Tristen Robins – McKeen's Hockey

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #24 OTTAWA SENATORS – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Wed, 21 May 2025 21:26:35 +0000

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

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Ottawa 25 Prospects

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

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 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #12 San Jose Sharks

Josh Bell — Sun, 21 May 2023 12:59:01 +0000

It has been a year since Doug Wilson turned over the GM reigns after missing the playoffs for three straight years, following an impressive 19 years of sustained success. He was ultimately replaced by Mike Grier in July following the draft. This year will be Grier’s first opportunity to put his imprint on the organization. His first big move was the trading of Timo Meier for a package of prospects including the fourth ranked on the Sharks, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and 23-year-old Fabian Zetterlund, who graduated this year, plus a first, second and seventh round pick along with other pieces. They surprisingly did not move Erik Karlsson at the deadline but will have more opportunity this summer to add to their stockpile of draft picks and prospects. Kevin Labanc has been in the rumour mill as well. Tomas Hertl has a no movement clause so will be in control of his destiny.

The current group of prospects moves up to 12^th overall from 24^th, led by William Eklund, who is NHL ready, but San Jose wisely let him get another year of development in. The first overall pick last season (27^th overall) in Filip Bystedt had an outstanding season with a jump in his offensive play and an excellent World Junior tournament for Sweden. Mukhamadullin was brought over to North America soon after being acquired. In addition to New Jersey’s pick, they also have the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft and should be able to add a foundational piece in a deep draft. It is the beginning of a new era for a perennially successful franchise. Wins may be hard to come by next year, but on a path forward.

SAN JOSE, CA - OCTOBER 09: San Jose Sharks left wing William Eklund (72) carries the puck during the San Jose Sharks game versus the Vegas Golden Knights on October 9, 2021, at SAP Center at San Jose in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Matt Cohen/Icon Sportswire)

William Eklund

Nobody would have been surprised if the rebuilding Sharks let their best prospect play in the NHL all season, especially considering he spent the majority of the past three playing professionally in Sweden. But give them credit for doing the right thing with Eklund's development and letting him cook mostly in the AHL instead. That extra marinating was the right call, as he started his full-time transition to North America a little slowly before finding another level after the midway point. His game is built around controlling possession, as he is a tenacious forechecker when trying to get the puck, and when he does have it, he blends high-end skating ability, high-end hands and a killer instinct to open up offensive opportunities. He leans more as a playmaker than a shooter, but he can punish defender if they give him too much time and space. Eklund will be a full-time NHLer next season for sure and should be a contender for the Calder Trophy.

2. Thomas Bordeleau

There are few prospects in the sport right now who have better offensive vision than Bordeleau. He is such a crafty, creative player in the offensive zone, and is also a premier stick-handler and playmaker. He will make defenders pay dearly if they give him too much time and space, which makes him an obvious choice to use a lot with the man advantage. He does rely on his cerebral advantages a little too often, though. He will let his pace lag, he doesn't battle hard for interior ice, and he sometimes looks flat-out disinterested in defending. But then the puck will find its way to him, and he will turn it into a scoring chance nobody else saw, so you can never be too down on him. Bordeleau could become a very special player with the right tweaks to his approach.

3. Filip Bystedt

One of the most publicly underrated prospects from the 2022 draft class, the Sharks knew exactly what they were doing when they picked Bystedt 27th overall. The blend of size, powerful and fluid skating ability, and full-speed puck magic was highly desirable, even though it hadn't yet led to much scoring in the SHL. Fast forward one year and he is already rewarding them for their trust and investment, with a huge uptick in points for Linkopings HC and an excellent showing at the World Juniors on behalf of Sweden. Even more impressive, he produced a lot for his club team despite averaging just 12:49 per game, which ranked just 10th among their forwards. Bystedt is trending sharply in the right direction, and it's thrilling to think of just how good he could be once he reaches his prime playing years and has mastered all of his tools.

4. Shakir Mukhamadullin

The scouting appeal with Mukhamadullin has always been around his stellar physical tools and athleticism, but there was no denying that a lot of refinement had to be made with his awareness and decision-making. Now 21 years old and with more than 150 KHL games under his belt, it's fair to say that a lot of progress has been made. With his immense reach and clean 360-degree mobility he can be a suffocating defensive presence. He still gets caught out of position at times, but his ability to recover back into place is effortless. Has a heavy shot from the point and puts a ton of zip into his passes. Not a guy you want handling the puck too much, but the right partner can solve that issue. Mukhamadullin was a part of the Timo Meier return and the Sharks got him to America right afterwards, so they must be excited about his long-term upside.

5. Henry Thrun

Thrun was originally drafted by Anaheim, and the Ducks must have been incredibly disappointed when he informed them that he didn't want to sign there. They did acquire a 3rd-rounder from the Sharks for his rights, which will be a higher pick than the 4th-rounder they had originally used, but good luck drafting a prospect equally as good. The Massachusetts native moved from one coast to the other and immediately started working, scoring two points in his NHL debut and then sticking around for the remainder of the regular season. His hockey sense is outstanding, being Harvard's captain exemplified his astute leadership abilities, and there are no discernible weaknesses anywhere in his game. Its rare to find defensemen this age who are already so polished. Thrun has a long career ahead of him and should be a foundational piece of San Jose's long-term rebuild.

6. Tristen Robins

Robins isn't the biggest, fastest, or most naturally athletic of players, but he overcomes those limitations with sharp hockey sense and an exceptional mental edge. It's impossible to not root for him because he plays with such poise, confidence and fearlessness, and he has a magical knack for making big plays at big times. He is always around the puck because he anticipates the play so well and knows how to find open ice. There might not be another prospect in the sport who is more unassumingly lethal as a goal-scorer, but WHL goalies eventually learned that the hard way, and AHL ones have started as well. It's unlikely that Robins will ever be a first line forward in the NHL like he was in Saskatoon, but he'll be a guy that coaches make sure to keep in their lineups.

7. Artemi Knyazev

Kniazev hasn't really changed a whole lot since his draft year, which can be both a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. He is a true play-driving defenseman who operates at a high pace and wants to be a possession conduit for his team. He jumps at every opportunity to join the rush and is always ready to follow it all the way up to prime scoring territory. There is an aggressive confidence to him, which is a mentality that can be very efficacious. Problems arise, though, when he plays with that kind of fire a little too frequently. It would also be nice to see him expand his game to additional dimensions. However, even if Kniazev remains a fairly one-dimensional, pigeonholed kind of player he could be a true specialist as a play driver as he continues to master his craft.

8. Cameron Lund

Lund is another one of those prospects who just can't properly be analyzed by solely looking at his stats or the win-loss records of the teams he has played on. Does he have the individual skills and profile that could lead to increased production down the road? Absolutely. He protects pucks well down low, is a handful to box out of the crease, and brings power and accuracy to both his shots and passes. However, even if gaudy point production never becomes a go-to part of his game there's a very comfortable floor as a bottom six center that he could settle into. He wins 50-50 battles with his strength and grit, and already displays the conditioning and resilience to be someone who can survive the grind of long seasons playing that way. If Lunds spends a full four years in college, he could be a dramatically different player by the time he enters the pro ranks.

9. Ozzy Wiesblatt

The three seasons since getting picked in the 1st round by the Sharks have not gone kindly for Wiesblatt. Not only has he been stuck on bad teams with both the WHL's Raiders and the AHL's Barracuda, but he’s also had to battle through injury troubles and the accompanying rust. However, anyone who is very familiar with him knows that it would be beyond foolish to write him off just yet. He is a tenacious forward who loves to stomp his foot on the gas pedal and attack enemies head-on with his speed and stick tricks. It's a risky approach that gets him into trouble at times right now, but once he crosses a certain point with his physical development, the impact he leaves could be very different. Slowing things down more often and leaning further into his playmaking acumen wouldn't hurt, either.

10. Sasha Chmelevski

Chmelevski transferred his talents from his sunny home state of California to the cold expanse of Russia for the 2022-23 season, and he must have found the change beneficial because he agreed to stay there for at least another year. A forward who has always leaned heavily on his goal scoring to get by, he did light the lamp a team-leading 26 times for Ufa in the KHL, which was double his total output from the year prior and a good sign for him overall. San Jose still holds Chmelevski's NHL rights, so it will be very interesting to see what happens when — or if — he decides to play hockey stateside again, because there will be roster spots ripe for the taking on a young Sharks team that will likely be in major need of scoring support.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – SAN JOSE SHARKS – Top 20 Prospects

Contributors – Brock Otten, Ethan Hetu, Dylan Krill, Zack Szweras, — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 21:04:46 +0000

1 - William Eklund LW

Eklund was selected with the 7^th overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft by the San Jose Sharks. He got a taste of the NHL last season playing in nine games with the Sharks at the start of the season. Eklund looked comfortable in the best league in the world, producing four points. After that short stint, the Sharks decided it was best for the organization to loan him back to Djurgårdens in the SHL to allow for his entry level contract to slide. Eklund exploded on the scene as a draft eligible with his ridiculous start to the 2020-21 season where he was dominating play in the SHL as an 18-year-old. As the season went on, Eklund had a battle with COVID and could not get back to the same form as at the start of the season. He finished that year with 23 points in 40 games on route to being selected by the Sharks. In his return to the SHL this year, he played top minutes for a poor Djurgårdens team that was relegated to Sweden’s second league Allsvenskan. Eklund produced one goal and 14 points in 29 games for Djurgårdens last season. His game is a combination of puck skills and speed. He has a unique ability to weave through the ice, navigating through the opposition. He is capable of contributing in all three zones, often being relied on in the defensive end to make a play to transition the puck. Eklund has a good set of hands which he uses to win battles in tight. On top of that, he also has a powerful shot which can be a threat from in tight and mid-range. While there are some conversations about Eklund staying down the middle in the NHL, his game is better suited for the wing, which allows him to burst up the boards and deke into the middle of the ice. No matter what position he plays, Eklund is expected to have a role with the Sharks to start next season. - ZS

2 - Thomas Bordeleau C

Thomas Bordeleau was a second-round pick at the 2020 NHL draft, but he’d likely find his way into the first-round if the draft were re-done today. After his time at the U.S. National Team Development Program, Bordeleau went to the University of Michigan, where he authored a brilliant freshman season, leading a stacked Wolverines team in scoring with 30 points in just 24 games. Bordeleau’s next season was similarly good, and he made strides in his overall game, earning him a selection to the USA’s Winter Olympic team. With a brilliant World Junior Championships under his belt and a solid eight-game run at the NHL level, Bordeleau looks poised to face the tests of his NHL rookie season. Bordeleau is an undersized center, but that doesn’t stop him from being an effective driver of play. He approaches his role as a scoring-line center like a basketball point guard, always looking to be the focal point of play, the premier passer, and the place where his line’s offensive chances are first generated. He’s got exceptional hands and his overall offensive toolbox is where it needs to be for a player with his style. Bordeleau’s skating is what allows him to create time and space with the puck as well, and his skill level regularly solves the problems he faces on the ice. But the flip side of that reality is that some would knock Bordeleau for too often relying on his skill to solve problems, and if he struggles to score at the NHL level it’ll likely be because he hasn’t been able to adjust his more perimeter-oriented style he played in college to the NHL level, where effective scorers need to utilize the middle of the ice. Additionally, it’s fair to wonder if he can stick at center and weather all the pressures placed on NHL pivots. But even with those two drawbacks taken into account, Bordeleau is a promising prospect who offers skill that’s difficult to find. He could be an effective top-six player if he learns to how to effectively translate his talent to the NHL game. - EH

3 - Mattias Havelid D

Havelid was selected 45^th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2022 NHL draft. He was the second Swedish player selected by the Sharks in this draft, following Linköping teammate and best friend Filip Bystedt. Havelid is an offensively skilled, undersized defenceman, who makes up for his lack of size with strong gap control and body balance even when pressured physically. Offensively, he has a wicked wrist shot which he loves to shoot from the point. To complement his shot, he is also an effective passer, he is calm under pressure and surveys the ice for open teammates before crisply sending the puck their way. His decision making is another area that stands out, as he rarely gets flustered and usually makes the right decision. Havelid had a strong season in the J20 league for Linköping scoring 10 goals and 19 points in 29 games. He also contributed 10 points in 8 playoff games. He also made an impact internationally, as Sweden’s assistant captain during the April U18 tournament, where he dominated the tournament with 12 points in six games, helping lead Sweden to a gold medal over the powerhouse US. Havelid’s 12 points not only led all defenceman in the tournament, but he was second overall in points behind only teammate Jonathan Lekkerimaki. If Havelid continues to play with confidence and adds more strength to his frame, he could be poised for a long NHL career. He is expected to begin next season with Linköping hopefully in a top-six role in the SHL. - ZS

4 - Benjamin Gaudreau G

Don’t let the average stats fool you, Gaudreau is one of the best goaltenders in the Ontario Hockey League. The reality is that since entering the OHL, the defense in front of him with the Sarnia Sting has been inexperienced and porous. That leads to Gaudreau being left hung out to dry on a lot of odd man rushes and high danger scoring chances against. Yet he consistently finds a way to keep the Sting in games. His technical abilities are very sound. He tracks the play extremely well and always seems to be in the correct position. Additionally, his movements in the crease are refined, allowing him to remain square. His athletic abilities, composure, and rebound control are all above average as well. This coming season should be a breakout one for Gaudreau to establish himself as one of the best goaltending prospects outside of the pro level. The Sting should be a top team in the OHL’s Western Conference and Gaudreau is the leading candidate to be the starting netminder for Canada at the 2023 World Junior Championships. He should also be a leading candidate for the Jim Rutherford trophy, awarded to the OHL’s top netminder. - BO

5 - Tristen Robins RW

In a somewhat surprising move, the Sharks sent Robins back to the WHL for his overage year this past season. Many expected the talented pivot to start the year in the AHL, but San Jose felt it would be best for his development to play another year with Saskatoon. Truthfully, from a production standpoint, his year was only mediocre. More was probably expected of him. Does that change his future outlook? Probably not, but it would have been great to have seen Robins dominate the way that he is capable of. Robins’ game is very well rounded. He is at his best when he can attack the offensive zone with speed, catching defenders flat footed. However, he is also tenacious and will fight through checks to make plays. Equal parts playmaker and shooter, his offensive zone awareness is also a standout quality. Moving to the pro level finally this year, it will be interesting to see how Robins performs. A potential middle six forward for San Jose in the future, he should have little trouble adjusting at the AHL level. However, his only average overage season this past year has cast a tiny bit of doubt about whether he can transcend above a depth piece. - BO

6 - Ozzy Wiesblatt RW

It was a tough year for Wiesblatt on a lot of fronts. For one, the former first round selection struggled with injuries and ended up being shut down for the year with a shoulder injury. For two, he scored only ten goals and was kept under the point per game mark for the first time since his U17 season. Now, granted, Prince Albert was a lower scoring team and that needs to be taken into consideration. However, expectations were no doubt higher for Wiesblatt in his final WHL season. A tenacious, high-energy attacker, Wiesblatt never stops moving his feet and is constantly engaged in the play. He can use his speed to apply pressure, but is also physical and fearless, finding a way to win many of the battles he engages in. At the very least, Wiesblatt does look like someone who could play a bottom six role for the Sharks and excel on the penalty kill. Whether he plays higher in the lineup depends on the further development of his offensive skill set, in particular his finishing ability and ability to make skilled plays with the puck at full speed. Assuming his shoulder is fully healed, Wiesblatt will start the year in the AHL with the Barracuda. The true nature of his upside likely won’t be determined for a few years at that level. - BO

7 - Filip Bystedt C

Bystedt was recently selected 27^th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2022 NHL draft. He is a big-bodied centre who uses a combination of size and speed to advance play. Standing at 6’4”, 205 Ibs, he uses his large frame to protect the puck when attacking. On top of puck protection, he generates power through his skating stride. Bystedt often has long, powerful strides and a quick first step allowing him to generate speed efficiently. Offensively, he is a good playmaker, often protecting the puck, waiting for a passing lane to open up before crisply sending the puck to his linemates. On top of his playmaking ability, Bystedt also has a quick release on his shot, making it an additional threat. This past season, he excelled in the J20 league for Linköping contributing 33 assists and 49 points in 40 games. He also saw action in the SHL in a limited role finishing with 2 points in 15 games. At the U18 tournament in April, he had more of a quiet performance for Sweden’s gold medal run with only 3 points in 6 games. Bystedt has looked different at each level he performed at last season. Next season, he should look to further establish his identity and play to his strengths of speed, puck protection, and playmaking. Bystedt is expected to split time between the J20 and SHL with Linköping. - ZS

8 - Cameron Lund RW

As one of the top picks in the second round of the 2022 draft, Cameron Lund might disappoint those who simply look at his box score numbers. Lund’s 50 points in 62 games is hardly the dominating production one would expect from a top-of-the-line USHL prospect. But like with most players, looking at just Lund’s box score statistics doesn’t tell the full story of what kind of player he is. Lund was one of the faster-rising prospects of last year’s draft cycle, improving with each and every passing USHL game. By the end of the year, Lund looked exponentially more sure of himself and confident in his abilities on both ends of the ice. A six-foot-two center, Lund uses his size to protect the puck and create space for himself and his teammates in order to generate offensive chances. Since Lund isn’t a great skater and doesn’t have the sort of straight-line speed or edgework to create space with his feet, whether Lund’s strength and poise with the puck will continue to allow him to be a strong puck protector at the next level will go a long way to determining just how high his offensive upside is. If Lund can actually make some adjustments to how he skates and find a new gear to his game, then at that point a whole new level of NHL upside would be possible. But at this moment, Lund’s skating looks like it could hold him back. There’s still enough in his game to give confidence that he can make the NHL despite his less-than-ideal feet, and he already has enough pro-style qualities in his game to make one think that he’ll find a way to carve out a role in the NHL if he can’t quite cut it as a scorer. - EH

9 - Artemi Knyazev D

Knyazev is a former standout in the QMJHL who is coming off his first pro season in the AHL. On a struggling San Jose Barracuda team, he certainly got his minutes and that was great for his development. However, it also proved that he still has a long way to go before becoming an NHL defender. Knyazev is intriguing because of his athletic tools on the blueline. He is a terrific mover who is both fluid and explosive. This allows him to play a higher risk game as an offensive player because he has the speed to recover his positioning. He also likes to play a physical game and is aggressive in seeking out big hits. However, his decision making at both ends and his overall defensive awareness are a big work in progress. He has a tendency to chase the play and his risky rushes were not always well timed as a pro. A longer-term project, Knyazev has the potential to be an NHL defender. He is skilled and he has the mobility to be an asset in today’s game. It will be up to San Jose’s coaching staff and development team to refine his approach and bring out the best in his skill set. He will return to the Barracuda this year and should continue to see a ton of ice time in a variety of different situations. - BO

10 - Brandon Coe RW

The 98th overall selection in the 2020 NHL Draft, Brandon Coe had a breakout season with the Battalion and looks like great mid-round pick for Sharks. The former 3rd overall selection in the 2017 OHL Draft adapted well in his rookie season and finished with 23 points (10G,13A) in 63 games. In the 2018-2019 season, Coe finished with 37 points (17G,20A) in 65 games. During the 2019-2020 season, Coe took a step forward and finished with 57 points (25G,32A) in 60 games, which was 2nd on the team in points. In the 2020-2021 season, Coe got the opportunity like some others to play in the AHL, which was an exception made because of the OHL being shutdown. He was able to adapt well with his size and finished with five points (1G,4A) in 17 games. During the 2021-2022 season, Coe made the return to the OHL and had a breakout season, finishing with 101 points (34G,67A) in 62 games, which was 5th in the league for points, 4th in the league for assists and 1st on the team in both assists and points. Coe’s best assets are his hockey sense and physicality. He understands how to utilize his size while driving play, being able to protect the puck very effectively and contain possession for his team. He fights his way into space easily and shows no difficulty controlling the puck in traffic, making offensive zone entries consistently. He’s also very strong defensively, actively using his stick and body to breakup plays. Coe plays with a bite and knows how to use his physicality to wear down opponents and win puck battles consistently. Going into the 2022-2023 season, Coe will make his return to the AHL and look to bring his confidence from last year with him. - DK

11 - Danil Gushchin

The highly skilled winger is not given enough credit for his competitiveness off the puck, an area of his game that has improved since being drafted. How his game translates to the AHL level remains to be seen, but his upside is undeniable.

12 - Nick Cicek

After a strong season in the AHL with San Jose, the Sharks signed the former Portland Winterhawk (WHL) captain to an ELC. The big defender projects as a strong and physical two-way presence and has emerged as one of the top defensive prospects in the system.

13 - Eetu Makiniemi

Acquired in the recent Brent Burns to Carolina deal, Makiniemi enters a San Jose system loaded with goaltending depth, but lacking in a true future heir apparent in net. He was great in limited games last season with Charlotte and should play more this year.

14 - Michael Fisher

Drafted out of the Massachustettes prep scene, Fisher is a highly athletic defender who oozes potential at both ends. He likely plays in the USHL this season before heading to Northeastern.

15 - Gannon Laroque

One of the breakout stars of the WHL last season, the 6’2, right shot defender emerged as a confident puck mover to go with his staunch defensive player. He has already been named Victoria’s captain for this season and should be one of the WHL’s best defenders.

16 - Strauss Mann

Mann’s development path has not been traditional thus far. After starring for the University of Michigan, he bet on himself by going to the SHL after graduation. He turned a strong performance with Skellefteå into an ELC.

17 - Sasha Chmelevski

The Sharks will retain the rights to the former OHL star after he decided to sign in the KHL this season. It is odd timing considering that he had a great chance to crack San Jose full time this year.

18 - Santeri Hatakka

The Finnish defender showed some positive things in his first pro NA season last year with the Barracuda. The strong skating, defense first rearguard looks like a potential #4-6 defender for San Jose in the future.

19 - Mason Beaupit

The key to Beaupit’s development will be his ability to harness his athleticism to play a more technically refined game in the crease. The Spokane Chiefs (WHL) netminder has intriguing tools and could be a diamond in the rough among the team’s many goaltending prospects.

20 - Magnus Chrona

The 6’6 netminder won a National championship with Denver this past season. Acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning a year ago, he will return for his senior season and may prove to be a difficult sign for the Sharks.

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: SAN JOSE SHARKS – RANK: #16 – TIER III

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 11:42:58 +0000

San Jose Sharks

#16 San Jose - The Sharks have been prevented from undergoing a full rebuild due to multiple bad contracts at the NHL level, but they have drafted heavily for upside lately, especially at forward, and now a path back to NHL relevence is in sight.

Sweden's William Eklund during the ice hockey match in the training match between Sweden and Denmark on April 28, 2021 in Malmö.
Photo: Mathilda Ahlberg / BILDBYRÅN

William Eklund

While it was a very successful draft season for the 5’10 forward out of the storied Djurgårdens program, it was far from an easy one. Yes, he led the SHL in U20 scoring by a forward (ahead of the likes of Lucas Raymond and Alexander Holtz) and was the league’s rookie of the year. However, bad luck seemed to follow him like a cloud hanging over him. First, he contracted Covid in December, eliminating him from contention for the Swedish World Junior team. Then he had to have his appendix removed in January after falling ill. Finally, he got injured at the Swedish training camp for the World Championships in May and was not able to participate at that event either.

Eklund’s skating might just be his strongest asset. His mother was a figure skater, and it shows in Eklund’s skating that he has taken advantage of that growing up. His edges are exceptional, and it gives him the opportunity to turn fast (faster than his opponent) and those turns give him the little extra space that he needs to create chances for himself or his teammates. William Eklund is also elusive because of how quick his hands are. As a slightly smaller forward, the Sharks may need to be patient with him as he spends a year or two more in Sweden to further gain strength. Even as one of the older players in the draft, he is still somewhat physically immature. He can get pushed off the puck a little too easily and he needs to become stronger to really make an impact in the NHL. As he gets stronger and builds confidence in his physical abilities, Eklund does have the chance to be a physically intense competitor who is difficult to separate from the puck. He may be the highest future point producer of anyone that was available in 2021. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Thomas Bordeleau

Even surrounded by talents like 2021 top five picks Owen Power, Matthew Beniers, and Kent Johnson, as well as 2020 first rounder Brendan Brisson, Bordeleau stood out as an offensive producer without parallel. His 22 assists were seventh in all of the NCAA ranks, and he wasn’t just teeing them up for a solitary big shot sniper either, as no one among his teammates scored more than 10 times.

A smaller forward, Bordeleau plays a gutsy game, working to get into the hard areas of the ice to create a play, and succeeded more than most. Although he lacks elite speed, he has quick feet, and even quicker hands. He reads opponents very well, and rapidly picks up on their errors, forcing turnovers. His quick hands also work to make him an asset on the faceoff dot. The next step in his progression is to reintroduce his wicked wrist shot as a primary weapon again, as that was his primary selling feature during his time with the USNTDP. Considering how well he managed to perform without the sniper’s approach, the frequency of his setups for linemates, and even his proving that he didn’t need to be protected and could even be a regular penalty killer, the avenues to Bordeleau’s success at the NHL level are multiple. He could turn pro after this coming season, and possibly reach the NHL by 2023-24, with a likely top six outcome. - RW

Ozzy Wiesblatt

After being drafted with the final first-round pick in 2020 by the Sharks, Wiesblatt got a chance to play six AHL games with the Barracuda with the pandemic curtailing major junior hockey in Canada. After the new year, he was returned to the WHL’s Raiders, where he posted 28 points in 21 games to cap a successful campaign.

A feisty, aggressive skater with an explosive first step, Wiesblatt fights through traffic and keeps his feet moving at a frenetic pace, utilizing his low center of gravity. He excels in tight spaces and is a tenacious forechecker without the puck, creating turnovers and opportunities on the penalty kill. He possesses quick hands but perhaps lacks the offensive upside that top-line players usually have. Although he’s a fairly disciplined player, Wiesblatt may need to play more of an agitator role in order to have success at the NHL level. His release is good but lacks velocity, and he will need to continue to add strength to compensate for his lack of size. With another two seasons of junior eligibility remaining, Wiesblatt will almost certainly return to the WHL for 2021-22, where he will likely be one of the top players in the league, and perhaps an invite to the World Junior Championships in December is in the cards as well. - AS

Ryan Merkley

A dynamic offensive defenseman, Merkley started his pro journey last season after four years in the Ontario Hockey League. Given his high-risk style of play, the San Jose Sharks will have to be patient with Merkley as he learns to mitigate risk at the pro level, just as he had to do at the junior level. That was extremely evident with the Barracuda of the AHL in his rookie year. His skating ability and high skill level allows him to keep pace at the pro level...with ease. However, his decision making at both ends still leaves something to be desired.

An electric skater, especially due to his confidence on his edges and his ability to navigate traffic, Merkley can be a real asset in transition. Additionally, his ability to open up lanes on the powerplay with his footwork can give his offensive unit a major advantage. Over the course of his OHL career, his defensive commitment and ability improved, however, to be an NHL player, it will need to improve further. The offensive production this past year for the Barracuda may not be at the level some expected, but it is important to note that Merkley did not get first unit powerplay time, the situation where he would have likely been most effective. Look for him to improve his offensive numbers this year in the AHL with greater responsibility. He still projects as a potential offensively oriented top four defender and powerplay QB, however, he may yet be a few years away from making an impact. - BO

Jonathan Dahlen

Dahlén has absolutely ripped apart the HockeyAllsvenskan over the last two years; he scored an unbelievable total of 148 points in just 96 games. He led the league in points last year with a nine-point lead over the second most productive player (Jens Lööke), who, on the other hand, played seven more games. Dahlén had no reason to stay in the Swedish second tier league; he should be ready for an NHL challenge. Even though he helped his team to promote to the top Swedish league, he´ll fight for a regular spot in the National Hockey League with San Jose.

A Sharks prospect, who was drafted by the Senators in the second round in 2016, signed a one-way contract with the team. He is a dynamic, offensively skilled winger, who would be best in the top-six. The jump from the Swedish second tier to the best league in the world is not easy, but Dahlén´s ridiculous numbers have proven he is capable of playing in a much better league than he did in the last two years. He is speedy and agile and has all the offensive tools in his skillset – he´s a great puck handler, passer and shooter, but he rather relies on his playmaking skills. On the other hand, he lacks grit and there were some consistency issues during his previous North American seasons, but he should be more NHL ready this time. If everything goes right for Dahlén, he is able to be a 0.5 point per game player even next season. - MD

Ben Gaudreau

With a strong performance at the World Under 18 Hockey Championships in Texas, Gaudreau put himself in the conversation with the likes of Jesper Wallstedt and Sebastian Cossa as one of the top goaltenders available. The starter for the gold medal winning Canadians at the event, he was named the tournament’s top goaltender, an award won by the likes of Yaroslav Askarov, Ilya Samsonov, Juuse Saros, and John Gibson in the last decade. An incredibly meticulous and detailed oriented netminder, Gaudreau combines good size (6-2”) with an elite ability to process the action around him.

Ultimately, Gaudreau’s ability to read the play is a major strength. He just seems to be one step ahead of the play unfolding around him, allowing him to consistently be in the correct position. His play tracking ability is among the best of any goaltender to come through the OHL in recent years. Additionally, his movement is so refined. Rarely do you see him over-extend on his pushes, taking him out of the play or putting him out of position. Where Gaudreau sometimes gets himself in trouble is that holes can open up while moving and he can be susceptible to some “softer” goals to the five-hole area and close to the body as he pushes laterally. Like any young goaltender, he will also need to continue to improve his control of his lower body and pads, directing shots away from the slot with more consistency. All that said, Gaudreau definitely has the makeup, athleticism, and temperament to be a top flight NHL goaltender in time. He will return to the OHL this season with Sarnia and look to establish himself as one of the league’s best. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Danil Gushchin

The third member of the relatively new Russian pipeline of talent that flows through Muskegon, Gushchin followed previous transplants Andrei Svechnikov (Car) and Yegor Afanasyev (Nsh) to the shores of Lake Michigan and made it into a home. After three seasons with the Lumberjacks, he departs as the club’s all-time leader in points, and with an NHL contract in hand. Lacking the size of the aforementioned trail setters, Gushchin more than made up for it with superb energy, and continuously growing skill with the puck. Highlight reel plays were par for the course all year long, as he grew more and more confident with the puck, and more and more able to make defenders look silly.

His straight-ahead speed is solid, but he shines playing an East-West game, forcing opponents to move laterally, and creating holes in otherwise airtight defenses. He packs a very heavy shot into his small frame, and plays relatively fearless, even though his lack of size makes him an inviting target and he isn’t shy about putting himself in harm’s way. There is risk in a player like this, particularly in that he might flounder if put in a bottom six role, teamed up with linemates lacking in the ability to play with high-end skills. And while he was a dangerous penalty killer with Muskegon, that risk will remain until he proves otherwise. Thankfully, his abilities wouldn’t look out of place in a top six role in the NHL. Where he plays this season remains to be seen, as he could go to the OHL with Niagara, as previously planned, or play in the AHL as a 19-year-old. - RW

Tristen Robins

Tristen Robins has a motor that is working all the time. What makes him a promising hockey player is that his mind and body work at the same high speed. He is a 200-f00t player that makes quick decisive plays at both ends of the rink. He is capable of driving a line because of strong transition skills and passing ability. When in the offensive zone, he is comfortable with the puck on his stick and capable of picking corners with his shot or picking apart defenses with his passing. He plays the puck into space incredibly well and leads his guys into scoring opportunities. He makes quick passes and is always moving which makes him so difficult to defend. He is not scared of traffic and will carry the puck to the net, where his trigger reflexes enable him to push the puck wide to help break down the defensive zone coverage.

The biggest concern over his game is his size, but he is tenacious and hardworking so it shouldn’t be an issue like it is with other smaller players. Robins is a player that will need a season or two in the AHL where he can adjust to the pace and the size of the players. He will truly begin his pro journey this season with the Barracuda (after a two-game cup of coffee last year) and it will be interesting to see how he adapts. - VG

Joachim Blichfeld

Blichfeld split 2020-21 between the Sharks and the AHL’s Barracuda, dressing in five NHL games and scoring his first-ever goal against the Wild’s Kaapo Kahkonen. He also earned a two-game suspension for a hit on Nathan MacKinnon. In the minors, Blichfeld posted 12 goals and 25 points in 22 games. A seventh-round pick five years ago, Blichfeld has quietly raised his stock and is knocking at the door of full-time NHL duties.

He possesses good wheels but doesn’t always move his feet enough, something that can be fixed with pro seasoning. His bread and butter is as a volume shooter, utilizing his terrific release, but finding the space to do so at the pro level isn’t that easy. Blichfeld is only average with the puck and as a passer, which may destine him as a bottom-six role player in the NHL if he cracks full-time. He needs to add strength in order to withstand the physical rigours of the game, and up his motor to pursue the puck rather than wait in the weeds to unleash his shot. With the Sharks stagnating a bit, undergoing off-ice drama with Evander Kane, and possessing a thin prospect pool, there could be an opportunity to grab a roster spot this fall in camp for the Dane, who has beaten the odds thus far. - AS

Sasha Chmelevski

2020/21 has to be considered a breakout season for Chmelevski at the pro level. The former OHL star was among the leading scorers for the Barracuda, got his first NHL points (in five games), and even performed very well for the U.S. at the World Championships to close out the year. This has set him up nicely for the upcoming season, where he will compete for a full-time roster spot on the Sharks and could even be a front runner for a bottom six role.

Chemelski is a high energy player who can provide a lot of versatility because of his well-rounded skill set and tenacious work ethic. His skating has improved considerably since being drafted by the Sharks, as has his play away from the puck. A talented playmaker, he excels in transition when he is able to back down opposing defenses by driving the middle with speed. Ultimately, he projects as a middle six forward for San Jose who can play in any situation, although he may have to start on the lower lines and as a penalty killer before working his way up. - BO

Brandon Coe

With the OHL on hiatus, Coe played last season in the AHL with the Barracuda, filling a checking line role. The 6’4 winger skates exceptionally well for his size, but he still needs to gain confidence in his ability to carry the puck and be a go-to offensive player. That is why it appears that San Jose is sending him back to the OHL this year for his overage season.

Artemi Knyazev

After three solid seasons in the QMJHL with Chicoutimi, this mobile, two-way blueliner has emerged as a legitimate defensive prospect for the Sharks. He turns pro this season and will look to become an immediate impact player for the Barracuda.

Dillon Hamaliuk

A big power winger, Hamaliuk’s offensive development has not gone according to plan since being drafted in the second round of the 2019 draft. Even as an overager in the WHL this past season, he failed to crack the point per game mark. But the Sharks did sign him and must see him as a potential checking line player. It will be interesting to see how he performs in the AHL this year.

Yegor Spiridonov

A strong defensive center and penalty killer, the Sharks are still waiting for Spirodonov’s offensive game to take that next step forward. He will try to become a KHL regular this season with SKA St. Petersburg before possibly crossing the pond. The upside is not high, but Spiridonov could still become a valuable role player for San Jose in the future.

Liam Gilmartin

Gilmartin was a valuable role player for the U.S. U18 team this past year. He provides a lot of versatility to his coaches because of his all-around skill set and nonstop motor. Gilmartin will play for Dale Hunter and the London Knights this coming season, a coach notoriously good at developing players like Gilmartin.

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: San Jose Sharks Top 20 Prospects

Rachel Howard — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 21:27:01 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 New York Rangers prospects for the 2020-21 season. You can read an organizational assessment prior to the draft in Ryan Wagman's article found here. Following the draft we provided a review on each teams performance based on our rankings found here.

Ryan Merkley, D (21^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 1)

A move to the London Knights to play under Dale Hunter last offseason may have saved Merkley’s status as a top end defensive prospect, as he improved considerably in terms of maturity and engagement level. Merkley’s best assets are his four-way mobility and his creative playmaking. His edgework is high end, as his lateral movement is so fluid and explosive. He plays a higher risk style of game, pushing the pace, which leads to the odd turnover, but he did cut down on those turnovers last year by playing less selfishly and by selecting pinches more carefully. Even without a great shot, he moves well enough to keep defenders guessing. Previously prone to tantrums when things were not going his way, he appears to have figured out how to control his emotions more effectively. Additionally, we saw him more consistently engaged physically in his own zone. The Sharks would be wise not to rush him, ensuring that he can build up confidence at the professional level without becoming frustrated and reverting back to his previous tendencies. He still projects as a quality top four puck moving defender who can anchor a powerplay unit. – BO

Ozzy Weisblatt, RW (31^st overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

The competitive Weisblatt is an abrasive energy player. His speed and relentless pursuit of the puck makes him valuable in a variety of situations. He was a difference maker last year, finishing the shortened season second in team scoring, and among the leaders for all U18 players in the WHL. While not large, he is extremely quick, with the acceleration, powerful stride, and breakaway top speed to be a threat, with and without the puck. He will look to attack quickly in transition and is aggressive trying to beat defenders wide to the net. He is also one of the first back to the defensive end, applying back pressure and trying to force turnovers. Wiesblatt also has strong edgework that allows him to change direction quickly at full speed. He is an intelligent playmaker who demonstrates poise with the puck in all situations. At times, he can be too predictable in his attacks, leading to costly turnovers. He does not have a ton of confidence in his shooting, often passing up shot opportunities to pass instead. Even if Wiesblatt’s offensive abilities fail to translate, he could be an effective middle six piece who fits on both special teams’ units. – BO

Thomas Bordeleau, C (38^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Bordeleau greatest asset is a wicked wrist shot which he loves firing right over the goalie’s shoulder. He can fire it off successfully whether he is static or in motion, and his lightning release gives the netminder no time to set up. Before he prepares the shot, Bordeleau can also impress with his stick skills. His hands are quick and soft, and he regularly pulls off creative maneuvers. He is a dynamic zone entry machine, and his unpredictable approach leaves defenders guessing, and generally coming up short. He used to limit his effectiveness by staying to the offensive perimeter, but by last season’s second half, he was pushing play up the middle as well, and pulling it off more often than not. Bordeleau will have to show that he can more consistently play with the type of effort needed to succeed in the tough parts of the ice. Even with his greater willingness to play on the inside, that effort is not yet consistent. At higher levels, the outside path will prove much harder for generating scoring chances. He needs to keep his feet moving and get his nose dirty to reach his top six scoring forward potential. – RW

Jonathan Dahlen, LW/C (42^nd overall, 2016 [Ottawa]. Previous ranking: 3)

Dahlen is kind of an odd bird in the way that he chose to play in Allsvenskan in three of the last four seasons, although almost all teams in the SHL would have wanted to sign him. He is creative with strong offensive instincts. He has developed his playmaking and is a more dynamic offensive driver than earlier in his career. He is strong both on the power play and at even strength, generally serving as his line’s play driver. His top speed is average by NHL standards, but he has impressive agility and is very elusive with the puck in the offensive zone. Dahlen’s defensive play is okay but still not great and it can cause him to disappear during parts of games as he rarely plays the PK, wins battles in his own end, or turns the play around all on his own. He will need to improve on that side of the game to reach the highest level. He is a top six forward talent. The 22-year-old will probably play in Sweden for at least one more year, maybe even two. He is still a good prospect, and if he can keep developing, could reach his ceiling. - JH

Yegor Spiridonov, C/LW (108^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 2)

Spiridonov is a limited skater technically but has good balance has at least average speed. He is strong and smart and makes good decisions. He is strong along the boards and in tight areas, works hard and is smart without the puck. He finds open spaces offensively; he has good instincts getting ready to shoot and he plays responsibly defensively. He has the assets to be a useful player on both a power play and a penalty kill. He is good at getting open to shoot but his accuracy and timing on the puck could be better, and he hasn’t yet proven himself as a goal scorer, although he is fine as a playmaker. On the penalty kill, Spiridonov is particularly good at reading passing lanes and disturbing the play. He can detect where the play is going and act appropriately, rather than react after the fact. He has very limited men’s level experience, with much of his success coming in the Russian junior leagues. The lack of elite puck skills and limited skating give Spiridonov a third line ceiling, but his work ethic, strength, PK capabilities, and team play would fit that role, where he could provide offensive depth. - JH

Sasha Chmelevski, C (185^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 4)

The concern around Chmelevski has long been his skating, and in his first full AHL season, that lack of speed and agility was obvious. Though his puck skills and menacing wrist shot release have made him a lethal offensive option, he had trouble getting past the more mobile defenders of the pro ranks and was hesitant to carry the puck through the neutral zone. Even if he never improves on his feet, he still projects as a long-term NHL piece, as he excels in every other facet of the game. He processes the game at a high speed and makes great decisions with the puck, both offensively and defensively, and has shown himself capable as a penalty-killer. He dealt with injuries for stretches of the 2019-20 season but still posted a solid scoring line and exhibited an ability to score goals in different ways, including as a net-front guy and rebound goblin. Chmelevski's shot and hockey sense give him top-six potential in the future, but with his lack of speed and the uncertain ability to take on heavy responsibility on defense, the Sharks could ultimately deploy him as a middle-six two-way center once his time comes. - TD

Alexander True, C (Undrafted free agent, signed Jul. 18, 2018. Previous ranking: 5)

Not long ago, it was difficult to decide whether True was even a legitimate prospect worthy of being on the radar of an NHL organization. An undrafted center without particularly impressive numbers as a WHL overager has since progressed into one of the most heralded prospects in the San Jose system. He is a dangerous power forward with a plethora of offensive tools, the most notable of which is his overpowering size and balance, which makes him capable of driving the net and playing the cycle against nearly anyone. Possessing a hard shot and great passing skill, his offensive game is more than just grinding; he can set himself or anyone else up for a quality scoring chance from just about anywhere in the zone, though sometimes his decision making and skating speed lags behind his puck skills. Importantly, True is mean, and while that comes with some discipline issues, it also includes a likable assertiveness and aggression. He showed exactly what he can be during a brief NHL recall last season, a bottom six play-driving, cycling center who is hard to defend against. - TD

John Leonard, LW (182^nd overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 6)

A sixth-round draft pick, Leonard is a good example of a solid investment and solid development not ending on draft day. Leonard signed with San Jose following his junior season at UMass, and the late bloomer has not disappointed. He spent two seasons in the USHL where his offensive output increased from five goals and nine points to 19 goals and 34 points. Still, neither total was enough for an NHL team to draft him in his first two years of eligibility. His game picked up in a big way in college, and after finally hearing his name called at the draft following his freshman season, he netted a career-high 40 points as a sophomore and was on pace to eclipse that total as a junior, as he led the country in goals and led UMass in scoring before COVID-19 put an early end to the season. The junior was also named New England’s best forward as well as a Hobey Baker finalist. He has soft hands and is able to easily grab loose pucks. He is not afraid to shoot - as evidenced by his goal total — and has a quick release. The former afterthought now has some projecting top six potential. – JS

Tristen Robins, C (56^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Robins used a terrific second half last season to lead the Saskatoon Blades in scoring. There is a lot to like about him as a very well-rounded offensive player. He plays with pace both with and without the puck and has an elusiveness that makes him a constant threat. The transition to center showcased his ability to create with the puck on his stick and unlocked a new level of confidence. An aggressive shooter, he possesses a quality release which he utilizes for quick strikes coming through the middle. He works the give and go well with his linemates and is always looking to attack. He keeps his feet moving in the offensive zone and can be a menace to defend as he slips behind defenders. Robins is also a competent two-way player whose play without the puck really improved after that aforementioned move to the middle. He uses his speed well to apply back pressure and to angle off forwards in the neutral zone, forcing turnovers. Adding strength will be key for Robins’ effectiveness in traffic and in the cycle. – BO

Brandon Coe, RW (98^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

While North Bay struggled to find the win column consistently last season, Coe was able to elevate his game to become an offensive leader. The major allure of his game comes from his size and speed combination. He is very explosive and powerful for a 6-3” forward, consistently blowing past defenders in transition. However, he is more than just a North-South player, as his lateral quickness and edgework are strong, too, allowing him to cut in and out of traffic at top speed. Coe has also learned to use his size more effectively to protect the puck down low and has gained confidence in his heavy shot being a weapon. There is a question of whether he thinks the game well enough to be more than just a change of pace energy player at the NHL level. Additionally, he needs to improve his play away from the puck to become a more consistent three zone player. His physical tools are intriguing but developing them into a cohesive player will be a project. – BO

Danil Gushchin, LW (76^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Gushchin needs to play with an edge to be successful. It is clear that when he does so, his skill set can absolutely shine. His hands and feet are both very quick and deceptive. He is capable of pulling off fantastic zone entries. Despite lacking in size, he is incredibly dogged on the puck and skilled at sheltering it from backcheckers, earning himself more than a few penalties. In short, his puck skills are above and beyond is age group. But he does not always play with that edge, which can be spotted by a more lackadaisical approach to puck handling and an excess of turnovers. Gushchin doesn’t have blazing speed, but his feet play up thanks to edgework and agility that can dazzle. His ability to make extra sharp cuts plays into his usage on zone entries as he can carve up multiple layers of the defense. When he loses that edge, his feet stop moving, he stops taking risks, and he functionally disappears. Gushchin tends to be more “on” when his team has the puck, and flat when they don’t. He can go from an expert reading of the play to a disinterested bystander in a single shift. – RW

Artemi Knyazev, D (48^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 7)

Knyazev saw modest growth in his second season in North America for a much-improved Sagueneens team last year. His 43 points were tops among blueliners on the club, and among the top ten in scoring among defensemen in the QMJHL. He also fine-tuned his defensive game as he improved his play-reading on the smaller ice. His skating is the focal point of his play, and the gatekeeper to his success; it allows him to cover a lot of ice in a short time and in all directions. Not only fast, Knyazev is agile and reaches top speed quickly. He is an offense-first defender and thinks the game with offense in mind. He continued his play as a defensive sharpshooter with a second-consecutive year with double digits in goals. His 11 goals were the most on the team on the back end. His abilities slotted in well next to massive blueliner Louis Crevier, as the pint-sized Knyazev had more permission to freewheel with the big Crevier minding his post. Knyazev is still a project for the pro game, and undersized, but he has the foundation to be a solid powerplay contributor and speedy defender at the NHL level. - MS

Dillon Hamaliuk, LW (55^th overall, 20191. Previous ranking: 8)

Hamaliuk moved to Kelowna to help them compete for a Memorial Cup but like most of his teammates never really took stride last year. When his game is on, he is an imposing albeit somewhat lumbering figure on the ice. He is excellent in the cycle game where his size and reach help him dictate play along the walls. He has decent hands that work with his game, he can carry off the wall, and is a solid net front guy. He scores a lot of goals from the goal mouth where he can use his strength to finish off plays in traffic. His skating is a bit of a concern as he looks a step behind the play through the neutral zone and is reliant on others to get the puck in the zone. Defensively he is physical and willing to engage to make a play. It was somewhat of a disappointing season to only collect 31 points in 56 games after being brought in to bolster the offense, after nearly being a point-per-game player last season. - VG

Joachim Blichfeld, RW (210^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 9)

Blichfeld is yet another steal from untapped regions of Europe taken with a seventh-round pick by an organization deserving of tons of credit in the way they get max value out of every draft selection. After dominating the WHL in his final season with Portland with a league-best 114 points, his transition to the pros was a highly-anticipated one, and the Danish winger delivered with 16 goals and 16 assists in just 44 games of action as an AHL rookie. A big reason for his success with the Barracuda is his heavy, rapid shot, which is a weapon at even strength and on the power play (five of his 16 goals came on the man-advantage). Grading out as an average skater, Blichfeld is not really one to carry the puck, but does a superb job at finding open areas of the ice away from the puck to receive shooting chances. With steady hands and decent awareness of the ice, he is a fairly versatile player who could kill penalties and be a depth scorer in the NHL. - TD

Alexei Melnichuk, G (Undrafted Free Agent, signed May 4, 2020. Previous ranking: 10)

A late free agent signing, Melnichuk alone was responsible for moving the Sharks up two slots in our organizational prospect rankings. On the smaller side for a modern netminder, he gained some notoriety two years ago when a hot start with SKA-Neva St. Petersburg in Russia’s second men’s league, led to an invitation to wear the national colors during the Junior Super Series. Melnichuk excelled in the tune up series and earned a spot on the Russian WJC team as the backup. He bombed in his only game. That might have prevented him from being drafted, but two years later, with a stellar (mostly) full season debut in the KHL to his name, Melnichuk was back in the crosshairs of NHL scouts. He moves well in his crease and likes to challenge shooters when he can. He works hard for his saves and reads the games well, although the numbers at InStatScout make clear that he can really struggle with shots to the top corners, the bane of many smaller netminders. If Melnichuk adapts well to the AHL, he may be in the NHL before long. - RW

Jacob McGrew, RW (159^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 11)

Jake McGrew is a California native who has done enough to earn himself a look from as a late round flier. Unfortunately, his career has been derailed by a couple of season-ending knee surgeries. Last season started with high expectations after his first 30 goal season in 2018-19. He jumped out of the gate with five goals in his first six games and looked to be breaking out, but another season ending knee surgery put a halt to a promising overage campaign. At this point he seems to be a long shot to make the NHL and may even struggle to play in the AHL next season. When he is healthy, he plays an up-tempo game and has a great release that enables him to score goals. If he gets healthy, he has a shot at be a middle six forward if he can get his development back on track and avoid any more long-term injuries. - VG

Brinson Pasichnuk, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 31, 2020. Previous ranking: 12)

If you don’t have picks, you have to attack the free talent pool with gusto. Two members of the Sharks’ top 15 were free talent pickups, and the depth of the system includes a clean dozen others who received some consideration. Pasichnuk is the only one of the bunch that was added in 2020. A physical defender – although one who plays relatively clean – with a big shot from the point, the Arizona State graduate was one of the top NCAA free agents last offseason. Lauded for his maturity, on and off the ice, Pasichnuk may have a chance to break right into the San Jose NHL lineup whenever the 2020-21 season begins. In truth, he very well may deserve to rank higher on this list than the Spinal Tap number, as he has almost a sure-fire NHL player. The challenge is that that he is also older than most of the players above him and his ceiling may not be far above his floor. - RW

Santeri Hatakka, D (184^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 13)

Hatakka split the 2019-20 season between the Liiga and Mestis, Finland’s second-highest league. He also has a solid, yet unspectacular World Juniors tournament. He role was limited in the Liiga as he averaged fewer than 11 minutes of ice-time per game. A strong skater with very good acceleration, he moves well in all directions and can carry the puck from his own end. Stickhandling needs work, though, as he has occasional problems controlling the puck efficiently and keeping up his pace. His willing ness to battle has always stood out. Furthermore, he defends well in tight areas and is very assertive in the defensive zone. He did not have the strongest season possible, but he showed glimpses of potential in the Liiga and could break out as soon as the upcoming season if he can move up the depth chart. Overall, Hatakka is a mobile defenseman with strong physical tool and some untapped offensive potential. - MB

Scott Reedy, C/RW (102^nd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 14)

A smart and versatile forward who finally put his sense to use offensively, scoring a career high 15 goals in his junior season with the Golden Gophers, Reedy has a few tools that suggest he could make a career for himself on the fourth line, playing in the corners and eating up some minutes on the PK. Before he gets there though, he has to show that he can regain some of the speed he showed in his first year with the USNTDP program. To his credit, his feet move well, but his legs are heavy. That means he can maneuver around small spaces nimbly enough but falls behind when the game opens up. He will have to stress his power credentials more and rely very heavily on his hockey IQ to overcome the skating deficit. Of course, he also has to sign, which he still has not as of this writing. He could become a free agent if he plays out his senior year without putting pen to paper with the Sharks. - RW

Lean Bergmann, LW/RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed May 28, 2019. Previous ranking: 15)

In his current state, Bergmann is the definition of a raw prospect. He can score, he has very quick hands for someone his size, and he can effectively utilize his size and strength to create offensive chances for himself. The German loves to drive the net, with and without the puck, and has the physicality to make it happen. As a net-front power-play guy, he can get bumped off the puck in front of the goal pretty easily, which makes me fear for how ineffective his body strength would actually be at the NHL level. He is a good shooter and has solid skating speed, especially at 200+ pounds, but has little passing game. He played on the penalty kill with the AHL Barracuda and competes hard. He focuses his energy on shoveling pucks on goal and wearing down his opponents, which is precisely what an NHL team would want out of a depth player like Bergmann can be in the near future. - TD