Kevin Korchinski – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Team Preview

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 16:00:10 +0000

_{CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 21: Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) looks on during a game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Chicago Blackhawks on October 21, 2023 at the United Center in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire)}

After posting a 26-49-7 record in 2022-23, expectations were low for Chicago in 2023-24, but there were still some reasons to believe that the Blackhawks might at least be fun. Connor Bedard was set to play in his first season and was projected to play alongside Taylor Hall. Plus, Chicago had some promising youngsters on the roster outside of Bedard, like Lukas Reichel. In the end, though, not much went right for the Blackhawks last season. Connor Bedard did win the Calder Trophy with 22 goals and 61 points in 68 contests and Philipp Kurashev made strides (18 goals, 54 points), but no one else even reached the 40-point mark. Hall missed almost the entire campaign, contributing to Chicago scoring a league-worst 2.17 goals per game en route to an even worse 23-53-6 record.

WHAT’S CHANGED? Tyler Johnson left as an unrestricted free agent, but that was the Blackhawks’ only major loss. Meanwhile, they signed forwards Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen along with defencemen Alec Martinez and TJ Brodie and goaltender Laurent Brossoit. The Blackhawks also had the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft, which they used to take blueliner Artyom Levshunov.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? Between Bedard, Kurashev, a healthy Hall, and newcomers Bertuzzi and Teravainen, Chicago’s offence is starting to look serviceable. If Reichel, who was limited to 16 points in 65 contests last year, can take a meaningful step forward this year, then the Blackhawks’ offence might even start looking like an asset. With the Blackhawks upgrades to defence, Chicago’s rebuild might go a lot quicker than some suspect.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? No one is expecting the Blackhawks to make the playoffs, but they do need to start making some strides towards competitiveness. Goaltending might hold them back from achieving even that modest goal. Chicago will be looking for Petr Mrazek to repeat his largely solid performance from 2023-24, but Mrazek hasn’t shown a lot of season-over-season consistency during his career. Although Brossoit is a potential hedge against that, the 31-year-old netminder’s career high in games is just 24, so it’s unclear if he’d perform as the starter if Mrazek falters. Outside of that, although the Blackhawks have plenty of youngsters with upside, there’s always a risk that inexperienced NHLers will experience growing pains.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: Reichel knows a thing or two about growing pains -- as mentioned above, he didn’t do much offensively with Chicago last season. Still, Reichel has looked fantastic at the AHL level, and after a rough campaign, he ended 2023-24 on a high note by scoring three goals and seven points with Germany in the World Championship. Still just 22 years old, the No. 17 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft might hit his stride this campaign.

FORWARD

Connor Bedard

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	42	44	86	1.10

Building a good supporting cast around their superstar was the priority for the Hawks this off-season. At 18-years old, he shouldn’t be expected to turn the franchise around on his own and last year was clear proof of that. The elite skillset showed through most of the time, but there were limitations on how much one guy can carry the load. That was especially true on the power play where he scored only four goals all season. Bedard can create his own shot and score from distance, but even the elites need help getting setup and creating space. His first year wasn’t without his struggles, but he excelled in a lot of things that are hard to do for even seasoned veterans. He was one of the top players in the league at generating controlled zone entries and creating passes from the middle of the ice. His offence and chance production were also very good, but it was heavily based on him setting up Nick Foligno and Phillip Kurashev to score any goals. A better supporting cast around him this year, including additions Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen, should yield better all-around play for Bedard and star-level production on the scoresheet. He can threaten 30 goals and 90 points if everything breaks right but point per game production is a more realistic expectation.

Taylor Hall

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
60	18	24	42	0.70

After getting him for essentially nothing last summer, Hall spent almost the entire season on the shelf with both a shoulder injury and a knee injury which required surgery. The former first overall pick is a great complement to Bedard when healthy. Still an excellent puck-carrier, he can take some attention away from their star player and he has enough speed to make the Hawks top line a nightmare to deal with if everyone is on their game. His game has been slightly more one-dimensional as a playmaker as he has gotten older. Hall has never been the best finisher and thrives with setting guys up from along the wall and creating space for them off the rush. There is a lot of potential there for him and Bedard to have great chemistry, with Bedard’s shot and Hall’s strong possession game, it’s just a matter of Hall staying healthy. He’s had plenty of experience playing alongside top picks, so adapting to Bedard’s skillset shouldn’t be a problem. You will have to expect some downtime. He has only surpassed 20 goals once in the last six seasons, so temper your expectations accordingly and draft for 10 -15 goals at most and twice as many assists.

Philipp Kurashev

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	19	28	47	0.60

Now one of the team’s veterans, it might surprise you that Kurashev is the Hawks longest-tenured forward. He was the player who got the “Bedard bump” last season, as life was much easier for him alongside the Hawks star forward and his overall numbers got a major boost. Much of those points were assists where he was around the play rather than setting Bedard up, but his motor and attention to detail is what made him a mainstay on the Hawks top line. Scoring a lot off rebounds and loose pucks early in the season, his confidence grew as time went on and Kurashev became more of a guy other teams had to pay attention to because of how good he was at getting himself open and taking advantage of the space Bedard creates. Still, he is best when he’s doing the simple things and it's tough to say if he can repeat this type of year with the Hawks adding so many other options on the wing. Still, he has taken himself from a tweener to someone who could potentially have a nice career in the NHL. A step back offensively is likely if not on the first line but should still line up on what should be an improved first power play, on which he finished second on the team with 19 points last season. An expectation of producing points in the mid 40’s with 30 assists is within his reach.

Tyler Bertuzzi

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	28	24	82	0.69

Bertuzzi was one of the main forwards brought in in free agency to mesh with Bedard and he brings a skillset all teams covet. He’s feisty and loves going to the net to get his chances. Finishing them has been the struggle in the past with last season in Toronto being one of his stronger outputs. He has spent most of his career stapled to a top line or a star player, whether that’s Dylan Larkin or Auston Matthews, so you can likely pencil him in on Bedard’s line along with the top power play unit. His willingness to fight for position in the blue paint and get himself open will make him a popular choice for that role and so will his track record of being a good playmaker. The only downside is that he is prone to scoring slumps because he doesn’t have the best hands around the net, jamming at loose pucks instead of controlling it to finish chances. Might not be the guy driving the bus on his line but can be more than just a passenger even if he’s not riding shotgun with an elite talent. His style of play has contributed to some injury time over the years that should be accounted for when drafting. He should receive increased power play time over his usage in Toronto and should be able to deliver 20 – 25 goals again and push for 50 points as a result.

Teuvo Teravainen

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
78	24	34	58	0.74

Returning to where his NHL career began, Teravainen is one of the best pieces the Hawks added this off-season. He is arguably the most one of the most underappreciated forwards in the league for his defensive play, although that rarely went unnoticed by his coaches in Carolina. He played heavy minutes on the penalty kill while going up-and-down the lineup as both Sebastian Aho’s wingman and a steady presence on a shutdown line with Jordan Staal. As much as the Hawks need scoring, a guy who can calm the waters at five-on-five is just as important, which is where Teravainen should play a key role, whether that’s on a scoring line or a defensive role. He doesn’t need the puck to be effective, although he is coming off a career high in goals, and he’s usually better as the trailer in the play rather than the primary puck-carrier. His boxcar stats got a boost last year thanks to nine power play goals, after catching a lot of penalty killers off-guard in the right circle. His versatility will be a welcomed addition to this Chicago team. His defensive game will carry his value. Offensively he has scored more than 20 goals four times in his career, including 25 last season. He might be hard pressed to hit that number in this environment, but over the last seven seasons he has scored consistently, outside of a slump in 2022-23. He has scored 373 points in 474 games in that time, which represents a 64-point average pace over 82 games, and he is only 29-years old.

Andreas Athanasiou

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
60	9	15	24	0.40

Signed for two years after a 20-goal season in 2022-23, Athanasiou missed all but 23 games with a groin and hip issue last season. He was expected to be more of a roster placeholder while the team’s prospects are still developing, and the Hawks are hoping they can salvage something out of the final year of his contract. His calling card is the same as always, speed, blazing speed. He could challenge for the throne as the fastest player in the NHL if he’s ever lucky enough to be invited to the All-Star Game. Unfortunately, that ship has mostly sailed but he still has something to offer as a depth piece. His skating is always going to make teams interested in what he brings, and he is good enough to go on a hot streak that can give your third or fourth lines some pop. Not too many guys can say they’ve scored 30 goals in the NHL after all. His streakiness and play away from the puck have kept him from finding a long-term home and it will take a major bounce-back season for that to happen in Chicago. Draft accordingly.

Jason Dickinson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	15	18	33	0.40

Dickison was one of the few Hawks players who didn’t take a beating on the stat sheet last year, which is saying a lot on a team with a five-on-five goal differential below 40%. In fact, he was one of two regular players on the team who had an on-ice goal differential above 50%. It might not look like much, but it was enough to earn him some love in the Selke race. He did this while playing the tough matchups along with heavy penalty kill minutes and taking lots of faceoffs in the defensive zone. Oh, and he was also tied for the team lead in goals with 22. Impressive if somewhat inflated by a 17.2 shooting percentage versus a 10.6 career percentage. Adapting to the environment is how you stay in the league, even as an ex-first round pick, and that’s been the story of Dickinson’s career. He carved out a role for himself as a worker bee forward with the Stars and has become one of Hawks most relied upon forwards since arriving in the Windy City. Last year was a borderline impossible task for him with the team still in the rebuild stage and seeing massive injuries on top of that. He should have a little more help next year as he continues to provide a reliable defensive presence in the middle of their lineup. Repeating a 20-goal season will be a challenge. At 29-years old, an offensive breakthrough is not likely.

Nick Foligno

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	13	15	28	0.37

What you get from Foligno is very predictable. Even his counting stats have been all over the place as he plays through his late 30’s. He’s had somewhat of a resurgence after a dismal two goals in 64 games campaign with the Bruins in 2021 and his 37 points last season was his highest total since 2017. Getting the prime spot on Bedard’s wing played a major role in that, but the Hawks got a lot of miles out of the veteran. Playing more minutes per game than he has since his days as Columbus’ captain, Foligno’s heart-and-soul playing style fit with what the Hawks were trying to accomplish last year. They wanted a team that worked hard on the tough nights and Foligno is a guy who will always do that and give you some good defensive results at the very least. The Hawks were impressed enough to keep him around for another two years, likely in a de facto captain type of role. Foligno will slot back into a checking role, where he is more suited, and his offensive results will reflect that. You may expect some downtime as well at his age and style, so expect between 20 and 30 points at most.

Lukas Reichel

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	10	16	26	0.34

To say Reichel had a tough go of it in his first NHL season would be an understatement. The Hawks were patient with bringing him along and allowed him to play himself out of a prolonged scoring slump that lasted until mid-November. His goal-scoring prowess from the AHL hasn’t translated to the big leagues just yet, as he showed that he has the wheels to create his own shot but didn’t have the touch to beat NHL goaltenders. Rushing a lot of his better chances or not challenging the goaltender enough if he got in alone. Quick-strike offence was also his only calling card, as his lines always struggled mightily to drive play when he was on the ice, and it didn’t matter if they had him in the middle or on the wing. With two very strong years in the AHL, the 2020 first rounder doesn’t have much left to prove in the minors, but he hasn’t shown that he is ready to be an everyday NHL player either. He’s also used to being “the guy” on his line, whereas he will need more help around him to succeed in the NHL. With the addition of veteran wingers to fill the top six slots, it will be another year of development and any offensive breakout is down the road.

Ryan Donato

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	12	15	27	0.36

With 14 forwards currently under NHL contracts, the only thing keeping Donato in Chicago’s current mix is that he plays center on a wing-heavy team. He also offers some versatility that you can use up-and-down the lineup, although it’s uncertain if he will get that this year now that the team’s depth has improved. Donato was a nice fit with Bedard early on in the season as a shoot-first type of player, but his one-dimensional game and need for centers lower in the lineup kept him from being a long-term solution there. More of a stabilizer rather than someone who will carry the mail. Still has a soft set of hands that make him a threat around the net, but creating those chances has been the issue for most of his career. It’s the main reason why he’s topped out as a 15-goal guy rather than someone who could get you 20+. Still, what he brings to the table isn’t nothing, especially in the shootout. Seattle had a nice setup for him as a sheltered fourth liner who you could take in-and-out of the lineup when you needed a skill boost. The Hawks didn’t have that luxury last year, but this year might be a different story.

Ilya Mikheyev

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	9	17	26	0.34

Mikheyev’s reputation as a poor finisher is a little unfair because he has a couple of strong shooting seasons under his belt. However, this year might have been rock bottom. Playing mostly with Elias Pettersson, he scored only 11 goals and scored only once since December 17^th. You would have to be the best defensive player or penalty killer in the world for fans to not be frustrated with that, especially on a top line. Hence why he was traded to the Hawks in a cap dump deal in the summer. If Mikheyev finds some scoring touch again, he’s a great piece for Chicago. Adds a lot of speed to their wings and is a nuisance while playing shorthanded. Disrupting a lot of plays and always a threat to break shorthanded. The Hawks have a logjam on their wings, but Mikheyev’s speed and strong work ethic gives him an edge over some of the other roster hopefuls. He has also only taken three penalties over the last two seasons, so he will rarely put you on the penalty kill.

DEFENCE

Seth Jones

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	10	27	37	0.49

Taking some of the burden off Seth Jones was one of the Hawks priorities when making the coaching switch before last year. His workload in terms of minutes wasn’t going to change, but there was more of an effort to give him support and keep him away from situations where he’s on an island defending. A consistent partner was a major part of this, and Jones got that last year with Alex Vlasic bursting onto the scene and shining as a guy who could complement Jones’ mobility while having some size. The other was mitigating Jones’ weakness, which is entry defence. This used to be one of his strengths, but he can’t skate guys into the corner to kill plays as well as he used to. An ankle injury in Columbus and forward talent around the league getting faster and more deceptive are the main reasons for that. He also can’t be the workhorse with the puck that he used to be, even though he still has the cardio to log 25-26 minutes a night. He doesn’t have to challenge at the line as often and relies on his partner to move the puck instead of being a one-man breakout like he used to. It’s taken away some of the dynamic aspects of his game, but his defensive game is night and day from where it was when he first arrived in Chicago.

Kevin Korchinski

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	8	21	29	0.37

Thrown into the fire as a rookie, the 19-year-old had no shortage of “welcome to the NHL” moments. The Hawks were content to let one of their first-round picks play through his struggles and Korchinski took his lumps on the scoresheet. No defenceman on the Hawks was on the ice for more five-on-five goals against than him and while some of that is out of his control, most of his time on the ice was spent stuck in his own zone. He showed flashes of what made him such a high pick, especially as a passer and while running the power play. He was a case of how much rookies have to adjust to the speed of the NHL in terms of decision making rather than skating, as he didn’t have an issue skating guys down, but the puck would go through him a lot and he was rarely on the same page as his forwards. Korchinski is the type of player who will benefit from the team around him getting better. So many of his strengths are reliant on forwards making the next play and the Hawks controlling more segments of the game where they can reset and attack. He might benefit the most from the Hawks improved depth.

Alec Martinez

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
65	2	12	14	0.22

The gamble with Chicago adding Alec Martinez is if his body can still hold up at 37 years old and if the team around his good enough for his skillset to matter. Primarily a shot-blocking defenceman, Martinez has more pop than your typical shutdown defender and can be a complement to a strong puck-mover like he was in Vegas with Alex Pietrangelo. He is one of those players that is very good at “taking damage” without giving up a goal, which comes with the territory when blocking shots and spending a lot of time in your own zone. It’s why having a good team around him is important, because Martinez can do a lot to hold the fort down in the defensive zone and that only means so much if his teammates can’t get the puck out of the zone or the guys on the next shift spend more time in their own zone. If anything, he should take some of the load off Connor Murphy with the defensive zone workload.

GOAL

Petr Mrazek

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
48	16	27	5	1	0.906	3.02

Laurent Brossoit

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
34	12	19	3	0	0.908	3.08

No one expects the Chicago Blackhawks to be contenders this year, so their goaltending strategy seems to be similar to the one they opted for last season - get through the year with a consistent veteran voice, avoid rushing prospects too early, and establish good habits for the young skaters in front of the crease to build upon in the years to come. That makes the return of Petr Mrazek a perfect option, even if the sting of Corey Crawford's absence is still lingering at the United Center. Mrazek was a surprising bright spot during a heavy rebuild year for Chicago in 2023, putting up his best complete season since 2019 and serving as one of the few constants on a young, inexperienced roster. He put up roughly league average numbers on a firmly below-average team, and his technical consistency - something not always a given for Mrazek - made it easier to feel confident in his performances night over night in Chicago.

He'll get a new tandem partner for the upcoming season to avoid rushing prospect Drew Commesso, as well, in a move that should make Blackhawks fans everywhere give a round of applause. Laurent Brossoit will depart from Winnipeg with stellar backup numbers behind Connor Hellebuyck, arriving in Chicago as one of the league's most reliable 1B-tandem options heading into the 2024-25 season.

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Opportunities in deployment in the very early going – Boeser, Donato, Couturier, Paul, Newhook and more!

Scott Cullen — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 12:42:35 +0000

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 11: Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard (98) skates up ice during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks on October 11, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Each week, I dive into the numbers to help when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, as most teams have played one or maybe two games, here is a look at the early results, looking at deployment in an effort to pull insights from the very early action. Brock Boeser, Ryan Donato, Sean Couturier, Nick Paul, Alex Newhook and more!

#1 Last season was trying for Vancouver Canucks right winger Brock Boeser, who finished with 18 goals in 74 games, the lowest per-game goal-scoring rate of his career. His father had died the previous May and that appeared to be having an effect. He also scored on 10.1% of his shots, which was below his career rate of 13.0%, so things were off, and he asked for a trade. Boeser rescinded that request and began this season with the ideal fresh start, scoring four goals in an 8-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers. He was the beneficiary of some favourable bounces of the puck, but there is no need to apologize for how one scores four goals in a game. Boeser is skating on a line with Phillip Di Giuseppe and J.T. Miller at even strength and getting first unit power play time, so the opportunity is there for a bounce-back campaign.

#2 The Chicago Blackhawks have not been shy about how they are using No. 1 overall draft pick Connor Bedard through two games. Bedard has looked as NHL-ready as anyone could ask from a teenager, contributing one goal and one assist in two games, but he is also averaging 21:37 of ice time per game, which is unusually high for a rookie forward. Since 2000-2001, there have been three rookie forwards to average more than 20 minutes of ice time per game: Alex Ovechkin, Anze Kopitar, and Sidney Crosby. Ovechkin was a 20-year-old rookie, who averaged 21:37 per game, while the other two were 18, but averaged 20:32 and 20:06 per game, respectively. This is not to suggest that Bedard shouldn’t play this much. This Chicago team is geared for him to get opportunities and part of that is going to be the amount of ice time he receives.

#3 There is already a change on Bedard’s wing, though, as left winger Taylor Hall suffered an upper-body injury in the second game of the season at Boston. With Hall out, there will be a new opportunity on Bedard’s line. Ryan Donato is already having some success on Bedard’s wing, with two points (1 G, 1 A) and seven shots on goal while averaging 18:34 time on ice per game. Andreas Athanasiou got the first opportunity to take Hall’s spot so that could offer great potential for him, at least in the short term.

#4 Staying in Chicago for one more point, keep tabs on rookie defenceman Kevin Korchinski. The seventh pick in the 2022 Draft, Korchinski has averaged more than 20 minutes per game through his first two NHL contests and looks like he could be a building block for the Blackhawks. He is getting second unit power play time now, but it would not be out of the question to see Korchinski emerge as a first unit power play defenseman. The 19-year-old had 73 points (11 G, 62 A) in 54 games for Seattle of the WHL last season.

#5 Appearing in his first NHL game since December of 2021, Flyers centre Sean Couturier played 20:39 and had an assist. The 30-year-old is a legit No. 1 centre when he is healthy and, right now, that looks to be the case. Couturier is skating between Joel Farabee and rookie Bobby Brink to start the season, a great opportunity for Brink to play with a play-driving centre like Couturier.

#6 When he was traded from Edmonton to Nashville last season, there was real concern for fantasy managers that Tyson Barrie would lose out on prime power play minutes in Nashville. The presence of Roman Josi had the top power play defenseman role covered, but the Preds have opened this season by going with two defensemen on their top power play, meaning that Barrie still gets first unit power play time. Being on the first unit in Edmonton and Nashville offer different value, but getting first unit power play time will help to keep Barrie more appealing for fantasy managers and Barrie’s presence on the top unit appears to be coming at the expense of rookie winger Luke Evangelista, who has dropped to the second unit.

#7 With Alex Killorn departing as a free agent, there was an opening on the top power play unit in Tampa Bay and Nick Paul sure is making the most of his opportunity there. The third line centre for the Lightning scored a pair of power play goals in the season opener. While he scored a career-high 17 goals last season and had career highs of 32 points in each of the past two seasons, if Paul sticks on the top power play in Tampa Bay, he will surpass those numbers.

#8 One of the benefits for a young player moving from a powerhouse team to a rebuilding squad is that there is more opportunity available to them. That sure looks like the case for Alex Newhook, who scored a pair of goals in his debut with the Montreal Canadiens. Newhook, who averaged 13:46 of ice time per game in Colorado, played 16:46 in his first game for Montreal, skating on a line with Kirby Dach and Juraj Slafkovsky.

#9 He has only started one regular season game, but Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Ilya Samsonov looked shaky in allowing five goals to the Montreal Canadiens. He didn’t look stellar in his last preseason start against Detroit, either and, given the unpredictability of the goaltending position, it might be worth keeping Joseph Woll on your fantasy radar. Samsonov will have some leeway, but Woll has a .924 save percentage in 11 career starts, and that could help the 25-year-old get a look if Samsonov doesn’t get on track.

#10 When the Winnipeg Jets sent Pierre-Luc Dubois to Los Angeles in the summer, they received three forwards as part of the package and two of them, Gabe Vilardi and Alex Iafallo, started the season on Winnipeg’s top power play unit. Vilardi is not a stranger to the power play, having scored five times with the man advantage last season. He recorded seven shots on goal and played more than 21 minutes in his Jets debut at Calgary. Iafallo had seven power play goals for the Kings last season and scored in his first game for Winnipeg. It will be interesting to see if they stay there all season, but if Vilardi and Iafallo are getting first unit power play time, that should raise their offensive ceiling.

#11 Calgary Flames rookie winger Matt Coronato is also getting first unit power play time. The 13^th pick in the 2021 Draft, Coronato tallied 38 goals in 68 games through two seasons of college hockey at Harvard, but he sniped 48 goals in 51 games in his last season with Chicago of the USHL. Again, if Coronato can hold a place on Calgary’s No. 1 power play, he will have greater offensive potential as a result.

#12 With all the promising situations for young players getting first unit power pay time, it stands out that Columbus made sophomore winger Kent Johnson a healthy scratch in Blue Jackets’ season opener. Johnson is a wildly talented player who had 40 points (16 G, 24 A) in 79 games last season. The details of Johnson’s defensive game could surely improve, but for a rebuilding team, it is surprising to see a skilled young player get sent to the press box to start the season.

#13 There has been plenty of shuffling with Columbus’ forward lines. Last week, I wrote about Patrik Laine moving to centre and he remains there, with Johnny Gaudreau on the left side and now Cole Sillinger taking a turn on right side. Sillinger was the 12^th pick in the 2021 Draft and showed great promise, making the Blue Jackets that year and scoring 31 points (16 G, 15 A) in 79 games. Last season was a mess, however, and he ended up getting demoted to the AHL after managing just 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in 64 games. The chance to play with Laine and Gaudreau is a prime opportunity for Sillinger to get his career on track and he is still just 20!

#14 Columbus also lost defenseman Zach Werenski for 1-2 weeks with a quad contusion. Werenski has had major trouble staying healthy and that apparently continues. With Werenski hurt, Ivan Provorov got first crack at quarterbacking the Blue Jackets’ power play but that was really not Provorov’s strong suit in Philadelphia. He did have 16 power play points in the 2019-2020 season. If Provorov does not stick in that role, Adam Boqvist, Damon Severson or Jake Bean could all get a look, which speaks to how much Columbus would probably just prefer to have Werenski back there.

#15 Roope Hintz missed the season opener for the Dallas Stars, though head coach Peter DeBoer suggested that it was not a serious injury, and he would have played if it was a playoff game. That does not sound like Hintz will miss a lot of time but, while he is out, Tyler Seguin reaps the rewards, moving into Hintz’s first line centre spot and taking a turn on the Stars’ top power play unit.

#16 Minnesota Wild netminder Filip Gustavsson had a breakthrough season in 2022-2023, posting a .931 save percentage in 39 games. He followed that up with a 41-save shutout against Florida in his first start of the season, picking up where he left off. By the end of last season, Gustavsson had emerged as Minnesota’s best option between the pipes, and he is going to keep pushing for more action if he delivers like he did against the Panthers. Obviously, the more that Gustavsson starts, that would mean fewer starts for Marc-Andre Fleury.

#17 In the offseason, there was no team that looked to be in worse shape than San Jose for having a defenseman take a regular spot on its top power play. It should come as little surprise, then, that rookie Henry Thrun is getting a look in the quarterback role on San Jose’s top power play unit. Thrun had 31 points (7 G, 24 A) in 33 games at Harvard last season before adding a couple of assists in eight games for the Sharks. That does not indicate that he is surely going to quarterback San Jose’s power play into perpetuity, but he is getting the chance now.

#18 Playing his first game since suffering a torn ACL last season, San Jose’s Luke Kunin led Sharks forwards with 19:36 time on ice against Vegas. That seems rather high, but Kunin hovers around the fringes of fantasy relevance because he can score a little and is an active hitter – he had 223 hits in the 2021-2022 season – and if he is going to play that much, then he will move even closer to fantasy relevance.

#19 It looks like Shea Theodore is getting reps on the top power play unit for Vegas to start the season. Last season, Alex Pietrangelo received a little more power play time per game, and Theodore missed 27 games, so Pietrangelo had more power play time overall. However, Theodore had more power play time in the playoffs and, through a couple of games, looks like he is once again Vegas’ top power play option on the point.

#20 The Vancouver Canucks have reportedly given winger Conor Garland the go-ahead to seek a trade, which will not be easy given that he comes with a $4.95-million cap hit for two seasons beyond this one. Garland scored on opening night but played just 9:52 in an 8-1 rout over Edmonton but he was playing with Elias Pettersson, which isn’t going to hurt his value. Once Ilya Mikheyev returns from injury, that could leave Garland in a tough spot. He is a quality play-driving winger who has produced 98 points (36 G, 62 A) over the past two seasons.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #1

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt and Josh Bell — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 21:17:29 +0000

CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 10: Chicago Blackhawks left wing Lukas Reichel (27) looks on during a game between the Dallas Stars and the Chicago Blackhawks on April 10, 2022 at the United Center in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire)

Top 2o Chicago Blackhawks Prospects

1. Connor Bedard - C

What more can even be said about Bedard at this point that hasn't been said already? In much the same way that Connor McDavid could skate at a level that no prospect before him ever had, Bedard's shot is unlike anything ever seen before. Not just its unparalleled accuracy and velocity, but also his proficiency with all shot styles, his ability to shoot off either foot, how well he disguises his release, his perfect toe drags to move the puck into better shooting lanes, and his unnatural knack for knowing where, when, and how to shoot. He's also unfairly lethal as a playmaker for many of the same reasons, and the harder opponents try to take away his shot, the easier it is for him to pass the puck over to a wide-open teammate. He's still on the smaller side, and always will be. That said, he is elusive with his skating, which reduces the number of times he has to physically engage, and he reads the play at such an advanced level that he can reliably get a step ahead of opponents mentally when otherwise it might be a close race in terms of footspeed alone. The next NHL superstar has arrived.

2. Lukas Reichel - LW

Everything that Reichel does out on the ice just seems so natural to him. Even as a yet-to-be-drafted teenager playing against men in Germany's top professional league, he looked confident, comfortable, and mature well beyond his years, already like a seasoned veteran. That same aura followed him to the AHL and now NHL, and the Blackhawks have to be hoping that he will be a leader as they slowly and methodically attempt to build their next Cup-contending team. He always seems to be thinking the play ahead of everyone else, always knows what his next move should be, and almost always executes his intentions successfully. He might not have the skating, shot, or playmaking to become one of the very top point producers in the league, but you can expect him to be in the 50-70 point range pretty consistently, and for those seasons to start happening soon.

3. Kevin Korchinski - D

One of the best offensive defensemen in all of junior hockey, Korchinski racked up a ridiculous point total last season, with 73. However, what's important to remember about him is that there is still an enormous amount of growth potential within his game. He's still skinny and slight within his tall frame and could really increase his strength and power if he commits hard to his gym habits. There also remains a lot of work to be done with his reads, decision-making, and overall puck management, as a lot of possessions for the Thunderbirds ended when coming off his stick. On one hand, those existing issues are concerning. On the other hand, if you look at how effective and successful he already is despite these flaws it suggests a salivating potential for just how high his ceiling might reach. The sky's the limit.

4. Frank Nazar

Nazar finally returned to action late in the season last year after a long injury layoff, and there was an undeniable amount of rust for him to shake off before he could really showcase why he was picked by the Blackhawks at 13th overall. Luckily for him, his Michigan team made it all the way to the Frozen Four semifinals, so he was granted a few extra opportunities to get back into the swing of things. He is an electrifying prospect because his feet are always moving, he can manipulate the puck with the best of them, and he can see the ice very well at high speeds, which includes lanes for him to attack the net himself, as well as opportunities to set up a teammate for a better look. He is a little on the smaller side, but he should be able to overcome that with his drive and tenacity.

5. Oliver Moore

Without a doubt, Moore was one of the most, if not the most, dynamic skaters in the 2023 draft class. It is his quickness and his ability to lead the counterattack with pace that makes him such a dangerous offensive player. The anchor of the USNTDP’s second line this season, Moore saw a ton of different linemates on his flanks in order to try to give the U18 team better secondary scoring. While his production may not have been consistent, his two-way effort and engagement always were. There may be some limitations to his ability to blend his quickness and skill and that could prevent him from being a premier playmaker at the next level. It seems extremely likely that Moore will become a very useful NHL player in some capacity, but after a few years at the University of Minnesota, will he end up as a Dylan Larkin type or more of an Andrew Cogliano type?

6. Sam Rinzel

The Blackhawks never expected anything truly elite out of Rinzel right away, so they won't be concerned at all that his 2022-23 season was solid, without being spectacular. And they certainly won't regret taking him as high as 25th overall. The focus has always been on his tantalizing tools, and being patient as he learns to master those tools while moving from high school hockey to the more competitive USHL, and then on to a very good University of Minnesota program next year. Rangy, mobile, right-shooting defensemen hold immense value in the NHL, and teams have to pay a premium to add them or accept playing the long game in their development. However, the signs of growth are showing, such as how Rinzel helped USA win gold at the World Junior A Challenge. If Rinzel pops it won't be right away, but the wait will have been worth it.

7. Drew Commesso

Goaltending prospects don't come much more steady and consistent than Commesso does, as evidenced by his save percentage numbers of the past four seasons. That's not necessarily a bad thing, however, as his numbers are consistently pretty good. He's a well-rounded, technically sound netminder who neither has any standout traits, nor any real notable weaknesses. Everything about his game is solid, albeit not spectacular: his play-tracking, his technique, his reflexes, his positioning, and so on. Even his size and natural net coverage is pretty average. That said, sometimes that's all you need out of a goalie to win a championship. He helped his Boston University team reach the Frozen Four, only to be undone in the semifinals against Minnesota, the top-ranked team in the nation. He projects as becoming at least an NHL backup, with a starter's job not out of the question.

8. Nick Lardis

A midseason trade to Hamilton lit a fire under Lardis, transforming him into one of the more dynamic offensive players in the OHL. The key for him will be maintaining that high level of play into this season with the Bulldogs, proving that the conclusion to last season wasn’t an anomaly. Lardis’ combination of quickness and goal scoring ability will make him a very intriguing option for the Blackhawks in the future. With a consistent motor, skill, speed, and scoring ability, he projects as a top six complementary player along the lines of a Jake Guentzel at the next level. However, other areas of his game still require further growth; he is a bit of a long-term project in that regard and that is why he fell to the third round compared to where we had him ranked (32nd) going into the draft. There is a need to expand his game with the puck beyond simply being a North/South attacker, varying his approach. Additionally, he will need to be better in puck protection scenarios and improve his strength away from the puck in the other zones. Even with some inconsistencies, his offensive ceiling is quite high.

9. Ethan Del Mastro

Del Mastro has won gold medals playing internationally for Canada in three straight years, first at the IIHF U18s in 2021 and then the World Juniors in both 2022 and 2023. He played 20 total games across those three tournaments, and over that span he scored exactly zero goals. That's not his whole story as a prospect, but it is a good reflection of it. Del Mastro is a big, responsible defender who is well-suited to a modern shutdown role, with competent skating and puck-handling abilities. He can still go old school and dish out some punishment too. And don't look now, but his offensive game is also coming along, scoring at a point-per-game pace with both of his teams last year in Mississauga and later Sarnia. There might not be a prospect in Chicago's pipeline who has a safer NHL floor than Del Mastro, and a top-four ceiling is a realistic possibility.

10. Ilya Safonov

Safonov is a fantastic example of the value that teams can find by scouting and drafting re-entry prospects. Passed over in both 2019 and 2020, the Blackhawks took a flyer on the hulking Russian centre in the sixth round, 172nd overall, in 2021 and right now that pick is looking incredibly shrewd. He has since grown into a capable, difference-making two-way power forward in the KHL. Perhaps most impressively, he was named the captain of his team at just 21 years of age, the youngest in franchise history. He's so strong, athletic, gritty, and competitive that he is a lot to handle physically, even at the hands of veteran Russian pros and former NHLers. He can chip in points as a net-front presence, though his real value comes from how well he defends and matches up against opposing lines. Chicago will do their damnedest to get him to North America as soon as possible.

11. Colton Dach

Injuries really plagued Dach last year, including a high-profile shoulder injury at the WJC’s. But he was able to return for the WHL playoffs and helped Seattle capture a title. The power forward will try to stay healthy as he turns pro this season and could move quickly through the system if he adjusts to the pace well.

12. Alex Vlasic

Defence is the name of the game for Vlasic, who is a unique player because of his combination of size (6’6”) and mobility. Coming off a solid rookie year in the AHL after turning pro, Vlasic has put himself in contention for a roster spot this year.

13. Adam Gajan

The first goalie taken in the 2023 Draft, Gajan is quite the story. He’s gone from having to make his own recruitment videos to being a top NHL prospect thanks to a tremendous World Juniors for Slovakia. The hyper athletic netminder will be attending the University of Minnesota-Duluth this year.

14. Nolan Allen

A WHL champion this year with Seattle (along with fellow Blackhawks prospects Colton Dach and Kevin Korchinski), Allen is a steady, stay at home defender. His upside at the NHL level is likely capped, but he could move quickly through the system thanks to a refined game.

15. Roman Kantserov

The 2023 second round pick offers intriguing offensive upside because of his ability to impact the transition game and play with pace. He will be given time to develop slowly in Russia with the hopes that he can improve his play off the puck.

16. Gavin Hayes

An underrated player in both the OHL and in the Blackhawks’ system, Hayes is coming off of a great year with Flint that saw him hit the 40-goal plateau. A tenacious power winger, he will have his sights set on cracking 50 this year.

17. Ryan Greene

Greene is an athletic pivot who had a very good freshman season with Boston University last year. His quickness and tenaciousness make him a potential middle six, two-way center for the Blackhawks in the future.

18. Cole Guttman

The surprise of the 2022-23 season as Guttman was an immediate impact player at both the AHL and NHL levels after turning pro out of Denver. Intelligent and quick, is he a sneaky Calder candidate for the upcoming year?

19. Wyatt Kaiser

Kaiser jumped immediately to the NHL level after signing out of UMD late last year, playing out the stretch run with the Hawks. The highly mobile defender has a shot at a roster spot this year too, but Chicago may opt to give him time at Rockford first to allow him more significant ice time.

20. Paul Ludwinski

Another Hawks prospect who had injury problems last season, Ludwinski did not have the kind of season with Kingston of the OHL that many people expected. This coming season will serve as a restart for him as he looks to emerge as an offensive leader for a young and improving Frontenacs team.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK: FANTASY PROSPECT RANKINGS – Top 30 Forwards – Top 20 Defense – top 10 Goalies

Peter Harling — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 19:10:17 +0000

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

Forwards

Connor Bedard, C – Chicago Blackhawks

Not much debate to be had here. If you put Bedard in any other draft class from the past ten years, the only time he does not go first overall is the Connor McDavid Draft. Bedard is simply a generational talent that will kick down the front door of the NHL and take the league by storm. To expect him to be a point per game player as a rookie is not out of the question, he could even push for a 90-point year. The sky is the limit.

Logan Cooley, C – Arizona Coyotes

It was looking like Cooley was returning to the NCAA for his sophomore season, but after scoring 60 points as a freshman (second overall in scoring) and little left to gain from a second season, the Coyotes signed him to his ELC. Now that he is show bound, he locks up second forward rank position as the future of the Coyotes. Cooley is a dynamic offensive and highly skilled player that should flirt with 60 points as a rookie and has the upside to be a 90-point player when he hits his prime.

Adam Fantilli, C – Columbus Blue Jackets

Fantilli lead the NCAA in scoring as a freshman which puts him in a class with Jack Eichel and Paul Kariya. He will have the opportunity to center dynamic offensive wingers like Patrik Laine or Johnny Gaudreau or both in Columbus. Fantilli brings the whole package, size, skating, skill, smarts and will deliver in fantasy leagues with points and peripheral stats as well. He could easily have landed second overall on this list.

Matvei Michkov, RW – Philadelphia Flyers

In five years when we revisit this I would not be surprised if Michkov is the second overall player ranked, but the reasons why he is only fourth have more to do with term. Signed in the KHL for three more seasons we will have to wait on Michkov, but when he comes over as a matured 21-year-old on a three-year ELC he will be the best bang for his buck in dynasty capped leagues.

BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 06: Minnesota Wild center Marco Rossi (23) skates with the puck during the NHL game between Minnesota Wild and Boston Bruins on January 6, 2022, at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by M. Anthony Nesmith/Icon Sportswire)

Marco Rossi, C – Minnesota Wild

Rossi suffered a major setback in his development with a life-threatening bout with COVID. But he now has had two seasons of development in the AHL and after 116 games he has posted 104 points. His NHL production has not materialized through 21 games to date but count on that changing in a big way this year. Rossi is expected to take over the number one spot in Minnesota and if he develops some Chemistry between Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, look out!

Leo Carlsson, C – Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks surprised a lot of people when they selected Carlsson over Fantilli at the second overall selection at the 2023 Draft. The fact of the matter is that Carlsson is a highly skilled and projectable player. The Ducks can be patient with his development, and he could play another year in the SHL before coming to California. With Mason McTavish and Leo Carlsson as a one-two punch down the middle, the Ducks have elite center depth for a long time.

Lukas Reichel, LW/RW – Chicago Blackhawks

After two seasons of development in the AHL, Reichel is ready for prime time, and his timing couldn’t be better. While expectations are Taylor Hall will get the first crack at shot gun with Bedard, Reichel could easily win one of the wing roles on the top line and flirt with a 50–60-point season.

Matthew Knies, LW – Toronto Maple Leafs

Leaf Nation had some lofty expectations for Knies, and he did not disappoint. He quickly became a key member of the Leafs top six and offense in a playoff series with Tampa. With a cap friendly ELC contract, he is an ideal fit on a top six line in Toronto with their prolific offense. Knies brings some size and physicality in addition to his soft hands and dangerous shot. Knies will be a stud in multi-cat leagues.

Shane Wright, C – Seattle Kraken

While it was a struggle in his D+1 year with highs and lows ranging from a regular healthy scratch, to captaining Canada to WJC Gold, and returning to the OHL. When the dust settled, he gained valuable development in the NHL, AHL, OHL and internationally and now Seattle has the option to play Wright full time in the AHL. In time Wright and Beniers will be a formidable one-two punch down the middle for Seattle, but Wright likely needs one more year before he wins a top six role with the Kraken.

Dylan Guenther, LW/RW – Arizona Coyotes

Playing in only 33 NHL games last year barely allows Guenther to remain eligible for this list. His 15 points last year was good, but not enough to stay in the show. He was loaned to Canada for the WJC and posted 10 points before returning to the WHL to help Seattle to a WHL Championship. With Cooley signing it gives an additional boost to Guenther’s value.

SAINT PAUL, MN - OCTOBER 08: Dallas Stars Center Logan Stankoven (57) looks on during the NHL game between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild, on October 8th, 2022, at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

Logan Stankoven, C – Dallas Stars

Stankoven has dominated in the WHL and the international stage alike. He kept pace with Connor Bedard at the WJC showing he can play with elite players and pace. Stankoven will be turning pro this year and could likely skip the AHL on a lot of NHL teams, but Dallas has some depth and can be patient with this stud.

Jakob Pelletier, LW – Calgary Flames

It’s has been a long time coming for the 2019 first round pick of the Flames, but after scoring 99 points in 101 career AHL games, the time is now for Pelletier to get a real look at the NHL. The coaching change in Calgary should be another green light for Pelletier to not only make the team but crack the Flames top six.

Ryan Leonard, C/LW – Washington Capitals

The Boston College commit will likely be a one-and-done player before he signs his ELC. Drawing comparisons to the Tkachuk brothers as he plays a rambunctious game but has high end skill and hockey sense. The Capitals can be patient with their top prospect and slow cook him, but he is more instant noodle than slow cooker and can be an impact player for them next year.

William Eklund, LW – San Jose Sharks

Eklund nearly cracked the Sharks roster in his D+1 season with a strong nine game showing before he was loaned back to the SHL. Last year he made the move to North America and played mainly in the AHL posting 41 points through 54 games. He could be ready to not only win a roster spot with the Sharks to start the season but will compete for a top six role.

Frank Nazar, C/RW – Chicago Blackhawks

Nazar missed all but 13 games in his freshman year at Michigan due to injury. He had a strong showing at the World Junior Summer Showcase and is a lock for Team USA. He will return to Michigan and be a star player for the Wolverine and could even finish the year in Chicago if he signs his ELC. His fantasy stock is about to get a massive boost.

Jimmy Snuggerud, C – St. Louis Blues

It is too early to do a redraft of the 2022 draft, but if we do, Jimmy Snuggerud would likely be inside the top ten, well above where the Blues selected him 23^rd overall. A massive freshman season with the University of Minnesota where he scored 50 points in 40 games on arguably the top line in the NCAA with Logan Cooley and Matthew Knies. Cooley and Knies are now gone, can Snuggerud produce the same or better without those two?

Zach Benson, RW – Buffalo Sabres

Speaking of redrafting too soon, Benson fell to Buffalo at pick 13 because he is undersized. I think when we redraft the 2023 class, he will be inside the top ten, closer to top five. He has hands, vision and deception in his game that scream NHL ready. He plays a two-way game and is highly competitive. He is a few years away, but the upside is top six.

Cutter Gauthier, C/LW – Philadelphia Flyers

The big winger had an impressive freshman year at Boston College scoring 37 points in 32 games and ten more points at the WJ and then nine points at the World Championship. He will return to B.C. where the Eagles will add the NTDP trio of Will Smith, Ryan Leonard, and Gabe Perreault to the fold. Big things are coming with Gauthier.

Matt Coronato, RW/LW – Calgary Flames

After posting back-to-back 36-point seasons in the NCAA at Harvard Coronato signed and made his NHL debut last year. He may be short at 5-10, but he is not a small player. He is strong and can play physically but his game is all about scoring goals.

Alexander Holtz, LW – New Jersey Devils

The seventh overall pick from the 2020 draft is now starting to trend in the wrong direction. Holtz is a sniper and has had two full seasons of development in North America. It looked like last year was when he would breakout, but he only managed four points in 19 games with the Devils. Still only 21 years old he has time but really needs to address the skating and pace to reach an NHL top six role.

Mavrik Bourque, C – Dallas Stars

Bourque had a good AHL rookie season with 20 goals and 47 points. He has some work to do however before he can compete to crack the Stars roster with their depth.

Brennan Othmann, LW – New York Rangers

Othmann finished his junior career in the OHL on a playoff run with the Petes that ended with a Championship and a Memorial Cup run. He has size and speed and skill, and scores clutch goals. A year in the AHL is in the cards for Othmann but he has top six upside in a year or two.

Will Smith, C – San Jose Sharks

The slick and skilled center had 127 points in 60 games with the NTDP in his draft year. That was not a typo. Headed to Boston College with the entire NTDP record breaking line with Perreault and Leonard, the trio could have a ridiculous freshman year. Smith has some work to do on his defensive game but should develop into the Sharks number one center with Eklund on his wing.

Jiri Kulich, C – Buffalo Sabres

Kulich scored 24 goals and 46 points as a rookie in the AHL and had nine points for Czechia at the WJC. His game got better as the season went on and in the AHL playoffs he scored 11 points in 12 games. He will have to play another year in the AHL and wait for some contracts to expire on the Sabres roster, but he is very close.

Tyson Foerster, RW – Philadelphia Flyers

His AHL rookie season was a smashing success as he scored 20 goals and 48 points in 66 games. But what was far more impressive was his late season NHL recall where he played eight games with the Flyers and scored seven points. He is NHL ready now.

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 28: Nashville Predators right wing Luke Evangelista (77) skates with the puck during a game between the Boston Bruins and the Nashville Predators on March 28, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Luke Evangelista, RW – Nashville Predators

Perhaps one of the players with the biggest rise in stock this year was Evangelista. Sure, he scored 111 points in his final 62 career OHL games, but 41 points in 49 AHL games as a rookie was very impressive. Even more spectacular was he earned an NHL recall and scored there too, 15 points in 24 games. He has arrived.

Ridly Greig, C/LW – Ottawa Senators

His breakout performance at the WJC was cut short due to injury, but he picked up where he left off as a rookie in the AHL scoring 29 points in 39 games in Belleville. His play earned him an NHL recall and he did not look out of place posting nine points in 20 NHL games. He is ready.

Matthew Savoie, C – Buffalo Sabres

Savoie is a prolific scorer as he has back-to-back 90-point seasons in the WHL with Winnipeg and went on a tear in the playoffs last year scoring 11 goals and 29 points in 19 games. He is undersized but he can play.

Nick Robertson, LW – Toronto Maple Leafs

Injuries have plagued Robertson, who otherwise may have been playing out his ELC inside the Leafs top six. At 21-years-old he has missed a lot of development playing 82 games over the past three seasons. He needs to have a full, healthy year.

Brendan Brisson, LW/RW – Vegas Golden Knights

The Michigan alumni had a good AHL rookie season scoring 37 points in 58 games for the Silver Knights. He will be back in the AHL and should see marked improvement in his production. He is coming.

Defense

Luke Hughes, LD – New Jersey Devils

The youngest of the Huges brothers but the biggest at 6’ 2”, 183 pounds may have the highest upside. He produced at the NCAA, World Junior, and World Championship. He has two points in his two-game debut to end the year in the NHL and will play his rookie season in the NHL in the coming season. The only thing in his way from being the top offensive player right away is Dougie Hamilton.

Brandt Clarke, RD – Los Angeles Kings

Clark started the year in the NHL and after nine games with the Kings and five in the AHL he was loaned to Canada where he dominated the World Junior. Then he was returned to the OHL, and it was ridiculous as he scored 23 points in 12 playoff games. He is ready for the NHL.

Lane Hutson, LD – Montreal Canadiens

His 48-point freshman season was comparable to Cale Makar’s Hobey Baker winning sophomore year. Hutson also played key roles for the USA at the WJC and World Championships. He will return to Boston University to play with his brother and should sign following his sophomore year. Hutson has elite upside.

David Jiricek, RD – Columbus Blue Jackets

Jiricek had a tremendous D+1 season as an 18-year-old AHL rookie playing key minutes for the Monsters and scoring 38 points. His play at the WJC helped lead Czechia to a Silver Medal and he looks ready for the NHL now. His point upside may not be as elite, but he is 6’ 3”, mobile and great defensively. He is a franchise defenseman.

ELMONT, NY - OCTOBER 06: New Jersey Devils Defenseman Simon Nemec (5) during the first period of the National Hockey League game between the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders on October 6, 2022, at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

Simon Nemec, RD – New Jersey Devils

Nemec is every bit as good as Jiricek, he had a superb D+1 year as an AHL rookie scoring 34 points and was a point per game player at the WJC. His path to a number one NHL defender is harder in New Jersey with Hughes and Hamilton blocking him.

Olen Zellweger, LD – Anaheim Ducks

Zellweger has dominated the WHL to the tune of 183 career points in 180 games and was named the CHL Defenseman of the Year. He has dominated the World Junior with two Gold Medals with 17 points in 14 games. He will take his game to the AHL, and chances are he will dominate there as a rookie. He is still a year or two away from being an impact defenseman in the NHL and the Ducks number one on the blueline.

Simon Edvinsson, LD – Detroit Red Wings

After a great AHL rookie campaign Edvinsson moved up to the NHL for a nine-game audition. He was poised to make the Wings roster out of camp to start the season, but an injury will delay that arrival. He may need a short tour in the AHL to get up to speed, but he will compete with Seider for top minutes in Detroit by years end.

Scott Perunovich, LD – St. Louis Blues

By all accounts the 24-year-old should have graduated from this list by now, but three injury plagued seasons and he has been limited to 19 NHL games. His 42 points in 39 career AHL games demands he gets an opportunity to play meaningful minutes in the NHL, he just needs to stay healthy.

Pavel Mintyukov, LD – Anaheim Ducks

The Russian offensive defender saw his production dip slightly after a mid-season trade to the Ottawa 67’s, but his offensive play should translate to the AHL where he will play his rookie season with the Gulls. He has Drysdale and Zellweger ahead of him for now, but his upside is tremendous.

Denton Mateychuk, LD – Columbus Blue Jackets

Mateychuk has similar offensive upside to Mintyukov, but is a little smaller, and has one more year of junior hockey before he turns pro. The 19-year-old should shootout the lights in the WHL and be a key player for Canada at the World Junior.

Kevin Korchinski, LD – Chicago Blackhawks

His stock got a big boost when the Hawks won the Draft lottery and added Connor Bedard. Korchinski is penciled in to be the Hawks powerplay quarterback in three years or so and it is lining up to be elite. The 6’ 3” defender can skate and play a physical game as well.

Alexander Nikishin, LD – Carolina Hurricanes

Perhaps no defense prospect saw their stock rise more last year than Nikishin. His 55-point breakout in 65 games in the KHL commanded the attention of fantasy owners. He has two more years remaining on his contract so we will have to wait a while for the 21-year-old, 6’ 4” Russian stud to come to North America.

Jordan Spence, RD – Los Angeles Kings

The Kings top defensive prospect is Brandt Clarke, but the gap between him and Spence is getting smaller. Spence was a force in the AHL as a rookie posting 42 points in 46 games and played in 24 NHL games. Last year he spent more time developing in the AHL and is looking ready to secure an NHL job out of training camp.

MONTREAL, QC - MARCH 17: Thomas Harley (55) of the Dallas Stars skates during the second period of the NHL game between the Dallas Stars and the Montreal Canadiens on March 17, 2022, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC(Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)

Thomas Harley, LD – Dallas Stars

The OHL shutdown gave Harley early access to the AHL, and the 21-year-old now has three seasons of professional hockey development under his belt, including 40 NHL career games played. He has NHL ready size, mobility, and offensive acumen. He should be a full-time player in Dallas this year and his role with the team will continue to grow.

Ville Heinola, LD – Winnipeg Jets

The 20^th overall pick from the 2019 draft nearly made the NHL in his D+1 year playing the first eight regular season games with the Jets. Ultimately, he was loaned back to his Liiga club team and since then has split time between the Liiga, AHL, NHL and some international tournaments. His play in the AHL has slowly been improving, but Heinola still has one more year of waiver exemption that likely dictates more AHL time.

Lukas Cormier, LD – Vegas Golden Knights

Cormier was a prolific offensive defenseman in junior and his rookie year in the AHL saw his offensive skill translate to the professional level as he scored 10 goals and 35 points in 62 games for the Silver Knights. Cormier has a rocket of a shot, is a crafty and creative offensive driver but is looking at another year or two in the AHL before he is ready to push for a top pairing role in Vegas.

Henry Thrun, LD – San Jose Sharks

The Ducks 2019 fourth round pick was looking for more opportunity and is assumed was not going to sign in Anaheim as they are loaded with star prospects on defense. He was traded to the Sharks who signed him within a month. The departure of Erik Karlsson has created a massive void on the Sharks roster and Thrun will try to win the job out of training camp as the team’s powerplay quarterback.

Emil Andrae, LD – Philadelphia Flyers

The 5’ 9” defender has been flushing out his resume nicely since his draft leading the J20 in defenseman points and goals, a HockeyAllsvenskan Championship, being named best junior, most goals by a defenseman in the WJC and a Bronze Medal. Last year he had a breakout season in the SHL with 26 points and finished the year in the AHL with a strong showing of six points in 10 games with the Phantoms. He will play a full season in the AHL but is a player on the rise.

Ryker Evans, LD – Seattle Kraken

The Krakens 2021 second round pick had a strong junior career with the Regina Pats, but his stock improved significantly in his rookie AHL season as his role continued to grow all season long. His 44 points in 71 regular season games was great, and it got even better in the playoffs as he produced 26 points in 26 games to help lead Coachella to the finals in their inaugural season. Evans is a prospect on the rise and on the fast track to the NHL.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka, RD – Detroit Red Wings

ASP is a play-driving offensive defenseman with a high hockey sense that allows him to see plays two steps ahead. He is a strong skater, perhaps not a burner, but his edge work makes him very elusive. He has the ability to be a power play QB but with Seider and Edvinsson ahead of him on the depth chart, power play minutes may be hard to come by.

Goalies.

Devon Levi, Buffalo Sabres

The rise of Devon Levi has been spectacular. The seventh-round selection by the Florida Panthers has rocketed up the rankings by cracking the Canadian WJC roster, then winning the starting role. He dominated the NCAA winning the Mike Richter Award as Best Goalie in the NCAA twice. He made his NHL debut after his junior season and posted a 5-2-0 record with a 2.94 GAA and .905 SV%. Eric Comrie and Ukka-Pekka-Luukkonen are both under contract which should force Levi to the AHL as he is waiver exempt, but Levi could outplay them both and win the starting role out of camp. Buffalo is a team on the rise and Levi is on the cusp of becoming an elite goalie.

Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild

His first season in the AHL showed plenty of promise as he made the adjustment to North America. After a strong rookie season in Iowa with a 18-15-5 record, he closed the year at the World Championship with Sweden winning all three games with a 0.67 GAA against some of the lesser teams. With one more year remaining on M-A Fleury’s contract, Wallstedt likely has another year of AHL time before he is a full-time NHL goalie.

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

Dustin Wolf, Calgary Flames

You could easily make the argument that Wolf is the number one on this list. The two-time AHL Goalie of the Year winner has been outstanding as a pro goalie. He lacks some international experience and has both Jacob Markstrom and Dan Vladar signed for two years ahead of him in Calgary, but his performance speaks for itself. The Flames can be patient with the 22-year-old future franchise goalie as he could be one of the teams’ all-time greats.

Yaroslav Askarov, Nashville Predators

Askarov has been an elite prospect for years now, but my concern with him has been the low volume of games he was playing in Russia. Last year he came to North America and played 48 games for Milwaukee in the AHL and was outstanding as the undisputed starting goalie. His adjustment to North America and a starting goalie workload erased any potential doubt he can and will be an NHL starting goalie. Look for Askarov to get a few more cups of coffee in the NHL this year and be a full time NHL player in 2024-25.

Joel Hofer, St. Louis Blues

Hofer has rather quietly assembled a remarkable resume which includes a WHL Championship, Gold Medals at the World Championship and World Junior where he was the Best Goaltender. In his two seasons of AHL development his record is 49-36-13 with a 2.78 GAA and .912 SV%. Hofer is penciled in to start the year in the NHL as the backup to an aging and declining Jordan Binnington. It is just a matter of time before Hofer usurps him as the starting goalie.

Drew Commesso, Chicago Blackhawks

Commesso showed good development in his three years as the Boston Terriers starting goalie in the NCAA and posted a strong 24-8-0 record in his final year. His path towards an NHL starting role looks promising as he should be the starting goalie as a rookie in the AHL with Rockford and the Hawks goalie depth is very weak outside Commesso and Arvid Soderblom.

Sebastian Cossa, Detroit Red Wings

The wait time on the Wings 2021 first round pick is a little longer. After a dominant career in the WHL, he spent the majority of his rookie season as a pro in the ECHL with Toledo where he got starting minutes. The 6’ 6” netminder will graduate to the AHL and will be mentored by veteran Alex Lyon.

Justus Annunen, Colorado Avalanche

The 6’ 4” Finnish goalie had strong numbers from the Liiga but stumbled in his rookie season in the AHL. He made adjustments in his sophomore season and saw marked improvements across the board. The 23-year-old will play his third season in the AHL and be the first option for an NHL recall if injuries require relief.

Lukas Dostal, Anaheim Ducks

This will be a key year for Dostal to establish himself as an NHL goalie. The Ducks likely go with a three-headed-monster in goal with John Gibson, Alex Stalock, and Dostal to allow Calle Clang to get the starting role in the AHL. Injuries will certainly force Gibson to miss some time and Dostal could seize the starting job in Anaheim sooner than later.

Daniil Tarasov, Columbus Blue Jackets

Tarasov has struggled with injuries since coming to North America but put 28 games on the board last year between the AHL and NHL. Both teams were bottom dwellers in the standings, so his numbers were not overly impressive. Tarasov will share the NHL crease this year with Elvis Merzlikins as his backup but could see a healthy number of starts if he plays well.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK: The Top 24 Calder Trophy Candidates for 2024

Brock Otten — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 23:27:38 +0000

Connor Bedard. Photo by Keith Hershmiller.

Connor Bedard - Chicago Blackhawks

The Hawks have insulated the recent first overall pick with some veteran wingers to help his transition to the NHL. They won’t get in the way of Bedard receiving all the ice time that he can handle. For that reason, in combination with his insanely high talent level, Bedard has to be entering the season as the favourite to capture this year’s Calder trophy.

2. Logan Cooley - Arizona Coyotes

Cooley was thought to be returning to the University of Minnesota for his sophomore season despite being nominated for the Hobey Baker award. But a midsummer change of heart had him turn pro and now he’s poised to push Connor Bedard as the frontrunner for the Calder. Cooley likely steps right into Arizona’s lineup as their first line center and his rookie season should end up being pretty similar to Matty Beniers’ Calder winning performance from last year.

3. Luke Hughes - New Jersey Devils

In New Jersey’s final game of the season last year, a 3-2 loss against Carolina in the playoffs, Hughes played over 25 minutes. This was only a month after signing with the Devils. That tells you all you need to know about how New Jersey sees Hughes as an immediate piece of their roster. Even with Dougie Hamilton likely holding down the top powerplay QB spot, Hughes should still get his share of opportunity.

4. Adam Fantilli - Columbus Blue Jackets

Was there ever any doubt that the recent third overall pick and Hobey Baker winner would turn pro this season? I don’t believe so. No offence to Boone Jenner and Jack Roslovic, but there’s a very real chance that Fantilli enters the coming season as Columbus’ first line center. The opportunity is ripe for him to be among the leading Calder candidates.

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 10: Buffalo Sabres Goalie Devon Levi (27) blocks a shot on goal during the National Hockey League game between the Buffalo Sabres and the New York Rangers on April 10, 2023 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. (Photo by Joshua Sarner/Icon Sportswire)

5. Devon Levi - Buffalo Sabres

All eyes were on Buffalo this offseason to see if they would bring in a veteran goaltender to help the Sabres take that next step as a playoff team. They did not. That means that the starter’s job is Devon Levi’s to lose. It was evident when he signed (and subsequently started all the important games down the stretch), but Buffalo seems content with that. We’ve had a goalie finish in the top five of Calder voting the last five seasons and Levi certainly looks to have the best chance to be that guy this season.

6. Brandt Clarke - Los Angeles Kings

Similar to Luke Hughes’ situation in New Jersey, Clarke’s powerplay time is blocked by a veteran in Drew Doughty. However, that doesn’t mean that Clarke can’t be a productive offensive player and be afforded unique opportunities to impact the game offensively. There’s still a path for him to crack the team’s top four and Clarke is talented enough to be an impact player at even strength.

7. Luke Evangelista - Nashville Predators

Even with the signings of Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist, the Predators should still have room for Evangelista in their top nine, especially given how well he played late last season. He has 15 points in 24 games, narrowly keeping his Calder eligibility. It might be shocking to see him ranked this high, but among rookies who played more than 20 games last year, only Matty Beniers, Matias Maccelli, and Lukas Reichel had more points per game.

8. Shane Wright - Seattle Kraken

Part of me is skeptical that Wright should be ranked this highly given Seattle’s sudden surge as a playoff contender and the likelihood that they remain patient with his development. That said, Wright is one of the top prospects outside of the NHL for a reason. If he comes to camp and performs well, they’ll find a spot and role for him in their top nine.

9. Marco Rossi - Minnesota Wild

Rossi struggled mightily in his 19-game stint in the NHL last year, but he was an impact player in the AHL with Iowa. A notoriously hard worker, Rossi should come back hungry for a permanent spot this season and there are some forward spots, especially down the middle, up for grabs in Minnesota. Should he crack the top nine, he’ll be flanked by some pretty good wingers and would have a chance to be among the league’s rookie scoring leaders.

10. Lukas Dostal - Anaheim Ducks

Dostal’s likelihood of being a Calder contender will depend on what Anaheim decides to do with John Gibson. Do they move on from Gibson at some point this year, giving the keys to the starter’s role to Dostal, one of the team’s top prospects? He played OK in 19 games last year as Gibson’s back-up, however is Anaheim likely to be good enough to help Dostal post the kind of stats needed to be a Calder candidate?

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 27: Toronto Maple Leafs Winger Matthew Knies (23) skates with the puck during the Round 1 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 5 between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 27, 2023, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire)

11. Matthew Knies - Toronto Maple Leafs

Knies probably would have been higher on this list if not for the signings of Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi. Knies was a standout in limited action late last year after signing his ELC and the thought was that he could end up playing the Michael Bunting role this year alongside Austen Matthews, however, that appears to be more of a stretch now. Still, Knies deserves mention here as someone who could still play a solid role for a good team.

12. Kevin Korchinski - Chicago Blackhawks

If Korchinki plays well in camp, he seems all but destined to crack the Chicago roster this year, a team thin on the back end. While Seth Jones is likely to swallow up a lot of powerplay time, the Blackhawks would be wise to create opportunities for him if they keep him. Korchinski is incredibly talented, so if he gets ice time, he should put up points.

13. David Jiricek - Columbus Blue Jackets

This is a tough one. On paper, there just isn’t much room for Jiricek. The Jackets brought in Damon Severson and Ivan Provorov this offseason and Zach Werenski will be returning from a shoulder injury. But the former 6th overall pick was so good in the AHL last year with Cleveland. If he comes to camp and looks ready, the Jackets are likely to make room for him.

14. Pavel Mintyukov - Anaheim Ducks

Speaking of opportunities on the back end, don’t look for the likes of Colton White or Robert Hagg to block Mintyukov if he performs well in camp. Powerplay time might be a different animal altogether with Cam Fowler and Jamie Drysdale around, but there is a clear opportunity here for Mintyukov to get significant ice time. Like some of the other defenders on this list, Mintyukov is simply too talented to ignore.

15. Tyson Foerster - Philadelphia Flyers

Foerster has a very clear opportunity to earn a spot inside the top six of the Flyers this season, especially after performing so well in a cup of coffee last year. His game has improved by leaps and bounds in the last calendar year and he is someone who could be among the league’s leading rookie scorers at season’s end.

CLEVELAND, OH - DECEMBER 03: Rochester Americans right wing Jiri Kulich (25) on the ice during the first period of the American Hockey League game between the Rochester Americans and Cleveland Monsters on December 3, 2022, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire)

16. Jiri Kulich - Buffalo Sabres

Is there actually a spot for Kulich on this year’s Sabres? I’m pretty skeptical. But all it takes is one injury and Kulich would be the first guy up after his tremendous AHL rookie season and Calder Cup playoff performance. If he can find a way into the top nine or on the secondary powerplay unit, he could produce some solid numbers. The likelihood is low, but the upside is so, so high.

17. Matthew Coronato - Calgary Flames

It seems very likely that one of Coronato or Jakob Pelletier will get an opportunity to play a significant role with the Flames this year. There is room and likely even that expectation. One might think Pelletier would have the leg up given his pro experience, but Coronato is the better player, in my opinion and this ranking reflects that.

18. Fabian Lysell - Boston Bruins

There is still so much uncertainty surrounding the Bruins this year as of writing this. Will Bergeron be back? How much do they expect Van Riemsdyk, Geekie, or Lucic to contribute? Lysell’s first pro season was incredibly erratic. Maybe Merkulov would have the inside track at a spot over Lysell? However, Lysell’s a hyped, high selection with a ton of talent. If he makes the team, it would be in a significant role and that would likely mean a chance at significant production.

19. Pavel Dorofeyev - Vegas Golden Knights

After scoring seven goals in 18 games last year, during a short stint, there’s no way that Dorofeyev does not crack the Vegas roster this year in some capacity. This is especially true given that he would require waivers in order to be sent to the AHL. That kind of production stretched out to a full season would be a 30-goal season. That’s obviously far-fetched, but not completely outside of the realm of possibility.

20. Ridly Greig - Ottawa Senators

Can Josh Norris bounce back and maintain his health? That’s one question bound to be prevalent at Ottawa training camp this year. One of the main beneficiaries of Norris’ injury was Greig, who had a very good first pro season split between Ottawa and Belleville. It seems very likely that Greig will make the Senators full time in some capacity, but just how much of a role he’ll have remains to be seen.

21. Jakob Pelletier - Calgary Flames

As mentioned, it seems very likely that one of Coronato or Pelletier finds themselves with a significant role in Calgary’s offense this year. Pelletier’s 24 games last year make him just barely eligible still and, at this point, he’s proven all he can at the AHL level as an offensive leader. Thus far he has struggled to make that jump, but this year could be very different.

22. Leo Carlsson - Anaheim Ducks

This ranking represents the fact that I believe it is most likely that Carlsson will return to the SHL for another season with Orebro before making the jump to Anaheim. The recent second overall pick would be much higher if it were likely that he would stick with the Ducks. However, Anaheim has no reason to rush him and allowing him to return to the SHL to become a dominant player there first seems like the best spot for his development.

23. Pyotr Kochetkov - Carolina Hurricanes

While Kochetkov is no longer eligible for our top prospect list (due to games played), he is somehow still barely eligible for the Calder. Carolina’s top young netminder will need a lot to go his way (in terms of injuries to veterans or poor play from them) to play enough to be in the conversation, however, if he does play enough…he could be a top contender.

24. Raphael Lavoie - Edmonton Oilers

The last player to make this list, look for Lavoie to push for a roster spot in Edmonton this year, likely over the more hyped Xavier Bourgault. Lavoie’s development took a very positive turn in the second half of last year’s AHL season and he could very easily find himself in Edmonton’s top nine to start the year.

Honourable Mentions: Marco Kasper (DET), Simon Nemec (NJ), Joakim Kemell (NSH), Simon Edvinsson (DET), Brock Faber (MIN), Hendrix Lapierre (WSH), Ryker Evans (SEA), Cole Guttman (CHI), Danil Gushchin (SJ), David Reinbacher (MTL), Aatu Raty (VAN), Yegor Sokolov (OTT), Dalibor Dvorsky (STL)

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #3 Chicago Blackhawks

Josh Bell — Thu, 25 May 2023 18:04:38 +0000

If tanking doesn’t exist in the NHL, nobody told Chicago. Kyle Davidson took over as GM in October 2021 after Stan Bowman was suspended. He has been actively emptying the roster since, moving veterans and even younger players such as Kirby Dach and Alex DeBrincat for draft picks. Patrick Kane finally moved on for yet more picks. It worked. The depleted roster gave it their best, but still lost a lot of games and won the Connor Bedard sweepstakes. Once the next draft is complete, they will have a robust and deep pipeline of talent to build around. They currently have eight picks in the first three rounds of the 2023 draft. They have six first round picks, and a whopping 21 picks in the first three rounds, over the next three drafts through 2025.

In his first draft, Davidson eight picks in the first three rounds, including three firsts which he used to add Kevin Korchinksi (ranked #23 by McKeen’s), Frank Nazar (#29), and Sam Rinzel (#85). They represent the 2^nd through fourth ranked Chicago prospects on our list. The #14 ranked prospect, Lukas Reichel, produced 15 points in 23 games in his NHL call up and looks to have earned a roster spot for next season. The most likely scenario is to continue to accumulate young talent. In addition to the first overall pick, they also have the #19, #35, #44, #51 and #55 picks in the first two rounds alone. They have the opportunity to package some picks to move in the order and add another premium prospect. The addition of Bedard immediately changes the trajectory of the timeline and Davidson may want to use those pieces to add younger roster players.

Lukas Reichel

Everything that Reichel does out on the ice just seems so natural to him. Even as a yet-to-be-drafted teenager playing against men in Germany's top professional league he looked confident, comfortable, and mature well beyond his years, like he was already a seasoned veteran. That same aura followed him to the AHL and now NHL, and Chicago has to be hoping that he will be a leader as they slowly and methodically attempt to build their next Cup-contending team. He always seems to be thinking the play ahead of everyone else, always knows what his next move should be, and almost always executes his intentions successfully. He might not have the skating, shot or playmaking to become one of the very top point producers in the league, but you can expect him to be in the 50-70 point range pretty consistently, and for those seasons to start happening soon.

2. Kevin Korchinski

One of the best offensive defensemen in all junior hockey, Korchinski racked up a ridiculous amount of points this season, and isn't slowing down. However, what's important to remember about him is that there is still an enormous amount of growth potential within his game. He's still skinny and slight within his tall frame and could really increase his strength and power if he commits hard to his gym habits. There also remains a lot of work to be done with his reads, decision-making and overall puck management, as a lot of possessions for Seattle end when coming off of his stick. On one hand, those existing issues are concerning. On the other hand, though, if you look at how effective and successful he already is despite these flaws it suggests a salivating potential for just how high his ceiling might reach. The sky is the limit.

3. Frank Nazar

Nazar finally returned to action late in the season after a long injury layoff, and there was an undeniable amount of rust for him to shake off before he could really showcase why he was picked by the Blackhawks at 13th overall. Luckily for him, his Michigan team made it all the way to the Frozen Four semifinals, so he was granted a few extra opportunities to get back into the swing of things. He is an electrifying prospect because his feet are always moving, he can manipulate the puck with the best of them, and he can see the ice very well at high speeds, which includes lanes for him to attack the net himself, or opportunities to set up a teammate for a better look. He is a little on the smaller side, but he should be able to overcome that with his drive and tenacity.

4. Sam Rinzel

The Blackhawks never expected anything truly elite out of Rinzel right away, so they won't be concerned at all that his 2022-23 season was solid, though not spectacular. And they certainly won't regret taking him as high as 25^th overall. The focus has always been on his tantalizing tools, and being patient as he learns to master those tools while moving from high school hockey to the more competitive USHL, and then to a very good University of Minnesota program next year. Rangy, mobile, right-shooting defensemen hold immense value in the NHL, and teams have to pay a premium to add them or accept playing the long game in developing them. However, the signs of growth are showing, such as helping the USA win gold at the World Junior A Challenge. If Rinzel pops it won't be right away, but the wait will have been worth it.

5. Drew Commesso

Goaltending prospects don't come much steadier and more consistent than Commesso does, as evidenced by his save percentage numbers of the past four seasons. That's not necessarily a bad thing, however, as his numbers are consistently pretty good. He's a well-rounded, technically sound netminder who has neither any standout traits, nor any real notable weaknesses. Everything about his game is solid, albeit not spectacular: his play-tracking, his technique, his reflexes, his positioning, and so on. Even his size and natural net coverage is pretty average That said, sometimes that's all you need out of a goalie to win a championship. He helped his Boston University team reach the Frozen Four, only to be undone in the semifinals against Minnesota, the top-ranked team in the nation. He projects as becoming at least an NHL backup, with a starter's job not out of the question.

6. Ethan Del Mastro

Del Mastro has won gold medals playing internationally for Canada in three straight years, first at the IIHF U18s in 2021, and then the World Juniors in both 2022 and 2023. He played 20 total games across those three tournaments, and over than span he scored exactly zero goals. That's not his whole story as a prospect, but it is a good reflection of it. He's a big, responsible defender who is well-suited to a modern shutdown role, with competent skating and puck-handling abilities. He can still go old school and dish out some punishment too, though. And don't look now, but his offensive game is also coming along, scoring at a point-per-game pace with both of his teams this year, Mississauga, and Sarnia. There might not be a prospect in Chicago's pipeline who has a safer NHL floor than Del Mastro, and a top four ceiling is a realistic possibility.

7. Ilya Safonov

Safonov is a fantastic example of the value that teams can find by scouting and drafting re-entry prospects. Passed over in both 2019 and 2020, the Blackhawks took a flyer on the hulking Russian center in the 6^th round, 172^nd overall, in 2021, and right now that pick is looking incredibly shrewd. He really grew into a capable, difference-making two-way power forward in the KHL, and perhaps most impressively, he was named the captain of his team at just 21 years of age, the youngest in franchise history. He's so strong, athletic, gritty and competitive that he is a lot to handle physically, even at the hands of veteran Russian pros and former NHLers. He can chip in points as a net-front presence, though his real value comes from how well he defends and matches up against opposing lines. Chicago will do their damnedest to get him to North America as soon as they can.

8. Colton Dach

Just how good is Dach, really? It's a difficult question to answer. As a big center with plus hands and an older brother, Kirby, who is succeeding in the NHL, the profile is very exciting. However, COVID precautions limited his games in 2020-21, his Kelowna Rockets were eliminated in the opening postseason round in 2021-22, and injuries have sidelined his current season, including knocking him out of the World Juniors just three games in. He's back on the ice now, going deep into the playoffs with Seattle, but he doesn't look 100% yet and his team is deep enough and talented enough at forward to not need to rush him. Chicago might be a little concerned about whether or not all those missed games, and resultant opportunities for growth in such crucial years of his development, will hinder his long-term potential.

9. Alex Vlasic

Vlasic jumped straight into the NHL after leaving Boston University and turning pro in the spring of 2022, dressing for 15 games for a Blackhawks team that was out of the playoff hunt and wanted a closer look at one of their top prospects. While he wasn't necessarily bad in that tryout, and even scored his first career NHL goal, Chicago elected to take the safe route with his development and let him refine his game down in the AHL for most of this year, which made total sense. As expected, he used his gargantuan reach and fleet feet to provide a stout defensive presence, while also getting to work on his offensive contributions a bit, or at least more than he would have in the NHL. Whether in 2023-24 or later, Vlasic will almost certainly end up on the Hawks as a shutdown defender.

10. Nolan Allan

It should be clear by now that the Blackhawks put a premium on defensive defensemen, and Allan is the one they paid the highest price for, using the last pick of the first round in 2021 to go a little off the board and secure his rights. They undoubtedly would have had high expectations for him to grow his game in the proceeding years, though the gains so far are relatively modest. Sure, Hockey Canada brought him along for the World Juniors, and the powerhouse Seattle Thunderbirds paid a pretty penny to bring him in for their full-throttle quest for a WHL title, but he hasn't fully reached a point yet where he has been a truly top-tier player. His skating and puck movement remain a little limited, and he could stand to be more of a physical presence. That said, growth in those areas is still achievable.

2023 MEMORIAL CUP PREVIEW: Team Previews with top five prospects to keep an eye out for on each side

Adam Tate, Joely Stockl and Jérémi Plourde — Thu, 25 May 2023 17:28:55 +0000

On Friday, May 26, the 103rd edition of the Memorial Cup will kick off in Kamloops, British Columbia. The field includes the WHL champion Seattle Thunderbirds, the OHL champion Peterborough Petes, the QMJHL champion Quebec Remparts, and of course, the host Kamloops Blazers. Last year the host Saint John Sea Dogs captured the trophy by defeating the Hamilton Bulldogs in the final. This year, the loaded Seattle Thunderbirds enter the tournament as the favourites, but as we have learned, anything can happen at the Memorial Cup. The kickoff game on Friday sees Quebec playing Kamloops and TSN will have all the action for Canadian viewers.

To get you ready for this year’s Memorial Cup, our regional scouts have written previews for each competing team, complete with the top players you need to watch out for!

WHL Champions - Seattle Thunderbirds

By Adam Tate

The Seattle Thunderbirds tallied 111 points in the regular season, good for the second most points in the WHL and the top playoff seed in the Western Conference. The team was dominant all season long, especially as their NHL drafted players returned to the roster after attending NHL training camps. Not satisfied with the roster, they were active at the WHL trade deadline, adding Dylan Guenther, Brad Lambert, and Colton Dach. After adding those players, they typically had a lineup containing 10 NHL draftees, as well as six players with the potential to be selected in the upcoming NHL draft. It’s little wonder that they were able to make easy work of the second leg of the regular season. They followed that up with 16 wins in 19 playoff games on their way to their second Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions. The forward unit is talented and deep, led by Dylan Guenther, Brad Lambert, and Jared Davidson. Their group on defence is also strong with the likes of Kevin Korchinski, Jeremy Hanzel, and Nolan Allan patrolling the blue line. Their goaltending tandem of Thomas Milic and Scott Ratzlaff is excellent, with both players likely to have their names called in this summer’s NHL Entry Draft.

Top Five NHL Prospects to Watch

Dylan Guenther (Arizona Coyotes)

Guenther played 33 games with the Arizona Coyotes this season before being returned to the WHL after playing in the WJC for Canada. At the World Junior Championship, he scored the second most goals (7 in 7 games played), trailing only Connor Bedard. In his first season with Seattle, he registered more than a point per game (29pts in 20 games) during his shortened regular season. In the WHL playoffs all he did was lead the entire CHL in goals. The tournament's goaltenders will need to know where he is on the ice at all times. Arizona got a good one.

Brad Lambert (Winnipeg Jets)

Lambert also played some pro games this season, getting into 13 games with the Manitoba Moose, the Jets AHL team. After a quiet WJC for Team Finland, he signed with Seattle, who had acquired his rights in the summer of 2022. Lambert had a very good regular season (38 pts in 26 games) and continued to establish chemistry with Guenther in the playoffs. Lambert ended up in a tie for the second most assists in the CHL playoffs with 20 in 17 games. His playmaking will be one of the keys to Seattle’s attack.

Kevin Korchinski (Chicago Blackhawks)

Korchinski parlayed a very good 2022 into an early first round selection by Chicago in last summer’s NHL Draft. He has given them no reason to doubt the pick as he had an excellent WHL season, becoming a better than point per game player for the first time with 73 points in 54 games. He was also a mainstay on Canada’s WJC blueline. His excellent all-around play continued in the WHL playoffs as one of the pillars of Seattle’s defence.

Reid Schaefer (Nashville Predators)

Like his teammates above, Schaefer has had a terrific year for Seattle, becoming a point a game player in both the regular season and the WHL playoffs. He was also on Team Canada at the WJC where he played more of a bottom six role. Between his size, desire to score goals, and ability to forecheck or dish out hits, he’s a lot to deal with. But he also has an intelligent defensive game and is relied on for PK minutes. Schaefer looks to be a very interesting piece for Nashville’s forward unit in the years to come.

Gracyn Sawchyn (2023 NHL Entry Draft Eligible)

There are easily another six or so players on the Thunderbirds that I could put in this space, but I wanted to write about one of the draft eligible players on the team. I had the chance to see Sawchyn live three times this season, including in the CHL Top Prospects game (a game in which he stood out). Despite being relegated to more of a secondary role as the team added players, he still ended up a point a game player in his first year in the WHL. A skilled player with a good motor and room to grow, he should be selected within the first three rounds of the upcoming NHL Draft.

Host City - Kamloops Blazers (WHL)

By Adam Tate

The Kamloops Blazers are the 2023 Memorial Cup Host Team. But while the Blazers are the hosts for this year’s tournament, they are no also-ran pushover, having won the BC Division while posting the third best point total in the WHL. Despite being a very strong team, the Blazers pulled off one of the biggest blockbuster trades in WHL history at the trade deadline, acquiring Olen Zellweger and Ryan Hofer from the Everett Silvertips for four players and ten draft picks. The Blazers went on a run in the playoffs, sweeping Vancouver and Portland in the first two rounds. While they did lose the Western Conference Final in six games to Seattle, they were also the team that gave the Thunderbirds the most difficulty in the WHL playoffs. The team is led by its two stars, Logan Stankoven and Zellweger. The forward group has talent beyond Stankoven, with Caedan Bankier, Matthew Seminoff, and Hofer piling up the points. The defensive unit isn’t quite as strong with Kyle Masters and Logan Bairos filling out the unit behind Zellweger. In net, the Blazers are led by NHL Entry Draft eligible Dylan Ernst. In total the Blazers have nine NHL drafted players and at least 2 with the potential to be drafted this summer.

Top Five NHL Prospects to Watch

Logan Stankoven (Dallas Stars)

Stankoven is a bona fide star at this level. Averaging two points per game in both the WHL regular season and playoffs, and better than a point per game for Team Canada at this year’s WJC, it’s possible his skill level might only be matched by that Bedard kid playing in Regina. Stankoven led the WHL in playoff scoring this year and now has the chance to play for the Memorial Cup for the host team in his hometown. It's easy to see how important this tournament likely is to Stankoven. His fearless north-south game, desire to go to the hard parts of the ice, and unrelenting motor are just a few more reasons why he’s likely to be a big factor in the tournament.

Olen Zellweger (Anaheim Ducks)

The main piece in one of the biggest WHL trades ever, Zellweger brought his offensive star power to Kamloops at the trade deadline. Like a lot of the prospects highlighted for Seattle, he was a featured player at the WJC this year. In fact, his time with the U-20 team for Canada is likely the only reason why he wasn’t the WHL’s leading scoring defenceman for the second year in a row. Instead, he had to settle for being the WHL’s best defenceman for the second year in a row. Powered by some of the purest skating skill in the entire CHL, Zellweger joins or leads the rush at will. Expect that he’ll put the other teams in the tournament on their heels often.

Caedan Bankier (Minnesota Wild)

Bankier broke out this season, scoring 37 goals and 85 points, good enough for a top 15 placement in WHL scoring. He turned that high level of play into more than a point per game in the playoffs. He was also a member of Team Canada’s U-20 roster at this year’s WJC, playing in more of a bottom six forward role. While this is more likely where he’ll end up if he makes the NHL, there’s still a lot to like about his shot and his playmaking ability at this level. His production will be needed if the Blazers are to go far in the tournament.

Fraser Minten (Toronto Maple Leafs)

The Kamloops Blazers are a big team, so much so that the 6’1”, 190lbs Minten doesn’t really stand out. But that doesn’t prevent him from being a big, regular hitter on their forward lines. Nor does it prevent him from using a great shot (one-timer or curl and drag wrister) to score a lot of goals. In fact, he scored 31 goals in the regular season, which wasn’t too far behind Stankoven’s total of 34. His playoffs were a bit quiet as he started out injured and is still working himself back into playing form.

Connor Levis (2023 NHL Entry Draft Eligible)

Like with Seattle, there were a few other prospects I could’ve written about here, but Connor Levis is Kamloops’ player most likely to be selected in the upcoming NHL draft. I was able to see Levis six times in person this season, including the CHL Top Prospects game and a playoff game. He’s a strong skater with excellent size for a forward who possesses good hockey awareness in the offensive zone. He makes a lot of smart support plays in the offensive zone to help create and maintain offensive possession. He ended the regular season with just under a point per game but had a quieter playoffs. The Blazers will need more from him in this tournament.

OHL Champions - Peterborough Petes

By Joely Stockl

The offensive powerhouse Peterborough Petes were able to bring it all together at the perfect time. The Petes were indeed busy on the trade front, from adding Brennan Othmann in November 2022, to bringing in Owen Beck, Avery Hayes, and Gavin White at the trade deadline. Their lineup changed drastically, and it took the team until the playoffs to be able to unite and play well as a group, finishing only fourth in the Eastern Conference. There was nothing stopping the Petes during the playoffs, despite several injuries and Owen Beck’s suspension in the finals. In addition to their offensive abilities, Playoff MVP Michael Simpson was stellar, starting in every single playoff game for the Petes. Making 36 of 37 stops in the final game against the London Knights, Simpson was a deciding factor in his team’s success. From sweeping the Sudbury Wolves, to eliminating the league leading Ottawa 67’s, to finally defeating the London Knights in 6 games, Peterborough will be a force to be reckoned with at the 2023 Memorial Cup.

Top Five NHL Prospects to Watch

Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers)

Brennan Othmann came to Peterborough to help this team win, and that is exactly what he did. The offensive prowess was a massive factor in the Petes’ offensive success. Othmann has it all, the shot, the skill, the offensive awareness, and the grit. He is so creative in the offensive zone, and he is a pure play driver who makes the players around him better. Being traded midway through the season is a difficult situation to handle, and Othmann took it in full stride to lead this team to the championship.

Tucker Robertson (Seattle Kraken)

After a tough run last season, getting eliminated in the 1st round, Tucker Robertson returned hungry for success. Robertson’s point totals don’t tell the whole story, even though he put up an astounding 90 points in the regular season. He is also one of the best penalty killing forwards in the league and has scored 11 shorthanded goals in the last two seasons. Robertson has been a huge part of this team’s core for the last two years, and he has been performing through thick and through thin for this team. The Seattle Kraken picked a good one in Robertson, even if it was one season after his original draft year.

Owen Beck (Montreal Canadiens)

Owen Beck split his time between Peterborough and the Mississauga Steelheads this season, and was a key player brought in by Petes General Manager, Mike Oke. Though Beck didn’t necessarily play lights out in the playoffs, he played his game, and he remained steady. Beck is likely the best 200-foot centerman in the entire OHL, and he is heavily relied upon to take faceoffs (59% on faceoffs in the regular season) slotting in as the Petes' 1st line centre. His suspension in the finals left a massive hole to fill at the center spot, but his team was able to finish the job. Montreal should be grateful that Beck dropped to the 2nd round of the 2022 NHL Draft; this is a mature player and a pick that will most definitely pay off in the future. Of note, it has been reported that Beck’s suspension will not carry over to the Memorial Cup and he will be eligible to play game one.

J.R. Avon (Philadelphia Flyers)

Similarly to Tucker Robertson, J.R. Avon has been a valuable part of this team’s core for the last two seasons. The sneaky, shifty winger is difficult to handle as one of the fastest skaters in the OHL. He has also been a big part of the Petes’ penalty kill for that reason. Avon put up just over a point per game in the regular season, potting 29 goals over the course of the season. The soon to be overage forward wears an ‘A’ on his jersey for a reason, as he is a large part of the heartbeat of this team. Any player that gets signed as a free agent has overcome some adversity in their career, and Avon was a part of the “COVID Draft Class” which made it difficult for him to be seen by scouts. Avon’s work ethic translates on and off the ice, and that was evident all season long.

Gavin White (Dallas Stars)

Continuing on the topic of overcoming adversity, OHL U18 Draft selection Gavin White is another inspiring story. It is incredibly difficult to find a roster spot in the OHL after being picked in the U18 Draft, but White defied the odds when he got selected by the Dallas Stars in last year’s draft. White arrived in Peterborough in a package deal with Avery Hayes, who were both viable factors in the Hamilton Bulldogs OHL Championship run in 2022. The offensive weapon from the blue line served on the Petes 1st powerplay unit for the majority of the playoffs (save for the finals when they made the switch to an all forward top unit), as their only real offensively-minded defender. White is a phenomenal skater who knows how to pick his spots and activate offensively, in addition to his dangerous transition game.

QMJHL Champions - Quebec Remparts

By Jérémi Plourde

It is definitely not a surprise to see the Québec Remparts bring the Gilles Courteau trophy home this year. Patrick Roy’s team has been simply phenomenal this year, dominating and finishing first with a 53-12-3 record and winning 16 of their 18 playoff games. Québec has swept everyone except the Halifax Mooseheads, including the Gatineau Olympiques, who were only four points behind them in the standings. They are champions for the first time since 1976, rewarding their fan base for the constant support throughout the season with an average attendance of 9762 fans (most in the CHL). The Remparts are now heading to Kamloops to compete for the Memorial Cup. Their first game will be against the hosting team, the Kamloops Blazers, on Friday.

Top Five NHL Prospects to Watch

Zachary Bolduc (St. Louis Blues)

Zachary Bolduc is possibly the best NHL prospect currently in the QMJHL. This year, he has scored 110 points in 61 games, which ranks him 3rd in the entire league in points per game. Bolduc has been a steady goal scorer for Québec during these playoffs, with 11 goals and 19 points in 18 games. The St. Louis Blues first rounder in 2021 will most likely be playing his last junior games in Kamloops, as he should take the next step and play in the AHL next year.

Nathan Gaucher (Anaheim Ducks)

Nathan Gaucher has shown this year why he is perfect for the NHL’s third line role, steadily scoring at about a point per game pace throughout both the regular season and the playoffs while being an important physical presence for Québec. He has been alternating between the second and third line, always as the center. He too, will likely turn pro next year as a 2003 born player, and should definitely find a role in the Anaheim Ducks’ bottom six in the coming years.

James Malatesta (Columbus Blue Jackets)

James Malatesta was the Columbus Blue Jackets’ 5th round pick back in 2021, and it would be fair to say that this is not a pick they are regretting. The Remparts right winger has scored 66 points in only 55 games this season, and 14 goals in 18 games in the playoffs, averaging almost 0.8 goals per game. His goal scoring skills have been a central part of Québec’s playoffs, making him the 2023 playoffs MVP.

Jérémy Langlois (Arizona Coyotes)

Jérémy Langlois was drafted last year in the 3rd round by the Arizona Coyotes and has been slowly but steadily improving this year. Ever since being traded from the Cape Breton Eagles to the Québec Remparts, Langlois has scored at about a point per game pace through 34 games, and while only receiving 3rd pairing minutes, he has managed to get 7 points in the 18 playoff games. With players leaving next year, Langlois will get a ton of ice time and will look to establish himself as one of the best defensive prospects in the QMJHL.

Evan Nause (Florida Panthers)

Evan Nause is another premier NHL prospect from the QMJHL who plays for the Remparts. He was drafted by the Florida Panthers in the 2nd round back in 2021, and although from a statistical standpoint he has not really taken a next step this year, his all-around game has steadily improved. Nause has been on the Remparts’ second pairing throughout the playoffs and has been tremendous, scoring 5 goals in only 18 games as a defenceman, good for first in the league among players of his position. In a few years, expect to see him find a role in the Panthers’ bottom four.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Top 20 Prospects

Sun, 18 Sep 2022 16:10:02 +0000

1 - Lukas Reichel LW

Like his fellow countryman and top prospect J.J. Peterka, Reichel was a standout in his first pro season in North America last year. He averaged over a point per game for Rockford of the AHL and earned a short stint in the NHL. Granted, there were some struggles at the NHL level, especially from a strength perspective, but Reichel should now understand what it takes to be a consistent offensive player at the top level. In reality, a lack of strength is the only thing holding him back from being a quality top six NHL contributor. He is skilled. He is intelligent. He skates well and continues to improve his ability to push pace and attack. He is improving his reads in all three zones and projects as a well-rounded two-way player. Like his uncle Robert, Lukas should have a long and prosperous NHL career. The Blackhawks have not made their intentions this year a secret. It is clear that they have entered full rebuild mode and will be giving Reichel every opportunity to secure a full-time role in Chicago out of training camp. If he performs well, he could get an opportunity to play with someone like Patrick Kane (as long as Kane isn’t traded) at even strength and on the powerplay. As such, Reichel is certainly a preseason Calder candidate. Long term, he has the potential to be a first line winger as part of a new generation of Blackhawks being ushered in. - BO

2 - Frank Nazar C

The Chicago Blackhawks traded a lot for the right to draft Nazar 13th overall at the 2022 NHL draft, sending former top center prospect Kirby Dach to the Montreal Canadiens in order to secure that draft pick. With his selection, Nazar instantly became the Blackhawks’ new top center prospect, and he heads to the University of Michigan next season with the expectation of being an instant impact scorer. Nazar spent his draft year at the U.S. National Team Development Program, and he had a solid year, scoring above a point-per-game rate. Nazar’s speed proved too much to handle for many USHL defenders. Nazar’s skating is his best tool overall. He’s a genuine burner, with the ability to beat defenders with his pace alone. Nazar complements his straight-line speed with strong edgework, and he has an ability to manipulate defenses with his skating that’s more advanced than his peers. Nazar’s stride looks effortless, and despite often operating at high speeds he rarely burns out and finds himself at the end of shifts without enough energy to properly compete. Nazar relies more on his feet than his hands to create offensive opportunities for himself and his teammates, but that’s not to say he has any deficiencies with the puck on his stick. He’s a quality stickhandler and his puck skills are strong enough to keep up with the pace of the game that he plays at. But while there is genuinely quite a bit of upside to Nazar’s overall profile, there is also some risk. Nazar lacks the prototypical size many scouts want to see from their NHL centers, and Nazar may need to alter some of his habits in order to thrive at the professional level. At lower levels, Nazar’s speed alone can be enough to beat defenders, but when he reaches higher levels of hockey, he’ll need to expand his overall arsenal. It’s an open question as to whether Nazar has enough of a complete game to stick at center, but what’s not up for debate is the raw potential in his game. He has a chance to become a dynamic, top-of-the-lineup offensive player, although he’s no guarantee to realize that potential. - EH

3 - Kevin Korchinski D

What a year it was for Korchinski, who started the season off fairly slowly, drawing concerns from scouts about his on-ice decision-making. After Christmas Korchinski exploded, piling up the points as the T-Birds embarked on a memorable post-season run that saw them erase series deficits to beat the favored Portland Winterhawks and Kamloops Blazers in game 7s on the road, before falling in the WHL finals in a series whose scheduling conflicts forced them to play an extra road game. Korchinski had much to do with that run, finishing the season at a near-PPG pace. His draft stock shot up and he was ultimately selected 7^th overall by the Blackhawks. A powerful skater with a long, efficient stride, Korchinski can reach full flight quickly and is adept at walking the blueline, making him a dangerous threat on the powerplay. He carries the puck with ease and confidence and is passing is crisp, although his reads can be questionable at times. Korchinski’s biggest improvement as the year progressed, was becoming more decisive with the puck and thinking the game at a quicker pace. Improvement on his wrist shot and getting it through traffic would also help Korchinski become more of a dual threat from up top on the powerplay. Like all young players, he needs to become stronger and fill out his lean frame, in order to play defense at the next level. Korchinski will almost certainly be returned to junior for his draft+1 season, although the possibility of a 9-game tryout to start the year remains. - AS

4 - Sam Rinzel D

The Chicago Blackhawks have made the direction of their franchise no secret. GM Kyle Davidson is playing the long game, beginning to stockpile draft picks and acquire high-upside players that might require more time and patience than other NHL franchises could typically afford to give them. Their selection of Sam Rinzel 25th overall at the 2022 draft raised eyebrows from some, as Rinzel was a divisive prospect who did not receive universal first-round acclaim. But taking rankings out of the equation, Rinzel is the exact sort of prospect who fits the Blackhawks’ plans. Rinzel, who spent most of his draft season playing at the high school level in Minnesota, is a raw prospect who offers a tantalizing package of tools. Rinzel is big and skates quite well for someone his size. Rinzel is an aggressive defenseman, and he has shown flashes of game-breaking ability from the blueline. But with the upside Rinzel presents comes significant red flags and question marks in his game. First and foremost, Rinzel is extremely talented but also quite raw — he’ll need a lot of work to get to a point where he’s pro-ready — and he’s also not shown a level of defensive competence that gives any confidence in his ability to sustain his aggressive style of play in more demanding and competitive hockey settings. Rinzel will need to find a way to make the proper adjustments to his game to make him a viable two-way defenseman while also maintaining the sort of uber-aggressive, uber-creative style that’s set him apart so far. Simply maintaining the identity of his game, the identity that has made him a top prospect in the first place could be challenging given the demands of college and professional coaches. But Rinzel, who will spend another year in the USHL before playing college hockey as a Minnesota Gopher, has a lot of time to improve. He’s a true boom-or-bust prospect, and it’s far too early to reasonably project his NHL future. All we can do at this point is eagerly observe how he handles higher levels of hockey and how his game changes, if at all when faced with additional adversity. - EH

5 - Drew Commesso G

While Russian phenom Yaroslav Askarov got most of the attention (by far) of the 2021 draft’s goalie class, Drew Commesso led a second tier of goalie prospects that saw five netminders go in the second and third rounds of the draft. Commesso himself was selected 46th overall by the Blackhawks, and upon his selection, he instantly became the Blackhawks’ most promising drafted goalie prospect. Commesso is a product of the U.S. National Team Development Program, and he’s spent the past two seasons stopping pucks for the Boston University Terriers. Commesso isn’t a big goalie, but at six-foot-two he stands tall enough where size won’t be a concern for his ability to play in the NHL. Like many young goalies, Commesso has been a bit inconsistent, and he’s had brilliant games for the Terriers as well as games he’d like to move on from. His performance was enough for him to earn a spot with the United States Beijing Winter Olympics squad. Commesso is a poised goalie who rarely panics in the crease, carefully taking the time to square up to shooters and challenge incoming rushes. He moves very well in the crease, and his athleticism serves him well when his technique isn’t enough. Commesso will need to put together a more consistent college season before he’s ready to turn pro, and even if he does as soon as next season, he’s still likely a decent way away from the NHL. Ultimately, Commesso has a chance to become a starting goalie in the NHL if things break right. - EH

6 - Wyatt Kaiser D

Wyatt Kaiser’s game isn’t exactly a difficult one to get a handle on. What he does well is relatively easy to see, and he doesn’t go to any particularly great lengths to hide the things he needs to improve. The thing that sticks most about Kaiser is his skating. Kaiser moves exceptionally well. His skating checks all the boxes. He accelerates well, has the edgework to make quick turns, and remain an elusive presence when shuttling pucks through the neutral zone. He’s not an overwhelmingly deceptive skater, but he the shifts where he gives opposing skaters fits as they attempt to interrupt him are common enough to give confidence in his offensive projection. Kaiser also spent nearly as much time killing penalties as he did on the power play, and his speed allows him to get around the defensive zone quickly and get to loose pucks before heavier-footed opposing attackers. While Kaiser isn’t an overwhelming physical presence, he also isn’t shy about that side of the game and will get his hands dirty when he needs to. But just as Kaiser’s qualities as a skater are immediately evident, as are the shortcomings in his other offensive tools. Kaiser’s playmaking is fine, but he relies far more on his feet to create separation and chances than he does his abilities as a reader of the play and a facilitator of his teammates. The result of Kaiser’s less impressive other offensive tools is that his projection on that side of the ice as a pro is limited. Still, there’s enough to Kaiser’s game to give him NHL upside, and he could be a nice, well-rounded bottom-pairing piece if he continues to show he can weather difficult minutes and if he can find more ways to create offense beyond just using his excellent skating. - EH

7 - Alec Regula D

A hulking, right shot defender, Regula, much like the team’s other top pro prospects, is well positioned to become a full time NHL defender this coming season. He played in 15 games to close out last season and became fairly battle tested as the Hawks coaching staff had him playing over 20 minutes per game in all situations. Does that give him a leg up heading into the year? It does seem likely. The 6’4, former London Knights standout, combines his great length with great four-way mobility. For a defender of his size his skating ability is very impressive, and this can make him an asset at both ends of the ice. His offensive potential may be somewhat limited at the NHL level (unless Chicago opts to use him in the bumper role on the powerplay like London coach Dale Hunter used to), due to average transporting and passing skills, however his defensive potential is quite high. Regula has great instincts as a shot blocker and his reach is extremely disruptive when protecting the slot and the net front area. As he gains confidence, look for the physical side of his game to become relatively dominant too. A potential top four defender, Regula could reach that potential as early as this season on a rebuilding Chicago team. - BO

8 - Ethan Del Mastro D

The 105th overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft, Ethan Del Mastro had a great season as the captain of the Steelheads, displaying strength on both sides of the puck consistently. The former 12th overall selection in the 2019 OHL Draft had a good rookie season, finishing with seven points (7A) in 57 games. Unfortunately for Del Mastro, he was forced to miss the 2020-2021 season due to Covid-19. Fortunately for Del Mastro, he got the opportunity to play in the U18 World Championship. During the 2021-2022, Del Mastro had a breakout season, finishing with 48 points (7A,41A) in 68 games, which was 14th in the league for points by a defenseman, 10th in the league for assists by a defenseman, 2nd on the team for assists and 4th on the team for points. Del Mastro also got the opportunity to play in the U20 World Junior Championship. Del Mastro’s best assets are his competitiveness and physicality. Del Mastro is a strong defender who utilizes his size and reach to make it difficult on opponents trying to enter the offensive zone or find space in the slot. He’s consistently in the play and has the motor to out-battle opponents for the puck. He plays an aggressive style that forces opponents to second think about going into the corners because he’s so physical. Going into the 2022-2023 season, Del Mastro will once again be looked to be a leader for the Steelheads and be one of the best defensive defensemen in the league, and also one that every team will not look forward to play against. - DK

9 - Paul Ludwinski C

The 39^th overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, Paul Ludwinski is the type of player that any fan gets excited for when they’re on the ice. He brings such great energy each shift and seems to have a motor that never quits. Ludwinski was the 5th overall selection in the 2020 OHL Draft after a successful season as the captain of the Toronto Marlboros. He has always played a strong responsible game and displays great leadership. Unfortunately for Ludwinski, him and others were unable to play during the 2020-2021 season due to the Covid-19 shutdown. Ludwinski was able to adjust quickly to the OHL because of his hockey sense and responsible play. His role was limited due to being on a talented Frontenacs team, but he was still able to be effective and make the most of his minutes. When he was given to chance in the top-6 due to injuries, he never disappointed and looked like he belonged. Finishing the season with 43 points (16G,27A) in 67 games, Ludwinski was 6^th on his team in points, and also tied for first in goals in the playoffs with seven, also adding five assists as well in 11 games. Ludwinski’s best assets are his competitiveness and hockey sense, especially his play away from the puck. Each shift Ludwinski is on the ice, you know. You could argue that on the majority of his shifts, he is the hardest working player on the ice. He battles hard in the corners and never backs down from any opponents. Ludwinski is so effective because he does so much without the puck. He finds open space quickly and understands where to be at all times in all three zones. Making it easy for teammates to play with. Going into the 2022-2023 season, Ludwinski will look to take a step forward as he continues to grow as a strong 200ft player. - DK

10 - Arvid Soderblom G

Among AHL rookie netminders last season, Soderblom was a major standout. His .919 save percentage was second best behind AHL Goaltender of the Year Dustin Wolf among first year goalies. Needless to say, it was a very successful North American debut for the big Swedish netminder. As such, the Hawks actually cut ties with pretty much all other goalies previously in the pro system: a massive vote of confidence for Soderblom. With Drew Commesso likely still a few years away, he will have a solid chance to prove that he can be Chicago’s goaltender of the future. The former free agent signing out of Sweden takes away the bottom of the net so well with quick pads and strong lateral movement. He definitely has that combination of size and athleticism you want from the position today. Coming into his first pro season in North America, there were some concerns about his play tracking ability, positioning, and rebound control; essentially the technical elements, however all of these attributes proved to be further along in development than anticipated. As such, the Hawks find themselves with perhaps an NHL ready netminder. With only Alex Stalock and the injury prone Petr Mrazek in his way at the pro level, it seems inevitable that Soderblom gets more than a handful of games at the NHL level this coming season. However, there is also prevailing thought that suggests Chicago does not want to throw Soderblom to the wolves this season, given how poor the Blackhawks likely end up being. There is no need to rush him, especially given the strong potential he has thus far shown. - BO

11 - Isaak Phillips

The Hawks have high hopes for Phillips, a highly athletic defender with intriguing upside at both ends. He is probably more suited to a defensive role in the future, but he has improved considerably in recent seasons.

12 - Colton Dach

After trading older brother Kirby, the Hawks still have the younger Colton, who they drafted in 2021. His skating took a nice step forward this year and he may end up being one of the better forwards in the WHL this season.

13 - Nolan Allan

A surprise first rounder in 2021, Allan has a safe projection as an NHL defender because of his combination of size, mobility, and physicality. The hope is that his offensive game can continue to improve.

14 - Gavin Hayes

Hayes is a power winger with a big shot. He improved with each passing month in the OHL last season and could be a breakout candidate this year with consistent ice time and responsibility.

15 - Alex Vlasic

A similar prospect to Nolan Allan, Vlasic is also a big defender with mobility who has a chance to be a shutdown type for the Hawks. He jumped from Boston U straight to the NHL last season but may require some AHL time this year.

16 - Ryan Greene

Chicago’s second round selection this year, Greene is a skilled center with a strong skating stride. He will play for Boston University this season as a freshman.

17 - Landon Slaggert

The University of Notre Dame winger has a game tailored to be a standout bottom six winger in today’s NHL. He competes hard at both ends, skates well enough, and has strong off puck awareness.

18 - Josiah Slavin

The younger brother of NHL defender Jaccob, Josiah is a big winger who had a solid first full pro season after turning pro from Colorado College. He might be a full time NHL player this season.

19 - Michal Teply

A skilled playmaking winger, Teply is coming off his first full pro season in North America after playing a middle six role for Rockford. He will look to take on more responsibility and earn an NHL call up this season.

20 - Jaxson Stauber

The Hawks signed Stauber, a standout at Providence, as a free agent this offseason. The 6’3 netminder will likely back-up Soderblom in Rockford this season.

MCKEEN’S 2022 NHL DRAFT GUIDE: MOCK DRAFT #2

Sam Happi — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 12:08:00 +0000

*Of note, this mock draft was completed prior to the start of the Conference Finals, with Sam predicting how the results of those and the Stanley Cup would affect the end of the first round’s order.

Montreal Canadiens – C Shane Wright, Kingston Frontenacs, OHL

Expectations become high when you have the best OHL rookie season since Connor McDavid, and Wright has felt the other side of those expectations as his dominant, but not otherworldly so season has been perceived as underwhelming by many. In the grand scheme of things, though, Wright was still one of the OHL’s best players and no other draft eligible prospect has done enough to realistically unseat him as the draft’s top prospect. Wright’s wide-ranging offensive toolkit should make him the long-term number one centre for the Canadiens, a team who has struggled in past years to find talent for that position. They’ll be happy to be rid of that concern.

New Jersey Devils – C/W Matthew Savoie, Winnipeg Ice, WHL

Logan Cooley, despite having a strong case for the second-best player in the draft, doesn’t make a whole lot of sense for a Devils team that already has Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, especially since Cooley’s connecting ability and two-way play, integral parts of his skillset, wouldn’t be as valuable out on the wing. Kemell would have been the natural choice in the fall, but the second half of his season hasn’t been nearly as strong as the first. Matthew Savoie has had an excellent draft season, can play both centre or wing, and has a great deal of powerplay acumen that could help New Jersey form one of the league’s premier top units, especially with triggerman Alexander Holtz in the system.

Arizona Coyotes – C Logan Cooley, USNTDP U18, USHL

The Coyotes are in the opposite situation of the Devils, possessing no real depth at centre (or anywhere else, but centre is considered the most important position to build at), so whereas Cooley seemed like a tough fit with the Devils, he is an obvious one in Arizona. He’s an excellent centre for a team with a lot of rebuilding in front of them to draft. Cooley is a strong two-way player with very good but not exceptional offensive upside, possibly making him better suited for the latter side of an eventual one-two punch for the team at the centre position. Cooley could be able to act as an adequate number one centre for the time being, with the idea of eventually being supplanted in that role by the type of top-of-the-draft star centre who the Coyotes, who don’t seem near any sort of breakup with the high side of the draft lottery, should still have several chances to grab.

Seattle Kraken – RD David Jiricek, HC Plzen, Czechia

A big, well-rounded right-shot defenceman is the type of player who can really stabilize a club, and the Kraken, still very young in their existence, are a team in need of stabilizing. Building a blueline is easier with a player to build around; bringing in a potential top-pairing staple would allow the Kraken to begin to determine the future of their blueline. This draft, uniquely, has two players who fit the description above in David Jiricek and Simon Nemec (even more interesting is the fact that both of them play in minor European leagues in Czechia and Slovakia, respectively). Jirichek seems to be the better liked of the two by most scouts, although it’s possible the Kraken lean towards Nemec if they favour a little more offensive punch.

Philadelphia Flyers – LW Juraj Slafkovsky, TPS Turku, Liiga

I’m not sure the Flyers will have any particular disposition towards any sort of positional need– they have some solid prospects all around but could use a high-impact prospect at each one. I think there’s tremendous potential for a club to fall in love with at least one of the Finnish prospects of Kemell, Juraj Slafkovsky, or Brad Lambert. Each one has their own reason– scoring for Kemell, exceptional physicality for Slafkovsky, and great speed for Lambert– but Slafkovsky’s stellar Olympic games has his stock quite high right now whereas Kemell and Lambert have had tough second halves to their seasons.

Columbus Blue Jackets – RD Simon Nemec, HK Nitra, Slovakia

Columbus already has some forward depth to their roster and plenty of scorers between Patrik Laine, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Cole Sillinger, Kent Johnson, and Emil Bemstrom. Additionally, a team having just experienced their first season removed from Seth Jones might feel the pull of a similarly big and mobile right-shot defender like Simon Nemec. There isn’t much depth to the right side of the Jackets’ blueline beyond Adam Boqvist, so this seems like a natural selection. If one of Nemec or Jirichek remain on the board at this point, I’d expect them to jump on it.

Ottawa Senators – RW Joakim Kemell, JYP, Liiga

Cutter Gauthier has been mocked to the Senators plenty after their surprise selection of Tyler Boucher last year, but I don’t know if the Senators will be eager to reach for another NTDP power forward considering the way Boucher played this past season. Despite his struggles over the second half, Joakim Kemell demonstrated some very real offensive skill with the start to his season and I expect there to remain plenty of believers in his ability as a scorer. He’d be an opportunity for the Senators to bet on skill, more akin to their Stutzle selection than the so-far less successful Boucher pick.

Detroit Red Wings – C Conor Geekie, Winnipeg Ice, WHL

It’s always difficult to predict what Detroit might do; perhaps they’ll run it back with a Seider-esque selection if one of the European blueliners fall to them (they could certainly use another quality defenceman or two). But Jirichek and Nemec may very well be off the board by pick 8, which likely leaves Detroit shopping for forwards. Michael Rasmussen doesn’t look like the top-six centre the Wings hoped him to be, but I could see them going back to the WHL for a centre with similar size, but far more skill to his game.

Buffalo Sabres – RW Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Djurgardens IF, SHL

The Sabres finally have some talent throughout their roster, making this pick a matter of accumulating depth and filling out their roster. Lekkerimaki has substantial scoring punch and was excellent at whatever level he played at this season, making him a strong choice for that type of pick. Adding a scoring winger never hurts.

Anaheim Ducks – LD Denton Mateychuk, Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL

I really think Mateychuk has a good chance to jump into the top ten, a result of a combination of his excellent play this season and the apparent gap between the top two defenders in the class and the next grouping. The Ducks have some aging players on their blueline that will be up for replacement in the next few years, and Mateychuk brings an exceptional neutral zone game similar to Ducks’ long-term defenceman Jamie Drysdale. We’re seeing a lot of quick, aggressive defenders like Mateychuk find quick success, and I think the league is trending towards giving these types of defencemen more opportunities in the earlier stages of their careers.

San Jose Sharks – LD Pavel Mintyukov, Saginaw Spirit, OHL

The Sharks might also be inclined to go after a defenceman, given the uncertainty of their future at that position. Mintyukov had a bit of an up and down year, looking rather blunder-prone at first but settling things down over time. The one thing that is for sure is that Mintyukov has plenty of offensive skill: he’s extremely quick and agile, allowing him to walk the blueline and frequently activate forwards into the offensive zone. He has a strong set of hands and a good shot, making him a significant threat at those points. He put together an excellent season overall for Saginaw and played very well in the second half.

Columbus Blue Jackets – RW Danila Yurov, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL

I have the Jackets taking Nemec, a defenceman, with their first pick, so it makes sense for them to look for a forward prospect that might be slipping down the board a little with their second try. In this mock, that forward is Danila Yurov. Yurov is well-accustomed to the professional game with over forty KHL games under his belt, but also found enough time between regular KHL appearances to dominate the MHL, Russia’s top junior league. He’s a strong forward with good speed and skill who might not be too far off from the NHL.

New York Islanders – LW/C Cutter Gauthier, USNTDP, USHL

Gauthier may not quite have the skill of teammates Isaac Howard and Frank Nazar, but his well-rounded offensive profile and more pro-suited game seem to have made him the most draftable NTDP forward in the class, especially after a strong showing at the U18s. Gauthier is a fast, strong power forward who does well to find opportunities around the slot with which to use his good shot and he’s eager to throw his body around, a trait the Islanders may value. His upside isn’t tremendous but he’s the type of solid all-around player that fits well with the Islanders’ identity.

Winnipeg Jets – C/RW Brad Lambert, Pelicans, Liiga

Winnipeg is a decent team with pretty solid depth at all positions. They’re more in need of an additional difference-maker than further depth, so they may be inclined to take a shot on Brad Lambert. Lambert is a terrific skater with impressive puck skills who entered the year as a top three candidate but underwhelmed in his draft season and has thus far failed to establish himself as a real contributor in Finnish professional hockey. It won’t be surprising if Lambert fizzles out in a third line, Kasperi Kapanen type role where he has little to contribute beyond excellent speed, but it also wouldn’t be surprising if he finally figures out the pro game and becomes the star he has potential to be.

Vancouver Canucks – LD Kevin Korchinski, Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL

The Canucks blueline is in weird shape. The headliner, Quinn Hughes, is an outstanding player, but he’s followed by a couple of controversial veterans in Ekman-Larsson and Myers and then a hodge podge of so-so youngish players. It’s a blueline that could use another high-level prospect on the way, and so I think the Canucks may find themselves tempted with a player like Kevin Korchinski. Korchinski, a 6’2” defender for Seattle, exploded on to the draft scene with an absolutely stellar season that saw him total 61 assists in 67 WHL games. He’s a great skater with excellent vision up ice, a pair of traits which, combined with his frame, should make him difficult to pass up at this point in the draft.

Buffalo Sabres (from Vegas) – Frank Nazar C/RW Frank Nazar, USNTDP, USHL

Nazar is a dynamic forward with a lot of upside. Buffalo is extremely well-positioned to add some major talent at this draft– Lekkerimaki and Nazar would be a great haul, as would any combination of the players listed here. The small NTDP forward doesn’t always seem to be the type of players that NHL teams are super eager to snap up early at the draft, but they often go on to NHL success. Nazar is a great skater with impressive dual-threat offensive ability. He and teammate (and often linemate) Isaac Howard had similar statlines and are often ranked similarly, but I believe Nazar’s game is less perimeter-oriented and so he’s much more likely to be the first of the two to go at the draft.

Nashville Predators – LW Rutger McGroarty, USNTDP, USHL

Zachary L’Heureux and Fyodor Svechkov are the primary content of a Predators’ prospect pool that is rather weak overall. They could use a defensive prospect, but the next tier of defencemen is better suited for later in the first round, and the Preds’ forward group isn’t strong enough to justify forcing a defenceman. If they take a forward, they should be pretty happy with McGroarty: he’s a versatile offensive player with a great shot and good hands. Having three first-round calibre U20 forwards that can all play centre in the system is a luxury that Nashville would be happy to indulge in. McGroarty had a strong U18 tournament while captaining the American side.

Dallas Stars – LD Owen Pickering, Swift Current, WHL

If there’s a team that might reach a little on a defenceman in this range, it sure seems like it could be the Stars. They have some young firepower on its way on offence, but the blueline is one with little direction for the future. Heiskanen will lead the defence for a long time, but Thomas Harley is the only one of Heiskanen’s current supporting cast who doesn’t seem to be in his last few years with the club. Pickering is a 6’4” defenceman who skates well and rose throughout the season while putting up solid offensive results on a poor Swift Current team. He’s raw and has yet to really grow into his body but transports the puck fairly well and has a frame that NHL teams will like.

Los Angeles Kings – C Marco Kasper, Rogle BK, SHL

Kasper is a responsible 200-foot forward with professional experience in the Swedish league. He’s an effective physical player, winning battles around the boards and net, and does well finding space around the net for offensive opportunities. He captained Austria’s WJC team at the postponed tournament this winter and is a remarkably mature player who did not look out of place in the pro game. The Kings are currently made up of younger talent that supplement their older core, and Kasper is a player who could effectively support Kopitar and the offence in a 3C role before moving up to bigger things once the older core vacates their spots.

Washington Capitals – LW Liam Ohgren, Djurgardens IF, SHL

Ohgren has plenty of skill. He’s a shifty, agile skater that mixes gears well and can cut around defenders with ease. His wrist shot is a real weapon, and he has an intelligent eye as a playmaker. His 33 goals and 58 points in Swedish junior were quite the feat, not to mention the 25 SHL games that he played as an 18-year-old. Ohgren played alongside Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Noah Ostlund for Djurgarden’s J20, and most sources seem to have tabbed Lekkerimaki as the jewel of the trio, but Ohgren (and Ostlund) are no joke themselves. Ohgren was the highest scoring of the three and certainly has the skill to rival Lekkerimaki in my eyes; if a team snags him in this range, they’ll be very happy.

Pittsburgh Penguins – LW Isaac Howard, USNTDP, USHL

There isn’t much in the system here, so Pittsburgh might be inclined to take a bit of a shot with the idea of injecting some real talent to their depth chart. Howard is a dynamic offensive player that attacks defenders and scores a lot of goals, aided by a hard, deceptive shot. His 82 points in 60 games for the NTDP is an excellent mark and he excelled at the U18s, where he led the American squad in scoring. Howard’s aggressive offensive style, with him often going right at defenders one-on-one, can lead to quite a few turnovers and he’ll certainly need to make some adjustments for the pro game, but there’s no shortage of skill in this selection.

Anaheim Ducks – RW Jimmy Snuggerud, USNTDP, USHL

The Ducks already exceed their fair share of NTDP alumni, but Snuggerud’s booming shot and versatile game make him a strong fit for a team that is still filling out their forward ranks. Snuggerud is 6’2”, has a great shot, is responsible defensively, an effective forechecker, and can play some centre, which makes him about the exact type of player that every team would want to fill out their middle-six. A deficit of high-level playmaking ability will likely keep Snuggerud from any type of driving role in a top-six role, but he seems like a perfect fit for a complementary role. An effective day-to-day middle-six winger is solid value at this point in the draft and may be exactly what a Ducks team, that already has Trevor Zegras and Troy Terry, needs.

St Louis Blues – C/LW Jiri Kulich, Karlovy Vary, Czechia

Kulich’s two-way game should make him a good fit with the Blues’ identity and his stock is sure to be on the rise after a terrific display for the Czech side at the U18s. Kulich played in the Czech professional league and had a solid, unspectacular season, as is typical for his age. The scoring ability (he led the U18s with 9 goals in 6 games), skating, and overall well-roundedness that Kulich demonstrated at the U18s should have NHL teams bullish that there’s more to Kulich than what may have consistently shown at the pro level, and so he’s a candidate to rise on draft day.

Minnesota Wild – RD Seamus Casey, USNTDP, USHL

Casey’s 5’10”/161 lb frame is a difficult thing for a defenceman to overcome in his draft season without a spectacular offensive season, but the team that employs Jared Spurgeon should be especially aware that a small defenceman with skill and intelligence is very much capable of contributing at a high level. The Wild have their offensive weapons of the future in Kaprizov, Boldy, and Rossi, but haven’t given as much attention to their blueline yet. Casey provides a higher ceiling than some of the other defencemen that might garner late-first consideration and the current position of Minnesota’s blueline prospect pool is one where they should be shooting for impact players, not third-pair guys.

Toronto Maple Leafs – RW/C Filip Mesar, HK Poprad, Slovakia

Mesar played professional hockey in Slovakia, a bit of a difficult place to attract first round consideration but managed to catch the eye of scouts with a very strong Hlinka-Gretzky Cup and another solid pro season. He’s well-accustomed to playing above his age bracket, having two seasons of professional hockey and two U20 World Junior appearances under his belt at 18 years old. Mesar is a great skater with an excellent transition game, good hands and excellent passing skills, making him a nice fit for Toronto’s system. It would likely be ideal for Mesar to graduate out of the Slovakian league shortly and the Marlies could be a strong environment for him.

Montreal Canadiens – LW Ivan Miroshnichenko, Omsk Avangard, VHL

Miroshnichenko was pegged as a potential top-five prospect until his diagnosis with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma was announced in March. He’s a strong power forward with a top-notch shot and excellent hands. He can barrel to the slot and beat goaltenders from all over the ice, making him a very dangerous offensive threat. His health is the concern, as there’s no saying when he’ll be able to return to hockey. But one thing is for certain: Miroshnichenko is fully deserving of a high pick, and I hope that a team will recognize that and support him through his recovery. Montreal snagged Wright at number one, so they can afford to take on a little more risk with their second first-rounder.

Arizona Coyotes – RW Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL

Here’s a team that badly needs talent, and Jagger Firkus has plenty. He’s extremely slight at 5’10”, 154 lbs, but Firkus was exceptional for Moose Jaw with 80 points in 66 games. He’s elusive, shifty, has a great release, and is always looking to work the puck to the slot. He reminds me of Seth Jarvis in a lot of ways, but with a little less puck skill. Firkus needs to bulk up and Jarvis’ 180 lbs on a 5’10” frame should probably be about the target. Arizona’s perpetual rebuild seems far from complete, as always, so they can afford to give Firkus some time to add strength and develop.

Buffalo Sabres – D Tristan Luneau, Gatineau Olympiques, QMJHL

The Sabres have a third first rounder, having already grabbed forwards Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Frank Nazar in this mock. A former first overall pick in the QMJHL draft, Luneau had surgery last offseason and seemed to still be working his way up to full health for a good part of the year. He’s a two-way blueliner with a good outlet, a powerful shot, and a physical game. He’s fallen throughout the year as a result of his so-so draft season and rather average skating, but big right-shot defencemen that can chip in offensively are always prime targets at the draft and NHL teams might still view him highly.

Edmonton Oilers – D Ryan Chesley, USNTDP, USHL

With Evan Bouchard graduated and Philip Broberg knocking on the door, the Oilers are probably feeling that the time is just about right to bring in reinforcements to the prospect pool’s defensive corps. Chesley is a strong right-shot defenceman with an impressive transitional profile, consistently making the right reads on the breakout and moving the puck forwards efficiently. His offensive production wasn’t at the level usually seen from first round NTDP defenders, but he had a strong U18s and is ranked highly on Bob McKenzie’s scout poll, so this range isn’t unreasonable.

Tampa Bay Lightning – RW Jordan Dumais, Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL

Tampa hasn’t picked in the first round since 2019, so they’ll be looking to make the most out of this pick. Dumais ripped the QMJHL apart with 109 points in 68 games as a first-year draft-eligible but is most often ranked somewhere in the third round and didn’t even receive a combine invitation! He isn’t a great skater, doesn’t have the flashiest game, but is a highly intelligent forward with unreal offensive results. Current or former Lightning players like Brayden Point, Yanni Gourde, and Alex Barre-Boulet were overlooked by most teams for similar reasons, so I can see Tampa as one of the teams that will be interested in Dumais more than most.

Winnipeg Jets – C David Goyette, Sudbury Wolves, OHL

Goyette was an OHL rookie this season, since there were no games last year. He didn’t need much time to acclimatize though, immediately becoming Sudbury’s top-line centre as Quinton Byfield graduated to the NHL. As could be expected considering the circumstances, it was a bit of an up-and-down year for Goyette, but his season rates as quite impressive on an overall level. He skates well, has lots of puck skill, and was a dangerous scorer right from the get-go, but struggled with consistency throughout the year as he was effectively kept to the outside of the ice on some nights. Still, there’s lots of skill here and he deserves credit for putting together a nice season after being thrown right into the fire.

Arizona Coyotes – RW Adam Sykora, HK Nitra, Slovakia

This is pick number three for Arizona and the second near the end of the first round. Adam Sykora makes a fascinating upside pick for a team that already has eggs in a couple of baskets. He’s very young for the draft and won’t be eighteen until September, and yet he has two seasons of professional hockey in Slovakia under his belt and scored two goals in six games for Slovakia at the World Championships, where he was the youngest player in the tournament. He skates well, can score goals around the net, and has a very strong defensive game. This draft is loaded with talent from some of the smaller European hockey nations.

MCKEEN’S 2022 NHL DRAFT GUIDE: MOCK DRAFT #1

Zack Szweras — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 20:58:32 +0000

*Of note, this mock draft was completed prior to the start of the Conference Finals, with Zack predicting how the results of those and the Stanley Cup would affect the end of the first round’s order.

Montreal Canadiens: C Shane Wright, Kingston Frontenacs, OHL

While there has been speculation on who the Canadiens should select at first overall, Shane Wright is the clear-cut answer. Wright, who gained exceptional player status into the OHL at age 15 has been destined for NHL success from a young age. While his elite brain and two-way game are strong reasons for him to be selected first overall, he also produced this season putting up 94 points in 64 games for the Frontenacs. Wright provides the Canadiens with a potential top-six centre to pair with some already promising young talent with the likes of Kaiden Guhle, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and more.

New Jersey Devils: LW Juraj Slafkovsky, TPS Turku, Liiga

There was a large internal debate for this pick between Slafkovsky and Logan Cooley. While I feel Cooley may be the better prospect, Slafkovsky seems to be the perfect fit for the upcoming New Jersey team. Some NHL scouts believe Slafkovsky is close to NHL ready as he has NHL size and has already shown he knows how to use it, having great puck control and combining it with a good skating stride. The Devils already have a good centre depth with Hughes, Hischier and Mercer, adding the likes of Slafkovsky will fill a weakness on the wings and provide much needed scoring depth. A potential line of Slafkovsky-Hughes-Holtz should have Devils fans salivating.

Arizona Coyotes: C Logan Cooley, USNTDP U18, USHL

Arizona is in need of almost everything, so why not draft a centre who can do just about anything. Cooley is the perfect fit for the rebuilding Coyotes. He provides some elite offensive skill, including some wizardry with the puck on his stick, as well as solid play off the puck. Arizona has a shocking seven picks in the first two rounds. This should be a franchise defining draft for them and no better way to start it than securing a centre who should slot into their top-six in the next couple seasons. If Arizona is smart, they will send him to college for one year, let him develop and pair him with whatever top pick they get in next year’s draft.

Seattle Kraken: RD Simon Nemec, HK Nitra, Slovakia

Seattle’s GM Ron Francis looks to continue building his team from scratch, this year adding a potential franchise defenceman in Simon Nemec. After focusing on adding a franchise centre last year in Matty Beniers, Nemec adds a reliable force on the back end. Nemec’s game favours his offensive skill putting up 26 points in 39 games against men in the Slovakian league. He has also faced NHL competition participating in the World Championship where he has played nearly 19 minutes a night. Adding Nemec could give Seattle a bit clearer of an identity and direction the team is trying to build.

Philadelphia Flyers: RD David Jiricek, HC Plzen, Czechia

Philadelphia is in desperate need of a fresh start. With the end of their old core with the departure of long-time captain Claude Giroux, it is finally time for them to build a new core. While they made some bold decisions acquiring Rasmus Ristolainen and Ryan Ellis, the best decision they can make is adding the towering, bruising, hard hitting David Jiricek. Unfortunately, due to a knee injury suffered in the World Juniors, Jiricek has not been able to show his growth and development for the majority of this season. However, he has shown enough raw skills, with his strong skating, hard shot and use of his big body to warrant a selection inside the top five. While it may take him a little longer to get to the NHL, he can turn into a homerun pick for the Flyers at five.

Columbus Blue Jackets (Via CHI): C/W Matthew Savoie, Winnipeg Ice, WHL

With their first of two first round picks, the Blue Jackets should elect to go the skill route and take the WHL rookie scoring leader Matthew Savoie who finished with 90 points in 65 games. The Blue Jackets received this pick from Chicago as part of the Seth Jones trade last year and look to continue to add to their deep prospect pool. After drafting the likes of Kent Johnson and Cole Slinger, there should be no reason why Columbus doesn’t take a flyer on Savoie and hope to round out his game around his elite skill. If one of the two right-handed defenceman, Nemec or Jiricek, make it to this slot at six, there is no doubt that Columbus will snatch them up.

Ottawa Senators: C Conor Geekie, Winnipeg Ice, WHL

This is probably one of the hardest picks to predict at this point. There is no certainty if Ottawa will keep this pick or deal it for immediate help, and if they do keep it who knows if they go off the board like last year. Now to get to who I believe they will take if they keep this pick, is Conor Geekie, brother of Seattle Kraken Morgan Geekie. One large hole in the Ottawa depth chart is at centre, and Geekie fits the mold of a Senators’ centre with a large frame, physical and high-end skill with slick puck handling and long reach to complement. There are concerns about his skating stride and if he will be able to keep up with NHL-level speed, but Ottawa takes the risk given his other attributes.

Detroit Red Wings: C/RW Brad Lambert, Pelicans, Liiga

It is no secret that the Red Wings need centre depth, kind of like the Senators. With this pick Steve Yzerman takes the speedy, skillful Finnish player that many have slid down their board due to poor production in Brad Lambert. If you watch the way Lambert plays the game, he deserves to be in the conversation for a top 10 pick. If any GM is willing to take the gamble on him it would be Yzerman, who has taken the risk before, for example Mo Seider and that has worked out pretty well. Lambert is in desperate need of a change of scenery. His game is probably better suited for North American style of play, so it will be interesting to see if whichever team drafts him brings him over to the CHL, with his rights currently owned by Saskatoon.

Buffalo Sabres: RW Joakim Kemell, JYP, Liiga

Back-to-back Finnish stars, who used to be teammates go in this mock draft. Buffalo with their first of three picks in this first round take one of the best scorers in this draft class in Joakim Kemell. Buffalo is in need of pretty much everything as they are finally starting to rebuild correctly, Kemell adds much needed scoring depth and an offensive piece to build around. As much as a centre would be ideal given the lack of depth after the Eichel trade, it is not worth it to reach for a centre here when they could draft one later with one of their other three picks.

Anaheim Ducks: LW/C Cutter Gauthier, USNTDP, USHL

The Ducks are in a fun phase in their rebuild, one where they are starting to win with their youth, however not winning enough to allow them to add a couple more pieces to their future core. The right piece for them is Cutter Gauthier. Gauthier has had a tremendous season for the NTDP playing mainly on the wing of Logan Cooley and providing scoring chances for himself and his teammates. At 6’2, Gauthier has a nice combination of size and speed which he uses to be effective in transition as well as on defence. Already having strong future centre depth lined up with Zegras, McTavish and Lundestrom, adding a scoring winger like Gauthier to complement will only boost them in the future.

San Jose Sharks: RW Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Djurgardens IF, SHL

After selecting William Eklund out of Djurgardens last year with their first pick, they go to the same well again selecting his teammate, Jonathan Lekkerimaki. Going into the year, Lekkerimaki was mainly known for his shot and goal scoring ability. However, as the year progressed, it was evident that Lekkerimaki was improving his playmaking ability and was starting to make smarter decisions with the puck. Looking at the Sharks prospect pool, they have plenty of playmakers, but are lacking true finishers, adding a player like Lekkerimaki could be an important piece in their rebuild.

Columbus Blue Jackets: LD Kevin Korchinski, Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL

With their second pick in this draft, the Blue Jackets decide to go the defensive route, taking WHL offensive standout Kevin Korchinski. Korchinski was a playmaking machine this season producing 61 assists in 67 games for the Thunderbirds. He also has a strong combination of size and speed which he uses in transition and in the offensive end, to fend off oppositions and advance play offensively. The biggest knock on Korchinski is his lack of defensive awareness and his over-aggression to make a play. However, Columbus is willing to take a chance on him given his enormous offensive talent who has the ability to be a powerplay quarterback. After trading Seth Jones last year, adding Korchinski could help strengthen the backend of this retooling team.

New York Islanders: C Marco Kasper, Rogle BK, SHL

The Islanders are in a weird phase of aging veterans with very little in the cupboards in terms of the future. With what seems like their first lottery pick in forever, the Islanders decide to continue to build on their centre depth taking Austrian centre Marco Kasper. Kasper has spent the last couple seasons playing for a strong SHL team in Rogle and has proven to be a well-rounded player. Some of the skills he possesses include his long reach which he uses to defend well against men and his skating, which scouts rave about, especially his four-way mobility. While his offensive game is in question, given his low production in the SHL, he finished the SHL playoffs with 6 points in 13 games which is extremely impressive for an SHL player in his draft year.

Winnipeg Jets: LD Pavel Mintyukov, Saginaw Spirit, OHL

After focusing on drafting forwards in the past couple of drafts, the Jets decide to take a defenceman with their lottery pick this year. Granted Mintyukov is more of an offensive player than a defensive one. When Mintyukov has possession of the puck, look out, he is creative, speedy and aggressive with the puck, often moving it up ice to create offensive chances for Saginaw. His defensive efforts are concerning at times; however, some may be due to the unusual defensive play of Saginaw as a team. If the Jets draft Mintyukov and can fix some of the defensive issues, they will be left with a future top-pairing defenceman.

Vancouver Canucks: C/RW Frank Nazar, USNTDP, USHL

The Canucks are looking to add more offensive talent to their prospect pool and Frank Nazar will give you exactly that. Nazar has played the centre position almost exclusively this year for the USNTDP program but given his small stature at 5’10 a move to the wing in the NHL may be likely. Nazar has a great combination of speed and talent, often taking the puck from his own end and transitioning the puck into the offensive zone. Nazar was given the opportunity to play both special teams on top of being a top-six centre and has been able to make game-altering plays on both. His defensive game is probably the biggest concern as of now as at times he looks lost and unwilling to engage physically. Nazar could be a nice fit next to the likes of Elias Petterson and Brock Boeser for years to come.

Buffalo Sabres (Via VGK): LW Liam Ohgren, Djurgardens IF, SHL

With their second selection in the first round, Buffalo will go the Swedish route taking winger Liam Ohgren. At this point in their rebuild, Buffalo should focus on grabbing the best player available and not worry about positional depth. After drafting Isak Rosen out of Sweden last year and having three first round picks they may be likely to take at least one of the three Swedish forwards who project as first rounders (Lekkerimaki, Ostlund and Ohgren). With Ohgren, Buffalo will be getting another strong motor offensive player. Ohgren is a hard worker who relies on his strength and above average shot to attack defenders. Adding both Kemell and Ohgren could boost the goal scoring depth of Buffalo’s farm system.

Nashville Predators: RW Danila Yurov, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, KHL

While there is some speculation that Russian players may fall in the draft due to the uncertainty of getting players over to North America, Nashville takes a chance on a player with top-10 talent in Danila Yurov. Nashville has a history over the last couple of years of drafting out of Russia with the likes of Fyodor Svechkov, Yegor Afanasyev and Yaroslav Askarov. Yurov is a bit of an interesting case for this year’s draft. He split time between the MHL and the KHL, where he dominated play in the MHL and then, when he was in the KHL, they would barely play him making it tough for evaluators to get a good read of his play against men. Yurov clearly has skill when you watch him play, often being able to combine his puck handling and speed to get around defenders. He also provides strong backchecking and defensive play as a forward. Time will tell if Yurov can develop into a strong middle-six winger.

Dallas Stars: LW Isaac Howard, USNTDP, USHL

The Dallas Stars have been killing it with their drafts over the past couple of years, taking players like Wyatt Johnston, Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque. They decide to continue adding to their forward pool by taking USNTDP winger Isaac Howard. Howard is an excellent player in transition, often understanding where the open lanes are on the ice and exploiting them. His best attribute is his shot, which has a quick release with good accuracy. When watching Howard play, he often drives play on a line with Frank Nazar on it. Howard could use some work on his skating and overall defensive play, but he could turn out to be another strong offensive forward for the Stars who are currently shifting into this new core.

Los Angeles Kings: C/LW Jiri Kulich, Karlovy Vary, Czechia

The Kings are finally shifting out of their rebuild into a contending team with the majority of their young talent coming up and contributing already. While they could go the defensive route and add a defender like Mateychuk, Pickering or Bichsel, they decide to continue adding offensive playmakers in Jiri Kulich. Kulich is coming off of winning the MVP award at the U18 tournament, which featured the likes of Logan Cooley, Frank Nazar, Connor Bedard and more. He is another player who skates well and is heavily involved in transition. When in the offensive zone, his number one tool is his shot, something that was featured in the U18 tournament, leading the tournament in scoring with nine goals in six games. Kulich has the chance to stick down the middle at centre but could also be moved to the wing depending on the Kings’ need.

Washington Capitals: LD Denton Mateychuk, Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL

The Capitals dominant era is near the end, and they are probably starting to look at how to retool their farm system. While they currently have a lot of talent up front, it makes sense to add to the backend and take a prospect like Denton Mateychuk. Mateychuk is another high-flying offensively talented defenceman. He uses his speed to help transition the puck well and join the rush. When in the offensive zone, he is able to find the open passing lanes and set his teammates up. Mateychuk is also a fine defender, not outstanding but good enough to warrant a selection here.

Pittsburgh Penguins: LW Rutger McGroarty, USNTDP, USHL

Just like the Capitals, all signs point towards the end of a strong era in Pittsburgh with the likes of Malkin and Letang potentially out the door. While Pittsburgh’s prospect pool is fairly bare, they look to add a player with leadership, physicality and goal scoring ability in Rutger McGroarty. The captain of the USNTDP McGroarty has led this strong group of players to many wins this season, often helping by scoring 35 goals in 54 games. With the old Pittsburgh core out the door, it is nice to start the new core with a player with his kind of leadership.

Anaheim Ducks (Via BOS): LW Ivan Miroshnichenko, Omsk Avangard, VHL

It was a tragic moment in the hockey world when it was announced that Ivan Miroshnichenko was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. There is positive encouragement about his progression through Lymphoma, making teams think about using their first-round pick on him. The Ducks with multiple picks in the first round decide to take a chance on Miroshnichenko in hopes that he can get back to the level of hockey he was playing and turn into a top-six power forward. Miroshnichenko has a good combination of size and speed which he uses to protect the puck and cycle play. On top of that he also has a wicked shot, something which carried him to be a consensus top-5 pick at the start of the year.

St. Louis Blues: LD Owen Pickering, Swift Current, WHL

St. Louis is another one of those weird teams rocking an aging core, although their window seems to be more open than some others. The biggest hole in their depth chart and prospect pool seems to be defence, so they decide to add to it by taking the towering defenceman out of Swift Current, Owen Pickering. Pickering plays his game with good size and speed, often leading his team in zone exits and entries transitioning play to the offensive end. On top of his mobility and transition game, he also uses his size and speed to close gaps easily and lay the body when necessary. There is a bit of limited offensive upside in Pickering’s play but adding a reliable big puck moving defenceman at this point in the draft is worth it for the Blues.

Minnesota Wild: RW/C Filip Mesar, HK Poprad, Slovakia

Mesar is often the forgotten Slovakian in this year’s draft. Everyone knows the big names of Slafkovsky and Nemec and even Adam Sykora is getting attention after his play at the World Championship. Mesar should not be forgotten and probably will end up being a steal if he falls down to 24th overall. Mesar’s bread and butter is his smooth skating and strong playmaking ability. When he has the puck, he always has his eyes up scanning the ice for open teammates and a lane to feed the puck through. Minnesota has a knack for finding talent throughout the draft and it will not shock me if they find more talent, this time with Mesar. Minnesota is also reaching some cap trouble and may need to rely more heavily on some of their prospects developing soon. Mesar has already played against men in the Slovakian league the past two seasons.

Toronto Maple Leafs: RW Gleb Trikozov, Omsk Yastreby, MHL

Gleb Trikozov is one of the most polarizing prospects this year, even between our own scouts, there are people who absolutely love his game and some who don’t see how he will make much of an impact. I am one of the people who love Trikozov’s game. He has a strong combination of size and speed as well as slick hands, dominating play in the MHL. In transition it is nearly impossible to stop Trikozov as he brings the puck into the offensive end and when he is in the offensive end, he has the playmaking and scoring skills to generate scoring chances. Toronto is another team who has drafted plenty from Russia in the past and strikes me as a team not afraid to do so again.

Montreal Canadiens (Via CGY): RD Sam Rinzel, Waterloo Black Hawks, USHL

With their second pick in the first round, Montreal should focus on upgrading their defensive depth. Rinzel seems to fit the mold the new Canadiens’ regime is aiming for. He has a great toolkit with strong skating ability, good offensive game and size to back it up standing at 6’4. Rinzel may be more of a project than some other defencemen in this draft, however the upside he provides with his raw talent and good athletic ability is too tempting for a rebuilding team like Montreal to pass up on.

Arizona Coyotes (Via CAR): LD Lian Bichsel, Leksands IF, SHL

As mentioned up above, Arizona is in need of everything looking at their current roster and prospect pool. In Bichsel, Arizona is getting a strong defender who is already proving himself as a regular in Sweden’s top league the SHL. While he may not be the flashiest defender or have much offensive game, he provides good defensive intangibles including a long reach, physicality and good gap control. Even if his offence does not translate to the NHL Bichsel should make it as a regular on his defence alone. Adding Bichsel strengthens the backend prospect wise for Arizona, who can continue strengthening their prospect pool with five more picks left in the first two rounds.

Buffalo Sabers (Via FLA): C Noah Ostlund, Djurgardens IF, SHL

With their final pick in the first round, Buffalo addresses their lack of centre depth by taking a second Swedish player from the Djurgardens system in Noah Ostlund. Ostlund is a playmaking centre who plays well in transition due to his combination of speed and puck skills. What is more impressive about Ostlund is his play off the puck, always putting himself in position to be open allowing his teammates to rely on him when they are in trouble. Ostlund put up strong numbers in the Swedish junior league producing 33 assists in 32 games. Adding both Ostlund and Ohgren as they have done in this mock draft, would give Buffalo a pair of teammates who complement each other.

Edmonton Oilers: RW Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL

After making a deep playoff run this year, Edmonton is in a position to add to their offensive depth. This time taking Jagger Firkus, a winger with some of the best stickhandling ability in this draft. When Firkus has the puck on his stick, there is always a strong possibility of him pulling off an insanely creative move. On top of his puck skills, Firkus also has a speedy shot, with a quick release that can fool goaltenders. He was also one of the top rookie producers in the WHL this year, finishing the season with 36 goals and 80 points in 66 games for the Warriors. While Edmonton is very top heavy with their talent with McDavid, Draisaitl, Hyman and more, adding Firkus can provide them with depth scoring and a middle-six piece for the future.

Tampa Bay Lightning: RD Seamus Casey, USNTDP, USHL

Tampa Bay’s farm system needs some replenishing and without first round picks in 2023 and 2024 they need to hit on this pick. With their pick, the Lightning decide to add to their defensive depth by taking USNTDP defenceman Seamus Casey. Casey is most comfortable in the offensive zone, using his strong playmaking ability to find teammates for good scoring chances. Casey was the USNTDP’s primary powerplay quarterback, using his playmaking ability to set up plenty of powerplay goals. The knock on Casey is that his defence is just okay, and his skating could be a problem once he reaches the NHL level, but the Lightning, who have developed a ton of players that are now on their Stanley Cup roster, are not worried about it and hope to turn him into a top-four defenceman.

Winnipeg Jets (Via NYR): C Nathan Gaucher, Quebec Remparts, QMJHL

With rumours circulating about Mark Scheifele potentially being dealt, it makes sense for the Jets to use their second first round pick on a centre. The Jets acquired this first round pick through the deadline deal with the Rangers for Andrew Copp. With Nathan Gaucher, the Rangers are getting a big bruising forward who uses his physicality in both the offensive and defensive end. In the offensive zone he is a strong net-front presence players, often winning positioning and puck battles extending offensive play for his team. The biggest flaws in Gaucher’s game are his poor skating and lack of awareness. Gaucher seems to have a safe floor as a bottom-six centre providing value physically, however the upside seems limited.

Arizona Coyotes (Via COL): C Owen Beck, Mississauga Steelheads, OHL

With their last pick in the first round Arizona should focus on continuing to improve their centre depth by selecting Owen Beck. Beck is another example of a two-way centre as he uses his combination of good speed and puck skills to help in transition, the offensive zone, on the penalty kill, basically wherever Mississauga needs him. While Beck is a well-rounded player, there isn’t much about his game that stands out as being great, which is why he projects as a top-nine centre. If Beck can add some muscle and improve physically, he will be an important bottom-six swiss army knife who can contribute on both special teams. Arizona can afford to give him as much time as he needs to develop considering they are in the thick of a rebuild.

Kevin Korchinski – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Team Preview

FORWARD

DEFENCE

GOAL

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Opportunities in deployment in the very early going – Boeser, Donato, Couturier, Paul, Newhook and more!

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #1

Top 2o Chicago Blackhawks Prospects

1. Connor Bedard - C

2. Lukas Reichel - LW

3. Kevin Korchinski - D

4. Frank Nazar

5. Oliver Moore

6. Sam Rinzel

7. Drew Commesso

8. Nick Lardis

9. Ethan Del Mastro

10. Ilya Safonov

11. Colton Dach

12. Alex Vlasic

13. Adam Gajan

14. Nolan Allen

15. Roman Kantserov

16. Gavin Hayes

17. Ryan Greene

18. Cole Guttman

19. Wyatt Kaiser

20. Paul Ludwinski

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK: FANTASY PROSPECT RANKINGS – Top 30 Forwards – Top 20 Defense – top 10 Goalies

Forwards

Connor Bedard, C – Chicago Blackhawks

Logan Cooley, C – Arizona Coyotes

Matvei Michkov, RW – Philadelphia Flyers

Marco Rossi, C – Minnesota Wild

Leo Carlsson, C – Anaheim Ducks

Lukas Reichel, LW/RW – Chicago Blackhawks

Shane Wright, C – Seattle Kraken

Dylan Guenther, LW/RW – Arizona Coyotes

Logan Stankoven, C – Dallas Stars

Jakob Pelletier, LW – Calgary Flames

Ryan Leonard, C/LW – Washington Capitals

William Eklund, LW – San Jose Sharks

Frank Nazar, C/RW – Chicago Blackhawks

Jimmy Snuggerud, C – St. Louis Blues

Zach Benson, RW – Buffalo Sabres

Cutter Gauthier, C/LW – Philadelphia Flyers

Matt Coronato, RW/LW – Calgary Flames

Alexander Holtz, LW – New Jersey Devils

Mavrik Bourque, C – Dallas Stars

Brennan Othmann, LW – New York Rangers

Will Smith, C – San Jose Sharks

Jiri Kulich, C – Buffalo Sabres

Tyson Foerster, RW – Philadelphia Flyers

Luke Evangelista, RW – Nashville Predators

Ridly Greig, C/LW – Ottawa Senators

Matthew Savoie, C – Buffalo Sabres

Nick Robertson, LW – Toronto Maple Leafs

Luke Hughes, LD – New Jersey Devils

Brandt Clarke, RD – Los Angeles Kings

Lane Hutson, LD – Montreal Canadiens

David Jiricek, RD – Columbus Blue Jackets

Simon Nemec, RD – New Jersey Devils

Olen Zellweger, LD – Anaheim Ducks

Simon Edvinsson, LD – Detroit Red Wings

Scott Perunovich, LD – St. Louis Blues

Pavel Mintyukov, LD – Anaheim Ducks

Denton Mateychuk, LD – Columbus Blue Jackets

Kevin Korchinski, LD – Chicago Blackhawks

Alexander Nikishin, LD – Carolina Hurricanes

Jordan Spence, RD – Los Angeles Kings

Thomas Harley, LD – Dallas Stars

Ville Heinola, LD – Winnipeg Jets

Lukas Cormier, LD – Vegas Golden Knights

Henry Thrun, LD – San Jose Sharks

Emil Andrae, LD – Philadelphia Flyers

Ryker Evans, LD – Seattle Kraken

Axel Sandin-Pellikka, RD – Detroit Red Wings

Devon Levi, Buffalo Sabres

Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild

Dustin Wolf, Calgary Flames