Jayden Perron – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #17 Carolina Hurricanes – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 22:00:10 +0000

RALEIGH, NC - SEPTEMBER 24: Left Wing Bradly Nadeau #29 of the Carolina Hurricanes looks to pass the puck during the preseason NHL game between the Florida Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes on September 24, 2025 at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Katherine Gawlik/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 17th (Last Year - 15th)
GM: Eric Tulsky Hired: May 2024
COACH: Rod Brind’Amour Hired: May 2018

Sitting atop the Eastern Conference and enjoying an eighth consecutive playoff appearance, the Carolina Hurricanes continue to operate as one of the NHL’s model organizations. The challenge, however, has been taking the final step, as they have yet to break through and capture a Stanley Cup during this sustained run of success. Despite consistently contending, Carolina has done an admirable job of maintaining long-term stability without significantly compromising its future. Their slight drop in the prospect rankings is largely due to recent graduations, most notably Alexander Nikishin, who has transitioned to a full-time role in the NHL.

The system is now headlined by Bradley Nadeau (11th). The sharpshooting forward has established himself as a legitimate offensive threat at the professional level, producing at roughly a point-per-game pace through more than 100 AHL games. His trajectory suggests he is closing in on a full-time NHL role and could soon graduate from prospect status. Following a similar path is 23-year-old Justin Robidas (183rd), who is also pushing toward an NHL opportunity and could compete for a roster spot as early as the 2026–27 season. Another notable riser is Ivan Ryabkin, the Hurricanes’ 2025 second-round selection. After a brief 25-game stint with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, Ryabkin was assigned to junior and has been dominant with the Charlottetown Islanders, producing at an explosive rate of over two points per game in the QMJHL.

From a draft capital standpoint, Carolina remains in a relatively strong position. While their upcoming draft class sits with just four picks, the organization holds the Dallas Stars’ first-round pick and a future first-rounder in 2028, along with two third-round selections in 2027. For the Hurricanes, the foundation remains firmly in place as they continue searching for the final piece needed to push them over the top.

NHL	RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	2024-25 TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
Car	1	Bradly Nadeau	LW	21	5-11/170	Chicago (AHL)	52	27	29	56	24
Car	1	Bradly Nadeau	LW	21	5-11/170	Carolina (NHL)	12	3	0	3	2
Car	2	Felix Unger Sorum	RW	20	5-11/170	Chicago (AHL)	72	17	49	66	20
Car	2	Felix Unger Sorum	RW	20	5-11/170	Carolina (NHL)	1	0	1	1	0
Car	3	Semyon Frolov	G	19	6-3/200	MHK Spartak Moskva (MHL)	7	4	1	1.83	0.929
Car	4	Dominik Badinka	D	20	6-3/185	Chicago (AHL)	68	6	8	14	16
Car	5	Charlie Cerrato	C	21	6-0/190	Penn State (NCAA)	23	7	20	27	20
Car	6	Justin Robidas	C	23	5-8/175	Chicago (AHL)	58	23	37	60	14
Car	6	Justin Robidas	C	23	5-8/175	Carolina (NHL)	2	0	1	1	0
Car	7	Ivan Ryabkin	C	19	5-11/205	Chicago (AHL)	31	1	9	10	60
Car	7	Ivan Ryabkin	C	19	5-11/205	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	20	13	29	42	44
Car	8	Nikita Artamonov	LW	20	5-11/185	Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (KHL)	37	3	6	9	8
Car	9	Charles-Alexis Legault	D	22	6-3/210	Carolina (NHL)	12	1	1	2	15
Car	10	Jayden Perron	RW	21	5-9/165	Michigan (NCAA)	40	18	23	41	8
Car	11	Kurban Limatov	D	19	6-4/190	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	46	12	18	30	30
Car	12	Domenick Fensore	D	24	5-9/175	Chicago (AHL)	60	10	25	35	37
Car	12	Domenick Fensore	D	24	5-9/175	Carolina (NHL)	1	0	0	0	0
Car	13	Justin Poirier	RW	19	5-7/185	Maine (NCAA)	27	18	11	29	12
Car	14	Alexander Siryatsky	D	19	6-2/160	Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)	37	2	3	5	14
Car	15	Timur Kol	D	19	6-3/195	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	35	13	16	29	15
Car	15	Timur Kol	D	19	6-3/195	Dynamo Moskva (KHL)	8	0	2	2	2

Bradly Nadeau, LW, Chicago Wolves (AHL)

A year removed from a historic scoring season for a U20 player in the AHL, Bradly Nadeau is scoring at yet another historic pace for a U21 player. If Nadeau was able to play the rest of the AHL schedule and score at his current pace, he was on pace to be the first U21 player to score 70+ points in an AHL season since Artyom Anisimov scored 81 points in 80 games during the 08-09 season. Nadeau’s biggest task this season was to come in and show that he’s improving as a forward in all situations and not overly reliant on his one-timer on the power play. He’s not just scoring more points, but more points at even strength. He’s been one of Chicago’s most-used penalty killers this year after not being tasked at all with that responsibility last season. His +/- jumped from -20 to +16 in one year. Nadeau easily projects as a top six winger who can score 30+ goals a year and instantly improve a power play. Carolina is log-jammed with wingers, but he’s a talent you make room for.
Felix Unger Sorum, RW, Chicago Wolves (AHL)

For a lot of skill guys, much of their performance comes from their confidence. Felix Unger Sorum is no different. With his AHL rookie-season jitters long behind him, Unger Sorum is having no sophomore slump. In just 11 more games, he has more than tripled his points. To be a high-end playmaker and play the way Unger Sorum plays, you have to have a certain level of poise, and Unger Sorum is starting to attain that. Like a lot of smaller, pass-heavy wingers, Unger Sorum is pretty contact-avoidant. He isn’t a player to ruffle any feathers, and his play is often neutralized against opponents who play a heavier style. Finding ways to still make plays through contact will be crucial in Unger Sorum’s development in getting to the next level. His style fits almost exclusively in the top six, maybe top nine, so it’ll be hard for him to get minutes in Carolina’s system in the near future. Another season with the Wolves is likely in store for Unger Sorum as he continues to refine his game against pros and waits for his turn.
Semyon Frolov, G, MHK Spartak Moscow (MHL)

Frolov was off to an impressive start in the MHL this season before his injury in late October. His GAA and Sv% are back up to where they were with Togliatta last season when he was playing his best hockey. He is a freak athlete, able to make highlight reel saves and take away angles that most goalies would struggle with. An exceptional skater with extremely dexterous hips allows him to adjust on the move and effectively scramble and recover when play gets chaotic. With the freak athleticism comes a lack of fundamentals and technique. There are tendencies to overcommit and put himself out of position as well as issues with dropping too early or not getting himself set. The insane athletic ability helps cover up his weaknesses though, as poor angles and putting himself out of position leading to easy chances vanish with strong push offs and incredible extensions. When he is locked in, he is nearly impossible to beat. But games where he lacks focus leads to slow reactions and reads. If he can clean up his technique in the coming years, adding to his natural abilities, he can be a force in the NHL.
Dominik Badinka, D, Chicago Wolves (AHL)

After a shaky D+1 year in the SHL that left more to be desired, Dominik Badinka has rebounded in his first year in Chicago. He’s still the large defender with outstanding mobility for a guy his size. He has the potential to be a two-way right-handed defenceman, a very coveted role in the NHL today. At times, Badinka can be prone to over skating the play and being scatterbrained defensively. Developing some patience for letting the play play out should help his game on both ends of the ice and put him in better positions than he tries to skate himself into all the time. It’s hard to imagine that Badinka’s floor is lower than an NHL third pairing. It’s not impossible that Badinka reaches the first pairing, especially with the players ahead of him in Carolina, but it’ll likely be as a support defender to a more offensive left-handed defenceman. Badinka will have at least a couple more AHL seasons to solidify his game and at that point, his projection will be much clearer.
Charlie Cerrato, C, Penn State University (NCAA)

Cerrato has been on an upward trajectory for some time now, after being passed over in 2023 and 2024, before the Hurricanes took the swing. He’s a pro-ready forward who flies around the ice and is always one of the hardest working skaters on the ice on every single shift. His feet are always moving, and it has led to him becoming a difference-maker in the NCAA already. He was on pace to surpass his point totals from last season, but his injury prevented him from doing so. His playmaking and motor, as well as the smaller details in his game, project him as a future middle-six forward with some scoring upside. Continuing to buff out the rougher edges of his game will go a long way. But he’s already pretty close to being pro-ready and it really shouldn’t surprise anyone if he competes for an NHL role next season.
Justin Robidas, C, Chicago Wolves (AHL)

Justin Robidas is proof that good things come in small packages. Robidas’ game is not defined by his height and does everything you could ask from a center despite it. Named to this year’s AHL All-Star group, Robidas has taken the No. 1 center role by the horns and isn’t letting go. He had 60 points in 52 games this season with the Wolves and finished near the top 10 in AHL scoring. Robidas has a good shot, is a quick skater, is responsible in his own end and supports the play well from the center position. In his second year with the team, he’s established himself as a leader, being named an alternate captain, and shows his leadership on the ice, playing in all situations. Robidas has gotten a call-up with Carolina a couple of times, where he has three points in four games. Bias towards his size may force him to the wing, but there isn’t a spot in the bottom-six he couldn’t find success in. Robidas will be an RFA at the end of the 25-26 season, so it will be interesting to see if there is any interest from organizations that have more room for Robidas than Carolina does.
Ivan Ryabkin, C, Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL) (Currently with Chicago Wolves, AHL)

After managing just seven points in 25 AHL games, he made the move to the QMJHL — and the results have been explosive. While strong production was expected at the junior level, few anticipated this kind of dominance. He enjoyed the league's best points-per-game rate, hovering just over 2 per contest, asserting himself as one of the most dynamic offensive forces in the CHL.His progress extends beyond the stat sheet. His skating looks more powerful, and his overall compete level has improved. He plays with a mean, aggressive edge, finishing checks with authority and willingly bulldozing his way to the net. He’s deceptive off the rush, capable of beating defenders one-on-one, and shows terrific vision through layers of traffic. Operating primarily from the flank, he effectively quarterbacks the power play, serving as a dual shooting and passing threat while displaying high-end skill and poise under pressure. There are areas to refine. His stride remains somewhat stiff and lacks a true second gear, and his decision-making can be inconsistent, occasionally leading to turnovers or unnecessary penalties. Long term, he projects as a versatile middle six forward who provides secondary scoring, power-play value, physicality and an agitating edge.
Nikita Artamonov, LW, Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk (KHL)

Following his solid progression over the past two seasons in the KHL, Artamonov's production has taken a massive step back this season. Last season he put up over half a point per game, with 39 points and flashes of some decent goal scoring ability. This year he finished with nine points. His style of play was never one of a highly skilled producer, as he focuses mostly on supporting his teammates and being an effective puck mover in transition. His brain is excellent, as he processes the game quickly and keeps his plays simple and very effective, getting to and putting the puck into open areas of ice. The workrate is exceptional as well, but he is held back by poor skating, and a lack of physicality and skill. When the puck doesn't go his way, he struggles to be a threat, and he loses battles too often for a player who projects to play a bottom six role. It's hard to not be overly concerned with the point totals this season, but he still finds ways to apply pressure and push the puck in positive directions. If he can add some strength to his frame, helping his skating and board play, there can be an effective bottom six role player here.
Charles Alexis Legault, D, Chicago Wolves (AHL)

Charles Alexis Legault only played two games with the Wolves this season before being thrust into NHL action. Several simultaneous injuries along the Hurricanes’ blue line resulted in an eight-game stint for Legault. Unfortunately for Legault, his time in the NHL came to an end faster than it started. Legault cut several tendons in his hand when his hand struck a skate blade during a fight against Toronto in November. After missing four months, Legault has returned to Chicago, where he should log some heavy minutes. His game is built upon being a physically imposing presence along the blue line. He loves to lay the body and use his long reach to separate opponents from the puck. His size, physicality and mobility make him a very desirable option for a bottom-pair defenceman. Defencemen of Legault’s variety aren’t known for having offensive aptitude, but there is a real chance he will surprise people from a production standpoint. A surprise Carolina will be more than happy to see.
Jayden Perron, RW, University of Michigan (NCAA)

Perron’s development has taken a big jump this season. After two seasons of moderate production in the NCAA with the University of North Dakota, Perron transferred to Michigan, where he has become a point-per-game player. In his draft year, his smaller stature and average skating was a big red flag. While he had excellent edge work and the ability to change directions on a dime, his straight-line speed left a lot to be desired. But he had excellent hands, a strong shot, and an apparent high-end hockey IQ, shown off by his playmaking abilities and vision. After a few NCAA seasons, Perron’s skating has clearly improved. His top speed looks noticeably better. While he is still small, he has added an inch to his height and almost 20 pounds since being drafted. He’s learned to attack the dangerous areas of the ice as a passer at this level as well. His development may have taken a bit of time at the collegiate level, but he’s found his groove. While his path to the NHL still sees that same hurdle due to his size, he is starting to put his whole game together. There’s a world where he can become an energy forward with scoring upside on a team's third line, similar to that of Conor Garland.
Kurban Limatov, D, Dynamo Moscow (MHL)

Limatov remains a high upside project thanks to his big frame, great mobility, and improving skill set. The final product here won’t be known for a few years, likely until after he gets pro experience in Russia.
Domenick Fensore, D, Chicago Wolves (AHL)

There’s no doubting Fensore’s ability to produce offensively from the back end. However, the undersized defender is going to need to prove that he can defend at the NHL level to eventually earn a role with the Canes.
Justin Poirier, RW, University of Maine (NCAA)

Rather than spend another year in the QMJHL, Poirier opted to go to the NCAA with Maine and that decision looks like a good one. The diminutive forward has been one of the top goal scorers in the NCAA this season.
Alexander Siryatsky, D, Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)

Similar to Limatov, Siryatsky has a pro frame and good mobility. The offensive upside is not likely significant, but he’s already become a KHL defender because of his strong defensive play.
Timur Kol, D, Dynamo Moscow (KHL)

The Canes sure do have a type. Another big Russian defender with two-way upside. Kol has had a breakout year offensively in the MHL.

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

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

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

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Carolina 25 Prospects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Carolina Hurricanes Top-15 Prospects

1. Alexander Nikishin

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

2. Brad Nadeau

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

3. Scott Morrow

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

4. Jackson Blake

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

5. Aleksi Heimosalmi

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

6. Dominik Badinka

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

7. Jayden Perron

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

8. Nikita Artamonov

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

9. Gleb Trikozov

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

10. Noel Fransén

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

11. Felix Unger Sorum

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

12. Ronan Seeley

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

13. Domenick Fensore

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

14. Anttoni Honka

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

15. Justin Poirier

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Aleksi Heimosalmi, D, Assat (Liiga)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

9. Anttoni Honka, D, JYP (Liiga)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Subscribers can link to the full top 200 listing here

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

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

Risers

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

Logan Stankoven (27 to 5) - Dallas Stars

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

Ryan Leonard (32 to 6) – Washington Capitals

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

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

Josh Roy (63 to 35) – Montreal Canadiens

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

Conor Geekie (68 to 18) – Utah

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

Mavrik Bourque (79 to 23) – Dallas Stars

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

Gabe Perreault (86 to 19) – New York Rangers

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

Bradly Nadeau (109 to 34) – Carolina Hurricanes

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

Jagger Firkus (112 to 47) – Seattle Kraken

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

Gavin Brindley (122 to 66) – Columbus Blue Jackets

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

Quentin Musty (125 to 51) – San Jose Sharks

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

Jani Nyman (135 to 81) – Seattle Kraken

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

Logan Mailloux (145 to 45) – Montreal Canadiens

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

Josh Doan (153 to 55) - Utah

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

Riley Heidt (157 to 44) – Minnesota Wild

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

Ville Koivunen (165 to 71) – Pittsburgh Penguins

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

Ethan Del Mastro (169 to 73) – Chicago Blackhawks

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

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

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

Carson Rehkopf (201 to 69) – Seattle Kraken

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

Easton Cowan (204 to 67) – Toronto Maple Leafs

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

Seamus Casey (214 to 63) – New Jersey Devils

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

Jacob Fowler (222 to 52) – Montreal Canadiens

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

Fraser Minten (226 to 84) – Toronto Maple Leafs

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

Jackson Blake (277 to 117) – Carolina Hurricanes

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

Erik Portillo (Unranked to 118) – Los Angeles Kings

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

Rodwin Dionicio (Unranked to 139) – Anaheim Ducks

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

Fallers

EDM - Xavier Bourgault

Xavier Bourgault (from 48 to 113) – Edmonton Oilers

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

Eduard Sale (72 to 140) – Seattle Kraken

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

Jack Rathbone (96 to not ranked) – Pittsburgh Penguins

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

Jacob Perreault (127 to not ranked) – Montreal Canadiens

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

Jan Jenik (156 to not ranked) - Utah

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

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

2024 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: TOP 200 NHL PROSPECTS

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

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

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

Subscribers can link to the listing here

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

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

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

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

Top 20 Carolina Hurricanes Prospects

1. Alexander Nikishin - D

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

2. Scott Morrow - D

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

3. Bradly Nadeau - LW

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

4. Ville Koivunen - LW

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

5. Aleksi Heimosalmi -D

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

6. Ryan Suzuki - C

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

7. Vasili Ponomarev - C

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

8. Jamieson Rees - C

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

9. Jayden Perron - RW

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

10. Noel Gunler - RW

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

11. Jackson Blake - RW

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

12. Gleb Trikozov - LW

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

13. Felix Unger Sorum - RW

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

14. Zion Nybeck - LW

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

15. Justin Robidas - C

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

16. Anttoni Honka - D

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

17. Ronan Seeley - D

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

18. Domenick Fensore - D

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

19. Alexander Rykov - RW

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

20. Cruz Lucius - RW

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

2023 NHL DRAFT: A Review

Chase Rochon — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 14:10:53 +0000

Another long year of amazing hockey has come and passed as we oficially end the 2023 scouting season and shift from the star-studded offensive draft class to the defensive-heavy 2024 NHL draft. This year's class was super fun and had the potential to bring the big stars and deep depth that we saw in the 2015 draft. This makes it very difficult to rank the winners and losers as every team acquired some very talented athletes in their organization that should make an impact for many years to come. Some teams acquired some elite star players at draft positions they didn't think would be possible at lower picks and later rounds. Those picks make the difference between good and great drafting by ﬁnding those diamonds in the rough.

NHL hockey operations departments are made up of the best of the best in the industry and have been through more drafts and different case studies over more years than I have been alive, which creates some hesitation in handing out grades for teams that we felt drafted poorly or passed on talent or upside. It is important to remember that teams take into consideration so many intangibles and factors outside any eye test or analytics can tell us. They have considerable resources and information networks public scouting teams can only dream of.

Most importantly, people need to remember these young athletes are human beings that just had the best week of their lives and treating them disrespectfully and pre-judging a young man that has yet to fully develop mentally and physically is completely unfair. I think every fan base should be showing love and support for the future players that are going to put in blood sweat and tears for the team you cheer for and go to war against the opposition.

With all that in mind, here is how I think all 32 teams performed at the 2023 NHL Draft based on my own rankings as well as the wonderful team at McKeen’s that I have the pleasure working alongside.

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA - DECEMBER 29: Canada's Connor Bedard #16 backhands the puck while Austria's Tim Geifes #21 defends during Preliminary Round - Group A action at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship at Scotiabank Centre on December 29, 2022 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/IIHF)

#1 Chicago Blackhawks (A+)

1 Connor Bedard (F)

19 Oliver Moore (F)

35 Adam Gajan (G)

44 Roman Kantserov (F)

55 Martin Misiak (F)

67 Nick Lardis (F)

93 Jiri Felcman (F)

99 Alex Pharand (F)

131 Marcel Marcel (F)

167 Milton Oscarson (F)

195 Janne Peltonen (D)

It feels very ﬁtting that the number one ranked team had the number one pick this year in the generational talent of Connor Bedard, who is expected to make an immediate impact. Kyle Davidson clearly agrees by bringing in some veteran support this summer in Taylor Hall, Nick Foligno and Corey Perry. This pick was obvious. What makes the Blackhawks stand out is what might be my favourite selection of the entire draft in Oliver Moore at 19th overall, where I, alongside Davidson, was in shock this player was still on the board—followed by selecting one of if not one of the best goaltenders in Adam Gajan. We absolutely loved Nick Lardis at McKeens, and we ﬁnd this to be amazing value in the early third round. Roman Kantserov, Martin Misiak, Alex Pharand and Marcel Marcel are other great pickups to round out the real depth of this draft class for the Blackhawks as they build the next generation in Chicago.

#2 Columbus Blue Jackets (A)

3 Adam Fantilli (F)

34 Gavin Brindley (F)

66 William Whitelaw (F)

98 Andrew Strathmann (D)

114 Luca Pinelli (F)

156 Melvin Strahl (G)

194 Oiva Keskinen (F)

224 Tyler Peddle (F)

The Blue Jackets' dreams came true when Adam Fantilli was still waiting for them at third overall, as the rookie Hobey Baker winner would have been selected ﬁrst overall in any other draft. Followed up by his Michigan teammate Gavin Brindley who we at McKeens had ranked #26. William Whitelaw ranked at #39 by McKeen’s, and Andrew Strathmann, ranked #39 by me, are amazing values. I really like Luca Pinelli at #114 and thought it was a great move to trade for the last pick in the draft and select Tyler Peddle, who was in attendance and should have been selected much higher. This will be the draft that could really put the Blue Jackets over the top to be a future contender in the Metro.

#3 Philadelphia Flyers (A)

7 Matvei Michkov (F)

22 Oliver Bonk (D)

51 Carson Bjarnason (G)

87 Yegor Zavragin (G)

95 Denver Barkey (F)

103 Cole Knuble (F)

120 Alex Ciernik (F)

135 Carter Sotheran (D)

172 Ryan MacPherson (F)

199 Matteo Mann (D)

The Flyers got a player with arguably the highest upside in the class in 7th overall in Matvei Michkov alone, which is enough to rank them this high. Aside from whether there is any truth to rumours that he somehow orchestrated his way to Philadelphia, he was genuinely excited to be drafted by the organization. The possibility that he will be coming to play in North America perhaps sooner rather than later could completely alter the landscape of the rebuild for GM Daniel Briere. They followed up by selecting Oliver Bonk, who our Ontario scouts adore at McKeens, including myself. Bonk will continue to develop in London. The Carson Bjarnson pick could age very well as a good young goaltender with a long road of development ahead. Denver Barkey and Alex Cienik are great value picks at 95th and 120th.

#4 Seattle Kraken (A-)

20 Eduard Sale (F)

50 Carson Rehkopf (F)

52 Oscar Fisker Mølgaard (F)

57 Lukas Dragicevic (D)

84 Caden Price (D)

116 Andrei Loshko (F)

148 Kaden Hammell (D)

168 Visa Vedenpää (G)

180 Zeb Forsfjäll (F)

212 Zaccharya Wisdom (F)

Seattle has been consistently one of the better drafting teams since they entered the league, and they continued that streak in Nashville. Eduard Sale is very much a gamble with questions about his compete lvel and lack of production against pros. However, he possesses elite ﬁnishing ability and was dominant against players his own age. He has a very high ceiling that I believe can be developed properly in the OHL, followed by the development team in Seattle. At the end of the day, with such a great prospect pool, you can take a swing for upside at #20 overall and can add a true top-line ﬁnisher for Shane Wright or Matty Beniers. The Kraken continues to favour the CHL and loaded up with more players in Carson Rehkopf, Lukas Dragicevic and Caden Price in the late second round. They had all been viewed as late ﬁrst/early second round talents. Oscar Fisker Mølgaard has the potential to bring some real energy to the bottom six and PK and become a really good role player for the team. I had him ranked at #30th betting on his high motor and relentless pressure with some ﬁnishing ability.

#5 Carolina Hurricanes (A-)

30 Bradly Nadeau (F)

62 Felix Unger Sörum (F)

94 Jayden Perron (F)

100 Alexander Rykov (F)

126 Stanislav Yarovoy (F)

139 Charles-Alexis Legault (D)

158 Ruslan Khazheyev (G)

163 Timur Mukhanov (F)

190 Michael Emerson (F)

222 Yegor Velmakin (G)

Bradley Nadeau was the highest player selected from the BCHL after having a monster year. He was ranked #27 by McKeens, which makes for a good pick late in the ﬁrst. Where Carolina impressed us was how well they drafted in the later rounds picking up some of the biggest steals of the draft in Jayden Perron who we ranked 34th and Timur Mukhanov ranked 98th. As they typically do, Carolina drafted great to add to the loaded prospect pool.

#6 Buffalo Sabres (A-)

13 Zach Benson (F)

39 Anton Wahlberg (F)

45 Maxim Strbak (D)

86 Gavin McCarthy (D)

109 Ethan Miedema (F)

141 Scott Ratzlaff (G)

173 Sean Keohane (D)

205 Norwin Panocha (D)

Draft after draft Buffalo ﬁnds themselves selecting some great players but I think Zach Benson could be the final elite piece they need to take them back to the playoffs and end the long drought. Benson is the smartest player in the draft after Connor Bedard. They followed up with good picks in Anton Wahlberg and Maxim Strbak. I really like the value of Ethan Miedema and Scott Ratzlaff in rounds 4 and 5.

#7 St. Louis Blues (B+)

10 Dalibor Dvorský (F)

25 Otto Stenberg (F)

29 Theo Lindstein (D)

74 Quinton Burns (D)

76 Juraj Pekarcik (F)

106 Jakub Stancl (F)

138 Paul Fischer (D)

170 Matthew Mayich (D)

202 Nikita Susuyev (F)

Dalibor Dvorský and Otto Stenberg could be an amazing one-two punch down the middle in the near future as the Blues shift towards the future and away from the team that won them the 2019 Stanley Cup. I think Dvorsky and Stenberg both have been underrated as they tend to be looked at as “safe picks” - a term that I sometimes hate because it shouldn’t discount the true skill these players have. Because they are viewed as having lower ceilings than some other top names in the class they fell at the draft, and St. Louis took full advantage and selected the best player available. The rest of the Blues draft was very average, not making any poor selections but also not taking any swings on some big names with upside.

#8 Washington Capitals (B+)

8 Ryan Leonard (F)

40 Andrew Cristall (F)

104 Patrick Thomas (F)

136 Cameron Allen (D)

200 Brett Hyland (F)

206 Antoine Keller (G)

The Capitals may not have had the luck they had hoped for in having Michkov fall to them, but they were very quick to the podium to select the NTDP gritty winger in Ryan Leonard. He brings a hard game and that’s no slight on the raw skill this kid has. After this year’s playoffs, NHL teams are looking to mold their roster after the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights and Leonard ﬁts that profile. Many, including myself, expected Andrew Cristall to fall on draft day but to 40th overall was quite surprising and Washington took full advantage, taking some risk on a junior perimeter player. Going into the draft year we expected Cameron Allen to be the ﬁrst OHL player off the board, but after a brutal season his stock plummeted. It’s hard to believe this talented young player entirely forgot how to play hockey and I think the Caps were willing to take this bet at 136.

#9 Colorado Avalanche (B)

27 Calum Ritchie (F)

31 Mikhail Gulyayev (D)

155 Nikita Ishimnikov (D)

187 Jeremy Hanzel (D)

219 Maros Jedlicka (F)

The Avalanche wouldn’t have expected to select Calum Ritchie and Mikhail Gulyayev with these very late ﬁrst rounders who we ranked 19th and 24th. This is great value at these picks. I ﬁnd it very interesting that they went with a very smart player who has a low ceiling and a high ﬂoor in Ritchie but then took a bit of a gamble on Gulyayev who is the polar opposite with a high ceiling and low ﬂoor. Not having many picks, and not many high ones, they can consider it a win if Colorado can get a couple NHLers from such minimal selections.

#10 Los Angeles Kings (B)

54 Jakub Dvorak (D)

78 Koehn Ziemmer (F)

118 Hampton Slukynsky (G)

150 Matthew Mania (D)

182 Ryan Conmy (F)

Jakub Dvorak has been such an underrated player all season long because he hasn’t been playing due to injury and is not flashy and doesn’t have much of a highlight reel but he might be the best defensive defenseman to come from this draft class. Big frame players like Dvorak are rare and hard to ﬁnd and are typically viewed as underrated even in the NHL because they are never noticeable with the puck. Dvorak shut down all the top players in the U.S. NTDP top line, Dvorsky, Michkov and even Connor Bedard at international competitions. He makes life so hard for attackers and will be a nightmare for goal scorers in the NHL and people will wonder how he was selected so late. The Kings followed this up with good picks in Koehn Ziemmer and Matthew Mania.

#11 Florida Panthers (B)

63 Gracyn Sawchyn (F)

127 Albert Wikman (D)

159 Olof Glifford (G)

191 Luke Coughlin (D)

198 Stepan Zvyagin (F)

Florida was another team that capitalized on an underrated player who slid on draft day in Gracyn Sawchyn. He played on a star-studded Seattle Thunderbirds team and didn’t get the opportunity to play top minutes but that didn’t stop him from putting up over a point per game. He will continue to grow under a great development program as he gains more ice time and expect him to put up monster numbers in the WHL for the next two seasons.

#12 Dallas Stars (C+)

61 Tristan Bertucci (D)

79 Brad Gardiner (F)

125 Aram Minnetian (D)

157 Arno Tiefensee (G)

189 Angus MacDonell (F)

221 Sebastian Bradshaw (F)

Dallas had very minimal draft capital and made the absolute most of it to no one's surprise as they usually do. Amazing value in Tristan Bertucci and Aram Minnetian.

#13 Vegas Golden Knights (B-)

32 David Edstrom (F)

77 Mathieu Cataford (F)

96 Arttu Kärki (D)

192 Tuomas Uronen (F)

Vegas selecting David Edstrom almost felt destined to happen as the last pick of the first round as we expected him to be selected in the ﬁrst round. Great pick for the Stanley Cup winners. Arttu Karki was also my favorite Finnish defense this year and I think 96 is excellent value for a player of his skill.

#14 San Jose Sharks (B-)

4 Will Smith (F)

26 Quentin Musty (F)

36 Kasper Halttunen (F)

71 Brandon Svoboda (F)

123 Luca Cagnoni (D)

130 Axel Landén (D)

132 Eric Pohlkamp (D)

196 David Klee (F)

203 Yegor Rimashevsky (F)

The Sharks drafted the highly skilled forward Will Smith very high, and I know he has gained some real hype over the past few months to get into the top 5 but personally having him just outside the top 10 makes it very hard to justify so much talent and other options at pick 4. This is a take that really could come back to bite me but I just don't love what Smith and Musty bring to the table outside of the high offensive skill that they clearly both have. In terms of value picks I think Halttunen is the Sharks best pick. If he played in London last season, he would have been called on day one of the draft and still has the opportunity to come over next season and be one of the best players in the league right away. The Sharks drafted very well but 13 other teams just did better.

#15 Calgary Flames (B-)

16 Samuel Honzek (F)

48 Étienne Morin (D)

80 Aydar Suniev (F)

112 Jaden Lipinski (F)

176 Yegor Yegorov (G)

208 Axel Hurtig (D)

The Flames had a solid draft and got a player we can expect the be a safe NHLer in Samuel Honzek that was expected in this range. I think Etienne Mornin could be the steal for them. This is a player that is extremely intelligent, and I personally have a lot of faith will continue to have success in his own development each season and could be viewed as a late ﬁrst rounder in the near future. Aydar Suniev at 80th overall is also great value.

#16 Montréal Canadiens (B-)

5 David Reinbacher (D)

69 Jacob Fowler (G)

101 Florian Xhekaj (F)

110 Bogdan Konyushkov (D)

128 Quentin Miller (G)

133 Sam Harris (F)

144 Yevgeni Volokhin (G)

165 Filip Eriksson (F)

197 Luke Mittelstadt (D)

Montréal might be the most talked about team post draft for all the wrong reasons so being dead in the middle at 16 may come as a surprise to most. The dislike for me comes from picks 101-197 where they took seven guys they could have gotten in rounds 6 or 7, and unfortunately some of those picks were in rounds 4 and 5. Jacob Fowler is a good goalie that could be huge for them, with the organization having such little depth in that department. Now Reinbacher who is the talk of Twitter and unfortunately for terrible reasons. The only argument I can understand against him is that Michkov should have been the pick, but there were many question marks surrounding the Russian and his intentions, leaving the Habs in a situation with lots of uncertainty at pick #5. So, they understandably took a player with a lot of certainty in elite defenseman David Reinbacher. He has been the only player under 18 shutting down grown professional athletes and ex-NHLers for two years. If that's not impressive enough he didn't just defend, he also produced higher than anyone in their DY-2 and DY-1 ever.

David has a good head on his shoulders and will develop all the necessary skills to round out his game to become a high-end defenseman who will eat lots of minutes and make a huge impact. He may not put up great offensive numbers or make highlight reel plays. That's ok, he plays defense for a reason. Leave that for the loads of talented players you already have and let Reinbacher make the other team's life a living hell and win hockey games, because that's what it's all about.

#17 Arizona Coyotes (B-)

6 Dmitri Simashev (D)

12 Daniil But (F)

38 Michael Hrabal (G)

70 Jonathan Castagna (F)

72 Noel Nordh (F)

81 Tanner Ludtke (F)

88 Vadim Moroz (F)

102 Terrell Goldsmith (D)

134 Melker Thelin (G)

160 Justin Kipkie (D)

162 Samu Bau (F)

166 Carsen Musser (G)

Arizona may have not drafted our best player available in their slots, but they took an interesting strategy to this year's draft that might have been the best option based on the current state of the team. Dmitri Simashev was our number one ranked defenseman in the class while Danill But has displayed shades of Evgeni Malkin at times. Both played on the same team this past season. This put Arizona in a safer situation to swing on upside and internally develop them together and could very well be a big payoff. Hrabal is the pick that gives some extra value as my personal favorite goaltender in the class. Drafting all players over 6'0" is another interesting strategy that is hard to disagree with. Middle of the pack supports my mixed feelings on the drafting of the Coyotes.

#18 Winnipeg Jets (C)

18 Colby Barlow (F)

82 Zachary Nehring (F)

146 Jacob Julien (F)

151 Thomas Milic (G)

210 Connor Levis (F)

Winnipeg is facing a lot of potential turnover on their roster this season. Colby Barlow makes an excellent pick for the Jets, bringing in a character Canadian guy, on and off the ice, as a key piece to build upon. You can expect Barlow to score lots of goals in the near future. The rest of the picks are very average, so they receive an average grade.

#19 New York Rangers (C)

23 Gabe Perreault (F)

90 Drew Fortescue (D)

152 Rasmus Larsson (D)

178 Dylan Roobroeck (F)

183 Ty Henricks (F)

Gabe Perreault was good value at 23rd as I thought his production this season would lead to him going much higher than he should have and I think this was a good range for him. A smart player who can be a great complement to some high-end skill just like he did with the NTDP. The rest of the picks were not very average.

#20 Detroit Red Wings (C)

9 Nate Danielson (F)

17 Axel Sandin Pellikka (D)

41 Trey Augustine (G)

42 Andrew Gibson (D)

47 Brady Cleveland (D)

73 Noah Dower Nilsson (F)

117 Larry Keenan (D)

137 Jack Phelan (D)

147 Kevin Bicker (F)

169 Rudy Guimond (G)

201 Emmitt Finnie (F)

Detroit's draft was very interesting to me because I find it hard to criticize Steve Yzerman’s picks which have been excellent in the past with some home runs to show for it. Nate Danielson and Axel-Sandin Pellika are great players who will be NHLers and good ones. They just didn't strike me as the types of players Detroit has recently drafted with some hard nose battlers that are going to be warriors. I think it might take a while for either to become impact playoff players relative to some of the skill still left on the board, such as Oliver Moore at pick #9 and still available at #17. They pass with a C as most other picks were good, but just that they were good and not great, where teams ahead of them made some great picks.

#21 Edmonton Oilers (C)

56 Beau Akey (D)

184 Nathaniel Day (G)

216 Matt Copponi (F)

Beau Akey is a good pick that has a good path in front of him to reﬁne his offensive talents and become a threat from the point for the Colts over the next couple of seasons and get a real chance to make the Oilers. Hard to judge a team with such little options at the draft.

Leo Carlsson of Sweden at a practice session during the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship on May 25, 2023 in Riga.
Photo: Joel Marklund / BILDBYRÅN /

#22 Anaheim Ducks (C-)

2 Leo Carlsson (F)

33 Nico Myatovic (F)

59 Carey Terrance (F)

60 Damian Clara (G)

65 Coulson Pitre (F)

85 Yegor Sidorov (F)

97 Konnor Smith (D)

129 Rodwin Dionicio (D)

161 Vojtech Port (D)

I think passing on Fantilli will be something that will haunt Anaheim for a long time and really hurts their grade even though they are getting a great talent in Leo Carlsson. Unfortunately, I have a hard time seeing Carlsson being the 2nd best player that comes from this class and when they are a top team in the league soon this selection might be the difference between a contender and a champion. Other than that, Myatovic, Terrance and Pitre are solid picks.

#23 Vancouver Canucks (D+)

11 Tom Willander (D)

75 Hunter Brzustewicz (C-)

89 Sawyer Mynio (D)

105 Ty Mueller (F)

107 Vilmer Alriksson (F)

119 Matthew Perkins (F)

171 Aiden Celebrini (D)

Willander was ranked 23rd by us at McKeens and is a great defenseman who happens to be in a star studded offensive heavy draft. I think the Canuks were guilty of drafting for need rather than best player available and that affected the grade. Other than that, there isn’t too much to like in the class other than Hunter Brzustewicz at 75 was a great selection.

#24 Nashville Predators (C-)

15 Matthew Wood (F)

24 Tanner Molendyk (D)

43 Felix Nilsson (F)

46 Kalan Lind (F)

68 Jesse Kiiskinen (F)

83 Dylan MacKinnon (D)

111 Joseph Willis (F)

121 Juha Jatkola (G)

143 Sutter Muzzatti (F)

175 Austin Roest

218 Aiden Fink

Nashville was the host of this year’s draft and advised by new GM Barry Trotz in an interview to take some swings on high upside to add some high-end skill to the prospect pool. Well, they just didn’t do any of that and delivered a mediocre draft outside of top prospect Matthew Wood. What makes their draft so disappointing is that after 10 consecutive picks, the next best value pick was David Poiles last pick in Aiden Fink in the 7th round. Expectations were high and far from reached.

#25 Tampa Bay Lightning (D)

37 Ethan Gauthier (F)

115 Jayson Shaugabay (F)

179 Warren Clark (D)

193 Jack Harvey (F)

211 Ethan Hay (F)

Tampa will ﬁnd a way to develop these players, especially Ethan Gauthier, because that’s what they do best within their system. I just believe they could have done it with the better options available and left talent on the table with every pick.

#26 New Jersey Devils (D+)

58 Lenni Hämeenaho (F)

122 Cam Squires (F)

154 Chase Cheslock (D)

164 Cole Brown (F)

186 Daniil Karpovich (D)

New Jersey was very inactive and didn’t take many swings this year and they are in a situation where they didn’t need to. Lenni Hameenaho was ranked 84 for us at McKeens and was a bit of a reach.

#27 Ottawa Senators (D)

108 Hoyt Stanley (D)

140 Matthew Andonovski (D)

204 Owen Beckner (F)

207 Vladimir Nikitin (G)

215 Nicholas VanTassell (F)

Ottawa did not have many picks and none very high. Hoyt Stanley is the only pick which has had some hype going into the draft and been noticeable this season. I wouldn’t expect anyone from the class to make the roster.

#28 Pittsburgh Penguins (D-)

14 Brayden Yager (F)

91 Emil Pieniniemi (D)

142 Mikhail Ye. Ilyin (F)

174 Cooper Foster (F)

217 Emil Järventie (F)

223 Kalle Kangas (D)

Another situation where good players were selected but when I look at this class, and Emil Jarventie is the best value pick in the 7th round, that is an issue for me. Yes, Brayden Yager is an excellent player with a deadly shot and a good head on his shoulders. It’s hard to give high grades when top 5-10 talents were still available where he was picked. This strikes me as more of a situation where the Penguins scouting staff were left to make the pick, more so than Dubas, and they went with the guy they targetted going into the draft rather than the best player available.

#29 Toronto Maple Leafs (D-)

28 Easton Cowan (F)

153 Hudson Malinoski (F)

185 Noah Chadwick (D)

The Easton Cowan pick is very difficult to grade because it really could go both ways. I understand the pick because you’re getting, debatably, the hardest working player in the class whose development is skyrocketing at a high pace under the teachings of the Hunters in London. You can expect this growth to continue over the next couple seasons. It woudl appear the Leafs aren’t selecting the 28th best player currently and are banking on Cowan being a ﬁrst round talent in 3-5 years, an approach I agree with. The issue I have with this pick is I really think you could have selected him later, and possibly much later. The 2nd round Is still a reach but at least you’re not leaving talent on the table in this deep draft and getting the maximum value out of each pick. I just think this was some poor asset management and the Leafs just focused on getting their guy. Time will be the true indicator.

#30 New York Islanders (D)

49 Danny Nelson (F)

113 Jesse Nurmi (F)

145 Justin Gill (F)

177 Zach Schulz (D)

209 Dennis Good Bogg (D)

Islanders drafted some good leadership in a pair of Captains in Danny Nelson and Zach Shulz. When that is the best thing to be said about the selections that is an issue.

#31 Boston Bruins (F+)

92 Christopher Pelosi (F)

124 Beckett Hendrickson (F)

188 Ryan Walsh (F)

214 Casper Nässén (F)

220 Kristian Kostadinski (D)

Beckett Hendrickson is the only reason they aren’t ranked 32nd.

#32 Minnesota Wild (F)

21 Charlie Stramel (F)

53 Rasmus Kumpulainen (F)

64 Riley Heidt (F)

149 Aaron Pionk (D)

181 Kalem Parker (D)

213 Jimmy Clark (F)

The Wild are the only team that gets an F grade. It’s not because I don't like the players in Charlie Stramel and Rasmus Kumpulainen because they are prospects I had on my personal board, but it’s very hard to justify these picks with the options still available on the board at the time of the picks. These are just too far off the board to not trade back and still get the player you want. We at McKeens ranked both these players as 3rd round talents.

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL DRAFT GUIDE – Two Round Mock Draft

Brock Otten — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 22:05:22 +0000

First Round

1 - Chicago Blackhawks - Connor Bedard (Regina, WHL)

Regardless of whether you believe that the Hawks deserved to win the first overall selection…it did happen. And the timing for the Chicago organization couldn’t have been better as they transition from the Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews era to the Connor Bedard era. This is a game changer that should accelerate the Blackhawk’s rebuild.

2 - Anaheim Ducks - Adam Fantilli (Michigan, NCAA)

Talk about power down the middle. By selecting the University of Michigan star, the Ducks can now boast a one/two punch at center of Mason McTavish and Adam Fantilli. That likely pushes Trevor Zegras to the wing long term, which might not be a terrible thing considering his struggles at the faceoff circle and defensively. Fantilli is one of the most polished two-way forwards in the league and his speed and strength should allow him to jump into the NHL immediately.

3 - Columbus Blue Jackets - Leo Carlsson (Orebro, SHL)

This is where things get really interesting. Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen doesn’t draft a ton out of Sweden (Finnish bias?...lol), however I believe that this would be the best pick for the organization. Carlsson is the most ready to make an immediate impact in the NHL and he would give the Jackets a potential two-way rock to build their forward group around. This is a team who wants to compete soon and turn their fortunes around.

4 - San Jose Sharks - Will Smith (USNTDP)

For the life of me, I just can’t see Mike Grier going with Michkov here. Smith would give San Jose a highly skilled playmaker to continue to build around. He could help to elevate the play of some of the team’s complementary players. He may take a few years in College with BC, but the end product should be a high-end offensive player. Question…would it be shocking to see the Sharks reach for a defender like David Reinbacher here?

5 - Montreal Canadiens - Ryan Leonard (USNTDP)

It really seems like the Canadiens would pass on Michkov should he be available to them. It could be smoke and mirrors, but all signs do point to that fact. So, who do they select? Lots of hype around Reinbacher. I think they’re happy with their defensive depth right now. IMO. I truly believe that Ryan Leonard could be their target. Here’s a forward who can make an impact in a lot of different ways and who plays the power game that Montreal really seems to want to play in the future. Obviously Dalibor Dvorsky could be an option here too.

6- Arizona Coyotes - Matvei Michkov (HK Sochi, KHL)

I just can’t see Michkov falling that far. Yes, there is inherent risk. But the reward is so great. Arizona wants to become relevant again, but they also want to have sustainability. They haven’t shied away from drafting Russians in recent years, and this is a big fish. The timing of his arrival in the NHL should be perfect for Arizona’s inevitable resurgence.

7- Philadelphia Flyers - David Reinbacher (Kloten, NL)

A big, right shot defender, it seems like a sure thing that he’ll be drafted in the top ten, even if he’s our third ranked defender. The Flyers seem like a really good fit for him. Reinbacher is a potential two-way force from the right side who could develop into an all-situations player for Philadelphia and would complement other young defenders like Cam York and Emil Andrae exceptionally well.

8 - Washington Capitals - Oliver Moore (USNTDP)

Would it be shocking to see Moore drafted ahead of Ryan Leonard? I don’t think so. NHL teams put such a premium on true centers and Moore is just that. Watching the Capitals in recent years, it’s obvious that they need to focus on upgrading the speed quotient of this team again and Moore is the best skating player available this year. The range of outcomes for him runs the gamut of Dylan Larkin to Andrew Cogliano, but Moore should play and would fit in well with this roster, perhaps better than some of the power wingers slated to go here. Nate Danielson could be an option here too, especially given Washington’s Western bias.

9 - Detroit Red Wings - Dalibor Dvorsky (AIK, Allsvenskan)

I think one thing Detroit proved at last year’s draft was that they wanted to focus on getting back to being difficult to play against in the future. There is a desire for the full rebuild to be over and it’s now time to focus on getting players who can be strong playoff performers. Dvorsky is raw, but as we have seen internationally, he is a big game player who can potentially grow into an all-situations type.

10 - St. Louis Blues - Axel Sandin Pellikka (Skelleftea, SWEJ20)

One of the top offensive defenders available this year, Sandin Pellikka proved at this year’s U18’s that he can defend too. The progression in his game over the course of the year should have teams lining up to select him given the weakness of the defense crop. St. Louis needs to inject new life into their blueline, specifically in the puck moving department.

11 - Vancouver Canucks - Nate Danielson (Brandon, WHL)

Lots to like here for the Canucks. Danielson is a strong candidate to be an all situations top six center for them in the future. And let’s face it, the center depth in the organization isn’t amazing right now. There is a need for a player like Danielson. He’s really the last player in this grouping of ranked players who is likely to stick down the center, so I’d expect all these guys to go high.

12 - Arizona Coyotes (via Ottawa) - Matthew Wood (UConn, NCAA)

Skating concerns be darned, someone is going to bite on Matthew Wood early in the first round. He’s just been too good the last few years. As we’ve seen with Jason Robertson, skating development can occur as conditioning improves. Wood has so many other good qualities and he would be the perfect complementary player for them in the future.

13 - Buffalo Sabres - Dmitri Simashev (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL)

Our top ranked defender, can you imagine a future where the Sabres have both Owen Power and Dmitri Simashev? The massive defender skates well and should at least develop into a high end stay at home type. The Sabres haven’t been scared off by taking Russian players too. This seems like a great fit.

14 - Pittsburgh Penguins - Daniil But (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, KHL)

One of the things Pittsburgh needs to do at the draft this year is focus on selecting players with upside. For far too long, the focus was on safer prospects and the combination of that, plus a lack of first round selections, has left the system in disarray. Insert Daniil But, a big winger who could end up being an Evgeni Malkin kind of player thanks to his combination of power and skill. The Penguins have had some success drafting out of Russia, so I don’t see it scaring them off.

15 - Nashville Predators - Tom Willander (Rögle, SWE J20)

One of the draft's biggest risers, Willander was so good in the second half, and it has caused many (including us) to shift their opinion of his potential. He now looks like a lock to be a top four, right shot defender. I see Nashville looking at adding a potential defender at this spot and perhaps they go more offensively oriented with Gulyayev or Dragicevic, but the well-rounded profile seems to fit them more.

16 - Calgary Flames - Zach Benson (Winnipeg, WHL)

The fall for Benson ends here with Calgary selecting him. We love Benson, but there’s definitely some concern that NHL scouts are concerned with the fact that he’s undersized and not a dynamic athlete. However, his playmaking ability would really help the Flames moving forward and I think they need to gamble on his upside. I could also see Calgary opting for an offensively oriented defender here too.

17 - Detroit Red Wings (via New York Islanders) - Mikhail Gulyayev (Avangard Omsk, KHL)

One of the top skating defenders available this year, Gulyayev would be a great fit in the Detroit system. The Red Wings have a lot of solid young defenders in their system, but none have the skating ability, shot, and powerplay quarterbacking potential that Gulyayev possesses. Getting him and Ryan Leonard in the first round would be terrific for an organization trying to take that next step and sustain it.

18 - Winnipeg Jets - Colby Barlow (Owen Sound, OHL)

Obviously, there are a lot of different routes that the Jets could take here, but Barlow makes a lot of sense. The high-end goal scorer is also very versatile and plays a powerful North/South game. Maybe there are some similarities between him and Rutger McGroarty, but this Jets team wants to have multiple players of that ilk on their roster.

19 - Chicago Blackhawks (via Tampa Bay) - Gabe Perreault (USNTDP)

Where Perreault goes on draft day will be really interesting. His athletic tools aren’t terrific, but you can’t argue with the success he had this year. He’s just such an intelligent and creative player. With your new team identity forming around Connor Bedard, Perreault seems like an amazing fit to play with him in the future. Plus, Perreault is a bit of a local kid, having grown up as part of the Chicago Mission program.

20 - Seattle Kraken - Samuel Honzek (Vancouver, WHL)

The Kraken wouldn’t have had to travel far to get a good look at Honzek this year. After using their top picks on centers in their first two drafts, they opt for a big, skilled winger to play with them in 2023. Honzek’s upside is excellent, and he is actually someone who could go much higher than this.

21 - Minnesota Wild - David Edstrom (Frölunda, SWE J20)

Doesn’t this just scream a Minnesota Wild selection. Edstrom was a late season riser thanks to the progression he showed over the year from an offensive perspective. He has both a solid floor and a high ceiling and given the draft’s lack of true centers, I expect him to go pretty high on draft day.

22 - Philadelphia (via Columbus, via Los Angeles) - Eduard Sale (HC Kometa Brno, Czechia)

Philly is up for the second pick of the first round, acquired in the Provorov trade. After adding a defenseman to replace him with the seventh pick, they opt for the best forward available on the board. That is a quality playmaking winger with size in Eduard Sale, currently ranked #17 by McKeen's. Sale could definitely go higher than this too, so the value is terrific.

23 - New York Rangers - Cal Ritchie (Oshawa, OHL)

Cal Ritchie grew up playing for the Oakville Rangers, so this just seems like a great story. Tons of pictures of him wearing Rangers gear at a young age! But this would be a great pick for New York for a lot of reasons. Ritchie is one of the most intelligent forwards available this year and while his OHL season wasn’t outstanding, his international performances were.

24 - Nashville Predators (via Edmonton) - Brayden Yager (Moose Jaw, WHL)

Maybe Yager goes higher than this. We’re certainly lower on him than the consensus in the scouting community. However, he seems like the kind of player that Nashville would love to add into their system; the kind of player they’ve been drafting for the last decade or so, helping them to remain consistently strong.

25 - St. Louis Blues (via Toronto) - Quentin Musty (Sudbury, OHL)

We’ve got Musty outside of the first round because of concerns over his feet and wavering compete levels, but given his size and skill package, it seems unlikely that he falls out of the first. St. Louis would be a good place for Quentin, and I could see them being quite interested in him. There’s a need to inject new skill and life into the wing group in St. Louis and Musty has one of the higher offensive ceilings in the draft.

26 - San Jose Sharks (via New Jersey) - Bradly Nadeau (Penticton, BCHL)

The Sharks have focused on drafting some pretty good playmakers in recent years and they took Will Smith fourth overall earlier in this mock. So why not take a chance on a high-end finisher like Brad Nadeau. Nadeau also brings a strong compete level and is someone with a good upside, so long as you believe that the BCHL competition was good enough to truly challenge him this year.

27 - Colorado Avalanche - Ethan Gauthier (Sherbrooke, QMJHL)

A solid complementary goal scorer, Gauthier has a good motor too. There is a need for him to get quicker and consistency was an issue at times this year. However, the Avs are going to want a player who can jump into their lineup in a few years and help them win and Gauthier has a lot of strong pro level attributes already. He scores from between the dots and Colorado missed that a bit this year with so many injuries to those types of players.

28 - Toronto Maple Leafs (via Boston) - Gavin Brindley (Michigan, NCAA)

Kyle Dubas is no longer at the helm, but for now it looks like the scouting staff will remain the same under Brad Treliving. Brindley is the type of player that the Leafs organization has been targeting lately at the draft. His compete level and skating are at the top of this draft class and his offensive upside might be a tad underrated. This is someone who is going to play through the middle six for years to come.

29 - St. Louis Blues (via Dallas) - Oliver Bonk (London, OHL)

The Blues have the luxury of three first round picks this year and that gives them a ton of flexibility. So far in our mock they’ve taken Sandin Pellikka and Musty, so grabbing a safer defender like Bonk could make a lot of sense. A highly intelligent two-way player, Bonk has the bloodlines and the work ethic to help him improve.

30 - Carolina Hurricanes - Anton Wahlberg (Malmö, SHL)

The Hurricanes always seem to align their draft ideals with the amateur scouting community, often selecting independent scout darlings in recent years. Insert Anton Wahlberg. Much like Swedish teammate David Edstrom, he improved massively over the course of the year, learning to use his size and quickness to be a very effective player inside the offensive zone. The athletic tools are going to be very intriguing to Carolina.

31 - Montreal Canadiens (via Florida) - Riley Heidt (Prince George, WHL)

Coming into the year, this pick would have been seen as a steal, but this is sort of where Heidt is projected to go now. I could see Montreal being very interested in Heidt as he possesses similar qualities to other forwards they have drafted recently. How his game ultimately comes together at the pro level remains a mystery, but he has a lot of interesting tools.

32 - Vegas Golden Knights - Tanner Molendyk (Saskatoon, WHL)

Molendyk is not only one of the smarter defenders available this year, but he’s also one of the better skaters. That combination will be very intriguing to a team like Vegas. He’s way more athletic than the defenders they have been selecting the last five or so years and would give the organization a bit of a different look on the back end.

Second Round

33 - Anaheim Ducks - Michael Hrabal (Omaha, USHL)

If we don’t have a goalie taken in the first round, I would suspect that we see a huge run on them early in the second. The Ducks haven’t drafted a goalie since Lukas Dostal. He’s turned into a great prospect, but there’s a need to look further down the road. Hrabal is raw, but he might have the best upside of the goalies available.

34 - Columbus Blue Jackets - Carson Bjarnason (Brandon, WHL)

The goalie run continues with the Jackets taking Carson Bjarnason. He has number one upside as he continues to learn to harness his athleticism and he helps fill an organizational need in the future.

35 - Chicago Blackhawks - Lukas Dragicevic (Tri-City, WHL)

It could be surprising if Dragicevic drops out of the first round considering the talent he brings from the back end, but there are definitely concerns over how good he can become defensively. The Hawks are swinging for true upside here and hope that he can be a strong powerplay quarterback for them in the future.

36 - San Jose Sharks - Carson Rehkopf (Kitchener, OHL)

One thing that the Sharks really seem to be focusing on as a scouting team is drafting athletes. They’re looking for guys who can play fast, who bring size, and who have a large runway to improve. Rehkopf had a very inconsistent year, but the talent is there. With all the graduations in Kitchener this year, it’ll be his team to run moving forward.

37 - Montreal Canadiens - Trey Augustine (USNTDP)

We know how commonly the Canadiens have gone to the U.S. Development program in recent years and Augustine was the rock for that team in net, helping them capture gold at the U18’s. It seems likely that Montreal will look to draft a goalie fairly high this year because Primeau hasn’t really developed according to plan, and they let Dichow’s rights expire.

38 - Arizona Coyotes - Otto Stenberg (Frölunda, SHL)

I really like Stenberg. I think he’s a lot better than he showed in the SHL and when playing outside of international competition. Part of me doesn’t believe that he falls, but players with his profile have fallen outside of the first many times. This would be a great selection for Arizona, adding speed and skill to their forward group in the future.

39 - Buffalo Sabres (via Philadelphia) - Danny Nelson (USNTDP)

One of the most improved players in this draft class from start to finish this year, Nelson is an intriguing athlete. There’s a chance that he might not be more than an Adam Lowry type. But it will be interesting to see how his offensive game develops outside of the shadow of Smith and Moore. The Sabres system is stacked, but this type of center is something that they could focus in on.

40 - Washington Capitals - Adam Gajan (Chippewa, NAHL)

I fully expect someone to jump on Gajan pretty early. He was so good at the U20’s this year and he has the athletic tools needed to reach a high ceiling as an NHL starting netminder. The Capitals haven’t focused a ton of attention on goaltenders at the draft in recent years, but there is a need to add one into the system. Additionally, they have been an organization that does not shy away from drafting re-entry players.

41 - Detroit Red Wings - Kasper Halttunen (HIFK, Liiga)

The first of three consecutive selections for the Wings, look for variance in these selections. In Halttunen, the Wings get a high upside goal scoring winger who struggled playing against men this year, but who dominated his own age group. He could easily go higher than this.

42 - Detroit Red Wings - Maxim Strbak (Sioux Falls, USHL)

Strbak would be a great selection for the Wings in this area as a potential top four, defensively oriented defender. He is a fierce competitor, and his offensive skill set might be a tad underrated. If the feet can improve more at Michigan State, he could be quite the player.

43 - Detroit Red Wings - Charlie Stramel (Wisconsin, NCAA)

There is a significant chance that Stramel will go in the first round even after a poor year at Wisconsin. NHL teams love his profile; that big power center with middle six upside. For the Wings, I believe that this would be a no- brainer if he is still available. Stramel is a little more athletic than Rasmussen and has better physical tools than Veleno.

44 - Chicago Blackhawks (via Ottawa) - Nick Lardis (Hamilton, OHL)

One thing that the Hawks really focused on last year at the draft was adding speed and strong skaters to their prospect group. I’m sure that this was extremely intentional and there aren’t many better skaters than Nick Lardis available this year. His second half explosion has vaulted him up into this kind of territory thanks to his combination of speed and goal scoring ability.

45 - Buffalo Sabres - Andrew Cristall (Kelowna, WHL)

Quite the fall for Cristall, but there is real concern inside the NHL scouting community around his size and skating combination. He is so reliant on using his edges and lacks the linear quickness to gain separation against better skating defenders. But the upside is so significant because of his creativity, skill, and IQ. Well worth the risk in this area of the draft, especially for an organization with a deep talent pool.

46 - Nashville Predators (via Pittsburgh) - Nico Myatovic (Seattle, WHL)

This is the kind of player that the Predators have won with previously, that hardnosed, physical, strong two-way forward out of the CHL. Myatovic improved a lot in the second half with the Thunderbirds and he is the type of player that I believe NHL scouts are going to like a lot more than independent, amateur ones.

47 - Nashville Predators - Arttu Karki (Tappara U20, U20 SM-sarja)

After taking Willander in the first, the Predators take Karki, a strong puck moving defender who was excellent in Finland this past season. Lots to like about his skating ability and offensive upside. He’s almost like a more athletic version of Kulonummi, who they took last year.

48 - Calgary Flames - Beau Akey (Barrie, OHL)

After taking Zach Benson in the first round, the Flames opt for an athletic blueliner from the OHL in the second, taking Akey. He is one of the better skating defenders in the draft and is still learning how to use that mobility to his advantage at both ends. Shades of a young TJ Brodie here, waiting to be unlocked and that worked out well for the Flames in 2008.

49 - New York Islanders - Jayden Perron (Chicago, USHL)

This is the fourth straight year that the Islanders don’t have a first-round selection and their talent pool is hurting because of it. So, the focus needs to be on selecting a player with significant upside. The highest upside player remaining is probably Perron, an undersized, but skilled forward with the Chicago Steel. He excels playing with pace and would immediately become one of the better prospects in their system.

50 - Seattle Kraken (via Winnipeg) - Andrew Gibson (Sault Ste. Marie, OHL)

One of the better defensive defenders available in the draft this year, Gibson would give the Kraken a type of player that they haven’t really drafted yet in their two years of existence; a staunch, physical defender with reach. He had a really good U18’s for Canada and we know how much Seattle loves drafting from the OHL.

51 - Chicago Blackhawks (via Tampa Bay) - William Whitelaw (Youngstown, USHL)

This just seems like the type of player that Chicago scouts would really love. Again, we have the speed component. But we also have a competitive player who can score goals. There are concerns over his size and IQ, but he had a great playoff for Youngstown in helping them capture a Clark Cup.

52 - Seattle Kraken - Jacob Fowler (Youngstown, USHL)

Personally, I believe Fowler is the top goaltender in this class. But I think that because his physical/athletic tools aren’t quite as strong as the likes of Hrabal and Bjarnason, he probably ends up more in this range. His performance in the Clark Cup playoffs was a masterpiece. Yes, Seattle did draft Niklas Kokko early last year, but when you’re trying to build out a strong prospect group, you need good goaltending depth.

53 - Minnesota Wild - Coulson Pitre (Flint, OHL)

Pitre is exactly the kind of player that the Wild could use in their system; a competitive power winger who can play in all situations. Pitre is one of the most physical forwards available this year and he is that rare kind of power forward who also has good vision with the puck. He’s the perfect complementary piece.

54 - Los Angeles Kings - Oscar Fisker Mølgaard (HV71, SHL)

The second straight draft that the Kings don’t have a first-round selection and they have to be very happy to see Oscar Fisker Mølgaard still available here. The Kings love players like him. He’s a competitive two-way forward with versatility who can probably move through their system pretty quickly.

55 - Chicago Blackhawks (via New York Rangers) - Tristan Bertucci (Flint, OHL)

At this point, the Blackhawks have about half the picks in the first two rounds it seems like. Here they nab Tristan Bertucci, a player who improved substantially in the second half at both ends. He has intriguing physical and athletic tools and could project as a John Marino kind of player with the right development.

56 - Edmonton Oilers - Koehn Ziemmer (Prince George, WHL)

It seems like Edmonton has been searching for this kind of player at the draft for several seasons now. They took Reid Schaefer last year but then dealt him in the Ekholm deal. Ziemmer is a pure goal scorer, but he also brings a competitive edge. The only thing holding him back is a lack of dynamic skating ability.

57 - Seattle Kraken (via Toronto) - Carey Terrance (Erie, OHL)

Speed is the name of the game for Terrance. But versatile is a word that also fits. He showed at the U18’s with the U.S. team that won gold, that he can play a complementary role different from the play driving role that he fills in Erie. He is already a committed two-way player too. Lots to like here.

58 - New Jersey Devils - Gracyn Sawchyn (Seattle, WHL)

Definitely a bit of a fall for Sawchyn, at least compared to where a lot of independent scouting agencies have him ranked (including us). But there are concerns over his slight frame and lack of dynamic skating. That said, this is a great selection for a New Jersey team that doesn’t have a first this year. Sawchyn has great offensive upside and the Devils haven’t shied away from taking players with skating weaknesses in recent years.

59 - Anaheim Ducks (via Colorado) - Easton Cowan (London, OHL)

Have to think that there were quite a few NHL scouts impressed with Cowan’s playoff performance for London in the OHL playoffs where he transformed into a much more assertive offensive player. He has speed to burn and he’s tenacious to boot. This is a future high character, middle six guy for the Ducks.

60 - Anaheim Ducks (via Boston) - Aram Minnetian (USNTDP)

Pretty rare to see the first U.S. NTDP defender off the draft board this late, but it’s an odd group. Minnetian seems like the most likely to go in the second-round range (or Fortescue). This is a solid upside pick for the Ducks because of how well Minnetian skates. Consistency was an issue for him, especially in the defensive end, but he’ll be given time to grow.

61 - Dallas Stars - Martin Misiak (Youngstown, USHL)

It took some time for Misiak to adjust to the USHL, but as the USHL playoffs rolled around, he was firing on all cylinders along with Will Whitelaw. He was a huge piece of that Phantoms’ Clark Cup winning team. He plays a two-way power game and projects as a solid middle six option for Dallas in the future.

62 - Carolina Hurricanes - Jakub Dvorak (Bili Tygri Liberec, Czechia)

It wasn’t the easiest season for Dvorak, as he battled through injuries. However, he returned in time to play at the U18’s, giving scouts a taste of what he can bring to the table as a future top four, stay at home defender. The Hurricanes love raw, toolsy types like Dvorak and they’ve drafted players out of Czechia the last two drafts.

63 - Florida Panthers - Felix Nilsson (Rögle, SHL)

It was really unfortunate that Nilsson had to miss the U18’s due to a wrist injury. He was shooting up draft lists with his strong second half. Ain intelligent and high energy playmaking center, Nilsson fits the Florida Panthers MO at the draft and would be a great pick for a team without a first-round selection this year.

64 - Minnesota Wild (via Los Angeles) - Drew Fortescue (USNTDP)

No defender on the U.S. U18 team improved as much as Fortescue did this year. His athletic tools are through the roof and at the very least, he looks like he could be a solid #5, safe, stay at home type. But what if his game continues to improve at a rapid rate? The Wild have targeted similar kinds of defenders at the draft in recent years.

2023 NHL Combine: Part Two – Media Availability Interviews

Joely Stockl and Chase Rochon — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 22:45:01 +0000

Joely Stockl and Chase Rochon had the opportunity to represent McKeen’s at the 2023 NHL Combine this past weekend, and interview many players during media availability. Media Availability is the very last step in the NHL Combine for the players, and it is the last opportunity that they have to speak to the media before draft week in Nashville. Interviewing the players is a great opportunity for scouts/media to get a sense of who the players are as people, and how their character ties into their on-ice game. Joely and Chase were able to interview an astounding 30 players at the 2023 NHL Combine, and learn information about the players that you don’t see on the ice, including off-ice habits/hobbies, superstitions, offseason training, current strengths & weaknesses, and more!

2023 NHL Combine Player Interviews:

Colby Barlow, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)

Barlow on what it meant when he was named captain of the Owen Sound Attack this past season:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ColbyBarlow.mp4

Connor Bedard, Regina Pats (WHL)

Bedard on his offseason plans and habits:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ConnorBedard.mp4

Connor Bedard speaks on favourite Canucks player Tyler Motte and what draws him to his hard-working game:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Bedard-1.mp4

Bedard on his superstitions:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Bedard-2.mp4

Zach Benson, Winnipeg Ice (WHL)

Benson on what it means to be a part of such a special draft class coming out of the WHL, and the steps he is going to take over the summer:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ZachBenson.mp4

Zach Benson talks about hockey his ability to scan the ice as one of the smarter players in the draft class:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Benson-1.mp4

Tristan Bertucci, Flint Firebirds (OHL)

Tristan Bertucci talks about his Toronto Marlboro days:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Bertucci-1.mp4

Bertucci on being a better golfer then Colby Barlow and sports he plays outside of hockey:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Bertucci-2.mp4

Oliver Bonk, London Knights (OHL)

Bonk on the “twin” chemistry between Cowan and Barkey, and how being sent down to the GOJHL in the 2021-2022 season helped his development:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/OliverBonk.mp4

Hunter Brzustewicz, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

Brzustewicz telling us what animal he would describe himself as, his experience in Kitchener, and his skillset:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/HunterBrzustewicz.mp4

Leo Carlsson, Orebro HK (SHL)

Leo Carlsson talks about his future and enjoying the moment:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Carlsson-1.mp4

Leo's life away from hockey:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Carlsson-2.mp4

Easton Cowan, London Knights (OHL)

Cowan on his “twin” connection with Denver Barkey and the lessons he learned from a tough loss in the OHL Finals:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/EastonCowan.mp4

Easton Cowan talks about his connection with fellow OHLers, the Hunters and, teammate Sam Dickinson:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Cowan-1.mp4

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https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Cowan-3.mp4

Cowan talking about his old Instagram account where he used to shoot pucks and do puck tricks with his friends:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/EastonCowan-4.mp4

Andrew Cristall, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

Andrew Cristall says Logan Stankoven is the hardest player he has played against. Also says Bedard is better than Kent Johnson at inline hockey:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Cristall-1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Cristall-2.mp4

David Edstrom, Frolunda HC (J18, J20, & SHL)

David Edstrom talks about his lethal shot and how he developed it:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Edstrom-1.mp4

Brad Gardiner, Ottawa 67’s (OHL)

Gardiner on the Ottawa 67’s, his strengths, and next steps over the offseason:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BradGardiner.mp4

Riley Heidt, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

Riley Heidt talks about his draft interviews:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Heidt-1.mp4

Samuel Honzek, Vancouver Giants (WHL)

Vancouver Giants forward Samuel Honzek talking about his experience coming over from Slovakia to play in the WHL, and what it means to represent his country internationally:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/SamuelHonzek.mp4

Nick Lardis, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)

Lardis talking about his experience with the Bulldogs in the second half of the season:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/NickLardis.mp4

Lardis on improvements he wants to make over the offseason:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/NickLardis-2.mp4

Lardis talks superstitions

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/NickLardis-3.mp4

Nick Lardis talks time away from the rink and his golf game:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/NickLardis-4.mp4

Tanner Molendyk, Saskatoon Blades (WHL)

Tanner Molendyk on his hobbies and superstitions:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Molendyk-1.mp4

Oliver Moore, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)

Oliver Moore of the NTDP talks about how he developed his elite skating ability:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Moore-1.mp4

Moore on the top NTDP line of Smith, Perreault and Leonard and how it may have benefited his development:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Moore-2.mp4

Moore talking about his emotions and mindset throughout the comeback at the U18’s in the gold medal game against Sweden:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Moore-3.mp4

Moore going forward:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Moore-4.mp4

Etienne Morin, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

Etienne Morin tells us that he was asked what animal represents him, and his “unique” answer:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Morin-1.mp4

Bradly Nadeau, Penticton Vees (BCHL)

Nadeau on his experience playing alongside his brother Josh Nadeau in Penticton of the BCHL:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BradleyNadeau.mp4

Bradly Nadeau talks about Mitch Marner and Seth Jarvis as who he models his game after:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Nadeau-1.mp4

Jayden Perron, Chicago Steel (USHL)

Jayden Perron speaks about teammate Macklin Celebrini and activities away from the game:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Perron-1.mp4

Perron speaks on superstitions:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Perron-2.mp4

Perron, on what's next:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Perron-3.mp4

Alex Pharand, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

Pharand on his off-ice habits and various superstitions:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/AlexPharand.mp4

Luca Pinelli, Ottawa 67’S (OHL)

Luca Pinelli talking about his strengths and areas for improvement heading into next season:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/LucaPinelli.mp4

Luca Pinelli talks about teammate Henry Mews and his free time away from the game:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Pinelli-1.mp4

Caden Price, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

Caden Price talking about his translatable skills and areas for improvement:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/CadenPrice.mp4

Caden Price talks about his time away from the game:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Price-1.mp4

David Reinbacher, EHC Kloten (NL)

David Reinbacher on being considered the most "NHL ready" defenceman in the draft class, and what his off-season plans are:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Reinbacher-1.mp4

Gracyn Sawchyn, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

Gracyn Sawchyn talks about the challenges of the long playoff run, and playing for the memorial cup:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Sawchyn-1.mp4

Otto Stenberg, Frolunda HC (J20, SHL)

Stenberg talking about the Swedish NHL players that he looks up to:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/OttoStenberg.mp4

Otto Stenberg talks what he needs to do to make it to the next level:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Stenberg-1.mp4

Carey Terrance, Erie Otters (OHL)

Carey Terrance speaks on the Erie Otters and playing with top prospects in Malcom Spence and Matthew Schaefer:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Terrance-1.mp4

Tom Willander, Rogle BK (J20)

Tom Willander on how his standout performance at the U18’s has improved his draft stock:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/TomWillander.mp4

Tom talks about looking forward to playing with top prospects Lane Hutson and Macklin Celebrini:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Willander-1.mp4

Tom Willander talks about his draft interviews:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Willander-2.mp4

Matthew Wood, University of Connecticut (NCAA)

Matthew Wood tells us about his “interesting question” from the interviews, about what he wants to be said at his funeral:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Matthew-Wood_11.mp4

Koehn Ziemmer, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

Ziemmer talking about what it means to be a part of the special draft class from the WHL this year as a late 2004 born player:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/KoehnZiemmer.mp4

Koehn Zeimmer speaks on competition in the WHL:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Zeimmer_11.mp4