Oskar Pettersson – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #21 Ottawa Senators – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 22:00:23 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - MARCH 26: Carter Yakemchuk #58 of the Ottawa Senators follows through on a shot during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on March 26, 2026, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 21st (Last year - 25th)
GM: Steve Staois Hired: December 2023
COACH: Travis Green Hired: May 2024

After reaching the postseason for the first time in eight years last season, the Ottawa Senators appear to be slowly transitioning toward contention. The challenge, however, is that the organization currently sits in an uncomfortable middle ground: competitive enough to push for the playoffs, but without a particularly deep prospect pool to drive the next wave of improvement.

The club also refrained from making significant moves at the most recent trade deadline, electing to hold onto its current assets rather than signal a clear shift in direction. Ottawa will enter the upcoming draft with the 32nd pick in this year's draft, no second-round pick, along with three third-round selections, which should help add depth to the middle tier of the prospect pool.

Leading the current pipeline is Carter Yakemchuk, a skilled and physically strong defenseman selected seventh overall in the 2024 draft. He projects as a versatile “jack-of-all-trades” defender with legitimate top-pairing upside and has already shown well as one of the AHL’s premier rookie defenders. Forward Stephen Halliday has also emerged as a promising piece within the system. The 2022 fourth-round pick led the Belleville Senators’ rookies in scoring last season with 51 points in 71 games and has begun to see NHL opportunities during the 2025–26 campaign in Ottawa. The Senators also added another long-term piece on the blue line with the selection of Logan Hensler (23rd overall) in the 2025 draft, further reinforcing a defensive pipeline that could play an important role in the team’s future.

Still, Ottawa’s desire to translate promise into sustained playoff success could ultimately shape how these assets are used. If the organization pushes more aggressively toward contention, some of those young pieces could quickly become trade currency to accelerate the process.

NHL	RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	2024-25 TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
Ott	1	Carter Yakemchuk	D	20	6-3/210	Belleville (AHL)	54	10	30	40	36
Ott	1	Carter Yakemchuk	D	20	6-3/210	Ottawa (NHL)	4	1	1	2	2
Ott	2	Stephen Halliday	C	23	6-4/210	Ottawa (NHL)	30	4	7	11	2
Ott	2	Stephen Halliday	C	23	6-4/210	Belleville (AHL)	29	2	27	29	16
Ott	3	Logan Hensler	D	19	6-3/195	Wisconsin (NCAA)	23	4	8	12	20
Ott	4	Jorian Donovan	D	22	6-1/180	Belleville (AHL)	61	4	17	21	89
Ott	4	Jorian Donovan	D	22	6-1/180	Ottawa (NHL)	2	0	0	0	0
Ott	5	Kevin Reidler	G	21	6-6/200	Penn State (NCAA)	18	11	7	3.31	0.901
Ott	6	Owen Beckner	C	21	6-1/175	Colorado College (NCAA)	30	8	15	23	4
Ott	7	Blake Montgomery	LW	21	6-4/195	Wisconsin (NCAA)	38	9	8	17	67
Ott	7	Blake Montgomery	LW	21	6-4/195	Belleville (AHL)	3	1	0	1	6
Ott	8	Matthew Andonovski	D	21	6-1/200	Kitchener (OHL)	24	1	13	14	43
Ott	8	Matthew Andonovski	D	21	6-1/200	Belleville (AHL)	3	0	0	0	0
Ott	9	Hoyt Stanley	D	21	6-3/200	Cornell (NCAA)	34	3	12	15	33
Ott	9	Hoyt Stanley	D	21	6-3/200	Belleville (AHL)	6	1	0	1	0
Ott	10	Lucas Beckman	G	18	6-2/180	BaC-Chi (QMJHL)	38	17	15	2.60	0.917
Ott	11	Tyler Boucher	RW	23	6-2/215	Belleville (AHL)	47	12	14	26	68
Ott	12	Xavier Bourgault	C	23	6-0/170	Belleville (AHL)	70	25	32	57	34
Ott	12	Xavier Bourgault	C	23	6-0/170	Ottawa (NHL)	2	0	0	0	0
Ott	13	Oskar Pettersson	RW	22	6-2/195	Belleville (AHL)	69	9	9	18	16
Ott	14	Javon Moore	LW	20	6-5/205	Minnesota (NCAA)	36	8	13	21	4
Ott	15	Gabriel Eliasson	D	19	6-7/220	Barrie (OHL)	61	2	6	8	122

Carter Yakemchuk, D, Belleville Senators (AHL)

Among rookie defenceman in the AHL, Carter Yakemchuk is currently second in points. What made him a standout player in the WHL with Calgary is certainly translating over with Belleville right away. In the offensive zone, Yakemchuk is a nightmare for opponents. He manipulates the play from the blue line so well, has incredible vision and can dangle through the defence like no other. At this point, Yakemchuk struggles to recognize that there isn’t always a play to be made. He can often get caught out trying to make a play out of nothing, which puts his team in a bad spot defensively and is a large reason he finished as a -31 for the year. Belleville is pretty bad overall this year, Yakemchuk is one of the team’s TOI leaders and hasn’t ever been known to be world-class defensively. In his own end, he has been solid but doesn’t utilize his size enough when defending. It’s evident he’s still learning what makes a defenceman at the pro level vs. the junior level. Yakemchuk is still on track to be a prolific offensive defenceman and a potential two-way player.
Stephen Halliday, C, Belleville Senators (AHL)

The emergence of Stephen Halliday has deepened what was already a deep pool of Senators centers. Halliday led Belleville in points last season and is a point per game this season. He’s split his games roughly equally between Ottawa and Belleville, with 11 points in 30 games for the former. In a depth role, averaging a hair over eight minutes a game, “The Disher” has been very productive. With the puck on his stick, Halliday is able to slow the game down to put the puck on the tape of his teammates’ sticks. He uses his massive frame to hold off defenders for an extra second, which often opens a lane he can thread. Halliday is hard to move when he plants himself in front of the net, and his reach makes him an easy target for deflecting pucks. Because of Ottawa’s center depth, Halliday will be almost certainly forced into a bottom six role short term but can progress into a middle six playmaker.
Logan Hensler, D, University of Wisconsin (NCAA)

Hensler has not had the breakout season in the NCAA that was hoped for this season. After a strong first season in Wisconsin, he averaged over 18 minutes per night, and was an excellent two-way piece. He was stout in his own end, with solid puck-moving abilities to allow him to push the play up the ice. While his offensive game was never a huge focal point in his game, an expanded role heading into year two was still expected. Instead, the opposite happened. He has averaged just over 16 minutes per game this season, and his game never took a step. His skating, which isn’t viewed as a negative necessarily but was an area to improve, also did not take a step. He also struggled mightily in the U20 World Juniors tournament, where the US did not medal after a disappointing run. With his game not taking a step forward, his NHL projection takes a bit of a hit. But he still projects as a reliable middle-pair defender who can get penalty kill time as well.
Jorian Donovan, D, Belleville Senators (AHL)

Jorian Donovan’s offensive numbers have quietly improved on a worse Belleville team compared to his first year. He's jumped from 12 to 21 points in six fewer games. Donovan’s bread and butter is still being in the right place at the right time defensively. Donovan is a very proactive defender. He reads the play before it happens and puts himself in a position to break up the play or take away an option consistently. He often acts as a safety blanket for his defence partner by being an easy and open option in the midst of forechecking pressure. Although Donovan’s scoring numbers are improving, a lot of it seems to be secondary offence. He’s not facilitating much offence himself, but he's around the play more, which is positive growth. Donovan projects as a third-pairing left-handed defenceman and will soon be able to provide valuable depth to an Ottawa team that wants to contend.
Kevin Reidler, G, Penn State University (NCAA)

Reidler, a large netminder, has certainly bounced around the last few seasons. From the Swedish junior leagues, to the USHL, to the University of Nebraska-Omaha. This year, he transferred to Penn State, where he has split starting duties. He’s a very poised goaltender, who is typically square to shots. His angles and overall mechanics are sound, and paired with his large frame, gives him enough traits to be a valued goalie prospect. However, his lateral movement and athletic ability need to improve. He tends to be very reactive, which allows shooters to get him down early with a fake shot, then make a move to beat him post-to-post. Additionally, due to his less-than-ideal lateral agility, he tends to stretch, as opposed to pushing off his strong side foot, which leaves his five-hole wide open. There are several examples from this season of players taking advantage of that mechanical flaw. He will likely get an opportunity in the NHL down the line, simply for his poise, mechanics and size, but he needs much more work to carve out a role as an NHL starter in the future.
Owen Beckner, C, Colorado College (NCAA)

Beckner, a seventh-round pick of the Ottawa Senators, was drafted out of the BCHL thanks to his high-end IQ and detail-oriented game. As a freshman with Colorado College, the biggest takeaway from his first NCAA season despite playing a smaller role, averaging 15:20 time on ice per game, he still won his minutes via underlying stats, with Colorado outscoring their opponents 39-19 with Beckner on the ice. This season, he increased his scoring and showed notable improvement in his game. His confidence grew with the puck, as he began attacking the slot with more regularity than he had shown in any of his previous seasons. Once again, Colorado outscored their opponents with him on the ice, 31-17. While Beckner’s offence doesn’t jump off the page at any of his stops, he plays such an efficient game, and his confidence grows with each passing season. He projects as more of a bottom six forward who plays a detailed game with some playmaking abilities that are beginning to unlock a bit.
Blake Montgomery, LW, University of Wisconsin (NCAA)

Montgomery, a draft selection of the Ottawa Senators, was drafted out of the USHL, before making the jump to the OHL. He performed well with the London Knights, especially in the OHL playoffs, where the magic would happen, as the Knights would go on to win the OHL and Memorial Cup Championship. This year, he made the transition to the NCAA with Wisconsin, where he has struggled a bit. When he was drafted by the Senators, he was lauded for his size and strong skating ability, paired with his solid puck skills and well-rounded play in all three zones. The biggest question mark was ultimately his ceiling, as he is more of a late bloomer, with a strange path to where he is now. But as mentioned, he has struggled, especially down the stretch this season. While Montgomery has all the raw traits, he’s never quite carved out a big role at any of his stops since joining the USHL and his upside has yet to truly take a step forward. He has the tools to be a fourth-line power forward with some depth scoring upside, but he needs to take that step in the NCAA to project as more than just a bottom six forward.
Hoyt Stanley, D, Cornell University (NCAA) (Currently with Belleville Senators, AHL)

Stanley, a big right-shot defender was drafted out of the BCHL for his puck-moving ability, in addition to his skating ability, confidence and poise with the puck, and his imposing frame. The question came down to whether those traits could translate up to the NCAA, which is a steep incline in competition. Since joining Cornell, his offensive abilities have had some difficulty translating. He has improved slightly each year from a production standpoint, but he's yet to truly find the confidence to be a true difference maker with the puck. His passing ability has improved the most, as he is looking to attack the slot area by finding teammates in those spots with more consistency. If Stanley can become a bigger impact for Cornell in the transition game, which was one of his biggest strengths coming out of the BCHL, there’s some middle-pair upside to be had. But for now, he projects as more of a bottom-pair defender, who plays a very steady game. Hoyt signed his ELC with Ottawa follow his season.
Matthew Andonovski, D, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

Andonovski was picked in 2023 in the fifth round and has looked every bit worth the selection if you’re an Ottawa Senators fan. The 6-foot-2 physical defenceman uses his strength effectively and more efficiently than in his draft year, putting more emphasis on remaining composed in his positioning. He’s accumulated penalties at a lesser rate than the previous two years, but hasn’t lost his edge, dropping the mitts when the occasion arises and bullying opponents in front of the net. I see quite impressive strides in his overall smarts as he irons out his game and seeks a role on a pro hockey squad. He’s proven to be a nifty playmaker at times, timing his passes well to find teammates in shooting positions while under pressure. Looking back at this pick, it’s trending towards being a steal for Ottawa as they may have themselves a gritty bottom-pair defender who can make accurate reads with the puck, assisting the breakout. He’ll be a huge asset for Kitchener in the OHL playoffs, and should he impress there, I think it’s likely he’ll be playing with Belleville rather than the Allen Americans next year.
Lucas Beckman, G, Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL)

After a very strong year last season with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, finishing the season with a save percentage of .914%, it was clear that Lucas Beckman was sought after at the draft by many teams. It was finally the Ottawa Senators, in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL draft, that drafted him. The current season started a little bit tougher for Beckman with the Drakkar, struggling to get some wins with a team much weaker than last year. That was before he was traded to Chicoutimi, one of the best teams in the league right now, where he will help them go even further in the playoffs. While average sized, Beckman tracks pucks very well thanks to his high-end vision and anticipation. He doesn't have to rely on athleticism because he's always in the right position to make saves. However, given his lack of size, there's still room for improvement in his quickness, especially in and out of the butterfly. With the right improvements, he could end up being a capable depth goaltender for the Senators in the future.
Tyler Boucher, RW, Belleville Senators (AHL)

Injuries have really stunted his development, including, yet again this year. However, he’s actually had his best pro season and there may just be a glimmer of hope for him.
Xavier Bourgault, C, Belleville Senators (AHL)

Solid bounce back season for Bourgault, his second in the Ottawa organization following a trade from Edmonton. The former first rounder may be a long shot to be an NHL’er at this point, but Ottawa seems happy with his development.
Oskar Pettersson, RW, Belleville Senators (AHL)

The offensive upside is limited; his on puck play just hasn’t developed the way Ottawa hoped it would. However, he’s solid enough away from the puck and as a high energy guy that he could end up seeing time as a fourth liner in the future.
Javon Moore, LW, University of Minnesota (NCAA)

Drafted out of Minnesota high school hockey, Moore was always going to be a long term project. But, the big winger is having a solid freshman season at Minnesota and could still end up as an NHL player down the road.
Gabriel Eliasson, D, Barrie Colts (OHL)

Eliasson was seen as a major reach when the Sens took him early in 2024 and thus far the criticism seems fair. He’s physical and a decent athlete for his size, but he still struggles with discipline and puck management.

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – OTTAWA SENATORS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #24

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Brock Otten — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 13:00:03 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 24th (Previous Rank - 24th)
GM: Steve Staois Hired: December 2023
COACH: Travis Green Hired: May 2024

The Ottawa Senators remain steady, holding onto their 24th spot in our McKeen’s prospect rankings. While a position in the bottom half is far from ideal, the good news is that they boast a youthful core already making an impact with the big club. With several rising stars on the team, including Tim Stützle (22 years old), Jake Sanderson (21), Brady Tkachuk (24), Drake Batherson (26), Josh Norris (25), Shane Pinto (23), Thomas Chabot (27) and Ridly Greig (23) all flirting with their primes, it feels like a breakout is long overdue.

To bolster this already sound foundation, the Senators added Carter Yakemchuk–McKeen’s 26th-ranked prospect–with their seventh overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Yakemchuk brings potential top four upside on the blue line, comfortably keeping the organization afloat in our rankings. Furthermore, the addition of Xavier Bourgault (135th)–via a Roby Jarventie trade–adds an element of hopeful scoring prowess, though Bourgault has struggled to replicate his offensive success at the pro level. GM Steve Staios is banking on the development staff to push Bourgault toward reaching that potential he was once handed when drafted 21st overall in 2021.

High hopes also surround 2023 second-rounder Zack Ostapchuk (163rd), who recently completed his rookie pro campaign in Belleville. While his 28 points in 71 games weren't earth-shattering, his versatile two-way game could make him a valuable candidate for bottom-six minutes on an offensively gifted Senators team.

In the crease, Mads Søgaard (115th) and Leevi Meriläinen (196th) anchor the team’s goaltending depth in the farm. However, the recent addition of Linus Ullmark complicates either goaltender’s path to securing an NHL backup role in the short term.

Despite lofty expectations, the Senators failed to meet their potential in 2023-24. Having leveraged quite a few draft picks—selecting twice in the first three rounds over the last two drafts—the margin for error is slim. The time is now for this core to succeed, and the team’s future draft capital may continue to pay the price to reach that goal.

Ottawa Senators Top-15 Prospects

1. Carter Yakemchuk

Yakemchuk, a big, right shot defender with two-way upside, was the 7th overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft out of Calgary (WHL). Given his late 2005 birth year, Yakemchuk is already more physically advanced than the majority of the players selected this past year and that means he may be very close to NHL ready. His skating has already improved a lot in the last calendar year and that’s had a profound impact on his offensive production. A skilled powerplay quarterback, Yakemchuk has an absolute bomb from the point and should be able to continue to run a powerplay at the higher levels. Defensively, Yakemchuk is a physical throwback to yesteryears. He loves to play through the opposition and relishes the opportunity to throw his weight around. The big concern for Yakemchuk is how well does he think the game? Can he improve his puck management and the consistency of his defensive reads? He should return to the WHL this season and he will once again be one of the top defenders in the league.

2. Mads Sogaard

The big Danish netminder is about to hit a crossroads in his pro career. After splitting two years ago between the NHL and the AHL, Sogaard took a back seat to veterans Korpisalo and Forsberg in Ottawa this past season. The good news is that he played much better with Belleville. The bad news is that he’s struggled mightily in a handful of NHL appearances last year. The other bad news is that Sogaard will no longer be exempt from waivers this season. Insert the crossroads. After bringing in Linus Ullmark to start, what do they do with Anton Forsberg? Do they look to sneak Sogaard through waivers or try to find a trade partner for him? The latter would be shocking because he still has significant NHL upside due to his size and athleticism, but stranger things have happened. The reality is that Sogaard’s play has to do the talking during training camp this year.

3. Xavier Bourgault

Flipped for injured winger Roby Jarventie early this offseason, Bourgault serves as an interesting reclamation project for the Senators. Last season certainly wasn’t the best year for Bourgault and his development. The former first round pick hit a sophomore slump in the AHL with Bakersfield and was particularly ineffective in the second half of the season. The Condors had a pretty veteran-laden roster, especially up front, and Bourgault just wasn’t able to earn consistent ice time and offensive opportunities because of it. However, it’s way too early to give up on the talented pivot. He still possesses top six upside, particularly because of his scoring ability and high end shot. The focus for him needs to be on continuing to improve his quickness and his strength to allow him to earn more touches. He needs to do a better job playing through contact and this summer will be a big one for him from a conditioning standpoint. Look for the former QMJHL star and first round pick to have a bounce back year with Belleville. His NHL future in a new organization might just depend on it.

4. Zack Ostapchuk

Ostapchuk exploded onto the prospect scene a few years ago after a breakout postseason with the Vancouver Giants (WHL) and he hasn’t looked back since. Two WJC gold medals and a cup of coffee in the NHL later and Ostapchuk is still very much relevant as an NHL prospect. The big forward is the prototypical middle six forward in today’s NHL. He has size. He is surprisingly quick. He has great attention to detail as a two-way forward. He brings physicality. At this point, it’s just about increasing his confidence with the puck at the pro level and learning to adjust to the pace of the pro game. It’s not inconceivable to see Ostapchuk in a bottom six role with the Senators to open this year if he has a strong training camp, especially since he’s had a strong finish to the year in the AHL.

5. Leevi Merilainen

Depth is never a bad thing, especially at the goaltending position. Due to Ottawa’s depth last year, Merilainen had to spend a good chunk of his first pro season in North America in the ECHL. This is common, as many NHL netminders have had to spend time in the ECHL. The good news is that Merilainen was solid in both the ECHL and in his time with Belleville (AHL). Merilainen continues to work hard to improve his positioning and puck tracking to help him with his consistency, something that he has struggled with dating back to his OHL days with Kingston. However, as the solid season in Liiga two years ago proved, he’s come a long way. The next step is finding a permanent spot in the AHL for him, which is why the team traded 2018 draft pick Kevin Mandolese. Between Merilainen and Sogaard, the Senators have a great chance of finding a quality NHL netminder.

6. Tyler Kleven

Kleven’s first pro season had to be classified as a success. The big, physical defender excelled in Belleville, even showing well offensively at times, which is certainly not going to be his calling card. Kleven excels in the defensive end with his strong mobility, reach, and aggressive physical nature; simply put, Kleven can be a nightmare for opposing forwards in the defensive end. From an offensive perspective, the majority of his offence is created from his big point shot and ability to get pucks through traffic from the point. He’s not likely to be much of a point producer at the NHL level, but he is still on track to become a PK anchor and second pairing option for Ottawa in the near future. That near future could be as early as this season, if Kleven can have a strong training camp.

7. Angus Crookshank

You never know how a player is going to bounce back from a serious injury. The former New Hampshire standout tore his ACL and missed the entire 2021/22 season. The year post injury ended up being his first full season of pro hockey and Crookshank was quite solid. However, last year he really took his game to that next level as Belleville’s leading scorer. He even played very well in a small sample in Ottawa, scoring his first few NHL goals. Crookshank profiles as a versatile, fan favourite whose energy in the offensive end is infectious. He excels driving the net and he’s managed to improve his speed post knee injury. Crookshank has also greatly improved his on puck play and shooting ability as a pro, which has improved his outlook and upside. He has proven this year that he is knocking on the door of a full-time spot in Ottawa. There is a very real possibility that he finds his way into the Senators’ top nine to start the year.

8. Stephen Halliday

Things didn’t go exactly as planned at Ohio State last year as the team underperformed in comparison to expectations, however Halliday did have another solid season as a sophomore. The USHL’s modern day all time leading scorer recently signed with the Senators and finished out the year with Belleville on a very high note. Halliday is a big, playmaking center whose game has made huge strides over the last five years. He’s gone from being a one dimensional and inconsistent player with big skating concerns to a play driving power pivot who actually projects as a solid pro because of his mobility and engagement level improvements. Now he will need to prove that those improvements will play well at the pro level. If all goes well, Halliday could move quickly through the system. He projects as a middle six center who can be a quality net front presence on the powerplay.

9. Gabriel Eliasson

It is very clear that Ottawa went into this year’s NHL draft with the intention of becoming more difficult to play against. Yakemchuk was first off the board at seven and then they used their early second on rugged Swedish defender Gabriel Eliasson. Simply put, Eliasson is just downright mean. Think early 90’s mean. If anything, discipline has been his biggest issue. He needs to refine his approach. However, he’s a solid skater for his size and has the potential to develop into a very good defensive player. Eliasson intends to play this season in the USHL with Cedar Rapids before making the jump to the NCAA with the University of Michigan. Given the violent nature of his defensive approach, it was probably wise for him to come to North America early to develop.

10. Tyler Boucher

Boucher is every draft pundit’s favourite joke these days because of how highly he was selected by the Senators (10th overall in 2021) and how poorly his development has gone thus far. While expectations regarding Boucher’s potential need to be tempered, we believe that he has been unfairly criticized. While he was undoubtedly overdrafted, and he may never be able to shake that in the eyes of the scouting community, he remains someone with a possible NHL future. Unfortunately, injuries and suspensions have played a large role in the stagnation of his development. Just this year, Boucher’s start as a pro with Belleville was delayed because of a groin injury suffered during training camp. After returning, he was more of a role player suggesting that Ottawa is going to need further patience with him moving forward. Boucher is still an excellent forechecker and a consistent physical threat. He should, at the very least, develop into a quality checking line player. However, he flashes the ability to use his speed on the counterattack, and his hands in tight are better than people give him credit for. Don’t close the book on Boucher just yet.

11. Maxence Guenette

An AHL All Star last year, Guenette took another step forward in what had to be considered an integral year for his development. Now entering his fourth pro season, Guenette will be facing waivers this season. Guenette’s calling card has always been his offensive capabilities and his ability to run the powerplay. However, he continues to work hard to round out his game in the defensive end and has put himself in contention for a roster spot.

12. Jorian Donovan

A Memorial Cup champion this past season with the Saginaw Spirit, Donovan has developed very well during his time in the OHL. He’s gone from an erratic puck mover to a solid two-way defender who can use his mobility to his advantage at either end. The son of Sens development coach Shean Donovan, Jorian will turn pro this year with Belleville.

13. Oskar Pettersson

Unhappy with his ice time in the SHL, Pettersson made the jump to the AHL with Belleville in February of last year, finishing out the season in North America. The former third rounder performed well and looks to be on track to developing into a steady bottom six presence for the Senators in the future.

14. Tomas Hamara

A heady two-way defender, Hamara closed out last season well in the OHL with Brantford; the trade from Kitchener was a real turning point for his development. Now he’ll turn pro this year with Belleville. The upside may not be significant, but Hamara does enough things well that he could be a third pairing option.

15. Kevin Reidler

The big Swedish netminder was excellent for Dubuque in the USHL last year; he was unquestionably one of the best performing goalies in the league. He was especially solid in the Clark Cup playoffs for Dubuque, stealing games and rounds for them. Now he’ll head to the University of Nebraska-Omaha to further his development.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – OTTAWA SENATORS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #20

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt and Josh Bell — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 14:04:24 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 11: Ottawa Senators Center Ridly Greig (17) before a face-off during second period National Hockey League action between the Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators on February 11, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

Top 20 Ottawa Senators Prospects

1. Ridly Greig

Greig’s path has continued to climb upwards since he started in the WHL and that trajectory is a big reason why he’s going to be a graduate from this list in short order. The forward wrapped up a strong WHL career in 2021-22 as the captain of the Brandon Wheat Kings, putting up 63 points in only 39 games, while also helping Canada to a gold medal at the World Juniors. He’s practically the epitome of the “Pesky Sens'' as a hard-fought, gritty player who is absolutely fearless, while playing a highly competitive brand of hockey. At the same time, he brings an impressive shot, and hands that look softer and softer every time he hits the ice. Greig is already playing in the NHL after starting last season with a strong showing in the AHL and it seems that he’ll there stick as a middle-six asset and fan favorite.

2. Zach Ostapchuk

A bit of a surprising selection by the Senators when they called his name 39th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, Ostapchuk has spent the last two seasons proving doubters wrong. On top of two World Juniors appearances where he won two gold medals, his WHL career has taken off. In 2021-22, he was named captain of the Vancouver Giants and showed that he’s a big-game player, taking his game to another level in the playoffs, where he contributed nearly two points-per-game. With over a point per game last season, he looks too good for the WHL now and is ready to take the next step. Ostapchuk is hard on the puck, brings a physical edge, and plays a solid two-way, slightly defensive-leaning game. He also has great speed and is capable of generating great plays. His game looks like it will translate very well as a bottom nine winger.

3. Mads Sogaard

Standing at a hulking 6-7”, Sogaard doesn’t need to do much in the net to stop the puck. Drafted 37th overall in 2019, the Danish goaltender made the interesting jump from the NAHL to the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers, where he had a very good rookie season. He spent one more season in the WHL, performing well, before the pandemic hit. He started the 2020-21 season in Denmark and played very well, before jumping to the AHL at the end of the year. He spent more of 2021-22 in the AHL getting used to the pace and he split his time fairly evenly between the AHL and NHL last season. He moves well but can let through a bad goal a little more often than one would like. His path to the NHL may have been a little faster than anticipated as Sogaard is still pretty raw, but it looks like he’s now in the NHL to stay.

4. Egor Sokolov

Another prospect that fits the mould of a Senator, Sokolov made the jump from Russia to the QMJHL in 2017-18, his draft year. He had a solid rookie year but was ultimately passed over in the NHL Draft. He took a step forward with the Cape Breton Eagles the following year but was once again passed over. In his final year of draft eligibility, his game took a big leap in the right direction , with 92 points in 52 games, and the Senators took notice, calling his name 61st overall. He immediately made the jump to the AHL, emerging as one of the Belleville Senators' top players ever since. At 6- 3”, 223 pounds, he’s a big body who is so hard to knock off the puck, he knows how to get to the dangerous areas, and has a great shot. Sokolov’s skating is a little slow and rough, but he has the tools to slide in as a bottom six forward.

5. Lassi Thomson

Drafted 19th overall in 2019, it hasn’t seemed to come together for Thomson and that has to be a concern moving forward, with reasonable doubts not that he ever will live up to expectations. Making the jump from Finland to the WHL in his draft year, Thomson slid in seamlessly with the Kelowna Rockets, putting up good numbers and looking comfortable in doing so. After the draft, he headed back to Finland to play in the Liiga, looking ready to take a step forward in the first season before struggling in the second. He moved back to North America in 2020-21, and has mainly stuck in the AHL ever since. His game is more defensive leaning at this point, bringing physicality and good timing, but his processing with the puck is a real issue. He has the tools, but just hasn’t been able to put it all together and may have hit his ceiling as a call-up option.

6. Tyler Kleven

Kleven won’t be a blueliner who piles up the points, but he could very well become a consistent, top six defender. Drafted 44th overall in 2020, Kleven had just wrapped up his time with the USNTDP and was poised to make the jump to the University of North Dakota. After three seasons on campus, he signed his entry-level deal last year, and made the jump straight to the NHL. He is a big, defence-first prospect with a heavy shot and no qualms about playing a physical game. He’s a little slow and you don’t want him to hold on to the puck for too long, but his ability to play hard and break up plays should allow him sticking in the league. The hope would be that he can figure out his on-puck play while standing out in his off-puck performance.

7. Leevi Merilainen

Ever since the Senators called Merilainen’s name 71st overall in the 2020 Draft, there has been excitement around him from the Senators fanbase. He was drafted out of Karpat out of the U20 SM-sarja where he had very strong numbers and that continued into his DY+1 season. He then made the jump to the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs for a an up-and-down season, with a good record but not-so-great underlying numbers and was overall just a little inconsistent. He went back to Finland last season to play in the Liiga where he looked better - enough to earn a call back to North America to spend more time with the B-Sens and Senators. Merilainen is a very agile, athletic goaltender, but he’s not consistent enough to be considered a future No. 1. If he can figure it out, he could be a reliable No. 2 or 3.

8. Tyler Boucher

Speaking of players who surprised the industry by when they were drafted by the Senators, Ottawa called Boucher’s name 10th overall in 2021, one of the biggest first round draft shocks of the last decade. Ottawa has made some good calls recently though, so perhaps they knew something no one else did. The USNTDP forward then jumped to Boston University where he was unable to put things together before jumping to the OHL Ottawa 67’s. He’s a bit of a complicated prospect in that his physicality is what could carry him to the NHL, but his development has been repeatedly marred by injuries over the past few years, questioning his durability, especially considering his power forward role. Boucher has a great, hard shot, but there are concerns with the rest of his game. At this point, he projects as a bottom six winger - maybe. It’s not likely he lives up to the weight of lofty draft standing.

9. Stephen Halliday

The Senators are no stranger to selecting double-overage players in the Draft. First eligible in 2020, Halliday did not hear his name called until two years later, 104th overall in 2022. Spending the three years prior with the USHL Dubuque Fighting Saints, Halliday popped off in 2021-22, doubling his production and being named to the First All-Star Team. He moved up to the NCAA with Ohio State last season, continuing to play very well, producing over one point-per-game as an older freshman. He has a big body and protects the puck extremely well with a pleasing level of creativity in his game. He can dish the puck out well too, but his overall ceiling, especially considering his status as a late bloomer, may be muted. He’s likely an AHL regular at this point but could earn the occasional call-up. However, he has surprised in the past.

10. Maxence Guenette

A late draft pick in the 2019 Draft, the Senators called Guenette’s name 187th overall. The QMJHL defender for the Val-d’Or Foreurs has so far been a success. After spending two more seasons in the Q, he made the jump to the AHL and has been a very consistent, reliable defender. He can play big minutes, he’s light on his feet, moves very well, and plays a solid overall defensive game. He doesn’t have a whole lot of offensive upside but there is enough for him to become a bit of a two-way rearguard as opposed to being a strictly defensive guy. Guenette is very reliable. He won’t be a top guy but has the potential to slide into a bottom pairing. For a player selected in the 7th round to be on that path has to be considered a win so far for the Senators.

11. Roby Jarventie

Jarventie showed very promising progression last year in his second AHL season, even if he missed a chunk of time due to injury. He plays a straightforward North/South game and can put the puck in the net. A dark horse to earn significant time with the Senators this year?

12. Jacob Bernard Docker

We’re just not sure why we keep seeing Bernard-Docker high up on prospect lists given how little his offensive game has translated to the pro level. He should play in some capacity, but will he ever be more than an average bottom pairing defender?

13. Angus Crookshank

Is there a more underrated prospect in the Sens system than Crookshank, who led Belleville in goal scoring last year; one season removed from a significant knee injury? He’s a hard worker who could end up being a great complementary piece in Ottawa’s middle six.

14. Phillippe Daoust

The former Memorial Cup standout missed nearly the entire 2022-23 AHL season with an upper body injury. He will be looking to bounce back healthy this season and emerge as one of Belleville’s go-to offensive players.

15. Jorian Donovan

One of the most improved players in the OHL last season, Donovan’s confidence with the puck exploded as he became more aggressive, looking to use his skating and skill to be an impact puck mover. There is still work to be done defensively but his growth thus far has been profoundly positive.

16. Tomas Hamara

Conversely, Hamara’s season in the OHL was not a positive one, as he struggled mightily in the defensive end for the Kitchener Rangers as a rookie. He will return to Kitchener this year and will be asked to play a larger role on a rebuilding team.

17. Kevin Reidler

The hulking Swedish netminder had a good season in the J20 league and will be moving to the USHL this season to play with Dubuque. He likely has his eyes set on the NCAA route.

18. Donovan Sebrango

A former standout with the Canadian WJC team, Sebrango needed a fresh start after toiling in the Detroit system. Now in Ottawa, he will look to earn a large role in Belleville and get his career back on track.

19. Hoyt Stanley

Stanley was a McKeen’s favourite for the 2023 draft and, in our opinion, the Senators got a possible steal as late as they selected him. The mobile defender is incredibly raw and is very much a long-term project. The Cornell program should be great for him.

20. Oskar Pettersson

An effective straight-line attacker, Pettersson was solid in a supporting role for Sweden at the recent World Juniors. The hope is that he can earn more ice time and responsibility at the SHL level this coming season.

NHL PROSPECTS: 22-23 European Prospect Musings #2 – Prospects coming into focus in the stretch run

Chapin Landvogt — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 16:28:41 +0000

While the NHL All-Star Game has just wrapped up and NHL teams are gearing up for whatever trade deadline transactions they may intend to conduct at the end of the month, most European leagues are in the stretch run for playoff spots, with a few leagues just a half dozen games away from “the best time of the year”. Looking across Europe and even into Russia, there are plenty of interesting prospect notes, but not a whole of stories that have NHL teams licking their chops about a young man who is guiding the fortunes of his respective league, much less his team.

We’d like to take a look at some of the more notable stories that have been developing to this point in the season.

230103 Rögles William Wallinder, 3 januari 2023 i Växjö.
Foto: Jonas Ljungdahl / BILDBYRÅN

Sweden

Coming into the season as a favorite, Rogle has certainly not had the season it was expecting and is currently mired in 11th, yet only four points away from 8th place. The team has nonetheless seen several young draftees grow into bigger, if not chief roles. It was expected that Detroit’s Marco Kasper would grow on last season, and he has, putting up eight goals and 20 points to date. A number of his assists have come on the power play, and he’s had a top nine role pretty much all season. As a third-year pro, Adam Edstrom (NYR) is in the midst of a career season, even if his 12 points to date are only minimally more than what he’s produced the past two years. His role has grown and he’s looking a lot more at home in his 6’8”, 225-pound body.

Another Rangers pick, Oliver Tarnstrom, has taken on a much smaller role, but also suited up for 32 games now while Ottawa’s 2022 3rd rounder Oskar Pettersson has found himself in a Rogle jersey for 21 games, which might have been more had he not spent several weeks playing for the WJC squad. Each has two points in the SHL this year. Buffalo’s SHL recent 7th rounder Linus Sjodin has suited up for 41 games (six points) himself, although this is his second full season in the SHL.

But the real story on the prospect front have been the defensemen William Wallinder (DET) and Adam Engstrom (MON). A recent second rounder, Wallinder was already a contributing regular last season, but his role has grown into that of the team’s go-to player on the blueline. He not only leads all defensemen with 23 points in 41 games but is third on the entire team in scoring. At the same time, Engstrom has wiggled his way into what is basically a top 4 role, contributing 10 points in 32 games along the way. That actually has him 5th overall in the SHL in junior rookie scoring. The world got to see how far he’s come when he put up three points and a +6 at the WJC for Team Sweden. His star is rising considerably on the prospect front.

As should come as no surprise, the top scorers in the league continue to be veterans, with recent Maple Leaf Antti Suomela having led the way most of the season. His 24 goals and 48 points in just 38 games were good for tops and have him producing at a clip that few players have played at in the SHL over the past decade. He is however now trailing UFA and linemate Patrik Karlkvist, who has collected 50 points in 41 contests. Recent San Jose Shark Jonathan Dahlen, who headed back to his heart and hometown team Timra to play his first ever season of SHL play, is sitting 9th in league scoring with 17 goals and 32 points. The 25-year-old had 12 goals for the Sharks just last season.

But all eyes are still on Örebro HK forward Leo Carlsson, who’s coming off a 6-point WJC performance. He’s not blowing anything out of the water with his five goals and 18 points in 34 games, but as usually happens in a top pro league, vets tend to be relied upon more down the stretch run. His name still tops the list of draft eligibles, but we think NHL teams have got to have Axel Sandin-Pelikka ranked among their top 20 prospects for next summer’s event. And we’d advise any and everyone who is stat watching to disregard his mere five points in 22 games and the quiet assist at the WJC. His coaches already trust him. He’s getting PP time and he’s getting time at the end of the game when something is on the line. His understanding of the game, ice usage, and situations is simply something you don’t see much in a player this age.

A teammate of his in Skelleftea and on the U20 club is Zeb Forsfjall. The young man with a slight build has 10 games of SHL play and is looking like a lock for the U18 Worlds this spring. He is the younger brother of 20-year-old Mans Forsfjall who is undrafted but looking like quite the overage option in this summer’s draft, often found on the first line and having put up two goals, 13 points, and a +14 thus far this season. Would be fascinating if the brothers are both selected next summer.

There’s a whole bunch more going on across the nation in the SHL, Allsvenskan, and U20 circuit with a number of draft-eligible players getting shifts in pro hockey, but we continue to be very impressed with the J20 Nationell Noah Dower Nilsson, whose 48 points in 28 games means he’s clipping at a 1.78 PPG pace, which is a league-high. It’s only been good enough to get him into one game of SHL action, but the mother club Frolunda is chock full of options and, well, Detroit prospect Liam Dower Nilsson (22 games) looks to be blocking his path to the bigs at the moment.

Boston Bruins fans will be happy to hear that Latvian pick Dans Locmelis isn’t far behind Nilsson in U20 production with 47 points in 35 games, good for 6^th in the league. Lulea would have loved to test him at the SHL level by now, but that won’t be happening as Locmelis is scheduled to begin playing for the University of Massachusetts next fall. Expect this well-schooled and very experienced young man to have an instant impact on college hockey next season.

As the draft approaches, we’ll be spending time at the site with the likes of defenseman Theo Lindstein (22 games for Brynas), Frolunda two-way forward Otto Stenberg, and Danish surprise Oscar Molgaard (31 games and six points for HV71), but we’ll wrap up our look at Sweden with overage defenseman Oskar Asplund. In the midst of his second full season of HockeyAllsvenskan play, the heady two-way 5’11” defenseman already has five goals and 27 points in 39 games. It has earned him two games of SHL play with Skelleftea and overall, he reminds us a bit of former overager Adam Wilsby, who was selected in the 4th round by Nashville in the 2020 draft. Wilsby is currently suiting up for Milwaukee of the AHL. Asplund is even in the same organization.

Joakim Kemell of Finland celebrates after scoring 2-2 during the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship final between Canada and Finland on August 20, 2022 in Edmonton.
Photo: Joel Marklund / BILDBYRÅN /

Finland

The Finnish Liiga is well on its way to the finish line and one of the more astounding trends is that there are few players currently scoring at a PPG pace. Even the league leader Michael Joly has just 49 points in 48 games. Perhaps not surprising in light of that, but astounding nonetheless, is that Joona Ikonen (an undrafted 24-year-old) leads the league in goal-scoring behind Joly’s 21 goals with just 20 markers. Yes, in some cases, individual team scoring is simply spread across more shoulders, but the lack of individual scoring prowess is more akin to what we usually see in the SHL.

What this means is that a few current and former prospects are putting up numbers that are eyebrow-raising to say the least. Former Winnipeg Jets draft pick Sami Niku couldn’t edge out a solid NHL job despite at times outstanding AHL numbers. He was suiting up for the Montreal Canadiens just last season. At age 25, he decided he needed more job security and perhaps one very impressive season in Europe to get his name back into the minds of NHL GMs. Well, his nine goals and 37 points in 46 games for JYP is likely doing the trick while simultaneously making him the league’s top scorer among defensemen. An appearance at the men’s World Championship is all but a lock and then the question will be if Niku gets an offer that has a spot in an NHL line-up somewhat set in stone.

This past week, the Islanders moved arguably their top prospect in Aatu Raty to the Vancouver Canucks as part of the Bo Horvat trade, but his brother Aku Raty (ARI) is having himself a fine season for Ilves with 29 points and a +16 in 41 games. It’s a career best for the 21-year-old and is coming at a time where Arizona is going to want to decide on whether to sign him to an ELC. Really arriving on the scene has been Tampa Bay’s 2021 7th rounder, the 6’2”, 210-pound Niko Huuhtanen. Certainly, his 77 points in 64 games for the Everett Silvertips meant that he was already on the map for most prospect watchers, but he’s reinforced the belief that there’s a pro here with a sense for offensive generation, as his 15 goals and 27 points in 36 games go to show this season. That puts him within the top 40 in league-wide scoring, ahead of i.e., solid Maple Leafs prospect Roni Hirvonen, who himself is doing just fine with 24 points in 46 games for HIFK.

One name you’re not seeing is that of U18 and WJC star Joakim Kemell (NAS), whose 11 points and -14 rating in 32 games have him flying far below expectations. Quite the opposite is the case for Patrik Puistola (CAR), who leads all U23 players with 13 goals and 34 points in 48 games. That not only has him 12th in league scoring but means he’s the clear-cut go-to player for his Jukurit team, something that has to have the Hurricanes brass mighty excited about.

When it comes to Finland’s top junior league, there are not many NHL-drafted players currently plugging away at it, but Buffalo’s Viljami Marjala is second in league scoring with 48 points and a +29 in 31 games. He’s also put up two points in four games for Liiga club TPS and it’s felt he’ll conclude the season with the big club one way or another. You may remember that Marjala spent the past two seasons with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. It was felt Nashville went a very safe route in picking all-round defenseman Kasper Kulonummi in the 3rd round last summer. His 39 points in 33 games has him second to teammate Leevi Sorvali (42 in 39 contests) league-wide in defenseman scoring. He’s seen 5 games of Liiga action for Tappara this season, which - in case you hadn’t heard - is Finland’s most hockey-crazy town.

True prospect fans will surely be wondering what 2024 top prospect Aron Kiviharju has been up to in recent weeks. Many had hoped to see him on this winter’s WJC squad, but the season has seen a more conservative approach. Having just turned 17, Kiviharju has gotten into 14 games of Liiga action (two assists and a +1 rating) while only being able to suit up for 20 U20 league games this year, in which he’s impacted play fairly considerably with a 1-16-17 and +11 statline. All fine, but not screaming superstar just now. Still, the U18 Worlds is where he’s expected to show the international scouting community just how far he’s come.

Germany

The DEL has been of special interest this year, but not so much due to any particular up-n-coming young players making noise.

No, it’s been all about a certain prospect making a major comebokk on the prospect scene. Oh yes, that play on words just couldn’t be skipped out on as former St. Louis Blues 1st rounder and current Carolina Hurricanes asset Dominik Bokk has spent all season letting the hockey world know he is not to be forgotten after, well, pretty much having gone forgotten in the Hurricanes organization. As we mentioned in the fall, he’s been playing for league newbie Frankfurt Lions after having won the championship with Berlin last season, with whom his cameo had little to do with Berlin’s fate when all was said and done. Now he’s spent most of the season leading the entire DEL in scoring, currently coming in at 24 goals and 49 points in 43 games. He’s doing it for a team that entered the year with but an outside shot at the playoffs and it has to be clear to anyone watching that he’s technically and physically a number too good for this league, one filled with former NHL and AHLers. His scoring has often been timely, and he’s constantly been able to create and make his teammates better.

If he hasn’t renewed Carolina’s interest, there must be a few teams out there wondering if this is your classic case of a late bloomer. Once the DEL year is over, he’s basically a lock for the men’s WC tournament, which will surely make him one of the more interesting viewings from an NHL standpoint. Or could he be part of a trade deadline package before that?

Unfortunately, Bokk was caught in an awkward check this weekend and will miss the remainder of the regular season with a shoulder injury.

What’s also been noteworthy this year is the goaltending position. Primarily young, German-born goaltenders have found themselves getting plenty of ice time and holding their own in the process. Yes, 26-year-old Maxi Franzreb is making the most of the season, getting more starts than any U27 goaltender and shining brightly with a 2.28 GAA and .925 save percentage. Mirko Pantkowski (24) has become a full-fledged starter himself, going 21-15 thus far for Cologne. But the kids really opening eyes are Arno Tiefensee (20), Florian Bugl (20), Tobias Ancicka (21), and - in a cameo appearance - Daniel Allavena (23), who went 4-1 over an emergency 5-game stretch for Munich. For the other three, Ancicka has 30 starts for Berlin as the go-to number 1 in goal, Bugl has gone 15-7 for Straubing since having initially filled in for the injured starter, and Tiefensee is way up there in the league with a 2.17 GAA, .919 SV%, and 10-5 record for Mannheim.

This century simply hasn’t witnessed this many German goalies successfully carrying this much responsibility in goal in Germany’s top league. And as everyone knows, NHL history is full of goaltenders signed out of Europe as free agents in their mid- to late 20s. Some of whom have ended up having successful careers, so these are names you’re going to want to have in the back of your mind moving forward. Also, if you’re wondering who the next minor league UFA signings á la Julian Napravnik and Kai Wissmann may be, two Ingolstadt Panthers have arrived on the scene this year in a big way, both quite unexpectedly. Defenseman Leon Huttl is just 22 and of average size, but his 19 points in 45 games have been accompanied by a +21 rating and he’s been effective in all three zones for a team that has experienced major injury hits to every position. Up front, Polish-born Wojciech Stakowiak has been the team’s fully unexpected all-everything contributor. Now 23, he was coming off of five- and six-point seasons, but now has 15 goals, 31 points, and a +16 in 46 games, finding himself on the ice in all key situations.

We already chronicled how a number of U21 players had started getting a shot to kick off the season and we must say, it hasn’t stopped. The number of players 21 and under who have gotten a shot in the DEL this season has been astounding, with 16-year-old defenseman Max Merkl (Nuremberg), 17-year-old defenseman Paul Mayer (Mannheim), and 18-year-olds Edmund Junemann (Düsseldorf) and Lukas Ullmann (Ingolstadt) having basically come out of nowhere to get into a handful of games. With injuries on the blueline, Ingolstadt even reacquired 18-year-old defenseman Niklas Hubner out of Finnish juniors, and he’s suited up for each of the last seven games. We commented some years ago about how particularly the SHL was able to regularly churn out players aged 16-21 who were taking fairly regular shifts. The DEL knew it had to follow suit in order for the quality of players to increase and provide the nation with more quality depth. Just that seems to be happening as we write.

Russia

The Matvei Michkov watch has been gaining momentum since he was loaned out to HK Sochi. After just three scoreless games with St. Petersburg and then an eye-popping 10 goals and 14 points in 12 games with SKA’s VHL outfit, Michkov found himself in the show on a scoring line with a Sochi team that had an offensive role to offer. The result has been five goals and nine points in 17games, with three of those points coming in the two most recent games. All things Russia continue to be taboo, but in a time where Connor Bedard is running away with the first overall pick status, the hockey world has got to be back to asking whether Michkov isn’t still the second-best option at this summer’s draft?

Like with the Finnish Liiga, players clipping at a PPG pace are hard to come by in the KHL this year. Former NHLer Dmitri Jaskin is back to his scoring ways though, leading the league with 33 goals (3^rd with 50 points) in 59 games, closely followed by German national Brooks Macek, who has 31 in 52 games. At the same time, impending 26-year-old free agent Marat Khairullin is having a career year for SKA with 25 goals and 50 points, blowing his previous high of 32 points out of the water. Will he be sought after like Andrey Kuzmenko was last offseason?

Pleasantly though, several NHL prospects are making some real noise with career years. It simply must be pointed out that Carolina’s 21-year-old defensive prospect Alexander Nikishin, who measures in at an imposing 6’4” and 216 pounds, leads ALL defensemen in scoring with 10 goals and 49 points in 57 games. It’s basically a season for the ages in a league still dominated by older veterans. The question is when and if he’s coming over and just how his game will translate. But he’s clearly the NHL asset with the most traction in Europe this season. Almost just as impressive is the work being put in by Colorado’s Nikolai Kovalenko , who checks in at 6th overall in league scoring with 19 goals and 48 points in 50 games. A chip off the old block, it’ll be interesting to see if Colorado feels Kovalenko’s work is in line with an ELC this offseason.

Two other highly touted prospects keeping things extremely fascinating are New Jersey’s Arseni Gritsyuk (21) and Minnesota’s Marat Khusnutdinov (20). Whereas Gritsyuk pretty much arrived on the scene last season with 22-16-38 in 52 contests, he’s now heading towards the playoffs with Omsk sporting 13-21-34 numbers as more of a set-up man for Reid Boucher (25 goals) and Vladimir Tkachev (20 goals). It’s Khusnitdinov who is truly arriving this season as his 11-26-37 and +12 statline for SKA marks a true step in development, far outweighing anything done the past three seasons, where he already showed some glimpses of what was to come. Hard to imagine that GM Bill Guerin won’t be looking to get him over to North America for next season.

Out of the nation’s second tier league, VHL, there are three players who have caught our eyes as being noteworthy. Up front, Detroit’s 2022 2nd rounder Dmitri Buchelnikov, who can be quite the wizard with the puck on his blade, has 14 goals, 27 points, and a +9 in just 32 games. He’s also chipped in 12 points in four MHL contests as well as two points in 10 KHL games for St. Petersburg. In short, he’s having a wildly successful DY+1 season. On the defensive side, we let you know that we’d be closely watching LA Kings’ draft pick Kirill Kirsanov and he hasn’t disappointed in a developmental capacity. After starting off on fire, his overall game has leveled out to a sound 13 points and +13 rating in 28 games, but he’s been a PPG player in five MHL games and has gotten his feet wet in nine KHL contests (one assist, -5 rating). The 6’1”, 198-pound defender is right on track in his development. The league is also playing host to a 23-draft prospect who has been gaining traction. Alexander Rykov is a mid-sized forward who has 11 points in 20 games for Chelyabinsk and has even gotten into six KHL games (no stats) for Traktor. He’s exactly the type of player we’d have loved to see at the U18 Worlds this spring.

Another young man we’d like to make mention of is 19-year-old forward Nikita Grebyonkin. After a very impressive draft year in the junior circuit MHL, collecting 77 points and a +42 in 67 total games, Grebyonkin has spent the majority of this season loaned out to Amur Khabarovsk with whom he’s put up nine goals, 23 points, and a +3 in 40 games. Already a fan favorite for the club’s faithful, Grebyonkin is generally a player who just hasn’t played in a spotlight location. What we’re seeing is an astute 5^th pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs whose slick style and 6’2”, 180-pound frame is looking very promising moving forward. That said, his skating is that of a later round draft pick.

The notes are currently minimal on both the NHL and prospect fronts in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Switzerland, but there are a few player situations developing there that we’ll look to highlight in the next edition. The upcoming playoffs will surely give us much to muse about as the spring rolls around.

2022 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: Notes and Quotes – USA vs. Sweden, Gold Medal Game – Havelid leads composed Swedes to a championship

Chapin Landvogt — Mon, 02 May 2022 20:13:05 +0000

LANDSHUT, GERMANY - MAY 1: Sweden's Hugo Havelid #35 makes a against USA’s Gavin Brindley #16 during Gold Medal game action at the 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Fanatec Arena in Landshut, Germany on May 1, 2022 (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Notes & Quotes – SWE vs USA – Gold Medal Game

NOTES:

USA vs SWE for GOLD

Making a statement: The US came out firing on all cylinders and had Sweden back on their heels right from the get-go. The Ryan Leonard (2023) 1-0 goal at the 2:24 mark was absolute textbook, from the Devin Kaplan pass to the resounding force of that typical USNDTP determination. The goal followed several top-flight opportunities. At that point in time, it looked like this was going to be a long night for the Swedes.

Weathering the storm: What may arguably have ended up giving the Swedes the confidence they needed to win this game was how they not only persisted after allowing that first goal but calmed down the US momentum. You saw the calming influence of the Mathias Havelids, Calle Odelius’, and Jakob Norens of the world (all 2022). You saw the intelligent play of all three lines that were getting the bulk of the action. There was no throwing pucks away needlessly. The concentration was there. By the time the period had ended, it didn’t matter that a late US goal had tied it at two. It was clear to everyone in the stadium that the USA was not simply going to have its way with Sweden like it did so many other opponents throughout the tournament.

Right place, right time: Arguably the save of the day came from US defenseman Ryan Chesley, who otherwise had his least effective game of the tournament, like many of his colleagues. A high puck came bouncing into the US zone from afar and goalie Trey Augustine took a step out of the crease to engage. It slipped through. Had it not been for Chesley’s late stick pulling it out on the goal-line, we would have seen the tournament’s oddest goal.

Doin’ it Lekkerimaki style: The 1-1 goal was a heck of a wrist shot. It was such a ripper, that plenty in the stadium must have been surprised to see it come from a righty shot not named Jere Lekkerimaki (2022). Indeed, it was Oskar Pettersson (2022) that riffled it to the upper right-hand corner from a good 10-12 yards out. Truth be told, it wasn’t the type of goal you can allow when you’re going for gold.

Murphy’s Law: The USA had two clear-cut breakaways and a partial breakaway before the halfway mark of the game. In each instance, a shot was taken. There was no attempt made to deke out Hugo Havelid, who measures in at 5’10”, 175 pounds. There was no attempt to make him have to put his acrobatic athleticism on display. Noah Ostlund (2022), however, had a partial breakaway that led to a fluky, yet beautiful, goal (2-1) and then Liam Ohgren (2022) got a breakaway and deked out US goaltender Trey Augustine (2023) for another lovely goal, giving Sweden a 5-3 lead at that point. How often do you see one team fail to capitalize on such huge opportunities, only to the see the other then capitalize on theirs?

Pulling a Bedard: US forward Frank Nazar (2022) tied things up at two on a great pass from Tyler Duke (2022). He entered the zone with speed and after somewhat flubbing a drop pass, took a shot from an almost impossible angle around the right face-off circle that went in, well, pretty much in the same manner as several Connor Bedard (2023) goals in this tournament.

Instant karma is gonna get you: Lane Hutson (2022) told the press after the 6-1 victory over the Czech Republic that the US was a 2^nd period team. With the score tied at two heading into the second, the US not only couldn’t gain an edge despite a full out effort, but it then also found itself needlessly in the penalty box several times in succession, eventually leading to a 4-2 lead for the Swedes. One could say that this game’s second period is what cost them the game – and a gold medal.

The all or nothing game: For those who watched most of this tournament, we saw one of the strongest offensive outputs by a US team, perhaps ever. It started with the 8-3 victory over Canada and the US boys marched right through to the final, never scoring less than six goals. Then of all nights, they faced their greatest challenge and suddenly weren’t up to it. I think few would have a problem theorizing what would be in a Best-of-7 or Best-of-5 or even a Best-of-3 series. But the beauty of these tournaments is that gold goes to the one team that wins that one last game.

Top effort goes to waste: US captain Rutger McGroarty (2022) had arguably his best game of the tournament. He ended the day with two goals, both in comeback efforts, but he had the opportunity to be the day’s hero on several occasions. Not only was there a breakaway, but he was fed pucks for several more one-timers and a number of goalmouth scrambles could have seen him double his output. Unlike many of his teammates, he decided to make the most important game his best yet. But it was a performance that would have to settle for silver.

Sheer determination: By golly, this game hasn’t been decided by happenstance. This Swedish club didn’t just find a way to be victorious and take gold, it’s willed its way to this victory. It’s made use of just about every dangerous opportunity it’s had and then some. And the kids have thrown themselves into shots, fought around the net to protect their goalie, made intelligent decisions when it comes to moving the puck and simply getting it out of dangerous areas. There’s been no crumbling and feeling the pressure when the US has made a short and cut the lead. The composure has been convincing and extremely telling of the mental fortitude of these young men.

That important to his team: You may have noticed that top-scorer Lekkerimaki scored the empty-net goal to make it 6-4. But what does that say about coach Havelid’s faith in this mercurial scorer to have him out on the ice protecting a one-goal lead that late in the game. Maybe we’ve just been used to seeing him in all critical offensive situations, but we can’t pretend he doesn’t have the faith of his coach to be one of the guys protecting a lead. The proof was here tonight.

Hands of gold: We need to take this opportunity to talk about Noah Ostlund (2022) and just what he is. You see that he’s a bit smaller and weighs in at roughly 165 pounds. Then you watch him play hockey. Words like cerebral make pop into your mind. For good reason. He does things with rhyme and reason. All the time. He’s made amazing offensive plays and looks like a set-up man, but clearly knows how to score goals as well, having potted another two tonight. He creates and establishes zone control. He makes setting up the power play in the offensive zone very easy. And it feels like he takes every halfway important face-off his team has. Effectively, at that. He’s a cool, calm, and collective player. And he spent this gold medal game confirming what we had seen to date, namely that he’s a first round talent and just has “it”. Ironically, his performance today was everything we all expected of Logan Cooley (2022). These two don’t play all that differently, but the former outshined the latter on this evening.

MVPing it: Not much needs to be said about the performance goaltender H. Havelid had today – and in essence, with each and every game. He absolutely stood on his head and never crumbled despite repeated onslaughts. He looked like a wall, and one could easily tell that he was bringing his opponents to doubt themselves. He was just everything you want to see from a goaltender in a gold medal game. These tournaments are not just about seeing the talent, but seeing what talent steps up to the plate. And no-one stepped up to the plate here in Landshut more than Hugo.

Player of the game for Sweden: Hugo Havelid

Player of the game for the USA: Rutger McGroarty

QUOTES:

Press conference Gold Medal game

US forwards Cutter Gauthier and Rutger McGroarty

On his strong game, which didn’t result in a gold medal…

McGroarty: Obviously right now, it’s tough. You’re asking yourself what could have been done different. What if I had scored on this or that opportunity? You know what, we have a great team

On the team’s good start…

Gauthier: At the start, we were trying to force their defense to turn over the puck and get some good efforts on their goalie. He ended up being awesome. He’s a stud. But I felt that we had our legs today and the energy. The outcome sucks.

On cutting the deficit to 4-3 heading into the second intermission…

Gauthier: In the locker room, we talked about staying on them. I think we were ready for it. I felt like we had a lot of opportunities in the third and that particular goal definitely gave our team some juice and some energy. The guys were fired up in the locker room, but the puck didn’t end up bouncing our way.

On being physical from the get-go and putting a lot of pressure on the goalie, also physically…

Gauthier: Yes, it’s a key part of my game and I’ve been working on it all year. I use it when I can and in a big game like this, that’s what I’m trying to do. But their goalie had a really great game tonight.

US coach Adam Nightingale

On the shot clock being 51 to 15 in favor of the US…

Nightingale: I’m super proud of our guys. They should have no regrets. That’s our sport, a little bit. Hats off to the Swedes. They’ve got a good power play and they got a couple of goals with that. And then their goaltender played pretty well. It’s tough in a single-game elimination tournament, but that’s what it is and what we’ve trained for. It’s what you sign up for. This experience will pay off for this group of kids in the future. Because this is a group of kids that is going to win a lot for USA Hockey in the future.

On his feelings about the outcome…

Nightingale: There’s not much to say. It’d be crazy to think that I have words to help them here. They’ve done everything we’ve asked. Can’t say that we, as a staff, did everything perfect, but we don’t have any regrets. But the boys have nothing to hang their heads about. It’s just standard how we do things as a team, as a staff. How we interact with people on the road. How we treat support staff. How we approach things with humility. I think that’s important, especially when you’re talking about the top talent, to have that humility. This is a great example why. They should be super proud about what they’ve done the past two years.

On what the organization can take away from this tournament…

Nightingale: Like I said, no regrets. I think we’re the best team here from a conditioning standpoint, from a skills standpoint, from a play standpoint… It’s a credit to the guys. This is a tough, tough pill to swallow. But I did tell the guys after the game that when they look in the mirror, they shouldn’t just see the hockey player, they should see the person. We have a locker room full of great people with great parents who are supportive of what we do. It’s really critical in development. My words can’t make them feel better, I understand that.

On maybe learning something about his team in the course of the tournament…

Nightingale: You know, I thought we showed a ton of resiliency. With a group like this, your often up on teams early. We play in a really good league in the USHL, and we play a tough college schedule. I look at this tournament and look back to when we played Canada. That was a really good team, and we were up 2-0. The Canadians came back to tie it. But we did our thing, and nobody panicked. We made it 4-2. They made it 4-3. We still stayed with it. In both games against Czechia, we were down 1-0. And then today, I thought the guys really stayed with it. We probably just ran out of time, to be honest with you. But I’m just super proud of our guys.

Swedish players D Elias Salomonsson, LW Liam Ohgren, and G Hugo Havelid

On if we can now refer to Hugo Havelid as Hugo Boss…

Havelid: Maybe not yet, but hopefully soon. But not quite yet.

On what was going through Havelid’s mind during the game…

Havelid: It was a tough game for me physically. The USA put a lot of pressure on me. I had to put up with a lot and hold out, but the gold medal was on the line. So, I played for my life.

On the US’s attempts to get under his skin right from the beginning…

Havelid: It doesn’t faze me when they try to get me out of focus. It’s just fun. These are the games I live to play for, you know, semifinals and finals. Amazing games to play.

On when it started to set in that the Swedes were going to be able to win this game…

Ohgren: Maybe I’d say in the last 10 minutes when we had the 5-3 lead. I started to ask myself, “Is this really happening?” But you can never relax. The US has a very good team. They have a lot of great players, and you just have to keep bringing your best hockey out there. Thanks to Hugo, we were able to do that.

On the success of the power play in the second period when Sweden gained a 4-2 lead…

Ohgren: The power play has been good the whole tournament and luckily it was again today as well. We had some luck with the officiating today. We got some power plays and we had to kill some off too. But yes, our power play was really good.

On his two-goal night…

Ohgren: For the power play goal, I really am not on that side all that often. I’m usually positioned behind the net. But when I came up and got the puck from Mathias Havelid, I faked the pass and took the shot, which found a way in.

On how Elias Salomonsson felt to get back into game action after being suspended in the last game…

Salomonsson: I think it’s hard to watch your team play from the stands. I was more nervous up there than when I’m on the ice. It was great to back and we had quite a team effort today. We fought for 60 minutes, and Hugo was unbelievable. And now it’s time to party!

On the game Noah Ostlund had, including a surreal goal in the first period, one of his two…

Ohgren: Oh yes, he had a really great game and he’s had a really great overall tournament. He’s a fantastic player and I love playing with him. He’s an unbelievable playmaker and as you saw today, he can score too. So, yes, that first goal was a really big play.

On any possible advantage due to the fact that a number of these Swedish U18 team members got into pro action this past winter…

Ohgren: Yes, for sure. I think it’s really great to have that experience of playing against pro men. They are stronger, faster, and more physical. That experience is certainly of benefit for a number of players on our team.

Swedish coach Magnus Havelid

On his team’s achievements…

Havelid: Their effort was great. I mean, look at everything they went through. When we had that 4-3 lead after two, I told the guys that we are in a good position, especially considering that we’re the underdog. We knew we could get that effort, energy, and team spirit we needed for the third period and that of course helped a lot. And Hugo certainly had a great game. You need a good goalie. And we needed some goal-scorers as well. My best players played their best. The whole team put in the effort. Some players naturally had a lot of ice time, but some others didn’t get that many minutes, but they’re still so important. We had to do so much penalty killing, especially there at the end of the game in the third period. And we achieved that. That was the key. We have some very proud players and team staff. You have to believe you can do it.

On the US’s furious play to kick things off, including its first goal before Sweden had even taken a shot…

Havelid: Yes, the important thing was not to be too negative. We knew they were going to jump on us. You have to handle the situation on the ice. And you know that if you are something like two goals back, it’s going to turn into a long game. You’ve got to focus on the next shift, and you’ll eventually get your own goals as well. Otherwise, it gets to be too tough a situation if you allow too many goals against. You know that one team can be very good while the other plays in its own zone defensively. That second period…. We took some steps forward and scored some goals. That gave us energy.

On sharing this gold medal with his very own nephews…

Havelid: Yes, of course. That’s special. And my two daughters are here as well. But honestly, now I’ve got all these messages arriving on my phone and they’re from a lot of the coaches back in Sweden. Many of them coach these young men in their club teams and now they too are so proud of what we’ve done. We work so close together. I travel a lot in Sweden and visit the coaches. It’s a form of teamwork. Otherwise, it’s tough to get a team together that can perform here. I’m very happy for them.

On Sweden now having won two of the last three U18 tournaments…

Havelid: I think it’s a mix of immense work and good luck. When you win, you start to believe in it. That’s when you’re talking about a winning culture. But hey, it’s tough to win. Once it happens, you can start to believe in it. That was important because we started to win a couple of years ago. And that can be a lot of pressure for the coaches, because then you start to analyze everything too much and the negativity shows up. It’s so easy for that to become a factor. It’s such a fine line between a positive thing and a negative thing. As a nation, you work with development all the time. But you have to believe in what you do. And when you win, then everything thinks you’re doing the right thing.

2022 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: Daily Update – May 2nd – Sweden wins Gold!

Zack Zsweras — Mon, 02 May 2022 18:49:45 +0000

LANDSHUT, GERMANY - MAY 1: Sweden's Jonathan Lekkerimaki #23 holds the World championship trophy with teammates behind him at the 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Fanatec Arena in Landshut, Germany on May 1, 2022 (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Sweden 6-4 US

The gold medal match was set between the two teams who finished at the top of their respective Groups, United States the leader of Group A and Sweden the leader of Group B. Heading into the match, the United States were the only undefeated team, winning each of their games by at least four goals. Sweden on the other hand, started the tournament off with a shocking 3-2 loss to Latvia, however, ever since they have been on a tear getting consistent scoring from their top prospects as well as amazing goaltending from Hugo Havelid.

It didn’t take long for the United States to grab the early 1-0 lead, as Devin Kaplan made a crisp cross-ice pass to 2023 draft eligible Ryan Leonard who buried it past Hugo Havelid. The United States was looking to build off that momentum as they were dominating possession and shots on net. It wasn’t until seven minutes were remaining in the first, where Sweden was able to answer back, Oskar Pettersson received a feed in the neutral zone from Calle Odelius and ripped the puck on net beating Kenneth Augustine to tie the game. Shortly after their first goal, Noah Ostlund came flying into the offensive zone, bobbled the puck and with incredible hand-eye coordination batted the puck past Augustine to give Sweden their first lead of the night 2-1. Just when Sweden thought they had the momentum, US was able to strike right back. The play started with an outstanding defensive stop by Ryan Chesley, swinging possession in the US favour, where the puck was pushed up the ice by Frank Nazar who burst into the offensive zone went wide and squeaked the puck by Havelid to tie the game up a two apiece. Kenneth Augustine finished the first period allowing two goals on three shots, it was evident that the rest of the US team was going to have to play near perfect if they wanted to take home gold.

The second period was intensely close, neither team gave an inch. US had plenty of chances, but yet again Hugo Havelid kept the door shut, including on a breakaway from US captain Rutger McGroarty. It was the other captain who was the first person in the second period to find the back of the net in Liam Ohgren. Sweden, on the powerplay moved the puck around the outside, finishing it off with a goal through the five-hole by Ohgren to give Sweden the 3-2 lead. Sweden built off that momentum, drawing two more penalties giving them a minute 5-on-3 powerplay, where top 2022 draft eligible Noah Ostlund buried his second of the game extending the Swedish lead to 4-2. It didn’t take long for the United States to answer back, with 16 seconds of 4-on-4 Logan Cooley stick fought off a Swedish defender before feeding captain Rutger McGroarty who sniped the puck past Havelid ending the second period 4-3.

It was a close battle in the third before Jonathan Lekkerimaki created a 2-1 off a turnover, ultimately feeding Liam Ohgren who deked around Augustine to score his second of the night giving Sweden a two-goal lead with ten minutes left in the third period. As the third period winded down, US found themselves on a powerplay thanks to Logan Cooley drawing a slashing penalty. On that powerplay, Isaac howard made a perfectly timed pass to captain Rutger Mcgroarty who beat Hugo Havelid for his second of the night bringing the Swedish lead to one with three minutes remaining in the third period. US with all the momentum had many chances to tie the game up, pulled their goalie with just under two minutes left. However strong defence by Sweden and a late empty net goal by Jonathan Lekkerimaki killed all momentum and hope for the United States. Sweden took the lead to 6-4 with 30 seconds remaining on their way to win gold medal against the US team that everyone expected to dominate this game. The biggest difference in this game was goaltending. Hugo Havelid was able to continue his ridiculous play stopping 47 shots, compared to Augustine who was only tested 14 times, letting in 5 of them.

Noah Ostlund just scored a beautiful goal to give Sweden the 2-1 lead. What a few minutes for Sweden. #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/9b5TjM0SGU

— Steven Ellis (@StevenEllisTHN) May 1, 2022

Frank Nazar from a tough angle ties it up. 2-2 with four minutes to go in the first. #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/e9WblORQbC

— Steven Ellis (@StevenEllisTHN) May 1, 2022

Noah Ostlund has two goals with a power-play goal. That's four goals on 10 shots. 4-2 Sweden. #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/UIUvmqaeXE

— Steven Ellis (@StevenEllisTHN) May 1, 2022

Finland 4-1 Czechia

The first game of the day, the bronze medal match was an exciting one as it held tournament MVP Jiri Kulich and potential top 10 selection in the upcoming draft, Joakim Kemell. Coming into the game today, Finland was looking to bounce back from a devastating 2-1 loss to Sweden. Czechia on the other hand was looking to win a medal for the first time in this tournament since 2014 where they lost to the United States in the finals to capture silver.

This game started off well for Czechia as Adam Bares and Ondrej Becher were on a 2-on-1, with Bares feeding Becher who rifled the puck past Topias Leninonen giving Czechia the early 1-0 lead. Five minutes later, it was Finland’s turn to respond as a laser point shot from 16-year-old defenceman Aron Kiviharju was tipped past Czechia goalie Michael Schnattinger by none other than Joakim Kemell, tying the game up at one. That concluded all of the scoring in the first period as both teams played a closely-knit match. The tie was broken late in the second period as Joakim Kemell created a turnover, something which he has done many times throughout this tournament, giving Finland a 3-on-1. On the 3-on-1, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki fed Jere Lassila right in front of the net, but the shot was originally stopped by Schnattinger before Kaskimaki tapped the rebound right to Jokiam Kemell for his second of the night, giving Finland their first lead at 2-1.

It was more of the same for Finland as they added two more unanswered, both from captain Jere Lassila to finish the game 4-1 and capture the bronze medal. With this game finishing 4-1, it marked the first time this tournament that Jiri Kulich did not score at least one goal in a game. While Czechia is going home without a medal, their performance at this tournament will not be forgotten and is something that should encourage the future of hockey in Czechia.

Daily Top Performers:

Best Forward: SWE, Jonathan Lekkerimaki (1G, 3A, 4P)

Jonathan Lekkerimaki had an outstanding tournament, finishing at the top of the scoring leaderboard with 5 goals, 10 assists for a total of 15 points in only six games. While many may say that it was Noah Ostlund or Liam Ohgren who made the largest impact as a forward on this Swedish team, it has quietly been Lekkerimaki. He has used his brain, skill and patience to find the open passing lanes and exploit them putting his teammates in prime spots to score. While many already had Lekkerimaki as a top prospect for the draft, it is certain that he has justified being that high on people’s boards with his performance in this tournament and the gold medal game.

Liam Ohgren makes it 5-3 for Sweden on this breakaway. Just over 10 minutes to go in the finale. #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/osPMOdksr1

— Steven Ellis (@StevenEllisTHN) May 1, 2022

Best Defenceman: SWE, Mattias Havelid (0G, 3A, 3P)

This marks the third time Mattias Havelid has been chosen as the best defenceman in our daily top performer section and it is because of the amazing work he has done this tournament on the back end for Sweden. Whether it is at even strength or on the powerplay, Havelid is always finding his teammates and advancing the puck up ice. While many expected Havelid’s teammates Calle Odelius and Elias Salomonsson to be large forces on the backend, it was ultimately Havelid who took the majority of the brunt force. It goes without saying that if Mattias Havelid was not on a scout’s radar before this tournament, he most definitely is now. It will be interesting to see where a team will take a gamble on Havelid in the upcoming draft.

Best Goaltender: SWE, Hugo Havelid (47SV, 4.00 GAA, .922 SV%)

For the third straight day Hugo Havelid has captured the best goaltender award and should be considered team Sweden’s MVP. If it wasn’t for Havelid’s play in net Sweden would not have made it out of the quarter finals. Havelid has been heavily relied on, especially the past two games making consecutive 40+ saves on route to securing Sweden’s gold medal win over US. After a shaky start to the tournament losing to Latvia and letting in three goals, Havelid bounced back and was an anchor in net. In a draft year with very few high-end goaltenders, it is obvious that Havelid has worked himself into many scouts’ eyes as the best goaltender in the upcoming draft.

Hugo Havelid with an absolutely mega save here late. #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/DND34ASm1a

— Steven Ellis (@StevenEllisTHN) May 1, 2022

What an effort by the Americans, but not enough here. #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/HgGqTS9UVL

— Steven Ellis (@StevenEllisTHN) May 1, 2022

With the tournament at its end, here is the All-star team and MVP as voted by the media, compared to the All-Star team and MVP that I have chosen:

My All-Star Team

Forwards: SWE Jonathan Lekkerimaki – CZE Jiri Kulich – US Isaac Howard

Defence: US Ryan Chesley – CZE Mattias Havelid

Goalie: SWE Hugo Havelid

My MVP: CZE Jiri Kulich

Media All-Star Team

Forwards: SWE Jonathan Lekkerimaki – US Logan Cooley – CZE Jiri Kulich

Defence: US Lane Hutson – CZE Tomas Hamara

Goalie: SWE Hugo Havelid

MVP: CZE Jiri Kulich

2022 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: Daily Update – May 1st – Sweden and U.S. advance to Gold Medal game

Zack Szweras — Sun, 01 May 2022 12:04:04 +0000

LANDSHUT, GERMANY - APRIL 30: USA’s Logan Cooley #18 and Czech Republic's Michael Schnattinger #1 look on during Semifinal Round action at the 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Fanatec Arena on April 30, 2022 in Landshut, Germany. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/HHOF-IIHF Images)

US 6-1 Czechia

In the first semi-final match of the day, it was a rematch between the top two teams of Group A. The first match started off close after Czechia took the 1-0 lead off a Jiri Kulich penalty shot, however they let up five unanswered on their way to a 6-2 loss to the US. The United States had been rolling in this tournament, as the only undefeated team left coming into today’s match. Czechia on the other hand had been riding high on confidence ever since defeating Canada in overtime to capture second place in Group A. They continued their momentum with a dominant win over Switzerland 8-0 in the quarter finals.

This game started off fairly even with scoring chances both ways. It was the special teams that made a large impact in the first period. US got the first powerplay of the night and had many opportunities to score, but Czechia goaltender Michael Schnattinger made some ridiculous saves to keep the game tied. With momentum swung in their favour, Czechia drew two penalties on the same play for a lengthy 5-on-3 powerplay. It was none other than top goal scorer in this tournament Jiri Kulich who ripped one off a beautiful feed from 2023 draft eligible prospect Eduard Sale to give Czechia a 1-0 lead. This goal marked the ninth of the tournament for Kulich and continued his streak of scoring at least one goal in each game this tournament. Czechia was looking to continue to carry this momentum into the second period against the dominant US team.

It didn’t take long for the United States to strike back, as Cruz Lucius intercepted a pass, walked into the offensive end and sniped the puck top corner to tie the game up at one apiece four minutes into the second period. That was just the start as US scored four more unanswered all from 2022 draft eligibles, Cutter Gauthier, Frank Nazar, Isaac Howard and Jimmy Snuggerud bringing their lead to 5-1 at the end of the second period. There were a lot of similarities with this game and the first match between these teams, as they both started with Czechia leading 1-0 after the first and US scoring five unanswered to kill all momentum Czechia had. Czechia was able to continue to battle in the third period holding the juggernaut United States team to only one more goal scored by Jimmy Snuggerud for his second of the game. At first, it seemed US finally met their match and would be challenged by Czechia, but as we have seen throughout this tournament, nothing can stop this US team. They are now only one win away from finishing this tournament undefeated and with a gold medal hanging from their neck.

An incredible shot for Jiri Kulich goes in and Czechia leads 1-0 on the PP.

Ninth goal of the tournament for him. #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/2u833pn2qi

— Steven Ellis (@StevenEllisTHN) April 30, 2022

Frank Nazar from Gavin Brindley and Isaac Howard makes it 3-1 USA. #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/SIoI7JZUaI

— Steven Ellis (@StevenEllisTHN) April 30, 2022

Sweden 2-1 Finland

Just like the first game, this game was also a rematch of the top two teams, but this time from Group B. Their first match was a nail biter right until the end, with the result of that match determining which team would finish first in Group B, Sweden narrowly beat Finland 4-3 in that game. Finland, however had more momentum after coming back against an always strong Canadian team in the quarter finals, winning 6-5 in overtime. Sweden on the other hand, dominated Germany with great play by twin brothers Mattias and Hugo Havelid, as well as top 2022 draft prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki. It was evident that this game would be another closely knit match between the two.

It didn’t take long to set the tone in this game as fifteen seconds in Swedish defenceman Jakob Noren laid a massive hit on Finnish star Jokiam Kemell. Shortly after the hit, Sweden turned the puck over giving Kemell a wide-open shot, which was saved by Hugo Havelid. Neither team was able to score in the first period in large part thanks to strong goaltending from both teams in 2022 draft eligible prospects Hugo Havelid and Topias Leinonen. Less than four minutes into the second period, 16-year-old Finish defenceman Aron Kiviharju made a costly turnover in his own zone allowing Oskar Pettersson to fling the puck on net, where 2023 draft eligible Otto Stenberg was able to find and tap the puck in to give Sweden the 1-0 lead. Sweden was able to take that lead into the third period.

Finland, while down, was controlling time of possession and winning in the shot category, up 22-17 through the first two periods. If it wasn’t for the amazing performance of Hugo Havelid, Finland would have been up big time, rather than being in a desperate position. It wasn’t until under five minutes left in the game when Finland was able to get on the scoresheet. Off an Elmeri Laakso point shot, Jani Nyman was able to grab the rebound, make a nifty move past Otto Stenberg before sniping the puck top shelf on Hugo Havelid to tie the game up 1-1. With the game looking like it would need overtime to determine a winner, Finland took a costly penalty with 2:23 left in the third period putting the dangerous Swedish powerplay in action. As the clock was dwindling down, top 2022 prospects, Liam Ohgren and Noah Ostlund took matters in their own hands, passing the puck between each other, before eventually feeding fellow top 2022 prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki with a cross-ice pass, which he one timed off a weird bounce and past Leinonen to take a 2-1 lead with 34.3 seconds remaining in the game. That goal turned out to be the difference maker as Sweden for the second time this tournament defeated Finland.

They will advance to the gold medal match against the dominating United States. While Sweden has been tested playing Finland twice, the US team has made each of their competition look like a play toy. It will be interesting to see if they can finally be the team to challenge the US team.

4:26 TO GO AND WE HAVE A TIE GAME! Jani Nyman doesn't let up and gets @leijonat back in it! #SWEFIN #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/mpUYr3CsD7

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) April 30, 2022

Daily Top Performers

Best Forward: US, C Logan Cooley (0G, 2A, 2P)

Logan Cooley entered the tournament as the top ranked prospect for the 2022 NHL draft playing in this tournament and he has led the United States to an impressive 5-0. When watching Cooley play it is clear that he is a complete hockey player with tons of skill to maneuver around oppositions. Cooley did exactly that, fooling everyone before sliding the puck to Cutter Gauthier to tap in the easy goal, which ended up being the game winning goal. While there was not much room for Cooley to move up in the eyes of many scouts, Cooley has proven why he deserves to be one of the first few names called for the upcoming draft.

USA leads 2-1. Cutter Gauthier from Logan Cooley. #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/AxchV4xDvS

— Steven Ellis (@StevenEllisTHN) April 30, 2022

Best Defenceman: US, D Lane Hutson (0G, 2A, 2P)

While many expected Seamus Casey to anchor the blueline for the United States, it has actually been the defensive pair of Lane Hutson and Ryan Chesley that has held the fort down. Not only has Lane Hutson made strong defensive plays to stop fast break scoring chances for the opposition, but he also has taken the puck and transitioned it up the ice to the talented forwards on the US team. On the offensive side, Hutson has been a force, on his first assist of the night he showed immense patience with the puck, drawing in the Czechia defender before sliding the puck down to Jimmy Snuggerud who found Frank Nazar for the easy goal. This tournament has really shined a bright light on both Lane Hutson and Ryan Chesley, so it shouldn’t be surprising if either of them were taken earlier than expected in the upcoming draft.

Frank Nazar gets his second of the day to make it 6-1. Check out Lane Hutson's patience on the blueline. #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/Dc02uKFwQ6

— Steven Ellis (@StevenEllisTHN) April 30, 2022

Best Goaltender: Hugo Havelid (41SV, 1.00 GAA, .976 SV%)

For the second day in a row, Hugo Havelid has deservedly taken home the best goaltender award. Facing a strong Finnish team for the second time this tournament, Sweden relied heavily on the strong play of Havelid and it paid off for them. Havelid only allowed one goal on 42 shots, 19 of which came in the third period alone. Sweden will look for Havelid to continue his strong tournament against the dangerous United States as they look to capture gold.

Oskar Pettersson – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2026 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #21 Ottawa Senators – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Prospect System Ranking – 21st (Last year - 25th) GM: Steve Staois Hired: December 2023 COACH: Travis Green Hired: May 2024

Carter Yakemchuk, D, Belleville Senators (AHL)

Stephen Halliday, C, Belleville Senators (AHL)

Logan Hensler, D, University of Wisconsin (NCAA)

Jorian Donovan, D, Belleville Senators (AHL)

Kevin Reidler, G, Penn State University (NCAA)

Owen Beckner, C, Colorado College (NCAA)

Blake Montgomery, LW, University of Wisconsin (NCAA)

Hoyt Stanley, D, Cornell University (NCAA) (Currently with Belleville Senators, AHL)

Matthew Andonovski, D, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

Lucas Beckman, G, Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL)

Tyler Boucher, RW, Belleville Senators (AHL)

Xavier Bourgault, C, Belleville Senators (AHL)

Oskar Pettersson, RW, Belleville Senators (AHL)

Javon Moore, LW, University of Minnesota (NCAA)

Gabriel Eliasson, D, Barrie Colts (OHL)

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – OTTAWA SENATORS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #24

Ottawa Senators Top-15 Prospects

1. Carter Yakemchuk

2. Mads Sogaard

3. Xavier Bourgault

4. Zack Ostapchuk

5. Leevi Merilainen

6. Tyler Kleven

7. Angus Crookshank

8. Stephen Halliday

9. Gabriel Eliasson

10. Tyler Boucher

11. Maxence Guenette

12. Jorian Donovan

13. Oskar Pettersson

14. Tomas Hamara

15. Kevin Reidler

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – OTTAWA SENATORS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #20

Top 20 Ottawa Senators Prospects

1. Ridly Greig

2. Zach Ostapchuk

3. Mads Sogaard

4. Egor Sokolov

5. Lassi Thomson

6. Tyler Kleven

7. Leevi Merilainen

8. Tyler Boucher

9. Stephen Halliday

10. Maxence Guenette

11. Roby Jarventie

12. Jacob Bernard Docker

13. Angus Crookshank

14. Phillippe Daoust

15. Jorian Donovan

16. Tomas Hamara

17. Kevin Reidler

18. Donovan Sebrango

19. Hoyt Stanley

20. Oskar Pettersson

NHL PROSPECTS: 22-23 European Prospect Musings #2 – Prospects coming into focus in the stretch run

2022 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: Notes and Quotes – USA vs. Sweden, Gold Medal Game – Havelid leads composed Swedes to a championship

Notes & Quotes – SWE vs USA – Gold Medal Game

NOTES:

USA vs SWE for GOLD

QUOTES:

2022 IIHF U18 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: Daily Update – May 2nd – Sweden wins Gold!

Sweden 6-4 US

Finland 4-1 Czechia

Daily Top Performers:

Best Forward: SWE, Jonathan Lekkerimaki (1G, 3A, 4P)

Best Defenceman: SWE, Mattias Havelid (0G, 3A, 3P)

Best Goaltender: SWE, Hugo Havelid (47SV, 4.00 GAA, .922 SV%)

My All-Star Team

Forwards: SWE Jonathan Lekkerimaki – CZE Jiri Kulich – US Isaac Howard

Defence: US Ryan Chesley – CZE Mattias Havelid

Goalie: SWE Hugo Havelid

My MVP: CZE Jiri Kulich

Media All-Star Team

Forwards: SWE Jonathan Lekkerimaki – US Logan Cooley – CZE Jiri Kulich

Defence: US Lane Hutson – CZE Tomas Hamara

Goalie: SWE Hugo Havelid

MVP: CZE Jiri Kulich

Prospect System Ranking – 21st (Last year - 25th)
GM: Steve Staois Hired: December 2023
COACH: Travis Green Hired: May 2024