side of his game as he gets more college hockey under his belt. Doan’s skating has improved since his draft year, but it still isn’t where it needs to be for him to comfortably project to the NHL level, He still very likely has an NHL future, but adding an extra gear to his skating could mean the difference between a future in an NHL bottom-six or a chance to stick on a scoring line. - EH

7 - Jan Jenik C AHL

Jenik is another in the line of Coyotes prospects who got an extended look at the NHL level last season: the life of a pro prospect on a rebuilding team. However, this was also in part thanks to the terrific sophomore season that Jenik had in Tucson. If you recall, Jenik was in the midst of a breakout season in the OHL nearly three years ago (pre pandemic), before injuring his knee at the World Junior Championships. This set him back a bit and his first pro season was somewhat turbulent. However, last year was a major step forward for the competitive center. Jenik has a very well-rounded profile. He is skilled and can beat defenders one on one to create time and space. He is quick and can drive the pace of play. He competes hard at both ends of the ice and can be utilized in any situation. As such, Jenik looks like a really solid bet to become a dependable middle six forward for Arizona in the next year or two. At the NHL level last year, Jenik played on the wing, but at the AHL level he played down the middle. This coming season, there is definitely an opportunity for him to grab one of Arizona’s top three center spots, along with Barrett Hayton and Travis Boyd. Worst case scenario, he splits the year between the NHL and AHL before being ready full time in 2023-24. - BO

8 - Maveric Lamoureux D QMJHL

At 6’7’’, it’s not surprising to see scouts drooling about what a defenseman like Lamoureux could become at the NHL level. Lamoureux impresses with his size, ferocity, and ability to skate very well for his aforementioned size. On the flip side, he should look to become more consistent in his game as he can make frequent mistakes defensively. Physically, his potential is immense. He can dominate down low by pushing around the opposition. He takes away space so well. However, his reads and reaction time need work if he wants to become a quality defensive player at the NHL level. As an offensive player, he can lead the attack, however, his reads are inconsistent, and turnovers can be an issue. Even though he possesses the potential to be an offensive catalyst, he is currently at his best when he keeps things simple. Did the Coyotes reach by selecting Lamoureux in the first round? It is way too early to make that assumption. His development could take a lot of different forms because of his athletic tools. Eyes will be fixed on him in Drummondville this season as he looks to help the Voltigeurs to a better record and become one of the Q’s top two-way defenders. - EB

9 - Artyom Duda D Russia

It’s hard to find a lot of prospects that would seem to me as controversial in terms of the game style as Artyom Duda. He is really enjoyable to watch in the attacking zone (especially when orchestrating the powerplay), as he got the skating, puck skills and a very dangerous shot. When it comes to his all-around game, I’d say watching him can be even annoying, as he leaves an impression that his game style is too relaxed and lacks intensity, which is not something you can get away with outside of the junior level. Still if we look at this season the positive side of him clearly prevailed, as his offensive production was just outstanding and that convinced the Coyotes management to draft him relatively early – at the start of the second round of the 2022 NHL draft. Considering the concerns that I have described above it would be very interesting to see Duda playing at least on the VHL level next season, but unfortunately, judging by the preseason it is not something guaranteed at all. If I understood correctly, he still has two more seasons on the current KHL contract, so the Coyotes fans will have to wait a bit, but at least at that point it might be clearer what we are getting in him and how his development is going, still I think it would be fair to say that we can have a Top4 NHL defenseman potential in our mind.

10 - John Farinacci C US

While John Farinacci’s development track hasn’t been the smoothest ride — just one look at his 2020-21 season confirms that — he has made steady progress since being drafted 76th overall at the 2019 draft, and he’s one of many quality Coyotes prospects currently playing college hockey. Farinacci has been a useful player at Harvard, but he hasn’t truly cemented himself as a high-end college player the way his teammates, fellow NHL prospects such as Matthew Coronato and Sean Farrell, have. There are positives and negatives to the outlook and projection of players who play specific roles in college, and Farinacci’s game is no different. On one hand, Farinacci is playing the sort of role he’s likely to occupy as a pro, getting extensive experience in the situations he’ll be asked to handle in pro hockey. He’s a leading penalty killer, and he’s a bit of a Swiss army knife, playing a versatile enough game to fill in the gaps anywhere he’s asked. The result of this is Farinacci should have a relatively easy time meeting the expectations of the professional game. But the downside associated with his college role has been that his upside as a pro player remains relatively limited. Beyond a decent shot that’s allowed him to score double-digit goals in each of his two college seasons, Farinacci lacks the offensive tools that will lead him to reliably create offense at the next level. There’s no separation gear to Farinacci’s game, and when he does go on the attack he doesn’t deceive or manipulate defenders, he doesn’t have the sort of habits that give confidence that his offense will translate to more difficult levels of hockey. The other aspects of his game will have to carry him, and to what degree his offense carries from college to pro hockey will determine his likelihood of having an NHL career. - EH

11 - Julian Lutz

The big German winger’s draft year was a disaster because of injuries; however, he remained a high pick for a reason. His combination of size, speed, and scoring ability make him a potential NHL player.

12 - Jack McBain

The Coyotes acquired the rights to McBain after a terrific senior year at Boston College. He should make an immediate impact for the Coyotes in their bottom six with his size and physicality.

13 - Nathan Smith

Similar to McBain, Smith had his rights acquired by the Coyotes and then immediately joined the team to finish the season. An intelligent two-way forward, he profiles as a future middle six player for Arizona.

14 - Vladislav Kolyachonok

The Belarussian defender split last season between Arizona and the AHL and could be positioned for a full-time role this year. His mobility is a major asset in the defensive end as he can be aggressive in closing quickly on attackers.

15 - Ivan Prosvetov

The massive netminder likely has the inside track at the back-up job behind Vejmelka this season after three (somewhat inconsistent) years in Tucson.

16 - Conor Timmins

Injuries have derailed a once promising career and Timmins has struggled to remain healthy as a pro so far. This coming season is a big one for the former Soo Greyhound standout.

17 - Aku Raty

Raty showed great improvement in Liiga last season, and the expectation is that his offensive game will continue to blossom. The former 5th round pick is a potential bottom six player for Arizona because of his strong off puck play.

18 - Rasmus Korhonen

The 6’5 netminder will try to establish himself as a full time Liiga player this year after playing out last year in Mestis (second division).

19 - Ben McCartney

McCartney was a pleasant surprise for the Coyotes last year, after a strong pro debut with Tucson. The hard-working winger is the perfect complement to more skilled players and is starting to look like a potential NHL player.

20 - Jeremy Langlois

A third-round selection of the Coyotes in 2022, Langlois is a competitive two-way defender. He will return to Cape Breton of the QMJHL and look to become one of the league’s elite defenders.

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: ARIZONA COYOTES – RANK: #12 – TIER III

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 15:04:29 +0000

Arizona Coyotes

Arizona has finished with their Chayka-era punishments, and they still have four-six very interesting prospects, depending on how you define these things. Next step is improving system depth.

Dylan Guenther

Dylan Guenther - RW

The former first overall selection in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft, Guenther exploded in his second full season with the Edmonton Oil Kings. This led to him becoming the 9th overall selection by Arizona, a pick acquired from Vancouver in the Oliver Ekman-Larsson trade. Guenther was an attractive piece to Arizona because of his well-rounded offensive skill set. He skates very well; he loves to have the puck on his stick as he crosses the blueline and backs down defenders well because they must respect his speed, skill, and shot. Guenther shoots the puck extremely well, with one of the most lethal releases in this year’s draft class. Guenther also possesses the creativity and hands to create for both himself and his linemates. Already at 6’1, 181lbs, Guenther also has the kind of size that is unique in skilled wingers, and this gives him an advantage in terms of leverage in puck protection.

Moving forward, Guenther will continue to improve his strength (on and off the puck), conditioning, and two-way play in order to become a reliable top six forward for the Coyotes. Look for him to return to the WHL next season where he would be a top candidate to lead the WHL in scoring with the remarkable Connor Bedard. After a really disjointed year that saw him play in only 12 WHL games, he needs to play a full year at the junior level before being a serious candidate for an NHL roster spot. After that, the sky's the limit for him as he projects as a first line NHL winger and the type of player who could contend yearly for the Art Ross Trophy and the Maurice Richard trophy. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Victor Soderstrom - D

It was an eventful season for the 2019 first round pick of the Arizona Coyotes, one that was kicked off by playing for the tradition-filled club AIK in Sweden’s second tier Allsvenskan. Soderstrom came out of the gates like gangbusters but slowed down a little bit to the tune of six points and +2 over 12 games, which had a few in the Swedish hockey scene wondering a bit after his impressive 16-point performance in the SHL the season before. His Allsvenskan season concluded with participation in the WJC, where he wore an “A” on his jersey and collected five points (all assists) in five games for a Swedish team that was knocked out by rival Finland in the quarterfinals.

A fantastic puck retriever who is incredibly confident with the puck in all situations, Arizona had Soderstrom in North America as soon as the NHL and AHL season were set to kick off. The move across the Atlantic, the first of his career, saw him start things off with the NHL club as a member of the taxi squad. A bit overwhelmed, he only got into two games with the Coyotes before being sent to their AHL affiliate for seasoning, where he ended up playing 32 games and collecting 10 points. The stint proved to be quite the learning experience, as he registered a -16 in the process, but his season did see him get into two more games with the Coyotes, where he averaged over 18 minutes of ice time per night and collected his first NHL goal and assist. There’s little doubt that Soderstrom continues to be a player Arizona will build on sooner rather than later and a summer of further upper body strengthening should have him on the fast track, perhaps as early as this fall, for a permanent roster spot. - CL

Barrett Hayton - C

It feels as if Hayton has been around forever as an NHL prospect, even if he is only 21 years of age. The former 5th overall pick and captain of Team Canada has had a fairly disjointed journey thus far. This year was no different for him. He started the year on loan in Finland, playing for Ilves, before returning to North America, where he split the season between the NHL and the AHL. At this point, the Coyotes are still waiting for Hayton’s offensive production to carry over from the OHL; he was not even at the 0.5 point per game mark this year with the Roadrunners.

However, it is way too soon to give up on this former junior star. Hayton is still a valuable prospect because of the versatility he provides. He can play in any situation or any position. He can be a net front presence because of his hands in tight and he can be an asset in puck pursuit because of his retrieval skills and puck protection ability. While his offensive upside may not be quite as high as we initially envisioned, he should still carve out a lengthy NHL career as a middle six forward. With all the moves Arizona has made this offseason, Hayton should finally secure a permanent lineup spot with the Coyotes for the upcoming season. - BO

Jan Jenik - C

Jenik had an excellent bounce back season this past year after injuring his knee at the 2020 World Junior Championships, and subsequently missing the entire second half of that year. After starting the year in Finland (much like Hayton), Jenik joined the Roadrunners when the AHL season started and performed admirably in his first pro year. He even earned a cup of coffee with Arizona and scored in both NHL games that he played in.

Jenik is a tenacious, but well-rounded offensive player. He loves to push the pace and attack in transition, exhibiting little fear as he attacks high traffic areas to put pressure on opposing defenses. Strong on his edges, Jenik is difficult to contain East/West, and the knee injury appears to have had no ill effects on his high-end agility and elusiveness. Highly skilled with the puck, Jenik is equal parts playmaker and finisher and projects as a middle six scoring option for the Coyotes. Look for him to start the season in the AHL again, and should he play well, he would earn a mid-season call up to try to secure a permanent place in the Arizona lineup. - BO

John Farinacci - C

Like a few other drafted prospects (and a few non-drafted players as well), Farinacci couldn’t play for his Ivy League team this year, as all schools under that umbrella suspended all sports due to the pandemic, so he returned to the USHL to stay active and to develop further. It worked. He only got into seven games at the league level with Muskegon, but made them count, with eight points and an off-the-puck game that was even more impressive, as he backchecked hard and demonstrated good use of a defensive stick to break up plays in his own end.

After those seven games, Farinacci left to play for Team USA at the WJC, a team he might not have made were it not for COVID-related last-minute omissions from Michigan and Boston University, but he managed to outplay a number of more highly touted players, on his way to scoring five times for the Gold Medal winning team. His goals came in a variety of looks and styles, some with brute force, some with timing, some with slick hands. Drafted with very little high-level experience to his credit, it was assumed that Farinacci would need an abundance of patience before he was ready. What he showed on a big stage last year was that he is more developed than many of us previously thought. Top six upside is still a possibility. - RW

Matias Maccelli - LW

Originally a fourth-round selection by Arizona out of the USHL, Maccelli has returned home to Finland the last two seasons and performed extremely well in Liiga with IIlves. Back-to-back 30 plus point seasons, in addition to some strong international performances, has Maccelli clawing at a roster spot with Arizona sooner, rather than later.

Maccelli’s offensive potential is huge as the 5’11 winger is a dynamo with the puck. Already one of the top offensive weapons in Finland at a young age, he is a near complete package as an offensive player. His shooting ability, creativity, quickness, and confidence with the puck are all above average. However, his play away from the puck and his decision making are still question marks. Even with Arizona rebuilding, it seems likely that Maccelli will spend some time in the AHL to start to get used to having less space to work with (having not played in North America the last two seasons), in addition to becoming a more complete player. He may just be the ultimate boom or bust prospect. If the offensive skills translate, he could be an elite top six forward. If not, he probably ends up heading back to Europe as his game is not tailored for a bottom six role. - BO

Vladislav Kolyachonok - D

A former second round selection by the Florida Panthers, Kolyachonok was acquired by Arizona recently as part of a sweetener for taking the contract of Anton Stralman, giving Florida cap relief. With the OHL on hiatus this year, Kolyachonok returned to Belarus to play in the KHL with Dinamo Minsk, where he was an everyday player. After the KHL season ended, he jumped to the AHL and finished the season with Syracuse.

Kolyachonok profiles as a reliable and suffocating defensive defender because of his strong defensive instincts and his elite mobility. Explosive in all four directions, Kolyachonok is exceptional at denying transitional attacks and at closing off space in his own zone. The question is...does he have the offensive upside to be anything more than a solid #5 who can anchor a penalty killing unit? The hope was for Kolyachonok to take a step forward in terms of offensive production and responsibility last season in Flint, but the loan to the KHL saw a reduction in both, rather than an increase. This coming season Kolyachonok will look to establish himself as a reliable two-way defender in the AHL, and if he performs well, hopefully the Coyotes can see to it that his offensive responsibilities (such as powerplay time) are increased slowly. - BO

Ivan Prosvetov - G

A massive goaltender (6’5), Prosvetov was the breakout star of the Coyotes farm system two seasons ago after a very strong pro debut with Tucson. The former Saginaw Spirit starter (OHL) followed that up with a respectable sophomore campaign that saw him act as the starter for a very weak Tucson team (he was better than the numbers would suggest). He even parlayed that into a cup of coffee with the Coyotes.

Prosvetov has always been an exciting prospect to watch because of his terrific athleticism, penchant for the highlight reel save, and his exuberant personality. The Coyotes have been working hard to help Prosvetov become less reliant on his athleticism, improving his anticipation and positioning so that he can better utilize his natural gift of size. At this point in time, the future in the Arizona crease is up for grabs. They have a fair amount of depth, but they need someone like Ivan to grab hold of a spot and prove that they can be an NHL netminder. The back-up position behind Carter Hutton will be fierce in training camp. Prosvetov will look to earn that spot, by beating out the recently acquired Josef Korenar, and continue his development at the NHL level. – BO

Josh Doan - RW

The top re-draft candidate in the 2021 draft class, Josh Doan, the son of longtime Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes legend Shane Doan, took his game to a new level this year, becoming a legitimate NHL prospect in the process. A late bloomer physically, Doan finished third in USHL scoring this year, (behind two teammates), with 70 points including 50 at even strength. The Coyotes decided, obviously, to keep it all in the family by selecting Doan early in the second round, keeping him in his home state.

He plays an assertive game with power and touch. A lot of his improvement this year can be attributed to an ability to process the game more quickly, in addition to improving his explosiveness as a skater. He is willing to play with skill at pace, allowing him to skate the puck in deep and force the defense to try to contain him. His shot is also powerful and sudden enough to beat good goalies from anywhere in the slot, which is his preferred area of attack. Committed to Arizona State for next year, it won’t take much more for him to profile as a middle six winger, with enough off-puck capability to play on a depth line as well. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Janis Moser - D

A breakout campaign in the NL (Switzerland’s top league) with EHC Biel-Bienne saw Moser enter the 2021 draft as one of the top re-entry candidates in his final year of draft eligibility. The Arizona Coyotes were obviously impressed with his star-studded turn in Switzerland (and his performance internationally) as they selected him in the second round. His offensive production (30 points in 48 games), in combination with his impact at both ends, saw him complete one of the most impressive, if not the most impressive, U21 season in league history.

Moser combines excellent sense and vision with strong mobility to be an impact player at both ends. While there is no question that he will likely need to bulk up to be a quality NHL player (currently listed at 172lbs), Moser does have the potential to be an impact, all situations defender for the Coyotes in the relatively near future. He has already inked his ELC with Arizona and is likely to make a push for a roster spot at the Coyotes’ upcoming training camp. This is a rebuilding club, so it would be shocking to see Moser go the entire season without seeing some sort of NHL action. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Kyle Capobianco - D

Now 24, this is a make-or-break season for the smooth skating, two-way defender as he gets (presumably) his final chance to crack the Coyotes roster full time. Given the state of the team’s rebuild, it seems likely that he does, but can he prove himself worthy of a spot long term?

Ty Emberson - D

Emberson turned pro this past season after captaining the Wisconsin Badgers as a junior. His offensive game has never truly developed, but he is a right shot defender with size, mobility, and physicality. After a few AHL seasons, he could push for a spot on Arizona’s third pairing.

Aku Raty - RW

The brother of 2021 selection Aatu, Aku is a hard-working two-way winger out of the Karpat program in Finland. His development stalled a bit this past season, but he will return to Liiga this year and look to take on more offensive responsibility to prove to Arizona that he deserves an ELC.

Carson Bantle - LW

2020/21 was a year to forget for the lanky winger as he struggled in his freshman year for Michigan Tech. So much so that he has transferred to Wisconsin. Drafted as a long-term project, the Coyotes are going to need to wait a few years to see what they have in Bantle.

Liam Kirk - LW

Talk about a breakout performance! Liam Kirk was the talk of the World Championships after scoring 7 goals for Great Britain, earning him an ELC with Arizona. The former Peterborough Pete can really shoot the puck and he will try to make an impact as a rookie in the AHL this coming season.

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Top 300 Prospect Rankings

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 17:09:56 +0000

These are our final prospect ranking prior to the start of the season. As a subscriber you can download the list in an excel chart and can link to the player pages in the chart found here. As always, the rankings you see below are based on our 20-80 scouting system looking at five categories for skaters (Skating, Shot, Puck Skills, Hockey Smarts, Physicality) and six for netminders (Athleticism/Quickness/Speed, Compete/Temperament, Vision/Play Reading, Technique/Style, Rebound Control, Puck Handling). Our prospect team spent large portions of their last few months pre-COVID in the rinks, watching the players below and many others, and further work on video (Instat Hockey has been a terrific resource in recent days) before passing judgement on their future projections.

The 20-80 scouting system is meant to allow players from different leagues in different parts of the world to be compared to one another, such that grades on a player in the OHL can be directly compared to grades from an AHL player, and to grades of someone playing in the MHL.

PROSPECT CRITERIA

Players under 26 years of age as of the September 15th prior (Sep. 15, 1994) to the season in question who have appeared in less than 60 NHL games (30 for goalies) and less than 35 in any one season – or 25 last year (20 for goalies, 15 last season) are considered prospects

RANK	PLAYER	NHL	POS	AGE	HT/WT	ACQUIRED
1	Alexis Lafreniere	NYR	LW	19	6-1/195	`20(1st)
2	Tim Stutzle	Ott	C	18	6-1/185	`20(3rd)
3	Quinton Byfield	LA	C	18	6-4/215	`20(2nd)
4	Trevor Zegras	Ana	C	19	6-0/170	`19(9th)
5	Kirill Kaprizov	Min	LW	23	5-10/200	`15(135th)
6	Lucas Raymond	Det	LW	18	5-11/170	`20(4th)
7	Dylan Cozens	Buf	C	19	6-3/185	`19(7th)
8	Bowen Byram	Col	D	19	6-0/195	`19(4th)
9	Peyton Krebs	VGK	C	19	5-11/180	`19(17th)
10	Jake Sanderson	Ott	D	18	6-1/185	`20(5th)
11	Moritz Seider	Det	D	19	6-3/185	`19(6th)
12	Jamie Drysdale	Ana	D	18	5-11/175	`20(6th)
13	Igor Shesterkin	NYR	G	25	6-1/190	`14(118th)
14	Alexander Holtz	NJ	RW	18	6-0/190	`20(7th)
15	Cole Perfetti	Wpg	LW	19	5-10/180	`20(10th)
16	Marco Rossi	Min	C	19	5-9/185	`20(9th)
17	Vasili Podkolzin	Van	RW	19	6-1/190	`19(10th)
18	Victor Soderstrom	Ari	D	19	5-11/180	`19(11th)
19	Nick Robertson	Tor	LW	19	5-9/160	`19(53rd)
20	Cole Caufield	Mtl	RW	19	5-7/165	`19(15th)
21	Yaroslav Askarov	Nsh	G	18	6-3/175	`20(11th)
22	Spencer Knight	Fla	G	19	6-3/195	`19(13th)
23	Philip Broberg	Edm	D	19	6-3/200	`19(8th)
24	Jack Quinn	Buf	RW	19	6-0/180	`20(8th)
25	Matthew Boldy	Min	LW	19	6-1/190	`19(12th)
26	Nils Lundkvist	NYR	D	20	5-11/180	`18(28th)
27	Seth Jarvis	Car	RW	18	5-10/175	`20(13th)
28	Ty Smith	NJ	D	20	5-10/180	`18(17th)
29	Grigori Denisenko	Fla	LW	20	5-11/185	`18(15th)
30	Barrett Hayton	Ari	C	20	6-1/190	`18(5th)
31	Alex Newhook	Col	C	19	5-10/195	`19(16th)
32	Thomas Harley	Dal	D	19	6-3/190	`19(18th)
33	Alex Turcotte	LA	C	19	5-11/185	`19(5th)
34	Vitali Kravtsov	NYR	RW	21	6-3/185	`18(9th)
35	Philip Tomasino	Nsh	C	19	5-11/180	`19(24th)
36	Connor McMichael	Wsh	C	19	5-11/175	`19(25th)
37	Dawson Mercer	NJ	C	19	6-0/180	`20(18th)
38	Ilya Sorokin	NYI	G	25	6-2/180	`14(78th)
39	Gabriel Vilardi	LA	RW	21	6-3/200	`17(11th)
40	Ryan Merkley	SJ	D	20	5-11/170	`18(21st)
41	Alexander Romanov	Mtl	D	20	5-11/185	`18(38th)
42	Kaiden Guhle	Mtl	D	18	6-2/190	`20(16th)
43	Samuel Poulin	Pit	LW	19	6-1/205	`19(21st)
44	K'Andre Miller	NYR	D	20	6-3/205	`18(22nd)
45	Scott Perunovich	StL	D	22	5-10/175	`18(45th)
46	Evan Bouchard	Edm	D	21	6-2/195	`18(10th)
47	Braden Schneider	NYR	D	19	6-2/200	`20(19th)
48	Juuso Valimaki	Cgy	D	22	6-2/205	`17(16th)
49	Cam York	Phi	D	19	5-11/175	`19(14th)
50	Anton Lundell	Fla	C	19	6-1/185	`20(12th)
51	Morgan Frost	Phi	C	21	5-11/180	`17(27th)
52	Owen Tippett	Fla	RW	21	6-1/200	`17(10th)
53	Albert Johansson	Det	D	19	5-11/165	`19(60th)
54	Liam Foudy	CBJ	C	20	6-0/175	`18(18th)
55	Kieffer Bellows	NYI	LW	22	6-0/200	`16(19th)
56	Arthur Kaliyev	LA	RW	19	6-2/190	`19(33rd)
57	Oliver Wahlstrom	NYI	RW	20	6-1/205	`18(11th)
58	Nils Hoglander	Van	RW	20	5-9/185	`19(40th)
59	Matias Maccelli	Ari	LW	20	5-11/170	`19(98th)
60	Tobias Bjornfot	LA	D	19	6-0/200	`19(22nd)
61	Jacob Bernard-Docker	Ott	D	20	6-0/180	`18(26th)
62	Connor Zary	Cgy	C	19	6-0/180	`20(24th)
63	Dominik Bokk	Car	RW	20	6-1/180	T(StL-9/19)
64	Ryan Suzuki	Car	C	19	6-0/180	`19(28th)
65	Dylan Samberg	Wpg	D	21	6-3/190	`17(43rd)
66	Jake Bean	Car	D	22	6-1/175	`16(13th)
67	Josh Norris	Ott	C	21	6-1/195	T(SJ-9/18)
68	Rasmus Kupari	LA	C	20	6-1/185	`18(20th)
69	Jakob Pelletier	Cgy	LW	19	5-9/165	`19(26th)
70	Drake Batherson	Ott	RW	22	6-1/190	`17(121st)
71	Jan Jenik	Ari	RW	20	6-1/180	`18(65th)
72	John-Jason Peterka	Buf	LW	18	5-11/190	`20(34th)
73	Kirill Marchenko	CBJ	LW	20	6-3/190	`18(49th)
74	Bode Wilde	NYI	D	20	6-2/195	`18(41st)
75	John Beecher	Bos	C	19	6-3/210	`19(30th)
76	Tyler Madden	LA	C	21	5-10/155	T(Van-2/20)
77	Jack Studnicka	Bos	C	21	6-1/170	`17(53rd)
78	Jake Oettinger	Dal	G	22	6-4/210	`17(26th)
79	Alex Formenton	Ott	LW	21	6-2/165	`17(47th)
80	Matthew Robertson	NYR	D	19	6-3/200	`19(49th)
81	Calen Addison	Min	D	20	5-10/180	T(Pit-2/20)
82	Ty Dellandrea	Dal	C	20	6-0/185	`18(13th)
83	Akil Thomas	LA	C	20	5-11/170	`18(51st)
84	Mavrik Bourque	Dal	C	18	5-10/180	`20(30th)
85	Ian Mitchell	Chi	D	21	5-11/175	`17(57th)
86	Jason Robertson	Dal	LW	21	6-2/195	`17(39th)
87	Hendrix Lapierre	Wsh	C	18	5-11/180	`20(22nd)
88	Brendan Brisson	VGK	C	19	5-11/180	`20(29th)
89	Theodor Niederbach	Det	C	18	5-11/175	`20(51st)
90	Zac Jones	NYR	D	20	5-10/175	`19(68th)
91	Robert Mastrosimone	Det	LW	19	5-10/160	`19(54th)
92	Joe Veleno	Det	C	20	6-1/195	`18(30th)
93	Rodion Amirov	Tor	LW	19	6-0/170	`20(15th)
94	Jake Neighbours	StL	LW	18	5-11/195	`20(26th)
95	Julien Gauthier	NYR	RW	23	6-4/225	T(Car-2/20)
96	Justus Annunen	Col	G	20	6-4/215	`18(64th)
97	Egor Zamula	Phi	D	20	6-4/175	FA(9/18)
98	Shane Pinto	Ott	C	20	6-2/190	`19(32nd)
99	Noel Gunler	Car	RW	19	6-2/175	`20(41st)
100	Ridly Greig	Ott	C	18	5-11/165	`20(28th)
101	Jesse Ylonen	Mtl	RW	21	6-1/185	`18(35th)
102	Samuel Fagemo	LA	RW	20	6-0/195	`19(50th)
103	Mattias Norlinder	Mtl	D	20	5-11/180	`19(64th)
104	Olli Juolevi	Van	D	22	6-3/200	`16(5th)
105	Kristian Vesalainen	Wpg	LW	21	6-3/205	`17(24th)
106	Raphael Lavoie	Edm	RW	20	6-4/195	`19(38th)
107	Jan Mysak	Mtl	C	18	5-11/180	`20(49th)
108	Cayden Primeau	Mtl	G	21	6-3/180	`17(199th)
109	Pavel Dorofeyev	VGK	LW	20	6-1/170	`19(79th)
110	Morgan Barron	NYR	C	22	6-2/200	`17(174th)
111	Ville Heinola	Wpg	D	19	5-11/180	`19(20th)
112	Dylan Holloway	Edm	C	19	6-0/205	`20(14th)
113	Jack Dugan	VGK	RW	22	6-2/185	`17(142nd)
114	Alexander Khovanov	Min	C	20	5-11/195	`18(86th)
115	Jacob Perreault	Ana	RW	18	5-11/195	`20(27th)
116	Jake Evans	Mtl	C	24	6-0/185	`14(207th)
117	Adam Beckman	Min	LW	19	6-1/170	`19(75th)
118	Jett Woo	Van	D	20	6-0/205	`18(37th)
119	Nolan Foote	NJ	LW	20	6-3/190	T(TB-2/20)
120	Logan Brown	Ott	C	22	6-6/220	`16(11th)
121	Martin Kaut	Col	RW	21	6-1/175	`18(16th)
122	Jack Rathbone	Van	D	21	5-10/175	`17(95th)
123	Ozzy Wiesblatt	SJ	RW	18	5-10/185	`20(31st)
124	Ryan O'Rourke	Min	D	18	6-0/180	`20(39th)
125	Lukas Reichel	Chi	LW	18	6-0/170	`20(17th)
126	Jordan Harris	Mtl	D	20	5-11/180	`18(71st)
127	Lukas Dostal	Ana	G	20	6-1/170	`18(85th)
128	Egor Afanasyev	Nsh	RW	19	6-3/205	`19(45th)
129	Conor Timmins	Col	D	22	6-1/185	`17(32nd)
130	Lassi Thomson	Ott	D	20	6-0/190	`19(19th)
131	Eeli Tolvanen	Nsh	RW	21	5-10/175	`17(30th)
132	Kasper Simontaival	LA	RW	18	5-9/180	`20(66th)
133	Roni Hirvonen	Tor	C	18	5-9/165	`20(59th)
134	Thomas Bordeleau	SJ	C	18	5-9/180	`20(38th)
135	Benoit-Olivier Groulx	Ana	C	20	6-1/195	`18(54th)
136	Tyler Kleven	Ott	D	18	6-4/200	`20(44th)
137	Tyson Foerster	Phi	C	18	6-1/195	`20(23rd)
138	Helge Grans	LA	D	18	6-2/205	`20(35th)
139	Jonathan Dahlen	SJ	LW	23	5-11/185	T(Van-2/19)
140	Marat Khusnutdinov	Min	C	18	5-11/175	`20(37th)
141	Alexander Alexeyev	Wsh	D	21	6-3/200	`18(31st)
142	Pierre-Olivier Joseph	Pit	D	21	6-2/170	`17(23rd)
143	Topi Niemela	Tor	D	18	5-10/160	`20(64th)
144	Oskari Laaksonen	Buf	D	21	6-2/165	`17(89th)
145	Filip Hallander	Tor	LW	20	6-1/185	T(Pit-8/20)
146	Serron Noel	Fla	RW	20	6-5/205	`18(34th)
147	Martin Chromiak	LA	LW	18	6-0/185	`20(128th)
148	Shakir Mukhamadullin	NJ	D	18	6-3/180	`20(20th)
149	Mattias Samuelsson	Buf	D	20	6-3/215	`18(32nd)
150	Janne Kuokkanen	NJ	LW	22	6-1/190	T(Car-2/20)
151	Ryan Johnson	Buf	D	19	6-0/175	`19(31st)
152	Sean Farrell	Mtl	C	19	5-8/175	`20(124th)
153	Martin Fehervary	Wsh	D	21	6-1/190	`18(46th)
154	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	Buf	G	21	6-4/195	`17(54th)
155	Will Lockwood	Van	RW	22	5-11/175	`16(64th)
156	Isac Lundestrom	Ana	C	21	6-0/185	`18(23rd)
157	Michael DiPietro	Van	G	21	6-0/195	`17(64th)
158	Jonatan Berggren	Det	RW	20	5-10/185	`18(33rd)
159	Kevin Bahl	NJ	D	20	6-6/230	T(Ari-12/19)
160	Aliaksei Protas	Wsh	C	19	6-5/205	`19(91st)
161	Reilly Walsh	NJ	D	21	5-11/180	`17(81st)
162	Nick Abruzzese	Tor	C	21	5-9/160	`19(124th)
163	Tyler Tucker	StL	D	20	6-1/205	`18(200th)
164	Arseni Gritsyuk	NJ	RW	19	5-10/170	`19(129th)
165	Klim Kostin	StL	C	21	6-3/195	`17(31st)
166	Brayden Tracey	Ana	LW	19	6-0/175	`19(29th)
167	Joel Hofer	StL	G	20	6-3/160	`18(107th)
168	Joey Anderson	Tor	RW	22	6-0/195	T(NJ-10/20)
169	Yegor Spiridonov	SJ	C	19	6-2/195	`19(108th)
170	Sam Colangelo	Ana	RW	19	6-1/205	`20(36th)
171	Joey Keane	Car	D	21	6-0/185	T(NYR-2/20)
172	Jared McIsaac	Det	D	20	6-1/195	`18(36th)
173	Jamieson Rees	Car	C	19	5-10/175	`19(44th)
174	Ivan Morozov	VGK	C	20	6-1/180	`18(61st)
175	Rem Pitlick	Nsh	C	23	5-11/200	`16(76th)
176	Tyce Thompson	NJ	RW	21	6-0/170	`19(96th)
177	Michael McLeod	NJ	C	22	6-2/195	`16(12th)
178	Jaret Anderson-Dolan	LA	C	21	5-11/190	`17(41st)
179	Dustin Wolf	Cgy	G	19	6-0/165	`19(214th)
180	Antti Tuomisto	Det	D	19	6-4/190	`19(35th)
181	Brett Berard	NYR	LW	18	5-9/155	`20(134th)
182	Luke Evangelista	Nsh	RW	18	5-11/170	`20(42nd)
183	Joel Blomqvist	Pit	G	18	6-1/180	`20(52nd)
184	Joni Ikonen	Mtl	C	21	5-10/170	`17(58th)
185	Olivier Rodrigue	Edm	G	20	6-1/165	`18(62nd)
186	Lucas Elvenes	VGK	RW	21	6-0/175	`17(127th)
187	Anthony Angello	Pit	RW	24	6-5/205	`14(145th)
188	Tuukka Tieksola	Car	RW	19	5-10/160	`19(121st)
189	Declan Chisholm	Wpg	D	20	6-1/190	`18(150th)
190	Cole Koepke	TB	LW	22	6-1/195	`18(183rd)
191	Valtteri Puustinen	Pit	RW	21	5-9/185	`19(203rd)
192	Ty Smilanic	Fla	C	18	6-1/175	`20(74th)
193	Patrik Puistola	Car	LW	19	6-0/175	`19(73rd)
194	Justin Barron	Col	D	19	6-2/190	`20(25th)
195	Andrew Peeke	CBJ	D	22	6-3/210	`16(34th)
196	Michael Vukojevic	NJ	D	19	6-3/210	`19(82nd)
197	Alec Regula	Chi	D	20	6-3/200	T(Det-10/19)
198	Connor Corcoran	VGK	D	20	6-1/185	`18(154th)
199	Jeremy Swayman	Bos	G	22	6-1/190	`17(111th)
200	Pyotr Kochetkov	Car	G	21	6-1/175	`19(36th)
201	Mikey Anderson	LA	D	21	6-0/195	`17(103rd)
202	Carter Savoie	Edm	LW	18	5-9/190	`20(100th)
203	Samuel Walker	TB	C	21	5-11/160	`17(200th)
204	William Wallinder	Det	D	18	6-4/190	`20(32nd)
205	Jack Drury	Car	C	20	5-11/180	`18(42nd)
206	Emil Andrae	Phi	D	18	5-9/185	`20(54th)
207	Cal Petersen	LA	G	26	6-3/190	FA(7/17)
208	Jeremie Poirier	Cgy	D	18	6-0/200	`20(72nd)
209	Tarmo Reunanen	NYR	D	22	6-0/180	`16(98th)
210	Simon Holmstrom	NYI	RW	19	6-1/185	`19(23rd)
211	Aleksi Saarela	Fla	RW	23	5-11/200	T(Chi-10/19)
212	Anton Johannesson	Wpg	D	18	5-9/155	`20(133rd)
213	Lauri Pajuniemi	NYR	RW	21	6-0/185	`18(132nd)
214	Morgan Geekie	Car	C	22	6-2/180	`17(67th)
215	Shane Bowers	Col	C	21	6-2/190	T(Ott-11/17)
216	Sasha Chmelevski	SJ	C	21	5-11/190	`17(185th)
217	Ruslan Iskhakov	NYI	C	20	5-8/155	`18(43rd)
218	Cole Schwindt	Fla	RW	19	6-2/185	`19(81st)
219	Hugo Alnefelt	TB	G	19	6-3/195	`19(71st)
220	Nikita Okhotyuk	NJ	D	20	6-1/195	`19(61st)
221	Sampo Ranta	Col	LW	20	6-2/205	`18(78th)
222	Alexander Volkov	TB	LW	23	6-1/190	`17(48th)
223	Alexander True	SJ	C	23	6-5/205	FA(7/18)
224	John Leonard	SJ	C	22	5-11/190	`18(182nd)
225	Carl Grundstrom	LA	LW	23	6-0/195	T(Tor-1/19)
226	Dmitri Semykin	TB	D	20	6-3/200	`18(90th)
227	Cal Foote	TB	D	22	6-4/215	`17(14th)
228	Jean-Luc Foudy	Col	C	18	5-11/175	`20(75th)
229	Alex Barre-Boulet	TB	C	23	5-10/165	FA(3/18)
230	Tristen Robins	SJ	RW	19	5-10/175	`20(56th)
231	Max Gildon	Fla	D	21	6-3/190	`17(66th)
232	Nikita Alexandrov	StL	C	20	6-0/180	`19(62nd)
233	Michael Benning	Fla	D	18	5-9/180	`20(95th)
234	Justin Sourdif	Fla	RW	18	5-11/175	`20(87th)
235	Tanner Laczynski	Phi	C	23	6-1/200	`16(169th)
236	Eamon Powell	TB	D	18	5-11/165	`20(116th)
237	Kaedan Korczak	VGK	D	19	6-3/190	`19(41st)
238	Drew Commesso	Chi	G	18	6-1/180	`20(47th)
239	Nikolai Kovalenko	Col	RW	21	5-10/175	`18(171st)
240	Pius Suter	Chi	C	24	5-11/170	FA(7/20)
241	Wade Allison	Phi	RW	23	6-2/205	`16(52nd)
242	Bobby Brink	Phi	RW	19	5-10/165	`19(34th)
243	Lukas Cormier	VGK	D	18	5-10/180	`20(68th)
244	David Farrance	Nsh	D	21	5-11/190	`17(92nd)
245	Roby Jarventie	Ott	RW	18	6-2/185	`20(33rd)
246	Dmitri Voronkov	CBJ	LW	20	6-4/190	`19(114th)
247	German Rubtsov	Phi	C	22	6-2/190	`16(22nd)
248	Vitaly Abramov	Ott	RW	22	5-9/175	T(CBJ-2/19)
249	Alex Laferriere	LA	RW	19	6-0/175	`20(83rd)
250	Trey Fix-Wolansky	CBJ	RW	21	5-8/185	`18(204th)
251	Isaac Ratcliffe	Phi	LW	21	6-5/200	`17(35th)
252	Kale Clague	LA	D	22	6-0/180	`16(51st)
253	Landon Slaggert	Chi	LW	18	5-11/180	`20(79th)
254	Wyatt Kalynuk	Chi	D	23	6-1/180	FA(7/20)
255	Mikko Kokkonen	Tor	D	19	5-11/200	`19(84th)
256	Kevin Mandolese	Ott	G	20	6-4/180	`18(157th)
257	Daniil Tarasov	CBJ	G	21	6-5/185	`17(86th)
258	Evan Barratt	Chi	C	21	6-0/190	`17(90th)
259	Tyler Benson	Edm	LW	22	6-0/200	`16(32nd)
260	Yegor Korshkov	Tor	RW	24	6-4/215	`16(31st)
261	Hunter Skinner	NYR	D	19	6-2/175	`19(112th)
262	Riley Damiani	Dal	C	20	5-9/165	`18(137th)
263	Ryan McLeod	Edm	C	21	6-2/205	`18(40th)
264	Ilya Konovalov	Edm	G	22	6-0/195	`19(85th)
265	Will Cuylle	NYR	LW	18	6-3/205	`20(60th)
266	Evan Vierling	NYR	C	18	6-0/165	`20(127th)
267	Emil Heineman	Fla	LW	19	6-0/180	`20(43rd)
268	Zayde Wisdom	Phi	RW	18	5-10/195	`20(94th)
269	Hunter Jones	Min	G	20	6-4/195	`19(59th)
270	Ty Tullio	Edm	RW	18	5-10/165	`20(126th)
271	Jordan Spence	LA	D	19	5-10/165	`19(95th)
272	Dmitri Zavgorodny	Cgy	LW	20	5-9/175	`18(198th)
273	Alex Beaucage	Col	RW	19	6-1/195	`19(78th)
274	Matiss Kivlenieks	CBJ	G	24	6-2/190	FA(5/17)
275	Artyom Zub	Ott	D	25	6-2/200	FA(5/20)
276	Urho Vaakanainen	Bos	D	22	6-0/185	`17(18th)
277	Dmitri Samorukov	Edm	D	21	6-2/180	`17(84th)
278	Michal Teply	Chi	LW	19	6-3/185	`19(105th)
279	Colby Ambrosio	Col	C	18	5-8/170	`20(118th)
280	Mads Sogaard	Ott	G	20	6-7/195	`19(37th)
281	Jeremy Lauzon	Bos	D	23	6-3/205	`15(52nd)
282	Dennis Gilbert	Col	D	24	6-2/200	T(Chi-10/20)
283	Trent Frederic	Bos	C	22	6-4/215	`16(29th)
284	Lucas Carlsson	Chi	D	23	6-0/190	`16(110th)
285	Zack Macewen	Van	RW	24	6-3/205	FA(3/17)
286	Brandon Hagel	Chi	LW	22	6-1/175	FA(10/18)
287	Vasily Ponomarev	Car	C	18	5-10/180	`20(53rd)
288	Jakub Zboril	Bos	D	23	6-1/200	`15(13th)
289	Garrett Pilon	Wsh	RW	22	5-11/190	`16(87th)
290	Jeremy Bracco	Car	RW	23	5-9/180	FA(10/20)
291	Dylan Sikura	VGK	RW	25	6-0/170	T(Chi-9/20)
292	Kyle Capobianco	Ari	D	23	6-1/180	`15(63rd)
293	Sami Niku	Wpg	D	24	6-0/175	`15(198th)
294	John Farinacci	Ari	C	19	5-11/185	`19(76th)
295	Jackson Lacombe	Ana	D	19	6-1/170	`19(39th)
296	David Cotton	Car	LW	23	6-3/205	`15(169th)
297	Erik Portillo	Buf	G	20	6-6/210	`19(67th)
298	Jacob Truscott	Van	D	18	6-1/170	`20(144th)
299	Mikhail Berdin	Wpg	G	22	6-2/165	`16(157th)
300	Cam Hillis	Mtl	C	20	5-10/170	`18(66th)

McKeen’s 20-21 Hockey Yearbook: Arizona Coyotes Top 20 Prospects

Sun, 15 Nov 2020 20:03:41 +0000

Arizona Coyotes

Victor Soderstrom, D (11^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 1)

One year later, Soderstrom still looks like a solid pick at the top of the 2019 draft. He took steps this season, showing more poise and stellar play in both the SHL and at the WJC, where he was one of Sweden’s top performers. He came back to Sweden after a good camp with Arizona and logged around 20 minutes per game, scoring almost half a point per game. Soderstrom is a smart two-way defenseman, calm and poised with the puck. He moves the puck well in all three zones and in all directions. He has impressive decision-making abilities for his age. In the offensive zone he maybe lacks a hard shot, but he has a nice wrist shot and can shoot while moving forward. Soderstrom’s mobility east-to-west in the offensive end really stands out. Defensively, he turns his head and reads the play well. He still can use some adjustments when his team does not have the puck, but his hockey IQ is high. I can see him stepping into the NHL within one or two seasons. He has the potential of being a strong top pair defenseman with a high end comparable to Oliver Ekman-Larsson. - JH

Barrett Hayton, C (5^th overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: 2)

Hayton had another up-and-down season riddled with injuries and inconsistencies that were not his fault. He has shown that he can absolutely dominate if given the right situation, as he did at the 2020 WJC. Starring as the captain of Team Canada, Hayton centered Alexis Lafreniere on the top line and finishing second in scoring with six goals and six assists in seven games. His offensive game has stepped up big time, but he already does so many other things at a high level. A 200-foot centerman who excels on the penalty kill, he is an extremely effective defensive forward who can pick off passes and defend at the blueline like a third defenseman. He is a serviceable offensive center whose muscle game down low and vision for difficult passes can generate a bounty of shots for teammates. He has deadly hands and the assertiveness to try more difficult passes that could make him a go-to playmaker in the NHL. His quickness has improved since being drafted, and he moves well enough to create lanes for his weighty wrist shot. He is a long-term top-six center and perhaps a future captain considering his maturity and leadership qualities. - TD

Matias Maccelli, LW (98^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 3)

Maccelli had an excellent rookie season with Ilves, earning the league’s rookie of the year award. His stickhandling is excellent, he can handle the puck at high speeds and maneuver in traffic. On the power play, he can execute a quick passing game, move the puck through traffic and create space. His first touch is very good as he can receive the puck, settle it and make a play very quickly. He plays with notable confidence. In addition to having high-end puck skills, he is very smart in possession. He has great instincts and vision, allowing him to see openings. He has quick feet and agility, but his top speed could be better. His overall game has improved quite significantly since playing in the USHL. That said, it would be hard to envision him in a defensive role. His defensive reliability was an occasional issue at the 2020 WJC. Moreover, at times he plays a too individualistic game. Maccelli signed his ELC with the Coyotes in the spring but will begin the 2020-21 season with Ilves on an indefinite loan. He has immense potential and will keep getting better as he elevates his physicality and gains additional strength. - MB

Jan Jenik, C (65^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 4)

Janik got off to an absolutely torrid start last season with Hamilton and was among the league’s leading scorers heading into the WJC. However, a knee injury suffered at the event sidelined him for the rest of the year. He is an absolute wizard in transition and gains the offensive zone with relative ease on most possessions. His top speed and explosiveness are only a little above average; however his edgework, puck skill, and vision are all very high end, allowing him to keep defenders guessing as he pushes them deep into their zone. Janik is also extremely aggressive, with pest-like qualities. He plays a high-risk offensive game, taking chances and looking to create through traffic, however if he turns the puck over, he is quick to engage to get it back. It would appear that he is now healed from his knee injury and will be ready for the 2020-21 training camp. So long as the injury has not weakened his skating ability/strength/stability, he should be able to move quickly through the Arizona system, projecting as a top nine forward who can be a versatile asset to the organization. - BO

Kyle Capobianco, D (63^rd overall, 2015. Previous Ranking: 5)

Capobianco has been a remarkable two-way defender in the AHL over the past three seasons. His 0.88 points per game with Tucson last season led all AHL defensemen. The 23-year-old so easily evades pressure from forecheckers and uses his speed and smarts to create offense through the center of the ice, as well as from the point. He is not the most skilled with his hands, but he is incredibly confident with the puck on his blade and likes to take defenders on one-on-one. He is a promising power-play quarterback with plus vision, incorporating his booming shot when he gets an opening. While his overall value is carried more by his offense than his defending, he has improved in his own zone. His stick-checking and foot movement keeps opposing forwards guessing and forces them to where he wants them, and he is increasingly willing to take the body against the boards and below the red line, although he will never be a top defensive defenseman. A middle-pair offensive guy who can chip in 30+ points a year and compete on the power play, I would expect Capobianco to win a job out of training camp next season. - TD

John Farinacci, C (76^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 6)

Farinacci played at many different programs around the country before the Coyotes called out his name at the 2019 draft. He played prep school hockey both in New Jersey and in Massachusetts. While he played mostly at Dexter in 2017-18, he also spent time with Muskegon in the USHL as well as five games with the USNTDP. The next season was much of the same for Farinacci, although he only played two games with the USNTDP U18 team this time. From there, Farinacci, a nephew of Harvard head coach Ted Donato, joined the Crimson. The true freshman was named to the ECAC All-Rookie team on the strength of his first-year performance. He is quick on the face-off and held a 50.3% advantage on the dot. He also appeared on the team’s second power play unit. The 6-0” forward is fast, especially on the breakout, because he moves his feet so quickly. He has quick hands and exhibits good puck handling skills. The talented forward needs a few more years on campus before he will be ready to turn pro. - JS

Aku Raty, RW (151^st overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 7)

Raty had a fine season with Karpat’s pro team and could more than keep up with the pace of the Liiga game. He impressed with his strong game at both ends of the ice in the World Juniors. A skilled winger with quick hands, he handles the puck well in tight spaces. He can stickhandle at full speed and he uses his quickness to generate zone entries. He works well on the cycle and values possession. He has a precise wrist shot and gets pucks on net from a distance. He has good technical skills, yet versatility is his greatest asset. He can play up and down the lineup, on a scoring line or checking line, and be equally effective in his role. He is smart and shows situational awareness. Raty has more offensive ability than he has shown in the Liiga so far. It is not easy to earn minutes on the strong Karpat team, but if he manages to do so, he could break out next season. – MB

Carson Bantle, LW (142^nd overall, 2020. Previous Ranking: N/A)

Bantle was the rare bright light in the perpetually moribund Madison franchise. If we focus solely on the tools, he has each and every one. If you wanted to design the ideal power winger from scratch, you could do a lot worse than using Bantle as your template. He certainly looks the part, 6-4” and broad-shouldered. Built solid and still filling out, he is already a very good skater, especially considering his size. Bantle’s style of play is also suitable for the power forward mold. He can accelerate and power through to his target. He is a strong presence in tight to the opposing crease. Typically, he will start an attack with a strong snap shot from the slot and then follow that puck to the crease to hunt for his own rebound. His plus hand-eye coordination is another net front asset, as he can get his stick on point shots for tips and deflections. His hands are quick and he can play the puck with some touch, but his puck game is on the simpler side. The Michigan Tech commit is still very raw, but the upside is tantalizing. - RW

Ivan Prosvetov, G (114^th overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: 8)

A hulking netminder with a freakish combination of size and athleticism, Prosvetov exhibited his potential in his first pro season, split between AHL Tucson and ECHL Rapid City. Placing fifth in save percentage (.909) and sixth in goals against average (2.88) among rookie AHLers, the 2018 fourth rounder was solid in a net shared primarily with Adin Hill. At 6-5” with high-grade quickness, and not just at his size, the Russian guards the lower half of the net beautifully and rarely gets beat on pad-level shots with his long, lanky body stretching out to defend. Highly active in the net, he makes multiple saves in a single sequence with ease if necessary, sliding around the crease quickly and with good positioning. Sometimes a bit too active, he is still prone to the occasional bad read or a lack of shift-to-shift focus, which is somewhat understandable from someone so young. He has the potential to be an NHL starter, but it will take time and patience. - TD

Tyler Steenbergen, C (128^th overall, 2017. Previous Ranking: 9)

A WHL offensive powerhouse in his four years with Swift Current, Steenbergen’s scoring prowess didn’t make the jump with him, scoring at under half a point per game. His defensive game, on the other hand, has evolved from decent side-value to his main attraction; he has transitioned to a shutdown center with a speedy 200-foot game who pressures opposing forwards into making mistakes and turning the puck over. An above-average skater, he can bring the puck from end to end and make plays through center coupled with his high-end vision and smarts. He can finish from mid- to long-distance pretty consistently, giving him power play value. He is not dynamic enough to create space for his own shots and defers mostly to his teammates after drawing space for them. An improving penalty killer, Steenbergen is a modern PK forward in that he uses his speed and skill, rather than size, to kill off time. He is a bit of a tweener in that his ceiling looks to be fourth-line center, but he doesn’t quite have the size for it. With more AHL seasoning, maybe his projection will be clearer. - TD

Axel Bergqvist, D (200^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 10)

Bergkvist had a very successful first (and only) season in the OHL, playing for the Kitchener Rangers. It took him a month or so to really adjust, but in the second half (with the Rangers surging as a team), he established himself as one of the better offensive defenders in the league. His mobility is a major asset. He is so elusive with the puck because of his ability to stop/start and uses his edges. This makes him very difficult to pin down in the defensive end and as such, a major asset to transitional play. Bergkvist also possesses excellent vision when operating the point, be it at even strength or running the powerplay. He understands how to use his quickness to jump into shooting lanes, or to create alternate passing angles. The question is, given his lack of size (5-9”), can Bergkvist defend adequately enough at even strength to be an NHL defender? He keeps a wide base and is pretty strong, however it remains to be seen just how effective he can be at the pro level against consistently bigger forwards. His projection is probably that of a third pairing offensive defender who can also work the powerplay. - BO

Ty Emberson, D (73^rd overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: 11)

In a system overflowing with high skill players, Emberson is cut from a different cloth entirely. It isn’t that Emberson has nothing to contribute to the offense, but his contributions are generally in the range of carrying the puck out of his own zone and protecting it all the way into the offensive zone. He will even pinch on occasion. As nice as those things are, the Badgers’ blueliner makes this list for what he does off the puck. A shut-down defender at even strength and the penalty kill, he keeps a good gap and uses his stick well. Even more than that, though, he is absolutely punishing when he lines up an opponent for a hit. Named Wisconsin captain for the 2020-21 season, Emberson could be ready to bring his brand of physical hockey to the AHL at the campaign’s conclusion. There is still room on NHL third pairings for players of this ilk. - RW

Alexander Daryin, RW (107^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 12)

Daryin is an offensive minded winger with some nice tools to his offensive game. He competes well and is a strong balanced skater who can gain speed while changing directions and can be hard for defenders to catch. He has a low center of balance and he can skate with his legs wide and maintain his pace, which helps him cover the puck. He is a decent shooter and a decent passer. He has good puck control. He can create with his skating and has good vision offensively. I can see why Arizona picked him in the draft even though he does not have much international or high-level experience. Late in the season he got a chance to debut in the KHL and was named rookie of the week with two points in three games. He has a contract with Yaroslav for two more years. He is a long-term NHL project, and I can see him as a middle six winger if everything comes in place for him. - JH

Liam Kirk, C/LW (189^th overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: 13)

The forward from Great Britain has certainly developed a cult-like status among prospect watchers. After a second OHL season with Peterborough, Kirk remains unsigned by Arizona. The Coyotes certainly have a lot of options as to what to do with Kirk moving forward. They can let him play another year in the OHL (as an OA). They could have him sign an AHL PTO to test his mettle at the pro level. Or they could let him return to Europe to play in a pro league there, while retaining his rights until 2022. A talented offensive player, Kirk remains a bit of an enigma due to a lack of strength on the puck. He possesses a strong wrist shot and the scoring instincts to be a top six forward, however he is not able to consistently fight through traffic in order to be a go-to offensive threat. He also battled through some injuries this year (concussion, facial fractures from taking a puck up high, but not related to the concussion). Drafted as a project, Kirk remains very much so. However, he possesses the talent to one day be an NHL forward if Arizona is willing to remain patient. - BO

Lane Pederson, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Oct. 13, 2016. Previous Ranking: 14)

Pederson may not have been on our radar previously, but a 22-year-old scoring at .92 points per game in the world’s second-best pro league is worthy of some hype, and that’s what the Saskatoon native has done. A teammate of Steenbergen on the Swift Current Broncos earlier in his career, Pederson was signed as an undrafted free agent by Arizona in October of 2016 and has played well in the AHL since debuting one year after. His speed and skill are not high-end, but he has an absolute shotgun blast of a wrister, capable of consistently beating goaltenders from distance, and he possesses the size to create his own shots. Off the puck, he is becoming increasingly useful and consistent, helping to curb dangerous chances against his own goal before they occur with his awareness in the neutral zone. He has shown a capability of driving plays and setting up teammates, but he is more of a shooter and shoots at a high percentage. What he can be in the NHL remains to be seen but the talent is there. - TD

Danil Savunov, LW/RW (174^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 15)

Notwithstanding being shut out during his trip to North America as part of the Russian roster for the Super Series, a showing that contributed heavily to his being left off the Russian WJC roster, Savunov made big steps forward in his second season in the VHL, improving his point total from 15 to 24, in three fewer games, no less. Fast of foot and with the puck on his stick, he likes to go right to the net, often carrying the puck right up the middle to do so. He may be small, but he plays without fear, forcing the defense to react. There is some question about his game away from the puck, although he got the occasional penalty kill shift with SKA-Neva St. Petersburg. He can dance the puck through the defense, but his utility will only increase if he grows more comfortable springing his teammates with a pass instead of trying to do it all himself. The skill is there to eventually play in the NHL, but he still needs a lot of polish to get there. – RW

Hudson Fasching, RW (118^th overall, 2013 [Los Angeles]. Previous Ranking: UR)

A power forward who grew up in the USNTDP program before a three year run at the University of Minnesota, Fasching has had a hard time breaking into the Arizona lineup through two seasons in the system, after receiving NHL games in each of his three seasons in the Buffalo Sabres organization. The Coyotes still like him enough to have given him a two-year contract extension over the summer, one of the final acts of the strange John Chayka regime. Fasching has the frame of the traditional power forward and plays the game in that style as well, grinding heavily and happy to be underneath the red line in the offensive zone. He lacks the finesse to play above a bottom six role, but his hands work well enough to take advantage of the opportunities he gets. His offensive game has slowly progressed over his time in the AHL and he might be one injury away from finding himself up with the Coyotes this season. - RW

David Tendeck, G (158^th overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: UR)

After struggling a touch in his first post-draft campaign, Tendeck won the 1A job with the Vancouver Giants in his final junior season, beating out Colorado draft pick Trent Miner in the process. His career best performance, topped off with an impressive .920 save percentage, helped him convince the Coyotes to give him an ELC this past April, less than two months before his rights would have expired. Tendeck isn’t the modern picture of a oversized goaltender, but he makes up for it with above average athleticism and a competitive spirit. He is also an impressive puck handler who can aid his blueliners with puck retrievals as needed. His size does hamper his ability to track the puck as much as we might like, which also can lead to the occasional poorly placed rebound. He should be ready to begin his professional career whenever this season starts, possibly in the AHL, but more likely in the ECHL at first. - RW

Valentin Nussbaumer, C (207^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: UR)

Once seen as the next big hope out of Switzerland, after the exploits of Nico Hischier, Nussbaumer’s time in the QMJHL was not nearly as successful as that of the former New Jersey first overall pick. Thankfully, he showed enough glimpses of a dynamic offensive game that Arizona selected him with one of the final picks of the 2019 draft. His follow up season was a bit better, taking a more central role for Shawinigan early and leading the Swiss side in the 2020 WJC. In fact, he was so good with Switzerland, that he decided not to return to the Q’, spending the second half with the Biel-Bienne club in the NLA. He has still not been given a central role with the men’s league team, and his development trajectory is currently suggesting a tweener. He has offensive skills, including decent top speed and quick hands, but nothing high end enough to suggest a top six role in North America. While he is not offense-only, neither does he profile in a shut-down, defensive role. It is too early to write Nussbaumer off, but it is also very possible he remains in Switzerland for good. - RW

Cameron Crotty, D (87^th overall, 2017. Previous Ranking: UR)

A big right-handed defender drafted out of the Junior A ranks in Ontario, Crotty signed an ELC with Arizona after his third season on the Boston University blueline. He is a strong skater and plays a reliable game away from the puck, which he will absolutely require to make the next step from the AHL to the NHL, as his offensive tools are minimal at best and he wasn’t counted on to produce points in his time with Brockville of the CCHA, or with BU, campus either. Also notable is that despite his plus size, he doesn’t play a very physical game, relying more on positioning and anticipation to defend. When a defender has so little offensive game, the fact that he shoots from the right side is less of a bonus and more incidental. The Coyotes have loaned Crotty to Norwegian side Sparta Sarpsborg where he will get his professional career started, at least until the AHL gets back underway. If everything works out perfectly, he could find himself playing a depth role in the NHL at his peak. - RW

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

McKeens Hockey; Article by Ryan Wagman — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 11:50:55 +0000

I write these words less than 24 hours after the Dallas Stars took game one of the Stanley Cup Finals against the heavily favored Tampa Bay Lightning. Unlike most seasons wherein the end of the Stanley Cup marks the beginning of off-season player movement, this year teams have taken an early start to the transactional Ferris wheel as many expect the upcoming offseason (from the awarding of the Cup, through to the draft in the first week of October to the start of the 2020-21 season perhaps as soon as early December, pending COVID trends in North America) to be especially turbulent.

We have seen a few trades of NHL pieces, one deal which impacted this guidebook, as Toronto sent Kasperi Kapanen to Pittsburgh and Swedish winger Filip Hallander was among those coming back to Toronto. Hallander was our selection for the second-best prospect in the Penguins system and now holds that title for the Maple Leafs. That trade knocked the Penguins down a few slots on our organizational rankings and allowed Toronto to go the other way accordingly.

Of course, with the draft roughly 17 days away, and with it a complete re-shuffling of the organizational rankings, this is just a snapshot in time of how every team’s system shakes up. We will re-run this list, incorporating the drafted players, in our pre-season fantasy guide, where we will expand the lists up to 20.

What you are about to dive into is a comprehensive list of all prospect eligible players on all 31 teams. To hold prospect eligibility, a player needs to 25 or younger, as of September 15, 2020. All skaters need to have played less than 60 career games, with no more than 35 of those games coming in a single season (or 25 for this past shortened season). For goalies, the age criteria remain the same, but the games played benchmark drops to 30 career games and 20 in a given season (or 15 last year). Any cutoff that does not hew exactly to the Calder Trophy award criteria is, by nature, arbitrary, but we aim to be inclusive for all players who have not yet cemented NHL jobs and/or have not had a prolonged chance to prove himself capable – or incapable.

We rank 15 per team, as depth is as important as the high end. Our goal is to identify players who could – if they have an advocate for them within the team’s braintrust – play a role in the NHL. These players were identified through our thorough vetting of each prospect across the globe, assigning scores, or grades, to five areas for skaters (skating, shot, puck skills, smarts, physicality) and six for netminders (athleticism/speed/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, positioning/technique, rebound control, and puck handling). Depending on the position, the grades are run through an algorithm to come up with an overall future projection (OFP).

The OFP, if the scout is being honest, measures the future role we anticipate the prospect being able to hold. A 50 score is the lower threshold to be a regular 4^th line forward, or bottom pairing defender. Grades over 56 are potential top line/pairing skaters. The grades in between, obviously project to the middle of the lineup.

As we are reminded every year, development is not linear. Some players take unexpected sudden leaps forward (see Marino, John), and others stagnate (see Ho-Sang, Josh), and many do exactly what we expect of them when they are given the chance. As much as I trust the analysts in our team, I can also tell you that this exercise is always humbling. There will be at least one player who we rate highly who bombs. There will be at least one player who did not feature on his team’s top 15 who becomes an NHL regular next year. We accept those errors in judgment and promise you, our faithful subscriber, that we will learn from them and refine our work for next year, as we learn just as NHL teams learn.

Until then, please enjoy this snapshot view of the future of the beautiful, frozen game. Putting this together has provided at least some sense of normalcy during this crazy summer.

NHL	RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired
Ana	1	Trevor Zegras	C	19	6-0/170	Boston University (HE)	`19(9th)
Min	2	Kirill Kaprizov	LW	23	5-10/200	CSKA (KHL)	`15(135th)
Col	3	Bowen Byram	D	19	6-0/195	Vancouver (WHL)	`19(4th)
Buf	4	Dylan Cozens	C	19	6-3/185	Lethbridge (WHL)	`19(7th)
Fla	5	Spencer Knight	G	19	6-3/195	Boston College (HE)	`19(13th)
VGK	6	Peyton Krebs	C	19	5-11/180	Winnipeg (WHL)	`19(17th)
Ari	7	Victor Soderstrom	D	19	5-11/180	Brynas (Swe)	`19(11th)
Mtl	8	Cole Caufield	RW	19	5-7/165	Wisconsin (B1G)	`19(15th)
Van	9	Vasili Podkolzin	RW	19	6-1/190	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	`19(10th)
Edm	10	Philip Broberg	D	19	6-3/200	Skelleftea AIK (Swe)	`19(8th)
Tor	11	Nick Robertson	LW	19	5-9/160	Peterborough (OHL)	`19(53rd)
Col	12	Alex Newhook	C	19	5-10/195	Boston College (HE)	`19(16th)
Det	13	Moritz Seider	D	19	6-3/185	Grand Rapids (AHL)	`19(6th)
Fla	14	Grigori Denisenko	LW	20	5-11/185	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	`18(15th)
Min	15	Matthew Boldy	LW	19	6-1/190	Boston College (HE)	`19(12th)
NJ	16	Ty Smith	D	20	5-10/180	Spokane (WHL)	`18(17th)
LA	17	Alex Turcotte	C	19	5-11/185	Wisconsin (B1G)	`19(5th)
Nsh	18	Philip Tomasino	C	19	5-11/180	Nia-Osh (OHL)	`19(24th)
Pit	19	Samuel Poulin	LW	19	6-1/205	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	`19(21st)
Wsh	20	Connor McMichael	C	19	5-11/175	London (OHL)	`19(25th)
LA	21	Gabriel Vilardi	RW	21	6-3/200	Ontario (AHL)	`17(11th)
NYR	22	Igor Shesterkin	G	24	6-1/190	Hartford (AHL)	`14(118th)
Dal	23	Thomas Harley	D	19	6-3/190	Mississauga (OHL)	`19(18th)
Ari	24	Barrett Hayton	C	20	6-1/190	Arizona (NHL)	`18(5th)
NYR	25	Nils Lundkvist	D	20	5-11/180	Lulea (Swe)	`18(28th)
LA	26	Arthur Kaliyev	RW	19	6-2/190	Hamilton (OHL)	`19(33rd)
Cgy	27	Juuso Valimaki	D	21	6-2/205	DNP - Injured	`17(16th)
Det	28	Jared McIsaac	D	20	6-1/195	Hal-Mon (QMJHL)	`18(36th)
NYR	29	Vitali Kravtsov	RW	20	6-3/185	Hartford (AHL)	`18(9th)
Edm	30	Evan Bouchard	D	20	6-2/195	Bakersfield (AHL)	`18(10th)
NYR	31	K'Andre Miller	D	20	6-3/205	Wisconsin (B1G)	`18(22nd)
Edm	32	Raphael Lavoie	RW	19	6-4/195	Hal-Chi (QMJHL)	`19(38th)
NYI	33	Ilya Sorokin	G	25	6-2/180	CSKA (KHL)	`14(78th)
Det	34	Albert Johansson	D	19	5-11/165	Farjestads (Swe)	`19(60th)
Ari	35	Matias Maccelli	LW	19	5-11/170	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`19(98th)
Van	36	Nils Hoglander	RW	19	5-9/185	Rogle (Swe)	`19(40th)
Ari	37	Jan Jenik	RW	20	6-1/180	Hamilton (OHL)	`18(65th)
Phi	38	Cam York	D	19	5-11/175	Michigan (B1G)	`19(14th)
Phi	39	Morgan Frost	C	21	5-11/180	Lehigh Valley (AHL)	`17(27th)
Ana	40	Lukas Dostal	G	20	6-1/170	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`18(85th)
LA	41	Tobias Bjornfot	D	19	6-0/200	Ontario (AHL)	`19(22nd)
SJ	42	Ryan Merkley	D	20	5-11/170	London (OHL)	`18(21st)
NYI	43	Kieffer Bellows	LW	22	6-0/200	Bridgeport (AHL)	`16(19th)
NYI	44	Oliver Wahlstrom	RW	20	6-1/205	Bridgeport (AHL)	`18(11th)
LA	45	Rasmus Kupari	C	20	6-1/185	Ontario (AHL)	`18(20th)
CBJ	46	Liam Foudy	C	20	6-0/175	London (OHL)	`18(18th)
LA	47	Tyler Madden	C	20	5-10/155	Northeastern (HE)	T(Van-2/20)
Mtl	48	Alexander Romanov	D	20	5-11/185	CSKA (KHL)	`18(38th)
NYI	49	Bode Wilde	D	20	6-2/195	Bridgeport (AHL)	`18(41st)
Ott	50	Jacob Bernard-Docker	D	20	6-0/180	North Dakota (NCHC)	`18(26th)
Cgy	51	Jakob Pelletier	LW	19	5-9/165	Moncton (QMJHL)	`19(26th)
LA	52	Akil Thomas	C	20	5-11/170	Nia-Pbo (OHL)	`18(51st)
Wpg	53	Dylan Samberg	D	21	6-3/190	Minn-Duluth (NCHC)	`17(43rd)
Chi	54	Ian Mitchell	D	21	5-11/175	Denver (NCHC)	`17(57th)
Ott	55	Josh Norris	C	21	6-1/195	Belleville (AHL)	T(SJ-9/18)
NYR	56	Matthew Robertson	D	19	6-3/200	Edmonton (WHL)	`19(49th)
VGK	57	Pavel Dorofeyev	LW	19	6-1/170	Magnitogorsk (KHL)	`19(79th)
Dal	58	Jake Oettinger	G	21	6-4/210	Texas (AHL)	`17(26th)
Ott	59	Drake Batherson	RW	22	6-1/190	Belleville (AHL)	`17(121st)
LA	60	Samuel Fagemo	RW	20	6-0/195	Frolunda (Swe)	`19(50th)
Col	61	Justus Annunen	G	20	6-4/215	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	`18(64th)
Bos	62	John Beecher	C	19	6-3/210	Michigan (B1G)	`19(30th)
Phi	63	Egor Zamula	D	20	6-4/175	Calgary (WHL)	FA(9/18)
NYR	64	Zac Jones	D	19	5-10/175	Massachusetts (HE)	`19(68th)
CBJ	65	Kirill Marchenko	LW	20	6-3/190	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	`18(49th)
VGK	66	Jack Dugan	RW	22	6-2/185	Providence (HE)	`17(142nd)
StL	67	Scott Perunovich	D	22	5-10/175	Minn-Duluth (NCHC)	`18(45th)
Bos	68	Jack Studnicka	C	21	6-1/170	Providence (AHL)	`17(53rd)
Dal	69	Ty Dellandrea	C	20	6-0/185	Flint (OHL)	`18(13th)
Min	70	Calen Addison	D	20	5-10/180	Lethbridge (WHL)	T(Pit-2/20)
NYR	71	Julien Gauthier	RW	22	6-4/225	Charlotte (AHL)	T(Car-2/20)
Van	72	Olli Juolevi	D	22	6-3/200	Utica (AHL)	`16(5th)
NJ	73	Nolan Foote	LW	19	6-3/190	Kelowna (WHL)	T(TB-2/20)
NJ	74	Janne Kuokkanen	LW	22	6-1/190	Cha-Bng (AHL)	T(Car-2/20)
Ott	75	Alex Formenton	LW	21	6-2/165	Belleville (AHL)	`17(47th)
Det	76	Robert Mastrosimone	LW	19	5-10/160	Boston University (HE)	`19(54th)
NYR	77	Morgan Barron	C	21	6-2/200	Cornell (ECAC)	`17(174th)
Mtl	78	Jesse Ylonen	RW	20	6-1/185	Pelicans (Fin)	`18(35th)
Car	79	Dominik Bokk	RW	20	6-1/180	Rogle (Swe)	T(StL-9/19)
Nsh	80	Egor Afanasyev	RW	19	6-3/205	Windsor (OHL)	`19(45th)
Ana	81	Benoit-Olivier Groulx	C	20	6-1/195	Hal-Mon (QMJHL)	`18(54th)
Min	82	Alexander Khovanov	C	20	5-11/195	Moncton (QMJHL)	`18(86th)
Det	83	Joe Veleno	C	20	6-1/195	Grand Rapids (AHL)	`18(30th)
NJ	84	Kevin Bahl	D	20	6-6/230	Ottawa (OHL)	T(Ari-12/19)
Car	85	Ryan Suzuki	C	19	6-0/180	Bar-Sag (OHL)	`19(28th)
Van	86	Jett Woo	D	20	6-0/205	Calgary (WHL)	`18(37th)
Mtl	87	Mattias Norlinder	D	20	5-11/180	MODO (Swe 2)	`19(64th)
Min	88	Adam Beckman	LW	19	6-1/170	Spokane (WHL)	`19(75th)
Bos	89	Jeremy Swayman	G	21	6-1/190	Maine (HE)	`17(111th)
Wpg	90	Kristian Vesalainen	LW	21	6-3/205	Manitoba (AHL)	`17(24th)
Tor	91	Filip Hallander	LW	20	6-1/185	Lulea (Swe)	T(Pit-8/20)
Fla	92	Owen Tippett	RW	21	6-1/200	Springfield (AHL)	`17(10th)
Car	93	Jake Bean	D	22	6-1/175	Charlotte (AHL)	`16(13th)
Ott	94	Shane Pinto	C	19	6-2/190	North Dakota (NCHC)	`19(32nd)
Col	95	Martin Kaut	RW	20	6-1/175	Colorado (AHL)	`18(16th)
Van	96	Jack Rathbone	D	21	5-10/175	Harvard (ECAC)	`17(95th)
Tor	97	Nick Abruzzese	C	21	5-9/160	Harvard (ECAC)	`19(124th)
Bos	98	Urho Vaakanainen	D	21	6-0/185	Providence (AHL)	`17(18th)
Wsh	99	Alexander Alexeyev	D	20	6-3/200	Hershey (AHL)	`18(31st)
NYI	100	Simon Holmstrom	RW	19	6-1/185	Bridgeport (AHL)	`19(23rd)
LA	101	Jaret Anderson-Dolan	C	21	5-11/190	Ontario (AHL)	`17(41st)
Car	102	Joey Keane	D	21	6-0/185	Hfd-Cha (AHL)	T(NYR-2/20)
Wsh	103	Martin Fehervary	D	20	6-1/190	Hershey (AHL)	`18(46th)
StL	104	Tyler Tucker	D	20	6-1/205	Bar-Fnt (OHL)	`18(200th)
SJ	105	Yegor Spiridonov	C	19	6-2/195	Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL)	`19(108th)
NJ	106	Joey Anderson	RW	22	6-0/195	Binghamton (AHL)	`16(73rd)
Col	107	Conor Timmins	D	21	6-1/185	Colorado (AHL)	`17(32nd)
StL	108	Klim Kostin	C	21	6-3/195	San Antonio (AHL)	`17(31st)
Mtl	109	Cayden Primeau	G	21	6-3/180	Laval (AHL)	`17(199th)
SJ	110	Jonathan Dahlen	LW	22	5-11/185	Timra IK (Swe 2)	T(Van-2/19)
NJ	111	Reilly Walsh	D	21	5-11/180	Harvard (ECAC)	`17(81st)
Buf	112	Oskari Laaksonen	D	21	6-2/165	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`17(89th)
NJ	113	Arseni Gritsyuk	RW	19	5-10/170	Omskie Yastreby (MHL)	`19(129th)
Wsh	114	Aliaksei Protas	C	19	6-5/205	Prince Albert (WHL)	`19(91st)
Cgy	115	Dustin Wolf	G	19	6-0/165	Everett (WHL)	`19(214th)
StL	116	Joel Hofer	G	20	6-3/160	Portland (WHL)	`18(107th)
VGK	117	Ivan Morozov	C	20	6-1/180	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	`18(61st)
Mtl	118	Jake Evans	C	24	6-0/185	Laval (AHL)	`14(207th)
Nsh	119	Eeli Tolvanen	RW	21	5-10/175	Milwaukee (AHL)	`17(30th)
Wpg	120	Ville Heinola	D	19	5-11/180	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	`19(20th)
VGK	121	Lucas Elvenes	RW	21	6-0/175	Chicago (AHL)	`17(127th)
TB	122	Cole Koepke	LW	22	6-1/195	Minn-Duluth (NCHC)	`18(183rd)
Ana	123	Isac Lundestrom	C	20	6-0/185	San Diego (AHL)	`18(23rd)
NYR	124	Tarmo Reunanen	D	22	6-0/180	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	`16(98th)
Mtl	125	Jordan Harris	D	20	5-11/180	Northeastern (HE)	`18(71st)
Ana	126	Brayden Tracey	LW	19	6-0/175	MJ-Vic (WHL)	`19(29th)
Phi	127	Tanner Laczynski	C	23	6-1/200	Ohio State (B1G)	`16(169th)
Chi	128	Alec Regula	D	20	6-3/200	London (OHL)	T(Det-10/19)
Buf	129	Mattias Samuelsson	D	20	6-3/215	Western Michigan (NCHC)	`18(32nd)
Car	130	Jamieson Rees	C	19	5-10/175	Sarnia (OHL)	`19(44th)
Edm	131	Olivier Rodrigue	G	20	6-1/165	Moncton (QMJHL)	`18(62nd)
Fla	132	Serron Noel	RW	20	6-5/205	Osh-Kit (OHL)	`18(34th)
Det	133	Antti Tuomisto	D	19	6-4/190	Assat Pori (Fin Jr)	`19(35th)
Dal	134	Jason Robertson	LW	21	6-2/195	Texas (AHL)	`17(39th)
Mtl	135	Joni Ikonen	C	21	5-10/170	DNP - Injured	`17(58th)
Nsh	136	Rem Pitlick	C	23	5-11/200	Milwaukee (AHL)	`16(76th)
Ott	137	Logan Brown	C	22	6-6/220	Belleville (AHL)	`16(11th)
TB	138	Samuel Walker	C	21	5-11/160	Minnesota (B1G)	`17(200th)
Phi	139	Wade Allison	RW	22	6-2/205	Western Michigan (NCHC)	`16(52nd)
Wpg	140	Declan Chisholm	D	20	6-1/190	Peterborough (OHL)	`18(150th)
NJ	141	Tyce Thompson	RW	21	6-1/180	Providence (HE)	`19(96th)
VGK	142	Connor Corcoran	D	20	6-1/185	Windsor (OHL)	`18(154th)
Ana	143	Jackson Lacombe	D	19	6-1/170	Minnesota (B1G)	`19(39th)
NYR	144	Lauri Pajuniemi	RW	21	6-0/185	TPS Turku (Fin)	`18(132nd)
Car	145	Tuukka Tieksola	RW	19	5-10/160	Karpat Oulu (Fin Jr)	`19(121st)
CBJ	146	Andrew Peeke	D	22	6-3/210	Cleveland (AHL)	`16(34th)
Ana	147	Axel Andersson	D	20	6-0/180	Moncton (QMJHL)	T(Bos-2/20)
Car	148	Patrik Puistola	LW	19	6-0/175	Tap-Juk-Koo (Fin)	`19(73rd)
NJ	149	Michael McLeod	C	22	6-2/195	Binghamton (AHL)	`16(12th)
Car	150	Pyotr Kochetkov	G	21	6-1/175	SKA-VIT (KHL)	`19(36th)
NJ	151	Michael Vukojevic	D	19	6-3/210	Kitchener (OHL)	`19(82nd)
NYI	152	Ruslan Iskhakov	C	20	5-8/155	UConn (HE)	`18(43rd)
Wpg	153	Sami Niku	D	23	6-0/175	Manitoba (AHL)	`15(198th)
TB	154	Hugo Alnefelt	G	19	6-3/195	HV 71 (Swe)	`19(71st)
NJ	155	Nikita Okhotyuk	D	19	6-1/195	Ottawa (OHL)	`19(61st)
NYR	156	Hunter Skinner	D	19	6-2/175	London (OHL)	`19(112th)
LA	157	Mikey Anderson	D	21	6-0/195	Ontario (AHL)	`17(103rd)
Col	158	Shane Bowers	C	21	6-2/190	Colorado (AHL)	T(Ott-11/17)
NYI	159	Joshua Ho-Sang	RW	24	6-0/175	Bri-SA (AHL)	`14(28th)
LA	160	Cal Petersen	G	25	6-3/190	Ontario (AHL)	FA(7/17)
Col	161	Sampo Ranta	LW	20	6-2/205	Minnesota (B1G)	`18(78th)
Wpg	162	Mikhail Berdin	G	22	6-2/165	Manitoba (AHL)	`16(157th)
Bos	163	Jeremy Lauzon	D	23	6-3/205	Providence (AHL)	`15(52nd)
Nsh	164	David Farrance	D	21	5-11/190	Boston University (HE)	`17(92nd)
Van	165	Will Lockwood	RW	22	5-11/175	Michigan (B1G)	`16(64th)
NYI	166	Sebastian Aho	D	24	5-10/175	Bridgeport (AHL)	`17(139th)
Wpg	167	Logan Stanley	D	22	6-7/225	Manitoba (AHL)	`16(18th)
Buf	168	Ryan Johnson	D	19	6-0/175	Minnesota (B1G)	`19(31st)
Van	169	Michael DiPietro	G	21	6-0/195	Utica (AHL)	`17(64th)
VGK	170	Kaedan Korczak	D	19	6-3/190	Kelowna (WHL)	`19(41st)
Car	171	Jack Drury	C	20	5-11/180	Harvard (ECAC)	`18(42nd)
StL	172	Nikita Alexandrov	C	19	6-0/180	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	`19(62nd)
Col	173	Nikolai Kovalenko	RW	20	5-10/175	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	`18(171st)
Nsh	174	Juuso Parssinen	C	19	6-2/205	TPS Turku (Fin)	`19(210th)
Chi	175	Pius Suter	C	24	5-11/170	ZSC Lions (NLA)	FA(7/20)
Fla	176	Aleksi Saarela	RW	23	5-11/200	Rfd-Spr (AHL)	T(Chi-10/19)
Bos	177	Trent Frederic	C	22	6-4/215	Providence (AHL)	`16(29th)
CBJ	178	Dmitri Voronkov	LW	20	6-4/190	Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)	`19(114th)
Ott	179	Lassi Thomson	D	19	6-0/190	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`19(19th)
Car	180	Morgan Geekie	C	22	6-2/180	Charlotte (AHL)	`17(67th)
CBJ	181	Trey Fix-Wolansky	RW	21	5-8/185	Cleveland (AHL)	`18(204th)
Ott	182	Vitaly Abramov	RW	22	5-9/175	Belleville (AHL)	T(CBJ-2/19)
TB	183	Alexander Volkov	LW	23	6-1/190	Syracuse (AHL)	`17(48th)
Tor	184	Mikko Kokkonen	D	19	5-11/200	Jukurit (Fin)	`19(84th)
Ott	185	Kevin Mandolese	G	20	6-4/180	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	`18(157th)
CBJ	186	Daniil Tarasov	G	21	6-5/185	Assat Pori (Fin)	`17(86th)
LA	187	Carl Grundstrom	LW	22	6-0/195	Ontario (AHL)	T(Tor-1/19)
LA	188	Kale Clague	D	22	6-0/180	Ontario (AHL)	`16(51st)
Ott	189	Artyom Zub	D	24	6-2/200	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	FA(5/20)
Edm	190	Tyler Benson	LW	22	6-0/200	Bakersfield (AHL)	`16(32nd)
Det	191	Jonatan Berggren	RW	20	5-10/185	Skelleftea AIK (Swe)	`18(33rd)
Tor	192	Yegor Korshkov	RW	24	6-4/215	Toronto (AHL)	`16(31st)
Dal	193	Riley Damiani	C	20	5-9/165	Kitchener (OHL)	`18(137th)
VGK	194	Zach Whitecloud	D	23	6-2/210	Chicago (AHL)	FA(3/18)
Buf	195	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	G	21	6-4/195	Cincinnati (ECHL)	`17(54th)
Car	196	David Cotton	LW	23	6-3/205	Boston College (HE)	`15(169th)
Chi	197	Wyatt Kalynuk	D	23	6-1/180	Wisconsin (B1G)	FA(7/20)
Min	198	Hunter Jones	G	19	6-4/195	Peterborough (OHL)	`19(59th)
LA	199	Jordan Spence	D	19	5-10/165	Moncton (QMJHL)	`19(95th)
Cgy	200	Dmitri Zavgorodny	LW	20	5-9/175	Rimouski (QMJHL)	`18(198th)
Col	201	Alex Beaucage	RW	19	6-1/195	Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)	`19(78th)
TB	202	Dmitri Semykin	D	20	6-3/200	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	`18(90th)
CBJ	203	Matiss Kivlenieks	G	24	6-2/190	Cleveland (AHL)	FA(5/17)
StL	204	Ville Husso	G	25	6-3/205	San Antonio (AHL)	`14(94th)
Phi	205	Bobby Brink	RW	19	5-10/165	Denver (NCHC)	`19(34th)
NYI	206	Otto Koivula	C	22	6-4/220	Bridgeport (AHL)	`16(120th)
Car	207	Eetu Makiniemi	G	21	6-2/180	KOOVEE (Fin 2)	`17(104th)
NYI	208	Anatoli Golyshev	RW	25	5-8/180	Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (KHL)	`16(95th)
Chi	209	Evan Barratt	C	21	6-0/190	Penn State (B1G)	`17(90th)
Buf	210	Erik Portillo	G	20	6-6/210	Dubuque (USHL)	`19(67th)
Fla	211	Cole Schwindt	RW	19	6-2/185	Mississauga (OHL)	`19(81st)
Chi	212	Michal Teply	LW	19	6-3/185	Winnipeg (WHL)	`19(105th)
Ott	213	Mads Sogaard	G	19	6-7/195	Medicine Hat (WHL)	`19(37th)
Buf	214	Jonas Johansson	G	24	6-4/205	Rochester (AHL)	`14(61st)
TB	215	Cal Foote	D	21	6-4/215	Syracuse (AHL)	`17(14th)
StL	216	Niko Mikkola	D	24	6-5/200	San Antonio (AHL)	`15(127th)
NYI	217	Robin Salo	D	21	6-1/190	SaiPa (Fin)	`17(46th)
Bos	218	Jakub Zboril	D	23	6-1/200	Providence (AHL)	`15(13th)
Buf	219	Will Borgen	D	23	6-2/200	Rochester (AHL)	`15(92nd)
Pit	220	Pierre-Olivier Joseph	D	21	6-2/170	Wilkes-Barre (AHL)	`17(23rd)
SJ	221	Sasha Chmelevski	C	21	5-11/190	San Jose (AHL)	`17(185th)
Ari	222	Kyle Capobianco	D	23	6-1/180	Tucson (AHL)	`15(63rd)
Det	223	Keith Petruzzelli	G	21	6-5/180	Quinnipiac (ECAC)	`17(88th)
Wsh	224	Garrett Pilon	RW	22	5-11/190	Hershey (AHL)	`16(87th)
NJ	225	Nikola Pasic	RW	19	5-10/185	Karlskoga (Swe 2)	`19(189th)
TB	226	Alex Barre-Boulet	C	23	5-10/165	Syracuse (AHL)	FA(3/18)
Edm	227	Ryan McLeod	C	20	6-2/205	Bakersfield (AHL)	`18(40th)
NYI	228	Samuel Bolduc	D	19	6-3/210	BLB-She (QMJHL)	`19(57th)
Ott	229	Joey Daccord	G	24	6-2/195	Belleville (AHL)	`15(199th)
StL	230	Hugh McGing	C	22	5-9/180	Western Michigan (NCHC)	`18(138th)
Edm	231	Cooper Marody	C	23	6-0/180	Bakersfield (AHL)	T(Phi-3/18)
Tor	232	Jeremy Bracco	RW	23	5-9/180	Toronto (AHL)	`15(61st)
Phi	233	German Rubtsov	C	22	6-2/190	Lehigh Valley (AHL)	`16(22nd)
Wsh	234	Brian Pinho	C	25	6-1/195	Hershey (AHL)	`13(174th)
Col	235	Logan O'Connor	RW	24	6-0/170	Colorado (AHL)	FA(7/18)
Buf	236	Casey Fitzgerald	D	23	5-11/190	Rochester (AHL)	`16(86th)
NJ	237	Daniil Misyul	D	19	6-3/180	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	`19(70th)
Ari	238	John Farinacci	C	19	5-11/185	Harvard (ECAC)	`19(76th)
Edm	239	Aapeli Rasanen	C	22	6-0/195	Boston College (HE)	`16(153rd)
Pit	240	Anthony Angello	RW	24	6-5/205	Wilkes-Barre (AHL)	`14(145th)
Mtl	241	Cam Hillis	C	20	5-10/170	Guelph (OHL)	`18(66th)
Cgy	242	Mathias Emilio Pettersen	RW	20	5-9/170	Denver (NCHC)	`18(167th)
SJ	243	Alexander True	C	23	6-5/205	San Jose (AHL)	FA(7/18)
NYI	244	Reece Newkirk	C	19	5-11/175	Portland (WHL)	`19(147th)
Dal	245	Dawson Barteaux	D	20	6-0/180	RD-Wpg (WHL)	`18(168th)
Bos	246	Jack Ahcan	D	23	5-8/185	St. Cloud State (NCHC)	FA(3/20)
Det	247	Seth Barton	D	21	6-2/175	Mass-Lowell (HE)	`18(81st)
Fla	248	Max Gildon	D	21	6-3/190	New Hampshire (HE)	`17(66th)
Ari	249	Aku Raty	RW	19	6-0/175	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	`19(151st)
Wpg	250	David Gustafsson	C	20	6-1/195	Winnipeg (NHL)	`18(60th)

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – ARIZONA COYOTES– ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 11

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 20:12:34 +0000

Arizona Coyotes

As much as the story about the Coyotes surreptitiously bringing in draft eligible prospects for off-the-books workouts during the season – a scandal that cost John Chayka his job as GM (if not the final straw) and the organization a second round draft pick in 2020 and a first round pick in 2021. I would rather not spend that much time on that story here.

For one thing – perhaps the most important thing – the value of off-ice workouts in the context of drafting is nebulous at best. The ability to execute a chin up has no parallel on the ice, between the whistles. A series of interviews I conducted a few years ago with senior NHL scouts and executives made it pretty clear that the full slate of events at the Draft Combine has only a marginal impact on forming a team’s draft board. Minds have already been made up prior to the event. Scouts have seen all of the players repeatedly in game action, and the majority of the notable players have also already been interviewed by area scouts, if not also by top executives. So even if the Coyotes did illegally bring in dozens of prospects for workouts, I’m not sure that I really care.

I think a look back at the Coyotes’ 2019 draft class is far more interesting. Take a second to look at the list below. Notice anything? A full eight of the team’s top 15 prospects were drafted in their most recent class. The final cut from this list, Swiss winger Valentin Nussbaumer, was another member of this class. Looking at this nine-person draft class in another light – a class that did not have a second rounder, no less – the only pick who hasn’t exceeded expectations one year out has been sixth rounder Anthony Romano, a USHL grinder who had a rough freshman season at Clarkson. I wouldn’t give up on Romano just yet, but goodness! Not a single player from this draft class has yet to play a professional game of ice hockey in North America, but it could be a class which redefines the now complete GM tenure of John Chayka and repositions the Coyotes as a team to be feared in the near future.

Let’s look at some of the factors behind the great early returns. One thing that immediately sticks out to my eye is that a significant number of the players drafted moved up a level and still produced their accustomed numbers. First rounder Victor Soderstrom already nearly a full season in the SHL under his belt when he was drafted. He simply more than doubled his offensive output while also being one of the stars of Sweden’s Bronze Medal winning WJC side. John Farinacci jumped from prep school to Harvard, where he produced at a top six rate right from the hop. Like Soderstrom, Matias Maccelli had a star turn at the WJC, in Maccelli’s case, for Finland. Over the remainder of the season, he proved that the jump from the USHL to Liiga was manageable, to say the least, taking home the circuit’s Rookie of the Year award.

The two Russian players drafted, Danil Savunov and Alexander Daryin, both stayed in the same level as the previous year, the VHL (minor pro) and MHL (junior), respectively, but both improved their numbers considerably. Aku Raty joined Maccelli in both Liiga and Finland’s WJC squad, and while he couldn’t match Maccelli’s numbers, he was still one of the top ten U19 scorers in the league. Axel Bergqvist moved from Sweden to the OHL and finished one point out of the top ten in scoring by defensemen, in his first season in North America. Even our just missed candidate, Valentin Nussbaumer, moved back to Switzerland’s top flight after a solid first half of the year back in the QMJHL.

It is only one year removed from Arizona adding these nine players to their organizational depth chart, but you rarely see so many players from a single draft class all trending in the right direction.

GLENDALE, AZ - NOVEMBER 07: Arizona Coyotes center Barrett Hayton (29) skates during the NHL hockey game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Arizona Coyotes on November 7, 2019 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire)

Victor Soderstrom, D (11^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 1)

One year later, Soderstrom still looks like a solid pick by the Coyotes at the top of the 2019 draft. He took steps this season, showing more poise and stellar play in both the SHL and at the WJC. He came back to Sweden after a good camp with Arizona and logged around 20 minutes per game, scoring almost half a point per game. At the WJC he was solid and one of the best players on the Swedish team.

Soderstrom is a smart two-way defenseman, calm and poised with the puck. He moves the puck well in all three zones and in all directions. He has impressive decision-making abilities for his age. In the offensive zone he maybe lacks a hard shot but is able to shoot smart and found the net six times in the SHL. He has a nice wrist shot and can shoot while moving forward.

Soderstrom’s mobility east-to-west in the offensive end really stands out. When he scores, it is not uncommon to see him take the puck and move laterally across the blue line, shooting while the goalie is screened or in motion. Defensively, Soderstrom turns his head and reads the play well. He still can use some adjustments when his team does not have the puck but his hockey IQ for his age is high.

I can see him stepping into the NHL next season or at latest the year after. He has the potential of being a strong top pair defenseman with a high end comparable to Oliver Ekman-Larsson. I am not saying it is a sure thing that he reaches those heights, but at least he is a top four defenseman. - JH

Barrett Hayton, C (5^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 2)

For the second consecutive year, Hayton - the fifth-overall pick in 2018 - had an up-and-down season riddled with injuries and inconsistencies that were not his fault. First, he struggled to crack an Arizona forward lineup that was clicking at the right time but due to the CHL-NHL player agreement was not able to accept a full AHL assignment. He then rehabbed an injury to his shoulder with Tucson, then came back up to play scarce minutes with a Coyotes team making a playoff push. Again, not his fault.

He has shown that he can absolutely dominate if given the right situation, as he did at the 2020 WJC. Starring as the captain of Team Canada, Hayton centered probable 2020 first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere on the top line and trailed only Swedish star Samuel Fagemo in scoring with six goals and six assists in seven games.

His offensive game has stepped up big time, but he already does so many other things at a high level. A 200-foot centerman who excels on the penalty kill, he is an extremely effective defensive forward who can pick off passes and defend at the blueline like a third defenseman. He is a serviceable, albeit not elite, offensive center whose muscle game down low and vision for difficult pass seams can generate a bounty of shots for teammates. He has deadly hands and the assertiveness to try more difficult passes that could make him a go-to playmaker at the NHL level. His quickness has improved since his draft season, and he moves well enough to create his own shot lanes for his weighty wrist shot.

He is a long-term top-six center and perhaps the future captain of the Coyotes with the maturity and leadership qualities he has displayed at every level. - TD

Matias Maccelli, LW (98^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 17)

Maccelli had an excellent rookie season with Ilves in the Liiga, earning the Jarmo Wasama award as the league’s rookie of the year. The skilled and creative winger has the ability to make plays that bring fans out of their seats. His stickhandling is excellent, he can handle the puck at high speeds and maneuver in traffic.

On the power play, he can execute a quick passing game, move the puck through traffic and create space. His first touch is very good as he can receive the puck, settle it and make a play very quickly. He plays with notable confidence. In addition to having high-end puck skills, he is very smart in possession. He has great instincts and vision, allowing him to see openings. The way he sees the ice and executes plays is impressive. He has quick feet and agility, but his top speed could be better.

His overall game has improved quite significantly after spending a season and half in the USHL. That said, it would be hard to envision him in a defensive role. His defensive reliability was an occasional issue at the 2020 World Juniors. Moreover, at times he plays a too individualistic game for my liking.

Maccelli signed his entry-level contract with the Coyotes in the spring but will at least begin the 2020-21 season with Ilves on an indefinite loan contract. He could be one of the best players in the league. He has immense potential and will keep getting better as he elevates his physicality and gains additional strength. - MB

Jan Jenik, C (65^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 10)

Janik got off to an absolutely torrid start this season with Hamilton and was among the league’s leading scorers heading into the World Junior Championships. However, a knee injury suffered at the event sidelined him for the rest of the year and ruined his chances of capturing the league’s scoring title, playing alongside the talented Arthur Kaliyev.

Janik is an absolute wizard in transition and gains the offensive zone with relative ease on almost every possession. His top speed and explosiveness are only a little above average; however, his edgework, puck skill, and vision are all very high end and this allows him to keep defenders guessing as he pushes them deep into their zone.

Janik is also extremely aggressive, demonstrating pest like qualities. He plays a high-risk offensive game by taking chances and looking to create through traffic, however if he turns the puck over, he is the first one to engage to get it back. This is the engagement level that you like to see from your top six centers who are not going to play mistake free hockey in the pursuit of generating scoring chances.

It would appear that Janik is now healed from his knee injury and will be ready for the 2020-21 training camp. So long as the injury has not weakened his skating ability/strength/stability, he should be able to move quickly through the Arizona system and projects as a top nine forward who can be a versatile asset to the Coyotes coaching staff. - BO

Kyle Capobianco, D (63^rd overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 4)

Capobianco has been a remarkable two-way defender in the AHL over the past three seasons. His 0.88 points per game with Tucson last season led all AHL defensemen, the second consecutive year he finished in the top-five in that category. The 2015 third rounder was always a solid offensive contributor in his OHL years, but never outstanding by any means, so this offensive explosion has been a pleasant surprise and one reason he has vaulted into elite prospect territory.

The 23-year-old so easily evades pressure from forecheckers and uses his speed and supreme hockey IQ to create offense through the center of the ice, as well as with offensive zone possession, from the point. He is not the most skilled with his hands, but he is incredibly confident with the puck on his blade and likes to take defenders on one-on-one. Seeing the ice and reading the defense well, he is a power-play quarterback and a good one, incorporating his booming shot into the fray when he gets an opening.

While his overall value is carried more by his offense than his defending, he has improved in his own zone. His stick-checking and foot movement keeps opposing forwards guessing and forces them to move to less opportune areas of the offensive zone, and he is more willing to take the body against the boards and below the red line than before, although he will never be a top defensive defenseman. A middle-pair offensive guy who can chip in 30+ points a year and compete on the power play, I would expect the Mississauga native to win a job out of training camp next season. - TD

John Farinacci, C (76^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 13)

The next season was much of the same for Farinacci, although he only played two games with the USNTDP U18 team this time. From there, Farinacci, a nephew of Harvard head coach Ted Donato, joined the Crimson. The true freshman was named to the ECAC All-Rookie team on the strength of his first-year performance.

He is quick on the face-off and held a 50.3% advantage on the dot. He also appeared on the team’s second power play unit. The 6-0” forward is fast, especially on the breakout, because he moves his feet so quickly. He has quick hands and exhibits good puck handling skills. The talented forward needs a few more years on campus before he will be ready to turn pro. - JS

Aku Raty, RW (151^st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Raty had a fine season with Karpat’s pro team and could more than keep up with the pace of the Liiga game. He impressed with his strong game at both ends of the ice in the World Juniors.

A skilled winger with quick hands, he handles the puck well in tight spaces. He can stickhandle at full speed and he uses his quickness to generate zone entries. He works well on the cycle and values possession. He has a precise wrist shot and gets pucks on net from a distance. He has good technical skills, yet versatility is his greatest asset.

He can play up and down the lineup, on a scoring line or checking line, and be equally effective in his role. He is smart and shows situational awareness. Raty has more offensive ability than he has shown in the Liiga so far. It is not easy to earn minutes on the strong Karpat team, but if he manages to do so, he could break out next season. - MB

Ivan Prosvetov, G (114^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

At 6-5” with high-grade quickness, and not just at his size, the Russian guards the lower half of the net beautifully and rarely gets beat on pad-level shots with his long, lanky body stretching out to defend. Highly active in the net, he makes multiple saves in a single sequence with ease if necessary, sliding around the crease quickly and with good positioning. Sometimes a bit too active, he is still prone to the occasional bad read or a lack of shift-to-shift focus, which is somewhat understandable from someone so young. He has the potential to be an NHL starter, but it will take time and patience. - TD

Tyler Steenbergen, C (128^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 12)

An above-average skater, he can bring the puck from end to end and make plays through center coupled with his high-end vision and smarts. He can finish from mid- to long-distance pretty consistently, giving him power play value. He is not dynamic enough to create space for his own shots and defers mostly to his teammates after drawing space for them.

An improving penalty killer, Steenbergen is a modern PK forward in that he uses his speed and skill, rather than size, to kill off time. He is a bit of a tweener in that his ceiling looks to be fourth-line center, but he doesn’t quite have the size for it. With more AHL seasoning, maybe his projection will be clearer. - TD

Axel Bergqvist, D (200^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

His mobility is a major asset. He is so elusive with the puck because of his ability to stop/start and uses his edges. This makes him very difficult to pin down in the defensive end and as such, a major asset to transitional play. Bergkvist also possesses excellent vision when operating the point, be it at even strength or running the powerplay. He understands how to use his quickness to jump into shooting lanes, or to create alternate passing angles.

The question is, given his lack of size (5-9”), can Bergkvist defend adequately enough at even strength to be an NHL defender? He keeps a wide base and is pretty strong, however it remains to be seen just how effective he can be at the pro level against consistently bigger forwards. His projection is probably that of a third pairing offensive defender who can also work the powerplay. - BO

Ty Emberson, D (73^rd overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 9)

As nice as those things are, the Badgers’ blueliner makes this list for what he does off the puck. A shut-down defender at even strength and the penalty kill, he keeps a good gap and uses his stick well. Even more than that, though, he is absolutely punishing when he lines up an opponent for a hit.

Named Wisconsin captain for the 2020-21 season, Emberson could be ready to bring his brand of physical hockey to the AHL at the campaign’s conclusion. There is still room on NHL third pairings for players of this ilk. - RW

Alexander Daryin, RW (107^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

I can see why Arizona picked him the draft even though he does not have much international or high-level experience. Late in the season he got a chance to debut in the KHL and was named rookie of the week with two points in three games. He has a contract with Yaroslav for two more years. He is a long-term NHL project and I can see him as a middle six winger if everything falls in place for him. - JH

Liam Kirk, C/LW (189^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 19)

A talented offensive player, Kirk remains a bit of an enigma due to a lack of strength on the puck. He possesses a strong wrist shot and the scoring instincts to be a top six forward, however he is not able to consistently fight through traffic in order to be a go-to offensive threat. He also battled through some injuries this year (concussion, facial fractures from taking a puck up high, but not related to the concussion).

Drafted as a project, Kirk remains very much so. However, he possesses the talent to one day be an NHL forward if Arizona is willing to remain patient. - BO

Lane Pederson, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Oct. 13, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

His speed and skill are not high-end, but he has an absolute shotgun blast of a wrister, capable of consistently beating goaltenders from distance, and he possesses the size to create his own shots. Off the puck, he is becoming increasingly useful and consistent, helping to curb dangerous chances against his own goal before they occur with his awareness in the neutral zone. He has shown a capability of driving plays and setting up teammates, but he is more of a shooter and shoots at a high percentage. What he can be in the NHL remains to be seen but the talent is there. - TD

Danil Savunov, LW/RW (174^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Fast of foot and with the puck on his stick, he likes to go right to the net, often carrying the puck right up the middle to do so. He may be small, but he plays without fear, forcing the defense to react. There is some question about his game away from the puck, although he got the occasional penalty kill shift with SKA-Neva St. Petersburg. He can dance the puck through the defense, but his utility will only increase if he grows more comfortable springing his teammates with a pass instead of trying to do it all himself. The skill is there to eventually play in the NHL, but he still needs a lot of polish to get there. - RW

2020 World Junior Championship Recap: Day One

Derek O'Brien — Fri, 27 Dec 2019 04:12:31 +0000

OSTRAVA, CZECH REPUBLIC - DECEMBER 26: Canada vs USA preliminary round action of the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship at Ostravar Arena on December 26, 2019 in Ostrava, Czech Republic. (Photo by Andrea Cardin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

The 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship opened with three long-standing international hockey rivalries – Czech Republic vs Russia, Sweden vs Finland and Canada vs the USA.

Alexis Lafreniere strengthened his position as the projected first overall pick at next summer’s NHL Entry Draft with a four-point effort – scoring the winning goal to go along with three assists – to help Canada come back from a 2-0 deficit to win 6-4.

His game-winner came at 16:49 of the third period, just seven seconds after the Americans had tied it, by knocking down a puck out of mid-air in the U.S. zone before sliding it home.

“I got lucky to knock it down and then I just tried to get it to the net and I was lucky enough to put it in,” Lafreniere shrugged. “It was kind of lucky, but when you put yourself in a good position, good things can happen.”

“We just tried to keep it simple and get pucks to the net,” said Lafreniere. “I think that worked out pretty good. Our power play was pretty good, so we’ve gotta keep working, keep getting better and get ready for the next game.”

Despite starting lined up with Joe Veleno and Nolan Foote, Lafreniere twice found captain Barrett Hayton and his quick release for two of Canada’s goals.

“It’s awesome,” Hayton said about being on the ice with Lafreniere. “He was able to get those right into my wheelhouse and I was able to tee them up. I couldn’t have asked for better passes.”

Special teams played a huge part in the game, with each team scoring three times with the man advantage.

“Special teams are huge in this tournament, I think,” said the Arizona Coyotes’ prospect. “That line of (Connor) McMichael, Akil Thomas and (Raphael) Lavoie was huge. They played well all game, gave us a lot of energy. That first goal was huge and then, obviously, getting a couple of power-play looks was really important.”

With a matchup of goaltending prospects Lukas Dostal and Yaroslav Askarov, many were expecting a low-scoring affair between the Czech Republic and Russia earlier in the day, but four goals were scored in the first period and three more in the second. Dostal, the Anaheim Ducks prospect who currently plays in Finland for Ilves Tampere, stopped 33 of 36 shots on the night, and was especially solid in the first period when the Czechs were outshot 18-5 but escaped tied.

At the other end of the rink, Askarov – whose brilliance at this past August’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup has him being talked about as a top-ten draft pick – was beaten on four of 17 shots through 40 minutes before being pulled. While he couldn’t exactly be faulted for any of the goals – two were on the power play and another was on a 2-on-1 break – it did seem that the Czechs knew where to shoot on him.

“We were given some papers before the game about where he allows the most goals, and it was actually on the glove side, so we were trying to shoot there,” said Arizona prospect Jan Jenik, who scored the game-winning goal on a 5-on-3 advantage late in the second period.

The Czechs were led by the “Liberec Line” of Jenik, Michal Teply and Matej Pekar. All three come from the same home town and played together when they were young. Teply had three assists and Jenik had a goal and an assist. All three now play in North America – Pekar with the Barrie Colts, Teply with the Winnipeg Ice and Jenik for the Hamilton Bulldogs, where he’s been on fire.

“We’re almost best friends,” said Jenik. “I would say we played really well. We work really hard for each other.”

On the winning goal, Jenik said, “I got a perfect pass from Teply and just tried to make one move and shoot, and I was wide-open. That’s how I scored.”

The Czechs were dealt a blow early in the game, literally, when Jakub Lauko, expected to be one of the team’s offensive leaders, was involved in a mid-ice collision and was lost for the duration. Lauko, of course, was previously injured with the Providence Bruins.

“Jakub Lauko injured the lateral ligament in his knee,” Czech head coach Vaclav Varada said after the game. “He will undergo magnetic resonance tomorrow and see to what extent it is. According to initial prognosis, it is possible that Jakub's tournament is over, but we’ll know tomorrow and will plan for the next game accordingly.”

Meanwhile, in Trinec the Swedes ran their group-stage winning streak at the World Juniors to 49 games with a 3-2 overtime win over Finland. Top draft prospect Alexander Holtz scored the winner, firing a wrister from the top of the circle that goalie Justus Annunen got a piece of, but not enough. The Finns twice took the lead, with Patrik Puistola and Kristian Tanus each recording a goal and an assist. The Swedes answered both time through their top line, with Samuel Fagemo and Nils Hoglander getting two points each – including Hoglander’s lacrosse-style goal.

In Trinec’s early game Switzerland was given a scare but eventually held of Kazakhstan to win 5-3.

MCKEEN’S 2020 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR GUIDE: CZECH REPUBLIC

Derek OBrien — Fri, 20 Dec 2019 20:10:51 +0000

Jan Mysak during the ice hockey quarter final game in The IIHF U18 World Championship between Sweden and The Czech Republic
Photo: Jonas Forsberg / BILDBYRÅN

The Czech Republic is one of six teams that has never been relegated from the top division of the World Junior Championships. It is also one of six to ever win the championship, taking back-to-back gold medals in 2000 and 2001. Since claiming bronze back in 2005, the Czechs have not medalled, and had to wait 13 years before returning to the final four in 2018. However, the team took a step back in 2019, finishing seventh. Expectations will be to do better than that on home ice this time around.

Despite being led by Martin Necas and Martin Kaut, last year’s Czech team struggled offensively. The team relied heavily on the goaltending of Lukas Dostal to finish third in their group and keep its quarter-final game against the USA close. This year’s Czech team has six returning players and, fortunately for them, Dostal is one of them. Other returnees include forwards Jan Jenik, Jakub Lauko, Matej Pekar, Karel Plasek and Jachym Kondelik.

Among first timers, defenceman Hugo Has and forwards Matej Blumel and Michal Teply have already been drafted on this team that contains an interesting mix of players based in both North America and Europe. Among players undrafted but on scouts’ radars will be defenceman Simon Kubicek, who will turn 18 just days before the start of the tournament, centre Jaromir Pytlik and winger Jan Mysak, the only 2002-born player on the team. With the exception of Blumel, all of those players are eligible to return for the 2021 World Juniors.

Playing in front of their home fans, expectations will be high on this Czech team, but a very tough group means even returning to the quarterfinals is not a guarantee. In addition to powerhouses Russia, USA and Canada, the Czechs will also have an up-and-coming, talent-laden German squad to contend with.

Lukas Dostal, G

Dostal attended Anaheim's training camp before heading back to the Finnish Liiga for another season. He has been phenomenal in net for Ilves, winning 17 of his 23 starts and giving his team a chance to win every night. He won his last six starts ahead of the upcoming World Juniors. Dostal moves really well side-to-side and is quick to cut down his angles. His rebound control is solid, both on low and high shots. He has improved his puck tracking his season. He is strong at handling the puck, often rimming the puck out of the zone or making short, effective passes. An extremely athletic netminder with terrific reaction speed, he thrives in pressure situations and regularly makes big saves to keep his team in games. Very consistent and has shown the willingness to work on his weaknesses and polish his skills. Could be the top goalie at this year's World Juniors.

Jan Jenik, C

No question, Jenik will be a pivotal player for the Czech Republic at this event, perhaps even their most pivotal. The Arizona Coyotes prospect is having a fantastic season in the OHL where he is among the league leaders in scoring and just had a 26-game point streak come to an end. Although he has played center this year, it remains to be seen whether he will play center or the wing for the Czechs, as he can struggle in the faceoff circle. However, Jenik has many other strengths. He is an ultra-aggressive player who excels with and without the puck, as he is always on the attack, using his speed to drive the middle of the ice and to open up lanes. If he gets stripped of the puck, he will fight to get it back, willing to make or take a hit to make a play. Jenik also possesses a high skill level with the puck that allows him to be a creative playmaker, something that has made him the perfect linemate for sniper Arthur Kaliyev in Hamilton. Expectations have to be high for Jenik on home ice as he looks to help his team medal.

Jaromir Pytlik, C/RW

Making his debut for the Czech Republic at the U20s, Pytlik will be counted upon to be a go-to offensive player for this team. First time draft eligible in 2020 because of a late September birthday, Pytlik has had a strong second season in the OHL for Sault Ste. Marie where he is being counted upon to be a leader for a younger Greyhounds team. He has played both center and wing this year, but does seem more comfortable on the wing. Pytlik, does the majority of his damage down low, below the hash marks. He is great at using his size to protect the puck and prolongs time of possession in the cycle. He will spin off checks and looks to be aggressive in taking the puck to the net. Pytlik also excels tight to the crease where he can use his good hands to finish off scoring chances. His skating continues to improve, as does his confidence in carrying the puck in transition. A strong performance for the Czechs at the U20s would go a long way in helping him secure a spot in the first round of this year’s draft.

Matej Pekar, LW

Cut from the same cloth as Jan Jenik in some regards, Pekar is also an extremely aggressive, abrasive energy forward. He may not have the elite skill level that Jenik possesses, but he is equally effective as a high intensity puck retriever in all three zones. Pekar excels as a forechecker who has strong closing speed and a great stick to disrupt defenders into committing turnovers. This makes him an elite penalty killer. Pekar also possesses good hands and a quality shot release, although he is more of a finisher who requires a quality playmaker to aid him. The Buffalo Sabres prospect will be playing in his second straight U20’s for the Czech Republic and will be looking to make more of an impact than he did last year when he went pointless over five games. One thing to keep an eye on is whether he can stay out of the penalty box, as he can be undisciplined at times with the Barrie Colts in the OHL.

Jan Mysak, LW

This past summer, 17-year-old Mysak had a choice of whether to go play junior hockey in North America or pro hockey in his hometown of Litvinov. Promised a chance to get some real ice time in the pros by GM Jiri Slegr, he chose the latter. Getting mostly third-line minutes at either centre or left wing on a weak team, he’s managed to put up nine points in 26 games, which leads all junior-aged players in the Extraliga. More of a goal-scorer than a playmaker, Mysak has the ability to find open space and release a shot quickly, which is obviously more difficult in the pros. In the Czechs’ first pre-tournament game against a second-division Czech club, Mysak led the way with two goals.

Matej Blumel, RW

Following a point-per-game season with the USHL’s Waterloo Blackhawks, the Edmonton Oilers made Blumel their fourth-round pick last summer. This season, the 19-year-old is back in the Czech Republic and playing pro hockey with Dynamo Pardubice. Although his offensive numbers (2 goals, 1 assist in 18 games) haven’t been impressive, Blumel doesn’t look out of place with his size and speed and hasn’t shied away from the dirty areas. He hasn’t played since an injury on December 1st but did eventually join the Czech camp. The Czechs won’t be looking to Blumel for primary scoring, but his speed, size and grit will be valuable against elite teams, especially if the going gets physical. He might chip in with some points as well

Michal Teply

Michal Teply has stepped in as a rookie on what has been a historical bad team and given them some offensive pop at the top of their lineup. He is a very good play maker who excels with the puck on his stick. He has good one on one skills that impress but he needs to do it with a bit more pace. On the smaller rinks in North America he can get caught over handling the puck a bit. He has good size and frame that enable him to protect the puck well along the wall which is where he is very effective, especially making passes into the slot. When he has space his shot is hard and accurate however the mechanics of his large frame sometimes lead to a slow release. This year he is tied for the team lead in goals and 2^nd in overall points. For the Czechs he will be a top forward that engages physically and will create a lot of their offense.

Jan Jenik – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – Risers and Fallers

Risers

Logan Stankoven (27 to 5) - Dallas Stars

Ryan Leonard (32 to 6) – Washington Capitals

Josh Roy (63 to 35) – Montreal Canadiens

Conor Geekie (68 to 18) – Utah

Mavrik Bourque (79 to 23) – Dallas Stars

Gabe Perreault (86 to 19) – New York Rangers

Bradly Nadeau (109 to 34) – Carolina Hurricanes

Jagger Firkus (112 to 47) – Seattle Kraken

Gavin Brindley (122 to 66) – Columbus Blue Jackets

Quentin Musty (125 to 51) – San Jose Sharks

Jani Nyman (135 to 81) – Seattle Kraken

Logan Mailloux (145 to 45) – Montreal Canadiens

Josh Doan (153 to 55) - Utah

Riley Heidt (157 to 44) – Minnesota Wild

Ville Koivunen (165 to 71) – Pittsburgh Penguins

Ethan Del Mastro (169 to 73) – Chicago Blackhawks

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

Carson Rehkopf (201 to 69) – Seattle Kraken

Easton Cowan (204 to 67) – Toronto Maple Leafs

Seamus Casey (214 to 63) – New Jersey Devils

Jacob Fowler (222 to 52) – Montreal Canadiens

Fraser Minten (226 to 84) – Toronto Maple Leafs

Jackson Blake (277 to 117) – Carolina Hurricanes

Erik Portillo (Unranked to 118) – Los Angeles Kings

Rodwin Dionicio (Unranked to 139) – Anaheim Ducks

Fallers

Xavier Bourgault (from 48 to 113) – Edmonton Oilers

Eduard Sale (72 to 140) – Seattle Kraken

Jack Rathbone (96 to not ranked) – Pittsburgh Penguins

Jacob Perreault (127 to not ranked) – Montreal Canadiens

Jan Jenik (156 to not ranked) - Utah

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – ARIZONA COYOTES – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #4

1. Logan Cooley - C

2. Dylan Guenther - RW

3. Dmitri Simashev - D

4. Daniil But - LW

5. Conor Geekie - C

6. Victor Soderstrom - D

7. Josh Doan - RW

8. Jan Jenik - C

9. Michael Hrabal - G

10. Maveric Lamoureux - D

11. Artyom Duda - D

12. Julian Lutz - LW

13. Aku Raty - RW

14. Vladislav Kolyachonok - D

15. Nathan Smith - C

16. Sam Lipkin - LW

17. Miko Matikka - RW

18. Michael Kesselring - D

19. Ilya Fedotov - LW

20. Maksymilian Szuber - D

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – ARIZONA COYOTES – Top 20 Prospects

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: ARIZONA COYOTES – RANK: #12 – TIER III

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Top 300 Prospect Rankings

McKeen’s 20-21 Hockey Yearbook: Arizona Coyotes Top 20 Prospects

Arizona Coyotes

Victor Soderstrom, D (11th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 1)

Barrett Hayton, C (5th overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: 2)

Matias Maccelli, LW (98th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 3)

Jan Jenik, C (65th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 4)

Kyle Capobianco, D (63rd overall, 2015. Previous Ranking: 5)

John Farinacci, C (76th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 6)

Aku Raty, RW (151st overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 7)

Carson Bantle, LW (142nd overall, 2020. Previous Ranking: N/A)

Ivan Prosvetov, G (114th overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: 8)

Tyler Steenbergen, C (128th overall, 2017. Previous Ranking: 9)

Axel Bergqvist, D (200th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 10)

Ty Emberson, D (73rd overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: 11)

Alexander Daryin, RW (107th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 12)

Liam Kirk, C/LW (189th overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: 13)

Lane Pederson, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Oct. 13, 2016. Previous Ranking: 14)

Danil Savunov, LW/RW (174th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 15)

Hudson Fasching, RW (118th overall, 2013 [Los Angeles]. Previous Ranking: UR)

David Tendeck, G (158th overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: UR)

Valentin Nussbaumer, C (207th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: UR)

Cameron Crotty, D (87th overall, 2017. Previous Ranking: UR)

Victor Soderstrom, D (11^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 1)

Barrett Hayton, C (5^th overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: 2)

Matias Maccelli, LW (98^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 3)

Jan Jenik, C (65^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 4)

Kyle Capobianco, D (63^rd overall, 2015. Previous Ranking: 5)

John Farinacci, C (76^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 6)

Aku Raty, RW (151^st overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 7)

Carson Bantle, LW (142^nd overall, 2020. Previous Ranking: N/A)

Ivan Prosvetov, G (114^th overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: 8)

Tyler Steenbergen, C (128^th overall, 2017. Previous Ranking: 9)

Axel Bergqvist, D (200^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 10)

Ty Emberson, D (73^rd overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: 11)

Alexander Daryin, RW (107^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 12)

Liam Kirk, C/LW (189^th overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: 13)

Danil Savunov, LW/RW (174^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: 15)

Hudson Fasching, RW (118^th overall, 2013 [Los Angeles]. Previous Ranking: UR)

David Tendeck, G (158^th overall, 2018. Previous Ranking: UR)

Valentin Nussbaumer, C (207^th overall, 2019. Previous Ranking: UR)

Cameron Crotty, D (87^th overall, 2017. Previous Ranking: UR)

Victor Soderstrom, D (11^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 1)

Barrett Hayton, C (5^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 2)

Matias Maccelli, LW (98^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 17)

Jan Jenik, C (65^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 10)

Kyle Capobianco, D (63^rd overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 4)

John Farinacci, C (76^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 13)

Aku Raty, RW (151^st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Ivan Prosvetov, G (114^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

Tyler Steenbergen, C (128^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 12)

Axel Bergqvist, D (200^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Ty Emberson, D (73^rd overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 9)

Alexander Daryin, RW (107^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Liam Kirk, C/LW (189^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 19)

Danil Savunov, LW/RW (174^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)