Thomas Bordeleau – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2025-26 NHL YEARBOOK – NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #22

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 15:45:15 +0000

NEWARK, NJ - JULY 14: New Jersey Devils defenseman Seamus Casey (72) skates during New Jersey Devils Development Camp on July 14, 2023, at RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

Prospect System Ranking – 22nd (May 2025 - 15th)
GM: Tom Fitzgerald Hired: July 2020
COACH: Sheldon Keefe Hired: May 2024

After years of turbulence, the New Jersey Devils returned to the playoffs in 2024-25 for just the fourth time in 15 years. A clear sign the rebuild is firmly on track. Jack Hughes has blossomed into a bona fide star, supported by Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, and Timo Meier. On the back end, Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec have secured full-time roles, giving the Devils one of the league’s most promising young defensive tandems.

More help is already knocking at the door. Seamus Casey split time between the NHL and AHL last season, showcasing the puck-moving flair and offensive instincts that make him one of the most exciting defense prospects in the league. The question is whether there will be enough room for both Casey and Nemec to thrive in similar roles. A bit further out, 2024 10th overall pick Anton Silayev continues his development in the KHL, honing his shutdown game while offering significant long-term upside.

Goaltender Mikhail Yegorov, a 2024 second rounder, turned heads after joining Boston University midseason from the USHL. In just a few weeks, he became the backbone of the Terriers, posting an 11-6-1 record with a .927 save percentage and helping lead them to the NCAA Championship game.

The Devils didn’t have a first-round pick in 2025 but still added two notable prospects in Conrad Fondrk and Ben Kevan, both of whom immediately slot into the organization’s top 10.

With a young NHL core already producing and another wave of promising players on the way, New Jersey appears to be transitioning from a team hoping to make the playoffs to one capable of sustained postseason success. If their prospect development continues to align with the growth of their established stars, the Devils could become one of the league’s most consistent threats over the next decade.

New Jersey Devils Top-15 Prospects

1 - Anton Silayev

6-foot-7 giant Anton Silayev continued to make steady progress this season. Given an increased role on a weaker Torpedo roster, he stepped up and made an impact on a nightly basis. Defensively, he looked much more composed than the year prior, using his size better to angle off opponents and disrupt plays with his long reach. Offensively, he made slight improvements to his play, but I would lower expectations for him to be a point producer in the NHL. He scored a few nice goals by joining the rush at the right moments, but many of his points came from secondary passes and deflections off point shots. While his game still needs polish, Silayev projects as a future shutdown defenceman for the Devils. He’ll need more time to round out his weaker areas, but with another year left on his KHL contract, he has the runway to continue growing before making the jump to North America.

2 - Mikhail Yegorov

Mikhail Yegorov is a massive 6-foot-5 goalie that plays a simple, technical game. He prefers to move as little as possible, and he accomplishes this by having a wide stance and using his long legs to grab ice in short movements, moving smartly through the crease with good routes. He’s a no-nonsense goalie and is in full control, rarely scrambling. His best attribute is his tracking. He quickly follows any passes, anticipates play, and reads releases very well, tracking the puck all the way into his quick hands. He does a lot well and already has a polished game for a guy who only made the jump to the NCAA midseason as an 18-year-old proving to be elite already. His biggest concern is his rebound control. He tends to let the puck bounce off his chest a lot, and doesn’t control his stick much, giving up bad rebounds in tight that end in goals. Yegorov projects well to the NHL and has separating talents, making him a strong candidate to be a quality starting goaltender.

3 - Seamus Casey

Seamus Casey had an interesting first professional season: he started the season with the New Jersey Devils and played well, then he went down to AHL Utica and was on fire offensively to start the year, and then he battled through injuries and spent time at both the NHL and AHL levels, and even got a glimpse of action in an NHL playoff game. The hallmark of Casey’s game is his offensive ability; he’s a creative defenceman that excels at distributing the puck and making plays. He’s also a very capable skater, which complements his offensive ability and adds deception that he can use to manipulate opposing players. Casey has even worked quite hard on his own game away from the puck and does a good job engaging opposing forwards in his own zone. Casey won’t ever become the world’s best shutdown player, but he can play effectively in the defensive zone, and it won’t limit his NHL deployment. Casey should feature well this year as a full-time defenceman for the Devils.

4 - Arseni Gritsyuk

Devils fifth-round pick from 2019, Arseni Gritsyuk set career highs in assists and points this season with SKA St. Petersburg. He brings many tools to the table which make him a very dangerous threat when play is in the offensive zone. His IQ and playmaking have come a long way since his draft year, allowing him to consistently make the right reads and generate scoring chances. While his defensive game still needs work, he’s improved his physicality and compete level, addressing many of the concerns that scouts shared during his draft year. Rumors suggest Gritsyuk could be headed to North America after this season, where he may challenge for a roster spot in New Jersey. If he makes the jump, he projects as a middle six winger and a strong one-time threat on the second power-play unit.

5 - Lenni Hameenaho

Hämeenaho has shown consistent production in Finland’s Liiga since being drafted 5eighth overall by New Jersey in 2023. In 202023-24, he posted 31 points in 46 games for Ässät and added six points at the World Juniors. He elevated his game in 2024-25, notching 51 points (20 goals, 31 assists) in 58 games, while also earning a spot on Finland’s men’s national team for the World Championship, where he contributed four points in eight games. Hämeenaho’s strengths lie in his hockey sense. His off puck reads, timing into soft areas, and ability to vary pace make him a constant scoring threat. His playmaking has improved, and he’s shown more commitment defensively. However, skating remains his biggest obstacle; mechanical inefficiencies limit his mobility, puck control in motion, and ability to handle physical pressure. Without improvement in this area, his NHL projection leans toward a depth or AHL role, but with strides in mobility, he could grow into a bottom six checking winger.

6 - Conrad Fondrk

Fondrk was the third USNTDP forward taken off the board in the 2025 draft, and New Jersey believes there is a lot to love in the St. Paul native. Fondrk passes the eye-test in every sense of the word. He is an above-average skater, a creative stick handler, and a solid distributor, especially in the offensive zone. In addition to his prowess in the face-off circle and consistent backchecking, Fondrk is a valuable two-way center in the Devils’ future. This past season for the NTDP, Fondrk was a solid center who was seeing a surge in points right before he got injured for the rest of the year in late February. If healthy, he would probably have had a similar jump in points to his teammate Cole McKinney had. Fondrk will now enter a loaded Boston University lineup next season, and, on the surface, will have limited opportunity to make a large mark for the Terriers. Don’t be surprised if Fondrk defies expectations and shows up in moments for BU.

7 - Ben Kevan

After exploding for 57 points as a 16-year-old, Ben Kevan saw a significant drop in points for a Des Moines team that did not perform great this past season. Kevan is now heading to sunny Tempe, Arizona to play with the Sun Devils, so the question becomes; What is ASU, and also New Jersey, getting in a player like Kevan? He is a speedy north-south skater and has the ability to create space for himself and his teammates. Kevan creates offence with those aspects, along with his hard shot, though he could do with a more mature shot selection. He has his moments defensively, tilting the ice in his favor, but overall, his compete is average. Kevan should find every opportunity to succeed at Arizona State and find the scoring form that he had just two years ago.

8 - Jakub Malek

For a 6-foot-4 goaltender, Jakub Malek has exceptional control over his body and significant explosiveness. Sometimes, he can make a poor read and either be in a bad position or behind the play, but with a single big push, he can get right back to where he needs to be. He does so with precision as well, not throwing his limbs around. Outside of these physical attributes, he possesses good positioning, deepening when necessary, and has a very good stance, looking like an imposing figure taking up a lot of net. Alongside poor reads though, he can struggle tracking the puck but not majorly. There has been a noticeable weakness with his glove side, where he often will get beat without having it moved, something that could be exploited in higher levels. Malek has a solid outlook to the NHL, potentially as a good backup, after three very respectable seasons in the Liiga, which he should be able to translate to the AHL seamlessly.

9 - Thomas Bordeleau

Thomas Bordeleau was a highly rated prospect just a couple of seasons ago, but he has been unable to carve out a full-time role for himself at the NHL level. Bordeleau’s speed and offensive creativity are undeniable; he’s a great playmaker, can beat opposing defenders one-on-one with his speed, and can utilize an underrated shot to beat goalies clean in-tight. It has been surprising that Bordeleau was unable to find a consistent role with San Jose given his skill, but there are also holes in his game that make his NHL deployment quite limited. Bordeleau’s not the biggest player in the world, and while he competes, there are times when he’s too easy to knock off the puck. This makes it quite difficult for a coach to trust Bordeleau with bottom six minutes at the NHL level. Bordeleau is getting a fresh start with the New Jersey Devils’ organization, but his time as a prospect is coming to an end; it appears to be now or never for the former University of Michigan standout.

10 - Cam Squires

Cam Squires was drafted 122nd overall by the New Jersey Devils in 2023 after producing near a point-per-game pace with Cape Breton. While he showed no glaring weaknesses aside from explosiveness, his game also lacked standout qualities, which limited his draft stock. The next season, he maintained a similar pace in the regular season but broke out in the playoffs with 20 points in 14 games, ranking sixth in overall scoring and fifth in points per game. Following this impressive run, Squires signed his entry-level contract in July with the Devils. Squires carried that momentum into the following season, leading Cape Breton with 75 points in 58 games. After another early playoff exit, he joined the AHL and impressed with four points in three games while logging north of 13 minutes every night. His style hasn’t changed much since his draft year: he finds success by playing simple, smart hockey. Squires paces around the ice, finds openings for a passing option, and with the puck, never overcomplicates the play. Though he lacks high-end creativity or skill to raise his ceiling, his intelligence and consistency give him a real chance to carve out a bottom six role with the Devils.

11 - Topias Vilen

Vilen’s value comes from being a defenceman you can plug-and-play in any role and not have to worry. He’s defensively reliable and yet is averaging almost 0.50 point-per-game in the AHL. At this point, Vilen is not going to be much more than a third-pairing guy or that seventh defenceman. If Vilen can develop into more of a shooting threat, his offence will open up and give him greater opportunities of being in the top six.

12 - Ethan Edwards

What’s a New Jersey Devils prospect pool without another offensive defenceman out of Michigan? Edwards was the Wolverines' go-to guy last season, playing over 24 minutes a night, earning 21 points in 36 games. Edwards' defence is not ready for the NHL yet because he isn’t physical enough. In Utica, he’ll need to work heavily on this area if he wants to be a regular at the pro level, let alone the NHL.

13 - Shane Lachance

Lachance is a behemoth at 6-foot-5 and is willing to plant himself in front of the net to get deflections or use his long stick to clean up rebounds. At the NCAA level with BU, he’s shown he can complement skilled guys, and there’s more to his game than just his size. He’ll be in Utica next season, where his versatility will get him used up and down the lineup and probably on the power play.

14 - Samu Salminen

Salminen has always had the smarts, but his stick skills didn’t quite match. He is a threat on the ice because he reads the game quickly and beats defenders to the most dangerous spots on the ice. Transferring from UConn to Denver last season, Salminen’s stickhandling improved and he jumped from 17 to 28 points, albeit in nine more games. If he continues to improve on the puck, he should have another good year as a middle six center.

15 - Gustav Hillstrom

Constantly scanning the ice, Hillstrom becomes a threat with his awareness and decision-making. He has a knack for putting himself in the right spot to either defuse an opponent's rush or find a soft spot in the offensive zone. He doesn’t have the flashy on-the-puck skill to be much more than a bottom six two-way center who kills penalties. He already got in games with Brynäs last season at the SHL, and for a defensively responsible center, his role will likely expand this year.

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #2 SAN JOSE SHARKS – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 12:15:17 +0000

NASHVILLE, TN - JANUARY 21: The artwork on the mask of San Jose Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov (30) is shown prior to the NHL game between the Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks, held on January 21, 2025, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire)

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San Jose 25 Prospects

2025 NHL PROSPECT REPORT: Top 200 NHL Affiliated Prospects (Top 50 Free) – Biggest fallers in 2024-25

Brock Otten — Tue, 13 May 2025 12:37:04 +0000

You will find at the bottom of this article a chart with the top 50 prospects in the NHL currently. Comparing the current ranking of prospects in our report to their previous ranking in our summer yearbook (which is a top 300), these are the affiliated prospects who have seen their stock fall the most this season. Subscribers can access the top 200 prospects with links to the players page here.

Jesper Wallstedt - Goaltender - Minnesota Wild

Previous Ranking: 11, New Ranking: 46

We are releasing our team rankings in descending order from the worst prospect pool to the best on our site over the next few weeks. Subscribers can read the full profiles and the team overview and learn about the future stars of your favourite team. If you would like to subscribe you can link here.
Wallstedt is still ranked inside our top 50, but he’s barely hanging on after a very poor season in the AHL and a couple of bad NHL appearances. He’s gone from being in that top tier of NHL netminding prospects to the second tier.

Joakim Kemell - Wing - Nashville Predators

Previous Ranking: 52, New Ranking: 81

Yes, Milwaukee of the AHL has been a low scoring team this year, which helps to explain Kemell’s lack of offensive progress this year as a second-year pro. However, he also hasn’t shown significant development as a player, both on, and off the puck. He has that big shot, but what else?

Thomas Bordeleau - Center - San Jose Sharks

Previous Ranking: 75, New Ranking: 177

The Sharks continue to stockpile young talent as part of their rebuild. After a stagnant development year, he’s running the risk of falling out of favor with the organization. The fact that he hasn’t played NHL games this year (as of writing this) is proof of that.

Lukas Cormier - Defense - Vegas Golden Knights

Previous Ranking: 97, New Ranking: 141

Known primarily for his offensive from the blueline, Cormier has struggled to be a consistent facilitator the last few seasons in the AHL. Granted, this year his season was plagued by injuries, but his status as a bluechip defensive prospect is becoming suspect.

Ville Heinola - Defense - Winnipeg Jets

Previous Ranking: 119, New Ranking: Outside the Top 200

One of five players to fall from inside our top 150, to being unranked. A former hyped first round selection, Heinola just hasn’t made that leap to full time NHL player yet. This season, he has struggled with injuries, but when healthy, he’s been a healthy scratch. Not ideal for development.

Corson Ceulemans - Defense - Columbus Blue Jackets

Previous Ranking: 128, New Ranking: Outside the Top 200

A former first round selection by the Jackets out of Wisconsin, Ceulemans has had trouble finding a specific role that he excels at as a pro through two seasons in the AHL. Did he leave college too soon, preventing his game from truly developing an identity?

Brendan Brisson - Wing - New York Rangers

Previous Ranking: 130, New Ranking: Outside the Top 200

Can a new organization breathe new life into Brisson’s status as an NHL prospect? Another disappointing offensive season led to his trade to the New York Rangers. He has offensive tools, but the lack of skating development has hindered him from being able to utilize them.

Xavier Bourgault - Wing - Ottawa Senators

Previous Ranking: 135, New Ranking: Outside the Top 200

The Ottawa Senators took a chance on the former first round selection when they acquired him from Edmonton in the offseason. Bourgault continued to disappoint and may be a candidate to be non tendered this offseason.

William Dufour - Wing - Colorado Avalanche

Previous Ranking: 143, New Ranking: Outside the Top 200

A former QMJHL star, Dufour’s pro career got off to an amazing start in the Islanders organization. But since that great rookie pro season, his numbers have steadily declined. This led to a trade to the Avalanche, who will look to re-invigorate him.

Filip Mesar - Wing - Montreal Canadiens

Previous Ranking: 165, New Ranking: Outside the Top 200

Sometimes first round selections just don’t work out and it’s beginning to look that way for Mesar. Two disappointing OHL seasons with Kitchener were followed up by a lacklustre first pro year with Laval. He’s still young and there’s still time. But with Montreal’s prospect depth, can he earn the ice time he needs?

RNK	PLAYER	NHL	POS	AGE	HT/WT	Acquired	TM - 2024-25 Stats	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Ivan Demidov	Mtl	RW	19	5-11/180	`24(5th)	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	65	19	30	49	22
2	Ryan Leonard	Wsh	RW	20	5-11/190	`23(8th)	Boston College (HE)	37	30	19	49	46
3	Sam Dickinson	SJ	D	18	6-3/205	`24(11th)	London (OHL)	55	29	62	91	39
4	Artyom Levshunov	Chi	D	19	6-2/205	`24(2nd)	Rockford (AHL)	52	5	17	22	59
5	Berkly Catton	Sea	C	19	5-10/175	`24(8th)	Spokane (WHL)	57	38	71	109	30
6	Alexander Nikishin	Car	D	23	6-4/215	`20(69th)	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	61	17	29	46	32
7	Yaroslav Askarov	SJ	G	22	6-3/175	T(Nsh-8/24)	San Jose (AHL)	22	11	9	2.45	0.923
8	Jonathan Lekkerimaki	Van	RW	20	5-11/170	`22(15th)	Abbotsford (AHL)	36	19	9	28	0
9	Beckett Sennecke	Ana	RW	19	6-2/175	`24(3rd)	Oshawa (OHL)	56	36	50	86	66
10	Zeev Buium	Min	D	19	6-0/185	`24(12th)	Denver (NCHC)	41	13	35	48	44
11	Zayne Parekh	Cgy	D	19	6-0/180	`24(9th)	Saginaw (OHL)	61	33	74	107	96
12	Anton Silayev	NJ	D	19	6-7/210	`24(10th)	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL)	63	2	10	12	37
13	Tij Iginla	Uta	C	18	6-0/190	`24(6th)	Kelowna (WHL)	21	14	18	32	13
14	Daniil But	Uta	LW	20	6-5/203	`23(12th)	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	54	9	19	28	16
15	Axel Sandin-Pellikka	Det	D	20	5-11/180	`23(17th)	Skelleftea AIK (SHL)	46	12	17	29	22
16	Danila Yurov	Min	RW	21	6-1/175	`22(24th)	Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL)	46	13	12	25	10
17	Dalibor Dvorsky	StL	C	19	6-1/200	`23(10th)	Springfield (AHL)	61	21	24	45	22
18	Matthew Savoie	Edm	C	21	5-9/180	T(Buf-7/24)	Bakersfield (AHL)	66	19	35	54	28
19	Brad Lambert	Wpg	C	21	6-0/180	`22(30th)	Manitoba (AHL)	61	7	28	35	28
20	Scott Morrow	Car	D	22	6-2/195	`21(40th)	Chicago (AHL)	52	13	26	39	47
21	Bradly Nadeau	Car	LW	19	5-10/165	`23(30th)	Chicago (AHL)	64	32	26	58	36
22	Dmitri Simashev	Uta	D	20	6-4/198	`23(6th)	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	56	1	5	6	4
23	Gabe Perreault	NYR	RW	19	5-11/165	`23(23rd)	Boston College (HE)	37	16	32	48	25
24	David Reinbacher	Mtl	D	20	6-2/185	`23(5th)	Laval (AHL)	10	2	3	5	10
25	Liam Ohgren	Min	LW	21	6-1/200	`22(19th)	Iowa (AHL)	41	19	18	37	10
26	Carter Yakemchuk	Ott	D	19	6-3/200	`24(7th)	Calgary (WHL)	56	17	32	49	82
27	Sebastian Cossa	Det	G	22	6-6/229	`21(15th)	Grand Rapids (AHL)	41	21	15	2.45	0.911
28	Tom Willander	Van	D	20	6-1/180	`23(11th)	Boston University (HE)	39	2	22	24	8
29	Easton Cowan	Tor	RW	19	5-10/170	`23(28th)	London (OHL)	46	29	40	69	41
30	Calum Ritchie	NYI	C	20	6-2/185	T(Col-3/25)	Oshawa (OHL)	47	15	55	70	50
31	Cayden Lindstrom	CBJ	C	19	6-3/215	`24(4th)	Medicine Hat (WHL)	0	0	0	0	0
32	Tristan Luneau	Ana	D	21	6-1/195	`22(53rd)	San Diego (AHL)	59	9	43	52	21
33	Denton Mateychuk	CBJ	D	20	5-11/190	`22(12th)	Columbus (NHL)	45	4	9	13	20
34	Jacob Fowler	Mtl	G	20	6-1/215	`23(69th)	Boston College (HE)	35	25	7	1.63	0.940
35	Liam Greentree	LA	RW	19	6-3/215	`24(26th)	Windsor (OHL)	64	49	70	119	59
36	Michael Hage	Mtl	C	19	6-1/190	`24(21st)	Michigan (B1G)	33	13	21	34	23
37	Konsta Helenius	Buf	C	18	5-11/190	`24(14th)	Rochester (AHL)	65	14	21	35	28
38	Jimmy Snuggerud	StL	RW	20	6-2/185	`22(23rd)	Minnesota (B1G)	40	24	27	51	29
39	Lian Bichsel	Dal	D	20	6-6/233	`22(18th)	Dallas (NHL)	38	4	5	9	41
40	Quentin Musty	SJ	LW	19	6-2/200	`23(26th)	Sudbury (OHL)	33	30	29	59	14
41	Joshua Roy	Mtl	RW	21	6-0/190	`21(150th)	Laval (AHL)	47	20	15	35	10
42	Jett Luchanko	Phi	C	18	5-11/185	`24(13th)	Guelph (OHL)	46	21	35	56	46
43	Seamus Casey	NJ	D	21	5-9/165	`22(46th)	Utica (AHL)	30	3	15	18	8
44	Cole Hutson	Wsh	D	18	5-10/165	`24(43rd)	Boston University (HE)	39	14	34	48	64
45	Logan Mailloux	Mtl	D	22	6-3/215	`21(31st)	Laval (AHL)	63	12	21	33	74
46	Jesper Wallstedt	Min	G	22	6-3/215	`21(20th)	Iowa (AHL)	27	9	14	3.59	0.879
47	Cole Eiserman	NYI	LW	18	6-0/195	`24(20th)	Boston University (HE)	39	25	11	36	27
48	Ivan Miroshnichenko	Wsh	LW	21	6-1/185	`22(20th)	Hershey (AHL)	53	23	19	42	28
49	Owen Pickering	Pit	D	21	6-4/180	`22(21st)	Wilkes-Barre (AHL)	47	2	11	13	10
50	Nate Danielson	Det	C	20	6-2/185	`23(9th)	Grand Rapids (AHL)	71	12	27	39	33

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – SAN JOSE SHARKS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #1

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Derek Neumeier — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 18:00:13 +0000

_{ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA - APRIL 11: The Frozen Four semifinals between the Boston University Terriers and the Denver Pioneers at the Xcel Energy Center during NCAA Men’s Hockey on April 11, 2024 in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Rich Gagnon/BU Athletics)}

Prospect System Ranking – 1st (Previous Rank - 9th)
GM: Mike Grier Hired: July 2022
COACH: Ryan Warsofsky Hired: June 2024

After five consecutive years of missing the playoffs, the San Jose Sharks' future is starting to look significantly brighter. Coming off a dismal 19-54-9 season, the Sharks secured the top pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, selecting Macklin Celebrini, McKeen’s top-rated prospect. Celebrini, despite being just 17 years old (now 18), made a tremendous impact in his freshman year, winning the Hockey East scoring title, Rookie of the Year, and, most notably, the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s most outstanding player. He’s set to join the Sharks' roster immediately, giving fans their price of admission.

Joining Celebrini at the NHL level is fellow NCAA standout and second-ranked prospect Will Smith. Smith, who led the nation with 71 points in his freshman year, helped Boston College secure a Conference Championship and finished as a Hobey Baker finalist. Together, Celebrini and Smith form an electrifying duo that will play a pivotal role in completing this organization’s 180-degree shift.

GM Mike Grier settled his future in net with a blockbuster prospect trade with Nashville, landing the 10th ranked prospect and top-ranked goaltender on our list in Yaroslav Askarov. They also added minor league forward Nolan Burke and a third-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. It cost them former first round pick David Edstrom, goaltending prospect Magnus Chrona and a protected first-round pick previously acquired from Vegas. Askarov is expected to join the NHL club after signing a two-year contract following the trade.

The Sharks' prospect system has hands all over our McKeen’s prospect rankings, boasting four players in the top 15, eight in the top 100 and an impressive 43 prospects ranked overall. Recent first-round pick Sam Dickson immediately slots in as the 13th-ranked prospect after helping the London Knights capture the OHL Championship.

Meanwhile, prospects developing with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda—Thomas Bordeleau (74th), Shakir Mukhamadullin (72nd), Filip Bystedt (90th), Daniil Gushchin (169th), and Tristen Robins (189th)—are progressing nicely, with some already having enjoyed their first taste of NHL action.

While the Sharks have been through a rough stretch, the tide is turning swiftly. To keep the team competitive and help guide their young stars, GM Mike Grier has added a few key veterans, including Tyler Toffoli, Alex Wennberg, and defenceman Jake Walman, to round out the 2024-25 roster. With an eight place jump, the Sharks take home our McKeen’s top-rated prospect system, as well as our largest spot-to-spot jump. Enjoy the future, folks.

San Jose Sharks Top-15 Prospects

1. Macklin Celebrini

Celebrini entered the 2023-24 scouting season as the hands-on favourite to be the first player picked for his draft class, and at no point in the months that followed did anyone else ever come close to dethroning him. The admiration for him is unanimous among scouts of all stripes, and there’s little doubt as to why. He eats, sleeps, and breathes hockey, and everything that he does when he’s out on the ice comes so naturally to him. He grew up in the world of professional sports through his dad’s work in the NBA, which has helped give him prodigious levels of maturity and understanding for how to train and think like an elite athlete. His game is exceptionally well-balanced, with extreme proficiency in almost every area and no weaknesses whatsoever. He and Connor Bedard could forge quite a rivalry between themselves as hockey’s next wave of generational superstars.

2. Will Smith

He's still just 19 years old, but it really seems like two things are going to be constants for Smith throughout the remainder of his career: scoring boatloads of points and winning big hockey games. His lethal offensive talents helped lead USA Hockey to back-to-back gold medals internationally, first at the 2023 IIHF U18s and then the 2024 World Juniors. He also came excruciatingly close to winning an NCAA title too, before ultimately getting denied when his Boston College team fell in the Frozen Four final to Denver, but he did end up leading the entire nation in scoring, which is an exceptional feat for a freshman to achieve. With elite hockey sense, puck skill, and playmaking ability he's a dazzling superstar in the making, and also worth mentioning, he should be able to further elevate the talented wingers in San Jose’s system that he will likely play with.

3. Yaroslav Askarov

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 last season, and Saros signed a long-term extension. As a result, it was then Askarov who turned things upside down by asking for a trade, which brings us to his arrival in San Jose as their goaltender of the future. 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 with Nashville this year. He’s ready to take that next step, but will that be this season? Mackenzie Blackwood and Vitek Vanecek are under contract currently with San Jose look locked in as a platoon. But it would be a shock if he didn’t receive some time this year. The 6-foot-4 Russian netminder has it all; the athleticism, reaction time, technique, and play reading ability. He’s worked hard the last few years to quiet his approach in the crease and the results speak for themselves. Simply put, Askarov has the potential to be one of the premier netminders in the NHL.

4. Sam Dickinson

San Jose traded up from 14th overall to pick 11th overall in this past draft, and while that might not seem like a big jump, getting a player of Dickinson’s caliber outside of the first 10 picks is nothing short of a coup. He’s a large, athletic defenseman who skates like the wind and can transport the puck at full speed, which leads to some truly jaw-dropping scenes when he decides to stomp his foot on the gas. The way that he can both create space or take it away in an instant is remarkable, and it will also be highly valuable in the NHL with the importance of quick transitions. There are some issues right now with his awareness and decision-making, but he’s fortunate to be playing for the London Knights, who develop prospects better than any other junior program. If they can smooth out the wrinkles in his game, it could fully unleash his massive potential.

5. Quentin Musty

The Sudbury Wolves like to play loose, take chances, and push the attack without mercy, and that style certainly pairs well with Musty's mentality. His game is all about inflicting damage, which usually comes in the way of scoring chances, but can also come through his physical play as well. There is something impressively innate about how he sees the offensive zone and the way can manipulate the puck at his whim. It's like it just comes second nature to him somehow, or that his stick is an extension of his body. However, that is both a blessing and a curse. He's so used to things coming easily to him that certain habits are lacking, which causes glaring weaknesses in areas that he has neglected to work on, such as his skating and defensive play. Few other prospects out there are so boom or bust.

6. Shakir Mukhamadullin

Far more than just a fun name to say out loud, Mukhamadullin was the best defenseman for the Barricuda this season. He probably deserved more time with the Sharks based on merit, but the organization acted wisely and patiently, letting his development keep rolling in the AHL while keeping him mostly insulated from the chaos that besieged the parent club. His long reach and impressive mobility give him a huge range of influence every time he steps on the ice, and while he’s still prone to mistakes with his puck decisions and play tracking, he can recover and get back into position in the blink of an eye. And then there’s his shot, which is a bazooka from the blueline, and he’s not shy about flipping the safety off. One more year on the farm might be best for him, but after that it should be time to unleash him.

7. Thomas Bordeleau

Going from the prestigious USA Hockey National Team Development Program and then the explosive University of Michigan to the painstakingly rebuilding Sharks organization must have been a whiplash-like culture shock for Bordeleau. And yet, this dramatic shift at this particular time might end up being the best thing for his career long-term once it’s eventually looked back upon in hindsight, because there was a prior need in his game for more grit and a better understanding of how to be resilient through adversity. He’s always been both a wizard and a seer once the puck is on his stick in the offensive zone, but it’s not going to get there very often in the NHL unless you lean into doing the requisite dirty work. Luckily, Bordeleau is already making these necessary gains, and once the Sharks can eventually field a competitive young roster he’ll be better equipped to step up.

8. Filip Bystedt

Bystedt didn’t garner a lot of fanfare or media attention during his draft year, so a lot of Sharks fans were confused when the team seemingly went off the board and picked him in the 1st round in the 2022 draft. It always needs to be said, however, that development is a marathon and not a sprint, and the signs were there that the Swedish center was going to start picking up a lot of steam in short order. And now, after two prosperous seasons in the SHL and a terrific but short-lived first stint in North America, those carefully watered seeds are beginning to bear fruit. He is impossible to miss at times, with his forceful, elegant skating and ability to make high-end plays with the puck in motion. With his high-end traits and balanced supporting tools, it seems inevitable that he’ll become a valuable NHLer.

9. Kasper Halttunen

Halttunen crossed the pond for the first time this season, leaving his homeland of Finland for London in the OHL, and that decision is paying major dividends so far. He crossed the 30-goal mark during the regular season, and got to experience a playoff push on a great club while being surrounded by extremely talented teammates that he can learn from and grow alongside. The Knights are also already looking like they will be favourites to win the OHL next year, so that will be even more valuable experience that he will have access to. His best asset is undoubtedly his rocket of a one-timer, which he utilized to earn a tie for most powerplay goals in the league with 16. Look for him to be a leader for the Finns at next year's World Juniors as a returnee and top talent.

10. Daniil Gushchin

It's already well-known and well-documented how rough of a season the Sharks organization had from top to bottom, so give full marks to Gushchin for how great of a job he did blocking out the noise. He kept up a point-per-game scoring pace from bow to stern, and also potted a goal and an assist in the four games where he was called up to the big club. His energy level is matched by few others and he loves to keep his motor revved high, and most of his offensive production comes as a direct result of his hustle, but he's no slouch either when it comes to setting up his teammates or finishing plays himself. One man's crisis is another's opportunity, and Gushchin is using the situation in San Jose to force his way into an NHL roster spot.

11. Igor Chernyshov

Too good for Russia’s junior level but not quite good enough to play a lot of minutes in the KHL, Chernyshov made a smart decision to sign with Saginaw for 2024-25. He’s a burly winger who can be hard to slow down when he gets moving, and he also possesses some feathery mitts in one-on-one situations. How far up a lineup he’ll be able to play will depend on how much he can improve his pacing and energy levels.

12. Tristen Robins

You have to feel for Robins, because he grades highly with his hockey IQ, how hard he competes, and his puck manipulation, but he is inescapably limited in some ways because of his physical tools. He’s not very big or naturally fast, and with the reach and mobility of modern defensemen he’s always going to be at a disadvantage when it comes to time and space. Does he have an NHL future, or is he destined for the career of a journeyman?

13. Leo Sahlin Wallenius

Sahlin Wallenius has a very enviable box full of tools, but he can be a source of frustration because he often struggles to put everything together. He’s an effortless skater with a deep tank of gas, which allows him to keep a high pace while logging a lot of ice time, but he’s held back by a high frequency of mistakes made. If those mistakes can be coached out of him, he could go on to have a long and productive career.

14. Luca Cagnoni

Cagnoni is truly a player of extremes. His offensive vision and manipulation of the puck are both extremely good, as evidenced by his incredible 90 points last season, which led all WHL defensemen. At the same time, unfortunately, the way that he often gets manhandled physically is extremely concerning, especially since he doesn’t have elite feet. If he can’t significantly improve those physical tools, he won’t ever be able to let his skills and smarts fully flourish.

15. Jack Thompson

The pecking order in San Jose’s prospect pool is crowded, but if Thompson can keep progressing like he has since he was a teenager then he'll be just fine, as teams will always find ways to make room for a right-shooting blueliner with mobility, a heavy slapshot, and a willingness to defend hard. There's a comfortable NHL projection here because he’s so plug-and-play, along with a realistic chance that he could play as high up a second pairing.

MCKEEN’S 2024 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #9 San Jose Sharks – Organization Overview – Top 15 Prospects

Player Profiles - Derek Neumeier, Team Overview - Robert Howard — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 18:00:52 +0000

NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 28: San Jose Sharks draft choice William Smith is shown during the first round of the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft, held on June 28, 2023, at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Danny Murphy/Icon Sportswire)

Mike Grier has been in the General Managers chair less than two years and has just begun to put his stamp on the team. The 2023 NHL Draft was his first calling the shots and he delivered some exciting prospects. They include our number one ranked affiliated prospect, Will Smith, who led the nation in scoring in the NCAA and is a dazzling offensive weapon. Also, in the first round he chose Quentin Musty, who personifies a boom or bust prospect, with offensive instincts, but also plays a physical game. If he can fix the problematic areas of his game, he could be a gem at 26th overall at the draft. It is this year where the excitement begins to build with the franchise picking first overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, almost certain to be Macklin Celebrini from Boston College. Celebrini, Smith and graduated prospect William Eklund could be weaving magic as early as next season. Regardless they will give the Sharks fans something to be excited about for many years to come and base to build upon.

Grier has been active on the trade front, weaponizing cap space, and largely acquiring young players and prospects, along with picks. He has not been afraid of blockbusters with many moving parts, have moved both Tomas Hertl at the trade deadline this year, and Timo Meier last year. Those trades netted three of their top ten prospects in David Edstrom, plus a first-round pick for Hertl, and Shakir Mukhamadullin in a huge package for Meier with many parts, but also included a first-round pick that turned into Musty. He further weaponized his cap space in the Erik Karlsson trade to Pittsburgh to take on some troublesome contracts and was rewarded with Pittsburgh’s pick this year, which should net a quality prospect at 12th overall. Coach David Quinn was let go at the end of the season, and the search is on as of this writing.

RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired	GP	G(W)	A(L)	PTS(GAA)	PIM(SPCT)
1	Will Smith	C	19	6-0/175	Boston College (HE)	`23(4th)	41	25	46	71	14
2	Quentin Musty	LW	18	6-2/200	Sudbury (OHL)	`23(26th)	53	43	59	102	72
3	Shakir Mukhamadullin	D	22	6-3/180	San Jose (AHL)	T(NJ-2/23)	55	7	27	34	24
					San Jose (NHL)	T(NJ-2/23)	3	0	1	1	4
4	Thomas Bordeleau	C	22	5-9/180	San Jose (AHL)	`20(38th)	35	11	14	25	26
					San Jose (NHL)	`20(38th)	27	6	5	11	18
5	Filip Bystedt	C	20	6-4/205	Linkopings (SHL)	`22(27th)	47	8	9	17	2
					San Jose (AHL)	`22(27th)	8	4	3	7	8
6	David Edstrom	C	19	6-3/185	Frolunda (SHL)	T(VGK-3/24)	44	7	12	19	8
7	Kasper Halttunen	RW	18	6-3/205	London (OHL)	`23(36th)	57	32	29	61	61
8	Danil Gushchin	RW	22	5-8/165	San Jose (AHL)	`20(76th)	56	20	34	54	24
					San Jose (NHL)	`20(76th)	4	1	1	2	0
9	Tristen Robins	C	22	5-10/175	San Jose (AHL)	`20(56th)	42	7	11	18	12
10	Jack Thompson	D	22	6-0/180	Syr-SJ (AHL)	T(TB-3/24)	62	6	35	41	16
					TB-SJ (NHL)	T(TB-3/24)	3	0	0	0	0
11	Mattias Havelid	D	20	5-9/170	Linkopings (SHL)	`22(45th)	43	2	10	12	8
12	Cameron Lund	RW	19	6-2/190	Northeastern (HE)	`22(34th)	35	11	19	30	22
13	Ethan Cardwell	RW	21	5-11/195	San Jose (AHL)	`21(121st)	71	23	20	43	52
14	Brandon Coe	RW	22	6-4/190	San Jose (AHL)	`20(98th)	57	12	5	17	43
15	Ozzy Wiesblatt	RW	22	5-10/185	SJ-Mil (AHL)	`20(31st)	50	4	13	17	55

1. Will Smith, C, Boston College (NCAA)

He's still just 19 years old, but it really seems like two things are going to be constants for Smith throughout the remainder of his career: scoring boatloads of points and winning big hockey games. His lethal offensive talents helped lead USA Hockey to back-to-back gold medals internationally, first at the 2023 IIHF U18s and then the 2024 World Juniors. He also came excruciatingly close to winning an NCAA title too, before ultimately getting denied when his Boston College team fell in the Frozen Four final to Denver, but he did end up leading the entire nation in scoring, which is an exceptional feat for a freshman to achieve. With elite hockey sense, puck skill and playmaking ability he's a dazzling superstar in the making, and also worth mentioning, he should be able to further elevate the talented wingers in San Jose’s system that he will likely play with.

2. Quentin Musty, LW, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)

3. Shakir Mukhamadullin, D, San Jose Barracuda (AHL)

4. Thomas Bordeleau, C, San Jose Barracuda (AHL)

Going from the prestigious USA Hockey National Team Development Program and then the explosive University of Michigan to the painstakingly rebuilding Sharks organization must have been a whiplash-like culture shock for Bordeleau. And yet, this dramatic shift at this particular time might end up being the best thing for his long-term career once it’s eventually looked back upon in hindsight, because there was a prior need in his game for more grit and a better understanding of how to be resilient through adversity. He’s always been both a wizard and a seer once the puck is on his stick in the offensive zone, but it’s not going to get there very often in the NHL unless you lean into doing the requisite dirty work. Luckily, Bordeleau is already making these necessary gains, and once the Sharks can eventually field a competitive young roster he’ll be better equipped to step up.

5. Filip Bystedt, C, Linkoping HC (SHL)

Bystedt didn’t garner a lot of fanfare or media attention during his draft year, so a lot of Sharks fans were confused when the team seemingly went off the board and picked him in the 1st round in the 2022 draft. It always needs to be said, however, that development is a marathon and not a sprint, and the signs were there that the Swedish center was going to start picking up a lot of steam in short order. And now, after two prosperous seasons in the SHL and a terrific but short-lived first stint in North America, those carefully watered seeds are beginning to bear fruit. He is impossible to miss at times, with his forceful, elegant skating and ability to make high-end plays with the puck in motion. With his high-end traits and balanced supporting tools it seems inevitable that he’ll become a valuable NHLer.

6. David Edstrom, C, Frolunda HC (SHL)

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.

7. Kasper Halttunen, RW, London Knights (OHL)

Halttunen crossed the pond for the first time this season, leaving his homeland of Finland for London in the OHL, and that decision is paying major dividends so far. He crossed the 30-goal mark during the regular season and got to experience a playoff push on a great club while being surrounded by extremely talented teammates that he can learn from and grow alongside. The Knights are also already looking like they will be favourites to win the OHL next year, so that will be even more valuable experience that he will have access to. His best asset is undoubtedly his rocket of a one-timer, which he utilized to earn a tie for most powerplay goals in the league with 16. Look for him to be a leader for the Finns at next year's World Juniors as a returnee and top talent.

8. Daniil Gushchin, RW, San Jose Barracuda (AHL)

9. Tristen Robins, C, San Jose Barracuda (AHL)

Making a living as a professional hockey player is an incredibly demanding job, and being successful usually involves striking a balance between the skill elements and the athletic elements. Knowing that, you have to feel for Robins a little, because he grades super highly with how he thinks the game, how he carries himself, how hard he competes, and what he can do with the puck, but he is inescapably limited in some ways because of the physical tools he was born with. He’s just not very big or naturally fast, and with the reach and mobility of modern defensemen he’s always going to be at a disadvantage when it comes to creating enough time and space for himself to work with. All that being said, his character is just so high that it will take him a long way. Don’t count him out completely.

10. Jack Thompson, D, San Jose Barracuda (AHL)

The Lightning moved Thompson to the Sharks in the Anthony Duclair trade but it must have really stung them to do so, considering he was their best defense prospect and is already looking like a success story for their scouting and development system. The pecking order in San Jose is a whole lot more crowded compared to Tampa Bay's thin prospect pool, but if he keeps progressing like he has since he was a teenager then he'll be just fine, because teams will always find ways to make room for a right-shooting blueliner with workable mobility, a heavy slapshot, and a willingness to dig in and defend hard. There's a comfortable NHL projection with Thompson because he fits so well with so many different kinds of defense partners, and there’s still a realistic chance that he could play as high up a team’s lineup as the second defense pairing.

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

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – Early Standouts – Significant early injuries – Who benefits from opportunity

Scott Cullen — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 22:14:31 +0000

OTTAWA, ON - OCTOBER 14: Ottawa Senators Right Wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) after a whistle during second period National Hockey League action between the Philadelphia Flyers and Ottawa Senators on October 14, 2023, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

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

This week, a look at a new Panthers winger plus lots of early injuries including to significant players like Sebastian Aho, Gabriel Vilardi, Kirby Dach, Viktor Arvidsson, Matthew Boldy, Pavel Buchnevich, and more. That means new opportunities for others looking for a bigger role.

#1 In the past couple of seasons, Evan Rodrigues has proven to be a premier shot generator who could thrive in a supporting offensive role. In those two seasons – one with Pittsburgh and one with Colorado – he put up 82 points (35 G, 47 A) in 151 games while generating 2.85 shots on goal per game. That was something of a late breakthrough for the now 30-year-old forward who is looking at an even better opportunity this season in Florida. Rodrigues has opened the season skating on Aleksander Barkov’s wing and is averaging 18:54 time on ice per game, which would be a career high, on the way to producing five points (2 G, 3 A) and 17 shots on goal in his first four games. It is obviously a very small sample, but Rodrigues has the underlying numbers to make his production more sustainable. For a player that has never had 20 goals and 50 points in an NHL season, Rodrigues should be looking to exceed those numbers this season.

#2 Entering the season, there did not seem to be a lot of buzz surrounding new Ottawa Senators right winger Vladimir Tarasenko, a six-time 30-goal scorer who signed with the club as a free agent. The veteran winger has opened his Sens tenure with six points (2 G, 4 A) in four games, but that doesn’t alleviate the concerns about him entirely, either. He is averaging just 13:38 of ice time per game, which would be his lowest since his rookie season in 2012-2013, and he only has six shots on goal through four games. Although Tarasenko has been skating with rookie Ridly Greig at center, with Josh Norris returning to the Senators lineup, that could eventually help Tarasenko get more offensive opportunities, but the ice time and shot rate bear watching.

#3 It is not easy for Ottawa Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson to get power play time on a team with Thomas Chabot and Jakob Chychrun already, which is not to say that it never happens, only that he ranks second among Sens defencemen in five-on-four ice time behind Chabot. Even so, Sanderson is off to a stellar start, producing five points (2 G, 3 A) in four games. He only has five shots on goal, which is not encouraging, but Sanderson is going to get quality ice time, even if he is not always going to be quarterbacking Ottawa’s top power play unit.

#4 A lot was made of the decline in performance last season from Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Victor Hedman, but it might be premature to start the 32-year-old blueliner into a heavy decline phase of his career. Hedman has contributed five points (1 G, 4 A) and 13 shots on goal through five games, which is a promising start, but the Lightning have been getting outshot with Hedman on the ice (46.2 CF%), too, and that hasn’t happened for more than a decade.

#5 Carolina Hurricanes centre Sebastian Aho has been out for a couple of games and while his injury is thought to be a day-to-day thing, his absence is still felt. Through a couple of games, the Hurricanes were getting 79.1% of expected goals with Aho on the ice during five-on-five play, In Aho’s absence, Teuvo Teravainen has moved into the first line centre role and Teravainen has scored four goals in five games to start the season. Additionally, the Hurricanes have better depth down the middle as Jesperi Kotkaniemi continues to develop. The 23-year-old has started his sixth NHL season with five points (2 G, 3 A) and 14 shots on goal in five games, averaging a career-high 15:51 of ice time per game.

#6 In a move that didn’t make a huge offseason splash, the Detroit Red Wings brought in puck-moving defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere. While he does not have a huge role, averaging 18:53 of ice time per game, Gostisbehere is getting first unit power play time alongside Moritz Seider and Gostisbehere already has four points (1 G, 3 A) in four games with the Red Wings controlling play (53.2 CF%) in Gostisbehere’s five-on-five minutes.

#7 Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews is the early leader in all-situations expected goals (3.76), ahead of Matthew Tkachuk (3.23), Connor Bedard (3.10), Artturi Lehkonen (2.85), Filip Forsberg (2.74), and Jack Eichel (2.64). Bedard is obviously playing a lot for Chicago and creating chances, but they have yet to materialize into goals. For a player who enters the league with a legendary release, Bedard’s ability to generate high-quality shots bodes well for his future production. It’s also encouraging to see Eichel playing at such a high level. He had an outstanding playoff, but it appears in the early going that Eichel is going to continue at an elite level. He leads the NHL with 28 shots on goal in five games, though Nathan MacKinnon (27) and Auston Matthews (26) are close behind while playing just four games.

#8 Winnipeg Jets RW Gabriel Vilardi is out for four-to-six weeks with a sprained MCL, which is a tough situation for a player who was averaging more than 20 minutes of ice time per game through two games. Vilardi was also rocking a 73.3 CF%, but now the Jets will need to find someone to fill those minutes. It looks like Mason Appleton will get first crack alongside Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele and that is a big opportunity for a 27-year-old who scored a career-high 25 points (12 G, 13 A) in 56 games in 2020-2021.

#9 Montreal lost centre Kirby Dach to a torn ACL, ending the 22-year-old’s season prematurely. He had two assists and 70.4 CF% in two games before getting hurt. Alex Newhook will slide into the middle of the ice to fill the hole created by Dach’s absence, while Tanner Pearson will move up the depth chart to take Newhook’s spot on left wing. Pearson, who played just 14 games last season, has two goals in three games to start his Habs career.

#10 On the Florida Panthers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final last season, Sam Bennett was an impact player at centre, between Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk. Bennett has yet to play this season because of a lower-body injury, so Eetu Luostarinen is getting that opportunity. Unfortunately, he has yet to record a point and has just one shot on goal in four games. That is not making the most of the situation.

#11 Los Angeles Kings winger Viktor Arvidsson has been an excellent and sometimes underrated contributor, but he is out long term after undergoing back surgery, which means new opportunities on the right side in Los Angeles. Arthur Kaliyev is skating in Arvidsson’s typical spot, alongside Phillip Danault and Trevor Moore, while rookie Alexis Laferriere has landed a prime spot on the wing with Pierre-Luc Dubois and Kevin Fiala. Kaliyev may have the higher upside as a scorer, as he has shown a strong ability to generate shots, even in limited ice time. Arvidsson’s injury should help ensure that Kaliyev sees a good jump in ice time this season, opening the door for a breakout season.

#12 Injuries have hit the Minnesota Wild hard early in the season. Rising star winger Matthew Boldy and defencemen Jared Spurgeon and Alex Goligoski are all out of action for Minnesota and they are not easily replaced. Taking Boldy’s spot is Samuel Walker, a 24-year-old who has two points (1 G, 1 A) in 10 career NHL games and did not have any points in two AHL games this season, but he did produce 48 points (27 G, 21 A) in 56 AHL games last season, so this is a real chance to Walker to show his stuff at the NHL level. Spurgeon’s absence also gives Calen Addison the role of first unit power play quarterback, which is an area in which the young defenceman has excelled, with 18 of his 29 points last season coming with the man advantage.

#13 While fourth lines are not going to bring big fantasy appeal, it’s worth noting what is happening in Detroit, where Christian Fischer (83.7 xGF%) and Klim Kostin (80.2 xGF%) are dominating play to a ridiculous degree. Austin Czarnik has played only two games, but Detroit has controlled 86.3% of expected goals during five-on-five play with Czarnik on the ice.

#14 Staying in Detroit, veteran winger Robby Fabbri made it through one game before suffering another injury and Fabbri’s injury presents an opportunity for Michael Rasmussen to climb up the depth chart. Rasmussen had a career-high 29 points (10 G, 19 A) in 56 games last season, but his average ice time has increased by more than a minute per game in the early going this season and he has a couple of points (1 G, 1 A) in four games.

#15 Although he can get overshadowed by the top two centres on the Devils roster, Erik Haula’s upper body injury is notable for a team that thrives on its depth. With Haula out, Michael McLeod moves from the fourth line centre to third line centre and while McLeod has established that he is a solid fourth liner, his offensive production has kept him in that role. He has just 10 goals in 157 games over the past two seasons, so if McLeod is ever going to shake his fourth-line label, he will need to take advantage when he gets the chance to play in the top nine.

#16 Expectations were already very low for the San Jose Sharks coming into the season, but it has been made even more difficult with veteran centres Mikael Granlund and Logan Couture out of the lineup. Rookie Thomas Bordeleau and veteran Luke Kunin are handling the middle six centre roles for the Sharks. Bordeleau has managed one goal and five shots on goal through four games while he has been caved in when it comes to puck possession (31.1 CF%). Kunin has yet to record a point and is not much better at driving play (33.0 CF%). This should come as little surprise, but it reveals how much of an uphill fight it is for San Jose right now.

#17 St. Louis Blues winger Pavel Buchnevich suffered an upper-body injury when crushed into the boards by Seattle Kraken defenceman Jamie Oleksiak, and while Buchnevich has been out, the opportunity has fallen to 21-year-old Jake Neighbours, who has managed zero points and two shots on goal in three games this season. A chance to play in St. Louis’ top six is not bad, but it is up to Neighbours to show that he deserves to stay in a significant role over the long term.

#18 It is still super early, but there are some forwards raising red flags with their early struggles. Timo Meier was benched for the third period against Florida and has zero points and four shots on goal in three games. Meier has always been able to generate shots, so that is a notable concern with his game in New Jersey, but he really should be able to figure it out.

#19 When he returned to action last season following hip resurfacing surgery, Washington Capitals centre Nicklas Backstrom struggled, to a degree that he never really had in the NHL before. With a fresh start this season, 35-year-old Backstrom is still struggling to find his way. He has zero points in three games and is averaging 15:45 of ice time per game, which would be the lowest rate of his career. Backstrom is still getting top unit power play time but is skating between Sonny Milano and Tom Wilson at even strength, so he is not nearly the dangerous scoring threat that he was during his prime.

#20 After getting bought out by the Winnipeg Jets, 37-year-old right winger Blake Wheeler landed with the New York Rangers. Through four games with the Blueshirts, not only does Wheeler not have any points, but he is playing just 12:26 per game, which would be the lowest time on ice of his career. He is skating on a line with centre Vincent Trocheck and rookie left winger Will Cuylle. While Wheeler’s all-around game has declined in recent seasons, he still produced 55 points (16 G, 39 A) last season and early returns suggest that he will not be continuing at that level this season.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – SAN JOSE SHARKS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #12

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt and Josh Bell — Sun, 08 Oct 2023 18:09:08 +0000

Top 20 San Jose Shark Prospects

1. Shane Wright

To say that Wright had an eventful season would be an understatement. He went from the NHL to the AHL, then to the World Juniors, then back to the OHL, where he joined Windsor for the first time following the trading of his rights, and finally back to the AHL for Coachella Valley's playoff run. His results over that span were a very mixed bag. He didn't look NHL-ready in the fall but left a serious statement in his early AHL stint. He won a World Juniors gold as Canada's captain but didn't personally dominate during the tournament. He was great during the OHL regular season, but quiet as his team was swept in the opening round of the playoffs. Overall, it wasn't the performance that people expected out of a player who had been projected by many to go first overall in 2022, though you can't discount the possible impact of all the instability. Finding a steady environment for him next season will be paramount.

2. Eduard Sale

A slick trickster, Sale entered the last season looking like a possible top 10 pick in the 2023 draft, ultimately slipping to the Seattle Kraken at 20th overall. Coming off his first full season in the Czech Extraliga, where he led all rookies with 14 points and took home Rookie of the Year honors, Sale also made his presence known for his country at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, WJC, and U18 Worlds. In fact, it was at that last tournament, as an underager in 2022, where he really arrived on the scene as a top prospect, racking up 8 assists in 6 games while being the prime set-up master for top prospect Jiri Kulich. Sale’s movement stands out as a top trait, stemming from technically-sound skating mechanics. He’s able to accelerate quite quickly, reaching his top speed effortlessly while displaying strong edges that he utilizes to change direction on a dime. Deceptive with quick shoulder drops and head fakes, his puck-handling is another top-flight trait and is perhaps only topped by his instinctive passes. That he’s also strong in small-area battles will be a big plus, because he’s scheduled to join the OHL Barrie Colts for 2023-24, which should be a wonderful barometer for determining just how far he is in his development.

3. Ryker Evans

Seattle made a bold move when they selected Evans with the 35th overall pick in 2021, going way outside the consensus of publicly published draft lists to nab the overager. That decision is looking better and better as time passes. Coachella Valley was one of the best teams in the AHL in 2022-23, and despite being a rookie he was already one of their best players. He is a dynamic difference-maker from the back end, able to break pucks out of his own zone, move them safely up the ice, and contribute to getting them in the opposing net. He makes a big impact at both even strength and on the powerplay. He defends pretty well too, by focusing on his gaps and getting sticks on pucks precisely. Evans was a number one defenseman in his days with WHL Regina, and if he stays on his current trajectory, he should become top half of the lineup kind of player for the Kraken, too.

4. Jagger Firkus

There is a certain ’X factor‘ to Firkus that is difficult to describe, but anyone who has watched him a lot can attest to its presence. There are times where it looks like he just inherently knows that he's going to beat you offensively, and in those moments, there is absolutely nothing that you can do to stop him. If it weren't for some other WHLer named Connor Bedard, Fircus’ goal-scoring prowess would get a lot more attention. Not only can his shot find any bit of space that a goalie is careless enough to offer up, but his ability to sneak into dangerous ice in the offensive zone is almost supernatural. A scout's common sense might note that small, scrawny players with questionable skating ability don't usually pan out in the NHL. Then again, Firkus is anything but common.

5. Jani Nyman

There are still games where Nyman blends into the scenery a little too much, but when he's really on his game he is one of the best players on the ice, even against older competition. He's a hulking winger who can work a cycle, score from in tight or distance, find teammates with high-danger passes at the right times, and move up and down the ice with momentum. Even more exciting is his continued progress in all these different areas, and if that continues, the end result could see him become an exhausting nightmare to contain or defend against at the highest levels, very similar to someone like Alex Tuch in Buffalo. If Seattle is smart, they will patiently let Nyman lay as much groundwork as necessary and then take his time building upon it to ensure he eventually reaches his highest possible ceiling.

6. David Goyette

Goyette is one of the smoothest skaters that you'll ever see at the junior level. He's just so fast, agile, and nimble, which allows him to create separation in all directions. He's also an impressively clean puck handler in motion, so it won't come as a surprise then that he is a go-to player in transition or that he is at his most effective offensively off the rush. When he does get in tight, he can deke goalies into paralysis. His lack of strength is a weakness, and it looks unlikely that he will ever be able to bulk up much, but you can't hit what you can't catch, so he should be able to remain successful so long as he doesn't lose a step with his skating. Goyette is a true leader in Sudbury and was instrumental in pulling them out of the OHL's basement and back into the playoffs last season.

7. Ty Nelson

Heading into the 2022 NHL Draft weekend there was talk that Nelson could sneak into the first round, but he ultimately fell a lot further than that, all the way down to the third round. Seattle certainly isn't complaining now, because they selected a player who suddenly had a chip on his shoulder, determined to prove the doubter wrongs, which is exactly what happened. The first overall pick in the 2020 OHL draft cemented himself as one of the best defensemen in the league, logging a mountain of minutes and leading the blueline for a Battalion team that finished second during the regular season. For a small guy he has a big personality, an elite compete level, and a cannon of a shot. Nelson could become a special player if he can continue harnessing his energy into explosive play without being too reckless.

8. Lukas Dragicevic

When it comes to offensive defensemen, there simply aren't many others who are as dangerous as Dragicevic from the offensive blueline onward. He possesses elusive footwork and slick hands, which he can use in tandem to dance around and embarrass anyone who tries to recklessly pressure him. He has a bomb of a slapshot that he loves to uncork, but he also has a hard, accurate wrister that he can use to try to beat goalies clean or send in for a deflection. As good as he is on the attacking line, he's also not shy about getting closer to the net to generate offense. Unsurprisingly, he's a monster on the powerplay. Dragicevic is additionally a major factor at driving the play up the ice. However, as easily as he can pull you out of your seat when h has the puck, he can just as easily make you pull out your hair with his mistakes and inconsistency. His decision-making is downright baffling at times, with frequent unforced turnovers. He can get lost in his own end, and worse yet, will often completely shut off his effort. He will need the right shutdown-minded partner on his left side who can cover for his risk-taking.

9. Carson Rehkopf

Rehkopf’s strong athletic profile made him a very intriguing player for scouts this year, even with concerns over the variance in his engagement level. His skating explosiveness is a strength, and it makes him a great quick strike player who can consistently beat defenders to spots or pucks. Additionally, his shot was one of the heaviest in the 2023 draft class. When he’s on, Rehkopf is dialled in physically and flashes the tools to be a very good two-way player and potential shutdown type. When he’s off, he tends to disappear and makes little impact. Are the issues with consistency related to conditioning, mindset, confidence, or all three? We’ll find out the answer in the next few years, but for now, Seattle will need to be patient with Rehkopf as he figures out what kind of player he wants to be. With OHL Kitchener rebuilding this year, he’ll get all the ice time that he can handle, barring a trade to a more stacked club.

10. Oscar Fisker Molgaard

One has to wonder if there’s any such thing as a coincidence when a team hires one of the few former Danish NHLers (namely Frans Nielsen) and a few months later selects the only Danish player of note in the following draft. Regardless of any external motivations, Seattle has added a player to its suddenly burgeoning prospect bin who was one of this season’s biggest surprises in the Swedish SHL. Coming seemingly out of nowhere, Molgaard suited up for 41 SHL games, with his +6 for a struggling club being perhaps the most noticeable outcome of his play. A fleet-footed lightweight who has shown himself to be a playmaker at the junior level, he approaches the game with maturity and a strong understanding of play both with and without the puck. Tricky and creative with the puck, Molgaard is very adept at finding shooting lanes and displaying slick mitts around the goalmouth area. His forte in an offensive sense nonetheless remains the carrying and distribution of pucks. Translating those abilities to SHL play turned heads in the scouting community last season. With time on his side, he’s scheduled to continue his development with HV71 this season.

11. Caden Price

A recent draft pick of the Kraken, Price had a disappointing draft year on a poor Kelowna team. There’s a lot of hope that his play will pick up as the team around him improves. Decision making can be an issue, but Price has the potential to be an impact defender at both ends.

12. Tye Kartye

Talk about a great story. Kartye has gone from obscure OHL free agent signing to scoring big goals in the NHL playoffs for the Kraken within a single season. Kartye is so good away from the puck, a testament to the way he thinks the game. He could be a longtime fixture on Seattle’s third line.

13. Ryan Winterton

Winterton just needs to stay healthy. That’s it, that’s all. When he’s on the ice, like last season’s OHL playoffs, he’s an impact player. But the injuries remain a lingering issue, especially given the power forward style that he likes to play. He’ll turn pro this year and fingers crossed that he has put the injuries behind him.

14. Tucker Robertson

Robertson is such an easy player to cheer for given his tenacious style of play. His engine never stops. He was a pillar of strength for Peterborough in their OHL title run last year and it will be interesting to see how his offensive game translates to the pro level this year. The keys are continuing to improve his speed and quickness.

15. Jacob Melanson

The improvement over his QMJHL career was outstanding, with Melanson ending his time in the Q scoring 50 goals last season. Better yet, he brings value outside of scoring with his physicality. Another player to watch as he turns pro this year.

16 Niklas Kokko

A second-round selection in 2022, Kokko had a promising season, split between Liiga and the Finnish second tier. Signed by the Kraken, where Kokko plays this year remains a bit of a mystery, but at this point he appears to be the top goaltending prospect in the system.

17. Semyon Vyazovoi

Evaluating Russian goaltenders pre-KHL can be difficult. But Vyazovoi has been lights out in the MHL and was even impressive in the Russian second league (VHL) last year. Seattle is hoping that he can get some time in the KHL as a 20-year-old this season.

18. Ville Ottavainen

Offense will never be a big part of Ottavainen’s game, but he shows a lot of promise in the defensive end with his combination of length, mobility, and physicality. After two good seasons in Finland, he’ll be playing in Coachella Valley this year.

19. Tyson Jugnauth

Not a lot of players had good years on Wisconsin last year, but Jugnauth was one of the few. His freshman season showed a ton of promise, especially in the offensive end. He’s likely to be a three- or four-year college project, but the upside is big.

20. Logan Morrison

When Morrison finally signed an NHL deal towards the end of the OHL season, those who follow the OHL closely rejoiced. No one deserved it more. Yes, there are concerns over his skating and projection, but the IQ and playmaking ability are high end.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – SAN JOSE SHARKS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Sun, 08 Oct 2023 18:05:11 +0000

Review: In the entirety of NHL history, a defenseman has reached the 100-point milestone just 15 times. Erik Karlsson accomplished that feat in 2022-23, but despite recording 25 goals and 76 assists with San Jose, the Sharks finished near the bottom of the league with a 22-44-16 record. How did a team featuring one of the all-time greatest individual performances out of a defenseman do that bad? For starters, despite having an elite offensive blueliner, the Sharks’ overall defense was terrible, finishing 25th in 5-on-5 expected goals against (191.27). Some teams can mask a poor defense with good goaltending, but not the 2022-23 Sharks. James Reimer and Kaapo Kahkonen were a truly horrendous netminding duo, combining for a 3.64 GAA and an .886 save percentage. San Jose also had just four forwards breach the 40-point milestone and none reach 70 points, so even with Karlsson’s offensive efforts, the Sharks ranked 25th in goals per game (2.84). Without any help, Karlsson’s efforts ultimately just served to lower the Sharks’ chances of getting elite prospect Connor Bedard in the lottery and keeping them out of the top-three in the 2023 NHL Draft.

What’s Changed? The Sharks clearly need to rebuild and to that end, they dealt Karlsson to Pittsburgh over the summer, receiving a package that primarily included draft picks, but also resulted in San Jose getting veteran forwards Mikael Granlund and Mike Hoffman as well as defenseman Jan Rutta. The Sharks also acquired goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood from New Jersey to replace Reimer, who left as a free agent, and they accepted Anthony Duclair from Florida, who the Panthers moved mostly for cap purposes, but should get a chance to re-establish himself as a top-six forward in San Jose.

What would success look like? Another terrible campaign is probably in their best interests. The Sharks have failed to make the playoffs for the past four years, but they’ve been slow to fully commit to a rebuild, which has arguably only served to extend their period of pain. Even the 2023-24 squad is likely to be in that awkward position of being both bad and full of veterans. At least if they struggle, that’d position them to get another high draft pick and keep their focus squarely on the future. The veterans may be moved for further picks at the trade deadline.

What could go wrong? Things can’t get much worse in San Jose. Arguably, the worst-case scenario would actually be if the veteran cast of Logan Couture, Tomas Hertl, Hoffman, Granlund and Duclair – the youngest of which is Duclair at 28 – do just enough to keep the Sharks out of the top-five in the next draft.

Top Breakout Candidate: Sharks fans looking for some reason to watch the 2023-24 campaign should pay attention to William Eklund. Taken with the seventh overall pick in the 2021 draft, Eklund has high-end potential and is coming off an encouraging campaign in which he recorded 41 points in 54 AHL contests along with two goals and three points in eight games with the Sharks. He has a chance to make the Sharks out of training camp and serve in a top-six capacity.

Forwards

Tomas Hertl

A power forward with soft hands, 29-year-old Hertl topped 60 points last season for the third time in his career. He is not especially fast but is excellent at using his size to protect the puck and extend plays in the offensive zone. Hertl is strong on faceoffs, winning more than 53.0% for his career and has been an effective play driver for the Sharks even if the supporting cast is suspect. Hertl could use some better goaltending behind him. He had a Corsi percentage of 52.5% and an expected goals percentage of 52.7% and yet the Sharks were outscored 68-53 with him on the ice in those situations. Hertl does not look for his own shot often enough. He had a nine-game stretch from March 4 through March 20 during which he recorded 35 shots on goal, putting four into the net, but that pace of shot generation was atypical and did not last. He followed up that stretch with 20 shots on goal in his next 11 games. Hertl started the season slowly, with four points (1 G, 3 A) in the first 10 games, but followed that up with 31 points (12 G, 19 A) over his next 25 games. Even with a shaky supporting cast, Hertl can be expected to contribute 25 goals and 65 points for the Sharks.

Logan Couture

The 34-year-old who has logged 927 regular-season games for the Sharks just put up 67 points (27 G, 40 A), tying the second highest single-season point total of his career. In November, he had an eight-game stretch during which he produced 11 points (7 G, 4 A). Couture can generate some offensive production, but he has a track record of mediocre possession numbers, and 2016-2017 was the last time that the Sharks outscored the opposition during 5-on-5 play with Couture on the ice. Oddly enough, he has become worse in the faceoff circle, which is unusual. Most players take some time to get accustomed to taking faceoffs in the league and get better as time goes on. In his first five seasons, Couture won 51.7% of his draws. Since then, he has won 46.6% and he took 1,349 faceoffs last season, easily the most of his career. Couture is at the age when age-related decline could start to have an impact, but 25 goals and 55-60 points should be within range for him because he is still going to play a major role in San Jose.

Anthony Duclair

An Achilles injury limited Duclair to just 20 games last season and he managed just two goals, but he contributed 11 points (4 G, 7 A) in 20 playoff games and scored a career high 31 goals and 58 points the year before, so there is reason to be hopeful for a rebound in his production in a full season in 2023-2024. When he is on his game, Duclair uses his speed to get out ahead of the play and will cut hard to the net, where he is very comfortable finishing with a deke. While Duclair’s offensive game continues to soar, his play away from the puck has suffered, so that is an area of focus for the 2023-2024 season. Duclair played just 20 games last season and somehow had a 17-game goal-scoring drought, scoring in his second and 20^th games of the season. The Sharks are Duclair’s seventh NHL team, but they also offer a quality opportunity for a bounce-back season and if he could contribute 45 points, that would be a relatively strong bounce-back performance.

Mike Hoffman

A six-time 20-goal scorer, the 33-year-old winger nevertheless scored just 14 goals for Montreal last season, his lowest total since 2013-2014. Hoffman’s shooting percentage dropped in his two seasons with the Canadiens, to 9.6%, after scoring on 12.0% of his shots before that, so there is a chance that he could get a boost in his finishing rate. Even in a modestly productive season, Hoffman had a 14-game stretch during which he tallied 13 points (2 G, 11 A) and that occurred while he scored on just 5.3% of his shots. One thing to watch with Hoffman is how much ice time he gets in San Jose. He is entering the final season of his contract, and if he scores, there might be teams interested in acquiring him before the trade deadline, so the Sharks will have some incentive to put Hoffman in a position to succeed. Of course, success is a relative term at this stage of Hoffman’s career. If he finishes the season with 15 goals and 35 points, that will have to be considered a success.

Mikael Granlund

Although he is a veteran with four 50-point seasons to his credit, Granlund is coming off a miserable season which he finished by scoring five points (1 G, 4 A) in 21 games with the Penguins after he was acquired from Nashville at the trade deadline. He started the season much better, contributing 10 points (1 G, 9 A) in 11 games for the Predators. The 31-year-old playmaker can play center and wing though with the Sharks’ influx of wingers this offseason, Granlund may be needed more in the middle of the ice. His shot generation, which was never his strong suit in the first place, has collapsed to less than 1.50 shots per game in the past three seasons and that really needs to change if he is going to have a positive impact. The move to San Jose will give Granlund a chance at a fresh start, albeit with a team that is likely to be fighting an uphill battle most nights. A 45-point season should still be well within his grasp, with the expectation that he can earn quality ice time on a team that lacks proven forwards.

Alexander Barabanov

The 29-year-old winger has played just three NHL seasons, and barely saw the ice when he played with Toronto in his first season, but Barabanov did record a career high 47 points (15 G, 32 A) in 68 games last season. He may have been the beneficiary of San Jose’s limited depth on the wings, as he ended up playing more than 18 minutes per game, but Barbaranov does not generate a lot of shots and his lofty percentages suggest that he does not have a lot of room to expect an increase in his production. He finished last season strong, tallying 19 points (9 G, 10 A) in his last 23 games, but that production came on just 38 shots on goal, which is not enough to expect those numbers to be sustainable. He should be able to go for 40 points again this season, but if newcomers eat into his ice time, his point totals could dip, too.

Kevin Labanc

Coming off an injury-shortened 2021-2022 season, Labanc contributed 33 points (15 G, 18 A) but he found himself on the doghouse, too, despite providing solid defensive play. From January 11 through March 11, a span of 16 games Labanc had one assist and averaged just 11:04 of ice time per game. His ice time and production picked up after that but with the Sharks acquiring a lot of new wingers in the offseason, Labanc is going to be facing a challenge for ice time in 2023-2024, which seems weird for the returning player who led Sharks regulars in Corsi percentage and expected goals percentage last season. At his best, Labanc is a strong passer with a heavy shot, one that he should try to utilize more frequently. Labanc accrued 56 points during the 2018-2019 campaign, but it feels like he is a long way from that now. A more reasonable expectation for this season is in the 35-point range but there is probably more upside for Labanc if he gets traded to a team that could use his skill in their top six.

Filip Zadina

The Red Wings had enough after Zadina managed just seven points (3 G, 4 A) in 30 games, but that frustration had been building for quite some time. He compiled 68 points in 190 games with the Red Wings, scoring 12 of his 28 goals on the power play, so the sixth pick in the 2018 Draft was given chances to produce and the numbers just weren’t there. Can he resurrect his career in San Jose? For Zadina, it’s worth a try and for the Sharks, they might as well buy low on him and see if he can recapture any of the form that made him such a highly touted prospect. Zadina’s most productive season in Detroit saw him produce a modest 24 points (10 G, 14 A) in 74 games in 2021-2022 and exceeding that might be the most reasonable target for his first season in San Jose. There is a world in which he secures a regular spot on a scoring line and possibly doubles that point total, but there is also a world in which the influx of wingers to San Jose leaves Zadina on the lineup bubble and then the point total could collapse.

Fabian Zetterlund

Acquired from the Devils as part of the Timo Meier trade, Zetterlund had a miserable start to his San Jose career, managing zero goals and three assists in 22 games for the Sharks, but doesn’t tell the whole story. Zetterlund had an expected goals percentage of 37.8% and San Jose was outscored 16-7 during 5-on-5 play with Zetterlund on the ice. At the start of the season, Zetterlund had an instant impact for New Jersey, scoring 13 points (5 G, 8 A) in his first 20 games for the Devils, but he could not keep that pace, following it up with zero goals and five assists in his next 20 games. Zetterlund is a sturdy winger who can battle down low to create scoring chances, but it remains to be seen if he has the ability to score enough to stay in the top half of the lineup. With so many players competing for spots on the wing in San Jose, Zetterlund has a wide range of outcomes, which could mean playing in the top six, or falling out of the lineup entirely. Given the uncertainty, expecting 25-30 points seems about right.

Nico Sturm

A reliable checking center, Sturm landed a bigger role in San Jose last season, playing a career high 14:44 per game and finishing the season with career highs of 14 goals and 26 points. Sturm has good size and won 55.8% of his faceoffs last season, so there is a role for him to fill. That role may not be appreciated as much on a team that is likely to be in a lottery position at season’s end. Even if he tends to play in more of a defensive role, Sturm is not shy about crashing the net to score greasy goals. He scored five goals during an eight-game stretch in October, which may have set unrealistic expectations, because he could obviously not continue that pace. With a secure spot in the Sharks lineup, Sturm could be expected to produce 25 to 30 points from his primarily defensive role.

Defense

Mario Ferraro

While he has never produced more than 17 points in an NHL season, Ferraro has played more than 21 minutes per game for each of the past three seasons and has put up more than 120 hits and 120 blocked shots in each of the past two. He is a strong skater whose defensive impact has declined, so he could use a rebound season to get back on track. While Ferraro’s peripheral stats are strong, he could be in the mix for more of an offensive role, mostly because someone has to take on the minutes that used to belong to Erik Karlsson. Although Ferraro’s career high is 17 points, he has been sharing a blueline with the likes of Karlsson and Brent Burns, both of whom are no longer in San Jose. Without any proven options ready to step into a bigger role on the Sharks blueline, Ferraro could take advantage of the opportunity and might have a chance to produce 25 to 30 points. It says something about the state of the Sharks defense that the blueliner who might have the greatest impact had a 24-game stretch last season during which he recorded a single assist.

Matt Benning

The 29-year-old blueliner played a career high 19:40 per game for the Sharks last season, finishing with a career best 24 points (1 G, 23 A). While those are not eye-popping numbers by any means, Benning is a proven commodity on the Sharks blueline and that will give him a chance to play a significant role in 2023-2024. Benning plays a heady game, thriving on smooth skating and good decision making with the puck, but has not been given a big role in his NHL career. Looking at the competition for playing time in San Jose, Benning is as good a bet as any to handle a more significant role. During a 10-game stretch in November and December last season, when he was playing nearly 21 minutes per game, Benning accumulated nine assists, so that small sample does suggest there could be some offensive potential if he gets consistent minutes. While that might be the case, expecting anything more than 25 points could be considered optimistic.

Kyle Burroughs

A 28-year-old who has played a total of 95 games, Burroughs showed enough potential in Vancouver last season to land a three-year contract with San Jose. He is not big, but plays an aggressive game, putting up 165 hits in 48 games for the Canucks. He is also not afraid to drop the gloves, when necessary. On San Jose’s rebuilding blueline, there will be a chance for Burroughs to earn a bigger role than he has ever had before in the NHL. He was effective enough in his limited role with Vancouver and if he continues to play with that edge to his game, that could give him him the inside track to a top-four role with the Sharks. Although Burroughs has just 11 points in 95 career games, he is poised to get what is, for him, an unprecedented opportunity on San Jose’s rebuilding blueline. It might not result in even 20 points, but Burroughs could also deliver 250 hits and 125 blocked shots over the course of a full season.

Goaltending

Mackenzie Blackwood

The San Jose Sharks just haven’t been able to figure out what to do in net lately. The Pacific Division team doggedly refused to move on from a floundering Martin Jones for almost too long, then went through a quick succession of short-term band-aids in James Reimer, Adin Hill, and Kaapo Kahkonen before trading for MacKenzie Blackwood this off-season. The hope, almost certainly, is that Blackwood will be able to reset his game and his mindset after struggling to produce in New Jersey amidst a rash of injuries.

There’s a potential for success there. Blackwood was far from what a playoff-bound New Jersey needed last year – he struggled with even more injuries, and prospect Akira Schmid proved he was more than ready to take over as an NHL regular to tandem with Vitek Vanecek. But his game style, which utilizes his bigger frame to take up space in the net and doesn’t require a lot of aggressive challenging or puck-handling, could be a better fit for San Jose than either Adin Hill or Kaapo Kahkonen’s more movement-reliant game play styles. And since Hill didn’t shine for San Jose (and Kahkonen will be back this season but didn’t do much to inspire confidence last year) it’s worth considering that moving in the other direction stylistically could work out in the team’s favor. Add in the fact that Blackwood performed much closer to his expected output last year than Kahkonen – he was near the middle of the pack across the league in terms of expected goals numbers, while Kahkonen was nearly at the bottom of the league altogether – and there’s reason to hope that this change in scenery will be exactly what Blackwood needs. Now, he just needs to prove he can stay healthy.

Projected starts: 40-45