Mathieu Cataford – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #26 Vegas Golden Knights – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 18:00:40 +0000

Björklövens Jakob Ihs-Wozniak
Photo: Johan Löf / BILDBYRÅ

Prospect System Ranking – 26th (Last Year - 30th)

GM: Kelly McCrimmon Hired: September 2019
COACH: John Tortorella Hired: March 2026

Draft capital has never been a top priority for the Vegas Golden Knights. That approach is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that they have made just four selections in each of the past three drafts. But when a franchise has reached the playoffs in eight of its first nine seasons — including two Stanley Cup Final appearances and a championship — the urgency to build through the draft becomes far less pressing.

Since entering the league in 2018, Vegas has consistently leveraged its premium picks and prospects as currency to acquire proven NHL talent. Of the organization’s eight total first-round selections, only one remains in the system: Trevor Connelly. Now beginning his professional career, the 20-year-old forward has shown early signs that his offensive production can translate to the AHL level. Despite missing time due to injury, Connelly has produced at nearly a point-per-game pace as one of the Henderson Silver Knights’ most dynamic forwards.

Between the pipes, Carl Lindbom (140th) has also turned heads during his rookie campaign with Henderson. Despite the Silver Knights struggling to remain highly competitive, the young goaltender has posted a strong 12–5–6 record, accounting for half of the club’s wins while already earning appearances with the NHL squad in Vegas. Connelly and Lindbom headline a group of young Silver Knights prospects who dominate the organization’s rankings, including Lukas Cormier (168th), Viliam Kmec, Mathieu Cataford, Tuomas Uronen, Jakub Brabenec, and Ben Hemmerling.

The reality, however, is that Vegas continues to operate with one of the league’s thinnest prospect pools. For the Golden Knights, prospects are rarely viewed as long-term cornerstones. And in Vegas, the deck can always change overnight.

NHL	RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	2024-25 TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
VGK	1	Trevor Connelly	LW	20	6-1/160	Henderson (AHL)	46	14	35	49	18
VGK	2	Jakob Ihs Wozniak	RW	19	6-3/190	Bjorkloven (Allsvenskan)	36	9	14	23	12
VGK	3	Carl Lindbom	G	23	6-1/165	Henderson (AHL)	35	24	5	2.16	0.926
VGK	4	Lukas Cormier	D	24	5-11/190	Henderson (AHL)	49	8	39	47	32
VGK	5	Tuomas Uronen	RW	21	5-11/180	Henderson (AHL)	57	12	8	20	34
VGK	6	Pavel Moysevich	G	21	6-7/190	SKA-VMF St. Petersburg (VHL)	10	5	3	2.41	0.917
VGK	7	Lucas Van Vliet	C	20	6-2/180	St. Thomas (NCAA)	37	14	21	35	21
VGK	8	Mateo Nobert	C	18	6-0/170	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	62	30	48	78	14
VGK	9	Matyas Sapovaliv	C	22	6-3/180	Henderson (AHL)	72	18	17	35	8
VGK	10	Ben Hemmerling	RW	22	5-10/160	Henderson (AHL)	68	21	29	50	16
VGK	11	Mathieu Cataford	C	21	5-11/185	Henderson (AHL)	59	3	10	13	24
VGK	12	Jakub Brabenec	C	22	6-1/175	Henderson (AHL)	62	12	19	31	34
VGK	13	Jozef Viliam Kmec	D	22	6-1/200	Henderson (AHL)	65	4	12	16	27
VGK	14	Cameron Whitehead	G	22	6-3/170	Tahoe (ECHL)	24	12	9	3.01	0.921
VGK	14	Cameron Whitehead	G	22	6-3/170	Henderson (AHL)	17	6	7	3.54	0.873
VGK	15	Alex Weiermair	C	21	6-1/190	Portland (WHL)	66	37	56	93	28
VGK	15	Alex Weiermair	C	21	6-1/190	Tahoe (ECHL)	2	0	1	1	0

1. Trevor Connelly, LW, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

Trevor Connelly’s game is all about speed and skill. He’s an extremely quick winger who can get up to top speed in almost no time, and he can use his blazing speed to burn NHL-level defenders. Connelly is also extremely skilled with the puck; his hands are fantastic and he can make plays to his linemates that seem impossible to the naked eye. Much was made of the fact that Connelly left Providence College after one season, but he has been good this year offensively with the Silver Knights in a feature role (36GP, 11-27-38), even though he has missed time this year due to injury. Like any young player, Connelly’s defensive zone game is still a work in progress, but he’s never going to be counted upon to shut players down at the next level. Connelly ultimately projects as a top six forward who can be an offensive difference maker at the NHL level, but he still needs more time at the AHL level to grow stronger and round out his game.

2. Jakob Ihs Wozniak, RW, IF Björklöven (Allsvenskan)

Ihs Wozniak has taken an important step in his development this season through increased opportunity at the professional level. He began the year in the SHL with Luleå but moved on loan to Björklöven in Allsvenskan, where he has made a strong impact in a larger role. The move has clearly benefited his development, giving him more ice time and responsibility and allowing his game to grow in a bigger role. His overall play looks more composed, particularly in how he manages pace and makes decisions under pressure. His strengths are built around mobility, work rate, and situational awareness, with clear offensive instincts as a finisher. He has also shown flashes of the scoring touch that defined his U20 play. While that finishing ability is still developing at the professional level, his confidence attacking scoring areas and releasing pucks quickly is trending upward. Areas for continued growth include adding strength and improving shift-to-shift consistency. From a projection standpoint, Ihs Wozniak projects as a developing role player with offensive upside, with the potential to grow into a middle six scoring option if his progression continues. His most realistic path involves continued development at the professional level, with NHL consideration dependent on physical development and consistent performance over time.

3. Carl Lindbom, G, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

Carl Lindbom is a decent-sized goalie with nice athleticism who has really put together some excellent play over the past couple of seasons, especially this year with the Henderson Silver Knights (35GP, 24-5-8, 2.16 GAA, 0.926 SV%), his second season in North America. Lindbom’s game is all about his athleticism in the crease; he’s fantastic at propelling his body to make those near-impossible saves, and he can extend his body to make it seem like he’s bigger in the crease than his 6-foot-1 frame suggests. Lindbom does need to continue to work on his rebound control, as he is prone to giving out juicy rebounds every now and then, but he does compete hard in the crease, especially when he has to fight through heavy net-front traffic. Lindbom needs more time to build experience in his game at the AHL level, but he is tracking well and it looks like he might have the tools to become a future starting goalie at the NHL level.

4. Lukas Cormier, D, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

Lukas Cormier has really revived his status as an NHL prospect with his excellent play this season for the Henderson Silver Knights (49 GP, 8-39-47). Cormier dealt with the injury bug last season, and it really put his prospect status with the Vegas Golden Knights on hold. This season, however, Cormier has really taken off offensively as the main point man for the Silver Knights. Cormier’s game is all about his offensive awareness; he is a very smart defender who is great at shooting for rebounds, but he can also make a quick dish to set a teammate up from the flank. Cormier’s not the biggest of players, however, and there are times in his own zone when he’s too easy to knock off the puck. At the NHL level, Cormier will not be expected to play on a penalty kill, but he will need to show that he is capable of playing regular five-on-five minutes in his own zone. Cormier’s getting there, and he should get his opportunity in the NHL very soon.

5. Tuomas Uronen, RW, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

Tuomas Uronen might be a bit of an unknown to many Golden Knights fans, but he has had a good rookie season so far with the Henderson Silver Knights at the AHL level (57GP, 12-8-20) in a depth role. Uronen’s game is all about his intelligence with and without the puck; he knows where to be positionally to get the puck back from the opposition, but he’s also an underrated playmaker who can create scoring opportunities out of nothing for his linemates. Uronen’s also gotten to utilize his underrated shot this season and has cashed in goals from some of the more difficult areas of the ice. Uronen does need to work on his physicality, especially in his own zone, but he is tracking well as a future depth contributor for the Vegas Golden Knights. He probably doesn’t have enough high-end skill to become an offensive contributor at the NHL level, but a long career as a middle six two-way player is not out of the question for the young player from Finland.

6. Pavel Moysevich, G, St. Petersburg (VHL)

Moysevich is back in the VHL following a disappointing season in the KHL last year. The 6-foot-7 giant has put up good numbers in limited action, as he got hurt in October, not returning till mid-January. He's gifted with a fascinating combination of size and body control, eating up the entire net when squared up or moving laterally. His massive pads cover the entire width of the crease when he's in the butterfly or hugging the post. When he is focused and able to get square to shooters, he is very difficult to beat. The problem is, Moysevich is still raw and hasn't played many games over the past four seasons. He can really struggle to track pucks and anticipate plays in some games, and when he's late to his spot, he doesn't have time to get set or adjust his angle. His reactions are also a little slow at times and pucks can bleed through him or lead to juicy rebounds for the opposition. His freakish size covers up these holes for now, but we have to see him recreate that success he had in the KHL two years ago. If he can iron out the deficiencies, there could be a solid NHL backup goalie or 1B tandem option.

7. Lucas Van Vliet, LW, University of St. Thomas (NCAA)

A product of the USA NTDP, Van Vliet had a great season at the University of St. Thomas this year, putting up 34 points in 35 games, good enough to land him a CCHA Rookie of the Year award. There is definitely some offensive potential in his game as is evidenced with the collegiate point totals, but still some other areas that need to be improved before making the pro jump. Van Vliet brings an already established good size to the table, being listed at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds. He is an interesting prospect who brings a combination of decent scoring skills and playmaking abilities. The one area that stands out is his skating; the freshman can maneuver around the ice effortlessly and his ability to manipulate space and avoid defenders is solid. Exiting the NTDP as a draft eligible player, the biggest concern was consistency and engagement, but that was much better in the NCAA as a freshman. There is a potential bottom six forward for the Golden Knights here, as long as the development curve continues to rise moving forward.

8. Mateo Nobert, C, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)

Since being drafted 85th overall in last year’s draft, Mateo Nobert has taken steps both on and off the ice in regard to his development. After seeing him in person this year a few times, Nobert has visibly added to his frame; he looks stronger and larger than a year ago, showing once again why late birthdays (August, in this case) should be factored in when evaluating prospects. With his additional strength, Nobert has been a more efficient off puck player this season, engaging in more puck battles and being very comfortable playing the screen game in front of the net. While his skill level has not taken a huge step, his overall game is rounding out, increasing his chances of reaching the NHL one day with the Flyers. Nobert exceeded his points total from last season (78) and currently has six lesser games played. He will have a key role in Armada’s post-season, who have the roster strength to potentially represent the QMJHL in the Memorial Cup.

9. Matyas Sapovaliv, C, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

Matyas Sapovaliv is an interesting prospect because he doesn’t seem to know what he is yet at the pro level. Sapovaliv has the size (6-foot-4, 204 pounds) to become an effective bottom six forward who can be difficult to play against at both ends of the ice, but it’s almost as if he’s afraid to really take advantage of his large frame physically against men at the AHL level. Sapovaliv has tried to be more of a skill player at the pro level with the Henderson Silver Knights (72GP, 18-17-35), but he does not have enough high-end skill to completely disregard the use of his frame at the next level. As such, Sapovaliv has to really decide what he is over the next couple of seasons at the AHL level. If he learns to take better advantage of his size and develop a mean streak, a future bottom-six contributor could be here. If not, it’s more than likely he ends up back in Europe after his entry-level contract comes to an end.

10. Ben Hemmerling, RW, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

Ben Hemmerling has been one of the better players for the Henderson Silver Knights this season (68GP, 21-29-50), where he has utilized his offensive skill to create scoring opportunities despite having a slightly undersized frame. Hemmerling is always a threat to score when the puck is on his stick, but he’s also an extremely efficient passer who is very effective in short range segments with the puck. Hemmerling is more of a perimeter player, however, so it would be nice for him to really build some strength so that he can drive more of the play as an offensive contributor on his line. Defensively, Hemmerling is fine in his own zone, which shouldn’t limit his deployment at the NHL level, but he’s more of a scoring talent who will need to carve out a role in the top six at the NHL level. The debate still remains as to whether Hemmerling’s ceiling is high enough for such a role, so he may end up being an NHL-AHL tweener.

11. Mathieu Cataford, C, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

To call Cataford’s first pro season a disappointment would be an understatement. The former QMJHL star and Canadian WJC player has been a near non-factor at the AHL level as a rookie. He’s got a well-rounded skill set, but he’ll need to carve out a niche to be an NHL player.

12. Jakub Brabanec, C, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

More was expected of Brabanec this year as a third-year pro, but he’s only moderately improved his production. A talented playmaker, Brabanec has yet to find a defined role with Henderson.

13. Villiam Kmec, D, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

Following a breakout offensive season in the WHL with Prince George last year, Kmec has settled into more of a defensive role as a first year AHL player. The big defender has a well-rounded skill set and could develop into a useful bottom pairing defender in the future.

14. Cameron Whitehead, G, Tahoe Knight Monsters (ECHL) (Currently with Henderson Silver Knights, AHL)

Following two solid seasons at Northeastern, Whitehead signed with Vegas last year and expectations were pretty high for him as a first-year pro. However, he’s struggled at the AHL level…although he performed well at the ECHL level.

15. Alex Weiermair, C, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

An overage draft selection by the Golden Knights last year, Weiermair has continued his upward trajectory in the WHL this year by improving his consistency and production. He can really shoot the puck and is an asset on the powerplay. However, Weiermair also has a solid all-around game. It will be interesting to see how he performs in the NCAA.

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #30

The McKeen's Scouting Team — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 19:58:16 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 30th (May 2025 - 28th)
GM: Kelly McCrimmon Hired: September 2019
COACH: Bruce Cassidy Hired: June 2022

In true Vegas Golden Knights fashion, the offseason headline wasn’t about building for the future, rather landing the biggest name available. The addition of Mitch Marner instantly bolstered an already potent forward group, further cementing their all-in approach.

As expected, that win-now mentality translated to a quiet showing at the draft. The Knights made just four selections, with Swedish forward Jakob Ihs Wozniak (Luleå) being the only one to crack McKeens’ top 250.

Outside the Marner splash, Vegas remained relatively low-key during the 2024-25 season, including at the trade deadline. That restraint meant 2024 first-rounder Trevor Connelly stayed put. After signing his entry-level contract, Connelly turned pro following a single season at Providence College. His shifty, dual-threat skill set makes him one of the few legitimate impact prospects in the system.

In junior, 2023 sixth-round pick Tuomas Uronen erupted for 90 points in 63 OHL games with Kingston, capping it off with an outstanding playoff performance. Over in the QMJHL, Mathieu Cataford earned a spot at the World Juniors and will finish his junior career at the Memorial Cup with Rimouski. Both are primed to make the jump to the AHL in the near future.

On defense, Lukas Cormier has been limited to just 17 AHL games this season due to injury, while Viliam Kmec joined Henderson after a productive 61-point final junior campaign.

The reality is that Vegas’s prospect pool remains one of the thinnest in the league. GM Kelly McCrimmon has never been shy about flipping young assets for proven NHL talent, and the results speak for themselves.

For the Golden Knights, prospects aren’t long-term cornerstones; they’re trade chips. And in Vegas, you never know who will still be in the deck tomorrow.

Vegas Golden Knights Top-15 Prospects

1 - Trevor Connelly

Connelly showed a mix of offensive flashes and inconsistent play last season. Playing top six minutes in games at Providence College, he was primarily deployed at even strength and on the power play. Being injured for a chunk of the season was also a challenge for him as a freshman. Early reports praised his creativity, deceptive puck skills, and offensive vision, projecting him as a potential top six NHL forward. However, as the season progressed, his inconsistency became evident. His offensive upside remained apparent, particularly in net-front situations and below the goal line, but his defensive game and compete level lagged. Connelly frequently cheated for offence and lacked defensive responsibility. While he displayed occasional physicality and board battle engagement, his low effort and poor positioning limited his overall impact. If he can improve his compete level and defensive awareness, Connelly has the tools to become a middle six NHL scoring forward, but his long-term success will hinge on addressing these weaknesses. It will be very interesting to see how he does in the AHL this upcoming season and what Vegas has planned for him.

2 - Carl Lindbom

Lindbom has transitioned smoothly into being a high level AHL goalie. His elite positioning, footwork, anticipation, tracking, and high-end athleticism have transitioned well to the North American game. The biggest concern with his game last season was how he dealt with screens, either making poor decisions with how to play it or being hesitant in making saves. He seems to have completely overhauled this aspect, learning to fight through screens more efficiently and rid himself of any hesitation. For the past two seasons, he has dealt with an injury, missing a significant portion of the season. Because of this, he has never had the opportunity to shoulder a large workload across a full season, which, if he can’t do so, will limit his capabilities as a true starter in the NHL. Nevertheless, the tools he possesses are so great and the weaknesses in his game so miniscule that he is still one of the best goalie prospects in the league with an elite ceiling if he stays healthy.

3 - Jakob Ihs Wozniak

When you draft as infrequently as the Knights, high-risk, high-reward players like Jakob Ihs Wozniak are exactly the type of prospects you should be betting on. JIW is a sniper. The quality of his shot is sensational, and he very clearly thinks the game at a higher level than his peers. He’s got high-end offensive instincts and is such a crafty passer. He’s lights out on the power play and is learning to apply the same creativity and efficiency at even strength. He probably won’t drive his line at the NHL level based on his limited pace but can complement higher octane line mates who can. Finding a way to make a consistent impact away from the puck is going to be the key hurdle to vault for Ihs Wozniak. Despite his formidable size, his physical game is still a major work in progress. There isn’t always a consistent compete level, and one does not simply learn how to compete or to hate to lose. If he wants to stick at higher levels, he’ll have no choice but to learn how to compete at the SHL level first. Provided that comes after some seasoning in Luleå, Ihs Wozniak could reach his upside as a top nine complementary goal scoring winger and power play weapon.

4 - Lukas Cormier

After missing almost most of last season due to injury, Cormier returned late in the year to AHL action. The former two-time winner of the QMJHL’s most outstanding defenceman award is a high-end offensive blueliner. He can quarterback the power play. He walks and holds the offensive blueline well. He can lead the breakout. His mobility is a major asset for him. However, after a strong rookie season as a pro, the last two haven’t exactly gone according to plan. Undoubtedly, Cormier will need to have a huge offseason and training camp if he wants to stay in Vegas’ long-term plans; he is no longer exempt from waivers next year. There’s still hope that he can develop into a quality offensive defender at the NHL level, but that hope is dwindling. Maybe the Pietrangelo injury opens up a spot for Cormier?

5 - Tuomas Uronen

Without question, the highlight of Uronen’s game is his shot. He can really rifle the puck, and he works hard to earn his chances too. When you combine that with a deceptively quick stride and a power game, you have a player who has a high chance of developing into a solid complementary piece at the NHL level. The decision to return to the OHL and the subsequent trade to Kingston really did wonders for Uronen’s game and development. The previous year, with Ottawa, was a lost year due to injury. Additionally, his draft year was a disappointing one after he entered his draft year receiving first-round hype; a poor year led to him falling all the way to the sixth round where Vegas selected him. However, he does look like he has his development back on a positive track.

6 - Mathieu Cataford

Mathieu Cataford was taken 77th overall by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023, after scoring 75 points in 68 games. He improved the following season, scoring 90 points in three fewer games, ranking him third QMJHL points per game. After an early exit in the post season, Cataford signed his entry level contract and made the jump to the AHL for four games, adding some pro-level experience to his resume and scoring two points. Last season, Cataford was traded to Rimouski in preparation for the memorial cup. Though his regular season production dipped, he scored an impressive 18 points in 12 playoff games, good for fourth QMJHL playoffs points-per-game. In the Memorial Cup, Cataford even led his team with four points in three games. Cataford’s appeal lays in his well-rounded, swiss-army-knife style. Initially seen as an energy, off-puck player who forechecks and wears down his opponents, he has shown massive improvement in his confidence when carrying the puck and in his passing skills. He will adapt his game to his linemates, showing his intelligence. Cataford will likely play a bottom six penalty killing role in the NHL, while being able to support his linemates offensively with intelligent positioning and decent puck skills.

7 - Pavel Moysevich

Moysevich is a behemoth of a goalie, standing at a staggering 6-foot-7, a two-inch increase since last year. Unfortunately, however, his sophomore season with SKA did not have that same improvement after registering just a .898 save percentage - the third-worst clip on his team. He moves pretty well, given his size, and naturally takes up a ton of space. He also has surprisingly good control over his body, which is rarely seen in a 20-year-old with this stature. What he lacks is tracking and mental processing. He can often be behind plays and struggles to constantly follow the puck with his eyes. It can easily put him out of position, and he begins to scramble, losing all composure. He’s still a very raw prospect going into his D+3, but his combination of size and solid mobility is intriguing. His concerns are valid, and it means he likely won’t hit it big in the NHL and will need lots of time to refine his craft, but he has the potential to crack an NHL roster in the future.

8 - Braeden Bowman

Not all routes to the NHL are made the same. After a strong junior career with the OHL’s Guelph Storm, Bowman signed an AHL deal with Henderson this past season. After performing well as an AHL rookie, he parlayed that opportunity into an NHL deal with Henderson’s parent club, the Vegas Golden Knights. While Bowman finished just outside the top 20 in rookie scoring in the AHL, he did so on an extremely low scoring Henderson team. In fact, his 36 points were nearly tied for the team lead. The big winger is an excellent goal scoring option thanks to his heavy shot and penchant for getting to the net. As his skating continues to improve, so has his NHL projection. Bowman has now put himself in contention for a roster spot with Vegas in the next year and he projects as a possible bottom six and secondary power play option.

9 - Cameron Whitehead

Cameron Whitehead is a decent under-the-radar goalie prospect for Vegas. His skating is very good; he keeps things precise and very quick. He does a really good job staying with the play, displaying solid play reading and tracking skills - often making the right decisions. Outside of that, nothing stands out on the positive end. Negatively speaking, how he uses his stance and operates with perimeter play is a major concern. He opts for a very tall and relaxed stance, something he would use to minimize energy expenditure. But in doing so, when shots come, his first movement will be to get into a normal set position when the puck is already coming, providing him with much less time to react and make a save. It gives him a real weakness with point shots, and with how good defencemen are at shooting in the NHL, it could very easily be exploited. He’s a nice depth prospect to have and could turn into something more if given the proper development.

10 - Trent Swick

Swick is a really interesting bottom six prospect for the Golden Knights. An overage selection last year, Vegas was impressed by the three-year progression of Swick’s game as a Kitchener Ranger. Obviously, his massive frame didn’t hurt his chances either. Returning to the OHL this past year for a final season, Swick had another strong campaign, helping to lead Kitchener to a strong showing in the Western Conference. The power winger isn’t a traditional power forward, per say. He’s not a heavy hitter and he’ll need to become an even stronger net front presence as a pro. However, he’s a hard-working two-way player who excels as a playmaker because of his ability to keep plays alive along the wall and prolong possession. He finds a way to get himself or pucks to the middle of the ice and is largely an intelligent offensive support player. If he continues to improve his skating, he could be a Marcus Foligno type.

11 - Arttu Karki

Karki has an intriguing offensive toolkit with a hard shot and playmaking ability. He enters his second season in Liiga this year and will be looking to turn a corner offensively after adjusting to the pro game last season.

12 - Abram Wiebe

A sturdy left shot defenceman, Wiebe enters his third season at the University of North Dakota with some additional help around him, including the arrival of projected 2026 first rounder Keaton Verhoeff.

13 - Mateo Nobert

A crafty playmaking forward, Nobert had a standout draft year, finishing well above a point per game for Blainville. Nobert may be a candidate to eventually make the jump to the NCAA to round out his game.

14 - Jakub Brabenec

After establishing himself as a go-to offensive option to finish his junior career in the QMJHL, Brabenec has yet to find his offensive footing in the AHL. This season should be another step in that direction for the playmaker.

15 - Jakub Demek

The sizeable 6-foot- 4 winger registered 19 points in 31 games in his second pro season, a marked pace increase from the year prior. At his size and with his compete level, he moves surprisingly well and could be the next depth player to come out of seemingly nowhere for Vegas.

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Sat, 17 May 2025 14:29:51 +0000

Lukas Cormier

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Vegas 25 Prospects

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #27

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Josh Bell — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 18:00:41 +0000

_{NEWARK, NJ - JANUARY 22: Vegas Golden Knights center Brendan Brisson (19) looks on during a game between the Vegas Golden Knights and New Jersey Devils on January 22, 2024 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)}

Prospect System Ranking – 27th (Previous Rank - 28th)
GM: Kelly McCrimmon Hired: September 2019
COACH: Bruce Cassidy Hired: June 2022

In a system that has made a reputation off shipping out youthful assets, the Vegas Golden Knights remain in the bottom half of McKeen’s prospect rankings. Drafting just four prospects in consecutive entry drafts, combined with dealing away much of their high-end talent – David Edstrom (109th ranked) being the latest victim – has left their prospect pipeline somewhat hollow.

That said, Vegas took a high-leverage swing at the podium in this year’s draft by selecting one of the more polarizing talents available in the first round (19th overall): Trevor Connelly. While there have been concerns both on and off the ice, his upside is undeniable, with a shifty profile and knack for putting up points as a dual-threat contributor. There is a reason why he’s McKeen’s 78th-ranked prospect.

Although the Knights continue to deal prospects and top-rated draft picks – no first-round picks until 2027 – they’ve held tight on notable hopefuls like Brendan Brisson (130th), as well as defencemen Kaeden Korczak (203rd) and Lukas Cormier (96th) – all of whom are primed to step onto the roster in short order, if not already.

Additionally, they’ve seen promising development from Arttu Karki, who made nice strides as a rookie on the Soo Greyhounds’ backend. Karki will return to Liiga for the 2024-25 season, but his 45 points in 59 OHL games as a third-round, 18-year-old defender suggest he’s a prospect worth watching.

Vegas does bring in Alexander Holtz, a former New Jersey Devils graduate who finally established himself as an NHL regular. Holtz is expected to slot into the team’s top nine forward group, with hopes he can build on his 28 points in 82 games from last season.

If Kelly McCrimmon has taught us anything, however, it’s that if you don’t like Vegas’ prospect pool, just wait a few months. With eyes perpetually on the Stanley Cup, this organization refuses to sit still and is always ready to trade youth for win-now assets. As long as Jack Eichel, Mark Stone, Tomas Hertl, William Karlsson, Shea Theodore, and Alex Pietrangelo are in town, this team will continue to push for immediate success.

Vegas Golden Knights Top-15 Prospects

1. Trevor Connelly

Trevor Connelly was one of the draft’s most polarizing players, with his final selection position shrouded in mystery before his name was called. His offensive upside is undeniable—some scouts argue he may be the 2024 NHL Draft’s most talented player behind Celebrini and Demidov. However, Connelly entered draft day surrounded by concerns both on and off the ice. His past blunders and inconsistent play, especially defensively and in off-puck engagement, were red flags. His discipline was notably lacking, exemplified by a crucial penalty at the U18s. Despite these issues, Connelly’s skill set is impressive. He’s a highly creative and elusive offensive player with excellent edgework and puck handling. His quick feet and vision can be exceptional, though his decision-making and first-step quickness need improvement. Connelly’s commitment to Providence College under coach Nate Leaman could help him become a more complete player.

2. Lukas Cormier

Despite a strong training camp showing, Lukas Cormier spent most of 2023-24 honing his skills in the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights. The undersized defenceman (5-foot-10, 176 pounds) impressed with his steady defensive play. His hockey IQ and ability to avoid bad decisions in his own end were on display. His understanding of how to generate offence from the blueline is exceptional, spotting opportunities as they open up through the flow of play or activating his feet to create them himself. While not a flashy offensive producer, he chipped in with one assist in his limited NHL action (two games) and showed glimpses of offensive potential in the AHL. However, questions remain about his offensive upside. Can he translate his defensive reliability into a more complete two-way game at the NHL level? The Golden Knights likely view him as a future bottom pairing defenceman, but further offensive development could push him toward a more prominent role.

3. Brendan Brisson

Brendan Brisson is an offensively gifted forward known for his elite shooting ability and high hockey IQ. Standing at 6-foot-0 and 185 pounds, Brisson has a strong, compact frame that he uses to protect the puck and create space for himself in the offensive zone. His most outstanding asset is his shot—his release is quick, deceptive, and highly accurate, making him a constant threat on the power play and in even-strength situations. Brisson is also an adept playmaker, capable of setting up teammates with crisp, timely passes. He sees the ice well and often anticipates plays before they develop, showcasing his advanced hockey sense. While his skating is above average, with good acceleration and edge work, there’s room for improvement in his top-end speed. Defensively, Brisson is responsible and shows a commitment to his two-way game, though his focus remains on driving offence. He projects as a top six forward with significant power-play potential at the professional level.

4. Matyas Sapovaliv

Matyas Sapovaliv continued his ascent in the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit last season. The Knights' second-round pick (2022) led the team in scoring (62 points in 54 games) while showcasing his well-rounded skillset. His offensive prowess is undeniable. His hockey IQ shines below the circles, where he excels at creating scoring chances for himself and his linemates. He's not just a facilitator though, possessing a strong shot and the ability to finish in tight spaces. However, there is some worry regarding his consistency. There are stretches where he dominates, but there are also lulls in his production. Despite these questions, his overall performance is a positive sign for his future. He's on track for a potential pro debut this season, likely back in the AHL. If he can refine his consistency and continue to dominate offensively, Sapovaliv could push for a quicker NHL promotion.

5. Kaedan Korczak

Kaedan Korczak is a rugged and intelligent defenceman with a well-rounded game. He excels in his own end, using his quick feet and active stick to shut down opponents' attacks and clear the zone with ease. His vision and anticipation allow him to make smart passes and spark transition play, while his physicality and competitiveness make him a difficult opponent to face in puck battles. He does a good job under forecheck pressure by being sturdy on his feet and keeping his head up to scan the play in front of him and assess his options. The challenge is figuring out whether he can be effective enough in the NHL in that kind of role. With continued development, there is the potential to become a top four defenceman and a key contributor on the Golden Knights' blue line. He shows intriguing upside and projects as a reliable, two-way defender.

6. Pavel Moysevich

Pavel Moysevich is an athletic goaltender with impressive reflexes and a strong technical foundation. Standing at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, he has the ideal size for a modern netminder, covering a lot of the net while still moving fluidly in the crease. Moysevich’s quickness is a key asset, particularly his lateral movement, which allows him to make sharp, reactive saves on cross-ice plays. His positioning is sound, and he does a good job of challenging shooters, playing aggressively at the top of his crease when necessary. Moysevich tracks the puck well, maintaining focus through traffic and making key saves in high-pressure situations. While he’s strong in stopping the first shot, his rebound control is an area for improvement, as he occasionally gives up second chances. Overall, Moysevich projects as a promising goaltender with the potential to develop into a reliable starter at the professional level, particularly with continued refinement of his game.

7. Mathieu Cataford

Mathieu Cataford is a slick and skilled forward with a high ceiling. He boasts elite speed and agility, allowing him to dance around defenders and create scoring chances in the blink of an eye. His vision and anticipation are exceptional, consistently identifying soft spots in coverage and delivering precision passes to exploit them. His quick release and accuracy make him a threat from anywhere on the ice. Offensively aware, he possesses strong instincts when it comes to positioning in the offensive zone and an ability to find the open ice. Always working hard to create space and to get open, he’s shown himself to be an extraordinarily complementary player and dependable forechecker. While he needs to add strength and physicality to his game, Cataford's upside as a top six forward and a key contributor to the Golden Knights' power play is undeniable. With continued development, he could become a dynamic and electrifying player in the NHL.

8. Jakub Brabenec

Jakub Brabenec is a slick and savvy playmaker with a knack for elevating his teammates' games. He boasts exceptional vision and anticipation, consistently identifying soft spots in coverage and delivering precision passes to exploit them. He is a lanky, smooth, multifaceted forward who can play wing or center, and slot up or down a lineup. He displays an impressive proficiency for transporting the puck across zones, keeping it out in front of him in stride, while also using his frame and reach to fend off backcheckers. His agility and quick feet allow him to navigate through traffic, while his soft hands and accuracy make him a threat from the slot. He's also a reliable defender, using his active stick and positioning to disrupt opponents' cycles. With continued refinement, Brabenec has the potential to become a top six forward and a contributor to the Golden Knights' power play as a playmaking center with a scoring touch.

9. Ben Hemmerling

Ben Hemmerling is a skilled and tenacious winger with a relentless motor. He excels in tight spaces, using his quick hands and agility to create scoring chances in the phone booth areas. His hockey IQ is high, consistently identifying soft spots in coverage and exploiting them with precision passing or well-placed shots. When he gets the puck, his vision makes him a strong playmaker too. He works well from below the goal line and from the half wall, drawing in to help defenders before finding a streaking teammate. His speed and acceleration allow him to pressure defenders, forcing turnovers and generating offence. While he may not be the biggest player, his compete level and smarts make him a pesky opponent, and his upside as a top six forward is considerable. With continued development he could become a valuable asset.

10. Arttu Karki

Arttu Karki is a promising defenceman with a solid all-around game. Standing at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, he offers a blend of size and skill that makes him a valuable asset on the blue line. Karki’s skating is a strong point. He moves with fluidity and can transition quickly from defence to offence, which helps him contribute to both ends of the ice. Defensively, Karki is reliable and uses his size effectively to clear the crease and win puck battles. His positioning is generally strong, and he reads the play well to anticipate and disrupt opposing attacks. Offensively, Karki has good puck-moving ability and can make precise passes to initiate breakouts. His shot from the point is a potential weapon on the power play. While he could improve his physicality and defensive consistency, Karki’s skill set and potential make him an intriguing prospect for a top four role.

11. Cameron Whitehead

Cameron Whitehead, a 6-foot-3 goaltender, is an intriguing prospect with solid technique and impressive size. His athleticism and quick reflexes enable agile movements, and he had a strong season with the Lincoln Stars before joining Northeastern. Whitehead's vision and creativity in broken-play situations stand out, but he must improve his rebound control and puck handling. As a long-term project, he needs to harness his size better for future success.

12. Jackson Hallum

Jackson Hallum is a skilled forward with excellent skating and a quick release. His offensive creativity and ability to generate scoring chances are standout features. While he could enhance his defensive game and consistency, Hallum’s dynamic play and scoring touch offer promising potential for NHL development.

13. Jakub Demek

Jakub Demek is a dynamic forward with exceptional playmaking skills and a sharp hockey sense. His ability to create scoring opportunities and read the game is impressive. While his skating could use improvement, Demek’s offensive creativity and vision make him a high-upside prospect with significant NHL potential.

14. Carl Lindbom

Carl Lindbom stands out as a reliable goaltender with impressive agility and quick reflexes. His ability to track pucks and maintain composure under pressure is notable. While he could benefit from refining his rebound control and positioning, Lindbom’s potential as a future starter is clear with continued development.

15. Daniil Chayka

Daniil Chayka is a solid defensive prospect with strong positional awareness and physicality. His skating and puck movement are reliable, contributing effectively to both ends of the ice. While he could improve his offensive instincts and decision-making under pressure, Chayka’s defensive reliability and size provide a path to the NHL.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #28 Vegas Golden Knights – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Player Profiles - Josh Bell, Organizational Overview - Robert Howard — Wed, 29 May 2024 21:00:23 +0000

Last year’s Stanley Cup Champions bowed out in the first round of the playoffs, despite adding some very high-end pieces for the playoffs. The additions came through trading youth and picks for playoff depth, but also through once again adding players off of LTIR prior to the playoffs, including captain Mark Stone. This allowed them an additional $15.9 million in cap space to utilize at the trade deadline. They took full advantage and moved their 2025 first round pick and David Edstrom (1st round 2023) for Tomas Hertl and picks. They then moved their 2026 first rounder along with Daniil Mirimanov for Noah Hanifin. Hanifin was a potential rental, but GM McCrimmon inked him to an eight-year, contract with an AAV of $7.35 million, solidifying one of the best defense groups in the NHL. Hertl was already under contract for another six seasons at a cap friendly $6.75 million. Both players are part of a core that is entirely focused on re-capturing the cup for the foreseeable future.

Given McCrimmon’s penchant for weaponizing future assets, the organization has drafted in the first round four out of the last five drafts. The only one of those picks that hasn’t subsequently been moved is Brendan Brisson. Peyton Krebs was moved to Buffalo as a piece in the huge Jack Eichel trade, while Zach Dean was moved for Ivan Barbashev. Despite these moves, there are some excellent prospects at the top of this pool. Brisson has the potential to be a star - we’ll just have to see if it’s for the Golden Knights or another organization given their track record. Defenseman Lukas Cormier continues to impress in his development, earning him the top spot in the Vegas pipeline and a spot at 74th overall on McKeen’s list. Matyas Sapovaliv is another one that continues to outperform what’s expected of him. There’s a pretty significant drop after this, but that shouldn’t be an issue for a few more years as this core is signed for another three-plus seasons.

RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Lukas Cormier	D	22	5-10/180	Henderson (AHL)	`20(68th)	58	4	16	20	33
					Vegas (NHL)	`20(68th)	2	0	1	1	0
2	Brendan Brisson	C	22	5-11/180	Henderson (AHL)	`20(29th)	52	19	19	38	42
					Vegas (NHL)	`20(29th)	15	2	6	8	2
3	Matyas Sapovaliv	C	20	6-3/180	Saginaw (OHL)	`22(48th)	54	19	43	62	22
4	Mathieu Cataford	C	19	5-11/185	Halifax (QMJHL)	`23(77th)	65	40	50	90	33
5	Grigori Denisenko	LW	23	5-11/185	Henderson (AHL)	W(Fla-10/23)	65	20	36	56	50
					Vegas (NHL)	W(Fla-10/23)	6	0	0	0	2
6	Kaedan Korczak	D	23	6-3/190	Vegas (NHL)	`19(41st)	26	1	8	9	8
					Henderson (AHL)	`19(41st)	26	1	8	9	28
7	Jakub Brabenec	C	20	6-1/175	Henderson (AHL)	`21(102nd)	48	6	7	13	16
8	Ben Hemmerling	RW	20	5-10/160	Everett (WHL)	`22(177th)	65	30	61	91	74
9	Arttu Karki	D	19	6-1/175	Soo Greyhounds (OHL)	`23(96th)	59	21	24	45	10
10	Cameron Whitehead	G	20	6-3/170	Northeastern (HE)	`22(128th)	35	17	14	2.62	0.917
11	Jackson Hallum	LW	21	6-0/170	Michigan (B1G)	`20(91st)	9	3	5	8	0
12	Isaiah Saville	G	23	6-1/190	Henderson (AHL)	`19(135th)	22	7	12	3.27	0.893
13	Jakub Demek	C	20	6-4/195	Henderson (AHL)	`21(128th)	55	7	9	16	22
14	Carl Lindbom	G	20	6-1/165	Farjestads (SHL)	`21(222nd)	26	17	7	2.12	0.911
15	Jiri Patera	G	25	6-2/210	Henderson (AHL)	`17(161st)	25	11	10	2.99	0.903

1. Lukas Cormier, D, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

Despite a strong training camp showing, Lukas Cormier spent most of 2023-24 honing his skills in the AHL with the Henderson Silver Knights. The undersized defenseman (5’ 0”, 176 lbs) impressed with his steady defensive play. His hockey IQ and ability to avoid bad decisions in his own end were on display. His understanding of how to generate offense from the blueline is exceptional, spotting opportunities as they open up through the flow of play or activating his feet to create them himself. While not a flashy offensive producer, he chipped in with one assist in his limited NHL action (two games) and showed glimpses of offensive potential in the AHL. However, questions remain about his offensive upside. Can he translate his defensive reliability into a more complete two-way game at the NHL level? The Golden Knights likely view him as a future bottom-pairing defenseman, but further offensive development could push him towards a more prominent role.

2. Brendan Brisson, C, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

Fresh off a standout sophomore year at Michigan, Brendan Brisson got his first taste of pro hockey with the Knights. The 2020 first rounder impressed in limited action, notching eight points in 15 games. While the sample size is small, it showcased the offensive tools that made him a high draft pick – a lethal shot and a knack for finding teammates in scoring areas. Questions remain about his physicality and defensive awareness. At 6’, 183 lbs, he'll need to add some muscle to compete consistently in the NHL. However, his hockey IQ and ability to adapt are encouraging signs. Whether Brisson starts next season in the AHL or cracks the roster will depend on his training camp performance. Regardless, his strong showing this year suggests he's on the right track to becoming a key contributor.

3. Matyas Sapovaliv, C, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

Matyas Sapovaliv continued his ascent in the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit this season. The Knights' second round pick (2022) led the team in scoring (62 points in 54 games) while showcasing his well-rounded skillset. His offensive prowess is undeniable. His hockey IQ shines below the circles, where he excels at creating scoring chances for himself and his linemates. He's not just a facilitator though, possessing a strong shot and the ability to finish in tight spaces. However, there is some worry regarding his consistency. There are stretches where he dominates, but there are also lulls in his production. Despite these questions, his overall performance is a positive sign for his future. He's on track for a potential pro debut next season, likely back in the AHL. If he can refine his consistency and continue to dominate offensively, Sapovaliv could push for a quicker NHL promotion.

4. Mathieu Cataford, C, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

Mathieu Cataford is a slick and skilled forward with a high ceiling. He boasts elite speed and agility, allowing him to dance around defenders and create scoring chances in the blink of an eye. His vision and anticipation are exceptional, consistently identifying soft spots in coverage and delivering precision passes to exploit them. His quick release and accuracy make him a threat from anywhere on the ice. Offensively aware, he possesses strong instincts when it comes to positioning in the offensive zone and an ability to find the open ice. Always working hard to create space and get open, he’s shown himself to be an extraordinarily complementary player and dependable forechecker. While he needs to add strength and physicality to his game, Cataford's upside as a top-six forward and key contributor on the Golden Knights' power play is undeniable. With continued development, he could become a dynamic and electrifying player in the NHL.

5. Grigori Denisenko, LW, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

Grigori Denisenko's 2023-24 campaign was a tale of two leagues – a cup of coffee in the NHL and dominance in the AHL. While he had a brief, scoreless stint with the Golden Knights (six games), He found his groove with the Henderson Silver Knights. He led the team in assists (36) and points (56) in 65 games, even earning a call-up to the AHL All-Star Classic. His offensive production is undeniable, with a blend of slick playmaking and a knack for finding the net (20 goals). However, questions remain about his NHL readiness. His defensive awareness needs refinement, and his impact at the highest level remains unproven. The future seems bright, however. Another year in the AHL could solidify his defensive game, while flashes of brilliance hint at NHL potential. The Golden Knights will be watching closely to see if Denisenko can translate his minor-league dominance into success on the big stage.

6. Kaedan Korczak, D, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

Kaedan Korczak is a rugged and intelligent defenseman with a well-rounded game. He excels in his own end, using his quick feet and active stick to shut down opponents' attacks and clear the zone with ease. His vision and anticipation allow him to make smart passes and spark transition play, while his physicality and competitiveness make him a difficult opponent to face in puck battles. He does a good job under forecheck pressure by being sturdy on his feet and keeping his head up to scan the play in front of him and assess his options. The challenge is figuring out whether he can be effective enough in the NHL in that kind of role. With continued development, there is the potential to become a top-four defenseman and a key contributor on the Golden Knights' blue line. He shows intriguing upside and projects as a reliable, two-way defender.

7. Jakub Brabenec, C, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

Jakub Brabenec is a slick and savvy playmaker with a knack for elevating his teammates' games. He boasts exceptional vision and anticipation, consistently identifying soft spots in coverage and delivering precision passes to exploit them. He is a lanky, smooth, multifaceted forward who can play wing or center, and slot up or down a lineup. He displays an impressive proficiency for transporting the puck across zones, keeping it out in front of him in stride, while also using his frame and reach to fend off backcheckers. His agility and quick feet allow him to navigate through traffic, while his soft hands and accuracy make him a threat from the slot. He's also a reliable defender, using his active stick and positioning to disrupt opponents' cycles. With continued refinement, Brabenec has the potential to become a top-six forward and a key contributor to the Golden Knights' power play as a playmaking center with a scoring touch.

8. Ben Hemmerling, RW, Everett Silvertips (WHL)

Ben Hemmerling is a skilled and tenacious winger with a relentless motor. He excels in tight spaces, using his quick hands and agility to create scoring chances in the phone booth areas. His hockey IQ is high, consistently identifying soft spots in coverage and exploiting them with precision passing or well-placed shots. When he gets the puck, his vision makes him a strong playmaker too. He works well from below the goal line and from the half wall, drawing in to help defenders before finding a streaking teammate. His speed and acceleration allow him to pressure defenders, forcing turnovers and generating offense. While he may not be the biggest player, his compete level and smarts make him a pesky opponent, and his upside as a top-six forward is considerable. With continued refinement, he could become a valuable asset.

9. Arttu Karki, D, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

Fresh off a third-round selection by Vegas in the 2023 draft, Arttu Karki embarked on his first season in North America with the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL. The Finnish defenseman showcased his offensive potential, flashing a strong shot and impressive playmaking ability (21 goals, 44 assists in 59 games). However, his defensive consistency was a source of debate. He displayed flashes of strong positioning and physicality, but lapses in focus led to some struggles. This inconsistency is a familiar refrain for Karki. While his offensive upside is undeniable, his ability to translate his skills to the pro game remains a question mark. The Greyhounds leaned on him offensively, but a stronger showing in his own zone is crucial for his future success. The upcoming season will be pivotal. Can he tighten up his defensive game and solidify his status as a potential NHL contributor?

10. Cameron Whitehead, G, Northeastern University (NCAA)

Cameron Whitehead, the 6’ 3” goaltender, is a promising prospect with a technically sound game and a large frame. His athleticism and quick reflexes allow him to move swiftly from post to post. He had a solid season with the Lincoln Stars and has taken over the net for Northeastern. His vision keeps him engaged on every puck, and he’s shown the ability to scramble and get creative in broken-play situations. However, he needs to improve his rebound control and puck handling. A long-term project, he will need to use his size more effectively to succeed at the next level. Once a goaltending coach gets him to settle down and trust his size more, his consistency should improve. This is also true of his rebound control. Whitehead is a prospect to watch as he continues to develop his game.

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

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #25

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt and Josh Bell — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 14:42:08 +0000

Top 20 Vegas Golden Knights Prospects

1. Lukas Cormier

Cormier torched the QMJHL throughout his four years with Charlottetown, and has since transitioned admirably to the AHL, including quarterbacking Henderson's top power-play unit as a rookie. His understanding of how to generate offense from the offensive blueline is exceptional, spotting opportunities as they open up through the flow of play or activating his feet to create them himself. He loves to buzz around with or without the puck, and after enough constant prodding he usually finds a weak spot. He has a knack for elevating his play at important times. Cormier's small stature is always going to be a limitation to varying degrees, and breaking up rushes or cycles going against his net will never be one of his strengths, but he's so effective offensively that coaches will shelter him if they have to, just keep his niche contributions on the roster.

2. Pavel Dorofyev

Some prospects leave their mark when they get called up to the NHL from the AHL, while others struggle to make the most of those opportunities. Dorofeyev undeniably falls into the former category. Vegas needed someone to provide a scoring spark towards the end of their regular season, and he rose to the occasion with aplomb. He has a natural knack for reading the play in the offensive zone, and when he's not anticipating scoring opportunities, he creates them himself reasonably well, both through his skating and his puck protection. He's more of a shooter than a playmaker, but he can keep opposing defenses and goalies on their toes either way. Further gains can still be made physically. Dorofeyev eventually developing into a top-line winger isn't out of the question, but it seems more likely that he will eventually settle into a comfortable middle six spot.

3. Brendan Brisson

Brisson had access to two of the best developmental programs in all of amateur hockey, first with the Chicago Steel and then the University of Michigan, so it's easy to understand why his game advanced so much over the past few seasons. That also begs the question though, whether he might have rushed things a bit by turning pro after only two collegiate seasons, as his skating, strength, and conditioning all still need to improve. He is an exceptional student of the game, and when you combine that with his elite ability to manipulate and move the puck you get a potential offensive focal point. His best work, unsurprisingly, comes on the power play. Brisson is the only first-rounder in the organization's history (prior to the 2023 draft) who hasn't been traded yet, so the need for him to pan out is high.

4. David Edstrom

Edstrom’s transformation from relative depth player and secondary offensive option to primary offensive weapon and first line center within the Swedish U18 program, all within the 2022-23 hocke calendar, was impressive and led to his first round selection by Vegas. With a strong athletic profile and a drastically improving game, Edstrom was one of our favourites heading into the draft. His skill, creativity, and overall playmaking ability improved drastically over the course of the season, which shifted the perception of his overall ceiling. At worst, with his size, improving skating ability, improving physical play, and effectiveness as a defensive forward, he could become a very good shutdown center at the NHL level even if his offensive development stagnates. On the other side of the coin, Edstrom could continue to progress and become much more than that. He has both a high ceiling and a high floor. He should continue to build up confidence playing in the SHL with Frolunda and will probably only need another year or two overseas before he is ready for AHL duty.

5. Daniil Miromanov

To say that Miromanov's career thus far has been a whirlwind would be an understatement. Not only did he bounce around North America and Eastern Europe chaotically for a number of years, but he was also originally a winger and only recently switched fulltime to defence. Despite some expected growing pains, the returns to date have been very impressive overall, and you can tell that he's still just scratching the surface of how good he can become once he fully adjusts to his new position. His heavy shot is a serious weapon, especially with the offensive instincts that carried over from his time as a forward, and he uses his strength and reach well to win defensive battles. Miromanov has an abundance of remaining unmined upside, and it's exciting to think of how good the final product could be after a few more years of stable, focused growth within the same organization.

6. Mathieu Cataford

An allrounder with exciting offensive possibilities, Cataford can rightfully be considered one of the most enticing 3rd round draft picks from the 2023 draft. After kicking off his season with Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, picking up one assist in his five games en route to a gold medal, he ended up taking on a huge role for his QMJHL club, the Halifax Mooseheads, scoring at over a PPG pace in the regular season, only to add another 13 points in 21 postseason games. Offensively aware, Cataford possesses strong instincts when it comes to positioning in the offensive zone and an ability to find the open ice. Always working hard to create space and get open, he’s shown himself to be an extraordinary complimentary player and dependable forechecker. Physicality, a strong, hard shot, and well-roundedness without the puck fill out a solid player package. Without that one outstanding trait and featuring generally average size, Cataford’s trek to the NHL will be one of hard work, which has never been a problem for him, and a need to overcome the inconsistency that was seen throughout his draft year. Continued development is key.

7. Kaeden Korczak

Korczak's game is about as simple and straightforward as it gets, and while it's not necessarily a bad thing to be a specialist, success is dependent on how good a player is at that special niche. A defensive defenseman who plays with sandpaper and makes a competent first pass out of his zone, he does a good job under forechecking pressure by being sturdy on his feet and keeping his head up to scan the play in front of him and assess his options. The challenge is figuring out whether he can be effective enough in the NHL in that kind of role. None of his physicality, reach, or mobility are especially high-end, which makes it questionable how well he will be able to shut down the biggest, strongest, and fastest players in the sport. A ceiling higher than a third-pair defender seems unlikely.

8. Matyas Sapovaliv

Sapovaliv is highly effective even though he's not particularly exciting to watch. He's strong as an ox and a sharp, methodical thinker, and it's almost funny watching him play because you can see opponents recognize his intentions but still fail miserably at trying to stop him. There is a near inevitability to how he drives pucks to the net in the offensive zone, slowly but powerfully. While he's good across all 200 feet of ice, he is most effective defensively, utilizing his best attributes to be a masterful defensive pivot and penalty killer. He can hold his own in matchups against the top opposing centers in his age group, even the ones who hold a significant skating advantage, and he should continue being able to handle that usage as he moves up levels.

9. Jiri Patera

Patera is the type of goaltender that teams draft because they like his tools, even if they know that it's going to take him a while to learn how to use them all in a cohesive way. The good parts of his game, which have always been there, include his quickness, flexibility, and bravado. The bad parts of his game are his leaky form, excessive crease movement, and frustrating inconsistency. But just like the Golden Knights hoped, those issues have been largely smoothed over and he is now on the cusp of the NHL. He even won his first two starts in the league. Vegas likely prefers that Patera cook for at least one more season in the AHL, but if they decide to promote a goalie from within their system any time soon, he is the obvious candidate.

10. Jakub Brabenec

Brabanec is one of the most underrated prospects out there. He is a lanky, smooth, multifaceted forward who can play both wing and at center, slot up or down a lineup, and fill a role on the power play as well as the penalty kill. He displays an impressive proficiency for transporting the puck across zones, keeping it out in front of him in stride while also using his frame and reach to fend off backcheckers. While he hasn't produced a ton of points anywhere, all he needs to do to be a contributor at the NHL level is to keep leaning on his tools to routinely drive pucks to the net with momentum. He projects better as a specialized support player than a true focal point.

11. Jonas Rondbjerg

The big Danish winger has been solid thus far as a pro but has yet to solidify a roster spot with the Golden Knights. If he can improve the consistency of his physical game, he could become a permanent fourth line option for Vegas this year.

12. Carl Lindbom

2022-23 was a breakout year for Lindbom as he was named the Allsvenskan’s (Sweden’s second division) goaltender of the year as a 20-year-old. This year he is moving to the SHL with Farjestad, where he will look to continue his positive development.

13. Daniil Chayka

A former high pick of the Golden Knights, Chayka’s development since being drafted appears to have stalled. His first pro year with Henderson was proof of that. Does Chayka skate well enough or think the game well enough to be an NHL defender?

14. Arttu Karki

A recent draft pick, Karki is an exciting offensive defender with significant upside. His play in the defensive end will need to improve, but he can be a difference maker as a transitional leader. Look for him to suit up for OHL Sault Ste. Marie this season.

15. Ivan Morozov

Vegas isn’t closing the book on Morozov yet. After a disappointing first year in the AHL, he’s headed back to the KHL this season to help develop his offensive tools. What the future holds remains a mystery, but it’s too early to give up on the big center.

16. Jordan Gustafson

Injury issues forced Gustafson down the lineup for a tremendous Seattle team in his post draft year. He should take on a much larger role this year, but the focus will be on improving his skating to help increase his consistency.

17. Isaiah Saville

Saville has a good chance of playing in the AHL full time this year after splitting last season between the AHL and ECHL in his first pro season. The former UNO product isn’t the biggest netminder, but his quickness gives him an edge in the crease.

18. Jackson Hallum

A highly skilled offensive player, Hallum is also tenacious and aggressive in looking to drive to the middle. Despite playing more of a depth role for Michigan as a freshman, his production was still solid. He will be an interesting player to track over his NCAA career with a strong program.

19. Cameron Whitehead

Whitehead has big shoes to fill at Northeastern this season as he sets his sights on replacing Devon Levi as the team’s starter. Whitehead is a solid play tracker who squares to shooters well. His play with USHL Lincoln last year was probably better than the stats indicate.

20. Christoffer Sedoff

One of the top undrafted free agents coming out of the WHL last year, Sedoff was signed by Vegas over the summer. A mobile puck mover, his offensive upside for the pro level is solid. The question is, can Sedoff defend well enough to be an NHL player? He’s likely a long-term project at the pro level.

2023 NHL DRAFT: A Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

#1 Chicago Blackhawks (A+)

1 Connor Bedard (F)

19 Oliver Moore (F)

35 Adam Gajan (G)

44 Roman Kantserov (F)

55 Martin Misiak (F)

67 Nick Lardis (F)

93 Jiri Felcman (F)

99 Alex Pharand (F)

131 Marcel Marcel (F)

167 Milton Oscarson (F)

195 Janne Peltonen (D)

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

#2 Columbus Blue Jackets (A)

3 Adam Fantilli (F)

34 Gavin Brindley (F)

66 William Whitelaw (F)

98 Andrew Strathmann (D)

114 Luca Pinelli (F)

156 Melvin Strahl (G)

194 Oiva Keskinen (F)

224 Tyler Peddle (F)

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

#3 Philadelphia Flyers (A)

7 Matvei Michkov (F)

22 Oliver Bonk (D)

51 Carson Bjarnason (G)

87 Yegor Zavragin (G)

95 Denver Barkey (F)

103 Cole Knuble (F)

120 Alex Ciernik (F)

135 Carter Sotheran (D)

172 Ryan MacPherson (F)

199 Matteo Mann (D)

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

#4 Seattle Kraken (A-)

20 Eduard Sale (F)

50 Carson Rehkopf (F)

52 Oscar Fisker Mølgaard (F)

57 Lukas Dragicevic (D)

84 Caden Price (D)

116 Andrei Loshko (F)

148 Kaden Hammell (D)

168 Visa Vedenpää (G)

180 Zeb Forsfjäll (F)

212 Zaccharya Wisdom (F)

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

#5 Carolina Hurricanes (A-)

30 Bradly Nadeau (F)

62 Felix Unger Sörum (F)

94 Jayden Perron (F)

100 Alexander Rykov (F)

126 Stanislav Yarovoy (F)

139 Charles-Alexis Legault (D)

158 Ruslan Khazheyev (G)

163 Timur Mukhanov (F)

190 Michael Emerson (F)

222 Yegor Velmakin (G)

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

#6 Buffalo Sabres (A-)

13 Zach Benson (F)

39 Anton Wahlberg (F)

45 Maxim Strbak (D)

86 Gavin McCarthy (D)

109 Ethan Miedema (F)

141 Scott Ratzlaff (G)

173 Sean Keohane (D)

205 Norwin Panocha (D)

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

#7 St. Louis Blues (B+)

10 Dalibor Dvorský (F)

25 Otto Stenberg (F)

29 Theo Lindstein (D)

74 Quinton Burns (D)

76 Juraj Pekarcik (F)

106 Jakub Stancl (F)

138 Paul Fischer (D)

170 Matthew Mayich (D)

202 Nikita Susuyev (F)

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

#8 Washington Capitals (B+)

8 Ryan Leonard (F)

40 Andrew Cristall (F)

104 Patrick Thomas (F)

136 Cameron Allen (D)

200 Brett Hyland (F)

206 Antoine Keller (G)

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

#9 Colorado Avalanche (B)

27 Calum Ritchie (F)

31 Mikhail Gulyayev (D)

155 Nikita Ishimnikov (D)

187 Jeremy Hanzel (D)

219 Maros Jedlicka (F)

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

#10 Los Angeles Kings (B)

54 Jakub Dvorak (D)

78 Koehn Ziemmer (F)

118 Hampton Slukynsky (G)

150 Matthew Mania (D)

182 Ryan Conmy (F)

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

#11 Florida Panthers (B)

63 Gracyn Sawchyn (F)

127 Albert Wikman (D)

159 Olof Glifford (G)

191 Luke Coughlin (D)

198 Stepan Zvyagin (F)

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

#12 Dallas Stars (C+)

61 Tristan Bertucci (D)

79 Brad Gardiner (F)

125 Aram Minnetian (D)

157 Arno Tiefensee (G)

189 Angus MacDonell (F)

221 Sebastian Bradshaw (F)

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

#13 Vegas Golden Knights (B-)

32 David Edstrom (F)

77 Mathieu Cataford (F)

96 Arttu Kärki (D)

192 Tuomas Uronen (F)

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

#14 San Jose Sharks (B-)

4 Will Smith (F)

26 Quentin Musty (F)

36 Kasper Halttunen (F)

71 Brandon Svoboda (F)

123 Luca Cagnoni (D)

130 Axel Landén (D)

132 Eric Pohlkamp (D)

196 David Klee (F)

203 Yegor Rimashevsky (F)

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

#15 Calgary Flames (B-)

16 Samuel Honzek (F)

48 Étienne Morin (D)

80 Aydar Suniev (F)

112 Jaden Lipinski (F)

176 Yegor Yegorov (G)

208 Axel Hurtig (D)

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

#16 Montréal Canadiens (B-)

5 David Reinbacher (D)

69 Jacob Fowler (G)

101 Florian Xhekaj (F)

110 Bogdan Konyushkov (D)

128 Quentin Miller (G)

133 Sam Harris (F)

144 Yevgeni Volokhin (G)

165 Filip Eriksson (F)

197 Luke Mittelstadt (D)

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

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

#17 Arizona Coyotes (B-)

6 Dmitri Simashev (D)

12 Daniil But (F)

38 Michael Hrabal (G)

70 Jonathan Castagna (F)

72 Noel Nordh (F)

81 Tanner Ludtke (F)

88 Vadim Moroz (F)

102 Terrell Goldsmith (D)

134 Melker Thelin (G)

160 Justin Kipkie (D)

162 Samu Bau (F)

166 Carsen Musser (G)

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

#18 Winnipeg Jets (C)

18 Colby Barlow (F)

82 Zachary Nehring (F)

146 Jacob Julien (F)

151 Thomas Milic (G)

210 Connor Levis (F)

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

#19 New York Rangers (C)

23 Gabe Perreault (F)

90 Drew Fortescue (D)

152 Rasmus Larsson (D)

178 Dylan Roobroeck (F)

183 Ty Henricks (F)

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

#20 Detroit Red Wings (C)

9 Nate Danielson (F)

17 Axel Sandin Pellikka (D)

41 Trey Augustine (G)

42 Andrew Gibson (D)

47 Brady Cleveland (D)

73 Noah Dower Nilsson (F)

117 Larry Keenan (D)

137 Jack Phelan (D)

147 Kevin Bicker (F)

169 Rudy Guimond (G)

201 Emmitt Finnie (F)

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

#21 Edmonton Oilers (C)

56 Beau Akey (D)

184 Nathaniel Day (G)

216 Matt Copponi (F)

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

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

#22 Anaheim Ducks (C-)

2 Leo Carlsson (F)

33 Nico Myatovic (F)

59 Carey Terrance (F)

60 Damian Clara (G)

65 Coulson Pitre (F)

85 Yegor Sidorov (F)

97 Konnor Smith (D)

129 Rodwin Dionicio (D)

161 Vojtech Port (D)

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

#23 Vancouver Canucks (D+)

11 Tom Willander (D)

75 Hunter Brzustewicz (C-)

89 Sawyer Mynio (D)

105 Ty Mueller (F)

107 Vilmer Alriksson (F)

119 Matthew Perkins (F)

171 Aiden Celebrini (D)

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

#24 Nashville Predators (C-)

15 Matthew Wood (F)

24 Tanner Molendyk (D)

43 Felix Nilsson (F)

46 Kalan Lind (F)

68 Jesse Kiiskinen (F)

83 Dylan MacKinnon (D)

111 Joseph Willis (F)

121 Juha Jatkola (G)

143 Sutter Muzzatti (F)

175 Austin Roest

218 Aiden Fink

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

#25 Tampa Bay Lightning (D)

37 Ethan Gauthier (F)

115 Jayson Shaugabay (F)

179 Warren Clark (D)

193 Jack Harvey (F)

211 Ethan Hay (F)

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

#26 New Jersey Devils (D+)

58 Lenni Hämeenaho (F)

122 Cam Squires (F)

154 Chase Cheslock (D)

164 Cole Brown (F)

186 Daniil Karpovich (D)

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

#27 Ottawa Senators (D)

108 Hoyt Stanley (D)

140 Matthew Andonovski (D)

204 Owen Beckner (F)

207 Vladimir Nikitin (G)

215 Nicholas VanTassell (F)

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

#28 Pittsburgh Penguins (D-)

14 Brayden Yager (F)

91 Emil Pieniniemi (D)

142 Mikhail Ye. Ilyin (F)

174 Cooper Foster (F)

217 Emil Järventie (F)

223 Kalle Kangas (D)

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

#29 Toronto Maple Leafs (D-)

28 Easton Cowan (F)

153 Hudson Malinoski (F)

185 Noah Chadwick (D)

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

#30 New York Islanders (D)

49 Danny Nelson (F)

113 Jesse Nurmi (F)

145 Justin Gill (F)

177 Zach Schulz (D)

209 Dennis Good Bogg (D)

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

#31 Boston Bruins (F+)

92 Christopher Pelosi (F)

124 Beckett Hendrickson (F)

188 Ryan Walsh (F)

214 Casper Nässén (F)

220 Kristian Kostadinski (D)

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

#32 Minnesota Wild (F)

21 Charlie Stramel (F)

53 Rasmus Kumpulainen (F)

64 Riley Heidt (F)

149 Aaron Pionk (D)

181 Kalem Parker (D)

213 Jimmy Clark (F)

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

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

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

First Round

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

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

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

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

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

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

4 - San Jose Sharks - Will Smith (USNTDP)

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

5 - Montreal Canadiens - Ryan Leonard (USNTDP)

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

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

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

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

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

8 - Washington Capitals - Oliver Moore (USNTDP)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Second Round

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

37 - Montreal Canadiens - Trey Augustine (USNTDP)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Standouts

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

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

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

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

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

Top 10 from each category;

VO2 Max

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

Wingate Test

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

Pull Ups

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

Pro Agility (Right)

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

Pro Agility (Left)

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

Bench Press (50% of Body Weight)

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

Standing Long Jump

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

Vertical Jump

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

No Arm Jump

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

Squat Jump

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

Heights & Weights

Name Height /Weight

Beau Akey 6’0”/175

Cameron Allen 6’0”/192

Trey Augustine 6’1.25”/190

Denver Barkey 5’8.75”/155

Colby Barlow 6’0.5”/195

Connor Bedard 5’9.75”/185

Zach Benson 5’9.75”/170

Tristan Bertucci 6’1.75”/175

Carson Bjarnason 6’3.25”/190

Oliver Bonk 6’1.5”/180

Gavin Brindley 5’8”/168

Hunter Brzustewicz 5’11.75”/190

Luca Cagnoni 5’9”/182

Jonathan Castagna 6’2.25” /195

Mathieu Cataford 5’11”/190

Alex Ciernik 5’10.25”/174

Brady Cleveland 6’4.75”//210

Easton Cowan 5’10.5”/170

Andrew Cristall 5’9.5”/175

Nate Danielson 6’1.5”/186

Noah Dower Nilsson 5’11.75 “/185

Lukas Dragicevic 6’1”/194

Jakub Dvorak 6’5”/210

Dalibor Dvorsky 6’1”/200

David Edstrom 6’3”/185

Paul Fischer 6’1”/200

Drew Fortescue 6’1”/176

Adam Gajan 6’2.75”/180

Brad Gardiner 6’1”/184

Ethan Gauthier 5’11.5”/183

Andrew Gibson 6’2.75”/202

Terrell Goldsmith 6’4”/220

Kasper Halttunen 6’3.25”/215

Lenni Hameenaho 6’1”/185

Riley Heidt 5’10.5”/180

Beckett Hendrickson 6’1.5”/174

Samuel Honzek 6’3.25”/195

Michael Hrabel 6’6.75”/215

Larry Keenan 6’3.25”/186

Jesse Kiiskinen 6’0.25”/190

Rasmus Kumpulainen 6’2.75”/190

Nick Lardis 5’11”/168

Ryan Leonard 5’11.75 “/190

Kalan Lind 6’0.5”/158

Theo Lindstein 6’0”/185

Jaden Lipinski 6’3.75”/210

Dylan MacKinnon 6’2”/190

Matteo Mann 6’5.5”/230

Gavin McCarthy 6’1.5”/186

Ethan Miedema 6’4”/208

Aram Minnetian 5’11”/195

Martin Misiak 6’1.5”/200

Tanner Molendyk 5’11”/181

Oscar Fisker Molgaard 5’11.75“/166

Oliver Moore 5’11”/195

Etienne Morin 6’0”/180

Carsen Musser 6’4”/212

Quentin Musty 6’1.5”/200

Nico Myatovic 6’2.5”/180

Sawyer Mynio 6’0.5”/163

Bradly Nadeau 5’10.25”/160

Zach Nehring 6’2.75”/182

Danny Nelson 6’3”/212

Felix Nilsson 6’0.5”/187

Noel Nordh 6’1.5”/200

Jesse Nurmi 5’11”/168

Tyler Peddle 6’1”/204

Gabriel Perreault 5’10.75”/163

Jayden Perron 5’9”/166

Alex Pharand 6’2.5”/205

Emil Pieniniemi 6’2.25”/175

Luca Pinelli 5’8.75”/167

Aaron Pionk 6’0.75”/173

Coulson Pitre 6’0.75”/170

Caden Price 6’0.5”/190

Scott Ratzlaff 6’0.5”/175

Carson Rehkopf 6’2.5”/195

David Reinbacher 6’2.25”/194

Eduard Sale 6’1.75”/175

Axel Sandin-Pellikka 5’11”/180

Gracyn Sawchyn 5’10.75”/155

Zachary Schulz 6’1”/197

Jayson Shaugabay 5’9.25”/165

William Smith 5’11.75 “/180

Jakub Stancl 6’3”/202

Otto Stenberg 5’11”/185

Charlie Stramel 6’3”/222

Andrew Strathmann 5’10.75”/185

Maxim Strbak 6’1.25”/198

Aydar Suniev 6’1.5”/192

Brandon Svoboda 6’3.25”/209

Carey Terrance 6’0.25”/178

Jordan Tourigny 5’11.25”/165

Anton Wahlberg 6’3.25”/192

William Whitelaw 5’8.75”/175

Tom Willander 6’1”/180

Matthew Wood 6’4”/197

Brayden Yager 5’11”/170

Koehn Ziemmer 6’0.25”/210

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mathieu Cataford – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #26 Vegas Golden Knights – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Prospect System Ranking – 26th (Last Year - 30th)

GM: Kelly McCrimmon Hired: September 2019 COACH: John Tortorella Hired: March 2026

1. Trevor Connelly, LW, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

2. Jakob Ihs Wozniak, RW, IF Björklöven (Allsvenskan)

3. Carl Lindbom, G, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

4. Lukas Cormier, D, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

5. Tuomas Uronen, RW, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

6. Pavel Moysevich, G, St. Petersburg (VHL)

7. Lucas Van Vliet, LW, University of St. Thomas (NCAA)

8. Mateo Nobert, C, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)

9. Matyas Sapovaliv, C, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

10. Ben Hemmerling, RW, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

11. Mathieu Cataford, C, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

12. Jakub Brabanec, C, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

13. Villiam Kmec, D, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

14. Cameron Whitehead, G, Tahoe Knight Monsters (ECHL) (Currently with Henderson Silver Knights, AHL)

15. Alex Weiermair, C, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #30

Vegas Golden Knights Top-15 Prospects

1 - Trevor Connelly

2 - Carl Lindbom

3 - Jakob Ihs Wozniak

4 - Lukas Cormier

5 - Tuomas Uronen

6 - Mathieu Cataford

7 - Pavel Moysevich

8 - Braeden Bowman

9 - Cameron Whitehead

10 - Trent Swick

11 - Arttu Karki

12 - Abram Wiebe

13 - Mateo Nobert

14 - Jakub Brabenec

15 - Jakub Demek

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #27

Vegas Golden Knights Top-15 Prospects

1. Trevor Connelly

2. Lukas Cormier

3. Brendan Brisson

4. Matyas Sapovaliv

5. Kaedan Korczak

6. Pavel Moysevich

7. Mathieu Cataford

8. Jakub Brabenec

9. Ben Hemmerling

10. Arttu Karki

11. Cameron Whitehead

12. Jackson Hallum

13. Jakub Demek

14. Carl Lindbom

15. Daniil Chayka

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #28 Vegas Golden Knights – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

1. Lukas Cormier, D, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

2. Brendan Brisson, C, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

3. Matyas Sapovaliv, C, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

4. Mathieu Cataford, C, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

5. Grigori Denisenko, LW, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

6. Kaedan Korczak, D, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

7. Jakub Brabenec, C, Henderson Silver Knights (AHL)

8. Ben Hemmerling, RW, Everett Silvertips (WHL)

9. Arttu Karki, D, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

10. Cameron Whitehead, G, Northeastern University (NCAA)

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #25

Top 20 Vegas Golden Knights Prospects

1. Lukas Cormier

2. Pavel Dorofyev

3. Brendan Brisson

4. David Edstrom

5. Daniil Miromanov

6. Mathieu Cataford

7. Kaeden Korczak

8. Matyas Sapovaliv

9. Jiri Patera

10. Jakub Brabenec

11. Jonas Rondbjerg

12. Carl Lindbom

13. Daniil Chayka

GM: Kelly McCrimmon Hired: September 2019
COACH: John Tortorella Hired: March 2026