Reid Schaefer – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – NASHVILLE PREDATORS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #9

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 19:13:23 +0000

NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 16: Nashville Predators right wing Matthew Wood (52) is shown during the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, held on April 16, 2025, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 9th (May 2025 - 17th)
GM: Barry Trotz Hired: July 2023
COACH: Andrew Brunette Hired: May 2023

After a series of bold offseason moves, Nashville entered 2024-25 with lofty expectations. But a disappointing campaign has left them searching for a new direction. The most significant blow to the prospect pool came with the departure of goaltending prospect Yaroslav Askarov.

Still, GM Barry Trotz has a clear plan to speed up the retool. Fyodor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux both made the leap to full-time NHL roles this season, while sniper Joakim Kemell matched his previous AHL production with Milwaukee, putting himself on the cusp of an NHL spot.

Reinforcements are coming, too. Defenseman Tanner Molendyk and forwards Matthew Wood and David Edstrom are set to join Milwaukee, each bringing top six or top four potential. Overseas, Russian forward Yegor Surin continues to develop in the KHL, adding depth to a system that, while not elite, remains solid.

Perhaps the biggest reason for optimism lies in Nashville’s draft capital. Trotz has stockpiled an enviable arsenal of picks, with five in the first two rounds of 2025, including three first-rounders. With those selections, they took Brady Martin, Cameron Reid and Ryker Lee, all of whom take up the team’s top eight spots.

Martin is a big, physical forward who brings a relentless motor, the ability to play in all situations, and a penchant for hitting everything that moves. He immediately becomes Nashville’s top prospect.

For now, the pieces are in place. It’s just a matter of whether Trotz can turn a well-stocked draft board and a solid development base into the kind of talent infusion that powers a quick return to contention.

Nashville Predators Top-15 Prospects

1 - Brady Martin

Martin’s rapid ascension up draft boards late in the year was one of the biggest storylines of the 2025 NHL Draft. He finished the year very strongly in the OHL with the Greyhounds and then had an exceptionally strong U18’s for Canada, helping them capture gold. Martin, a farm boy from rural Ontario, personifies this workman like identity on the ice. He’s a relentless physical player and a true puck hound. He loves to get to the net. He can find success in any situation. His offensive game and upside are a polarizing topic of conversation, but we believe in his ability to put up points in the future and play on a scoring line. Martin, pending a tremendous NHL training camp, will return to the Greyhounds this year and look to emerge as one of the OHL’s premier players. With continued improvement to his skating, Martin should move quickly through the Nashville system to become an NHL regular sooner, rather than later.

2 - Tanner Molendyk

The one missing ingredient that the powerhouse Tigers needed before embarking upon their bold playoff run this spring was an elite puck-moving defenceman, which is why they paid a pretty penny to land Molendyk, who was one of the top prizes available overall leading up to the WHL trade deadline this spring. And totally unsurprisingly, his sublime, effortless skating ability has fit seamlessly into his new team's high-octane offensive approach, eventually leading to a league championship for Medicine Hat. Even though he doesn't rack up a lot of points his extreme mobility and breakneck pace still allow him to wreak havoc in a variety of other ways that tilt the ice in his club's favor, always keeping the opposing players on their heels or left in the dust. Molendyk might not reach quite the same heights as the Minnesota Wild's Brock Faber, who is a very similar kind of player, but it wouldn't be surprising if he got pretty close.

3 - Yegor Surin

2024 Predators first-round pick Yegor Surin earned his spot on Lokomotiv’s KHL roster through grit, hard work, and confident play. The young power forward quickly established a physical presence, using his strong frame to battle through contact and drive play. His forechecking has been ferocious, and he showed flashes of offensive upside with confident net drives, a heavy wrister, and solid playmaking. While Surin held his own in his first full KHL season, his puck decisions often felt rushed, as if he didn’t fully trust his instincts. With more experience, that confidence should grow, and his production will likely follow. He’s not NHL-ready yet, but his development is on track, even adding some championship DNA with a Gagarin Cup championship this spring. Surin projects as a future middle six, checking forward who brings energy, toughness, and scoring potential to Nashville’s lineup.

4 - Matthew Wood

Matthew Wood is the biggest wildcard in Nashville’s system. The 2023 first rounder could turn out to be a force, but he is far from a polished product. Wood spent last year with the Minnesota Golden Gophers after transferring from UConn, where he spent his first two NCAA seasons. He was a point-per-game player pretty much all through his NCAA career, which doesn’t indicate a lot of growth offensively. At his best, he looks every bit the skilled power forward teams dream of: big frame, soft hands, and a dangerous shot that can beat goalies clean. Some nights that player doesn’t show up though, leaving just a big, slower forward that makes mistakes with the puck. While there has been growth since his draft year, flashing his power game more, and growing as a playmaker, the improvements haven’t shown up on the scoresheet. If Wood can get more consistency in his game and improve his skating, the payoff could be immense. He is likely playing in the AHL this year, but there might be a top six forward in Nashville’s future here.

5 - Joakim Kemell

Going into last season, many Predators fans probably expected Joakim Kemell to make a strong push for a roster spot with the Predators, or at the very least return to the Milwaukee Admirals and put together a strong year in the AHL. Kemell didn’t necessarily have a bad training camp with the Predators, but he didn’t really force the Predators to keep him, either. Kemell was in-tough as a goal scoring option after the Predators brought in Jonathan Marchessault and Steven Stamkos, but the opportunity was there for Kemell to play more last season for a struggling Predators team. Kemell didn’t necessarily have a bad year for Milwaukee last year, either, but he hasn’t made the dynamic strides one would have hoped. The offensive ability is still there, as Kemell has the talent to make plays and score goals, but he really needs to develop consistency to forward himself as a legitimate top six NHL option. Kemell is projected to be a middle six offensive contributor at the NHL level but should get more games this season.

6 - David Edstrom

Edstrom has been the property of three NHL organizations already in his young career, but he’s stayed consistent. He played well in a third line center role for Frölunda, his presumed role in the NHL. Despite the big ask, he also played 1C for Sweden at the WJC In Ottawa and knocked it out of the park. Edstrom is a smart, versatile two-way center who does whatever is asked of him. Deployment in any zone, power play, penalty kill, you name it. He goes to the net, he’s tenacious in board battles, moves well off puck, and wins face offs. All signs point to Edstrom becoming a rock-solid bottom six center who can contribute in all three zones; although his limited explosiveness holds him back in transition a bit. Barring injury, it’s tough to see any surprises or deviations from that projection at this point in his development. The next step will be doing what he’s always done in the SHL, in the AHL. If he shows well there, it won’t be long until he’s in a Preds uniform.

7 - Cameron Reid

A strong skating defender with a high IQ, Reid was a first-round selection of the Predators in 2025. He is one of the better skaters in the OHL and this helps him to be an effective puck mover. Reid can also quarterback a power play with a strong point shot and excellent vision. The question marks surrounding Reid involve his defensive upside at the pro level. He’s not a huge defender, nor is he a physically intense player. There is a need for him to be more consistent in his own end. However, as he matures physically, his high IQ should help him to at least become adequate in the defensive end. Reid’s upside is that of a top four, puck moving defender. He’ll probably need at least a few years before he’s ready to challenge for a roster spot and would most definitely be behind the likes of Molendyk and Ufko for an offensive role over the next few seasons.

8 - Ryker Lee

One of the best indicators of how deep Nashville’s prospect pool is that Ryker Lee slots in at eighth. After lighting it up for Shattuck St. Mary’s for the better part of four years, Lee was incredible for the Madison Capitals this past season. He scored the most goals by a draft-year player in the USHL this season, and his incredible shot will be his money maker for years. Lee is overall, an offensive dynamo first and foremost. His stickhandling and vision are also advanced; all of these factors contributed to his first-round selection. The most negative factor in his game is by far his skating as a result, his strengths become limited in neutral ice. Lee will now be playing for Adam Nightingale at Michigan St. for at least the next two seasons. However, don’t count him out in that loaded lineup. He will be determined to make his mark for the Spartans this season.

9 - Reid Schaefer

Reid Schaefer battled with the injury bug all of last season, but he put together a strong sophomore pro campaign that was built on a good freshman season with the Milwaukee Admirals. When Schaefer’s in the lineup, he’s just tough to play against. He hounds loose pucks and opposing players, he’s always willing to engage with other players physically, and he never backs down from an opportunity to create havoc. This is what Schaefer needs to do to become a full-time NHL player with the Nashville Predators, and it’s great to see Schaefer stick to the game that got him here from the junior level. In terms of projections, Schaefer projects to be a hard-nosed third-line player at the NHL level, with the potential of having second-unit net-front power play time. There’s a chance he becomes more than a third-line player, perhaps a top six power forward, but he needs to keep working on his shot and playmaking abilities. We should see Schaefer become a full-time player with the Predators in the next one-to-two seasons.

10 - Teddy Stiga

Throughout last season, Stiga demonstrated consistent growth and development. Early on we highlighted his play-driving ability, offensive zone speed, and three-zone support. As the season progressed, his dynamic skating, agility, and hockey IQ became more evident, making him a constant offensive threat. His non-stop movement and knack for finding open space created scoring opportunities for himself and teammates. Defensively, Stiga showcased his awareness with an active stick, strong positioning, and well-timed stick checks, contributing in all situations. Stiga's primary strengths lie in his high-end skating, puck-handling, and decision making. His relentless forechecking pressure and creativity in tight spaces further elevate his impact. While he has shown commitment defensively, continuing to build strength and refine his physical game would enhance his effectiveness. Looking ahead, Stiga projects as a reliable middle six scoring forward with special teams upside. His blend of skill, awareness, and competitiveness suggests he could thrive in a variety of roles at higher levels, but the lack of size is always a concern.

11 - Ryan Ufko

Ufko is a mobile, puck-moving defenceman and being a right-shot makes him that much more coveted. He excels at quarterbacking the power play and has a good point shot to complement that. Ufko had a good showing as a rookie with Milwaukee in the AHL, but another year of getting stronger, to make up for his size, and increasing five-on-five-point production should serve him well.

12 - Andrew Gibson

Gibson couldn’t quite match the offensive output he did the year before and maybe that had to do with being traded midseason from Soo to Oshawa. Moving to the AHL next season, Gibson should at worst be a physical, third-pairing defenceman who can punish attackers with his size. It would be an added bonus if he finds more to his offensive game, but for now, that looks unlikely.

13 - Aiden Fink

Just like everyone expected of the seventh-round pick from the AJHL, Fink went to the NCAA, where he put up a point per game in 2023-2024 and last year was the league’s third-highest point scorer. Fink is a crafty winger who plays with high intensity and a shot that picks corners. He should remain one of Penn State’s best players on an already stacked team.

14 - Jacob Rombach

With his 6-foot-7 frame, Rombach clears defenders from dangerous areas with his elite stickwork or his size and strength. He can skate fairly well for a player his size, which allows him to efficiently spark a transition, but his offence largely stops there. He’ll need to be paired with someone more offensively capable. Nonetheless, Rombach will have all the opportunities to develop as an elite shutdown defenceman at the University of Minnesota for the next few years.

15 - Jack Ivankovic

Ivankovic makes up for his below-average stature with elite athleticism, hockey IQ, and the ability to play the puck. He anticipates the game well and it leads to his glove feeling like it’s twice its actual size. A lack of rebound control and erraticism lead to inconsistencies in his game-to-game performance. Ivankovic should be the go-to starter for Michigan next season, where he’ll face better attackers but also have a more organized defensive structure in front of him.

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

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

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

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Nashville 25 Prospects

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nashville Predators Top-15 Prospects

1. Joakim Kemell

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

2. Matthew Wood

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

3. Zachary L'Heureux

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

4. Tanner Molendyk

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

5. David Edstrom

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

6. Yegor Surin

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

7. Fyodor Svechkov

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

8. Reid Schaefer

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

9. Ryan Ufko

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

10. Teddy Stiga

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

11. Semyon Chistyakov

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

12. Andrew Gibson

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

13. Felix Nilsson

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

14. Adam Ingram

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

15. Kalan Lind

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: TOP 30 NHL PROSPECTS

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 12:22:26 +0000

At McKeen’s Hockey we do a ranked affiliated prospect list twice a season. Our first, this ranking, follows the end of the regular season for most prospects but does not include the playoffs. It is a ranking of the top 200, plus the top 15 by team, prior to the NHL Draft. Once the NHL Draft is complete, we begin the process of updating the organizational ranking to a top 20, and then rank the top 300. That is completed in August, once the dust has settled on free agency, and any trades that are made in the meantime. We include that ranking in our McKeen’s NHL Yearbook, published in late August, Early September.

Our team of 16 scouts are based in key markets around the world, in the rinks, supported by video scouting. They utilize some terrific tools from Hudl/InStat, which can isolate so many aspects of a player’s game, along with proprietary statistics. They spend countless hours in rinks and in front of screens and are deeply familiar with these players and their progression. Our management team of Brock Otten (Director of Scouting) and Derek Neumeier (Assistant Director of Scouting/Senior Western Regional Scout), along with Video Scouting Coordinator, Josh Bell, will take the teams input and finalize the list you see below. Brock, Derek and Josh are responsible for the player write-ups in the Prospect Guide.

The organizational rankings are based on an algorithm that takes into account how many prospects are ranked within the top 200. The teams are broken down by the number of prospects in our top 1 -25, 26 - 50, 51 - 100, and 101 - 200. A weight is attached to each group and then some subjective tweaking is done based on our knowledge of the players. There can be a wider discrepancy in the top 25 group than the latter groupings that needs to be taken into account.

Here is our definition of an NHL prospect: Players under 26 years of age as of 9/15/2024 who have appeared in less than 60 NHL games (30 for goalies) and less than 35 in one season (25 for goalies).

Check back in with us in the fall to see how things change following the draft. We are releasing out top 30 NHL Prospects free to non-subscribers. If you want to learn more, link here.

Subscribers can link to the full top 200 listing here

Here is an excerpt of Brock Otten's Risers and Fallers article from the magazine to give you more perspective and a little taste of our content.

The best part of scouting is the somewhat unpredictable nature of human development. Some players improve dramatically from one year to the next…others do not. When we compare the rankings from our 2023-24 NHL Yearbook (where we did a Top 300 prospect ranking) to now, these are the players who have risen/fallen the most.

Risers

DALLAS, TX - APRIL 22: Dallas Stars center Logan Stankoven (11) reacts to a goal score during game one of the Western Conference First Round between the Dallas Stars and the Vegas Golden Knights on April 22, 2024 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire)

Logan Stankoven (27 to 5) - Dallas Stars

Stankoven’s jump from one of the best players in the WHL to one of the best players in the AHL has been impressive. So has his quick start in the NHL.

Ryan Leonard (32 to 6) – Washington Capitals

Leonard is returning to Boston College after a Championship barely eluded him this year. However, he has proven to be an elite play driver to go with his strong off puck play.

MONTREAL, QC - FEBRUARY 11: Look on Montreal Canadiens right wing Joshua Roy (89) during warm-up before the St. Louis Blues versus the Montreal Canadiens game on February 11, 2024, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

Josh Roy (63 to 35) – Montreal Canadiens

Roy continues to prove doubters wrong after a terrific AHL season with Laval. His skill set has become so well rounded since being drafted.

Conor Geekie (68 to 18) – Utah

Geekie’s power game from the middle of the ice makes him such an interesting prospect for today’s NHL. His skating continues to improve.

Mavrik Bourque (79 to 23) – Dallas Stars

Bourque emerged as one of the best players in the AHL this season as a sophomore professional. He’s ready to take that next step with the Stars.

Gabe Perreault (86 to 19) – New York Rangers

Once thought to be the third wheel on the talented Will Smith/Ryan Leonard threesome, Perreault’s progression as a play driver at Boston College this season has altered the perception that he can be a front-line NHL player.

Bradly Nadeau (109 to 34) – Carolina Hurricanes

Drafting early out of the BCHL has yielded inconsistent results, however Nadeau was exceptional as a freshman at Maine. Did he leave school too early though?

Jagger Firkus (112 to 47) – Seattle Kraken

Firkus took his game to another level this year in his final WHL season, leading the league in scoring. He’s ready to be a pro.

Gavin Brindley (122 to 66) – Columbus Blue Jackets

One of the most improved players in the NCAA this year, Brindley emerged as a star for the University of Michigan and really altered his projection as a potential top six forward.

Quentin Musty (125 to 51) – San Jose Sharks

The dynamic American winger worked hard to fine tune components of his game in Sudbury this year and deserves a bump for improving his consistency.

Jani Nyman (135 to 81) – Seattle Kraken

Nyman emerged as one of the top goal scorers in Finland this season as a U20 player. This, combined with his strong WJC performance, has helped push him up our board north.

Logan Mailloux (145 to 45) – Montreal Canadiens

Mailloux proved to be way more refined at the AHL level than previously perceived. Simply put, he was one of the best defensive prospects in the AHL this year.

Josh Doan (153 to 55) - Utah

What a terrific story to the end of the Coyotes franchise. Doan emerged as a potential star this season and finished the year strong in the NHL, scoring in his debut.

Riley Heidt (157 to 44) – Minnesota Wild

We still don’t understand how Heidt fell as far as he did in the 2023 draft, however he is proving NHL scouts wrong thus far after a remarkable year with Prince George.

Ville Koivunen (165 to 71) – Pittsburgh Penguins

The main piece of the Jake Guentzel to Carolina deal, Koivunen emerged as one of the top players in Liiga this year.

Ethan Del Mastro (169 to 73) – Chicago Blackhawks

There was little doubt that Del Mastro’s strong defensive ability would translate to the AHL level well, but he continues to improve offensively and that has altered his projection.

Theo Lindstein (185 to 91) – St. Louis Blues

Lindstein’s strong year for Brynas has helped to elevate his upside as a two-way defender. We may have ranked him too low in our 2023 Draft Rankings.

Carson Rehkopf (201 to 69) – Seattle Kraken

Consistency off the puck and a lack of engagement held Rehkopf back last year. This year marked improvement in those areas helped him emerge as a top offensive talent in the OHL.

Easton Cowan (204 to 67) – Toronto Maple Leafs

One of the surprises of the 2023 draft, Cowan set a new OHL record with a 42-game point streak. More than just a high energy guy now, he can be a difference maker offensively.

Seamus Casey (214 to 63) – New Jersey Devils

Casey continues to improve in the NCAA. He may not have elite size, but he has everything else, and it has the Devils excited about his future.

Jacob Fowler (222 to 52) – Montreal Canadiens

Fowler compiled a list of accolades as a freshman this year at Boston College, emerging as one of the top goaltending prospects in the game.

Fraser Minten (226 to 84) – Toronto Maple Leafs

After starting the year with the Leafs, Minten returned to the WHL and ended up captaining Canada at the World Juniors.

Jackson Blake (277 to 117) – Carolina Hurricanes

A finalist for the Hobey Baker this year, Blake became an NCAA star for North Dakota, and he now turns pro.

Erik Portillo (Unranked to 118) – Los Angeles Kings

Acquired by the Kings, Portillo turned pro after three years at Michigan and he was one of the best goaltenders in the AHL as a first-year pro.

Rodwin Dionicio (Unranked to 139) – Anaheim Ducks

Dionicio still plays a high risk, high reward game from the back end, but his offensive upside has become too large to ignore.

Fallers

EDM - Xavier Bourgault

Xavier Bourgault (from 48 to 113) – Edmonton Oilers

After a mediocre first professional year last season, Bourgault was even more disappointing as a sophomore with Bakersfield. The Oilers just haven’t been developing prospects well in recent years.

Eduard Sale (72 to 140) – Seattle Kraken

Sale’s first year in North America did not go according to plan as he struggled to be a consistent impact player in the OHL.

Jack Rathbone (96 to not ranked) – Pittsburgh Penguins

Perhaps we ranked Rathbone too aggressively this summer, but not only did he fail to earn a spot on Vancouver, but he’s now an NHL after thought after entering Pittsburgh’s organization via trade.

Jacob Perreault (127 to not ranked) – Montreal Canadiens

Perreault’s off puck play and skating just haven’t improved to the point where he can be a consistent pro and it caused the Ducks to move on from him, trading him to Montreal.

Jan Jenik (156 to not ranked) - Utah

Once a highly ranked prospect, Jenik continues to fall. He just hasn’t been able to take that next step and even passed through waivers this year unclaimed.

RNK	PLAYER	NHL	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Will Smith	SJ	C	19	6-0/175	Boston College (HE)	41	25	46	71	14
2	Matvei Michkov	Phi	RW	19	5-10/170	SKA St. Petersburg-HK Sochi (KHL)	48	19	22	41	26
3	Brandt Clarke	LA	D	21	6-2/185	Los Angeles (NHL)	16	2	4	6	10
4	Cutter Gauthier	Ana	LW	20	6-2/190	Boston College (HE)	41	38	27	65	18
5	Logan Stankoven	Dal	C	21	5-8/170	Dallas (NHL)	24	6	8	14	4
6	Ryan Leonard	Wsh	RW	19	5-11/190	Boston College (HE)	41	31	29	60	38
7	Alexander Nikishin	Car	D	22	6-3/195	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	67	17	39	56	39
8	Yaroslav Askarov	Nsh	G	21	6-3/175	Milwaukee (AHL)	44	30	13	2.39	0.911
9	Jesper Wallstedt	Min	G	21	6-3/215	Iowa (AHL)	45	22	19	2.70	0.910
10	Matthew Savoie	Buf	C	20	5-9/179	Wen-MJ (WHL)	34	30	41	71	10
11	Simon Edvinsson	Det	D	21	6-6/215	Detroit (NHL)	16	1	1	2	4
12	Jonathan Lekkerimaki	Van	RW	19	5-11/170	Orebro (SHL)	46	19	12	31	10
13	Dustin Wolf	Cgy	G	23	6-0/166	Calgary (AHL)	36	20	12	2.45	0.922
14	Devon Levi	Buf	G	21	6-0/192	Rochester (AHL)	26	16	6	2.42	0.927
15	Olen Zellweger	Ana	D	20	5-9/180	Anaheim (NHL)	26	2	7	9	4
16	Dmitri Simashev	Ari	D	19	6-4/198	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	63	4	6	10	18
17	David Reinbacher	Mtl	D	19	6-2/185	Kloten (Sui-NL)	35	1	10	11	18
18	Conor Geekie	Ari	C	19	6-3/193	Wen-SC (WHL)	55	43	56	99	66
19	Gabe Perreault	NYR	RW	18	5-11/165	Boston College (HE)	36	19	41	60	29
20	Daniil But	Ari	LW	19	6-5/203	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	55	10	11	21	10
21	Shane Wright	Sea	C	20	6-0/200	Coachella Valley (AHL)	59	22	25	47	18
22	Jiri Kulich	Buf	C	20	6-1/186	Rochester (AHL)	57	27	18	45	26
23	Mavrik Bourque	Dal	C	22	5-10/190	Texas (AHL)	71	26	51	77	32
24	Nate Danielson	Det	C	19	6-2/185	Bdn-Por (WHL)	54	24	43	67	42
25	Danila Yurov	Min	RW	19	6-1/175	Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)	62	21	28	49	35
26	Brennan Othmann	NYR	LW	21	6-0/175	Hartford (AHL)	67	21	28	49	65
27	Lane Hutson	Mtl	D	20	5-10/160	Boston University (HE)	38	15	34	49	24
28	Tom Willander	Van	D	19	6-1/180	Boston University (HE)	38	4	21	25	12
29	Marco Kasper	Det	C	20	6-1/185	Grand Rapids (AHL)	71	14	21	35	30
30	Dalibor Dvorsky	StL	C	18	6-1/200	Sudbury (OHL)	52	45	43	88	17

2024 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: TOP 200 NHL PROSPECTS

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 25 May 2024 17:02:31 +0000

At McKeen’s Hockey we do a ranked affiliated prospect list twice a season. Our first is following the end of the regular season for most prospects but does not include the playoffs. It is a ranking of the top 200, plus the top 15 by team, prior to the NHL Draft. Once the NHL Draft is complete, we begin the process of updating the organizational ranking to a top 20, and then rank the top 300. That is completed in August, once the dust has settled on free agency, and any trades that are made in the meantime. We include that ranking in our McKeen’s NHL Yearbook, published in late August, Early September.

Check back in with us in the fall to see how things change following the draft.

Subscribers can link to the listing here

RNK	PLAYER	NHL	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Will Smith	SJ	C	19	6-0/175	Boston College (HE)	41	25	46	71	14
2	Matvei Michkov	Phi	RW	19	5-10/170	SKA St. Petersburg-HK Sochi (KHL)	48	19	22	41	26
3	Brandt Clarke	LA	D	21	6-2/185	Los Angeles (NHL)	16	2	4	6	10
4	Cutter Gauthier	Ana	LW	20	6-2/190	Boston College (HE)	41	38	27	65	18
5	Logan Stankoven	Dal	C	21	5-8/170	Dallas (NHL)	24	6	8	14	4
6	Ryan Leonard	Wsh	RW	19	5-11/190	Boston College (HE)	41	31	29	60	38
7	Alexander Nikishin	Car	D	22	6-3/195	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	67	17	39	56	39
8	Yaroslav Askarov	Nsh	G	21	6-3/175	Milwaukee (AHL)	44	30	13	2.39	0.911
9	Jesper Wallstedt	Min	G	21	6-3/215	Iowa (AHL)	45	22	19	2.70	0.910
10	Matthew Savoie	Buf	C	20	5-9/179	Wen-MJ (WHL)	34	30	41	71	10
11	Simon Edvinsson	Det	D	21	6-6/215	Detroit (NHL)	16	1	1	2	4
12	Jonathan Lekkerimaki	Van	RW	19	5-11/170	Orebro (SHL)	46	19	12	31	10
13	Dustin Wolf	Cgy	G	23	6-0/166	Calgary (AHL)	36	20	12	2.45	0.922
14	Devon Levi	Buf	G	21	6-0/192	Rochester (AHL)	26	16	6	2.42	0.927
15	Olen Zellweger	Ana	D	20	5-9/180	Anaheim (NHL)	26	2	7	9	4
16	Dmitri Simashev	Ari	D	19	6-4/198	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	63	4	6	10	18
17	David Reinbacher	Mtl	D	19	6-2/185	Kloten (Sui-NL)	35	1	10	11	18
18	Conor Geekie	Ari	C	19	6-3/193	Wen-SC (WHL)	55	43	56	99	66
19	Gabe Perreault	NYR	RW	18	5-11/165	Boston College (HE)	36	19	41	60	29
20	Daniil But	Ari	LW	19	6-5/203	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	55	10	11	21	10
21	Shane Wright	Sea	C	20	6-0/200	Coachella Valley (AHL)	59	22	25	47	18
22	Jiri Kulich	Buf	C	20	6-1/186	Rochester (AHL)	57	27	18	45	26
23	Mavrik Bourque	Dal	C	22	5-10/190	Texas (AHL)	71	26	51	77	32
24	Nate Danielson	Det	C	19	6-2/185	Bdn-Por (WHL)	54	24	43	67	42
25	Danila Yurov	Min	RW	19	6-1/175	Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)	62	21	28	49	35
26	Brennan Othmann	NYR	LW	21	6-0/175	Hartford (AHL)	67	21	28	49	65
27	Lane Hutson	Mtl	D	20	5-10/160	Boston University (HE)	38	15	34	49	24
28	Tom Willander	Van	D	19	6-1/180	Boston University (HE)	38	4	21	25	12
29	Marco Kasper	Det	C	20	6-1/185	Grand Rapids (AHL)	71	14	21	35	30
30	Dalibor Dvorsky	StL	C	18	6-1/200	Sudbury (OHL)	52	45	43	88	17
31	Brad Lambert	Wpg	C	20	6-0/180	Manitoba (AHL)	64	21	34	55	38
32	Ivan Miroshnichenko	Wsh	LW	20	6-1/185	Washington (NHL)	21	2	4	6	6
33	Axel Sandin Pellikka	Det	D	19	5-11/180	Skelleftea (SHL)	39	10	8	18	17
34	Bradly Nadeau	Car	LW	18	5-10/165	Maine (HE)	37	19	27	46	12
35	Joshua Roy	Mtl	RW	20	6-0/190	Montreal (NHL)	23	4	5	9	0
36	Denton Mateychuk	CBJ	D	19	5-11/190	Moose Jaw (WHL)	52	17	58	75	31
37	Brayden Yager	Pit	C	19	5-11/165	Moose Jaw (WHL)	57	35	60	95	20
38	Calum Ritchie	Col	C	19	6-2/185	Oshawa (OHL)	50	28	52	80	20
39	Joakim Kemell	Nsh	RW	20	5-10/185	Milwaukee (AHL)	67	16	25	41	23
40	Colby Barlow	Wpg	LW	19	6-0/195	Owen Sound (OHL)	50	40	18	58	27
41	Jimmy Snuggerud	StL	RW	19	6-1/185	Minnesota (B1G)	39	21	13	34	42
42	Matthew Coronato	Cgy	RW	21	5-10/183	Calgary (NHL)	34	3	6	9	4
43	Frank Nazar	Chi	C	20	5-10/180	Michigan (B1G)	41	17	24	41	18
44	Riley Heidt	Min	C	19	5-10/180	Prince George (WHL)	66	37	80	117	42
45	Logan Mailloux	Mtl	D	21	6-3/215	Laval (AHL)	72	14	33	47	91
46	Sebastian Cossa	Det	G	21	6-6/229	Grand Rapids (AHL)	40	22	9	2.41	0.913
47	Jagger Firkus	Sea	RW	20	5-10/155	Moose Jaw (WHL)	63	61	65	126	30
48	Mikhail Gulyayev	Col	D	19	5-11/170	Avangard Omsk (KHL)	64	4	8	12	8
49	Scott Morrow	Car	D	21	6-2/195	Massachusetts (HE)	37	6	24	30	25
50	Matthew Wood	Nsh	RW	19	6-3/195	Connecticut (HE)	35	16	12	28	43
51	Quentin Musty	SJ	LW	18	6-2/200	Sudbury (OHL)	53	43	59	102	72
52	Jacob Fowler	Mtl	G	19	6-1/215	Boston College (HE)	39	32	6	2.14	0.926
53	Fabian Lysell	Bos	RW	21	5-11/181	Providence (AHL)	56	15	35	50	37
54	Shakir Mukhamadullin	SJ	D	22	6-3/180	San Jose (AHL)	55	7	27	34	24
55	Josh Doan	Ari	RW	22	6-1/183	Arizona (NHL)	11	5	4	9	0
56	Thomas Bordeleau	SJ	C	22	5-9/180	San Jose (NHL)	27	6	5	11	18
57	Lian Bichsel	Dal	D	19	6-6/233	Rogle (SHL)	29	2	2	4	28
58	Nikolai Kovalenko	Col	RW	24	5-10/180	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	42	11	24	35	30
59	Aatu Raty	Van	C	21	6-2/185	Abbotsford (AHL)	72	18	34	52	18
60	Oliver Moore	Chi	C	19	5-11/185	Minnesota (B1G)	39	9	24	33	8
61	Samuel Honzek	Cgy	LW	19	6-4/186	Vancouver (WHL)	33	10	21	31	18
62	Jakob Pelletier	Cgy	LW	23	5-9/170	Calgary (NHL)	13	1	2	3	2
63	Seamus Casey	NJ	D	20	5-9/165	Michigan (B1G)	40	7	38	45	14
64	Tristan Luneau	Ana	D	20	6-1/195	Anaheim (NHL)	7	1	2	3	4
65	Chaz Lucius	Wpg	C	20	6-1/185	Manitoba (AHL)	17	2	11	13	6
66	Gavin Brindley	CBJ	C	19	5-9/165	Michigan (B1G)	40	25	28	53	28
67	Easton Cowan	Tor	RW	18	5-10/170	London (OHL)	54	34	62	96	64
68	Zachary L'Heureux	Nsh	LW	20	5-11/195	Milwaukee (AHL)	66	19	29	48	197
69	Carson Rehkopf	Sea	LW	19	6-1/195	Kitchener (OHL)	60	52	43	95	45
70	Filip Bystedt	SJ	C	20	6-4/205	Linkopings (SHL)	47	8	9	17	2
71	Ville Koivunen	Pit	LW	20	6-0/175	Karpat (Fin-Liiga)	59	22	34	56	26
72	Noah Ostlund	Buf	C	20	5-11/163	Vaxjo Lakers (SHL)	38	12	11	23	4
73	Ethan Del Mastro	Chi	D	21	6-4/210	Rockford (AHL)	69	7	30	37	54
74	Lukas Cormier	VGK	D	22	5-10/180	Henderson (AHL)	58	4	16	20	33
75	Liam Ohgren	Min	LW	20	6-1/200	Farjestads (SHL)	26	12	7	19	12
76	Marat Khusnutdinov	Min	C	21	5-11/175	Minnesota (NHL)	16	1	3	4	6
77	Mackie Samoskevich	Fla	RW	21	5-11/190	Charlotte (AHL)	62	22	32	54	24
78	Stanislav Svozil	CBJ	D	21	6-1/180	Cleveland (AHL)	57	5	18	23	24
79	Zachary Bolduc	StL	LW	21	6-1/175	St. Louis (NHL)	25	5	4	9	6
80	Rutger McGroarty	Wpg	LW	20	6-1/200	Michigan (B1G)	36	16	36	52	6
81	Jani Nyman	Sea	RW	19	6-3/215	Ilves (Fin-Liiga)	48	26	17	43	2
82	Andrew Cristall	Wsh	LW	19	5-9/165	Kelowna (WHL)	62	40	71	111	46
83	Oliver Bonk	Phi	D	19	6-2/175	London (OHL)	60	24	43	67	32
84	Fraser Minten	Tor	C	19	6-1/185	Kam-Sas (WHL)	43	22	26	48	25
85	Tanner Molendyk	Nsh	D	19	5-11/185	Saskatoon (WHL)	50	10	46	56	18
86	David Goyette	Sea	C	20	5-10/175	Sudbury (OHL)	68	40	77	117	29
87	David Edstrom	SJ	C	19	6-3/185	Frolunda (SHL)	44	7	12	19	8
88	Anton Wahlberg	Buf	C	18	6-3/194	Malmo (SHL)	43	5	5	10	4
89	Emil Andrae	Phi	D	22	5-9/185	Lehigh Valley (AHL)	61	5	27	32	66
90	Trey Augustine	Det	G	19	6-1/185	Michigan State (B1G)	35	23	9	2.96	0.915
91	Theo Lindstein	StL	D	19	6-0/180	Brynas (HockeyAllsvenskan)	49	4	11	15	4
92	Mads Sogaard	Ott	G	23	6-7/195	Belleville (AHL)	32	18	9	2.45	0.916
93	Isak Rosen	Buf	RW	21	6-0/175	Rochester (AHL)	67	20	30	50	12
94	Maveric Lamoureux	Ari	D	20	6-7/214	Drummondville (QMJHL)	39	9	24	33	53
95	Drew Commesso	Chi	G	21	6-2/180	Rockford (AHL)	38	18	16	2.65	0.906
96	Ville Heinola	Wpg	D	23	6-0/180	Manitoba (AHL)	41	10	17	27	24
97	Carter Mazur	Det	LW	22	6-0/170	Grand Rapids (AHL)	60	17	20	37	48
98	Otto Stenberg	StL	C	18	5-11/180	Frolunda (SHL)	31	3	3	6	8
99	Egor Afanasyev	Nsh	LW	23	6-3/205	Milwaukee (AHL)	56	27	27	54	60
100	Nikita Chibrikov	Wpg	RW	21	5-10/170	Manitoba (AHL)	70	17	30	47	53
101	Zach Dean	StL	C	21	6-0/175	Springfield (AHL)	49	9	5	14	24
102	William Dufour	NYI	RW	22	6-2/195	Bridgeport (AHL)	55	15	10	25	35
103	Sam Rinzel	Chi	D	19	6-4/180	Minnesota (B1G)	39	2	26	28	20
104	Joel Blomqvist	Pit	G	22	6-2/185	Wilkes-Barre (AHL)	45	25	12	2.16	0.921
105	Arseni Gritsyuk	NJ	RW	23	5-10/170	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	50	19	19	38	8
106	Corson Ceulemans	CBJ	D	20	6-2/200	Cleveland (AHL)	47	3	9	12	12
107	Michael Hrabal	Ari	G	19	6-6/209	Massachusetts (HE)	30	16	12	2.59	0.912
108	Brendan Brisson	VGK	C	22	5-11/180	Vegas (NHL)	15	2	6	8	2
109	Owen Pickering	Pit	D	20	6-4/180	Swift Current (WHL)	59	7	39	46	35
110	Owen Beck	Mtl	C	20	5-11/185	Pbo-Sag (OHL)	57	34	47	81	18
111	William Wallinder	Det	D	21	6-4/190	Grand Rapids (AHL)	65	3	12	15	10
112	Xavier Bourgault	Edm	C	21	6-0/170	Bakersfield (AHL)	55	8	12	20	24
113	Jordan Dumais	CBJ	RW	20	5-8/165	Halifax (QMJHL)	21	16	31	47	6
114	Aleksi Heimosalmi	Car	D	20	5-11/170	Assat (Fin-Liiga)	47	2	14	16	12
115	Brandon Bussi	Bos	G	25	6-4/218	Providence (AHL)	41	23	10	2.67	0.913
116	Jackson Blake	Car	RW	20	5-10/160	North Dakota (NCHC)	40	22	38	60	26
117	Erik Portillo	LA	G	23	6-6/210	Ontario (AHL)	39	24	11	2.50	0.918
118	Sean Farrell	Mtl	C	22	5-8/175	Laval (AHL)	47	9	19	28	10
119	Kasper Halttunen	SJ	RW	18	6-3/205	London (OHL)	57	32	29	61	61
120	Topi Niemela	Tor	D	22	5-11/165	Toronto (AHL)	68	8	31	39	43
121	Ethan Gauthier	TB	RW	19	5-11/175	Drummondville (QMJHL)	64	36	35	71	42
122	Daniil Miromanov	Cgy	D	26	6-4/200	VGK-Cgy (NHL)	24	3	4	7	8
123	Ruslan Iskhakov	NYI	C	23	5-8/155	Bridgeport (AHL)	69	18	32	50	30
124	Shai Buium	Det	D	21	6-3/210	Denver (NCHC)	43	7	29	36	14
125	Jakub Dobes	Mtl	G	22	6-3/200	Laval (AHL)	51	24	18	2.93	0.906
126	Oliver Kapanen	Mtl	C	20	6-0/170	KalPa (Fin-Liiga)	51	14	20	34	32
127	Danny Nelson	NYI	C	18	6-3/200	Notre Dame (B1G)	30	9	14	23	32
128	Lenni Hameenaho	NJ	RW	19	6-0/175	Assat (Fin-Liiga)	46	14	17	31	10
129	Nick Lardis	Chi	LW	18	5-11/165	Brantford (OHL)	37	29	21	50	12
130	Ty Nelson	Sea	D	20	5-10/195	North Bay (OHL)	54	16	36	52	50
131	Isaac Howard	TB	LW	20	5-10/185	Michigan State (B1G)	36	8	28	36	10
132	Fyodor Svechkov	Nsh	C	21	6-0/185	Milwaukee (AHL)	57	16	23	39	18
133	Jeremie Poirier	Cgy	D	21	6-1/196	Calgary (AHL)	23	3	10	13	22
134	Reid Schaefer	Nsh	LW	20	6-3/215	Milwaukee (AHL)	63	7	14	21	39
135	Zack Ostapchuk	Ott	C	20	6-3/205	Belleville (AHL)	69	17	11	28	47
136	Nathan Gaucher	Ana	C	20	6-3/207	San Diego (AHL)	72	10	15	25	68
137	Rodwin Dionicio	Ana	D	20	6-2/207	Wsr-Sag (OHL)	60	25	48	73	108
138	Eduard Sale	Sea	LW	19	6-1/170	Bar-Kit (OHL)	49	15	23	38	8
139	Danil Gushchin	SJ	RW	22	5-8/165	San Jose (AHL)	56	20	34	54	24
140	Sean Behrens	Col	D	21	5-10/175	Denver (NCHC)	44	4	27	31	53
141	Christian Kyrou	Dal	D	20	5-10/170	Texas (AHL)	57	8	15	23	22
142	Niklas Kokko	Sea	G	20	6-3/185	Pelicans (Fin-Liiga)	13	9	0	1.49	0.926
143	Vasily Ponomarev	Pit	C	22	5-10/180	Tuc-Chi-WBS (AHL)	45	9	21	30	16
144	Ryan Winterton	Sea	RW	20	6-2/190	Coachella Valley (AHL)	58	22	13	35	23
145	Dmitri Buchelnikov	Det	LW	20	5-10/165	Admiral Vladivostok (KHL)	55	13	16	29	8
146	Oscar Fisker Molgaard	Sea	C	19	6-0/165	HV 71 (SHL)	50	9	12	21	6
147	Aku Raty	Ari	RW	22	6-1/190	Tucson (AHL)	55	15	29	44	22
148	Matyas Sapovaliv	VGK	C	20	6-3/180	Saginaw (OHL)	54	19	43	62	22
149	Georgii Merkulov	Bos	C	23	5-11/175	Providence (AHL)	67	30	35	65	20
150	Topias Vilen	NJ	D	21	6-1/195	Utica (AHL)	54	2	27	29	16
151	Ryan Chesley	Wsh	D	20	6-0/200	Minnesota (B1G)	39	2	6	8	19
152	Jayden Perron	Car	RW	19	5-9/165	North Dakota (NCHC)	39	11	7	18	8
153	Tristen Robins	SJ	C	22	5-10/175	San Jose (AHL)	42	7	11	18	12
154	Calle Odelius	NYI	D	19	6-0/190	Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan)	10	0	4	4	2
155	Vincent Iorio	Wsh	D	21	6-2/190	Hershey (AHL)	60	4	10	14	30
156	Raphael Lavoie	Edm	RW	23	6-4/215	Bakersfield (AHL)	66	28	22	50	64
157	Ronnie Attard	Phi	D	25	6-3/210	Lehigh Valley (AHL)	48	10	17	27	37
158	Niko Huuhtanen	TB	RW	20	6-2/205	Jukurit (Fin-Liiga)	52	19	27	46	46
159	Carson Bjarnason	Phi	G	18	6-3/185	Brandon (WHL)	46	24	17	3.01	0.907
160	Lukas Dragicevic	Sea	D	19	6-1/190	Tri-City (WHL)	66	14	36	50	52
161	Leevi Merilainen	Ott	G	21	6-2/160	Belleville (AHL)	24	10	9	2.87	0.906
162	Tyler Kleven	Ott	D	22	6-4/200	Belleville (AHL)	53	5	16	21	51
163	Hunter Brzustewicz	Cgy	D	19	5-11/185	Kitchener (OHL)	67	13	79	92	24
164	Ryan Greene	Chi	C	20	6-1/180	Boston University (HE)	40	12	24	36	6
165	Damian Clara	Ana	G	19	6-6/214	Brynas (HockeyAllsvenskan)	34	25	8	2.23	0.913
166	Carson Lambos	Min	D	21	6-1/200	Iowa (AHL)	69	4	10	14	64
167	Denver Barkey	Phi	C	19	5-8/160	London (OHL)	64	35	67	102	28
168	Gage Goncalves	TB	C	23	6-1/170	Syracuse (AHL)	69	13	45	58	43
169	Arshdeep Bains	Van	LW	23	6-0/185	Abbotsford (AHL)	59	16	39	55	28
170	Bogdan Konyushkov	Mtl	D	21	5-11/175	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	65	6	22	28	18
171	Alexei Kolosov	Phi	G	22	6-1/185	Dinamo Minsk (KHL)	47	22	21	2.39	0.907
172	Samuel Fagemo	LA	RW	24	6-0/195	Ontario (AHL)	50	43	19	62	26
173	Filip Mesar	Mtl	C	20	5-9/175	Kitchener (OHL)	45	19	33	52	12
174	Matthew Robertson	NYR	D	23	6-3/200	Hartford (AHL)	68	4	17	21	49
175	Adam Engstrom	Mtl	D	20	6-2/185	Rogle (SHL)	51	4	18	22	4
176	Michael Buchinger	StL	D	20	5-11/185	Guelph (OHL)	52	10	37	47	37
177	Semyon Chistyakov	Nsh	D	22	5-11/180	Avangard Omsk (KHL)	59	4	20	24	16
178	John Farinacci	Bos	C	23	5-11/197	Providence (AHL)	71	12	26	38	16
179	Angus Crookshank	Ott	LW	24	5-10/180	Belleville (AHL)	50	24	22	46	60
180	Yegor Sidorov	Ana	RW	19	6-0/180	Saskatoon (WHL)	66	50	38	88	66
181	Samu Tuomaala	Phi	RW	21	5-10/175	Lehigh Valley (AHL)	69	15	28	43	12
182	Logan Morrison	Sea	C	21	6-0/180	Coachella Valley (AHL)	64	16	25	41	4
183	Jean-Luc Foudy	Col	C	21	5-11/175	Colorado (AHL)	26	4	10	14	18
184	Adam Gajan	Chi	G	19	6-3/167	Green Bay (USHL)	43	23	12	3.35	0.893
185	Nolan Allan	Chi	D	21	6-2/195	Rockford (AHL)	60	5	12	17	47
186	Oskar Olausson	Col	RW	21	6-1/180	Colorado (AHL)	39	11	9	20	24
187	Samuel Poulin	Pit	C	23	6-1/205	Wilkes-Barre (AHL)	41	16	15	31	35
188	Brett Berard	NYR	LW	21	5-9/165	Hartford (AHL)	71	25	23	48	62
189	Colton Dach	Chi	C	21	6-4/205	Rockford (AHL)	48	11	15	26	39
190	Jack Thompson	SJ	D	22	6-0/180	Syr-SJ (AHL)	62	6	35	41	16
191	Riley Kidney	Mtl	C	21	5-11/170	Laval (AHL)	65	7	13	20	41
192	Roby Jarventie	Ott	RW	21	6-3/195	Belleville (AHL)	22	9	11	20	22
193	Carey Terrance	Ana	C	18	6-1/175	Erie (OHL)	56	29	23	52	25
194	Luca Del Bel Belluz	CBJ	C	20	6-1/185	Cleveland (AHL)	58	9	22	31	12
195	Luca Pinelli	CBJ	C	19	5-9/165	Ottawa (OHL)	68	48	34	82	44
196	Francesco Pinelli	LA	C	21	6-1/185	Ontario (AHL)	67	13	7	20	24
197	Elias Salomonsson	Wpg	D	19	6-1/185	Skelleftea (SHL)	31	2	9	11	58
198	Sam Colangelo	Ana	RW	21	6-2/205	Western Michigan (NCHC)	38	24	19	43	23
199	Sasha Pastujov	Ana	RW	20	6-0/185	San Diego (AHL)	46	10	13	23	14
200	Andrew Gibson	Det	D	19	6-3/195	Saul St. Marie (OHL)	68	12	32	44	58

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

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

Top 20 Nashville Predators Top Prospects

1. Yaroslav Askarov - G

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

2. Luke Evangelista - RW

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

3. Matthew Wood - RW

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

4. Joakim Kemell - RW

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

5. Zach L'Heureux - LW

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

6. Reid Schaefer - LW

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

7. Fyodor Svechkov - C

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

8. Yegor Afanasyev - RW

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

9. Tanner Molendyk - D

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

10. Jack Matier - D

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

11. Felix Nilsson - C

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

12. Semyon Chistyakov - D

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

13. Jesse Kiiskanen - RW

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

14. Kalan Lind - LW

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

15. Kasper Kulonummi - D

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

16. Ryan Ufko - D

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

17. Adam Ingram - C

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

18. Marc Del Gaizo - D

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

19. Jachym Kondelik - C

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

20. Spencer Stastney - D

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

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

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

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

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

WHL Champions - Seattle Thunderbirds

By Adam Tate

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

Top Five NHL Prospects to Watch

Dylan Guenther (Arizona Coyotes)

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

Brad Lambert (Winnipeg Jets)

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

Kevin Korchinski (Chicago Blackhawks)

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

Reid Schaefer (Nashville Predators)

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

Gracyn Sawchyn (2023 NHL Entry Draft Eligible)

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

Host City - Kamloops Blazers (WHL)

By Adam Tate

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

Top Five NHL Prospects to Watch

Logan Stankoven (Dallas Stars)

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

Olen Zellweger (Anaheim Ducks)

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

Caedan Bankier (Minnesota Wild)

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

Fraser Minten (Toronto Maple Leafs)

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

Connor Levis (2023 NHL Entry Draft Eligible)

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

OHL Champions - Peterborough Petes

By Joely Stockl

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

Top Five NHL Prospects to Watch

Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers)

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

Tucker Robertson (Seattle Kraken)

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

Owen Beck (Montreal Canadiens)

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

J.R. Avon (Philadelphia Flyers)

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

Gavin White (Dallas Stars)

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

QMJHL Champions - Quebec Remparts

By Jérémi Plourde

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

Top Five NHL Prospects to Watch

Zachary Bolduc (St. Louis Blues)

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

Nathan Gaucher (Anaheim Ducks)

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

James Malatesta (Columbus Blue Jackets)

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

Jérémy Langlois (Arizona Coyotes)

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

Evan Nause (Florida Panthers)

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

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #6 Nashville Predators

Derek Neumeier — Wed, 24 May 2023 12:34:00 +0000

Prospect System Ranking – 6^th (15^th last year)

The Nashville Predators have only had one General Manager in their existence in David Poile. He is retiring and longtime Nashville coach Barry Trotz is taking his place effective July 1^st, 2023. Poile, in the meantime, is setting the table for Trotz by moving veterans for prospects and picks. By the ranking above, they already have a very robust prospect pool (nine players in our top 200) with some potential future stars. Poile has since made a couple of rich trades for picks, most notably picking up a first, second, third, fourth and fifth round picks along with Cal Foote for Tanner Jeannot fromTampa Bay. He then acquired a first and fourth, and exciting prospect Reid Schaefer (former first round pick) and veteran Tyson Barrie for Mattias Ekholm and a sixth. Nino Neiderreiter was moved for a second. As it stands as of this writing, and likely not done yet, Poile has accumulated five first round picks in the next three years. He has 13 picks for 2023, and 22 picks in the first four rounds for the next three drafts.

In the system, they have elite goaltender Yaroslav Askarov (#13 McKeen’s rank), as the future heir to Juuse Saros. They have two prospects ready to graduate in Luke Evangelista and Yegor Afanasyev. They join a core of Philip Tomasino (21-years-old) and Cody Glass (24) and Juuso Parssinen (22) who all emerged following the trade deadline and subsequent ice time. Nashville was surprisingly competitive down the stretch. Last season was the first time in nine years that Nashville missed the playoffs, and there seems to be a path to a quick turnaround for this Franchise. They will host the draft this year, so expect more moving and shaking by Poile for a memorable send off to a remarkable career.

Yaroslav Askarov

Askarov is a goalie who loves to ride on his emotions, and when he is really feeling it between the pipes it's nearly impossible to get pucks past him. His reflexes and reaction time are freakishly impressive, his crease movements are lightning quick, and he makes seemingly impossible saves on a routine basis. On the flip side of the coin, though, when he is feeling rattled, he becomes chaos personified and can't stop anything. His international performances oscillate between generationally heroic and utterly nightmarish, and nowhere in between. Regardless, when you have a goalie who can single-handedly steal games, and maybe even an entire playoff series, that's worth investing in. Juuse Saros still has a lot of stellar hockey left in him, but Askarov will be nipping at his heels soon as the unquestioned heir apparent in the Nashville crease.

2. Luke Evangelista

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

3. Joakim Kemell

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

4. Zachary L'Heureux

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

5. Reid Schaefer

Schaefer's breakout 2021-22 season saw him surprisingly rocket all the way into the 1st round of the draft, and Edmonton surely thought long and hard about agreeing to include their shiny new prospect in the Mattias Ekholm trade. Even though he doesn't put up flashy point totals right now he nevertheless still projects as someone who can score a lot in the NHL as a power forward. He is downright scary sometimes shooting off the rush. His biggest value, however, is how versatile his game is, as he can win pucks back on the forecheck or in 50-50 battles, he can create space for himself or his teammates with his speed and strength, he can play a punishing physical game, and he can shut down the best opponents as a top penalty killer. His extensive playoff experience with Seattle could help make him a real killer in NHL postseasons.

6. Fyodor Svechkov

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

7. Yegor Afanasyev

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

8. Jack Matier

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

9. Semyon Chistakov

Chistyakov has been honing his craft over in the KHL for a few seasons now, and he seemed to take a huge leap forward in 2022-23, seeing his average ice time increase by four minutes per game. He also ended up as his team's highest-scoring defenseman, which comes as quite a shocker because he's never been much of an offensive contributor, even going back to his junior days. His calling card has always been his intense, in-your-face style of defending, so it's nice for him to add more depth and variety to what he can offer. He overcomes his small stature with active feet that are always churning to help him stick close to the man he is supposed to be covering. Nashville is surely interested in bringing Chistyakov over to North America sooner rather than later but convincing him to actually make that change could be a tall task.

10. Kasper Kulonummi

Kulonummi accomplished a lot in his first season post-draft. He got to ply his trade in Finland's top professional league for a handful of games, he scored at well over a point-per-game at the under-20 level, and in the spring helped his junior club win the league championship. He is a smooth, almost serpentine defensemen who easily slinks through traffic without getting caught. His hands and feet are both active and work equally well independently and in conjunction, making him a great option for breakouts and rush transportation. He is awfully skinny and light, though, and despite having a fair amount of height it's difficult to foresee him ever filling out his frame. If Kulonummi can keep fine-tuning his skill and awareness while getting whatever gains he can out of the gym, then there could be a lot of runway left for his development.

MCKEENS 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – Risers and fallers over the 22-23 season

Brock Otten — Thu, 11 May 2023 23:14:11 +0000

The last time we ranked the NHL’s top prospects was late in the summer when we published our annual Yearbook. A lot can change in a year and as such there were several significant movers and shakers in our latest rankings for this prospect guide. Here are fifteen of the biggest risers and five of the largest fallers.

You can find our most recent ranking here.

Risers

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 27: Minnesota Gophers forward Jimmy Snuggerud (81) celebrates a goal during the college hockey game between the Michigan State Spartans and the Minnesota Gophers on January 27th, 2022, at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

Jimmy Snuggerud (94 to 19) - St. Louis Blues

When Snuggerud was the 23rd overall pick at last year’s draft, many were fans of his game, but there were certainly concerns that his success as part of the NTDP could be attributed to the stars he was playing with. However, early returns on this selection by St. Louis are fantastic as Snuggerud was one of the top performing freshmen in the NCAA this year with Minnesota and starred for Team USA at the WJC’s, where he helped them capture a bronze medal. Snuggerud continues to improve his skating and play with the puck, and it has improved his odds of being a long time top six player in the NHL.

Marco Kasper (79 to 24) - Detroit Red Wings

In our draft guide last year, we ranked Kasper 24th over concerns regarding his offensive upside, but the 8th overall pick has progressed nicely in his second SHL season, improving his offensive production, in addition to dominating physically at times. While there is a chance that Kasper ends up as more of a middle six type, he has deservedly moved up our list because of his unique blend of power and skill.

Alexander Nikishin (130 to 27) - Carolina Hurricanes

It has been quite a development year for Nikishin as the 21-year-old defender has emerged as one of the top defenders in the KHL. He led the KHL in scoring among defensemen with 55 points. Not only was that the highest point total by a U22 defender in the history of the league, but it was also the highest point total of any player period, breaking Kirill Kaprizov’s mark from a few years ago. The bad news? Nikishin’s contract with SKA runs until 2025.

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 18: Boston University Terriers defenseman Lane Hutson (20) carries the puck during the Hockey East Championship game between the Boston University Terriers and the Merrimack College Warriors on March 18, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

Lane Hutson (158 to 38) - Montreal Canadiens

Calling a player a “steal” immediately after the conclusion of the draft can be a dangerous proposition. Players often fall for a reason. In the case of Lane Hutson, everyone in the scouting community believed that the Canadiens had obtained great value from selecting him late in the second round. As a freshman for Boston University, Hutson had a historically good year, finishing with 48 points, beating Adam Fox’s total of 40 (along with top prospect Luke Hughes) to be the highest scoring U20 defender in the NCAA this millennium. Sure, he’s still undersized. Sure, there are aspects of his game that worry us slightly. But you have to respect just how impressive this past year was.

Joshus Roy (178 to 44) - Montreal Canadiens

It has been a steady rise for Roy since being drafted in the fifth round by Montreal two years ago. The former highly touted minor hockey player had a disastrous draft year that caused his fall, but his development has been terrific since. He has improved his skating and his off-puck play, allowing him to dominate the QMJHL. However, it was electrifying performance for Canada at this year’s WJC’s that really sold us of his potential.

William Wallinder (225 to 52) - Detroit Red Wings

A strong skating, two-way defender with size, Wallinder has progressed well in Sweden with Rögle, the same team that helped nurture Moritz Seider into the star that he is today. Now he appears ready to take that next step and will play in North America next year, perhaps even with the Red Wings if his training camp performance is strong enough.

Lian Bichsel (163 to 53) - Dallas Stars

While Bichsel’s offensive production failed to improve significantly in the SHL this year, his defensive game and confidence to impose himself physically definitely has. While his true NHL upside remains a slight mystery, he is starting to look the part of a future shutdown defender…at the very least.

Filip Bystedt (239 to 69) - San Jose Sharks

Bystedt was a bit of a surprise first round pick last year, but it appears that San Jose knew exactly what they were doing. Bystedt was a breakout star this year, emerging as one of the highest scoring U20 players in the SHL, in addition to performing extremely well at the WJC’s for Sweden. The big man skates extremely well and his coordination and skill are really catching up, giving him a unique upside.

Nikolai Kovalenko (285 to 76) - Colorado Avalanche

The son of former NHL’er Andrei Kovalenko, Nikolai emerged as an offensive star in the KHL this year as a 23-year-old and now looks like a potential impact player for the Avalanche. His KHL contract expires at the end of next year, so he may be close to crossing the pond. Kovalenko would be a breath of fresh air for an Avalanche team that is facing a bit of a cap crunch.

Connor Zary (266 to 79) - Calgary Flames

Last year, Zary was one of our biggest fallers after a poor showing in the AHL as a rookie, where the increased pace appeared to overwhelm him. Kudos to Zary for making the necessary adjustments because he has been much better as a sophomore and is knocking on the door of a permanent spot on the Flames. Thanks to increased pace and strength, Zary looks like a near lock to be a middle six option for years to come.

Nikita Alexandrov (222 to 81) - St. Louis Blues

The Blues have been very patient with Alexandrov, a former QMJHL standout and WJC star. This year, that patience has paid off as his improved play in the AHL has led to his first NHL action, where he did not look out of place. Alexandrov should claim a permanent spot in the NHL next year and he looks like the versatile, middle six forward we expected he could become a few years ago.

Zach Ostapchuk (218 to 91) - Ottawa Senators

The big forward and former high second round pick’s development took an extremely positive step forward this year. He set new career highs in the WHL (splitting time between Vancouver and Winnipeg) and he played a crucial checking line role for Canada at the WJC’s, capturing consecutive gold medals. Ostapchuk has everything NHL management wants from their third liners these days. He’s big. He’s physical. He has positional versatility. He’s strong in all three zones. He skates well. His skill and finishing ability are developing well. Look for him to make a run at the Senators’ roster as early as next year.

William Dufour (192 to 95) - New York Islanders

Was Dufour’s breakout last year, when he was named the QMJHL’s most valuable player, a result of a prospect truly turning a corner, or was it the result of a large, power forward, dominating younger players physically? That was the million-dollar question coming into this year. Well, the early results in the AHL suggest the former. Dufour has been one of Bridgeport’s best players this year and he has even earned a cup of coffee with New York because of it.

Reid Schaefer (267 to 98) - Nashville Predators

Now a member of the Predators after the Mattias Ekholm trade, Schaefer has progressed well with Seattle this year in the WHL, and he looks ready to start his pro journey in the AHL next season. His true offensive upside still remains a bit of a question mark, but he was the key component of that Edmonton/Nashville blockbuster for a reason. Nashville values his power forward potential.

Carter Mazur (Unranked to 99) - Detroit Red Wings

After winning a National Championship with Denver last year as a freshman, Mazur returned for his sophomore year this year and improved his goal scoring totals, pacing the Pioneers with 22 goals. Mazur is a prototypical third line winger who should be able to become an excellent role player for the Wings over the next decade, however his offensive skills are better than many give him credit for. Mazur recently signed his ELC, has turned pro, and should move quickly up the ladder in Detroit’s system.

Fallers

SAINT PAUL, MN - APRIL 29: Colorado Avalanche Left Wing Ben Meyers (59) lines up for a faceoff during the NHL game between the Colorado Avalanche and the Minnesota Wild on April 29th, 2022, at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

Prokhor Poltapov (75 to 175) - Buffalo Sabres

Poltapov finally emerged as a KHL regular this season, even scoring five goals, which is not terrible for a U20 player. However, the power winger’s offensive potential is starting to look lower than many believed it would be. Playing in a deep Buffalo system, he may soon become an afterthought in Russia.

Grigori Denisenko (105 to 158) - Florida Panthers

Playing in his third North American season, Denisenko has still not become an NHL regular with Florida. In fact, his performance playing in the AHL continues to disappoint too. Denisenko is nearing waivers eligibility and that will put Florida in a difficult position, especially given his lackluster play. Will we find him in a different NHL uniform soon, ala Vitali Kravtsov?

Cayden Primeau (126 to Unranked) - Montreal Canadiens

Primeau has proved to be quite the enigma as a pro, something that has frustrated both Canadiens’ fans and management. The former Mike Richter winner has shown flashes of being one of the top goaltending prospects on the planet, however consistency has remained a major issue, even in his fourth pro year. He may still become a quality NHL goaltender, but other more promising prospects at the position have unquestionably passed him by.

Justin Sourdif (138 to Unranked) - Florida Panthers

A standout in the WHL last year, Sourdif has struggled to be a consistent offensive point producer in his first pro season. It’s way, way too early to give up on him as an NHL prospect and he is still valued within the Florida organization, but other prospects have leap frogged him at this point.

Ben Meyers (146 to Unranked) - Colorado Avalanche

The former Hobey Baker candidate and World Championship standout was a high profile signing by the Avs out of the University of Minnesota. Many expected him to make the immediate jump to the NHL this year, including us. However, Meyers has struggled in the NHL this year and as a 24-year-old, this may point to a limited ceiling, if/when he does crack the Colorado roster full time.