Kalan Lind – McKeen's Hockey

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #17 Nashville Predators – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Sun, 25 May 2025 12:33:22 +0000

PARADISE, NV - JUNE 28: Yegor Surin is drafted by the Nashville Predators in the first round during the Upper Deck NHL Draft on June 28, 2024 at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire)

Subscribers can download the PDF in subscriber downloads.

Please note you can scroll through the PDF document here as well

Nashville 25 Prospects

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – NASHVILLE PREDATORS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #10

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Brock Otten — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:00:56 +0000

240824 Frölundas David Edstrom under ishockeymatchen i Strömstad Hockey Classic mellan Färjestad och Frölunda den 24 augusti 2024 i Skee.
Foto: Michael Erichsen / BILDBYRÅN / COP 89 / MI0707

Prospect System Ranking – 10th (Previous Rank - 6th)
GM: Barry Trotz Hired: July 2023
COACH: Andrew Brunette Hired: May 2023

Big things are happening in Music City, with Barry Trotz now guiding the ship. In his first full season as GM, the former bench boss made significant splashes during the 2024 free agency period, locking up big fish like Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei.

In a somewhat surprising move, the Predators also re-signed veteran goaltender Juuse Saros to an eight-year contract. While securing a cornerstone in net makes sense in most cases, it threw a wrench in the future plans of McKeen’s top-rated goaltending prospect, and Nashville’s top prospect, Yaroslav Askarov, resulting in a trade to San Jose. The return included 109th ranked prospect David Edstrom, who slots in at the fifth ranked prospect for the Predators. They also acquired a conditional first round pick (previously acquired from Vegas) and goaltending prospect Magnus Chrona. For Trotz it did add to potential future stock but the prospects and pick also offer trade alternatives for an organization that has gone all in to win now.

Down on the farm, the Predators boast several prospects on the verge of making the leap to the NHL. Joakim Kemell (52nd), Fyodor Svechkov (159th), and Zach L'Heureux (82nd) are all coming off respectable rookie campaigns and have shown they can handle the pro ranks. Reid Schaefer (162nd), Ryan Ufko (171st), and newly acquired Jeremy Hanzel are also set to step into full-time roles with the Milwaukee Admirals.

Further from home, the Predators continue to develop a few intriguing names. Matthew Wood, playing at the University of Connecticut, Tanner Molendyk (107th), dominating at the WHL level, and recently drafted first-rounder Yegor Surin (133rd), who tore up the MHL last year and is now set to graduate to the KHL for the 2024-25 season, all represent exciting future pieces.

With recent gradations to Philip Tomasino, Juuso Parssinen, and Luke Evangelista, the process of retooling a team which has made the postseason nine out of the last 10 years is in full effect.

Nashville Predators Top-15 Prospects

1. Joakim Kemell

It’s becoming more and more common to see U20 players in the AHL these days, and it’s also becoming even more commonplace to see them performing well. Kemell left Finland to join Milwaukee two years ago and was an immediate impact player for the Admirals during their playoff run (with 8 goals in 14 playoff games). In his first full year in North America last year, Kemell was very solid, right there with the likes of Shane Wright and Jiri Kulich among the top U20 scorers in the AHL. In December, the Predators took a lot of heat for not allowing Kemell to go to the WJC’s to play for Finland, but perhaps it was best to allow him to have an uninterrupted first full year. The results spoke for themselves. Kemell’s best two attributes would be his shot and his quickness. He is absolutely dynamic in transition and he is right at home on the flank on the powerplay where he can hammer pucks with his lethal one timer. The focus moving forward remains strength on the puck so that Kemell can be more inside driven. The gains that he can make in the strength department likely dictate whether he is a full time Predator next season or not.

2. Matthew Wood

Wood, the 15th overall pick in the 2023 draft, shocked the hockey world when he announced that he was heading to the transfer portal this offseason, following a rather lateral development year with UConn as a sophomore. Now headed to the University of Minnesota, Wood will try to get things back on track with the Golden Gophers. The 6-foot-4, 200 pound forward is an absolute load to handle for defenders when he’s attacking in transition because his top speed has improved and because he protects the puck so well. Wood also dominates near the crease because of his quick hands and quick release. Moving forward, the focus will continue to be on his quickness in order to be more explosive to gaps and coming off the wall. Additionally, there’s still a lot of room for Wood to improve as a two-way player. The Predators will be looking for his physical intensity level to become more consistent and that would take his game to another level. One would expect that Wood will turn pro following his junior season at Minnesota and depending on how next year goes, he could make an immediate impact in Nashville.

3. Zachary L'Heureux

Coming into the year, if someone had told you that L’Heureux would be second in the AHL in penalty minutes in his first pro season, would you have been surprised? We certainly wouldn’t have. However, it should also be noted that he finished first in the AHL playoffs in goal scoring, an extremely impressive accolade. L’Heureux is at his best when he’s playing on the edge…or even crossing it, and it’s the combination of his pest-like qualities with his skill and offensive zone awareness that makes him a bit of a unicorn these days. L’Heureux is very much on track to be a quality middle six player for Nashville and that could happen as early as next season if he can continue to learn to rein things in a bit to stay out of the box. The former Halifax Mooseheads standout and 27th overall pick is right on track developmentally and Nashville has to be happy with his performance as a first-year pro.

4. Tanner Molendyk

Molendyk’s draft plus one year went extremely well as he has emerged as one of the WHL’s top two-way defenders. He was one of six defenders to average over one point per game and his Saskatoon Blades finished the regular season with the most wins in the league. Just as was the case when he was drafted, Molendyk’s best asset is his mobility. A phenomenal and effortless four-way skater, Molendyk’s skating ability makes up the foundation of his game. He’s aggressive in attacking the offensive zone and leading the charge in transition. He quarterbacks the powerplay well by consistently beating the initial layer of pressure. His rush defense is excellent because of his terrific gap control and ability to keep the action ahead of him. Would it be shocking at all to see Molendyk copy Kevin Korchinski’s development path by making the NHL next season? Stranger things have happened, especially after Tyson Barrie was allowed to walk. However, Ryan Ufko would probably be ahead of him on the depth chart.

5. David Edstrom

There probably isn't a hockey coach in the world who wouldn't fall in love with Edstrom almost immediately. He is about as consistent, versatile, and low-maintenance as hockey players come, and there is a ton of plug-and-play value to him, especially as a center. He can play the game any way you like and fit anywhere in a team's lineup. He’s already so wise and mature as a hockey player, and as a teenager this season in the SHL he looked like someone who could have already been in the league for 10 years. He's reminiscent of another former Frolunda center in Lars Eller, in the sense that he'll likely never be a superstar, but it's easy to foresee him as someone who plays 1,000 games in the NHL and is always great to have on your roster come playoff time.

6. Yegor Surin

Can you imagine Zachary L'Heureux and Yegor Surin on the same line? The Predators sure could. Absolute chaos. That’s why the Predators used the 22nd overall pick on him this year. Surin plays the game on (or even over) the edge consistently. It’s even fair to say that his physicality knows no bounds. He is a Tasmanian devil on the ice. However, like L'Heureux, Surin is also a skilled player who can make plays with the puck and who is capable of playing alongside other skilled players in an offensive role. That’s what makes him unique. We saw how valuable he can be in this past season’s MHL playoffs, where Surin was one of the top performers. The only real question is, how well does he process the game? That’s yet to be determined. The answer will dictate his future place in an NHL lineup. For now, he’ll return to Russia and look to earn more time in the KHL this season with Lokomotiv.

7. Fyodor Svechkov

After a few tumultuous post draft years in Russia, the Predators have to be very happy with the development of Svechkov this past season in Milwaukee. Not only did he continue to be a strong defensive presence, which was part of his allure as a draft eligible player in 2021, but his offensive game translated nicely too. He was right in the mix with the other top young forwards on Milwaukee’s roster and his attention to detail and versatility are sure to make him a coaches’ favourite during his likely long NHL career. He looks like a safe bet to at least become a very good third line forward for the Predators in the near future, although at this point, he would appear to be behind Kemell and L’Heureux in the pecking order. Returning to Milwaukee next year as an AHL sophomore would actually be best for his development, especially considering the likelihood that one of those other top young forwards gets promoted, which would open up even more ice time and responsibility for him.

8. Reid Schaefer

One of the prize pieces of the Mattias Ekholm trade with Edmonton, Schaefer is a former first round selection by the Oilers, and he just completed his first pro season with AHL Milwaukee. Given the depth of Nashville’s talent pool at the pro level, Schaefer played more of a bottom six role for the Admirals. Considering his play style as a two-way, power winger, that’s been a great fit for him, easing him into the increased pace of the pro game. He wasn’t able to find his way to the net to create scoring chances with the same sort of consistency as he did in the WHL, but he proved to be sound away from the puck and brought it physically despite being a younger player. He definitely did not look overwhelmed at the AHL level. Schaefer is likely to receive more playing time and responsibility this season and that will give us a better indication of his offensive upside as an NHL player. As is, he looks like a future NHL’er in some capacity, but he’s just further behind in his development compared to the other young star forwards in the system.

9. Ryan Ufko

The captain of UMass last season, Ufko signed at the end of the college season and immediately became an impact player at the AHL level for Milwaukee. He was an integral part of their playoff run and that has Nashville fans excited about his prospects for the future. Ufko’s biggest knock has always been his size, but he’s worked hard to improve his overall skating profile and his strength away from the puck. He’s more than just a powerplay quarterback, as he is a strong, heady, two-way defender. He has proven that he could be a potential top four fixture for Nashville in the future. What’s in store for him this year? Likely a full year in Milwaukee, so that he can continue to gain confidence. However, as mentioned with Tanner Molendyk, there’s a strong chance that Ufko could see NHL time this year based on how he looked to close out the last AHL season.

10. Teddy Stiga

Based on his rapid improvement over the course of his draft season, Stiga entered the draft as one of our favourite targets in the late first round, early second round range. Needless to say, we feel that Nashville made a great selection at 55th overall. Stiga is one of those players who is designed to be a tremendous complement to other skilled players. He proved that this past year playing with potential 2025 first overall pick James Hagens. He’s tenacious. He’s intelligent. He’s skilled. His skating has already improved a lot and should continue to do so. Sure, he’s not huge, but neither is a guy like Jake Guentzel, and he just earned himself a lot of money this offseason for being the perfect complementary piece. Stiga will attend Boston College this coming season as a freshman, and we expect his production to be immediately solid. Look for him to slot in alongside Hagens in BC’s top six.

11. Semyon Chistyakov

The Nashville Predators have been patient with their 2019 draft pick and that patience will need to continue given that his KHL contract runs another two years. But good things come to those that wait. Chistyakov is already one of the top young defenders in the KHL and he should most definitely be NHL ready by that time. A mobile, puck mover, Chistyakov projects as a solid second or third pairing two-way defender who can help manage the puck and even quarterback the secondary powerplay unit.

12. Andrew Gibson

Acquired from the Detroit Red Wings this past offseason, Gibson is a competitive, defensively oriented defender from the OHL. The big right shot blueliner is physically assertive and he makes opposing forwards earn their touches when he’s on the ice. Gibson blocks shots, clears the crease, and is generally just a solid defensive presence. This past year, his offensive game took a nice jump with Sault Ste. Marie, but his calling card will likely be in the defensive end at the next level.

13. Felix Nilsson

Nilsson was very much a draft favourite of many members of the McKeen’s Hockey scouting staff for last year’s NHL Draft, however his post draft year wasn’t a tremendous step forward. When he plays at the J20 level, he’s a key offensive contributor. When he plays at the SHL level, like he did most of the season with Rogle, he is a non-factor due to limited ice time as well as strength deficits. Nilsson is tenacious and a strong playmaker, but there’s a need to get quicker and stronger to perform well against men.

14. Adam Ingram

Ingram will be returning to St. Cloud State for his junior season and the expectation is that he continues to improve. He’s shown growth through both of his first two NCAA years, improving his skating and strength on and off the puck. The well-rounded pivot projects as a versatile pro as long as Nashville continues to be patient with him.

15. Kalan Lind

For the second straight year, Lind battled injuries with the Red Deer Rebels of the WHL as he dipped below the point per game mark. The physical winger plays an aggressive North/South game and projects as a quality bottom six player. The coming season will be a big one for him as he tries to play a full year and aims to take his goal scoring to the next level.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #6 Nashville Predators – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Player Profiles - Brock Otten, Team Overview - Robert Howard — Sat, 08 Jun 2024 18:00:29 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - JANUARY 12: Yaroslav Askarov (30) of the Nashville Predators tends net during the warmup period of the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and the Montreal Canadiens on January 12, 2023, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)

In their first full season in charge, GM Barry Trotz and Coach Andrew Brunette surprised everyone by qualifying for the playoffs. They lost to Vancouver in the first round, but the possibility of a quick return to relevance seems possible. They have a solid core in veterans Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi and Juuse Saros. Forsberg managed to stay healthy and fired 48 goals. Josi was once again among the best defenders in the game with 85 points in 82 games. Saros did not play up to his usual standard but has been one of the league’s best for a few years. Those are building blocks to win now. Trotz is typically cagey about his intentions, but he did move Ryan McDonagh back to Tampa Bay to clear salary space for another potential high-end player. While he added some pieces at the 2024 deadline, they were minor, and included no future capital, perhaps an indication of what to expect.

While they have hung on to their picks over the last five years, it was only last season that they gathered a lot of picks, picking eight times in the first four rounds. They own a crazy nine picks in the first four rounds of the 2024 draft and two firsts and five picks in the first three rounds in 2025. This will be Trotz first draft in which his team is responsible for the picks. While likely to stay the course, Trotz could nonetheless be very active on the trade front and in free agency. They have a deep pool of nine picks ranked within our top 200, but the only blue-chip prospect is Yaroslav Askarov in net. Juuse Saros is a free agent following the season, and Askarov is the future. Saros name has already popped up in trade rumours, and Askarov elevating his play could only intensify speculation. One of the more curious organizations in the league in which direction it could take in the coming weeks.

RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Yaroslav Askarov	G	21	6-3/175	Milwaukee (AHL)	`20(11th)	44	30	13	2.39	0.911
2	Joakim Kemell	RW	20	5-10/185	Milwaukee (AHL)	`22(17th)	67	16	25	41	23
3	Matthew Wood	RW	19	6-3/195	Connecticut (HE)	`23(15th)	35	16	12	28	43
4	Zachary L'Heureux	LW	20	5-11/195	Milwaukee (AHL)	`21(27th)	66	19	29	48	197
5	Tanner Molendyk	D	19	5-11/185	Saskatoon (WHL)	`23(24th)	50	10	46	56	18
6	Egor Afanasyev	LW	23	6-3/205	Milwaukee (AHL)	`19(45th)	56	27	27	54	60
7	Fyodor Svechkov	C	21	6-0/185	Milwaukee (AHL)	`21(19th)	57	16	23	39	18
8	Reid Schaefer	LW	20	6-3/215	Milwaukee (AHL)	T(Edm-2/23)	63	7	14	21	39
9	Semyon Chistyakov	D	22	5-11/180	Avangard Omsk (KHL)	`19(117th)	59	4	20	24	16
10	Felix Nilsson	C	18	6-0/175	Rogle (SHL)	`23(43rd)	41	1	2	3	2
11	Ryan Ufko	D	20	5-10/180	Massachusetts (HE)	`21(115th)	37	10	16	26	14
12	Adam Ingram	C	20	6-2/165	St. Cloud State (NCHC)	`22(82nd)	38	10	18	28	18
13	Kalan Lind	LW	19	6-0/160	Red Deer (WHL)	`23(46th)	46	16	29	45	73
14	Jeremy Hanzel	D	21	6-0/190	Seattle (WHL)	T(Col-3/24)	66	17	43	60	40
15	Jesse Kiiskinen	RW	18	5-11/180	Pelicans (Fin-Liiga)	`23(68th)	38	4	6	10	8

1. Yaroslav Askarov, G, Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)

For a bit there, it looked like the Yaroslav Askarov era in Nashville was about to begin. Juuse Saros was the subject of heavy trade rumours and the Predators were nearly playoff after thoughts. But a second half surge saved their season and Saros remains a Nashville Predator…for now. Askarov, one of the top young netminders outside of the NHL, continues to play well in the AHL and has even performed well in a few appearances in Nashville this year. He’s ready to take that next step. At the very least, he will be Saros’ likely back-up next year with Kevin Lankinen being a pending UFA. However, there’s still a chance Saros moves this offseason, and the keys get handed to Askarov, which would make him a Calder favourite next year. The 6’ 4” Russian netminder has it all; the athleticism, reaction time, technique, and play reading ability. Simply put, he has the potential to be one of the premier netminders in the NHL.

2. Joakim Kemell, RW, Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)

It’s becoming more and more common to see U20 players in the AHL these days and becoming even more commonplace to see them performing well. Joakim Kemell left Finland to join Milwaukee late last season and was an immediate impact player for the Admirals during their playoff run (with eight goals in 14 playoff games). In his first full year in North America, he has been very solid, right there with the likes of Shane Wright and Jiri Kulich among the top U20 scorers in the AHL. His best two attributes would be his shot and his quickness. He is absolutely dynamic in transition, and he is right at home on the flank on the powerplay where he can hammer pucks with his lethal one timer. The focus moving forward remains strength on the puck so that he can be more inside driven. The gains that he can make in the strength department likely dictates whether he is a full time Predator next season or not.

3. Matthew Wood, RW, University of Minnesota (NCAA)

The 15th overall pick in the 2023 draft shocked the hockey world recently when he announced that he was heading to the transfer portal this offseason, following a rather lateral development year with UConn as a sophomore. None of this has changed Wood’s projection as a top six NHL winger. The 6’ 4”, 200 lbs forward is an absolute load to handle for defenders when he’s attacking in transition because his top speed has improved and because he protects the puck so well. He also dominates near the crease because of his quick hands and quick release. Moving forward, the focus will continue to be on his quickness in order to be more explosive to gaps and coming off the wall. Additionally, there’s still a lot of room for him to improve as a two-way player. The Predators will be looking for his physical intensity level to become more consistent and that would take his game to another level.

4. Zach L'Heureux, LW, Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)

Coming into the year, if someone had told you that Zach L’Heureux would be third in the AHL in penalty minutes in his first pro season, would you have been surprised? We certainly wouldn’t have. L’Heureux is at his best when he’s playing on the edge…or even crossing it, and it’s the combination of his pest-like qualities with his skill and offensive zone awareness that makes him a bit of a unicorn these days. He is very much on track to be a quality middle six player for Nashville and that could happen as early as next season if he can continue to learn to rein things in a bit to stay out of the box. The former Halifax Mooseheads standout and 27th overall pick is right on track developmentally and Nashville has to be happy with his performance as a first year pro.

5. Tanner Molendyk, D, Saskatoon Blades (WHL)

Tanner Molendyk’s draft plus one year has gone extremely well as he has emerged as one of the WHL’s top two-way defenders. He was one of six defenders to average over one point per game. Just as was the case when he was drafted, his best asset is his mobility. A phenomenal and effortless four-way skater, his skating ability makes up the foundation of his game. He’s aggressive in attacking the offensive zone and leading the charge in transition. He quarterbacks the powerplay well by consistently beating the initial layer of pressure. His rush defense is excellent because of his terrific gap control and ability to keep the action ahead of him. Would it be shocking at all to see Molendyk copy Kevin Korchinski’s development path by making the NHL next season? If the Predators move on from Tyson Barrie, a spot will open up for him to prove his worth. Either way, Molendyk looks the part of a future top four mainstay.

6. Yegor Afanasyev, LW, Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)

Next season is shaping up to be a make-or-break year for Yegor Afanasyev. He’ll be waivers eligible after three pro seasons and Nashville will have to make a decision on the former second round pick. The good news? Afanasyev has had, by far, his best pro season to date this year. He’s been consistently dialed in physically and that has led to more consistent offensive production. He’s always been at his best when he plays that power game and is driving the net to create opportunities, in addition to being active in puck pursuit. That has been the case this year. He still has the good top gear. He still has the lethal shot release. But everything else is starting to come together and he looks ready to take that next step. He’ll have to battle some of the teams’ other top young forwards (like the aforementioned Kemell and L’Heureux) for a roster spot, but he likely has a leg up given his waiver status.

7. Fyodor Svechkov, C, Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)

After a few tumultuous post draft years in Russia, the Predators have to be very happy with the development of Fyodor Svechkov this year in Milwaukee. Not only has he continued to be a strong defensive presence, which was part of his allure as a draft eligible player, but his offensive game has translated nicely too. He’s been right in the mix with the other top young forwards on Milwaukee’s roster and his attention to detail and versatility are sure to make him a coaches’ favourite during his likely long NHL career. He looks like a safe bet to at least become a very good third line forward in the near future, although at this point he would appear to be behind Kemell, L’Heureux, and Afanasyev in the pecking order. Returning to Milwaukee next year as an AHL sophomore would actually be best for his development, especially considering the likelihood that a few of those other top young forwards get promoted, which would open up even more ice time and responsibility.

8. Reid Schaefer, LW, Milwaukee Admirals (AHL)

One of the prize pieces of the Mattias Ekholm trade with Edmonton, Reid Schaefer is a former first round selection by the Oilers, and in the midst of his first pro season with Milwaukee. Given the depth of Nashville’s talent pool, Schaefer has been playing more of a bottom six role for the Admirals. Given his play style as a two-way, power winger, that’s been a great fit for him, easing him into the increased pace of the pro game. He hasn’t been able to create scoring chances with the same sort of consistency as he did in the WHL, but he’s been sound away from the puck and has brought it physically despite being a younger player. Next year, he is likely to receive more playing time and responsibility and that will give a better indication of his offensive upside. As is, he looks like a future NHL’er in some capacity, but he’s just further behind in his development compared to the other young star forwards in the system.

9. Semyon Chistyakov, D, Avangard Omsk (KHL)

The Nashville Predators have been patient with their 2019 draft pick and that patience will need to continue given that his KHL contract runs another two years. If at all, Semyon Chistyakov won’t be a Nashville Predator until at least the 2026-2027 season when he is 25. But good things come to those that wait. Chistyakov is already one of the top young defenders in the KHL and he should most definitely be NHL ready by that time. A mobile puck mover, He projects as a solid second or third pairing two-way defender who can help manage the puck and even quarterback the secondary powerplay unit. Over the next two seasons in the KHL, he should continue to bulk up to make him more effective in the defensive end. As is, his strong four-way mobility gives him a defensive advantage already.

10. Felix Nilsson, C, Rogle BK (SHL)

Felix Nilsson was very much a draft favourite of many members of the McKeen’s Hockey scouting staff for last year’s NHL Draft. His post draft season can probably best be described as neutral. That’s certainly not a great thing, but it’s not a bad thing either. When he’s played at the J20 level, he’s been a key offensive contributor. When he’s played at the SHL level, he’s been a non-factor due to limited ice time and strength deficits. He is at his best when he’s able to be a hound on the puck, using his energy to earn touches so that he can best utilize his terrific vision and passing ability to make his teammates better. He’s not a burner, but he has quick feet and strong agility. However, upgrading his top speed and linear quickness will be the focus next season. The 10th spot in this deep Nashville pool could have gone to several players, but we’re big fans of Nilsson’s potential to be a solid middle six contributor.

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

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – NASHVILLE PREDATORS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #6

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt and Josh Bell — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 20:00:45 +0000

Top 20 Nashville Predators Top Prospects

1. Yaroslav Askarov - G

Askarov is a goalie who loves to ride on his emotions, and when he is really feeling it between the pipes it's nearly impossible to get pucks past him. His reflexes and reaction time are freakishly impressive, his crease movements are lightning quick, and he makes seemingly impossible saves on a routine basis. On the flip side, when he is feeling rattled, he becomes chaos personified and can't stop anything. His international performances have generally oscillated between generationally heroic and utterly nightmarish, with seemingly nothing in between. Regardless, when you have a goalie who can single-handedly steal games, and maybe even an entire playoff series, that's worth investing in. Juuse Saros still has a lot of stellar hockey left in him, but Askarov will be nipping at his heels soon as the unquestioned heir apparent in the Nashville crease.

2. Luke Evangelista - RW

The London Knights have a well-deserved reputation for being a prospect development factory, and Evangelista is the latest of their success stories. He made tremendous progress from the start of his OHL tenure to the end, finishing his final season in the league as its leading goal scorer. Last year, he played so well as an AHL rookie that Nashville couldn't help but call him up down the stretch, and he rewarded them with crucial depth scoring in their chase for a playoff spot that came up just short. Suffice to say, don't expect to see him in the minors ever again. He is an exceptionally smart forward who never seems to be far from the puck, skates very well, and leaves a positive mark in all three zones. Evangelista is an NHL pro through and through, and his versatility should lead to a long career.

3. Matthew Wood - RW

Wood is an accomplished young winger with a unique offensive package. He boasts a heavy, accurate shot that he can get off from anywhere on the ice. He already has NHL size and shows some ability to use it to his advantage. He protects the puck well, using his body to create separation between it and defenders as he plays keep-away. His hands are strong too, showing off excellent puckhandling at times, although occasionally getting caught by trying to do too much on his own. This should improve as he gets more comfortable at each level, as he’s used to doing wherever he wants against his peers. On the downside, his feet are quite heavy, resulting in a slow stride and even slower acceleration. That problem is especially noticeable in transition, where he often gets stuck without room to move and dwindling options. His two-way game is improving, as the effort is there, but don't expect much in the way of results due to his feet. He needs to show a stronger commitment in his own end, and more nastiness behind that frame would be welcome. With his style, size, shot, and hands there’s very intriguing upside here.

4. Joakim Kemell - RW

Kemell's red-hot stick cooled off a bit from 2021-22 to last season, possibly because the teen sniper lost the element of surprise against opponents in Finland's top pro league. Thankfully, he was given the chance to test his mettle against AHL competition this past spring and the results were quite encouraging, scoring at just under a point-per-game pace at the end of the regular season and priming him nicely for the playoffs. His shot is a nuclear-grade weapon, both his wrister and one-timer, and he can still beat goalies clean from both medium-danger and low-danger areas. There is a bit of shiftiness to his skating, but less acceleration and a lower top speed than you'd like to see. When he gets bottled up, he has a lot of trouble escaping. Kemell's focus moving forward should be on finding more ways to get into prime scoring positions.

5. Zach L'Heureux - LW

L'Heureux has been suspended nine separate times for a total of 37 missed games across his four years in the QMJHL and that's a damn shame because he's one hell of a hockey player when he's actually out on the ice. He moves around the offensive zone like a bowling ball, whether making hits trying to win the puck back, or driving hard to the net when the puck is on his stick. He's so strong and compact that defenders often bounce off him when they try to slow him down. He can make slick plays with the puck, pass tape to tape from his forehand or backhand, and isn't shy about unloading shots on net. Those discipline issues must drive the Predators crazy though, especially since they just haven't stopped and he has not yet learned his lesson. If L'Heureux isn't careful he could flush his entire NHL career down the toilet before it even begins.

6. Reid Schaefer - LW

Schaefer's breakout 2021-22 season saw him surprisingly rocket all the way into the first round of the draft, and Edmonton surely thought long and hard about agreeing to include their shiny new prospect in the Mattias Ekholm trade. Even though he doesn't put up flashy point totals right now he nevertheless still projects as someone who can score a lot in the NHL as a power forward. He is downright scary sometimes shooting off the rush. His greatest asset is how versatile his game is, as he can win pucks back on the forecheck or in 50-50 battles, he can create space for himself or his teammates with his speed and strength, he can play a punishing physical game, and he can shut down the best opponents as a top penalty killer. His extensive playoff experience with WHL Seattle could help make him a real killer in NHL postseasons.

7. Fyodor Svechkov - C

It's normal these days for Russian prospects to play at the MHL, VHL, and KHL levels all in the same season, but Svechkov playing for eight different club teams in just three years might be some kind of record. It's certainly an unconventional path, and there are valid questions about whether that much change was the best thing for him, but the good news is that he found success in all three of Lada, SKA and Spartak's systems. He was also good enough last year to play the majority of his games in the KHL, which was a step in the right direction from previous seasons. He is a well-balanced, two-way centre who has the necessary blend of tools to remain down the middle as his career advances. There are occasional flashes of high-end talent, though it seems unlikely that he will ever be a huge point producer.

8. Yegor Afanasyev - RW

There was a time when Afanasyev looked like he had big-time offensive upside. That unfortunately hasn't really come to fruition yet, even though other players around him on AHL Milwaukee have recently taken off like that. On the plus side, you can still make hay in the NHL as a burly, possession-driving forward, and at minimum he projects well as one of those. He is very hard to strip the puck from, and when he gets going in the cycle, he can really wear opponents down, which can lead to immediate scoring chances or ones that develop gradually through sustained pressure. His shot is nice and heavy, though he will need to improve his hands, his feet, or some combination of the two to help him open enough room to get it uncorked more often. Can Afanasyev still take his game to another level?

9. Tanner Molendyk - D

Molendyk is an exceptional skater and an effortless mover in all directions. That virtuoso skating ability allows him to be a dynamic game manager, able to open up space and help his team seize better territory on the ice, while denying that privilege from opposing teams. He's an instrumental player in transition with the frequency and ease of his zone exits and entries. He's one of those rare models of smaller blueliners who can succeed by using his feet to overcome his size off the puck, by forcing dump-ins with his gap control, getting to pucks first on retrieval, and then scooting them out of trouble before getting trapped by forechecking pressure. His point totals are modest right now because he hasn't fully realized how to utilize his tools to crack those last lines of the enemy defence and he lacks the power to get pucks through by brute force alone. He will have to figure out this part of his game in time considering how much he likes to drives the play. Despite some limitations with reach and strength that can't be corrected, Molendyk will be well-suited to the speed and pace of the modern NHL.

10. Jack Matier - D

Matier is one of those prospects that teams are going to kick themselves in the future for passing over at the draft, if they aren’t already. His wingspan is enormous, his footwork is surprisingly clean for such a big guy, and the more he grows into his body the more of a nightmare he is for opposing forwards. He was recently voted by a poll of OHL coaches as one of the best defensive defenders, shot blockers, and penalty killers in the league, and he has the right physical tools, positional understanding, and willingness to get his hands dirty to eventually excel in those same areas in the NHL as well. He also significantly upped his offensive contributions this past season, rounding out his game in an important way. Players like Matier are wildly underrated, especially come playoff time.

11. Felix Nilsson - C

The Predators should consider themselves lucky that Nilsson got hurt and could not participate at this year’s U18’s. His stock had been skyrocketing thanks to strong second half performances and had he played at the tournament, he might not have been available at pick 43. Nilsson is a high IQ pivot that has top six upside.

12. Semyon Chistyakov - D

A breakout campaign in the KHL has established Chistyakov as one of the top young defenders in Russia. The question is…will he ever come over to Nashville? He recently signed a three-year extension with Omsk, which pushes a potential arrival way into the future.

13. Jesse Kiiskanen - RW

A hard working, complementary winger, Kiiskanen was a recent third round selection of the Predators. He will be given ample time to develop in Finland. The hope is that he can be a Liiga regular next year, given his well-rounded profile.

14. Kalan Lind - LW

Lind is a power forward who had trouble with injuries in his NHL draft year. A better skater than his brother Kole was at the same age, there’s still a need to improve in this area to help unlock his true potential.

15. Kasper Kulonummi - D

A third round pick last year, Kulonummi is a smooth skating puck mover who failed to break into Liiga full time this year. Improving his strength off the puck will be necessary for him to take that next step with the Tappara program.

16. Ryan Ufko - D

Ufko has been an immediate impact player at the college level with UMass, establishing himself as one of the top offensive defenders in college hockey. He was also excellent at the WJC, helping the U.S. capture a bronze medal. He returns to UMass for a junior season this fall.

17. Adam Ingram - C

Ingram was drafted as a long-term project, knowing that he’d probably need three or four years at college. There were already a lot of positives to take away from his freshman year at St. Cloud State. The need for him to improve his skating is still evident.

18. Marc Del Gaizo - D

A former standout at UMass, Del Gaizo has shown great progression as a pro so far and was one of Milwaukee’s most reliable defenders last season. His play in the Calder Cup playoffs in particular, showed that he might be close to pushing for an NHL roster spot.

19. Jachym Kondelik - C

The big center’s first pro season left a lot to be desired as Kondelik struggled to keep pace with the pro game. However, he still has the upside to become a fixture in Nashville’s future bottom six.

20. Spencer Stastney - D

Stastney didn’t look out of place in his brief NHL call up last year; it’s clear that his high-end processing ability gives him a chance to play a permanent role in the future. Ideally, he returns to the AHL this year in hopes of improving his confidence with the puck as well as his offensive production.

2023 NHL DRAFT: A Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

#1 Chicago Blackhawks (A+)

1 Connor Bedard (F)

19 Oliver Moore (F)

35 Adam Gajan (G)

44 Roman Kantserov (F)

55 Martin Misiak (F)

67 Nick Lardis (F)

93 Jiri Felcman (F)

99 Alex Pharand (F)

131 Marcel Marcel (F)

167 Milton Oscarson (F)

195 Janne Peltonen (D)

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

#2 Columbus Blue Jackets (A)

3 Adam Fantilli (F)

34 Gavin Brindley (F)

66 William Whitelaw (F)

98 Andrew Strathmann (D)

114 Luca Pinelli (F)

156 Melvin Strahl (G)

194 Oiva Keskinen (F)

224 Tyler Peddle (F)

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

#3 Philadelphia Flyers (A)

7 Matvei Michkov (F)

22 Oliver Bonk (D)

51 Carson Bjarnason (G)

87 Yegor Zavragin (G)

95 Denver Barkey (F)

103 Cole Knuble (F)

120 Alex Ciernik (F)

135 Carter Sotheran (D)

172 Ryan MacPherson (F)

199 Matteo Mann (D)

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

#4 Seattle Kraken (A-)

20 Eduard Sale (F)

50 Carson Rehkopf (F)

52 Oscar Fisker Mølgaard (F)

57 Lukas Dragicevic (D)

84 Caden Price (D)

116 Andrei Loshko (F)

148 Kaden Hammell (D)

168 Visa Vedenpää (G)

180 Zeb Forsfjäll (F)

212 Zaccharya Wisdom (F)

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

#5 Carolina Hurricanes (A-)

30 Bradly Nadeau (F)

62 Felix Unger Sörum (F)

94 Jayden Perron (F)

100 Alexander Rykov (F)

126 Stanislav Yarovoy (F)

139 Charles-Alexis Legault (D)

158 Ruslan Khazheyev (G)

163 Timur Mukhanov (F)

190 Michael Emerson (F)

222 Yegor Velmakin (G)

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

#6 Buffalo Sabres (A-)

13 Zach Benson (F)

39 Anton Wahlberg (F)

45 Maxim Strbak (D)

86 Gavin McCarthy (D)

109 Ethan Miedema (F)

141 Scott Ratzlaff (G)

173 Sean Keohane (D)

205 Norwin Panocha (D)

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

#7 St. Louis Blues (B+)

10 Dalibor Dvorský (F)

25 Otto Stenberg (F)

29 Theo Lindstein (D)

74 Quinton Burns (D)

76 Juraj Pekarcik (F)

106 Jakub Stancl (F)

138 Paul Fischer (D)

170 Matthew Mayich (D)

202 Nikita Susuyev (F)

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

#8 Washington Capitals (B+)

8 Ryan Leonard (F)

40 Andrew Cristall (F)

104 Patrick Thomas (F)

136 Cameron Allen (D)

200 Brett Hyland (F)

206 Antoine Keller (G)

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

#9 Colorado Avalanche (B)

27 Calum Ritchie (F)

31 Mikhail Gulyayev (D)

155 Nikita Ishimnikov (D)

187 Jeremy Hanzel (D)

219 Maros Jedlicka (F)

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

#10 Los Angeles Kings (B)

54 Jakub Dvorak (D)

78 Koehn Ziemmer (F)

118 Hampton Slukynsky (G)

150 Matthew Mania (D)

182 Ryan Conmy (F)

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

#11 Florida Panthers (B)

63 Gracyn Sawchyn (F)

127 Albert Wikman (D)

159 Olof Glifford (G)

191 Luke Coughlin (D)

198 Stepan Zvyagin (F)

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

#12 Dallas Stars (C+)

61 Tristan Bertucci (D)

79 Brad Gardiner (F)

125 Aram Minnetian (D)

157 Arno Tiefensee (G)

189 Angus MacDonell (F)

221 Sebastian Bradshaw (F)

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

#13 Vegas Golden Knights (B-)

32 David Edstrom (F)

77 Mathieu Cataford (F)

96 Arttu Kärki (D)

192 Tuomas Uronen (F)

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

#14 San Jose Sharks (B-)

4 Will Smith (F)

26 Quentin Musty (F)

36 Kasper Halttunen (F)

71 Brandon Svoboda (F)

123 Luca Cagnoni (D)

130 Axel Landén (D)

132 Eric Pohlkamp (D)

196 David Klee (F)

203 Yegor Rimashevsky (F)

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

#15 Calgary Flames (B-)

16 Samuel Honzek (F)

48 Étienne Morin (D)

80 Aydar Suniev (F)

112 Jaden Lipinski (F)

176 Yegor Yegorov (G)

208 Axel Hurtig (D)

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

#16 Montréal Canadiens (B-)

5 David Reinbacher (D)

69 Jacob Fowler (G)

101 Florian Xhekaj (F)

110 Bogdan Konyushkov (D)

128 Quentin Miller (G)

133 Sam Harris (F)

144 Yevgeni Volokhin (G)

165 Filip Eriksson (F)

197 Luke Mittelstadt (D)

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

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

#17 Arizona Coyotes (B-)

6 Dmitri Simashev (D)

12 Daniil But (F)

38 Michael Hrabal (G)

70 Jonathan Castagna (F)

72 Noel Nordh (F)

81 Tanner Ludtke (F)

88 Vadim Moroz (F)

102 Terrell Goldsmith (D)

134 Melker Thelin (G)

160 Justin Kipkie (D)

162 Samu Bau (F)

166 Carsen Musser (G)

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

#18 Winnipeg Jets (C)

18 Colby Barlow (F)

82 Zachary Nehring (F)

146 Jacob Julien (F)

151 Thomas Milic (G)

210 Connor Levis (F)

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

#19 New York Rangers (C)

23 Gabe Perreault (F)

90 Drew Fortescue (D)

152 Rasmus Larsson (D)

178 Dylan Roobroeck (F)

183 Ty Henricks (F)

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

#20 Detroit Red Wings (C)

9 Nate Danielson (F)

17 Axel Sandin Pellikka (D)

41 Trey Augustine (G)

42 Andrew Gibson (D)

47 Brady Cleveland (D)

73 Noah Dower Nilsson (F)

117 Larry Keenan (D)

137 Jack Phelan (D)

147 Kevin Bicker (F)

169 Rudy Guimond (G)

201 Emmitt Finnie (F)

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

#21 Edmonton Oilers (C)

56 Beau Akey (D)

184 Nathaniel Day (G)

216 Matt Copponi (F)

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

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

#22 Anaheim Ducks (C-)

2 Leo Carlsson (F)

33 Nico Myatovic (F)

59 Carey Terrance (F)

60 Damian Clara (G)

65 Coulson Pitre (F)

85 Yegor Sidorov (F)

97 Konnor Smith (D)

129 Rodwin Dionicio (D)

161 Vojtech Port (D)

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

#23 Vancouver Canucks (D+)

11 Tom Willander (D)

75 Hunter Brzustewicz (C-)

89 Sawyer Mynio (D)

105 Ty Mueller (F)

107 Vilmer Alriksson (F)

119 Matthew Perkins (F)

171 Aiden Celebrini (D)

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

#24 Nashville Predators (C-)

15 Matthew Wood (F)

24 Tanner Molendyk (D)

43 Felix Nilsson (F)

46 Kalan Lind (F)

68 Jesse Kiiskinen (F)

83 Dylan MacKinnon (D)

111 Joseph Willis (F)

121 Juha Jatkola (G)

143 Sutter Muzzatti (F)

175 Austin Roest

218 Aiden Fink

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

#25 Tampa Bay Lightning (D)

37 Ethan Gauthier (F)

115 Jayson Shaugabay (F)

179 Warren Clark (D)

193 Jack Harvey (F)

211 Ethan Hay (F)

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

#26 New Jersey Devils (D+)

58 Lenni Hämeenaho (F)

122 Cam Squires (F)

154 Chase Cheslock (D)

164 Cole Brown (F)

186 Daniil Karpovich (D)

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

#27 Ottawa Senators (D)

108 Hoyt Stanley (D)

140 Matthew Andonovski (D)

204 Owen Beckner (F)

207 Vladimir Nikitin (G)

215 Nicholas VanTassell (F)

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

#28 Pittsburgh Penguins (D-)

14 Brayden Yager (F)

91 Emil Pieniniemi (D)

142 Mikhail Ye. Ilyin (F)

174 Cooper Foster (F)

217 Emil Järventie (F)

223 Kalle Kangas (D)

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

#29 Toronto Maple Leafs (D-)

28 Easton Cowan (F)

153 Hudson Malinoski (F)

185 Noah Chadwick (D)

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

#30 New York Islanders (D)

49 Danny Nelson (F)

113 Jesse Nurmi (F)

145 Justin Gill (F)

177 Zach Schulz (D)

209 Dennis Good Bogg (D)

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

#31 Boston Bruins (F+)

92 Christopher Pelosi (F)

124 Beckett Hendrickson (F)

188 Ryan Walsh (F)

214 Casper Nässén (F)

220 Kristian Kostadinski (D)

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

#32 Minnesota Wild (F)

21 Charlie Stramel (F)

53 Rasmus Kumpulainen (F)

64 Riley Heidt (F)

149 Aaron Pionk (D)

181 Kalem Parker (D)

213 Jimmy Clark (F)

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

2023 NHL Combine: Part One – Fitness Testing Overview & Results

Chase Rochon and Joely Stockl — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 22:07:17 +0000

Another NHL Combine has come and gone in Buffalo, NY this past week. For the 106 invited players, it was a week full of 1-on-1 interviews with NHL teams, interviews with the media, and a variety of fitness tests. The fitness testing results mean more to some NHL executives than they do to others, but nonetheless it is always fascinating to see who finished atop the leaderboards in the fitness testing categories. The Combine is also the final opportunity for players to submit their height and weight, which is always an intriguing progression to monitor. The NHL Combine is the perfect precursor to the NHL Draft. It is some of these player’s first times meeting their competitors on the draft board, and it allows for these players to meet their future management of the team that drafts them in Nashville in just a few weeks.

Standouts

Nick Lardis of the Hamilton Bulldogs placed 1st in four categories: Vertical Jump, Squat Jump, No Arm Jump, & Pull Ups (15). This standout performance puts more eyes on the late riser, who arrived in Hamilton and tore it up through the second half of the season putting up 46 points in 33 games. Lardis has skyrocketed on many draft boards, including McKeen’s, as he finished 32nd overall and snuck his way into the tail end of the first round. He is a player that has certainly benefited from being the “go-to” player on the Bulldogs, and his success will hopefully lead into next season as the team moves to Brantford.

Another player from the OHL, Brad Gardiner also performed exceptionally well in the fitness tests. The two-way centre from the Ottawa 67’s finished in the top 10 in five of the categories completed on the weekend of the Combine, as well as in the Grip Strength test completed earlier in the week. Gardiner likely drew some more attention with this performance, as he was one of the later ranked players out of the 106 at the Combine (McKeen’s has Brad Gardiner ranked at 163rd).

Leading the results in the consensus “most difficult” category, the VO2 MAX, was Seattle Thunderbirds forward Nico Myatovic. In their media availability, nearly every player stated that the VO2 MAX was the hardest fitness test of them all. The VO2 MAX is a gruelling test of oxygen utilized during maximum effort. By winning in this category, Myatovic has likely gained some respect points from teams and players.

The tallest player at the Combine measured up at 6 '6.75”, and that was Czech goaltender Michael Hrabal. Hrabal is one of the top ranked goaltenders heading into the NHL Draft, and he was one of seven goalies invited to the Combine. Hrabal’s size is definitely a draw for some teams, as we see NHL goaltenders getting taller and taller each year.

Fitness Testing Results (excluding Functional Movement Screen & Grip Strength)

Top 10 from each category;

VO2 Max

Nico Myatovic
Brad Gardiner
Bradly Nadeau
Beckett Hendrickson
Noel Nordh
Easton Cowan
Aram Minnetian
Paul Fischer
Axel Sandin Pellikka
Hunter Brzustewicz

Wingate Test

Noah Dower Nlsson
Danny Nelson
Tom Willander
Hunter Brzustewicz
Cameron Allen
David Edstrom
Brayden Yager
Tanner Molendyk
Samuel Honzek
Jonathan Castagna

Pull Ups

Nick Lardis- 15
Danny Nelson- 14
Bradly Nadeau- 14
Cameron Allen- 14
Connor Bedard- 14
Brad Gardiner- 13
Jaden Lipinski- 13
Nate Danielson- 13
Oliver Moore- 13
Denver Barkey- 12

Pro Agility (Right)

Easton Cowan
Jonathan Castagna
Brady Cleveland
Samuel Honzek
Scott Ratzlaff
Brandon Svoboda
Brad Gardiner
Beau Akey
Andrew Gibson
Hunter Brzustewicz

Pro Agility (Left)

Easton Cowan
Jonathan Castagna
Oliver Moore
Brandon Svoboda
Jayden Perron
Brad Gardiner
Ethan Gauthier
Beau Akey
Andrew Gibson
Bradly Nadeau

Bench Press (50% of Body Weight)

Axel Sandin Pellikka
Charlie Stramel
Mathieu Cataford
Lukas Dragicevic
Ryan Leonard
Cameron Allen
Jonathan Castagna
Bradly Nadeau
Brad Gardiner
Nate Danielson

Standing Long Jump

Charlie Stramel- 118”
Samuel Honzek- 117.5”
Cameron Allen- 117”
Tom Willander- 116.5”
Beau Akey- 116”
Nick Lardis- 114.5”
Maxim Strbak- 112.8”
David Reinbacher- 112”
Nate Danielson- 111.5”
Jayden Perron- 111”

Vertical Jump

Nick Lardis
Cameron Allen
Colby Barlow
Caden Price
Charlie Stramel
Nate Danielson
Jesse Nurmi
Beau Akey
Oliver Moore
Ethan Gauthier

No Arm Jump

Nick Lardis
Oliver Moore
Samuel Honzek
Jesse Nurmi
Colby Barlow
Cameron Allen
Jayden Perron
Jonathan Castagna
Nate Danielson
Charlie Stramel

Squat Jump

Nick Lardis
Jesse Nurmi
Colby Barlow
Nate Danielson
Jonathan Castagna
Cameron Allen
Tanner Molendyk
Noah Dower Nilsson
Oliver Moore
Tom Willander

Heights & Weights

Name Height /Weight

Beau Akey 6’0”/175

Cameron Allen 6’0”/192

Trey Augustine 6’1.25”/190

Denver Barkey 5’8.75”/155

Colby Barlow 6’0.5”/195

Connor Bedard 5’9.75”/185

Zach Benson 5’9.75”/170

Tristan Bertucci 6’1.75”/175

Carson Bjarnason 6’3.25”/190

Oliver Bonk 6’1.5”/180

Gavin Brindley 5’8”/168

Hunter Brzustewicz 5’11.75”/190

Luca Cagnoni 5’9”/182

Jonathan Castagna 6’2.25” /195

Mathieu Cataford 5’11”/190

Alex Ciernik 5’10.25”/174

Brady Cleveland 6’4.75”//210

Easton Cowan 5’10.5”/170

Andrew Cristall 5’9.5”/175

Nate Danielson 6’1.5”/186

Noah Dower Nilsson 5’11.75 “/185

Lukas Dragicevic 6’1”/194

Jakub Dvorak 6’5”/210

Dalibor Dvorsky 6’1”/200

David Edstrom 6’3”/185

Paul Fischer 6’1”/200

Drew Fortescue 6’1”/176

Adam Gajan 6’2.75”/180

Brad Gardiner 6’1”/184

Ethan Gauthier 5’11.5”/183

Andrew Gibson 6’2.75”/202

Terrell Goldsmith 6’4”/220

Kasper Halttunen 6’3.25”/215

Lenni Hameenaho 6’1”/185

Riley Heidt 5’10.5”/180

Beckett Hendrickson 6’1.5”/174

Samuel Honzek 6’3.25”/195

Michael Hrabel 6’6.75”/215

Larry Keenan 6’3.25”/186

Jesse Kiiskinen 6’0.25”/190

Rasmus Kumpulainen 6’2.75”/190

Nick Lardis 5’11”/168

Ryan Leonard 5’11.75 “/190

Kalan Lind 6’0.5”/158

Theo Lindstein 6’0”/185

Jaden Lipinski 6’3.75”/210

Dylan MacKinnon 6’2”/190

Matteo Mann 6’5.5”/230

Gavin McCarthy 6’1.5”/186

Ethan Miedema 6’4”/208

Aram Minnetian 5’11”/195

Martin Misiak 6’1.5”/200

Tanner Molendyk 5’11”/181

Oscar Fisker Molgaard 5’11.75“/166

Oliver Moore 5’11”/195

Etienne Morin 6’0”/180

Carsen Musser 6’4”/212

Quentin Musty 6’1.5”/200

Nico Myatovic 6’2.5”/180

Sawyer Mynio 6’0.5”/163

Bradly Nadeau 5’10.25”/160

Zach Nehring 6’2.75”/182

Danny Nelson 6’3”/212

Felix Nilsson 6’0.5”/187

Noel Nordh 6’1.5”/200

Jesse Nurmi 5’11”/168

Tyler Peddle 6’1”/204

Gabriel Perreault 5’10.75”/163

Jayden Perron 5’9”/166

Alex Pharand 6’2.5”/205

Emil Pieniniemi 6’2.25”/175

Luca Pinelli 5’8.75”/167

Aaron Pionk 6’0.75”/173

Coulson Pitre 6’0.75”/170

Caden Price 6’0.5”/190

Scott Ratzlaff 6’0.5”/175

Carson Rehkopf 6’2.5”/195

David Reinbacher 6’2.25”/194

Eduard Sale 6’1.75”/175

Axel Sandin-Pellikka 5’11”/180

Gracyn Sawchyn 5’10.75”/155

Zachary Schulz 6’1”/197

Jayson Shaugabay 5’9.25”/165

William Smith 5’11.75 “/180

Jakub Stancl 6’3”/202

Otto Stenberg 5’11”/185

Charlie Stramel 6’3”/222

Andrew Strathmann 5’10.75”/185

Maxim Strbak 6’1.25”/198

Aydar Suniev 6’1.5”/192

Brandon Svoboda 6’3.25”/209

Carey Terrance 6’0.25”/178

Jordan Tourigny 5’11.25”/165

Anton Wahlberg 6’3.25”/192

William Whitelaw 5’8.75”/175

Tom Willander 6’1”/180

Matthew Wood 6’4”/197

Brayden Yager 5’11”/170

Koehn Ziemmer 6’0.25”/210

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL DRAFT – FINAL RANKINGS – TOP 224 Plus Honourable Mentions

McKeen's Scouting Team - Director of Scouting, Brock Otten — Sun, 28 May 2023 16:20:45 +0000

It’s that time! The McKeen’s scouting staff has finalized our final rankings for the 2023 NHL Draft ahead of the release of our draft guide in a few weeks. As per usual, our list runs 224 players deep to match the number of selections in the draft, but we have included over 300 players when you include our Honorable Mentions.

Much to the surprise of no one, Connor Bedard remains our top ranked player, as he has been all season long. In fact, our top three remains unchanged from our midseason rankings with Adam Fantilli and Leo Carlsson holding down the second and third spots, respectively. There has been one change in our top five with Will Smith leapfrogging Matvei Michkov into the fourth position following his dominant second half and U18’s.

Russian defender Dmitry Simashev remains our top ranked blueliner but has now moved into the top ten. His combination of size, mobility, physicality, and improving offensive skill set is going to be alluring to NHL teams and we feel that his upside is the highest in a weaker crop for defenders.

A trio of Swedish players are among our biggest risers from our midseason list, with Tom Willander, Anton Wahlberg, and David Edstrom all jumping up into the first round. All three were excellent in the second half of the season, which culminated with strong performances at the U18’s. Willander, in particular, has a huge fan in our Director of Scouting, Brock Otten. “If you were to ask me who my favourite defender in the draft class is, I’d probably say Willander. He rarely makes a poor play and I believe that we are underappreciating his potential as an NHL defender because of how efficient and safe his game can be. I would be shocked if he does not become a quality second pairing guy at the NHL level and I don’t think the other defenders ranked in the first have that same assurance,” said Otten.

Another massive jumper in our list is Hamilton Bulldogs winger Nick Lardis. 98th on our midseason list, Lardis now finds himself ranked just inside of our first round. His play with Hamilton, following a trade from Peterborough has vaulted him up draft boards, including ours. His combination of quickness and scoring ability gives him a solid projection at the NHL level.

Despite having two goaltenders inside of our first round at midseason (Carson Bjarnason and Michael Hrabal), we ended the year with none. Trey Augustine is now our top ranked netminder, ranked in the mid second round. However, Augustine, Bjarnason, Hrabal, and USHL Clark Cup MVP Jacob Fowler are all closely ranked in that range.

Look for the release of our 2023 Draft Guide in the next couple weeks. It will include all of our rankings and reports, a mock draft, a preview of the 2024 NHL Draft, and much more.

As a subscriber, link to our full ranking with links to the player pages here - McKeen's Draft Rankings - You can download the ranking as an excel file as well.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	HT/WT	DOB	NATION	TEAM	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Connor Bedard	C	5-10/185	17-Jul-05	Canada	Regina (WHL)	57-71-72-143
2	Adam Fantilli	C	6-2/195	12-Oct-04	Canada	Michigan (B1G)	36-30-35-65
3	Leo Carlsson	C	6-3/200	26-Dec-04	Sweden	Orebro (SHL)	44-10-15-25
4	Will Smith	C	6-0/175	17-Mar-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	59-51-75-126
5	Matvei Michkov	RW	5-10/170	9-Dec-04	Russia	SKA St. Petersburg-HK Sochi (KHL)	30-9-11-20
6	Zach Benson	LW	5-9/160	12-May-05	Canada	Winnipeg (WHL)	60-36-62-98
7	Dalibor Dvorsky	C	6-1/200	15-Jun-05	Slovakia	AIK (HockeyAllsvenskan)	38-6-8-14
8	Ryan Leonard	RW	5-11/190	21-Jan-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	56-50-43-93
9	Dmitri Simashev	D	6-4/200	4-Feb-05	Russia	Loko Yaroslavl-Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL)	33-1-11-12
10	Matthew Wood	RW	6-3/195	6-Feb-05	Canada	Connecticut (HE)	35-11-23-34
11	Oliver Moore	C	5-11/185	22-Jan-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	60-31-43-74
12	Colby Barlow	LW	6-0/195	14-Feb-05	Canada	Owen Sound (OHL)	59-46-33-79
13	Nate Danielson	C	6-1/185	27-Sep-04	Canada	Brandon (WHL)	68-33-45-78
14	Axel Sandin Pellikka	D	5-11/180	11-Mar-05	Sweden	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	31-16-20-36
15	Daniil But	LW	6-5/200	15-Feb-05	Russia	Loko Yaroslavl-Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL)	32-18-14-32
16	David Reinbacher	D	6-2/185	25-Oct-04	Austria	Kloten (Sui-NL)	46-3-19-22
17	Eduard Sale	LW	6-1/170	10-Mar-05	Czech	HC Kometa Brno (Czechia)	43-7-7-14
18	Samuel Honzek	LW	6-3/185	12-Nov-04	Slovakia	Vancouver (WHL)	43-23-33-56
19	Mikhail Gulyayev	D	5-11/170	26-Apr-05	Russia	Omskie Yastreby (MHL)	22-2-23-25
20	Lukas Dragicevic	D	6-1/190	25-Apr-05	Canada	Tri-City (WHL)	68-15-60-75
21	Gabe Perreault	RW	5-11/165	7-May-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	62-53-79-132
22	Otto Stenberg	C	5-11/180	29-May-05	Sweden	Frolunda (Swe J20)	29-11-15-26
23	Tom Willander	D	6-1/180	9-Feb-05	Sweden	Rogle (Swe J20)	39-4-21-25
24	Calum Ritchie	C	6-2/185	21-Jan-05	Canada	Oshawa (OHL)	59-24-35-59
25	Andrew Cristall	LW	5-9/165	4-Feb-05	Canada	Kelowna (WHL)	54-39-56-95
26	Gavin Brindley	C	5-8/165	5-Oct-04	USA	Michigan (B1G)	41-12-26-38
27	Bradly Nadeau	LW	5-10/165	5-May-05	Canada	Penticton (BCHL)	54-45-68-113
28	Anton Wahlberg	C	6-3/195	4-Jul-05	Sweden	Malmo (Swe J20)	32-14-13-27
29	Riley Heidt	C	5-10/180	25-Mar-05	Canada	Prince George (WHL)	68-25-72-97
30	Brayden Yager	C	5-11/165	3-Jan-05	Canada	Moose Jaw (WHL)	67-28-50-78
31	David Edstrom	C	6-3/185	18-Feb-05	Sweden	Frolunda (Swe J20)	28-15-13-28
32	Nick Lardis	LW	5-10/165	8-Jul-05	Canada	Pbo-Ham (OHL)	69-37-28-65
33	Kasper Halttunen	RW	6-3/205	7-Jun-05	Finland	HIFK (Fin-Liiga)	27-0-1-1
34	Jayden Perron	RW	5-9/165	11-Jan-05	Canada	Chicago (USHL)	61-24-48-72
35	Oliver Bonk	D	6-2/175	9-Jan-05	Canada	London (OHL)	67-10-30-40
36	Quentin Musty	LW	6-2/200	6-Jul-05	USA	Sudbury (OHL)	53-26-52-78
37	Trey Augustine	G	6-1/185	23-Feb-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	28-1, 2.14, 0.925
38	Tanner Molendyk	D	5-11/185	3-Feb-05	Canada	Saskatoon (WHL)	67-9-28-37
39	William Whitelaw	RW	5-9/170	5-Feb-05	USA	Youngstown (USHL)	62-36-25-61
40	Ethan Gauthier	RW	5-11/175	26-Jan-05	Canada	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	66-30-39-69
41	Gracyn Sawchyn	C	5-11/160	19-Jan-05	USA	Seattle (WHL)	58-18-40-58
42	Carson Bjarnason	G	6-3/185	30-Jun-05	Canada	Brandon (WHL)	21-19, 3.08, 0.900
43	Aram Minnetian	D	5-11/190	19-Mar-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	61-7-24-31
44	Michael Hrabal	G	6-6/210	20-Jan-05	Czech	Omaha (USHL)	9-13, 2.86, 0.908
45	Jacob Fowler	G	6-1/215	24-Nov-04	USA	Youngstown (USHL)	27-9, 2.28, 0.921
46	Oscar Fisker Molgaard	C	6-0/165	18-Feb-05	Denmark	HV 71 (SHL)	41-4-3-7
47	Carson Rehkopf	LW	6-1/195	7-Jan-05	Canada	Kitchener (OHL)	68-30-29-59
48	Beau Akey	D	5-11/170	11-Feb-05	Canada	Barrie (OHL)	66-11-36-47
49	Danny Nelson	C	6-3/200	3-Aug-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	61-20-26-46
50	Etienne Morin	D	6-0/180	9-Mar-05	Canada	Moncton (QMJHL)	67-21-51-72
51	Felix Nilsson	C	6-0/175	22-Jun-05	Sweden	Rogle (Swe J20)	36-19-22-41
52	Maxim Strbak	D	6-1/205	13-Apr-05	Slovakia	Sioux Falls (USHL)	46-5-13-18
53	Jakub Dvorak	D	6-5/205	25-May-05	Czech	Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia)	24-0-2-2
54	Carey Terrance	C	6-0/175	10-May-05	USA	Erie (OHL)	67-30-17-47
55	Jesse Kiiskinen	RW	5-11/180	23-Aug-05	Finland	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	31-20-23-43
56	Mathieu Cataford	C	5-11/185	1-Mar-05	Canada	Halifax (QMJHL)	68-31-44-75
57	Roman Kantserov	RW	5-9/175	20-Sep-04	Russia	Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL)	45-27-27-54
58	Tristan Bertucci	D	6-1/170	12-Jul-05	Canada	Flint (OHL)	63-11-39-50
59	Andrew Gibson	D	6-3/195	13-Feb-05	Canada	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	45-7-14-21
60	Caden Price	D	6-0/185	24-Aug-05	Canada	Kelowna (WHL)	65-5-35-40
61	Charlie Stramel	C	6-3/215	15-Oct-04	USA	Wisconsin (B1G)	33-5-7-12
62	Coulson Pitre	RW	6-0/170	13-Dec-04	Canada	Flint (OHL)	59-25-35-60
63	Adam Gajan	G	6-2/165	6-May-04	Slovakia	Chippewa Steel (NAHL)	19-12, 2.57, 0.917
64	Hoyt Stanley	D	6-2/185	4-Feb-05	Canada	Victoria (BCHL)	53-4-34-38
65	Andrew Strathmann	D	5-10/190	27-Feb-05	USA	Youngstown (USHL)	56-3-35-38
66	Hunter Brzustewicz	D	5-11/185	29-Nov-04	USA	Kitchener (OHL)	68-6-51-57
67	Luca Pinelli	C	5-8/165	5-Apr-05	Canada	Ottawa (OHL)	67-29-34-63
68	Cam Allen	D	6-0/195	7-Jan-05	Canada	Guelph (OHL)	62-5-20-25
69	Tanner Ludtke	C	6-0/185	27-Nov-04	USA	Lincoln (USHL)	57-32-34-66
70	Theo Lindstein	D	6-0/180	5-Jan-05	Sweden	Brynas (SHL)	32-1-1-2
71	Koehn Ziemmer	RW	6-0/205	8-Dec-04	Canada	Prince George (WHL)	68-41-48-89
72	Carter Sotheran	D	6-3/195	26-Jun-05	Canada	Portland (WHL)	68-4-19-23
73	Arttu Karki	D	6-1/175	8-Dec-04	Finland	Tappara (Fin-U20)	36-13-26-39
74	Albert Wikman	D	6-0/190	10-Mar-05	Sweden	Farjestads (Swe J20)	43-2-10-12
75	Quinton Burns	D	6-1/180	14-Apr-05	Canada	Kingston (OHL)	54-2-27-29
76	Nico Myatovic	LW	6-2/180	1-Dec-04	Canada	Seattle (WHL)	68-30-30-60
77	Jeremy Hanzel	D	6-0/190	27-Feb-03	Canada	Seattle (WHL)	66-13-35-48
78	Easton Cowan	RW	5-10/170	20-May-05	Canada	London (OHL)	68-20-33-53
79	Juraj Pekarcik	LW	6-2/185	12-Sep-05	Slovakia	HK Nitra (Slovakia)	30-0-3-3
80	Denver Barkey	C	5-8/160	27-Apr-05	Canada	London (OHL)	61-22-37-59
81	Martin Misiak	RW	6-2/195	30-Sep-04	Slovakia	HC Nove Zamky (Slovakia)	29-1-9-10
82	Drew Fortescue	D	6-1/175	28-Apr-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	61-1-25-26
83	Felix Unger Sorum	RW	5-11/170	14-Sep-05	Sweden	Leksands (Swe J20)	42-10-36-46
84	Lenni Hameenaho	RW	6-0/175	7-Nov-04	Finland	Assat (Fin-Liiga)	51-9-12-21
85	Kalan Lind	LW	6-0/160	25-Jan-05	Canada	Red Deer (WHL)	43-16-28-44
86	Rasmus Kumpulainen	C	6-2/190	8-Aug-05	Finland	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	41-11-23-34
87	Alex Ciernik	LW	5-11/175	8-Oct-04	Slovakia	Sodertalje-Vasterviks (HockeyAllsvenskan)	25-3-9-12
88	Alexander Rykov	RW	6-0/175	14-Jul-05	Russia	Chelmet Chelyabinsk (VHL)	20-4-7-11
89	Scott Ratzlaff	G	6-0/175	9-Mar-05	Canada	Seattle (WHL)	25-8, 2.15, 0.918
90	Yegor Rimashevsky	RW	6-3/200	1-Feb-05	Belarus	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	29-13-13-26
91	Jesse Nurmi	LW	5-10/165	7-Mar-05	Finland	KooKoo (Fin-U20)	41-21-29-50
92	Kaden Hammell	D	6-1/175	12-Mar-05	Canada	Kam-Evt (WHL)	67-8-18-26
93	Jayson Shaugabay	RW	5-9/155	4-May-05	USA	Warroad (USHS-MN)	31-33-63-96
94	Noel Nordh	RW	6-2/195	25-Jan-05	Sweden	Brynas (Swe J20)	38-13-14-27
95	Gavin McCarthy	D	6-1/180	2-Jun-05	USA	Muskegon (USHL)	42-8-19-27
96	Tyler Peddle	LW	6-0/195	28-Jan-05	Canada	Drummondville (QMJHL)	64-24-17-41
97	Francesco Dell'Elce	D	6-0/165	23-Jun-05	Canada	St. Andrew's (CHS-O)	51-20-42-62
98	Timur Mukhanov	LW	5-8/170	17-Jun-05	Russia	Omskie Krylia (VHL)	31-4-4-8
99	Larry Keenan	D	6-3/185	15-Mar-05	Russia	Culver Academy (USHS-IN)	49-11-26-37
100	Emil Jarventie	LW	5-9/165	4-Apr-05	Finland	Ilves (Fin-U20)	21-8-11-19
101	Matthew Mania	D	6-1/180	11-Jan-05	USA	Sudbury (OHL)	67-10-28-38
102	Juha Jatkola	G	6-1/175	12-Sep-02	Finland	KalPa (Fin-Liiga)	20-11, 2.16, 0.903
103	Zach Nehring	RW	6-3/180	7-Mar-05	USA	Shattuck-SM (USHS-MN)	48-34-40-74
104	Austin Roest	C	5-9/175	22-Jan-04	Canada	Everett (WHL)	60-32-46-78
105	Hedqvist, Isac	C	5-10/165	22-Mar-05	Sweden	Lulea (Swe J20)	41-14-20-34
106	Stephen Peck	G	6-2/170	18-Jan-05	USA	Avon Old Farms (USHS-CT)	28GP, 1.26, 0.948
107	Yegor Klimovich	RW	5-9/160	14-May-05	Russia	Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk (MHL)	36-19-30-49
108	Nikita Susuyev	RW	6-0/170	6-Feb-05	Russia	MHK Spartak Moskva (MHL)	38-11-17-28
109	Ethan Miedema	LW	6-4/205	22-Mar-05	Canada	Wsr-Kgn (OHL)	68-20-32-52
110	Luca Cagnoni	D	5-9/180	21-Dec-04	Canada	Portland (WHL)	67-17-47-64
111	Jakub Stancl	LW	6-3/200	10-Apr-05	Czech	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	35-11-6-17
112	Aydar Suniev	LW	6-1/200	16-Nov-04	Russia	Penticton (BCHL)	50-45-45-90
113	Ty Henricks	LW	6-4/205	28-Jun-05	USA	Fgo-Mus (USHL)	47-9-10-19
114	Yegor Vinogradov	C	6-2/180	17-Apr-03	Russia	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	53-7-10-17
115	Yegor Sidorov	RW	5-11/180	18-Jun-04	Belarus	Saskatoon (WHL)	53-40-36-76
116	Will Vote	RW	5-8/155	22-Feb-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	60-16-29-45
117	Brandon Svoboda	C	6-3/210	4-Feb-05	USA	Youngstown (USHL)	59-16-10-26
118	Axel Landen	D	6-1/185	29-Mar-05	Sweden	HV 71 (Swe J20)	44-10-6-16
119	Alexander Hellnemo	G	6-2/180	5-Jan-04	Sweden	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	15-8, 2.32, 0.916
120	Nikita Nedopyokin	C	5-10/185	22-Mar-05	Russia	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	37-14-18-32
121	Brady Cleveland	D	6-5/210	1-Apr-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	54-0-6-6
122	Ondrej Molnar	LW	5-10/170	8-Feb-05	Slovakia	Erie (OHL)	34-4-15-19
123	Noah Dower Nilsson	LW	6-0/175	25-Apr-05	Sweden	Frolunda (Swe J20)	37-26-28-54
124	Jordan Tourigny	D	5-10/165	28-Feb-05	Canada	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	67-6-35-41
125	Cole Knuble	C	5-11/175	1-Jul-04	USA	Fargo (USHL)	57-30-36-66
126	Erik Pahlsson	C	6-0/170	9-Apr-04	Sweden	HV 71 (Swe J20)	46-26-37-63
127	Eric Pohlkamp	D	5-10/200	23-Mar-04	USA	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	59-16-35-51
128	Dylan MacKinnon	D	6-1/185	12-Jan-05	Canada	Halifax (QMJHL)	61-6-17-23
129	German Tochilkin	LW	6-2/180	24-Sep-03	Russia	Kunlun Red Star (KHL)	21-4-2-6
130	Jake Fisher	C	6-1/180	27-Mar-05	USA	Cretin-Durham Hall (USHS-MN)	29-34-29-63
131	Damian Clara	G	6-6/215	13-Jan-05	Italy	Farjestads (Swe J20)	17-17, 2.79, 0.903
132	Aiden Fink	RW	5-9/155	24-Nov-04	Canada	Brooks (AJHL)	54-41-56-97
133	Bogdan Konyushkov	D	5-11/175	20-Dec-02	Russia	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	64-2-23-25
134	Yegor Zavragin	G	6-2/185	23-Aug-05	Russia	Mamonty Yugry (MHL)	11-6, 2.49, 0.920
135	Ty Halaburda	C	5-11/175	22-Apr-05	Canada	Vancouver (WHL)	66-21-16-37
136	Cole Burbidge	LW	6-1/160	26-Aug-05	Canada	Saint John (QMJHL)	68-19-31-50
137	Daniil Karpovich	D	6-3/210	6-Dec-04	Belarus	Avto Yekaterinburg (MHL)	47-10-25-35
138	Andrei Loshko	C	6-1/175	7-Oct-04	Belarus	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	67-22-48-70
139	Beckett Hendrickson	C	6-1/175	24-Jun-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	51-13-21-34
140	Alex Pharand	C	6-3/205	1-May-05	Canada	Sudbury (OHL)	67-18-21-39
141	Zeb Forsfjall	C	5-9/170	16-Jan-05	Sweden	Skelleftea (Swe J20)	34-8-14-22
142	Joe Connor	C	5-9/170	31-Mar-05	USA	Avon Old Farms (USHS-CT)	28-21-23-44
143	Samuel Urban	G	6-1/195	1-May-05	Slovakia	Team Slovakia U18 (Svk2)	1-13, 4.51, 0.897
144	Mazden Leslie	D	6-0/195	15-Apr-05	Canada	Vancouver (WHL)	66-12-38-50
145	Maxim Fedotov	D	5-10/170	22-Jan-02	Russia	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	64-9-17-26
146	Joey Willis	C	5-10/170	14-Mar-05	USA	Saginaw (OHL)	68-15-29-44
147	Artyom Kashtanov	C	6-6/190	9-Dec-04	Russia	Avto Yekaterinburg (MHL)	43-15-25-40
148	Angus MacDonell	C	5-9/180	11-May-05	Canada	Sar-Mis (OHL)	64-29-12-41
149	Konstantin Volochko	D	6-0/170	19-Jun-05	Belarus	Dinamo-Shinnik Bobruysk (MHL)	46-8-12-20
150	Hannes Hellberg	LW	6-0/175	19-Jun-05	Sweden	Leksands (Swe J20)	42-34-23-57
151	Carsen Musser	G	6-4/215	19-May-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	14-6, 3.07, 0.890
152	Yaroslav Tsulygin	D	6-0/160	19-May-05	Russia	Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL)	44-0-2-2
153	Thomas Milic	G	6-0/180	14-Apr-03	Canada	Seattle (WHL)	27-3, 2.08, 0.928
154	Arno Tiefensee	G	6-4/190	1-May-02	Germany	Adler Mannheim (DEL)	13-10, 2.43, 0.910
155	Quinn Mantei	D	5-11/180	23-Apr-05	Canada	Brandon (WHL)	67-2-23-25
156	Matthew Soto	RW	5-10/180	31-Aug-05	Canada	Kingston (OHL)	54-15-27-42
157	Matt Copponi	C	5-10/165	3-Jun-03	USA	Merrimack (HE)	37-14-15-29
158	Vojtech Port	D	6-2/170	3-Aug-05	Czech	RD-Edm (WHL)	48-4-13-17
159	Michael DeAngelo	LW	5-11/180	19-Nov-04	USA	Green Bay (USHL)	52-11-24-35
160	Matteo Mann	D	6-5/225	31-Dec-04	Canada	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	45-0-5-5
161	Paul Fischer	D	6-1/190	30-Jan-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	55-4-17-21
162	Hudson Malinoski	C	6-0/175	19-May-04	Canada	Brooks (AJHL)	44-16-53-69
163	Brad Gardiner	C	6-0/180	6-Mar-05	Canada	Ottawa (OHL)	68-19-20-39
164	Zaccharya Wisdom	RW	6-0/175	29-Apr-04	Canada	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	59-28-20-48
165	Jonathan Castagna	C	6-1/185	20-Apr-05	Canada	St. Andrew's (CHS-O)	50-29-43-72
166	Tanner Adams	RW	5-11/185	2-Sep-05	USA	Tri-City (USHL)	49-12-21-33
167	Grayden Siepmann	D	5-10/185	26-May-04	Canada	Calgary (WHL)	61-9-34-43
168	Axel Hurtig	D	6-3/200	10-Jun-05	Sweden	Rogle (Swe J20)	34-2-6-8
169	Ian Scherzer	C	6-0/180	3-Jul-05	Austria	Rogle (Swe J20)	30-3-4-7
170	Ryan Conmy	RW	5-9/190	23-Oct-04	USA	Sioux City (USHL)	60-33-29-62
171	Ethan Hay	C	6-1/190	15-Jan-05	Canada	Flint (OHL)	64-17-11-28
172	Rodwin Dionicio	D	6-2/205	30-Mar-04	Switzerland	Nia-Wsr (OHL)	50-15-35-50
173	Josh Van Mulligen	D	6-2/180	26-Jul-05	Canada	Medicine Hat (WHL)	68-1-8-9
174	Nikita Ishimnikov	D	6-3/195	21-Apr-05	Russia	Avto Yekaterinburg (MHL)	41-11-7-18
175	Justin Kipkie	D	6-4/190	28-Jul-05	Canada	Victoria (WHL)	67-8-25-33
176	Sawyer Mynio	D	6-1/175	30-Apr-05	Canada	Seattle (WHL)	68-5-26-31
177	Brady Stonehouse	RW	5-9/180	6-Aug-04	Canada	Ottawa (OHL)	68-37-20-57
178	Hunter Anderson	LW	5-9/175	28-Apr-05	USA	Shattuck-SM (USHS-MN)	48-52-47-99
179	Spencer Sova	D	6-0/185	10-Jan-04	Canada	Erie (OHL)	68-16-23-39
180	Oliver Tulk	C	5-7/170	19-Jan-05	Canada	Calgary (WHL)	68-24-36-60
181	Isac Born	C	5-11/165	7-Jul-04	Sweden	Frolunda (SHL)	36-2-3-5
182	Beau Jelsma	C	5-9/175	28-Apr-04	Canada	Barrie (OHL)	67-31-30-61
183	Carmelo Crandell	RW	5-11/170	2-Mar-05	Canada	Sherwood Park (AJHL)	49-17-37-54
184	Stanislav Yarovoy	LW	6-2/195	26-Aug-03	Russia	Vityaz Moscow Region (KHL)	45-9-7-16
185	Elliot Stahlberg	LW	6-0/185	29-Mar-05	Sweden	Farjestads (Swe J20)	35-9-12-21
186	Ivan Anoshko	C	5-11/170	7-Oct-04	Belarus	Dinamo-Shinnik Bobruysk (MHL)	53-21-32-53
187	Jake Livanavage	D	5-10/175	6-May-04	USA	Chicago (USHL)	48-6-30-36
188	Adrian Carnebo	D	6-2/185	1-May-04	Sweden	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	43-7-28-35
189	Jaden Lipinski	C	6-3/205	2-Dec-04	USA	Vancouver (WHL)	66-19-32-51
190	Ian Blomquist	G	6-2/185	29-Mar-03	Sweden	Vasteras (HockeyAllsvenskan)	4-11, 2.97, 0.904
191	Emil Pieniniemi	D	6-2/170	2-Mar-05	Finland	Karpat (Fin-U20)	31-1-12-13
192	Oskar Asplund	D	5-11/175	18-Nov-03	Sweden	Almtuna (HockeyAllsvenskan)	49-6-24-30
193	Daniil Davydov	C	5-11/165	6-Mar-04	Russia	MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg (MHL)	47-11-35-46
194	Victor Sjoholm	D	5-9/175	8-Jul-03	Sweden	HV 71 (Swe J20)	37-2-8-10
195	Aron Jessli	LW	5-11/185	29-Oct-04	Norway	Pickering (OJHL)	52-25-43-68
196	Adam Dybal	G	6-1/165	2-Sep-05	Czech	Karlovy Vary (Czechia U20)	29-15, 1.85, 0.942
197	Jonathan Fauchon	C	5-10/170	13-Jan-04	Canada	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	53-25-40-65
198	Luke Mittelstadt	D	5-11/175	22-Jan-03	USA	Minnesota (B1G)	38-5-16-21
199	Owen Beckner	C	6-1/175	27-Feb-05	Canada	Salmon Arm (BCHL)	53-17-33-50
200	Ilya Kanarsky	G	6-2/165	6-Dec-04	Russia	AKM-Junior Tula Region (MHL)	4-19, 3.59, 0.919
201	Braeden Bowman	RW	6-1/205	26-Jun-03	Canada	Guelph (OHL)	54-33-39-72
202	Luke Coughlin	D	5-9/170	11-Apr-05	Canada	Rimouski (QMJHL)	37-5-14-19
203	Norwin Panocha	D	6-1/185	24-Feb-05	Germany	Eisbaren Juniors Berlin (DNL U20)	34-6-16-22
204	Cole Brown	LW	6-2/180	27-Apr-05	Canada	Hamilton (OHL)	60-17-25-42
205	Tomas Suchanek	G	6-0/180	30-Apr-03	Czech	Tri-City (WHL)	27-14, 3.05, 0.912
206	Vadim Moroz	RW	6-2/185	20-Nov-03	Belarus	Dinamo Minsk (KHL)	39-5-9-14
207	Davis Burnside	RW	5-11/175	22-Sep-03	USA	Ohio State (B1G)	40-14-7-21
208	Maros Jedlicka	C	6-1/185	23-Oct-02	Slovakia	HKM Zvolen (Slovakia)	39-17-18-35
209	Gavyn Thoreson	RW	5-8/180	30-Oct-04	USA	Andover High (USHS-MN)	31-41-56-97
210	Austin Burnevik	RW	6-3/200	3-Jan-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	43-6-13-19
211	Elmeri Laakso	D	6-1/185	19-Jul-04	Finland	SaiPa (Fin-Liiga)	32-4-7-11
212	Frantisek Dej	C	6-4/200	28-Feb-05	Slovakia	HC Modre Kridla Slovan (Slovakia2)	24-8-13-21
213	Matvei Maximov	C	6-0/175	18-Jan-05	Russia	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	48-18-19-37
214	Connor Levis	RW	6-1/190	5-Oct-04	Canada	Kamloops (WHL)	68-27-40-67
215	Teddy Townsend	C	5-10/160	2-Sep-05	USA	Eden Prairie (USHS-MN)	27-14-25-39
216	Petter Vesterheim	C	5-11/165	30-Sep-04	Norway	Mora (Swe J20)	41-12-27-39
217	Justin Gill	C	6-1/190	27-Jan-03	Canada	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	68-44-49-93
218	Alex Weiermair	C	6-0/190	10-May-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	55-11-15-26
219	Jan Sprynar	RW	6-1/175	26-Feb-05	Czech	Rimouski (QMJHL)	60-23-17-40
220	Ty Higgins	D	6-0/185	26-Sep-04	Canada	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	68-13-28-41
221	Tom Leppa	C	6-0/175	31-Jul-05	Finland	Jokerit (Fin-U20)	45-19-12-31
222	Aaron Pionk	D	6-1/175	16-Jan-03	USA	Waterloo (USHL)	60-12-24-36
223	Hampton Slukynsky	G	6-1/180	2-Jul-05	USA	Warroad (USHS-MN)	28-1, 1.47, 0.941
224	Noah Erliden	G	5-10/170	9-Sep-05	Sweden	HV71 (Swe J20)	10-8, 2.93, 0.912
HM	Matthew Andonovski	D	6-1/200	14-Mar-05	Canada	Kitchener (OHL)	67-0-16-16
HM	Gleb Artsatbanov	G	6-2/170	2-Mar-04	Ukraine	Sparta Praha (Czechia U20)	13-10, 1.95, 0.938
HM	Cale Ashcroft	D	5-10/200	5-Aug-04	Canada	Tri-City (USHL)	62-8-29-37
HM	Alex Assadourian	LW	5-8/170	24-Jul-05	Canada	Sby-Nia (OHL)	66-12-29-41
HM	Arvid Bergstrom	D	5-11/160	12-Jun-05	Sweden	Djurgardens (Swe J20)	41-2-21-23
HM	Kevin Bicker	LW	6-0/175	29-Jan-05	Germany	Jungadler Mannheim (DNL U20)	20-10-11-21
HM	Philippe Blais-Savoie	D	6-0/185	10-Jun-05	USA	Tri-City (USHL)	61-2-9-11
HM	Linus Brandl	C	5-11/185	1-Apr-05	Germany	Jungadler Mannheim (DNL U20)	32-25-22-47
HM	Finn Brink	LW	5-9/180	6-Apr-05	USA	Maple Grove (USHS-MN)	31-31-38-69
HM	Yaroslav Busygin	D	6-3/185	14-Feb-03	Russia	Vityaz Moscow Region (KHL)	42-1-2-3
HM	Kalle Carlsson	C	6-0/175	2-Mar-05	Sweden	Orebro (Swe J20)	44-11-24-35
HM	Adam Cedzo	RW	5-10/165	23-Feb-05	Slovakia	HC Ocelari Trinec (Czechia U20)	39-23-23-46
HM	Aiden Celebrini	D	6-1/185	26-Oct-04	Canada	Brooks (AJHL)	47-5-16-21
HM	Andon Cerbone	C	5-8/150	13-Apr-04	USA	Oma-Yng (USHL)	64-24-39-63
HM	Chase Cheslock	D	6-3/210	25-Oct-04	USA	Rogers High (USHS-MN)	28-4-27-31
HM	Sam Court	D	5-10/180	7-Jan-04	Canada	Brooks (AJHL)	52-13-59-72
HM	Adam Csabi	LW	5-10/160	17-Feb-05	Czech	SaiPa (Fin-U18)	28-16-15-31
HM	Nathaniel Davis	D	6-1/185	15-Nov-04	Canada	Burlington (OJHL)	45-10-26-36
HM	Nathan Day	G	6-2/180	4-Feb-05	Canada	Flint (OHL)	17-10, 3.91, 0.874
HM	Kocha Delic	C	5-10/185	11-Mar-04	Canada	Sudbury (OHL)	46-22-30-52
HM	Tyler Duke	D	5-8/180	19-Jul-04	USA	Ohio State (B1G)	40-4-8-12
HM	Filip Eriksson	C	6-0/170	5-Nov-04	Sweden	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20)	11-5-5-10
HM	Jiri Felcman	C	6-4/190	17-Apr-05	Czech	Langnau U20 (Sui-U20-Elit)	40-10-21-31
HM	Samuel Fiala	C	6-1/170	9-Apr-05	Czech	Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia U20)	44-19-9-28
HM	Mans Forsfjall	D	6-0/180	30-Jul-02	Sweden	Skelleftea (SHL)	52-2-12-14
HM	Cooper Foster	C	5-11/170	4-Jun-05	Canada	Ottawa (OHL)	63-19-17-36
HM	Salvatore Guzzo	RW	6-0/185	17-Apr-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	58-17-11-28
HM	Michael Hagens	D	5-11/170	18-Feb-05	USA	Chicago (USHL)	60-9-17-26
HM	Sam Harris	LW	5-11/190	14-Oct-03	USA	Sioux Falls (USHL)	56-30-26-56
HM	Jack Harvey	C	5-10/175	31-Mar-03	USA	Chicago (USHL)	62-40-34-74
HM	Bogdans Hodass	D	6-2/200	13-Apr-03	Latvia	Medicine Hat (WHL)	56-11-24-35
HM	Ryan Hopkins	D	6-1/180	15-Apr-04	Canada	Penticton (BCHL)	48-10-39-49
HM	Ewan Huet	G	6-0/170	8-Feb-05	Switzerland	Lausanne (Sui U20-Elit)	14-12, 2.73
HM	Gustaf Kangas	C	6-0/175	27-Jul-05	Sweden	Vasteras (Swe J20)	27-7-13-20
HM	Sean Keohane	D	6-3/180	4-Nov-04	USA	Dexter Southfield(USHS-MA)	32-4-12-16
HM	Oiva Keskinen	C	6-0/175	28-Feb-04	Finland	Tappara (Fin-U20)	38-20-21-41
HM	Ruslan Khazheyev	G	6-4/200	20-Nov-04	Russia	Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (MHL)	8-8, 2.38, 0.923
HM	Matteo Koci	D	6-0/165	7-Jun-05	Czech	HC Energie Karlovy Vary (Czechia U20)	36-7-13-20
HM	Ryan Koering	D	6-3/185	11-Feb-05	USA	Eden Prairie (USHS-MN)	27-6-10-16
HM	Cameron Korpi	G	6-2/150	26-May-04	USA	Tri-City (USHL)	13-4, 2.52, 0.911
HM	Sergei Kosovets	D	6-5/250	17-Jul-02	Russia	HK Sochi (KHL)	26-2-2-4
HM	Artyom Kudashov	D	6-0/160	10-Jan-05	Russia	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	42-2-7-9
HM	Roman Kukumberg	LW	6-0/185	21-Mar-05	Slovakia	HC Modre Kridla Slovan (Slovakia2)	33-5-6-11
HM	Emil Kuusla	LW	5-9/165	11-Jan-05	Finland	Jokerit (Fin-U20)	36-18-17-35
HM	Jani Lampinen	G	6-2/185	14-Feb-03	Finland	Kiekko-Espoo (Fin-Mestis)	15-6, 2.35, 0.902
HM	Charles-Alexis Legault	D	6-3/205	5-Sep-03	Canada	Quinnipiac (ECAC)	40-2-7-9
HM	Aiden Long	LW	6-3/190	13-Mar-05	Canada	Whitecourt (AJHL)	50-19-27-46
HM	Connor MacPherson	RW	6-0/170	2-Mar-05	Canada	Leamington (GOJHL)	43-28-35-63
HM	Matthew Mayich	D	6-2/185	21-Dec-04	Canada	Ottawa (OHL)	64-5-17-22
HM	Donovan McCoy	D	6-0/200	11-Oct-04	Canada	Peterborough (OHL)	65-2-11-13
HM	Cole Miller	C	6-4/175	4-Feb-05	Canada	Edmonton (WHL)	61-10-9-19
HM	Lucas Moore	D	5-9/180	7-Jun-05	Canada	Hamilton (OHL)	65-3-25-28
HM	Josh Nadeau	RW	5-7/145	22-Oct-03	Canada	Penticton (BCHL)	54-44-66-110
HM	Alexei Noskov	G	6-2/205	13-Nov-04	Russia	Taifun Primorsky Krai (MHL)	7-26, 3.86, 0.905
HM	Owen Outwater	LW	6-2/160	4-Jan-05	Canada	Kingston (OHL)	62-16-25-41
HM	Joe Palodichuk	D	6-0/165	26-Feb-03	USA	Fargo (USHL)	44-8-21-29
HM	Petr Pavelec	LW	6-0/200	10-Feb-05	Czech	HC Vitkovice (Czechia U20)	46-8-5-13
HM	Oliver Peer	RW	6-0/165	9-Mar-03	Canada	Windsor (OHL)	63-22-45-67
HM	Chris Pelosi	C	6-1/180	6-Mar-05	USA	Sioux Falls (USHL)	43-13-6-19
HM	Matthew Perkins	LW	5-11/175	21-Jan-04	Canada	Youngstown (USHL)	60-15-29-44
HM	Nico Pertuch	G	6-2/200	29-Jul-05	Germany	EV Landshut (DNL U20)	15GP, 3.57
HM	Dominik Petr	C	6-2/165	30-Apr-05	Czech	Lukko (Fin-U20)	18-1-0-1
HM	Chase Pietila	D	6-1/180	3-Mar-04	USA	Youngstown (USHL)	60-7-29-36
HM	Chase Pirtle	RW	6-2/185	8-Mar-05	USA	Mount St. Charles 18U AAA (USHS-RI)	47-20-24-44
HM	Benjamin Poitras	C	5-10/175	18-Jul-05	Canada	Sioux City (USHL)	61-14-24-38
HM	Connor Punnett	D	6-1/200	16-Jun-03	Canada	Barrie (OHL)	66-14-34-48
HM	Ivan Remezovsky	D	6-1/165	8-Feb-05	Russia	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	45-0-13-13
HM	Charlie Robertson	G	6-3/165	2-Apr-05	Canada	North Bay (OHL)	12-6, 3.17, 0.892
HM	Pier-Olivier Roy	D	5-9/175	5-Mar-04	Canada	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	68-6-62-68
HM	Rainers Rullers	C	6-4/195	11-Dec-04	Latvia	Zemgale (Fin-Mestis)	46-4-6-10
HM	Bennett Schimek	RW	5-11/180	15-Apr-03	USA	Providence (HE)	37-11-9-20
HM	Zach Schulz	D	6-1/195	14-Jun-05	USA	USN U18 (USDP)	51-1-9-10
HM	Magomed Sharakanov	D	6-1/200	11-Oct-04	Russia	MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)	44-7-25-32
HM	Cam Squires	RW	5-11/165	11-Apr-05	Canada	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	67-30-34-64
HM	Julius Sumpf	C	6-1/175	11-Jan-05	Germany	RB Hockey Juniors (AlpsHL)	23-9-9-18
HM	Alexander Suvorov	RW	5-9/160	30-Nov-02	Belarus	Severstal Cherepovets (KHL)	47-13-11-24
HM	Gabriel Szturc	C	5-11/185	24-Sep-03	Czech	Kelowna (WHL)	56-24-55-79
HM	Nikita Telegin	C	6-1/155	21-Jun-05	Russia	Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (MHL)	22-6-4-10
HM	Patrick Thomas	C	5-11/160	21-Aug-04	Canada	Hamilton (OHL)	66-17-39-56
HM	Hudson Thornton	D	5-11/180	4-Nov-03	Canada	Prince George (WHL)	68-23-51-74
HM	Jiri Tichacek	D	5-9/170	30-Jan-03	Czech	Rytiri Kladno (Czechia)	39-0-6-6
HM	Djibril Toure	D	6-6/200	5-Jun-03	Canada	Sudbury (OHL)	57-5-11-16
HM	Tuomas Uronen	RW	5-11/180	19-Mar-05	Finland	HIFK (Fin-U20)	39-20-23-43
HM	Noa Vali	G	6-0/160	19-Apr-05	Finland	TPS (Fin-U20)	17-8, 2.38, 0.912
HM	Nicholas Vantassell	RW	6-4/195	18-Apr-04	USA	Green Bay (USHL)	62-19-18-37
HM	Visa Vedenpaa	G	6-2/170	11-May-05	Finland	Karpat (Fin-U20)	31GP, 0.886
HM	Evgeny Volokhin	G	6-3/170	6-Apr-05	Russia	Mamonty Yugry (MHL)	20-6, 2.12, 0.927
HM	Declan Waddick	C	5-10/170	24-Jan-05	Canada	Niagara (OHL)	64-28-21-49
HM	Saige Weinstein	D	6-0/180	30-May-05	Canada	Spokane (WHL)	57-4-14-18
HM	Ethan Whitcomb	LW	6-4/190	13-May-04	Canada	Muskegon (USHL)	53-24-24-48
HM	Raul Yakupov	RW	6-1/180	21-Jun-04	Russia	Reaktor Nizhnekamsk (MHL)	49-32-29-61

2023 NHL DRAFT: MCKEEN’S MID-SEASON TOP 100 RANKING (SUBSCRIBERS)

Brock Otten — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 18:05:54 +0000

Connor Bedard. Photo by Candice Ward.

Many important scouting events have come and gone, such as the World Junior Championships, the World Junior A Challenge, the Biosteel All American game, and the CHL Top Prospect’s Game. That means it is time for McKeen’s Hockey to update our draft rankings for the 2023 NHL draft. Back in November, we released our preliminary top 50 (found here). This time around, we have expanded our ranking to a top 100 (plus 20 honorable mentions).

The first round of this list continues to be dominated by the Western Hockey League. Four of our top ten and nine of our top 32 (first round graded) are WHL players. The United States has a very strong presence in our first round ranking too, with eight players playing south of the Canadian border.

Positionally, forwards continue to dominate the vast majority of our first-round spots, with only six defenders and two goaltenders bucking that trend. Of particular interest, we do not have a defender ranked inside of our Top 13. Is it possible that no defender is drafted inside of the top 10 in Nashville this June? According to our scouts…yes. However, it is also important to note that this is exceptionally rare. The last time no defender was taken inside of the Top 10 was 1983 (Bobby Dollas at 14th overall to Winnipeg)!

Several players made huge leaps upward in our midseason rankings. Among them are Ryan Leonard, Oliver Moore, Dmitri Simashev, Oliver Bonk, David Reinbacher, and Quentin Musty. Leonard is a strong two-way goal scoring winger with an athletic skill set. Oliver Moore is one of the best skating forwards available this year and also plays a mature two-way game. Both have stood out positively of late for the U.S. NTDP. Dmitri Simashev is a massive defender who brings physicality and mobility, but who is also gaining confidence in his offensive abilities. Oliver Bonk has emerged as one of the top defensive defenders in the OHL; a fact that was on display at this year’s Top Prospect’s Game. David Reinbacher continues to perform well in Switzerland and was a standout for an overmatched Austrian squad at the WJC’s. All three defenders are surging up our rankings and could finish the year even higher with continued strong play. Meanwhile, Quentin Musty has played very well in Sudbury post coaching change and his upside remains extremely intriguing.

Without further ado, here is our Top 100 (with 20 honorable mentions):

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Connor Bedard	C	Regina (WHL)	5-10/185	17-Jul-05	34-42-43-85
2	Adam Fantilli	C	Michigan (B1G)	6-2/195	12-Oct-04	22-16-24-40
3	Leo Carlsson	C	Orebro (SHL)	6-3/200	26-Dec-04	31-5-13-18
4	Matvei Michkov	RW	HK Sochi (KHL)	5-10/170	9-Dec-04	14-4-2-6
5	Will Smith	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-0/175	17-Mar-05	36-28-41-69
6	Andrew Cristall	LW	Kelowna (WHL)	5-9/165	4-Feb-05	36-26-36-62
7	Zach Benson	LW	Winnipeg (WHL)	5-9/160	12-May-05	41-25-41-66
8	Nate Danielson	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-1/185	27-Sep-04	45-23-33-56
9	Eduard Sale	LW	Kometa Brno (Cze)	6-2/175	10-Mar-05	34-3-5-8
10	Dalibor Dvorsky	C	AIK (Allsvenskan)	6-1/200	15-Jun-05	27-4-7-11
11	Ryan Leonard	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/190	21-Jan-05	34-25-27-52
12	Oliver Moore	C	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/185	22-Jan-05	37-21-26-47
13	Brayden Yager	C	Moose Jaw (WHL)	5-11/165	3-Jan-05	48-20-35-55
14	Dmitri Simashev	D	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	6-4/200	4-Feb-05	15-0-0-0
15	Colby Barlow	LW	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-0/195	14-Feb-05	42-36-27-63
16	Lukas Dragicevic	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-1/190	25-Apr-05	44-13-42-55
17	Axel Sandin Pellikka	D	Skelleftea (SHL)	5-11/180	11-Mar-05	19-2-3-5
18	Mikhail Gulyayev	D	Avangard Omsk (KHL)	5-11/170	26-Apr-05	12-0-1-1
19	Daniil But	LW	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	6-5/200	15-Feb-05	12-1-0-1
20	Carson Bjarnason	G	Brandon (WHL)	6-3/185	30-Jun-05	17-14-2, 2.90, .911
21	Calum Ritchie	C	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/185	21-Jan-05	43-19-25-44
22	Gavin Brindley	C	Michigan (B1G)	5-8/165	5-Oct-04	26-3-14-17
23	Gabe Perreault	RW	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/165	7-May-05	39-35-41-76
24	Matthew Wood	RW	UConn (HE)	6-3/195	6-Feb-05	27-9-16-25
25	Riley Heidt	C	Prince George (WHL)	5-10/180	25-Mar-05	44-19-41-60
26	David Reinbacher	D	Kloten (Sui-NL)	6-2/185	25-Oct-04	36-2-17-19
27	Caden Price	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-0/185	24-Aug-05	44-5-19-24
28	Ethan Gauthier	RW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	5-11/175	26-Jan-05	45-17-32-49
29	Quentin Musty	LW	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/200	6-Jul-05	32-12-36-48
30	Kasper Halttunen	LW	HIFK (Fin-Liiga)	6-3/205	7-Jun-05	24-0-1-1
31	Otto Stenberg	C	Frolunda (Swe J20)	5-11/180	29-May-05	23-8-12-20
32	Michael Hrabal	G	Omaha (USHL)	6-6/210	20-Jan-05	6-9-3, 3.18, .899
33	Samuel Honzek	LW	Vancouver (WHL)	6-3/185	12-Nov-04	31-17-26-43
34	Jayden Perron	RW	Chicago (USHL)	5-9/165	11-Jan-05	37-16-18-34
35	Carson Rehkopf	LW	Kitchener (OHL)	6-1/195	7-Jan-05	42-19-18-37
36	Roman Kantserov	RW	Stalnye Lisy (MHL)	5-9/175	20-Sep-04	38-21-22-43
37	Oliver Bonk	D	London (OHL)	6-2/175	9-Jan-05	43-9-19-28
38	Beau Akey	D	Barrie (OHL)	5-11/170	11-Feb-05	42-7-29-36
39	Timur Mukhanov	C	Omskie Krylia (VHL)	5-8/170	17-Jun-05	28-3-4-7
40	Koehn Ziemmer	RW	Prince George (WHL)	6-0/205	8-Dec-04	44-26-36-62
41	Bradly Nadeau	LW	Penticton (BCHL)	5-10/165	5-May-05	37-31-42-73
42	Tom Willander	D	Rogle (Swe J20)	6-1/180	9-Feb-05	30-4-15-19
43	Luca Pinelli	C	Ottawa (OHL)	5-8/165	5-Apr-05	44-20-27-47
44	William Whitelaw	RW	Youngstown (USHL)	5-9/170	5-Feb-05	35-20-15-35
45	Trey Augustine	G	USN U18 (USDP)	6-1/185	23-Feb-05	14-0-2, 2.29, .925
46	Theo Lindstein	D	Brynas (SHL)	6-0/180	5-Jan-05	19-1-1-2
47	Mathieu Cataford	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	5-11/185	1-Mar-05	45-22-31-53
48	Charlie Stramel	C	Wisconsin (B1G)	6-3/215	15-Oct-04	23-5-4-9
49	Kaden Hammell	D	Kam-Evt (WHL)	6-1/175	12-Mar-05	45-6-10-16
50	Alexander Rykov	RW	Chelmet Chelyabinsk (VHL)	5-11/170	14-Jul-05	20-4-7-11
51	Maxim Strbak	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-1/205	13-Apr-05	29-5-10-15
52	Tanner Molendyk	D	Saskatoon (WHL)	5-11/185	3-Feb-05	43-6-19-25
53	Anton Wahlberg	C	Malmo (Swe J20)	6-3/195	4-Jul-05	32-14-13-27
54	Carey Terrance	C	Erie (OHL)	6-0/175	10-May-05	43-20-11-31
55	Cam Allen	D	Guelph (OHL)	6-0/195	7-Jan-05	39-4-15-19
56	Tyler Peddle	LW	Drummondville (QMJHL)	6-0/195	28-Jan-05	45-18-13-31
57	Gracyn Sawchyn	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/160	19-Jan-05	43-15-32-47
58	Jesse Nurmi	LW	KooKoo (Fin-U20)	5-10/165	7-Mar-05	35-19-27-46
59	Carter Sotheran	D	Portland (WHL)	6-3/195	26-Jun-05	45-3-16-19
60	Nikita Susuyev	RW	MHK Spartak Moskva (MHL)	6-0/170	6-Feb-05	34-9-16-25
61	Aram Minnetian	D	USN U18 (USDP)	5-11/190	19-Mar-05	38-5-18-23
62	Arttu Karki	D	Tappara (Fin-U20)	6-1/175	8-Dec-04	30-12-22-34
63	Noah Dower Nilsson	LW	Frolunda (Swe J20)	6-0/175	25-Apr-05	26-24-21-45
64	Scott Ratzlaff	G	Seattle (WHL)	6-0/175	9-Mar-05	17-5-0, 2.26, .917
65	Andrew Strathmann	D	Youngstown (USHL)	5-10/190	27-Feb-05	29-2-23-25
66	Kalan Lind	LW	Red Deer (WHL)	6-0/160	25-Jan-05	41-15-27-42
67	Jesse Kiiskinen	RW	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	5-11/180	23-Aug-05	27-17-21-38
68	Etienne Morin	D	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-0/180	9-Mar-05	43-15-31-46
69	Coulson Pitre	RW	Flint (OHL)	6-0/170	13-Dec-04	41-19-22-41
70	Felix Nilsson	C	Rogle (Swe J20)	6-0/176	22-Jun-05	26-16-17-33
71	Hunter Brzustewicz	D	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/185	29-Nov-04	42-3-30-33
72	Jakub Dvorak	D	Bili Tygri Liberec (Cze)	6-5/205	25-May-05	24-0-2-2
73	Andrew Gibson	D	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	6-3/195	13-Feb-05	38-7-11-18
74	Ondrej Molnar	LW	Erie (OHL)	5-10/170	8-Feb-05	16-2-7-9
75	Martin Misiak	RW	Nove Zamky (Svk)	6-2/195	30-Sep-04	29-1-9-10
76	Luca Cagnoni	D	Portland (WHL)	5-9/180	21-Dec-04	44-12-34-46
77	Lenni Hameenaho	RW	Assat (Fin-Liiga)	6-0/175	7-Nov-04	35-5-10-15
78	Alex Ciernik	LW	Sodertalje (Swe J20)	5-11/175	8-Oct-04	11-7-7-14
79	Denver Barkey	C	London (OHL)	5-8/160	27-Apr-05	43-12-28-40
80	Oliver Tulk	C	Calgary (WHL)	5-7/170	19-Jan-05	46-19-22-41
81	Oscar Fisker Molgaard	C	HV 71 (SHL)	6-0/165	18-Feb-05	28-4-1-5
82	Matthew Mania	D	Sudbury (OHL)	6-1/180	11-Jan-05	43-7-18-25
83	Gavin McCarthy	D	Muskegon (USHL)	6-1/180	2-Jun-05	20-4-14-18
84	Noel Nordh	RW	Brynas (SHL)	6-3/195	25-Jan-05	10-1-0-1
85	Jacob Fowler	G	Youngstown (USHL)	6-1/215	24-Nov-04	13-6-3, 2.63, .914
86	Aydar Suniev	LW	Penticton (BCHL)	6-1/200	16-Nov-04	33-26-31-57
87	Emil Jarventie	LW	Ilves (Fin-U20)	5-9/165	4-Apr-05	21-8-11-19
88	Danny Nelson	C	USN U18 (USDP)	6-3/200	3-Aug-05	38-12-16-28
89	Yegor Klimovich	RW	Sibirskie Snaipery (MHL)	5-9/160	14-May-05	28-9-21-30
90	Adam Gajan	G	Green Bay (USHL)	6-2/165	6-May-04	5-1-0, 2.48, .906
91	Quinton Burns	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-1/180	14-Apr-05	36-1-20-21
92	Grayden Siepmann	D	Calgary (WHL)	5-10/185	26-May-04	45-8-27-35
93	Yegor Zavragin	G	Mamonty Yugry (MHL)	6-2/185	23-Aug-05	9-6-1, 2.55, .919
94	Owen Beckner	C	Salmon Arm (BCHL)	6-1/175	27-Feb-05	36-12-21-33
95	Aiden Fink	RW	Brooks (AJHL)	5-9/155	24-Nov-04	43-30-50-80
96	Matthew Soto	RW	Kingston (OHL)	5-10/180	31-Aug-05	44-13-22-35
97	Eric Pohlkamp	D	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	5-10/200	23-Mar-04	31-12-20-32
98	Nick Lardis	LW	Pbo-Ham (OHL)	5-10/165	8-Jul-05	41-21-16-35
99	Jayson Shaugabay	RW	Warroad (USHS-MN)	5-9/155	4-May-05	18-22-39-61
100	Brad Gardiner	C	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/180	6-Mar-05	45-17-11-28
HM	Ethan Miedema	LW	Wsr-Kgn (OHL)	6-4/205	22-Mar-05	45-12-22-35
HM	Brady Cleveland	D	USN U18 (USDP)	6-5/210	1-Apr-05	34-0-5-5
HM	Joey Willis	C	Saginaw (OHL)	5-10/170	14-Mar-05	44-9-17-26
HM	Juraj Pekarcik	LW	Nitra (Svk)	6-1/185	12-Sep-05	26-0-3-3
HM	Spencer Sova	D	Erie (OHL)	6-0/185	10-Jan-04	44-14-17-31
HM	Zeb Forsfjall	C	Skelleftea (SHL)	5-9/170	16-Jan-05	10-1-0-1
HM	Kalle Carlsson	C	Orebro (Swe J20)	6-0/175	2-Mar-05	34-6-21-27
HM	David Edstrom	C	Frolunda (Swe J20)	6-3/185	18-Feb-05	22-10-12-22
HM	Felix Unger Sorum	RW	Leksands (Swe J20)	5-11/170	14-Sep-05	32-9-30-39
HM	Alex Pharand	C	Sudbury (OHL)	6-3/205	1-May-05	44-16-14-30
HM	Tuomas Uronen	RW	HIFK (Fin-U20)	5-11/180	19-Mar-05	31-13-19-32
HM	Tanner Adams	RW	Tri-City (USHL)	5-11/185	2-Sep-05	27-8-10-18
HM	Mazden Leslie	D	Vancouver (WHL)	6-0/195	15-Apr-05	45-8-25-33
HM	Juha Jatkola	G	KalPa (Fin-Liiga)	6-1/175	12-Sep-02	16-10-6, 2.14, .909
HM	Connor Levis	RW	Kamloops (WHL)	6-1/190	5-Oct-04	43-11-25-36
HM	Owen Outwater	LW	Kingston (OHL)	6-2/160	4-Jan-05	39-10-18-28
HM	Easton Cowan	RW	London (OHL)	5-10/170	20-May-05	44-12-17-29
HM	Rasmus Kumpulainen	C	Pelicans (Fin-U20)	6-2/190	8-Aug-05	36-11-20-31
HM	Emil Pieniniemi	D	Karpat (Fin-U20)	6-2/170	2-Mar-05	26-0-10-10
HM	Austin Roest	C	Everett (WHL)	5-9/175	22-Jan-04	46-26-35-61

2023 NHL DRAFT: CHL TOP PROSPECTS GAME – 12 Standout Performances

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, and Adam Tate — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 15:06:14 +0000

Carson Rehkopf - Top Prospects 2023

Recently at McKeen’s, we recapped USA Hockey’s BioSteel All American game, showcasing the best USHL and NTDP prospects eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft. Up next is the CHL’s interpretation, the CHL Top Prospect’s Game. This year’s event recently took place in Vancouver and our very own Adam Tate covered the event live. Our scouting director Brock Otten and our assistant director of scouting Derek Neumeier caught the game on tape. All three have combined for a similar recap.

For those unfamiliar with the CHL Top Prospect’s Game, it is an annual event held in one of the CHL’s hubs that gives the top CHL players eligible for the upcoming NHL draft a chance to impress scouts under one roof. The players are selected by NHL Central Scouting in cooperation with NHL scouting teams. The players are then divided (equally) into two teams; team white and team red.

This year in Vancouver, team White defeated team red by a score of 4-2. Kitchener’s Carson Rehkopf was named player of the game for team white on the strength of a two-point performance, while Prince George’s Riley Heidt was named player of the game for team red. Top goaltending prospects Scott Ratzlaff and Carson Bjarnason also performed very well, keeping the game a low scoring affair heading into the third period. Miraculously, Connor Bedard was kept off the scoresheet for team red, however he did create several high-end scoring chances.

As mentioned, below you will find Tate, Otten, and Neumeier’s favourite players from the event; their standouts.

Adam Tate’s Standouts

Mathieu Cataford (Team Red, Halifax) - Center

Top Prospects Games are historically speaking, higher scoring games. It can be tough to show NHL scouts and Hockey Ops personnel that you can play a two-way game. But, that’s exactly what Cataford did. He scored the first goal of the game with a nice backhand wrist shot from the slot that found the back of the net above Scott Ratzlaff’s blocker. He had a nose for the slot, making his way there often, and took most of his shot attempts from that area. He showed good awareness in the offensive zone and seemed to have instant chemistry with Gracyn Shawchyn from the Seattle Thunderbirds, as the two combined for multiple scoring chances. By the same measure, Cataford was really good in his own zone as well, showing great anticipation and awareness to pick off multiple passes in the defensive zone and create zone exits. Playing on the nominal third line of Team Red, Cataford had arguably one of the more complete games of any of the players in the TPG.

Kalan Lind (Team White, Red Deer) - Wing

Kalan Lind had the kind of game you wish you’d see from him more often in Red Deer. His combination of offense and physicality was one that few players in this game could match. With big hits along the boards in the offensive zone early in the game, he showed that he wasn’t going to treat this like a glorified exhibition game. So much so that he even had a fight in the 3rd period. But there’s more to Lind’s game than just hits and running around looking for trouble. He showed some nice offensive flashes, with a between the legs drop pass in the slot in the middle frame, and a forehand-backhand-roof move to finish off a 2 on 1 that Carson Bjarnason barely got a glove on to make the save. Lind also showed that there’s some defensive proficiency to his game as well, covering for a defenceman and tying up an offensive player driving to the net late in the game. Add in a display of good footspeed, and it’s easy to see why his fingerprints were on a lot of the game.

Scott Ratzlaff (Team White, Seattle) - Goalie

Ratzlaff was the busiest, and arguably best, of the goaltenders in this game. Stopping 24 of 25 shots in just over half a game of action, he was able to stymie Connor Bedard & Co on Team Red. That’s no small feat in a game like this. Showing the natural athleticism to his game that I’ve seen in multiple previous viewings, along with decent technique, he was able to stop multiple high danger scoring chances. While he isn’t quite as tall as NHL clubs likely want him to be, that didn’t stop him from being able to see around or above screens, nor did it stop him from covering the bottom of the net well with a good pad seal. He also shows good ability to have pucks stick to him after initial saves or freeze pucks quickly in the blue ice. In a game where stopping wide open slot shots from Zach Benson, Riley Heidt, and Connor Bedard was the assignment, Ratzlaff showed he was up for the challenge.

Etienne Morin (Team Red, Moncton) - Defense

Leading the Moncton Wildcats in scoring at the time of the TPG, Morin didn’t have the kind of game that I expected from him. Being a scout in Western Canada, I haven’t had much time to watch the QMJHL. I expected a purely offensive defenseman with questionable habits in his own zone. I knew that he’d have his moments to shine offensively, and he did. He acted as the power play quarterback on Team Red’s one opportunity. He also had a nice scoring chance five on five, skating in as the trailer to get a wide-open shot in the slot that just missed the net. But I was glad to see a better-than-expected defensive game from him as well. His stick work to create turnovers in his own zone was good and led to a lot of zone exit passes. He also showed the ability to body up to forwards around the net and below the red line and prevent them from making plays. When he had the puck on his stick in his own zone, he used good deception to create space for himself, which led to many of the aforementioned zone exit passes. He took advantage of the opportunity in this game to showcase himself as one of the better North American defensemen available in next summer’s draft.

Luca Pinelli - Top Prospects 2023

Derek Neumeier’s Standouts

Tanner Molendyk (Team White, Saskatoon) - Defense

Saskatoon plays a very structured brand of hockey and doesn't possess the most purely talented roster, and those factors mean that Molendyk doesn't always get to let loose and display the full extent of his abilities. But in this game, where speed and skill were allowed and encouraged to go all-out head-to-head against other speed and skill, he stood out positively. His exemplary skating helped keep the pace of the game high, and he picked up an assist on the game's opening goal for his troubles. The Top Prospects Game is also a great way to showcase to scouts which players are willing to really dig in and apply that extra bit of effort or intensity to leave an impression, and Molendyk certainly understood that. He's feisty all the time, but somehow found a way to squeeze out a little more oomph.

Coulson Pitre (Team Red, Flint) - Wing

Pitre's game is pretty straightforward, but he's quite effective at what he does. He's dangerous as a goal scoring winger because he can use his speed and power to open up separation in straight lines, before getting the puck under control and picking spots to use his high-end shot. It's a type of play style that works in the NHL when you're good enough at it, even if it's not the flashiest. In this game, against the best players his age currently playing in the CHL, Pitre showed that he's probably good enough as this style of player, or at least one of the best options in North America. He looked impressive with a lot of his puck touches, driving the play up ice and getting some quality scoring chances. He finished with three shots on net, though none of them led to any goals for Team Red.

Jackson Unger (Team White, Moose Jaw) - Goalie

Unger has had a lot of struggles this season, and those problems haven't been helped by playing on a Moose Jaw Warriors team that leans heavily on the offensive side of the puck and often doesn't help out its goalies. He likely understood the importance of having a good showing here in front of the throng of scouts, and he certainly delivered. He took the net in the back half of the game and turned aside 21 of 22 shots, with the only goal allowed coming in the dying seconds when the game was already out of reach. He also had to stare down some looks from Connor Bedard and he accomplished that challenging feat, helping to keep the young offensive phenom off the score sheet. Unger is a fast and agile netminder who has to play assertively to overcome his below average size, and a confidence boost like this can be hugely beneficial for a goalie like that.

Luca Pinelli (Team White, Ottawa ) - Wing

It has been an interesting challenge this season trying to formulate a confident opinion about Pinelli. There’s no doubt whatsoever that he’s a good player at the OHL level. All you have to do is watch a 67’s game to see all the different ways that he is involved in the play, or notice the 46 points that he’s scored in 43 of their games. At the same time, however, it’s usually incredibly hard for players to find success in the NHL when they are undersized and don’t have plus skating ability to help make up for it, which is the case with him. But Pinelli was one of the best players in this game, scoring the game-winning goal and finishing with five shots. He found the puck a lot in Langley, and consistently made good decisions with what to do with it. If he can do that against elite competition here, it seems a little more likely that he can do it against elite competition at the NHL level.

Brock Otten’s Standouts

Carson Rehkopf (Team White, Kitchener) - Center

Team White’s MVP, Rehkopf finished the game with a goal and an assist. Both came in the third period, where Rehkopf was certainly the most noticeable. It’s been a bit of an up and down year for Rehkopf as part of an inconsistent Kitchener Rangers team. His ice time has fluctuated, especially lately, and that’s led to wavering production. Thus, it was great to see him have such a strong game. His combination of size and quickness makes him such a dangerous quick strike player. He had multiple impressive rushes in the game, where he was able to back down or beat defenders to create scoring chances, such as his third period goal. His length, speed, and strength also make him a strong two-way presence, another aspect of his game that was on full display. There are times where it appears that his hands are lagging behind his feet, but his athleticism is rare to find in a big center. Look for him to be ranked highly in our upcoming midseason rankings. If you read my work regularly, you’ll already know that I’m a huge fan of his projectable upside.

Oliver Bonk (Team White, London) - Defense

Bonk has been a very tough player for me to read all year. I’m not necessarily enamored with the physical tools, so I’ve been slightly concerned with his projection at the NHL level. However, he’s becoming impossible to ignore with each viewing that shows off further progression. In my opinion, Bonk was the best defenseman in the game and it’s probably about time I hopped on the hype train too. In my last few viewings of Bonk, he has been flawless in the defensive end and that was the case at this event too. His positioning and reads are consistently outstanding; his stick placement is impeccable. And while he’s not the most dynamic offensive defender, there’s such value in his simplicity. He breaks up a play and because of his vision, he’s able to quickly start the breakout, finding an outlet immediately. There is absolutely no doubt that he would have impressed many of the NHL scouts in attendance and it seems inevitable that he pushes further up draft boards in the second half.

Gracyn Sawchyn (Team Red, Seattle) - Wing/Center

Held scoreless, Sawchyn was, nonetheless, team red’s most consistently dangerous player outside of Connor Bedard. His hands are really impressive. He’s not the biggest guy. He’s not the quickest guy. He’s not the strongest guy. However, he was able to consistently navigate traffic to create scoring chances for himself or teammates because of his creativity and puck control. To be honest, there were some similarities between watching Sawchyn and former WHL’er Brayden Point in his respective CHL Top Prospect Game. Projecting players like Sawchyn can be difficult because so many similar players fail to become NHL regulars, but it was hard not to take notice of his skill, especially considering that I had not seen a lot of him prior to this event.

Calum Ritchie (Team White, Oshawa) - Center

This was a typical Cal Ritchie performance. Led the event in scoring (tied with Rehkopf), but did so in a quiet manner. If you’re expecting Ritchie to be a dynamic puck carrier who dazzles by consistently beating defenders one on one, you’re looking in the wrong place; Connor McDavid he is not (I know, I know…who is). But Ritchie is so quietly effective because of how intelligent he is. He consistently invites contact and pressure, only to find seams as a playmaker to help set up linemates for scoring chances. His strong defensive play was also on display during the TPG, combining with Rehkopf to form a strong shutdown line. Since the new calendar year began, Ritchie has been playing some really high level hockey in the OHL and it was great to see him perform up to expectations at this event too. Perhaps Ritchie should be ranked right there with some of the WHL’s top two-way forwards like Yager, Heidt, and Danielson?

2023 NHL DRAFT: EARLY SEASON FAVOURITES SERIES WITH VIDEO – WEST – Carson Bjarnason, Kalan Lind, and Grayden Siepmann

Derek Neumeier — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 19:21:14 +0000

First Round Favourite: Carson Bjarnason, G, Brandon Wheat Kings

Carson Bjarnason. Photo by Jarret Gale.

There are few prospects eligible for the 2023 NHL draft who have seen their stock skyrocket since the start of the season as much as Carson Bjarnason has. Not only has the 17-year-old netminder been the undisputed MVP of his Brandon Wheat Kings team thus far, he has also been one of the best goalies in all of junior hockey.

Bjarnason wasn't exactly an unknown commodity beforehand. The Carberry, Manitoba, native suited up for 23 games for the Wheaties last season, and also made Canada's roster for the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup as their backup goalie, winning the only game he started as part of the gold medal-winning roster. While he flashed traces of upside previously, it was clear that there was still a lot of work that he needed to do before he could be considered a top prospect.

Fast forward a few months and it's truly impressive just how much of that work he has already accomplished, and how quickly he is improving overall.

Bjarnason checks off almost all of the main boxes that scouts look for in a goaltender. He's big, he's athletic, he's technically sound, and his mental game is quite strong. Put all those pieces together and you get a goalie who can steal games for his team and look very comfortable and methodical in the process.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Carson-Bjarnason-1-back-to-back.mp4

This first sequence shows Bjarnason at his best. He starts by staring down this rush from Andrew Cristall of the Kelowna Rockets, one of the most dangerous players in the WHL right now. Cristall tries to go backhand but has nothing to shoot at, as the goalie is in prime position and has his holes closed off through textbook form. The rebound dribbles loose and is quickly passed by the first trailing Kelowna forward right to the stick of the second trailing forward in the home-plate area, but Bjarnason immediately resets in his stance, pushes cleanly back to the middle, and drops back to his knees to gobble up the second shot, but this time with no rebound.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Carson-Bjarnason-2-square.mp4

Here is another example of Bjarnason being highly effective but making it look easy. Matt Savoie gets around a Brandon defender and creates a shot from in tight but has absolutely nowhere to go with it, as Bjarnason is completely square to the shot. He also has his skate anchored to his right post, preventing himself (and the puck) from getting pushed into the net if Savoie forces the issue.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Carson-Bjarnason-3-post-to-post-2.mp4

While Bjarnason isn't the fastest or most limber goalie, he has no trouble going post to post to challenge cross-ice scoring chances. Make note of how active his feet are in this clip, keeping himself ready for both a shot and a pass when the puck comes into the circle. The Rockets player chooses pass, but Bjarnason reacts reflexively and robs Cristall again, while also keeping the puck from squeaking out for a rebound.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Carson-Bjarnason-4-breakaway.mp4

Bjarnason displays incredible composure and focus for a goaltender his age, especially with the added responsibility of being his team's starter and having to face quality scoring chances and a high volume of shots playing behind a young roster. It's not uncommon for him to face more than 30 shots per contest, and neither the quality nor the quantity seems to faze him. Having to go toe to toe with a dangerous Conor Geekie on a lengthy breakaway? No problem. Geekie elects to go to his backhand, but the bottom of the ice is sealed off and the chance is emphatically turned aside. That's a big-time save

Pushing for the Top 50: Kalan Lind, C/RW, Red Deer Rebels

Kalan Lind. Photo by Rob Wallator.

Trying to get a confident assessment of Lind is tricky, as he has worn many different hats and looked like a very different player at various points throughout the past two years. After scoring 20 goals in 61 games as a 16-year-old WHL rookie last season, he has just two goals in 19 contests thus far. After looking great for Canada and helping them win gold at this past summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup as a Bottom 6 defensive center and key penalty killer, he has been used primarily as an offense-first winger in Red Deer, including significantly more time on the powerplay than on the penalty kill.

However, when looking at all of this from a different angle, it highlights Lind's strongest attribute and what will surely be his main calling card as a potential NHLer: his versatility. While most NHL roster spots are taken up by players who excel at specific things or fit neatly into certain roles, there will always be jobs to be had for “plug and play” guys, players who can seamlessly move up or down a lineup, or transition into different roles or positions if injuries occur or if a coach wants to shake up his lines.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Kalan-Lind-1-hit-fc-rush.mp4

Lind is at his very best when he keeps his engine revved high and is playing a professional style of blue-collar hockey, which is, coincidentally, exactly how the Rebels have been built and are coached to play. This shift highlights him at his very best, making an impact on the ice in a variety of different ways, even if it doesn't result in a goal. He lays a heavy hit in the defensive zone, goes in hard on the forecheck to apply pressure and send another hit, and then finally uses up the last of his gas by transitioning the puck out of his zone, beating a defender one on one and getting a backhand shot on net.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Kalan-Lind-2-lind-pass.mp4

Lind isn't the fastest or most physical player right now, but he's not yet fully developed physically. He's only listed at 155 pounds on the WHL website, which seems almost comically low, especially given his penchant for laying the body. However, when you watch him closely you can see the athletic foundation that is in place, and can start to envision just how much more speed and power he is going to generate once he's able to add more functional muscle into his frame. Here is another nice rush of his, this one from the Hlinka, attacking a Finnish defender head on and putting the puck through his triangle, before showing nice patience to beat the second defender and feeding the puck to a trailing teammate for a prime scoring chance.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Kalan-Lind-3-lind-pk.mp4

It's a real shame that he's not killing more penalties for the Rebels right now, because that's going to be a necessary skill that he needs to bring at the professional level, as he doesn't possess enough pure skill to make it based solely on his offensive abilities. Luckily, scouts did get to watch that side of his game on full display during the high stakes of the Hlinka, and the results were encouraging. Watch how he plays through the pain of blocking a shot on the penalty kill during the gold medal game against Sweden, staying involved in the play and eventually prying the puck away from an opposing player, which leads to a zone clear.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Kalan-Lind-4-lind-nz-t.o.-2.mp4

While there's no doubt that Lind has some amount of NHL upside and is drawing his fair share of attention from team scouts in the lead-up to the 2023 draft, just how high he gets picked will likely depend on how much progress he makes this season on the offensive side of his game, as it is currently a bit of a question mark with him. His point totals thus far aren't exactly inspiring, and he needs to become a lot more reliable with his puck management. Watch how this turnover unfolds, as he has the extra time and space of a powerplay to work with, but tries and fails to beat Jagger Firkus one-on-one, instead of trying to draw the penalty killer toward him and feeding the puck laterally to his wide open teammate.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Kalan-Lind-5-lind-nz-t.o..mp4

Here is another example of Lind's puck management and how it needs to get better. He gets a little too focused on heading north with the puck that he doesn't shoulder check or otherwise recognize just how close the backcheck pressure is behind him, leading to him getting pickpocketed. Learning to put his head on a swivel more often and better recognize peripheral activity will go a long way toward his overall effectiveness.

Notable Mid Round Candidate: Grayden Siepmann, D, Calgary Hitmen

Grayden Siepmann. Photo by Brian Liesse.

Siepmann was one of the more surprising omissions from the 2022 NHL draft, after playing his way up to the Hitmen's top defensive pairing and then making an appearance with Canada at the IIHF U18s. That said, prospect development is a marathon, not a sprint, and it's safe to say that he has used the sting of not getting picked to light a fire under himself and take notable strides as a player, putting him right back in the attention of scouts.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Grayden-Siepmann-1-siep-rush-goal.mp4

One of the knocks on Siepmann last year was a tendency towards passive, lackadaisical play, which was frustrating to watch at times because he is a magnificent skater. He never seemed to take full advantage of his strongest attribute to be a serious play-driver difference-maker. That criticism must have eventually found its way to him at some point, however, because he has become a significantly more engaged and assertive player than he was previously. He is taking advantage of many more opportunities to activate in transition, and as a result he has been consistently driving play up the ice for his team and putting up numbers on the score sheet, averaging just over a point per game thus far.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Grayden-Siepmann-2-siep-rush-assist.mp4

Whether with the puck or without, his quickness and agility navigating up ice are creating odd-man rushes and spreading out opposing defenses. He starts this clip off by carrying the puck for a zone exit, but the real genius is how he then passes it off and heads directly to the Swift Current net without it, which draws the attention of a Broncos defender, freeing up a wide-open shot for a teammate in a high-danger area.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Grayden-Siepmann-3-siep-stretch-assist.mp4

Siepmann doesn't have to rely solely on his feet to move the puck, either. He does a very good job of keeping his head up and his senses on high alert, processing the play as it unfolds around him, and he is adept at making tape-to-tape passes across long distances. Watch here how he correctly identifies a teammate who has some space and is looking to break into the offensive zone, before sending a perfect pass that leads to a breakaway goal.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Grayden-Siepmann-4-siep-rush-d.mp4

Another reason that likely hurt his draft stock last season is his size, as not only does he stand about 5-foot-10, but he’s also pretty light and scrawny, and it doesn't look like there is a whole ton of room left on his frame that can be filled out over time. While that is an undeniable disadvantage to a degree, he is still able to use his skating and conditioning to be an effective defender. Players don't always need to overpower speedy forwards when defending the rush in the NHL, they primarily just need to stick with them and disrupt them. The more Siepmann continues to learn how to maximize his skating to minimize the weaknesses of his stature and strength, the better it bodes for his future at the upper levels of hockey.