Justin Poirier – 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.

NHL: Affiliated prospects who have made rapid progress this season – North America Part Two

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 21:32:40 +0000

Early on in the season talent evaluators are often hyper focused on draft eligible players as they try to determine early rankings and watch lists. But what about the prospects already affiliated with NHL teams? Previously drafted (or signed) players often show off remarkable progression early in the year that is worth discussing as it elevates their projection as NHL players. This piece aims to highlight some of those players; players who have impressed our scouting staff with their improved play this season.

Here are the North American based prospects Part Two:

Derek Neumeier - Associate Director of Scouting

Jaxon Fuder - Left Wing - Red Deer Rebels, WHL (Dallas Stars)

Fuder is currently writing one of the best feel-good stories in the WHL right now.

He was a fairly unknown commodity heading into his 2024-25 season, having never been drafted into the WHL, playing the prior campaign in the BCHL, and going unselected in his first year of NHL draft eligibility. He did, however, catch Red Deer’s eye, who eventually brought him into their fold in October of 2024. Playing like his future in hockey was on the line (which it might have been), he became a heart-and-soul member of the Rebels and started to get the attention of NHL scouts. Even though he went unselected again in his second year of NHL draft eligibility, he still did enough to earn an invite to join the Dallas Stars for their summer development camp and a pair of prospect exhibition games, which turned into his invite being extended into the team’s full training camp. By that point he had left such a strong impression on the Stars that they signed him straightaway to an entry-level contract.

What the Red Deer winger and alternate captain might lack in terms of pure skill he more than makes up for in tenacity and competitiveness. He’s a heat-seeking missile on the forecheck, he’s a devoted penalty killer, and he’s never afraid to get his hands dirty when it comes to sticking up for a teammate. While his chances of ever becoming a top-of-the-lineup player in the NHL are slim to none, it’s simultaneously not that difficult to envision him playing in the league in a depth capacity one day after fighting and scraping and grinding his way up through the ranks.

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Opposing defenders always need to know when Fuder is on the ice, because he’s coming for them every single time they go back to retrieve a puck. He might not have the size and strength to truly crush anybody, but it’s rare to see him not finish a check.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2-Fuder-fight-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp4

Just like with his forechecking, opposing players need to always realize that they won’t be able to take any liberties with Fuder’s teammates without having to hear from him as well.

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Going beyond his physical play, Fuder is also able to chip in offensively from time to time, and he might be able to do it at higher levels of hockey too. That’s because his hockey sense is actually pretty sharp, allowing him to correctly identify offensive opportunities when they appear.

Kaeden Ireland - Ontario Regional Scout

Adam Benak - Center/Wing, Brantford Bulldogs, OHL (Minnesota Wild)

Last year Adam Benak put up 59 points through 56 USHL contests and showed the hockey world his elite creativity and skill. In his draft year, Benak regularly showed off his silky mitts and quick reads to finish the year as Youngstown’s first option on offense. The end result was a tumble down the draft board that was eventually stopped by the Minnesota Wild at 102nd overall.

Adam Benak is simply making himself undeniable. For whatever criticisms he faced in his draft year regarding size, Benak accepted them and doubled down on his strengths: top-end talent, tenacity, and the ability to find passes that others cannot. It’s improbable Benak will bring above-average impact on defense playing against grown men, so the question becomes, can he outscore his weaknesses? While previously I was doubtful, Benak has made me a believer this year. Playing with higher calibre players on perhaps this generation’s greatest OHL team, Benak’s consistency and adaptability have surged.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1-BenakFindingWindow.mp4

Benak’s offensive style fits with any archetype of player. He never looks out of place on a line, and while last year I felt Benak was often not on the same page as his teammates, leading to turnovers, a more skilled supporting cast has allowed Benak to showcase just how easy he is to play with. As seen in this clip, Benak will find the pass, one way or another.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2-BenakPKSkatingandDisruption.mp4

Benak lessens the negative impact of his below-average stature with his motor, bouncing around the ice to threaten the puck carrier. While it’s clear his shorter stick lessens his potential for blocking lanes, his skating and motor bridge the gap to make him a competent junior defender. This won’t exactly be a “B game” for him at the next level, but it could endear coaches to his style and earn him a neutral defensive impact on the game.

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Benak still remains outmatched in many puck battles, but it’s hard to keep doubting him when he keeps showing new levels offensively.

Mika Burns - Western Canada Regional Scout

Tomas Poletin - W/C, Kelowna Rockets, WHL (New York Islanders)

A fourth-round pick of the Islanders in 2025, Tomas Poletin is a player who has definitely exceeded expectations upon his arrival in Kelowna this season. Although he was viewed fairly highly coming to Kelowna given that they selected him first overall in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, the surprise has come with what he brings to the table night in and night out.

Prior to this season, Poletin was viewed more as a straight line, checking forward who goes to the hard areas and plays a physical brand of hockey. What we have seen from Poletin this season is a player who has developed a skill element to his game which has led to an increase in offence. Early on in the WHL season while the NHL preseason was still underway, Poletin was the offensive driver for the Kelowna Rockets, and he showed that he can generate offence on his own by using his speed, skill and his electric shot. With players like Tij Iginla returning to Kelowna, Poeltin’s offensive role has changed slightly but he has shown an ability to remain very effective.

Poletin has very quick hands and a good ability to beat players one-on-one which has led to many offensive chances for himself and his teammates. One of the most impressive things about Poletin this season is while adding that level of skill and offence, he has kept his straight line, checking game that made him so effective before. He still forechecks very well and has a physical element to his game which allows him to start the rest of his offence. He has transitioned primarily into a bumper role on the powerplay where he has the opportunity to show off his quick release and accurate shot that has led to him scoring 12 goals in the first 20 games this season.

This clip really highlights the improvement to Poeltin’s skill in tight situations. He recollects the puck with all five opposing players around him and is able to pull the puck in tight around a defender and then immediately get it into a position where he is able to shoot the puck and beat the goalie.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1-Poletin-toe-drag-goal.mp4

What I like about this goal is it shows Poletin’s wicked release as well as his offensive IQ. He is able to slowly drift away from the defender and get into a quiet spot where he can receive the pass and immediately get it on net and get it past the goalie.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2-Poletin-PP-goal-vs-Portland.mp4

This goal is a great example, not only of Poletin’s skill, but his confidence in offensive situations. Instead of just taking the puck wide and trying to either feather a pass over to his teammate or trying to shoot for a rebound, he takes on his defender and beats him with a beautiful through-the-legs move. After beating the first defender, he holds on to the puck and pulls it across to his forehand and beats the goalie with a very accurate shot to the top corner.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/3-Poletin-through-the-legs-goal.mp4

Joey Fortin Boulay - Quebec Regional Scout

Noah Laberge - Defense - Newfoundland Regiment, QMJHL (Buffalo Sabres)

The QMJHL hasn’t produced many dramatic post-draft risers this season, but Noah Laberge has quietly taken a significant step forward. After a solid draft year with 35 points and flashes of two-way assertiveness, his game still felt unrefined though. Decision-making wavered, he occasionally overhandled the puck and a lack of strength left him vulnerable in battles. More importantly, he didn’t yet have a clear identity, making his long-term projection difficult to gauge.

This year, that picture is much sharper. He has emerged as one of the league’s top defensemen, playing like a steady on-ice general. His game is more calculated and consistent, and he now thrives in all situations, deployed on both special teams, logging heavy minutes—often around 26 per night—while showing comfort on both sides of the ice. His value as a future pro lies in this growing versatility.

A smooth four-way skater with excellent edgework, he uses his flowing mobility for quick support and efficient transitions. He’s poised on retrievals, escapes pressure cleanly and delivers successful exit passes. In the offensive zone, he’s constantly involved, rotates fluidly with teammates and makes smart plays from the blue line. Defensively, his strong gap and reach steers opponents wide. He’s not overly physical and lacks high-end dynamism, but his identity is now more defined and his rawness refined.

As a 19-year-old, his development is impressive and his progression to the pro level will be a fascinating one to follow.

Videos:

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1-Noah-Laberge-offensive_production.mp4

Here’s some of Laberge’s (#8) offensive production: jumping into offense to score, using shot fakes to open lanes and draw pressure and unleashing heavy clappers that find the back of the net.

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Here are a few examples of Laberge’s clean first passes and controlled breakouts, showcasing his keen patience, vision and play-reading abilities.

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Laberge also handles puck retrievals in his own end with poise.

Mark Dube - US Regional Scout

Max Plante - Center - University Minnesota-Duluth, NCAA (Detroit Red Wings)

In his second season with Minnesota-Duluth, Max Plante has made some tremendous progress in his development and currently leads the entire NCAA in scoring with 26 points in 16 games played. He has been a focal point in the offense for the Bulldogs all season long.

What Plante lacks in size, listed at 5-foot-11 and 176 pounds, he makes up for in tenacity and determination. His motor is always going, and he pursues the puck with reckless abandon. Obviously there is an element of scoring touch to Plante’s game where he sees the ice really well and is able to find open ice to produce scoring chances. In addition, he shows some nice hands and a decent shot to go alongside all of that. It will be interesting to see if he can continue with this point pace for the entirety of the season.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/1-max_plante_-_1st_period_4_19_-_4_33.mp4

In this clip, we see that ‘dog’ in Plante, where he battles for position to try and win a board battle.

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Here we witness the scoring touch, where Plante directs one home from the bumper position on the power-play.

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Plante shows off the hands in this sequence, where he dekes out a defender, then makes a really nice pace for the easy redirect from his teammate.

Felix Sicard - North American Video Scout

Emile Guite, Wing, Chicoutimi Sagueneens, QMJHL (Anaheim Ducks)

Guite was a highly touted prospect going into his draft year, having been nearly a point per game player in his draft minus one season. However, a disappointing offensive draft campaign saw him end up as a fifth-round pick to Anaheim. Now, Guite is making good on the faith the Ducks showed in him, posting 26 points in 25 games for Chicoutimi. To put that into perspective, his 15 goals are just one goal shy of his goal output for all of last season.

Points are nice, but it’s the overall package that will determine Guite’s NHL outlook. His skating was a limiting factor in his draft year, with a short stride. Fixing mechanical issues doesn’t happen overnight, but Guite does look like he has added some quickness and power in his stride this season, helping him chase down puck carriers on the forecheck. He’s also added a physical dimension to his game, finishing hits while also using his body to shield the puck. In addition, he’s looking to get to the net more often, both with and without the puck. The skating remains something to monitor, but Guite is already diversifying his game in a way that should help his chances of making the NHL.

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Here, Guite quickly closes the gap on the Mooseheads puck carrier, then takes a good angle to steer his opponent into the next wave of Sagueenens pressure. This leads to a turnover, and Guite bangs home the 2 on 0 pass. The way he created the goal here – through responsible forechecking pressure, solid fundamentals, and added skating quickness – is encouraging.

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Here, Guite catches the puck in motion in the neutral zone, but seeing pressure ahead, quickly moves the puck to a teammate with more space. He then drives hard to the net, taking a defender along with him. He provides some traffic as his teammate gets a shot on net. He then sets up below the goal line, and proactively carves out some space for himself by initiating contact against his man. That allows him the space to cleanly receive the puck on his forehand, fake to his left, before going back to the middle with a centering feed. This play shows that Guite is beginning to blend physical details with his offensive sense.

Jeremi Plourde - Eastern Canada Regional Scout

Justin Poirier - Wing, Maine, NCAA (Carolina Hurricanes)

The skill level has never been an issue in Poirier’s game. Throughout his junior career, Poirier filled nets, scoring 122 goals in 181 career games in the QMJHL, and even recording a 51-goal season in his draft year in 2024. This season, Poirier made an important decision, as he committed to play for the University of Maine in the NCAA. This is a big jump from his previous level of competition, and many thought this could be too big of a challenge for the 5-foot-8 forward who turned 19 just a few months ago in September.

That being said, Poirier has exceeded many expectations early on. He has been nothing short of remarkable for Maine, leading the team in goals with 11, and points with 17, in only 14 games. Additionally, Poirier is tied for fifth in goal scoring among all NCAA players. His goal scoring instincts and confidence have shown to translate with ease to this next step in his career, which is extremely promising regarding a potential role in the NHL one day. He remains one of the hardest players to cover, thanks to his tactical positioning, his slippery hands, and his lethal finishing skills. It’s also promising to see that Poirier’s tenacity and physical intensity has remained a big part of his game in the NCAA as well.

Here are some clips displaying how ridiculous Poirier’s goal scoring skills are (Righty, #93).

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https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/3-justin_poirier_-_1st_period_5_28_-_5_40.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/4-justin_poirier_-_2nd_period_17_24_-_17_36.mp4

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Liam Crouse - Goaltending Scout

Adam Gajan - G, Minnesota-Duluth, NCAA (Chicago Blackhawks)

Since being the first goalie taken in a class consisting of Augustine and Fowler, Gajan’s projection to the NHL has been questionable to say the least. The Slovakian goalie was picked due to his hyper athleticism, an elite trait that could not be developed to the level that Gajan possesses. However, he had significant drawbacks in playing too erratically and relied too much upon his athleticism to make his saves, often choosing to go in much lower and wider stances and fully extending his limbs because he could, not because he had to. Now, in his second year as an NCAA starter, he has completely overhauled his game. Gajan looks like a completely different goalie with how he plays. He’s adopted an efficient, narrower stance and plays calmer and smoother in the crease. He hasn’t discarded his athleticism; he just plays with much more intent, using his athleticism as a last-ditch option or to give him an edge in certain situations. His tracking has improved immensely, and he is anticipating play much better, focusing on getting to his destination efficiently, on his feet in a controlled manner, where before, he would have a tendency to move excessively. Combining his world-class athleticism with a much more refined and technical game is a cheat code amongst goalies and makes him one of the most intriguing goalie prospects in the world.

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Because he gets to the pass on his feet by taking a deeper route, it enables him to explode and use his athleticism to stretch out the opposite direction to rob the shooter.

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Here, he calmly shuffles over, fully in control, staying on his feet because he chose a smart route instead of excessively moving.

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He doesn’t overreact in the first scramble, which allows him to calmly get to his feet. From there, he makes a controlled slide and can recover the other way after a rebound. Before this year, he might’ve sprawled at any point, which clearly he didn’t have to.

Jamison Derksen - North American Video Scout

Lyndon Lakovic - W, Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL (Washington Capitals)

Lyndon Lakovic is a very interesting prospect for the Washington Capitals because he was a first round pick last season after putting up 58 points in 47 games for the Moose Jaw Warriors, but he still had some pretty big question marks as a draft eligible. Despite his obvious skill, the 6-foot-4, 200 poundwinger was previously seen as a perimeter player and would avoid contact. This season, Lakovic has added that size that he has into a powerful tool in his game. This improves his outlook as a pro immensely, as his size is a massive factor that he was not tapping into previously, and it is part of the reason he was ranked so high by McKeen’s (13th) for the 2025 NHL Draft. Through 22 games this season, the Moose Jaw Warriors’ captain has 18 goals and 29 points this season. He is winning puck battles at a much higher rate than he ever has and is a serious problem on the forecheck. If he continues to grow in his physical habits, Lakovic will be a key middle-six forward in the Capitals’ lineup before long.

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This is exactly what Lakovic needs to do to get to the next level. There’s no questioning the forward’s skill but competing in battles is the most important thing for Lakovic to develop right now.

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Here, again it is not a remarkable clip, but the details are what is important here. Lakovic gets high in the defensive zone pressuring the defender but doesn’t fly by when the opposing blueliner moves the puck. He stays in position but still has the acceleration to clear the zone and create separation for the breakaway.

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Lakovic runs out of time on a negative rush here, but tracks back really well and finishes the check. This may not seem like a remarkable clip but it shows growth in his defensive effort and willingness to engage physically.

Adam Tate - Western Canada Regional Scout

Shea Busch - Wing, Everett Silvertips, WHL (Florida Panthers)

Shea Busch is a Forward with the Everett Silvertips in the WHL. He was selected 128th overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2025 NHL Draft. He made the switch from the BCHL to the WHL mid-season last year under the new NCAA eligibility agreement and it helped his development. Busch ended last season with 19 points (11G, 8A) in 39 games with the Silvertips and had already surpassed that number of goals in just 12 games this season before getting injured.

Busch is a shoot first, pass later power forward whose biggest weakness is his skating. His mechanics have improved this season, and his skating is better as a result. It’s clear he also spent time working on his shot over the summer as it’s become an important part of his game. During the 2024-25 season, Busch was used as a net-front presence on the power play, but this year he’s being deployed as one of the primary shooters on the right-wing half wall with the man advantage. The skating and shot improvements have allowed him to carve out a bigger role with Everett. He has regularly suited up at right wing on a line with 2024 NHL Draft second rounder Julius Miettinen and second year draft eligible import Matias Vanhanen. Busch was averaging 1.5 points per game with the Silvertips when he left the lineup with an injury.

While he will never be mistaken for a speedster, his shot and willingness to play a physical game should allow him to carve out a pro career. His ceiling looks to be a middle six winger in the NHL if his skating can continue to improve.

Let’s take a look at a couple of clips from Busch’s 2025-2026 season so far:

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This first clip shows off both Busch’s improved skating and goal scoring ability. While the skating is still a work in progress, it’s developed to the point where he is able to get up the ice fast enough to create a 2 on 1 shorthanded. The way in which he receives the pass allows him to shield the puck from the defender and he’s able to put the puck into the net.

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This clip demonstrates Busch’s new role on Everett’s power play. He spent last season as the net front forward, shielding the goaltender’s eyes and looking to tip in shots for goals (which he excelled at). But this season, he’s become one of the primary shooters on the power play, and this one-timer into the top corner shows why.

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.

2024 NHL DRAFT WRAP UP: The best value picks plus the biggest surprise in each round

Brock Otten — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 18:58:05 +0000

What a draft week it was! The Sphere in Vegas lived up to the hype, and then some. Perhaps, this is biased, but it was one of the most impressive spectacles that I have ever been part of. Derek Neumeier (our assistant director of scouting) and myself were blown away by the production. The feedback from fans was similar in nature; no question the live draft in Vegas was a massive success for the NHL.

But what about the actual draft action itself? Like any draft, there were things that went according to script and there were surprises.

From our Top 100 on our final draft rankings, 97 of said players were drafted. The only ones not selected were Alex Zetterberg, Daniil Ustinkov, and Tomas Galvas. Galvas was the highest of those three at 70th overall.

Let’s take a look at some of my favourite selections, some of the biggest surprises, and some of the best undrafted players.

ROUND ONE

Favourite Selection: Sam Dickinson (#11) to San Jose

Dickinson had been our favorite defender in this class nearly all season long and we really like the value San Jose got at #11 after trading up from #14 a few days prior. Dickinson is such a safe bet to a top four defender for the organization; the kind of player who can eat serious minutes for them when they’re ready to take that next step again as a playoff contender.

Favourite Selection: Stian Solberg (#23) to Anaheim

This represents one of the best fits in the draft for us. Solberg improved so much in the second half, and we saw that at the World Championships, where he was a standout playing tough minutes against NHL players with Norway. His game still needs further refinement, but he projects as the perfect partner for the likes of Olen Zellweger or Pavel Mintyukov (even though all three are left-handed shots) with his physical intense defensive presence. It’s obvious Anaheim really liked him as they traded up into this slot with Toronto.

Biggest Surprise: Terik Parascak (#17) to Washington

This one caught a lot of people by surprise on the draft floor. There was probably more talk that Parascak could be a “faller” due to concerns over pace/quickness, in combination with his average size. Even Parascak was incredibly surprised to be taken this early, with a look of bewilderment following the announcement of his name. Our Western scouts are still a bit leery of his NHL odds, but there’s no denying that he was one of the draft’s most intelligent players. Washington is banking on that, hoping that he can have a Joe Pavelski type career.

Biggest Surprise (bonus): Beckett Sennecke (#3) to Anaheim

This one wasn’t as big of a surprise to those on the floor because there was a ton of chatter about this about an hour prior to the draft. However, it’s obvious Sennecke had no idea because he was visibly shocked to hear his name, creating one of the most genuine and honest draft reactions of the weekend. Anaheim is banking on Sennecke’s athletic upside and second half improvements, which is often an intelligent thing to do.

ROUND TWO

Favourite Selection: Teddy Stiga (#55) to Nashville

Look at all the teams clamoring to sign Jake Guentzel this offseason, because of how good of a complementary offensive player he is. Stiga proved that same thing this year, playing alongside potential 2025 first overall pick James Hagens. He’s a hard worker. He’s skilled. His skating improved over the year. There’s a ton to like and we really like the fit in Nashville for him. These are the types of players Nashville had an abundance of when they were dominating the West.

Favourite Selection: Carter George (#57) to Los Angeles

Admittedly, I was a bit worried that Carter George would drop a bit because of his lack of size in a size-crazed industry (concerning goaltenders). So, it was great to see George go in the second round to Los Angeles. There’s a deep-rooted connection to Owen Sound there and George is a heck of a goaltender. He’s so polished and refined already; he’s a big game goaltender.

Biggest Surprise: Ilya Nabokov (#38) to Colorado

Speaking of goaltenders, it was a shock to see 21-year-old Ilya Nabokov as the first netminder taken…and this early. Granted, his resume spoke for itself this year as the KHL’s playoff MVP. Colorado obviously wasn’t a big fan of their goaltending this year and by selecting Nabokov, they’re taking someone who can be a potential difference maker very soon, a lot sooner than your average draft eligible netminder.

ROUND THREE

Favourite Selection: Tarin Smith (#79) to Anaheim

Anaheim has had tremendous luck drafting electric offensive defenders like Smith in recent years. Mintyukov, Zellweger and Rodwin Dionicio all fit the mold. Zellweger even came from the same Everett (WHL) program as Smith. He is very raw. However, his offensive upside from the backend is extremely high. With such a strong and deep talent pool in place, Anaheim could afford to take a chance on him.

Favourite Selection: Matvei Shuravin (#97) to Florida

We ranked Shuravin #34 in our final rankings but did realize that we were higher on him than we expected him to be selected this weekend. It would appear that his weaker second half really pushed him down some draft boards. However, that’s Florida’s gain as they selected an athletic defender who showed some terrific flashes this year at both the KHL and MHL levels.

Biggest Surprise: Henry Mews (#74) to Calgary

Personally, I had somewhat expected Mews to fall at the draft. I didn’t believe that he would be a top 40-45 pick. However, I also did not expect him to slide all the way to the mid third. He’s a fairly dynamic offensive defender. I certainly have questions about his projection, but this represents great value for Calgary, especially after they grabbed Zayne Parekh in the first.

ROUND FOUR

Favourite Selection: Heikki Ruohonen (#107) to Philadelphia

We felt that Ruohonen was being massively underrated this year due to the fact that he stayed in the Finnish U20 league in order to preserve his NCAA eligibility. He’ll play in the USHL next year then head to Harvard. The physically imposing two-way power pivot is someone who could dramatically outperform his draft slot.

Favourite Selection: Hagen Burrows (#128) to Tampa Bay

We get the concerns over the feet. Burrows needs to improve his skating. But the 2024 Mr. Hockey Award winner plays a mature, pro-style game. He is a strong playmaker, and he can find his way to the net. Once he fills out his frame, he could be a terrific middle six NHL player.

Biggest Surprise: Trevor Hoskin (#106) to Calgary

As someone who covers Ontario, I just didn’t see this one coming. I thought that maybe Hoskin had a chance to go late in the draft after a strong World Junior A Challenge performance, however, this early? It’s very, very rare to see a double re-entry selected from Canadian Tier 2, let alone almost in the Top 100. We’ll see how this one works out for Calgary in the long run.

Biggest Surprise (bonus): Aron Kiviharju (#122) to Minnesota

I mean, how could we not include Kiviharju here. Yes, we expected him to fall. But, to the end of the fourth? So, what’s next for Kiviharju? Would he consider coming to the OHL next year to help recover his former top prospect status?

ROUND FIVE

Favourite Selection: Luke Misa (#150) to Calgary

No question, we could have listed this as the biggest surprise of round five. Seeing Misa fall to the mid-5th round was shocking. However, this is also an excellent value pick by Calgary. Did Misa close out this past OHL season on a high note? No. But, does he have the skating ability, tenacity, and skill to be an NHL player in some capacity? Absolutely.

Favourite Selection: Justin Poirier (#156) to Carolina

At some point, a player becomes just too good to pass up, even if you have concerns over projectability. In the 5th round, Poirier is terrific value for the Hurricanes. The size, skating, and IQ components of his game are dicey. But you can’t argue with the production and the offensive upside. Bottom line, you’re not going to find many guys in round five who could be top six scorers and that’s Poirier.

Biggest Surprise: Max Graham (#139) to New Jersey

No offense intended to Graham, but when he was drafted, I turned to Derek (who also scouts the West for us) and asked him who? He was flabbergasted that Graham, a double overager, was selected. He didn’t come close to hitting the point per game mark as a 20-year-old and it certainly brings to light questions over NHL upside.

ROUND SIX

Favourite Selection: Anthony Romani (#162) to Vancouver

I get the hesitation from NHL scouts. Is his offensive skill set translatable? He’s purely a complementary guy; one of the “quietest” CHL leading scorers in recent memory. But, at some point you have to bet on players who think the game at an elite level and that’s Romani. One team used a 17th overall selection on a player with pace/strength concerns, but high-end hockey sense, and another used the 162nd overall pick. Who got the best value?

Favourite Selection: Luke Ashton (#165) to Columbus

A re-entry out of the BCHL, Ashton is a really intriguing defensive prospect. He’s big. He’s mean. He’s athletic. He flashes high end skill. How it all comes together at a higher level remains to be seen. But we really like the upside. We also really like that he’s going to Minnesota State, a program that has developed defenders like him well.

Biggest Surprise: Stevie Leskovar (#174) to Minnesota

Again, no offense meant to Leskovar, but Derek had the same reaction to him as I did Graham. If you had told me that Leskovar would be drafted ahead of Leenders, Fibigr, and Finn Harding from that same Mississauga team, I would have called you crazy. Leskovar is a big, mean, throwback on the back end. He got better this year in his first full year with the Steelheads. But an NHL draft selection?

ROUND SEVEN

Favourite Selection: Ryerson Leenders (#219) to Buffalo

It worked with Devon Levi. It could work again with Leenders. He’s on the smaller side, but he’s very athletic. Quick post to post and solid in scramble mode, Leenders just needs to refine his approach and improve technically. He’s capable of stealing games and he could end up being a draft steal when all is said and done, similar to the way Florida got Levi (then traded him to Buffalo).

Favourite Selection: Erik Pahlsson (#213) to Nashville

We’ve had Pahlsson ranked for a few years now, so it was great to see him finally get selected after a solid year in the USHL. Again, there are some projection concerns over the athletic profile, but he finds a way to be productive. He’s intelligent. He’s shifty. He’s probably going to produce at the college level too with Minnesota.

Biggest Surprise: Alex Zetterberg Goes Undrafted, but Mac Swanson gets selected

Again, you hit a point in the draft where players are worth selecting despite some limitations. Mac Swanson’s size and skating combination are worrisome, but he’s one heck of a smart player. If he hits, he’s going to be a home run. The same could be said of Alex Zetterberg, the Swedish equivalent, who did nothing but produce this year. If you’re taking a chance on Swanson this late, Zetterberg deserved to go too.

OUR BEST UNDRAFTED PLAYERS

Tomas Galvas

The undersized defender was one of the draft’s best skaters, but it wasn’t enough for NHL teams. He’ll need to take his offensive game to another level. Would be great to see him in the CHL next year.

Daniil Ustinkov

Ustinkov started the year as a potential first round candidate and ended up not being selected. Concerns over his processing ability ultimately scared off teams. Does he come over to London next year to try to turn his career around?

Alex Zetterberg

Again, this one feels like a misstep. Yes, he’s small. Yes, there are strength concerns. But he’s ultra talented. Few players available in the 7th round would have had the upside of Zetterberg.

Nolan Roed

Our aggressive ranking of Roed came mostly from me, as he was a player I was very impressed with at the USHL and high school levels. I liked the competitive drive in his game. Next year’s Joe Connor?

Lukas Matecha

He just couldn’t recover from his poor second half. If he can put together a more consistent season next year, he’ll be back on the draft radar.

Matthew Van Blaricom

This one is shocking to me. Loved the aggressive and tenacious approach. Had a terrific WJAC. Here’s hoping that he goes somewhere next year (USHL, NCAA) where he can show that he should have been selected.

Frankie Marrelli

I get it. He’s an undersized stay at home type. But this young man is just such a smart defensive player. He competes hard and he’s going to get better at the offensive end too.

Gian Meier

A breakout performer at the U18’s with Switzerland, we figured someone would take Meier given the flashes he showed this year as a two-way defender.

2024 NHL DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT (VIDEO+ GRADES) – Justin Poirier, RW, Baie-Comeau Drakkar, QMJHL

Jeremi Plourde — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 13:44:46 +0000

Justin Poirier. Photo courtesy of QMJHL.

Justin Poirier

2024 NHL Draft Eligible

Position: RW, Shoots: R

H/W: 5’8”, 181lbs

Date of Birth: 2006-09-04

Stats to Date: 68GP – 51G – 31A – 82PTS

Justin Poirier got his name out there this year for breaking the 50-goal mark and by being the leading goal scorer in the QMJHL as a 17-year-old. Yet a lot of people simply brush this aside after seeing that he is only 5’8, which to some extent is fair criticism. That being said, automatically discounting a player simply based on height is something that gets proven wrong almost every year by one or two smaller sized players who know how to work around the situation and are so tremendously skilled that it ends up working for them. To me, Poirier has a possibility of turning into one of those players.

To begin with, Poirier has dominated every level he has played in. As a 16-year-old last year in his rookie season, he managed to score 48 points in 55 games for a pretty underwhelming Baie-Comeau team. He was second in scoring on his team that year. Last summer, he was invited to the U17 world championship, where he put up five points in seven games and played overall impressively well. This year, Poirier has taken his goal-scoring skills to the next level, being the first 17-year-old to score 50 goals since Sidney Crosby back in 2004-2005. It is also worth mentioning that Poirier is not turning 18 until this September, which makes him one of the youngest players in the draft.

As a player, Poirier is the typical undersized player profile who makes it work by combining a high level of skill and understanding of the game. The first thing that jumps out when you watch him is his shot. Poirier has an elite shot, there is no other way to put it. I will get more into it later, but it is without a doubt his main and most dangerous attribute. It shouldn’t be a surprise, given how many goals he has scored this year. He often displays great puck skills, being able to win his one-on-ones with any defenceman most of the time. His skating is not perfect, but he is a highly agile player, able to navigate through tight areas and show deceptive moves, allowing him to complete creative plays. He is also sneakily physical, weighing 180 pounds and being able to bounce off defencemen and protect the puck quite well. Poirier is also very intelligent off the puck, applies great pressure as a forechecker and is able to react rapidly to puck possession changes.

Overall, Poirier possesses a lot of tools to overcome his height deficit and should not be overlooked.

Skating

If you set aside his shot, Poirier’s best attribute would be his skating. It is not perfect yet, but there are a lot of things he does with his feet that are great.

Poirier uses his edges very effectively and with ease. He uses them often to hide his direction when entering the offensive zone to mix up the defenders, to play the perimeter in the offensive zone, and to give himself a little boost when accelerating after corralling the puck in the neutral zone.

Here is an example of him using his edges when entering the offensive zone.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/1-SKATING-10680239_2.mp4

Here is a nice play he was able to make because he used his edges. After successfully forcing a turnover, Poirier fully extends his hip by standing on both of his inside edges, giving the other player no chance of knowing where Poirier is planning to go. He then quickly escapes along the boards. He then uses his edges again to transfer his weight when releasing the puck.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/2-SKATING-10675204_3.mp4

In this clip, he uses his edges to keep his momentum to turn a turnover into a rush opportunity.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/3-SKATING-10680773_1.mp4

Poirier is a very agile player, very strong on his feet and able to turn shiftily and quickly. Because he is on the smaller side, he uses his low center of gravity to his advantage quite often to spin off of pressure.

This clip fully displays his agility, as he is able to receive the puck with speed and spin around to avoid a player while keeping the momentum.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/4-SKATING-10677751_2.mp4

That being said, Poirier’s acceleration is not as good as the other parts of his skating. It isn’t bad, but it’s not great either, given his size. Very often, smaller players that make it work at the next level are very quick on their feet, and he isn’t quite that just yet. More explosiveness in his first few strides should come with time, as long as he trains it.

You can also see in this clip that he can still get away with it, he isn’t a slow player either.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/5-SKATING-10679836_2.mp4

Even with his acceleration not being too great, his top speed is pretty solid. As previously seen, he uses his edges to boost himself even more, and generally plays at a decent pace, being able to participate in the rush.

Here is another clip of him using his edges to juke out an opponent and get to his top speed faster. You can see that he is not a slow player by any means, he thinks fast and can move fast.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/6-SKATING.mp4

Overall, Poirier’s skating mechanics are great. It is something very important for smaller sized players like him, so it is reassuring and promising. He still could improve his overall speed, especially the acceleration and the explosiveness, but the other mechanics, like sharp turns, deception, edges and stability are all already to a solid enough level.

Grade: 57.5

Shot

Justin Poirier’s best attribute is undoubtedly his shot. He has scored goals from practically everywhere in the offensive zone this year, whether it is in front of the net, near the blue line, at the H marks, in the slot, and more than ten goals on the left side of the offensive zone, even if he is a right winger. He is always looking to shoot, and everyone on the ice knows it, yet he is still able to score so much. There’s a reason he scored so many goals this year; his shot is elite. Even his one timer is pretty decent; he’s oftentimes quite accurate and with time he will add even more power to it.

Poirier’s shot mechanics are very advanced. He fully masters the toe drag move to change the angle of his shot. He can shoot from every angle and force the goalie to make a difficult save. By quickly dragging the puck before shooting, he’s able to get so much power on it. At 5-on-5, he plays on the right wing, and on the powerplay, he plays on the left side; he’s able to adjust and be just as dangerous on both sides. On the powerplay, he uses one-timers more often, since he is right-handed and playing on the left side, but at 5-on-5, Poirier rarely gets the chance to use it and he usually sticks with a wrist shot.

Here is an example of Poirier’s toe drag release shot, changing the angle of his shooting lane right before releasing it, fooling the players trying to block the shot, as well as the goalie.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/7-SHOT-10675636_3.mp4

Another well executed drag and release shot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/8-SHOT-10680053_2.mp4

In this clip, you can see how patient and good Poirier is at finding the right angle, holding the puck long enough until he has the perfect shot.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/9-SHOT-10676075_1.mp4

Here is a display of his one timer, you can see that it is already quick and precise enough to work to the next level.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/10-SHOT-10676292_2.mp4

Lastly, here’s a pretty nasty shot, showing his accuracy.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/11-SHOT-10675438_1.mp4

If we get into the statistical side, some interesting facts come up. With the available resources that we have, we can affirm that Poirier has attempted to shoot the puck 587 times in 68 regular season games this year, which is an average of 8.63 times per game. You can see how much he shoots simply with this stat. With an average time on ice of 18:28, he attempts to shoot 28.05 times per 60 minutes of playing, or once every 2:08 seconds. To put this in perspective, in the NHL, the player who attempts to shoot the most every 60 minutes is David Pastrnak, with 26.81 shot attempts per 60 minutes of playing. Obviously, the level of competition is different, but it is still very impressive.

In terms of shots on goal, the resources we possess have tracked that 302 of his 587 attempts have landed on the net. This means 51% of his attempts go to the net. This is very promising, as the vast majority of NHL players are below the 50% mark. To the next level, Poirier’s 51% will likely go down, but again, this simply shows how well he has used his shot this year in the QMJHL.

Justin Poirier’s shooting percentage is not even that high, at only 16.88%, which indicates that this season was not a shooting bender where all of his shots went in the net.

Shooting is definitely Poirier’s best quality and is what makes him one of the best available players this year from the QMJHL.

Grade: 60

Skills

Poirier can definitely show off with his skill. He loves to beat his opponents by combining deceptive moves with his feet and by quickly moving the puck from one side to another.

In this clip, you can see how Poirier planned everything out. He prepares for his encounter with his opponent by angling his body and feet on one side, and at the right moment, he pivots on his edges and moves the puck from one side to another and gets past the player.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/12-SKILLS-10675582_3.mp4

Another thing to note is that even with speed, Poirier can most of the time execute his moves without fumbling the puck too much. A lot of junior players seem very skilled and in control of the puck, until you see them try moves while skating fast, and you see how little they can execute with speed. Poirier is not one of them, which is a big plus.

Here is an example of what he can do with speed. He’s able to beat the defender in a race, and absolutely embarrass the opposing goaltender with a few nifty moves.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/13-SKILLSjustin_poirier_-_2nd_period_20_11_-_20_23.mp4

Here, Poirier navigates between two players for quite a few seconds and never loses control of the puck. This clip shows very well how skilled he is.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/14-SKILLS10675450_2.mp4

Poirier is very precise in his stickhandles. Sometimes, all he needs is a simple touch of the puck to get around a player.

Here is a clip of him needing one puck touch to meticulously place the puck between his opponent’s skates.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/15-SKILLS10782413_1.mp4

That being said, there are two limitations to his skill that I could identify. First, it seems like the bigger reason as to why he is able to beat his opponents is with his feet, more than with his puck skills. This is not necessarily a bad thing, it would actually be more concerning if he beat everyone with stick handles because it happens less in the NHL, but it’s a limitation to his puck skill. Second, because he is only 5’8, some of the moves he currently does will work less often in the NHL because of how huge every defenceman is. That being said, he can easily adapt by playing closer to his opponent’s feet, catching them in uncomfortable situations. It’s a bit of a limitation, because executing these types of moves are hard.

Grade: 52.5

Smarts

I wouldn’t call Poirier a particularly smart player overall, but there are some aspects of the game that he does intelligently.

For example, Poirier is a great reactionary player. Some people might argue that reactions to situations are more a skill than being smart, because you don’t have much time to think about what to do. I view it more as cognitive mechanisms from learning the game and already having been in the exact same scenario a bunch of times, automatically recognizing the best available play.

When I say Poirier is a great reactionary player, I mean that when there is very little time to make a decision, he usually makes the right one. In split seconds, he can reach for a puck and avoid a player skating towards him efficiently. He senses pressure coming at him very well and is able to adequately evaluate how much time he has to make a move.

I used this clip when talking about his skating, but it can also be applied here. You can see that he not only knew a player was right behind him but was able to react to it by rapidly touching the puck once to bring it out of his opponent’s reach, buying himself some space to then turn around and continue with the puck.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/16-SMARTS-10677751_2.mp4

On the other side, in my opinion, Poirier’s vision and passing is not as well developed. It seems like when he enters the offensive zone, the option of passing the puck just stops, unless there is a very obvious pass to make. He either tries to shoot the puck or tries to dump it. This is more than just on the rush too, even when the team is set in the offensive zone, especially on the powerplay, it seems like he just shoots the puck every time he gets it, even when there are better options to take with the puck.

Here, Poirier makes a few nice moves in the neutral zone, but then decides to shoot the puck as soon as he enters the zone and misses the net. This was a very low danger shot, and his teammate to his left could have had a better chance at scoring, as he had a lane to get closer to the net.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/17-SMARTS-10675203_1.mp4

This clip shows that when there is a clear passing option, he’s able to execute it well. He just needs to look out for more of these high danger passes.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/18-SMARTS-justin_poirier_-_2nd_period_12_17_-_12_30.mp4

In terms of pure decision making, it isn’t always great with Poirier. Something to note is that Poirier can tend to drive himself into unnecessary pressure or make unnecessarily risky plays, which is a pet peeve of many scouts.

Here is an example of him trying to keep the puck for too long, causing a turnover. This could have been avoided by passing the puck to his teammate on the other side of the defensive zone, or by chipping the puck along the boards to get it out of his zone.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/19-SMARTS-10677943_2.mp4

This is another example, he skated himself into a situation where only Connor McDavid could come out of it with the puck. Luckily though, he drew a penalty.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/20-SMARTS-10675203_1.mp4

Another thing is that Poirier problem-solves in the neutral zone by dumping or shooting too often. This goes back a bit to what I said about his passing and vision, but I would like him to think more about a potential better play than one of those two options, to stop treating them as “go-to” s in all scenarios.

Grade: 50

Physicality and Compete

For his size, Poirier doesn’t shy away from physical contact. From time to time, he can finish some checks and can use his body to bounce off of an opponent while protecting the puck. The problem simply lies in his size. Even at the junior level, most of the time, he gets simply outmuscled and outreached by bigger and taller players, and this will only get worse as he advances in his career, playing against older, taller and stronger opponents. His solution to this is either shooting the puck or dumping it, which are two solutions that are not too problematic when you know how to deal with them. For example, if the opposing team knows that when Poirier enters the zone and is pressured by a defenceman with no obvious passing lane, he either tries to shoot or to dump the puck, you can easily adjust to that, because you know that creating a passing lane or trying to beat the defender will likely not happen. As brought up when discussing his smarts, he will need to become a better passer, have more vision and versatility in his game if he wants to be a successful NHL player. But in terms of compete and physicality, if he learns how to get around bigger and stronger players, this will also be a great addition to his arsenal.

Here are two plays of him going over the boards seemingly a bit too easily, showing that his size is a bit of a limitation to his game.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/21-PHYSICAL-10675216_1.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/22-PHYSICAL-10673926_1.mp4

On the other side, Poirier can also show a bit of push back when protecting the puck with his body at times.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/23-PHYSICAL-10782411_2.mp4

He can also finish a hit from time to time. Here’s a hit he made on Bill Zonnon, a much bigger player than him.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/24-PHYSICAL10673926_1.mp4

Poirier’s compete is acceptable. In one-on-one scenarios, when the puck is free, he tends to put a lot of energy into regaining the puck, which is good to see. Generally, he will not be the one chasing the puck along the boards or taking a hit to make a play happen, although he can sometimes fill that role.

You can see this right here. He spends a lot of energy going around a defenceman to gain control of the puck, and it worked out well.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25-PHYSICAL10676075_2.mp4

The pace of his game also changes a lot depending on if he has the puck or not. When the opposing team has the puck, he can play with a lot of pace, applying great pressure and covering a lot of the ice. When he has the puck in the neutral or offensive zone, most of the time, he slows down the pace of the play. You can argue that it is a choice that he makes, but you can also argue that he is unable to create plays at a higher pace efficiently. He does sometimes get his feet moving with the puck, but it is usually when he has a free lane in front of him. In my opinion, he would sometimes benefit from playing at a higher pace, which I know is something Poirier is fully capable of doing.

Grade: 50

OFP: 54.375

A note on the 20-80 scale used above. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.

2024 NHL DRAFT: MCKEEN’S MID-SEASON TOP 100 – Celebrini sits comfortably on top – Demidov and Parekh among risers in ranking – Strong defense group defines this draft class

Brock Otten — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 15:58:41 +0000

It’s time to update and expand our 2024 NHL Draft rankings. Since our preliminary ranking in December, we’ve passed some major events on the scouting calendar, like the World Juniors, CHL Top Prospect’s Game, World Junior A Challenge, and the USA Hockey All American Game.

Macklin Celebrini still sits comfortably at the top of our rankings. Not only has he continued to be a difference maker for Boston University, but he was also a solid contributor at the World Juniors for an underwhelming Canadian team, an impressive feat for a double underager. In our opinion, he is unquestionably the top prospect available this year and is the one player we view as a near surefire high impact player at the NHL level.

One player moving up our ranking inside the top ten is Ivan Demidov. While ice time issues have limited his impact at the KHL level, he has been an absolute monster at the MHL level and in a draft that we feel lacks high end upside, he stands out as a potential difference maker. One player falling inside of our top ten is Cole Eiserman. While the goal scoring ability is unquestionably impressive, we’ve been left wanting more from the rest of his game and feel that his development is showing signs of plateauing.

Saginaw defenseman Zayne Parekh is another big-time mover and shaker for us as he pushes his way inside the top ten. At this point, his production and offensive upside is too vast to ignore. Yes, there are questions regarding his defensive game. Yes, there are questions about how he fits into an NHL system given Saginaw’s unique modern approach. However, the skill and sense are so high end that we believe the reward outweighs the risk.

Other movers and shakers include Jett Luchanko (40th to 18th), Alfons Freij (32nd to 21st), Harrison Brunicke (HM to 25th), and Dom Badinka (58th to 28th). Luchanko is a speedy, playmaking pivot who brings consistent effort in all three zones. As he bulks up, he should be able to become a more consistent point producer. Freij has been terrific internationally this year for the Swedish U18 team and is starting to remind us of Tom Willander in regard to his steady presence on the ice at both ends. Brunicke is a very mobile, right-handed shot defender with size who remains a work in progress. He flashes high end skill and upside in the defensive end, and we believe that he is just scratching the surface of what he is capable of. Dom Badinka has a similar profile to Freij in the sense that he has a very projectable frame and skill set. He has been steadily improving in the SHL this year with Malmo and the Czech blueliner projects as an all situations top four, right shot blueliner.

Overall, 2024 is still holding strong as a quality draft for defenders. In fact, 14 of our first round graded players are defenseman. On the other hand, the strength of this goaltending crop remains to be seen. OHL netminders Carter George and Ryerson Leenders remain our top ranked goalies and the only ones inside of our Top 70. There are others pushing up the list (like NTDP netminder Nick Kempf and WHL re-entry Lukas Matecha), but it’s not looking like the ideal year to use a high pick on a stopper.

In the coming weeks, expect to see a podcast on our new YT channel (here), where Director of Scouting, Brock Otten, Associate Director of Scouting, Derek Neumeier, and Director of Video Scouting, Josh Bell, debate the midseason list and provide some insight into why certain players are ranked where they are.

RK	Name	POS	TEAM	GP	G/GAA	A/SV%	TP	PIM	HT/WT	DOB
1	Macklin Celebrini	C	Boston University (HE)	25	22	19	41	10	6-0/190	13-Jun-06
2	Sam Dickinson	D	London (OHL)	52	14	39	53	24	6-3/195	7-Jun-06
3	Ivan Demidov	RW	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	23	20	25	45	16	5-11/170	10-Dec-05
4	Anton Silayev	D	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	57	3	8	11	8	6-7/210	11-Apr-06
5	Cayden Lindstrom	C	Medicine Hat (WHL)	32	27	19	46	66	6-4/215	3-Feb-06
6	Berkly Catton	C	Spokane (WHL)	49	38	44	82	37	5-11/170	14-Jan-06
7	Artyom Levshunov	D	Michigan State (B1G)	30	8	20	28	40	6-2/200	28-Oct-05
8	Konsta Helenius	C	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	40	12	19	31	6	5-11/180	11-May-06
9	Cole Eiserman	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	37	38	22	60	28	6-0/195	29-Aug-06
10	Zayne Parekh	D	Saginaw (OHL)	49	25	49	74	40	6-0/180	15-Feb-06
11	Carter Yakemchuk	D	Calgary (WHL)	48	24	29	53	95	6-3/190	29-Sep-05
12	Tij Iginla	C	Kelowna (WHL)	48	35	28	63	25	6-0/185	1-Aug-06
13	Liam Greentree	RW	Windsor (OHL)	46	28	41	69	25	6-2/200	1-Jan-06
14	Trevor Connelly	LW	Tri-City (USHL)	34	17	31	48	40	6-1/160	28-Feb-06
15	Zeev Buium	D	Denver (NCHC)	26	7	27	34	16	6-0/185	7-Dec-05
16	Michael Brandsegg Nygard	RW	Mora (Allsvenskan)	32	6	7	13	14	6-1/195	5-Oct-05
17	Adam Jiříček	D	HC Plzen (Czechia)	19	0	1	1	2	6-2/175	28-Jun-06
18	Jett Luchanko	C	Guelph (OHL)	50	17	37	54	32	5-11/185	21-Aug-06
19	Matvei Shuravin	D	CSKA Moskva (KHL)	22	0	7	7	26	6-2/170	22-Mar-06
20	Michael Hage	C	Chicago (USHL)	37	21	23	44	35	6-1/190	14-Apr-06
21	Alfons Freij	D	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	33	11	15	26	12	6-1/190	12-Feb-06
22	Emil Hemming	RW	TPS (Fin-Liiga)	35	7	4	11	0	6-1/200	27-Jun-06
23	Ryder Ritchie	RW	Prince Albert (WHL)	34	13	18	31	16	6-0/175	3-Aug-06
24	Sacha Boisvert	C	Muskegon (USHL)	41	27	18	45	42	6-2/180	17-Mar-06
25	Harrison Brunicke	D	Kamloops (WHL)	46	10	11	21	45	6-3/185	8-May-06
26	Andrew Basha	LW	Medicine Hat (WHL)	47	23	44	67	32	6-0/185	8-Nov-05
27	Henry Mews	D	Ottawa (OHL)	46	8	34	42	46	6-0/185	9-Mar-06
28	Dom Badinka	D	Malmo (Swe J20)	15	2	10	12	39	6-3/185	27-Nov-05
29	Beckett Sennecke	RW	Oshawa (OHL)	46	19	26	45	53	6-2/180	28-Jan-06
30	Igor Chernyshov	LW	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	18	10	14	24	8	6-2/190	30-Nov-05
31	E.J. Emery	D	USN U18 (USDP)	41	0	10	10	51	6-3/185	30-Mar-06
32	Leo Sahlin Wallenius	D	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	34	7	23	30	30	6-0/180	10-Apr-06
33	Dean Letourneau	C	St. Andrew's (CHS-O)	14	14	11	25	6	6-7/210	21-Feb-06
34	Yegor Surin	C	Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)	37	19	27	46	104	6-1/190	1-Aug-06
35	Adam Jecho	C	Edmonton (WHL)	38	15	17	32	18	6-5/200	24-Mar-06
36	Maxim Massé	RW	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	51	26	26	52	16	6-2/190	7-Apr-06
37	Lucas Pettersson	C	MoDo Hockey (Swe J20)	36	20	23	43	38	5-11/170	17-Apr-06
38	Charlie Elick	D	Brandon (WHL)	51	4	19	23	47	6-3/200	17-Jan-06
39	Raoul Boilard	C	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	52	21	31	52	32	6-2/190	7-Jan-06
40	Matvei Gridin	RW	Muskegon (USHL)	41	20	30	50	28	6-1/185	1-Mar-06
41	Nikita Artamonov	LW	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	48	7	15	22	12	5-11/185	17-Nov-05
42	Jesse Pulkkinen	D	JYP (Fin-U20)	18	11	17	28	47	6-6/215	27-Dec-04
43	Leon Muggli	D	Zug (Sui-NL)	4	0	2	2	4	6-0/165	9-Jul-06
44	Teddy Stiga	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	41	24	25	49	26	5-10/155	5-Apr-06
45	Aron Kiviharju	D	HIFK (Fin-Liiga)	7	1	1	2	0	5-10/165	25-Jan-06
46	Miguel Marques	RW	Lethbridge (WHL)	50	22	37	59	47	5-11/170	8-Mar-06
47	John Mustard	C	Waterloo (USHL)	39	22	18	40	22	6-0/185	16-Aug-06
48	Lukas Fischer	D	Sarnia (OHL)	52	4	22	26	50	6-4/180	6-Sep-06
49	Simon Zether	C	Rogle (Swe J20)	17	11	16	27	25	6-3/185	18-Oct-05
50	Luke Misa	C	Mississauga (OHL)	51	21	46	67	8	5-10/175	25-Nov-05
51	Sebastian Soini	D	Ilves (Fin-U20)	8	0	0	0	8	6-2/195	10-Jun-06
52	Carson Wetsch	RW	Calgary (WHL)	49	19	20	39	53	6-2/185	4-May-06
53	Terik Parascak	RW	Prince George (WHL)	52	31	42	73	37	5-11/180	28-May-06
54	Christian Humphreys	C	USN U18 (USDP)	35	15	25	40	14	5-11/170	4-Feb-06
55	Cole Hutson	D	USN U18 (USDP)	41	11	26	37	44	5-10/160	28-Jun-06
56	Cole Beaudoin	C	Barrie (OHL)	48	23	25	48	23	6-2/200	24-Apr-06
57	Marek Vanacker	LW	Brantford (OHL)	51	27	34	61	41	6-0/165	12-Apr-06
58	Stian Solberg	D	Vålerenga (Nor)	34	3	9	12	12	6-2/200	29-Dec-06
59	Herman Traff	RW	HV71 (Swe J20)	22	11	7	18	69	6-3/195	31-Dec-05
60	Kamil Bednarik	C	USN U18 (USDP)	41	18	25	43	40	6-0/185	26-May-06
61	Tomáš Galvas	D	Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia)	26	2	4	6	6	5-10/150	11-Feb-06
62	Carter George	G	Owen Sound (OHL)	41	3.09	0.914	-	-	6-0/160	20-May-06
63	Ryerson Leenders	G	Mississauga (OHL)	38	3.19	0.909	-	-	6-1/175	1-Jun-06
64	Tanner Howe	LW	Regina (WHL)	52	24	38	62	48	5-11/180	28-Nov-05
65	Colton Roberts	D	Vancouver (WHL)	50	7	17	24	45	6-4/195	8-Jun-06
66	Ben Danford	D	Oshawa (OHL)	51	1	30	31	21	6-0/175	6-Feb-06
67	Eriks Mateiko	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	40	19	19	38	18	6-4/210	18-Nov-05
68	Daniil Ustinkov	D	ZSC (Sui-NL)	18	0	1	1	0	6-0/200	26-Aug-06
69	Veeti Vaisanen	D	KooKoo (Fin-Liiga)	40	2	7	9	12	6-0/175	15-Feb-06
70	Clarke Caswell	C	Swift Current (WHL)	51	16	37	53	14	5-11/170	2-Feb-06
71	Jakub Fibigr	D	Mississauga (OHL)	44	6	20	26	33	6-0/170	22-Jul-06
72	Ondrej Kos	LW	KOOVEE (Fin-Liiga)	14	3	2	5	8	6-1/150	7-Mar-06
73	Sam O'Reilly	RW	London (OHL)	52	15	30	45	24	6-1/175	30-Mar-06
74	Jack Berglund	C	Färjestad BK (Swe J20)	37	14	18	32	18	6-3/210	10-Apr-06
75	Linus Eriksson	C	Djurgardens IF (Swe J20)	24	5	16	21	8	6-0/185	23-Mar-06
76	Tarin Smith	D	Everett (WHL)	54	7	30	37	45	6-1/175	24-Mar-06
77	Nick Kempf	G	USN U18 (USDP)	22	3.02	0.901			6-2/190	1-Mar-06
78	Melvin Fernstrom	RW	Örebro HK (Swe J20)	38	26	28	54	26	6-1/185	28-Feb-06
79	Alexander Zetterberg	C	Örebro HK J20	35	19	27	46	10	5-9/160	27-Apr-06
80	Spencer Gill	D	Rimouski (QMJHL)	50	9	23	32	50	6-3/180	17-Aug-06
81	Kevin He	LW	Niagara (OHL)	51	26	18	44	47	5-11/185	30-Apr-06
82	Aatos Koivu	C	TPS (Fin-U20)	23	15	14	29	28	6-0/165	22-Jun-06
83	Will Skahan	D	USN U18 (USDP)	40	2	7	9	63	6-4/210	14-May-06
84	Justin Poirier	RW	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	52	40	20	60	58	5-8/185	4-Sep-06
85	Maxmilian Curran	C	Tri-City (WHL)	40	5	27	32	25	6-3/190	27-Aug-06
86	Tory Pitner	D	Youngstown (USHL)	33	7	14	21	34	6-1/185	6-Mar-06
87	Lukas Matecha	G	Tri-City (WHL)	29	3.14	0.910			6-3/195	21-Mar-05
88	Brodie Ziemer	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	41	20	22	42	14	5-10/190	22-Feb-06
89	Niilopekka Muhonen	D	KalPa (Fin U20)	25	4	6	10		6-4/185	28-Feb-06
90	Anthony Romani	D	North Bay (OHL)	51	44	40	84	16	6-0/180	12-Jul-05
91	Julius Miettinen	RW	Everett (WHL)	53	22	24	46	30	6-3/205	20-Jan-06
92	Luca Marrelli	D	Oshawa (OHL)	50	2	38	40	14	6-1/185	4-Oct-05
93	Filip Sitar	C	Malmo (Swe J20)	33	12	31	43	10	5-11/175	29-Jun-05
94	Noel Fransen	D	Färjestad BK (Swe J20)	36	17	21	38	16	6-0/185	7-Dec-05
95	William Zellers	LW	Shattuck St. Marys (USHS-Prep)	43	41	43	84	20	5-10/165	4-Apr-06
96	Gabriel Eliasson	D	HV71 J20	27	0	3	3	81	6-6/205	9-Sep-06
97	Kim Saarinen	G	HPK (Fin-U20)	22	2.34	0.918			6-4/180	22-Jul-06
98	Max Vilen	D	Malmo (Swe J20)	39	1	12	13	8	6-2/200	29-Jun-06
99	Gabriel Frasca	C	Kingston (OHL)	26	9	9	18	10	6-0/170	18-Feb-06
100	Harrison Meneghin	G	Lethbridge (WHL)	41	2.46	0.922			6-3/165	13-Sep-06
HM	Tanner Adams	RW	Providence (NCAA)	27	5	12	17	2	5-11/185	2-Sep
HM	Alexandre Blais	C	Rimouski (QMJHL)	53	18	48	66	30	5-10/155	14-Nov-05
HM	Viggo Gustavsson	D	HV71 (Swe J20)	33	1	10	11	38	6-2/195	11-Sep-06
HM	Andrei Krutov	LW	Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL)	35	15	24	39	10	5-11/175	25-Apr-06
HM	Darels Uljanskis	D	AIK (Swe J20)	35	7	16	23	14	6-1/185	25-Aug-06
HM	Pavel Moysevich	G	SKA St. Petersburg (VHL)	19	2.31	0.927			6-5/175	29-Sep-04
HM	Ondrej Becher	C	Prince George (WHL)	42	19	40	59	32	6-1/175	22-Feb-04
HM	Veit Oswald	RW	EHC Munchen (DEL)	32	8	4	12	0	6-1/165	31-Aug-04
HM	Nathan Villeneuve	C	Sudbury (OHL)	47	18	21	39	52	6-0/185	13-Apr-06
HM	Petr Sikora	C	HC Ocelari Trinec (Cze U20)	27	12	21	33	26	5-11/170	2-Jan-06
HM	Oskar Vuollet	C	Skelleftea AIK (Swe J20)	32	17	24	41	6	5-10/170	3-Dec-05
HM	Kenta Isogai	F	Wenatchee (WHL)	49	25	48	73	22	5-11/155	28-Aug-04
HM	Marcus Kearsey	D	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	51	5	32	37	14	5-11/170	17-03-06
HM	Nate Misskey	D	Victoria (WHL	40	6	26	32	52	6-3/210	1-Dec-05
HM	Thomas Desruisseaux	C	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	52	10	34	44	16	5-11/160	10-Mar-06
HM	Jonathan Morello	C	St. Michaels (OJHL)	44	23	27	50	20	6-1/175	31-Jul-06
HM	Kieron Walton	LW	Sudbury (OHL)	47	15	19	34	12	6-5/205	22-Apr-06
HM	Adam Kleber	D	Lincoln (USHL)	33	5	13	18	20	6-5/205	24-Mar-06
HM	Riley Patterson	C	Barrie (OHL)	49	18	27	45	4	6-0/175	22-Mar-06
HM	Eemil Vinni	G	JoKP (Fin-Liiga)	27	2.5	0.9	-	-	6-2/285	18-Dec-06

MCKEEN’S HOCKEY 2024 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS – December 2023 – Top 32 – Macklin Celebrini leads the pack early by a wide margin

Brock Otten — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 21:40:04 +0000

NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 1: NCAA men's hockey at Lawler Rink on December 1, 2023 in North Andover, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rich Gagnon)

It’s time for a ranking update at McKeen’s Hockey as we approach the end of the calendar year. Hopefully you’ve all been following along with our early regional favourites series, where our regional scouts have been providing detailed breakdowns of some of their favourites for the 2024 Draft.

This article shows our top 32 and is available to everyone. For subscribers, we are providing our Top 64 with a few honorable mentions. Then in the new year, we will expand to a Top 100.

The top player on our list is Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini. One of the highest scoring players in the NCAA this year as a freshman, Celebrini has met the ultra-high expectations placed on him heading into the year. He is, in our opinion, a slam dunk to be the first player selected this year. Recently named to the Canadian World Junior camp roster, hopefully Celebrini can earn a roster spot and have a strong performance for Canada as a focal point of the team’s offensive attack.

Sam Dickinson of the London Knights. Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images

After Celebrini is where things get…murky. We see a group of seven players in competition for that second spot; Sam Dickinson, Cayden Lindstrom, Konsta Helenius, Cole Eiserman, Anton Silayev, Ivan Demidov, and Artyom Levshunov. How those seven players are ranked was heavily debated amongst our scouts. There truly wasn’t much of a consensus among our staff and we know that NHL scouts are having a similar debate at this current time. An argument could be made for any of these seven to be ranked second. Conversely an argument could be made for any of these seven to be ranked eighth. Hopefully a few of these players can truly separate themselves from the pack in the second half. In particular, we’re looking to see if the three defenders, Dickinson, Silayev, and Levshunov, can clean up some of their poor decisions with the puck.

Rounding out the top ten are forwards Berkly Catton (Spokane Chiefs) and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (Mora). Catton is a dynamic play creator who has a chance to jump into that second tier grouping if he can find a way to become a more consistent off puck player. While Brandsegg-Nygard is a winger who plays a game that should translate easily to the pro level in North America. He competes hard. He skates well. It’s just a matter of whether you feel that he has the offensive upside and skill to be a top six player. At this point, considering our high ranking of him, we do believe he possesses that upside.

Of the remaining 22 players currently in our first round, 11 are defenders. While we aren’t enamored with this draft crop (overall), we do really like the upside of this blueline crop. The question is, can the likes of Adam Jiricek and Aron Kiviharju hang on to a spot in our first round because there is no question that they have underperformed compared to their expectations thus far.

But what about the goalies? This is everyone’s favourite question. At this point, we don’t see any netminders worthy of first round consideration. But we did rank OHL goalies Carter George and Ryerson Leenders at the back of our Top 64. George has been the more consistent performer thanks to his excellent play reading ability and mature approach. This was on display at last summer’s Hlinka/Gretzky too, when he stole the starter’s job from Gabriel D’Aigle. Meanwhile, Leenders is unquestionably the better athlete and a netminder with a penchant for making the highlight reel save thanks to his quickness. He just doesn’t have as refined of a technical approach.

The List:

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Macklin Celebrini	C	Boston University (HE)	6-0/190	13-Jun-06	15-10-15-25
2	Sam Dickinson	D	London (OHL)	6-3/205	7-Jun-06	27-6-14-20
3	Cayden Lindstrom	C	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-3/210	3-Feb-06	27-22-16-38
4	Konsta Helenius	C	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	5-11/180	11-May-06	26-8-11-19
5	Cole Eiserman	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/195	29-Aug-06	21-25-16-41
6	Anton Silayev	D	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	6-7/210	11-Apr-06	38-3-7-10
7	Ivan Demidov	RW	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	5-11/180	10-Dec-05	7-2-5-7
8	Artyom Levshunov	D	Michigan State (B1G)	6-2/205	28-Oct-05	16-4-11-15
9	Berkly Catton	C	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/170	14-Jan-06	25-16-20-36
10	Michael Brandsegg-Nygard	RW	Mora (Allsvenskan)	6-1/195	5-Oct-05	21-2-4-6
11	Ryder Ritchie	RW	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-0/175	3-Aug-06	30-12-16-28
12	Carter Yakemchuk	D	Calgary (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Sep-05	26-12-16-28
13	Liam Greentree	RW	Windsor (OHL)	6-2/210	1-Jan-06	23-17-18-35
14	Trevor Connelly	LW	Tri-City (USHL)	6-1/160	28-Feb-06	20-8-18-26
15	Tij Iginla	C	Kelowna (WHL)	6-0/185	1-Aug-06	27-20-11-31
16	Zeev Buium	D	Denver (NCHC)	6-0/185	7-Dec-05	16-5-16-21
17	Zayne Parekh	D	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/175	15-Feb-06	25-10-26-36
18	Matvei Shuravin	D	CSKA Moskva (KHL)	6-3/195	22-Mar-06	8-0-2-2
19	Adam Jiricek	D	HC Plzen (Czechia)	6-2/175	28-Jun-06	19-0-1-1
20	Aron Kiviharju	D	HIFK (Fin-Liiga)	5-9/170	25-Jan-06	7-1-1-2
21	Emil Hemming	RW	TPS (Fin-Liiga)	6-1/200	27-Jun-06	24-5-2-7
22	Igor Chernyshov	LW	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-2/190	30-Nov-05	15-6-6-12
23	Leo Sahlin Wallenius	D	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	5-11/175	10-Apr-06	27-5-20-25
24	Beckett Sennecke	RW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/180	28-Jan-06	21-7-13-20
25	Michael Hage	C	Chicago (USHL)	6-0/190	14-Apr-06	20-7-13-20
26	Henry Mews	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/185	9-Mar-06	22-3-19-22
27	Cole Hutson	D	USN U18 (USDP)	5-10/160	28-Jun-06	22-6-15-21
28	Maxim Masse	RW	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-2/190	7-Apr-06	30-13-16-29
29	Adam Jecho	C	Edmonton (WHL)	6-5/200	24-Mar-06	19-8-10-18
30	Sacha Boisvert	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-2/180	17-Mar-06	22-13-8-21
31	Veeti Vaisanen	D	KooKoo (Fin-Liiga)	6-0/175	15-Feb-06	23-1-4-5
32	Alfons Freij	D	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	6-0/185	12-Feb-06	27-8-12-20

MCKEEN’S HOCKEY 2024 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS – December 2023 – Top 64 plus Honourable Mentions – Macklin Celebrini leads the pack early by a wide margin

Brock Otten — Mon, 11 Dec 2023 21:30:02 +0000

NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 1: NCAA men's hockey at Lawler Rink on December 1, 2023 in North Andover, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rich Gagnon)

For this update, we are providing our Top 64 with a few honorable mentions. Then in the new year, we will expand to a Top 100.

Sam Dickinson of the London Knights. Photo by Natalie Shaver/OHL Images

The List:

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Macklin Celebrini	C	Boston University (HE)	6-0/190	13-Jun-06	15-10-15-25
2	Sam Dickinson	D	London (OHL)	6-3/205	7-Jun-06	27-6-14-20
3	Cayden Lindstrom	C	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-3/210	3-Feb-06	27-22-16-38
4	Konsta Helenius	C	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	5-11/180	11-May-06	26-8-11-19
5	Cole Eiserman	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/195	29-Aug-06	21-25-16-41
6	Anton Silayev	D	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	6-7/210	11-Apr-06	38-3-7-10
7	Ivan Demidov	RW	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	5-11/180	10-Dec-05	7-2-5-7
8	Artyom Levshunov	D	Michigan State (B1G)	6-2/205	28-Oct-05	16-4-11-15
9	Berkly Catton	C	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/170	14-Jan-06	25-16-20-36
10	Michael Brandsegg-Nygard	RW	Mora (Allsvenskan)	6-1/195	5-Oct-05	21-2-4-6
11	Ryder Ritchie	RW	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-0/175	3-Aug-06	30-12-16-28
12	Carter Yakemchuk	D	Calgary (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Sep-05	26-12-16-28
13	Liam Greentree	RW	Windsor (OHL)	6-2/210	1-Jan-06	23-17-18-35
14	Trevor Connelly	LW	Tri-City (USHL)	6-1/160	28-Feb-06	20-8-18-26
15	Tij Iginla	C	Kelowna (WHL)	6-0/185	1-Aug-06	27-20-11-31
16	Zeev Buium	D	Denver (NCHC)	6-0/185	7-Dec-05	16-5-16-21
17	Zayne Parekh	D	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/175	15-Feb-06	25-10-26-36
18	Matvei Shuravin	D	CSKA Moskva (KHL)	6-3/195	22-Mar-06	8-0-2-2
19	Adam Jiricek	D	HC Plzen (Czechia)	6-2/175	28-Jun-06	19-0-1-1
20	Aron Kiviharju	D	HIFK (Fin-Liiga)	5-9/170	25-Jan-06	7-1-1-2
21	Emil Hemming	RW	TPS (Fin-Liiga)	6-1/200	27-Jun-06	24-5-2-7
22	Igor Chernyshov	LW	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	6-2/190	30-Nov-05	15-6-6-12
23	Leo Sahlin Wallenius	D	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	5-11/175	10-Apr-06	27-5-20-25
24	Beckett Sennecke	RW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/180	28-Jan-06	21-7-13-20
25	Michael Hage	C	Chicago (USHL)	6-0/190	14-Apr-06	20-7-13-20
26	Henry Mews	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/185	9-Mar-06	22-3-19-22
27	Cole Hutson	D	USN U18 (USDP)	5-10/160	28-Jun-06	22-6-15-21
28	Maxim Masse	RW	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-2/190	7-Apr-06	30-13-16-29
29	Adam Jecho	C	Edmonton (WHL)	6-5/200	24-Mar-06	19-8-10-18
30	Sacha Boisvert	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-2/180	17-Mar-06	22-13-8-21
31	Veeti Vaisanen	D	KooKoo (Fin-Liiga)	6-0/175	15-Feb-06	23-1-4-5
32	Alfons Freij	D	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	6-0/185	12-Feb-06	27-8-12-20
33	EJ Emery	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/185	30-Mar-06	22-0-5-5
34	Tanner Howe	LW	Regina (WHL)	5-10/180	28-Nov-05	28-16-17-33
35	Nikita Artamonov	LW	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	5-11/185	17-Nov-05	29-4-10-14
36	Lukas Fischer	D	Sarnia (OHL)	6-2/180	6-Sep-06	27-2-9-11
37	Luke Misa	C	Mississauga (OHL)	5-10/175	25-Nov-05	25-11-26-37
38	Matvei Gridin	RW	Muskegon (USHL)	6-1/185	1-Mar-06	22-13-12-25
39	Will Skahan	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-4/210	14-May-06	22-1-4-5
40	Jett Luchanko	C	Guelph (OHL)	5-11/185	21-Aug-06	27-10-16-26
41	Simon Zether	C	Rogle (Swe J20)	6-3/185	18-Oct-05	17-11-16-27
42	Dean Letourneau	C	St. Andrew's (CHS-O)	6-6/210	21-Feb-06	28-32-31-63
43	Andrew Basha	LW	Medicine Hat (WHL)	5-11/185	8-Nov-05	27-13-22-35
44	Christian Humphreys	C	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/170	4-Feb-06	22-10-20-30
45	Daniil Ustinkov	D	ZSC (Sui-NL)	6-0/195	26-Aug-06	15-0-1-1
46	Yegor Surin	C	Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)	5-10/175	1-Aug-06	21-11-14-25
47	Leon Muggli	D	Zug (Sui-NL)	6-0/165	9-Jul-06	24-2-4-6
48	Sebastian Soini	D	KOOVEE (Fin-Mestis)	6-2/180	10-Jun-06	15-0-4-4
49	Lucas Pettersson	C	MoDo Hockey(Swe J20)	5-11/170	17-Apr-06	26-13-13-26
50	Cole Beaudoin	C	Barrie (OHL)	6-2/200	24-Apr-06	24-10-8-18
51	Jakub Fibigr	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-0/170	22-Jul-06	25-4-12-16
52	Justin Poirier	RW	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	5-7/185	4-Sep-06	30-23-10-33
53	Kamil Bednarik	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/185	26-May-06	22-13-14-27
54	Niilopekka Muhonen	D	KalPa (Fin-U20)	6-4/195	28-Feb-06	19-1-5-6
55	Hagen Burrows	RW	Minnetonka (USHS-MN)	6-1/175	13-Oct-05	4-3-8-11
56	Teddy Stiga	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-9/155	5-Apr-06	22-16-12-28
57	Melvin Fernstrom	RW	Orebro (Swe J20)	6-0/185	28-Feb-06	29-18-16-34
58	Dominik Badinka	D	Malmo (Swe J20)	6-3/185	27-Nov-05	15-2-10-12
59	Charlie Elick	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-3/200	17-Jan-06	29-3-10-13
60	Terik Parascak	RW	Prince George (WHL)	5-11/175	28-May-06	28-22-21-43
61	Tuomas Suoniemi	C	Kiekko-Espoo (Fin-U20)	5-10/160	16-Apr-06	20-3-11-14
62	Raoul Boilard	C	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-1/185	7-Jan-06	30-12-17-29
63	Carter George	G	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-1/190	20-May-06	9-8-2, 3.03, .902
64	Ryerson Leenders	G	Mississauga (OHL)	6-1/175	1-Jun-06	11-7-0, 3.03, .913
HM	Anthony Cristoforo	D	Windsor (OHL)	5-11/190	23-Feb-06	25-1-13-14
HM	Colton Roberts	D	Vancouver (WHL)	6-4/195	8-Jun-06	28-5-11-16
HM	Carson Wetsch	RW	Calgary (WHL)	6-0/185	4-May-06	26-9-9-18
HM	William Zellers	LW	Shattuck-St. Mary's (USHS-MN)	5-10/165	4-Apr-06	25-24-24-48
HM	Aidan Park	C	Shattuck-St. Mary's (USHS-MN)	6-1/185	6-Jan-06	25-15-27-42
HM	Noel Fransen	D	Farjestads (Swe J20)	6-0/180	7-Dec-05	30-15-15-30
HM	Oskar Vuollet	C	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	5-10/170	3-Dec-05	22-12-16-28
HM	Max Plante	LW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-10/170	20-Feb-06	12-4-13-17
HM	Tomas Galvas	D	Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia)	5-10/150	11-Feb-06	17-1-2-3

Welcome to the 2024 NHL Draft – Quebec and Eastern Canada Region

Jérémi Plourde, Jérémy Tremblay — Sun, 24 Sep 2023 11:43:36 +0000

Autumn is just around the corner, and you know what that means? It’s time to start thinking about the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. The majority of players have already seen their seasons begin, be it European or North American based, and that gives us a ton to talk about already. As part of a large series, each of our scouting regions and regional scouts will be introducing you to some of their early favourites and names to keep an eye on.

This is ‘Welcome to the 2024 NHL Draft’ - Quebec & Eastern Canada Region

Scouts: Jérémi Plourde, Jérémy Tremblay

Favourite Player from the East Heading Into the Draft Year:

Justin Poirier, Wing, Baie-Comeau Drakkar

It didn’t take long for Poirier to become my favorite player out of the Q this year. I have to admit that I have a soft spot for exceptionally good skaters, and Poirier respects this criteria. It was a blessing to watch him play in the Hlinka, dominating offensively with his unstoppable pace and agility. But don’t be mistaken, he has a lot more to offer. Poirier can show incredible hands, even at high speeds. He processes the game quickly and is very precise in his touches. Finally, although he is on the smaller side at 5’8, he is impressively physical along the boards, as he loves to lay hits. That being said, his size limits his ability to really protect the puck and to cut towards the inside. Poirier, who also happens to be one of the youngest players eligible in the entire draft this year, was scoring at just under a point-per-game pace last season with Baie-Comeau (48pts in 55gp) and will look to step his production up this year. Some people might be scared because of his size, but he is still a first round candidate at this current time. (Jérémi Plourde)

Maxim Massé, Wing, Chicoutimi Saguenéens

The reigning winner of the rookie of the year in the CHL has all eyes on him this year in the QMJHL after putting 29 goals and 62 points in 65 games last season. Playing for the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, Maxim Massé will have to prove that he can take the next step this season despite the pressure of the draft. The best asset of the right-winger is his shooting. His shot is heavy, and he has a quick release that makes it difficult to read for goaltenders. The thing that impresses me the most is that he also has a great playmaking ability, often shown at a high pace. If there is a small opening in the play, he will see the line and make a precise pass on the tape of his teammate. He can play a tough game too, with his physicality aiding his ability to create space in the offensive zone. The offensive game is there, but his skating lacks explosiveness; improving that will be critical. The defensive game needs some refinement too, but once those things improve, he could show us that he has the potential to be a top 10-15 selection in the draft this year. (Jérémy Tremblay)

First Round Candidates:

Thomas Desruisseaux, Center, Chicoutimi Saguenéens

Desruisseaux will be in the shadow of the QMJHL’s best prospect, Maxim Massé, in the first few months, but I am confident that as the season evolves, more and more people will start to appreciate his fast-paced game. Desruisseaux is always buzzing around and is so dangerous with his passes. He’s excellent at handling zone entries and is consistently able to find Massé and his other linemates in prime positions to score. Adding even more speed to his game and shooting more would make him a very dangerous player in the coming years. Desruisseaux and Massé will be deadly this year, both will almost certainly produce at a pace that will be well above a point-per-game. If he gets enough recognition, which he should, there is a decent chance he ends up in the low first round. (Jérémi Plourde)

Félix Lacerte, Center, Shawinigan Cataractes

Felix Lacerte is another prospect from the Q who can often find his name in mock drafts around the end of the first round. A bit like Desruisseaux, Lacerte’s game is built around his playmaking ability and passing skill, especially his vision to find teammates in the slot. He also has smooth hands; he’s very elusive with his stickhandling. That being said, it feels like he lacks a bit of intensity, whether it is on the forecheck or physically. He will look to improve that this year. Lacerte, who is another younger player in terms of draft eligible players, was able to score 52 points in 67 games last year, and will probably aim to score at around a point-per-game pace with Shawinigan. (Jérémi Plourde)

Eriks Mateiko, Wing, Saint John Sea Dogs

The young player from Latvia will play his second season in the QMJHL after a good first one with over 0.5-point par game. He is the type of player who likes to shoot from everywhere and has a ton of confidence in his scoring ability. His favorite spot in the offensive zone is the front of the net where he uses his big frame to his advantage. Being 6’4 often helps to play physically, but he will need to gain some strength and poise to be able to protect the puck better. We will pay particular attention to his development this season to see if he could crack the first round or be drafted in the later rounds. (Jérémy Tremblay)

Justin Gendron, Wing, Victoriaville Tigres

The right-winger of the Victoriaville Tigres is an interesting player to watch this season. He had a good season last year with 27 points in 44 games. He often does not immediately stand out because he is not flashy, but he has great hockey sense, and he knows where to position himself. I like how he always scans the ice, understanding the play that will come. A little bit more drive and intensity will surely help him score more points this season. It could be good for him to control the puck more and with his hockey sense, it could make him a draft riser. (Jérémy Tremblay)

Under the Radar “Sleepers:”

Alex Mercier, Wing, Moncton Wildcats

I first noticed Mercier in the 2021-2022 season when I was scouting Yoan Loshing from the Moncton Wildcats. There was a game in particular where he had earned two breakaways and a few odd man opportunities, and I was really impressed by his level of talent at his age. He is evasive with his feet thanks to strong acceleration. He loves to make set plays with Étienne Morin to help Moncton gain the offensive zone. He has the potential to put his name out there this year, but he will need to improve some aspects of his game, notably his offensive zone skills and finishing ability. Mercier, unfortunately, did not really take the next step in his junior career last year, scoring only 22 points in 54 games, but I believe in the possibility of him improving dramatically this year. (Jérémi Plourde)

Alexandre Blais, Wing, Rimouski Océanic

It is surprising to me how little Blais is talked about. He was able to score 42 points in 64 games last year, which is not terrible for a 17-year-old. Blais is very solid but not necessarily that quick of a skater. He likes to attack the inside as well as the triangle of the defenceman, and has great zone entry skills. He is relied on by Rimouski for entering the zone in the powerplay, not because he has rocket speed, but because he is great at navigating through pressure and finding space. I believe Blais has a lot of potential and might become a very underrated middle round pick up for an NHL team. In terms of what he could improve, more explosiveness and physical strength would help him take the next step. (Jérémi Plourde)

Tomas Lavoie, Defense, Cape Breton Eagles

A player that I think that goes under the radar is Tomas Lavoie. The first overall pick in the QMJHL in 2022 has yet to show his full potential. He is a big guy of 6’4, who isn’t afraid to play physically along the board and use his reach to keep his opponent outside of the slot. We already know that he has some offensive potential, but the improvement of his strength and his skating could really help him generate more offense. The tools are there, but he will have to figure out how to use them during the season. (Jérémy Tremblay)

Eliot L’Italien, Center, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

After playing only 14 games last season, Eliot L’Italien could be a player that goes easily under the radar. He doesn’t really generate offensive play regularly, but hopefully, he will take the next step this season and find a way to produce more. He already is a responsive center in his zone, covering passing lanes and blocking shots from the point. He is a hard-working player that goes into the corner to win the puck no matter the cost and is eager to finish his checks. He will have to work on his offensive game to be drafted. (Jérémy Tremblay)