Melvin Fernstrom – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #16

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 16:07:22 +0000

PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 12: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Owen Pickering (38) looks on during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Tampa Bay Lightning on January 12, 2025, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 16th (May 2025 - 20th)
GM: Kyle Dubas Hired: June 2023
COACH: Dan Muse Hired: June 2025

The Penguins made a notable splash at the 2025 draft, trading up seven spots to grab Ben Kindel at 11th overall. The dynamic forward immediately ranks as the organization’s second best prospect in McKeen’s rankings and projects as a key piece of their next competitive window.

Armed with 13 total picks, GM Kyle Dubas injected a major wave of youth into the system. Forwards Bill Zannon and Will Horcoff were among the standouts from that haul, both landing inside Pittsburgh’s new-look top 15 prospects.

This infusion of talent is part of a broader transition for a franchise inching toward life beyond Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. With longtime coach and two-time Stanley Cup champion Mike Sullivan gone, the Penguins are turning the page on an era while still trying to keep their competitive edge.

Dubas’s strategy has been clear: aggressively stockpile young players and draft capital without bottoming out. The process started last summer with the acquisition of Rutger McGroarty from Winnipeg in exchange for Brayden Yager. Throughout the year, Dubas continued to swing deals, adding Melvin Fernstrom from Vancouver and setting up a 2025 draft that will feature 11 selections—two of them in the first round.

On the ice, Ville Koivunen was one of the biggest risers in the organization. The Finnish forward impressed with seven assists in his eight-game NHL debut and led the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with 56 points, showcasing legitimate top six upside. On the back end, Owen Pickering split his rookie season between the NHL and AHL, solidifying his status as a long-term fixture on Pittsburgh’s blue line.

New head coach Dan Muse steps into a roster in flux, tasked with balancing development and competitiveness while the team’s iconic core still has something left to give. The post-Crosby era is on the horizon, but thanks to Dubas’s aggressive restocking, the Penguins now have the beginnings of a next wave worth watching.

Pittsburgh Penguins Top-15 Prospects

1 - Owen Pickering

Owen Pickering has had a nice first full professional season, where he split time between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Wilkes/Barre-Scranton Penguins. At both the NHL and AHL levels, Pickering was counted on to log heavy minutes many nights against opposing teams’ top players, and he did quite well for a rookie pro. The highlight of Pickering’s game is his unique combo of size, skating, and skill. He is a good-skating defender who can play physical and jump into the rush, but he’s also a very capable defender in his own end when he makes use of his big frame. Pickering won’t ever become that top-unit power play quarterback at the NHL level, but he’s a very promising prospect who can impact the game at both ends of the ice. Expect Pickering to earn a full-time spot with the Pittsburgh Penguins this fall, and be deployed on the penalty kill as he obtains more experience at the NHL level.

2 - Ben Kindel

The Penguins raised more than a few eyebrows when they selected Kindel 11th overall in this year's NHL entry draft, which was much earlier than all public scouting prognostications suggested that he would hear his name get called, including McKeen’s Hockey. As bold of a decision as it was by general manager Kyle Dubas and his staff, any scout who closely watched his play with the Calgary Hitmen would surely agree that he could become a very dangerous and valuable forward if his development continues on its current path and everything breaks just right. The cerebral forward is a tremendous playmaker, using his tremendous vision and hockey sense to set the plates of his teammates, including with some of the best stretch passes that you’ll ever see. He’s also very shifty and elusive as a skater and has a shot that gets way more power than you’d expect. In a lot of ways Kindel looks like Brayden Point did at the same age in the WHL, so that would be a wise target for him to emulate his game after.

3 - Rutger McGroarty

Rutger McGroarty struggled a bit with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last year to start the season, but he really picked up his play as the season went on. It’s totally obvious to any viewer that McGroarty knows how to play with skilled players, as he’s great at retrieving pucks, and he always wills himself into the battle. McGroarty is also a very capable offensive threat, but he is a better playmaker than he is a goal scorer. He can find teammates with little time and space, and he can make shifty plays that stun opposing defenders. It was a little surprising that McGroarty took so long to figure out his game at the AHL level, as many expected him to dominate early, but he’s a player that works himself into his opportunities and knows what he is as a player. He can play any role with any type of linemates, and this adaptive flexibility is what will make him millions at the NHL level. McGroarty should be a full-time member of the Pittsburgh Penguins this coming season.

4 - Ville Koivunen

Ville Koivunen was one of the most fun players to watch last season in the AHL. Originally taken in the second round by the Carolina Hurricanes, Koivunen was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of the Jake Guentzel trade. This trade has made Kyle Dubas look like a bit of a genius, where Koivunen torched the AHL last season and really looks to have the potential of becoming a strong top six NHL forward. The best part about Koivunen’s game is his relentless skill. He’s very shifty with the puck on his stick, which allows him to draw defenders in and make time and space for his teammates. With that being said, Koivunen is also relentless when he doesn’t have the puck; if he doesn’t have it, he’s working hard to get it. As a result, Koivunen is tracking well to become a strong offensive playmaker for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and we can expect to see Koivunen become a full-time member of the Penguins this upcoming season.

5 - Bill Zonnon

Bill Zonnon was the last of three QMJHL first-round picks in 2025, selected 22nd overall by the Penguins. This season with Rouyn-Noranda, he scored 83 points in 64 games, ranking second on his team and first in assists. Entering the year, Zonnon was seen by most as a player outside of the first round due to many factors : Wonky and technically unrefined skating, offensive game limited to passing, underwhelming physical game and involvement. However, since the beginning of 2025, Zonnon transformed his game. His stride strength and determination made his skating more efficient, and off the puck, he would chase down opponents relentlessly unlike few other prospects. Zonnon would even carry the puck end-to-end with speed on a consistent basis. His playmaking became even more impressive, with many high-level passing and vision plays. Zonnon became a perfect safe projection for the middle six of an NHL line up. While he might not have a tremendous upside due to limited goal scoring and puck handling abilities, his exceptional effort rate and in every single shift he gets makes me confident in his projection. There’s a chance Zonnon finds a role in the NHL earlier than most would expect.

6 - Will Horcoff

Last season, Will Horcoff left the NTDP to go to the University of Michigan in the middle of his season. Surprisingly, Horcoff performed better with the jump in competition. He was able to use his size to his advantage in every zone and was relied upon as a net-front presence because of this. His offensive play becomes much more varied in transition, Horcoff is a high-IQ forward and can find space to score and set up teammates very well. Defensively, it is not fun to have Horcoff bare down on you when he is pressuring opposing d-men. The completeness of his game is very impressive, and the Penguins could give a serious look at bringing him over to Wilkes-Barre as early as next summer.

7 - Harrison Brunicke

The Blazers did not make the playoffs this season, but it was through no fault of Brunicke, who was their number one defenceman and played a lot of great hockey during the campaign. He didn't stop playing there, though. Instead, he immediately headed over to the AHL to join the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in their quest for the Calder Cup, getting into their lineup right away and registering his first professional point in his very first game. He's a tall, rangy, right-shot blueliner with superb skating ability, which he knows how to use defensively when keeping tight gaps and breaking out pucks, as well as offensively when it comes to attacking in transition or activating off of the offensive blueline. While still a bit raw and unrefined, Brunicke has improved a lot over the past few seasons and isn't showing any signs of slowing down any time soon. He’ll be a strong contender to play for Canada at the World Juniors this December.

8 - Sergei Murashov

In Murashov’s 20-year-old season, he transitioned effortlessly from the MHL to dominating the ECHL. This played him into a stacked Wilkes Barre/Scranton goalie room where he proved that he was more than good enough to belong and even outplay some of the other goalies there. He’s an exceptional skater - very explosive, precise, and fluid. He’s also quite athletic, reacts very quickly to passes, and has shown elite positioning with a great understanding of potential dangers and using smart routes. His major weakness seems to be dealing with screens. Despite fighting hard to look around them, it looks like he hasn’t quite figured out a consistent way of doing so and can lose track of the puck through traffic. This is something that could be an issue in the NHL, but many goalies still find success despite that problem. Murashov’s raw skill set is of a very high level; his chances to become a tandem or even starting goalie in the NHL look to be promising, and with Pittsburgh's goaltending woes, he should have the runway to do so.

9 - Mikhail Ilyin

Mikhail Ilyin has quickly emerged as one of the KHL’s most intriguing young talents. He plays with an impressive calm and patience to his game, using smooth hands and strong skating to create offence with ease. He circles the offensive zone with his head up, scanning for options and delivering crisp, timely passes. Without the puck, his IQ shines as he finds soft areas in coverage to become a scoring threat. Defensively, he’s shown solid growth, battling harder, chasing down loose pucks, and using his size to separate opponents. His contract is up at the end of this season so it will be interesting to see where he goes next. He signed his ELC with the Pens this spring but has been loaned back to Severstal for the year. If all continues to go well, Ilyin could turn into a skilled two-way wing who can slow the game down and become a strong playmaking threat in the Penguin’s middle six.

10 - Tanner Howe

This season Howe was traded from the Regina Pats to the Calgary Hitmen, which saw him switch from one of the worst teams in the entire CHL to one of the very best. Talk about a dramatic change in fortunes. That upheaval came with some adjustments, however, as he went from being his team's captain and primary offensive driver beforehand, to a smaller but more appropriately fitting cog in a well-oiled machine afterwards. This might turn out to be a benefit to his long-term development, because it aligned much better with his best possible pathway to the NHL: as a hard-working, high-character support player, in contrast to someone you'd want as the primary driver on a line. He's sure to become a favourite of both fans and coaches in Pittsburgh thanks to his tenacious, hyper-competitive approach, infectious personality, and willingness to battle hard even when he’s sure to absorb a lot of punishment.

11 - Vasily Ponomarev

This summer, Ponomarev inked a three-year deal with Avangard Omsk of the KHL. Although the Penguins tendered an offer to the RFA, they still hold his rights. A natural two-way center, Ponomarev was a solid point producer at the AHL level but never really got more than a handful of chances in the NHL. It sounds like he will remain in Russia at least for the short term, if not the long term as well.

12 - Tristan Broz

Scoring 37 points in 59 games during his first professional season, Broz has found significant early success. He gets top nine minutes for Wilkes-Barre Scranton and is a feature on both special teams' units. Broz has made improvements in getting to the slot, and it has rewarded him with his production. He could feature eventually for the Penguins as their core continues to age, but he’ll spend at least another season in the AHL getting more comfortable offensively.

13 - Melvin Fernstrom

17 points in 48 games may not appear to be eye-popping, but for an 18-19-year-old rookie, it is jaw-dropping. Fernstrom, the reigning SHL rookie of the year, isn’t a play driver; he has an instinct for where the puck will be and can finish from anywhere. He’ll need another year of developing his game outside of the offensive zone and should prove to be a considerable offensive threat for Örebro and then Wilkes-Barre Scranton at the end of the season.

14 - Emil Pieniniemi

When he was drafted, Pieniniemi was viewed just as a large defenceman who could physically disrupt play. Last year, an unexpected offensive side clicked in a big way. Primarily as a great passer, he scored 60 points in 60 games for Kingston in the OHL. Pieniniemi will head straight to the AHL next year, where his path to the NHL might accelerate if his point production is anywhere near what it was last year.

15 - Joona Vaisanen

In his rookie season, Vaisanen was an important piece of a National Championship winning Western Michigan team. Vaisanen’s a good enough puck mover to earn 26 points in 42 games, but his real strength comes in shutting down the other team. He has shown he’s more than capable of playing in a pro-style defensive scheme, recording a +24. He’ll return to Kalamazoo for another year, where he should be a top four shutdown defenceman.

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #20 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Fri, 23 May 2025 12:36:47 +0000

PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 07: Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Owen Pickering (38) shoots the puck during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 7, 2024, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

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Pittsburgh 25 Prospects

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #22

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Derek Neumeier — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 13:00:13 +0000

_{231221 Jonathan Lekkerimäki of Sweden looks dejected after the under-20 international friendly ice hockey game between Sweden and USA on December 21, 2023 in Ängelholm. Photo: Maxim Thoré / BILDBYRÅN / kod MT / MT0513}

Prospect System Ranking – 22nd (Previous Rank - 16th)
GM: Patrik Allvin Hired: January 2022
COACH: Rick Tocchet Hired: January 2023

Everything seemed to fall into place for the Vancouver Canucks in 2023-24, with success resonating throughout the organization. Several players hit career highs, Rick Tocchet earned the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year, and Patrik Allvin was a finalist for GM of the Year.

Most importantly for the future and a prospect system dwindled by years of poor asset management, Jonathan Lekkerimäki, our 19th-ranked prospect at McKeen’s, had a breakout season overseas. He collected an impressive list of accolades, including team MVP, Rookie of the Year, and World Juniors MVP, all while leading all U23 skaters in points (31) in the SHL. Now officially in North America, Lekkerimäki is likely to spend some time in Abbotsford, but isn’t far off from earning minutes in Vancouver.

Lekkerimäki will join a group of prospects on the cusp of NHL duty, including Aatu Räty (ranked 79th), Arshdeep Bains (ranked 208th), Linus Karlsson (ranked 293rd), and Elias Pettersson (no, not that one), who is set to embark on his first full season in North America.

Tom Willander, who comes in as our 46th-ranked prospect, will spend at least one more season at Boston University but is another intriguing youngster capable of carving out a top four role in the next few years. With Montreal’s Lane Hutson no longer in the picture at BU, the blueline is there for Willander to command in 2024-25.

The biggest jump of 2024-25 will likely come between the pipes. With both Vancouver’s regular netminders–Thatcher Demko and Casey DeSmith–suffering playoff injuries, Arturs Silovs (202nd) was thrust into the crease, despite having just five regular season starts to his name. He played exceptionally well, helping the Canucks come within one goal of reaching the Western Conference Finals. His performance earned him a two-year extension and a shot at becoming the team’s permanent backup.

The system is still a work in progress, and with no picks in the first or second rounds of the 2024 NHL Draft, there is still much ground to cover. However, it’s a step in the right direction under a new regime that appears to know what it’s doing.

Vancouver Canucks Top-15 Prospects

1. Jonathan Lekkerimaki

Lekkerimaki really started to heat up during the 2023 HockeyAllsvenskan playoffs, and once that began happening you could see that a switch had flipped for him. He hasn’t slowed down at all since then, and has firmly re-established himself as one of the most dynamic and dangerous prospects in the sport. It’s not often that a teenager leads an SHL team in both goals and points, but the young Canucks sharpshooter did that this season for Orebro, which just goes to show how good he truly was. He’s a high-end goal-scorer both with his one-timer, which he can let rip with expert power and precision, as well as his ability to burst past opposing defenders with speed before then deking the goalie out of his pads. The highlight-reel that he will accumulate by the end of his career will be quite a long one.

2. Tom Willander

Willander was a late riser up everyone's 2023 draft boards, and his seamless transition to living in North America and playing hockey in the NCAA are great indicators that he will be able to adapt to the NHL one day and make an impact there as well. He is already a dominant two-way player with Boston University, using his powerful and flawless skating ability to tilt the ice whenever he's out there. The value he brings is less about the sheer number of points he produces, and more so the ability to control the flow of the game around him and dictate its outcomes. It's very easy to project him as someone who will be able to play in a Top 4 role in the NHL and match up well against the most dangerous forwards the league has to offer.

3. Aatu Raty

Raty spent the entirety of his 2023-24 campaign with Abbotsford, and while he might be personally disappointed that he didn’t get to play any games for Vancouver, the argument could be made that all that consistency was important to stabilize his development, because there was a lot of moving around and mixed results for him over the past few seasons. The results were encouraging, with better production rates and him taking on a bigger role within his team. Next season will likely be a similar story, considering the competition among forwards in the organization right now, but if he truly plays himself up the depth chart, he’ll get rewarded for it. A two-way center with size and skill, he could be a very impactful NHLer one day if he continues to stick to the plan and takes things as they come to him.

4. Arturs Silovs

Silovs has turned out to be a very valuable find for the Canucks as a 6th-round draft selection. He hasn’t exactly knocked anyone’s socks off since he was picked, but he’s certainly proven himself to be a good supporting goalie at the very least, with the possibility of him still becoming something more one day. He lets his large frame do most of his work while he’s between the pipes, while also doing a good job of keeping his head clear and not riding the highs and the lows of the game situations in front of him. His surprise success for Vancouver in last year’s playoffs, stepping up in relief of the injured Thatcher Demko, all but cemented his right to play full-time in the NHL in 2024-25, which will be his biggest and most important challenge yet. What he does next could change the entire trajectory of his career.

5. Arshdeep Bains

What an incredible story Bains continues to write for himself. In the span of a few short years, he's gone from being an undrafted longshot, to earning a contract with his favourite childhood hockey team, to establishing himself as one of their very best prospects. His success also extends well outside of the Canucks organization, providing valuable representation for the Canadian Sikh community's growing love of the sport. He thinks the game at a very high level, which has been the primary source of his ability to keep making repeated gains in a multitude of areas and consistently year over year. It’s fair to say that he’s exceeded everyone’s expectations thus far into his career. A track record like his, along with how well-rounded his game already is, signals that he won't be confined to just a single NHL pathway and could earn different roles within a roster.

6. Linus Karlsson

Karlsson has quietly emerged within the Canucks system as quite a steady point producer. That was true of his time in the Swedish professional ranks and has carried over nicely to North America. He’s a little on the older side for a prospect, at 24 years of age now, but him leading Abbotsford in scoring at a point-per-game clip should not be undervalued. He’s a real jack-of-all-trades type of center, and that will either end up being a blessing or a curse for him as he tries to make Vancouver full-time, because he’ll be at the whim of the team’s roster construction and whether they need another guy like him, versus someone who fills a more specialized role. The good news is that there should be a small number of forward spots open next fall for someone promoted internally.

7. Kirill Kudryavtsev

The Greyhounds pulled off a major turnaround this past season compared to the last one, and Kudryavtsev played an essential role in how they did it as one of their most trusted defensemen. His game didn’t necessarily get an overhaul from one year to the next, but he fine-tuned his play, increasing both the efficiency and effectiveness of how he plays. Sometimes it’s about perfecting what you have, not looking for something else. He’s a mobile two-way defender who plays a heads-up brand of hockey and displays a lot of comfort when the puck is on his stick. Will he ever be a go-to powerplay specialist or penalty killer for the Canucks? Probably not. But he could still bring value to the team through an ability to reliably pick up retrievals, evade forecheck pressure, and turn the puck back up the ice quickly and accurately.

8. Elias Pettersson

All jokes aside about the Canucks having two players in the organization with the exact same name, this Elias Pettersson is a very solid young defenseman in his own right and is on a promising course to make it to the NHL one day. He’s very well equipped as a modern-day shutdown defenseman, with a good blend of reach, mobility, and poise with the puck. He also understands how to play physically and land big hits without getting himself into penalty trouble, though he will have to get his hands dirty a little more often once he starts playing in North America full-time. Him being a part of Abbotsford’s AHL playoff run this spring is a good introduction to that. Adding a more of an offensive element to his game would be nice as well, but it won’t be a necessity for him.

9. Sawyer Mynio

It's amazing what being surrounded by elite talent can do for a player, especially when they are good learners and know how to make the most out of the opportunity. Mynio is a textbook example of what that looks like. The spotlight rarely shone on him last year as a member of the WHL-champion Seattle Thunderbirds, with it understandably getting hogged instead by the team's surplus of stars, but Mynio was out there every game too, grinding and growing. The results of that work have been incredible to see, as he managed to improve every facet of his game, while also becoming the new face of the organization and one of its leaders on and off the ice as they look to usher in a new era. That kind of experience is hard to find and even harder to replicate.

10. Jett Woo

The hype about Woo has cooled off significantly since he was picked 37th overall in the 2018 NHL entry draft, and for a while it looked like it was going to freeze completely, but give him credit: he’s dug in, battled hard, and has made himself look like a legitimate NHL prospect again. He’s a stocky, physical blueliner who developed a reputation for delivering sturdy hits, and after a bit of a warming-up period in the AHL has started to look more like his old self. The offensive side of his game has fluctuated a lot from year to year, but this season was his best one yet as a pro, and he led all defensemen on his team in scoring. It looks like there won’t be any room for him on the big club at first, but if injuries occur on the blueline Woo could be first in line to get a look.

11. Max Sasson

Just how far has Sasson come in his development? To put it into perspective, in 2017 he was selected in the 19th round in the USHL draft. Three years later he was an assistant captain in the league. Three years after that he was scoring at a point-per-game pace in the NCAA. Now he's thriving in the AHL. Even if he never becomes more than a high-character glue guy, someone like that often finds a way to take their careers farther than others.

12. Cole McWard

It must have stung a little for McWard to play all but one game in the AHL last season, after going straight from the NCAA to the moribund Canucks at the end of 2022-23 and even scoring his first NHL goal. The organization might have hoped that he’d grab the bull by the horns down in Abbotsford and then force his way back up, but it hasn’t happened yet. Any look he gets now will need to be earned, not given.

13. Melvin Fernström

No player picked in the 2024 NHL draft had a stronger disconnect between their stats and their on-ice performance than Fernström. How he scored so much last year still remains something of a mystery, but a large part of it is his uncanny anticipation, knowing how to be in the right place at the right time. It will be fascinating to see if that continues to work for him, since he doesn’t drive much play off his own stick.

14. Anthony Romani

It’s a downright travesty that Romani had to miss almost all of North Bay’s big playoff run due to injury, because he was having one of the best Cinderella seasons in recent league history. Nobody expected him to more than double his goal and point totals from the prior year and challenge for the league scoring title. Was it all just a flash in the pan? Nobody knows for sure yet, but the Canucks picked Romani on the off chance that it wasn’t.

15. Josh Bloom

The jump from junior hockey to professional hockey isn’t always easy, and Bloom experienced that the hard way last season, struggling in both the AHL and the ECHL before going back to Saginaw as an overage player. On the bright side, he did get to win a Memorial Cup with the Spirit, so it’s not all bad. Prior flashes of offensive upside haven’t fully materialized, so focusing on his checking work might be a necessary shift.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2024 NHL DRAFT: World Junior A Challenge Review – 26 Scouting Profiles with video

Brock Otten — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 15:24:04 +0000

For the first time in over a decade, the two Canadian teams faced off in the final of the World Junior A Challenge recently. The last time it happened was 2011 when, ironically, Canada West (led by Alex Kerfoot, Colton Parayko, and Troy Stecher) defeated Canada East (led by Devin Shore and Mackenzie Weegar), the same result of this year’s event. The gold medal victory is a huge coup for Canada West after last year’s disappointment, when they entered the medal round as the top seed before losing in both the semi finals and the bronze medal game.

For those unfamiliar with the tournament, the WJAC is an annual U20 event hosted by the CJHL (Canadian Junior Hockey League), in which Canada enters two teams of the country’s best tier two players; Canada West and Canada East. Canada West incorporates players from the AJHL, MJHL, and other Western junior leagues. Canada East incorporates players from the OJHL, GOJHL, CCHL, and other Maritime and Quebec leagues. Previously BCHL players participated as part of Canada West, but that has not been the case the last two inclinations after the BCHL left the CJHL to separate from Hockey Canada. The United States also sends a team composed of USHL stars, while the remaining teams are filled out by other countries, most recently Sweden and Slovakia (or Latvia in 2022).

The event is one of the most underrated scouting events on the calendar with many former NHL players taking part. In recent years, Cale Makar and Devon Levi rose to fame with their performances in the WJAC. Just last year, Tom Willander began his ascent up the draft rankings following a terrific performance for Sweden, helping them capture bronze.

Which potential NHL draft selections participated this year and how did they perform? Read on to find out.

Rylan Brown
(Photo by Chad Goddard)

Canada West

Rylan Brown - Defense

Brown, the son of former NHL defender Sean Brown, is a Michigan Tech commit who is in his second year of draft eligibility. He entered last year with a fair amount of hype after a terrific 17 year old season in the AJHL in 2021/22, but ultimately failed to meet those expectations and went undrafted. He returned to the AJHL this year and has been one of the league’s top defenders. Brown was one of Canada West’s most effective defenders at this event too. He helped quarterback the powerplay and his strong mobility and puck skill were on display. He has really quick feet and he can help initiate the breakout or keep pucks in at the line. Defensively, he’s certainly a different kind of defender than his father, but his mobility can be an asset when defending in transition. It’s definitely possible that he has put himself back on the map as a re-entry candidate this year.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/rylan_brown_-_2nd_period_24_58_-_25_13.mp4

Logan Sawyer - Wing/Center

One of the higher profile first time draft eligible players on either Canada team at this event, Sawyer met high expectations by playing his best hockey in the medal round in helping Canada West capture gold. A Providence College commit, Sawyer has been excellent for the Brooks Bandits (AJHL) this season as one of the league’s leading scorers. Originally from Ontario (Sawyer played minor hockey with the Vaughan Kings and was teammates with OHL’ers Sam O’Reilly and Kaden Pitre), Sawyer decided to head out West for his NHL draft year. While he has played both wing and center this year for Brooks, his skill set does look destined for the wing, even if he did play mostly center at this event. I thought early on at this tournament, his game was too perimeter oriented and he mainly operated as a high volume shooter who simply looked to get pucks on net whenever he had possession. But as the tournament progressed, we saw him gain confidence and show more poise as a play creator who looked to drive the middle and use his size to prolong possession and play through contact. His shot definitely has zip and he also clearly has the skill to create his own chances, giving him solid upside as a goal scorer at the next level. The skating looks only average, but he does use his size to protect the puck well and can be a difference maker in transition because of this. Sawyer looked every part an NHL draft selection, perhaps even inside the Top 100.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/logan_sawyer_-_1st_period_11_24_-_11_46.mp4

Ryan Zaremba - Center

While I’m not necessarily convinced that Zaremba is a true draft candidate this year, he definitely was impressive for Canada West at this event. The undersized pivot is really quick and this makes him dynamic in transition as he consistently looks to push the pace. He blends skill and pace well and showed heart/determination by attacking the middle of the ice despite clearly lacking in size/strength. The Minnesota-Duluth commit has been excellent for Sherwood Park this year (AJHL) and looks like the type of player who could have a ton of success at the NCAA level with his speed and playmaking ability. I came into this event not knowing much about him, but found myself consistently taking note of positive plays he made with the puck to generate zone time or create scoring opportunities.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ryan_zaremba_-_1st_period_15_23_-_15_36.mp4

Diego Johnson - Wing

Another Sherwood Park (AJHL) player, Johnson was one of the youngest players at this event (thanks to an early September 2006 birthday). While the Wisconsin commit did not hit the scoresheet very often, he was often noticeable for his play away from the puck and high energy approach. He forechecked hard. He backchecked hard. He battled near the crease and kept pucks alive down low. He was a consistent physical presence. He didn’t have a ton of opportunity to showcase his skill with the puck or overall offensive upside, but he did show enough to have my Western scouts circle back to him in the second half this year.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/diego_johnson_-_3rd_period_4_16_-_4_29.mp4

Matthew Van Blaricom - Wing

One of the players who caught my eye the most at this tournament. Van Blaricom plays for the Humboldt Broncos of the SJHL, who have had some players drafted into the NHL. A Michigan Tech commit, Van Blaricom plays under Canada West coach (and former Los Angeles King top prospect) Scott Barney. He’s well over a point per game for Humboldt this year as an ‘06 and showed that he deserves serious consideration for this year’s NHL draft. From start to finish at the WJAC, Van Blaricom was one of Canada West’s most effective players. He brought physicality. He led the team in goal scoring, including two in the gold medal game. He’s one of those guys that just has that “IT” factor. Van Blaricom is not the most individually skilled player on the ice. He’s not the quickest. But, he processes the game really well and brings a consistent energy level to get the most out of his skill set. After watching him at this event, I circled back to watch some of his action with Humboldt and his skill/creativity shows better in the SJHLl in comparison to the WJAC; he simply looks too good for that level. I could easily see Van Blaricom developing into a Michael Bunting type of player at the next level if his skating can continue to evolve.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/1-matthew_van_blaricom_-_3rd_period_0_11_-_0_24.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2-matthew_van_blaricom_-_1st_period_26_35_-_26_48.mp4

Canada East

Dawson Labre - Goaltender

Ignoring a disastrous gold medal game, Labre deserves a ton of credit for helping Canada East earn a silver medal. His performance in the round robin portion brought back memories of Devon Levi’s from a few years ago. I would have definitely selected him over Roest for the tournament’s top goaltender. A CCHL netminder (with Smith Falls) in his final year of NHL draft eligibility (as a 2004 born), Labre was not drafted into the QMJHL and does not have an NCAA commitment, but he definitely put scouts on notice at the WJAC’s. The 6’3 netminder was at his best when he was aggressive in challenging shooters to maximize his size, and at his worst when he got caught deep in his net (like several goals in the medal round). His rebound control definitely needs to improve too. However, he, largely, showed great play tracking and athleticism to help Canada East pull off some upsets at the tournament. Is he truly a draft candidate? I’m not sure. Realistically, he’d have to lead Smith Falls (who currently are in first place) to a Centennial Cup (CJHL Championship) to even be in the conversation. However, he definitely deserved to be mentioned in this piece.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/dawson_labre_-_2nd_period_24_26_-_24_39.mp4

Jonathan Morello - Center

Like Logan Sawyer, Morello entered this event as Canada East’s top draft eligible player and he largely met those expectations. The St. Michael’s Buzzers forward and Clarkson commit showcased his excellent skating ability, ending the tournament with a point per game. He shows attention to detail away from the puck; his size and length (at 6’3) helps him to be a disruptive force on the forecheck and backcheck. NHL scouts are definitely going to be enamored with his size and speed combination, similar to Jonathan Castagna last year. I’ll definitely try to circle back to Morello later this year and try to catch a St. Michael’s game live in the second half (with my region being Ontario). What’s the offensive upside? Hard to tell at this point. But, the athletic tools are very intriguing.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/1-jonathan_morello_-_3rd_period_30_7_-_30_20.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2-jonathan_morello_-_3rd_period_6_18_-_6_31.mp4

Carsen Lloyd - Defense

Lloyd is an interesting case. A late born 2005, Lloyd is actually OHL property of the Brantford Bulldogs. Originally a high selection of the London Knights, he was traded to Brantford as part of the Ryan Winterton trade last year. However, he failed to make the Bulldogs this year and eventually found his way to the OJHL with Georgetown, where he has been one of the best defenders in tier two in Ontario. Because he has played in the OHL, Lloyd is not eligible for the NCAA, meaning that he’ll have to continue to grind to make the OHL…perhaps with another OHL franchise if Brantford is not going to give him another chance. Lloyd’s bread and butter is his point shot and that was on display at the WJAC’s, where he scored three goals. He quarterbacked the powerplay, where his shot is obviously a big weapon. But he also moves the puck well and can hold the line effectively. Defensively, he was up and down. I wish he were a bit better skater given his lack of high end size. But, he’s definitely someone to watch moving forward to see what happens with his OHL rights.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/carson_lloyd_-_3rd_period_16_9_-_16_31.mp4

United States

Trevor Connelly - Wing

It was another great International performance for Connelly, who followed up his strong showing at the Hlinka/Gretzky in the summer with a strong showing at the WJAC. He capped off the tournament with a four goal game in the bronze medal game against Sweden, helping the United States capture bronze. Say what you will about his play away from the puck and occasional poor puck management, however he is a dynamic offensive player. The speed and skill combination gives him among the highest offensive upside of any player in the draft this year. He is the very definition of a quick strike player because of his first step quickness and ability to explode off his edges. Additionally, when you think you have him boxed in, his hands create space for himself. With Tri-City sitting firmly in the middle of the USHL standings, I’m really hoping that the U.S. decides to add Connelly to their U18 roster this year as a non NTDP player. Given how outstanding he has been Internationally this year, they would be crazy not to.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/1-trevor_connelly_-_3rd_period_10_19_-_10_51.mp4

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2-trevor_connelly_-_1st_period_9_12_-_9_25.mp4

Mac Swanson - Center

A returning player on this U.S. WJAC roster despite being a 2006 born, Swanson ended up leading the tournament in assists with nine. He’s such a crafty and intelligent playmaker. His vision with the puck and overall passing touch/sense/precision is among the best in this draft class. I also continue to admire his effort to try to work between the dots despite being so undersized. All that said, I do have major concerns about his ability to transition to the NHL level. He’s just so undersized (at 5’7) and the skating ability is far from dynamic. Even at this current moment, he’s at his best on the powerplay where he gets more room to operate and can survey the ice from the half wall without intense pressure. Due to the fact that he’s not an electric skater, his pace can be lacking too. I have no doubt that he will continue to produce offensively in college and that he can be a long term pro in some capacity. However, without significant improvements made to his skating, I don’t see him being a scoring line option in the NHL in the future.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/mac_swanson_-_3rd_period_5_12_-_5_24.mp4

Joe Connor - Wing

One of our highest ranked players to go unselected last year, Connor has made the jump to the USHL full time this year with Muskegon (from Avon Old Farms) and the results have been terrific. Much like Cole Knuble did last year, Connor has used his performance at this tournament to bring attention to the fact that he deserves to be selected the second time through. Flat out, he was one of the best players at the WJAC. That said, I could still see some apprehension from NHL teams considering that his physical tools are only average. He’s one of those players who is the sum of their parts, lacking a true standout quality…much like the aforementioned Knuble. At the WJAC’s, Connor operated best as an offensive zone support player. He competes for touches and applies pressure in puck pursuit. He protects the puck well. He finds soft spots in coverage. I wouldn’t say he drove play at the WJAC, the way a guy like Connelly did, but makes a lot of subtly great plays with the puck to create chances or keep plays alive. A great example is the pass I have included as a clip below.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/joseph_connor_-_2nd_period_5_1_-_5_13.mp4

James Reeder - Wing/Center

I didn’t know a ton about Reeder heading into this tournament, but came away very impressed by him. The third part of the Connelly/Swanson top line, Reeder was the perfect complement to those two because of his ability to find soft spots in coverage, his off puck competitiveness, and the fact that he showed great skill and finishing ability too. A late born 2005, Reeder is first time draft eligible this year and definitely looks the part of an NHL draft pick. A Denver commit, there’s just something that pops about his game, even though he’s also not the kind of dynamic skater that you like to see from a 5’9 forward. That said, I would classify him as a better and more explosive skater than Swanson and as such, he plays with a little more pace than his diminutive linemate at the tournament. Having gone back and watched some of Reeder’s action with Dubuque this year, in combination with this tournament (and the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup), I would say that I prefer Reeder to Swanson as a potential NHL draft selection.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/james_reeder_-_3rd_period_2_41_-_2_54.mp4

Will Felicio - Defense

A standout at the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup in the summer, Felicio hasn’t had the kind of USHL season to date that many expected he would. As such, we’ve really seen all hype on him completely die down. However, he had a pretty solid WJAC. Other than a poor pinch that led to a back breaking goal in the semifinals against Canada West, Felicio was actually pretty solid defensively. He made some good plays when defending the rush and he showed determination down low to battle for pucks, winning more battles than I’ve seen him win in the USHL this year. Offensively, he was his usual self. He creates inside the offensive zone with his ability to beat initial layers of pressure and get pucks on net. He holds the line well. I do wonder if he’s a good enough skater considering his lack of stature/reach, but it would be false to claim he had a poor tournament.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/will_felicio_-_1st_period_18_1_-_18_13.mp4

Adam Kleber - Defense

Kleber is a massive (6’5) right shot defender who played big minutes for the U.S. at this tournament as an ‘06. He’s certainly not a high upside two-way guy. Having watched him at the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup and in the USHL this year, I feel pretty confident saying that. He’s mostly a rim the glass and out guy at this time, especially when he’s pressured. He can be coerced into defensive zone turnovers and can struggle to play pucks on his backhand. However, the physical approach is going to be attractive to teams who think he can develop into a third pairing, PK guy. While he still struggles with his agility and transitional skating, I do think that his skating has already improved a bit since the Hlinka/Gretzky. He’s starting to look more comfortable on his edges. The clip I’ve included here is probably the perfect example of Kleber. A couple bad clearing attempts mixed in with a devastating hit.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/adam_kleber_-_2nd_period_3_32_-_3_44.mp4

Tory Pitner - Defense

The best word to describe Pitner is…”solid.” He’s a right shot defender who I’ve been really impressed with in the defensive zone at both the Hlinka/Gretzky and now at the WJAC’s. He shows good gap control. Has good scanning habits. Plays physical and plays aggressively. I know the word on him coming into the year was that his hockey sense and decision making were questionable, but I haven’t really seen that. I see someone who starts the breakout well and who is a calming presence in the defensive end. What I have yet to see from him at either international event is high offensive upside. I need to circle back to watch more of him in the USHL because he has been producing with Youngstown. But, I have seen a player who can struggle at times with the puck when pressured because he lacks the skill/hands/creativity to escape cleanly. I guess my question regarding Pitner is…what is he at the next level? He’s a good skater, but not a great one. He’s got good size, but not great size. He seems to be at his best against high end competition when he keeps things simple. I like him, but I do wonder how NHL scouts feel about him (we’ll have to get our U.S. scouts on that), especially considering NHL Central Scouting only gave him a “W” rating.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/tory_pitner_-_2nd_period_30_36_-_30_50.mp4

Sweden

Alexander Zetterberg - Center/Wing

Say what you want about Zetterberg’s lack of size (at 5’9 and pushing 160lbs), all he has done is produce at the international level this year. He was one of Sweden’s best at the summer’s Hlinka/Gretzky Cup, again at the U18 Nations tournament and now again at the WJAC’s. I know his play at the U20 level in Sweden has been a little erratic, but you definitely can’t claim that about his play for Sweden. Zetterberg’s goal scoring ability is among his best traits. He has a lightning quick release on his wrister and can one time pucks cleanly too, allowing him to beat goaltenders from a distance. However, what I am consistently impressed with is his competitive edge and desire to work between the dots, despite his lack of size. He battles near the crease and gets himself in good scoring position in the slot, even if it means jousting for position against bigger defenders. There’s a lot of Alex Debrincat in his game. He’s a similar kind of skater too. Not the prettiest stride for a smaller player, but it’s efficient at this level and his edgework/agility stand out as a positive. At what point do we say (as part of the scouting community) that you just can’t argue with success? Is it when Zetterberg has a great IIHF U18’s too?

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/alexander_zetterberg_-_3rd_period_7_39_-_7_51.mp4

Melvin Fernstrom - Wing

I felt Fernstrom was a little snake bitten at this event. He played better than the below average stat line would indicate. He’s a guy who just looks like a future NHL player in some capacity. He plays a mature, North/South game. He’s not the most creative or dynamic, but he is the perfect complementary winger who can work the wall, protect the puck well and who can drive the net. The skating ability is already solid, particularly his explosiveness which helps him to be quick to loose pucks and retrievals. The shot is only average, but he does a good job of anticipating play in the offensive zone and he does a good job working the half wall on the powerplay. In particular, I thought Fernstrom played well in his two games against the United States in this tournament. While I’m not sure the NHL upside is incredibly high, he’s definitely the kind of player I see an NHL team taking inside the Top 50 this year (even if we had him ranked just outside of that range in our recent draft rankings).

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/melvin_fernstrom_-_2nd_period_9_37_-_9_49.mp4

Lucas Pettersson - Center

The more I watch this Swedish U18 crop, the more Pettersson becomes one of my favourites of this class out of Europe. He’s a player that I don’t really perceive to have a significant weakness. His game is so well rounded and versatile. He’s on the ice whether his team is down a goal or up one, one of the many reasons that he’s been wearing a letter for the Swedish U18 team this year. Pettersson skates well. He’s middle of the ice focused. He competes hard in all three zones and has excellent anticipation/awareness away from the puck. He has the skill to operate as a strong playmaking pivot. At the WJAC, he largely centered a line with Zetterberg and Fernstrom and they were a very successful unit. At this point, I’d probably have Pettersson as the top forward prospect from Sweden this year (by birth, excluding Michael Brandsegg-Nygard).

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/lucas_pettersson_-_3rd_period_28_40_-_28_52.mp4

Alfons Freij - Defense

Last year the WJAC’s served as the Tom Willander coming out party. This year, I think the same thing happened with Freij, who was fantastic for the Swedes. While Sahlin Wallenius was unquestionably the more flashy, Freij was the more consistently effective at both ends. I was consistently impressed with his decision making in his own end, even under pressure. His footwork is excellent and it makes him a breakout machine, similar to the way that Willander impressed last year. Offensively, I think Freij has more to offer too. He does a good job getting point shots through and he has a heavy point shot that can beat goaltenders clean or generate second chance opportunities. As a defensive player, he’s definitely more of a stick on puck guy, but again his footwork stands out as a positive and his possession and anticipation are strong suits. As he gets stronger, he’ll win those board battles more consistently, but all in all, I was more impressed overall by Freij here.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/alfons_freij_-_2nd_period_24_18_-_24_31.mp4

Leo Sahlin Wallenius - Defense

It’s so easy to see why Wallenius is a favourite of the amateur scouting community; he’s a dynamic player. He consistently gains the offensive blueline with ease thanks to his combination of quickness and skill, along with his aggressive offensive approach. The offensive upside here is significant. I was also impressed with his physical approach in the defensive end, perhaps more than I had seen from him previously. That said, some of the warts in his game, like decision making and defensive engagement were present in this tournament. Neutral zone and offensive zone turnovers were a bit of an issue, as was puck watching in the defensive end. Without high end depth on the blueline this year, the Swedes need Freij and Wallenius to play on separate pairings to anchor them. Not having someone like Gabe Eliasson to pair with Sahlin Wallenius, hurt them overall at this event.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/leo_sahlin_wallenius_-_2nd_period_32_0_-_32_12.mp4

Jack Berglund - Center

Came into this event knowing very little about Berglund. He wasn’t on the Swedish Hlinka/Gretzky team last summer, didn’t make a huge impression at the recent Nations tournament, and he isn’t someone our Swedish scouts have spoken about thus far. However, I consistently found myself taking note of Berglund at the WJAC’s. The son of former New Jersey Devil Christian Berglund, Jack plays a similar heavy game. He scored his first SHL goal in late November and has had a very solid year in the J20 loop. Throughout the WJAC’s, Berglund was a physical threat, making his presence felt on the forecheck, in puck pursuit, and on net drives. He’s not a bad skater for a big guy who plays such a heavy game too. There’s some explosiveness to his stride and he can play with pace. The skill level…it’s hit and miss. He does seem to struggle maintaining possession at full speed occasionally. The finishing ability is equally hit and miss. But I couldn’t help but be impressed by the physical tools. Anyone who knows me, knows I love players like Berglund.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/jack_berglund_-_1st_period_1_13_-_1_26.mp4

Anton Frondell - Wing/Center

I know, I said I would only discuss draft eligible players in this piece, but I just had to mention one of my favourites for the 2025 draft in Anton Frondell (a 2007 born playing up in this tournament). I was really impressed by Frondell at the Under 17’s, so I was excited to see that Sweden had taken him for this event. That proved to be a smart thing to do as he was consistently one of their best players. Without question, he deserves to be on the U18 team to close the year. Frondell is quietly throwing his name in the ring to compete with James Hagens for early first overall favourite in 2025. He’s the complete package. He has skill. He has finishing ability. He skates very well. He applies himself physically and looks to drive the center lane. This is a five tool player and someone I believe should be talked about more.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/1-anton_frondell_-_1st_period_0_24_-_0_37.mp4

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Slovakia

Daniel Alexander Jencko - Center/Wing

Alexander Jencko is a very interesting prospect. He was relatively hyped at a young age, leaving Slovakia to join the Malmo program. A 2005 born, he underwhelmed in his draft year and went unselected last year. However, he returned to Malmo on a mission this year and became one of the U20 team’s top players, even earning a look at the SHL level. Interestingly enough, following the U20 Five Nations in November, he decided to leave Sweden and head to North America to play with Youngstown of the USHL. The USHL is a league that has more overage players selected each year than any other league or region, so I suppose the hope here is that this draws more attention to him and the improvements he’s made. The early returns have been good as he has been playing well. As for this tournament, well he was unquestionably the best player on a Slovak team that was largely overmatched at this event. His speed was on display and he showed a solid work ethic away from the puck to earn touches, competing physically and using his quickness to be an impactful player in all three zones. It will be interesting to monitor his play with Youngstown in the second half.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/daniel_alexander_jencko_-_2nd_period_1_18_-_1_31.mp4

Ondrej Maruna - Wing

A massive winger who normally plays with Charlottetown (QMJHL), Maruna was a bit of a disappointment at this event. He was held scoreless and largely failed to make a significant impact, often finding himself behind the play due to his clunky skating stride and heavy feet. Once he gets going, he can be a load to handle with the puck; he did have a few impressive rushes over the course of the tournament. However, shift to shift, he largely struggled, much like the rest of his teammates…to be fair. Given Charlottetown’s poor position in the QMJHL standings, Maruna will likely have a chance to play at the U18’s this season and that will be another opportunity for him to impress scouts, along with his continued play in the QMJHL.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The List:

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

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

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

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

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

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

The List:

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