Zach Ostapchuk – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: TRADE DEADLINE – Meet the prospects on the move – Minten, Ostapchuk, Grebenkin, Brisson plus more

Brock Otten — Sat, 08 Mar 2025 17:01:34 +0000

Another NHL trade deadline day has come and gone. It was a fairly active deadline this year with over 40 deals completed. Let’s take a look at ten of the top prospects moved, in addition to what can be expected of said prospects in their new organizations.

OTTAWA, ON - JANUARY 30: Ottawa Senators Center Zack Ostapchuk (38) applies pressure on the forecheck during first period National Hockey League action between the Washington Capitals and Ottawa Senators on January 30, 2025, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

Zach Ostapchuk - Center - San Jose Sharks

A former standout with the Canadian World Junior team, Ostapchuk was part of a rather surprising deal with the San Jose Sharks involving Fabian Zetterlund. He has spent the majority of this year with Ottawa, playing as the team’s fourth line center, although was recently demoted to the AHL to allow him to get more ice time and responsibility to help his offensive game blossom. At the bare minimum, Ostapchuk projects to be a reliable bottom six center who can kill penalties and take on tough defensive assignments. His combination of size, skating ability, and physicality allow him to be effective in that role. The question is, how much more can his offensive game grow as a pro? In the AHL this year, Ostapchuk has played well offensively, excelling as a playmaker with his ability to push pace, create space, and prolong possession. You can see the vision that Mike Grier has here for Ostapchuk, hopefully developing into an elite, third line center who can insulate the high-end skill San Jose is building up. Once that team has matured, someone is going to need to be able to take key draws and take on key defensive assignments late in games and Ostapchuk could end up being that kind of player. I’d expect him to, at some point, receive a call up from the Sharks so that they can get a good look at him in their lineup before the end of the season.

MONTREAL, QC - SEPTEMBER 30: Fraser Minten (39) of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates during the first period of the NHL pre-season game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens on September 30, 2023, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC(Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)

Fraser Minten - Center/Wing - Boston Bruins

It has been a fairly successful first pro season for Minten, one of the top prospects in the Leafs’ system. A well-rounded player with a mature game, it was not surprising to see him earn ice time in Toronto this year coming out of the WHL. What made Minten attractive to the Bruins is the fact that he projects to be a very versatile NHL player. While not elite in any one category, he is effective because of his ability to make plays in all three zones and get pucks, and or his body to the net. Minten does flash offensive upside as a goal scorer because of a quick release and good hands near the crease. He brings a physical element, although there does appear to be a need for him to bulk up a bit more to be more consistent in this area as an NHL player. While he does not project to be a game breaker for the Bruins, Minten could end up as a very high end third line player who can play on both special teams’ units. Given the big sell off that they had at the deadline, don’t be shocked to see Minten get a strong look to close out this season, with an eye on including him in the team’s main lineup next year.

Chase Stillman - Wing - Pittsburgh Penguins

A former first round selection by the New Jersey Devils, Stillman had a very promising first pro season in their system last year, after a rather disappointing OHL career that saw his offensive production stagnate. It gave some hope that he could, in fact, develop into a useful NHL player. However, in his second pro year in the AHL, Stillman’s taken a step back and that likely led to the trade to Pittsburgh. At this point, Stillman’s NHL upside is pretty limited. He hasn’t developed the offensive tools to be a significant contributor to an NHL lineup. However, there’s still a chance that he could become a high energy, fourth line winger for the Penguins. He’s an intense competitor who can retrieve pucks, get to the net, and bring a physical element. The key for Stillman will be to continue to improve his two-way game so that he can be more trusted in that role, in addition to obviously improving his puck skill and confidence with the puck. A weaker Pens system could offer him an opportunity to earn NHL ice time in the coming years.

William Zellers - Wing - Boston Bruins

Zellers is a player with significant offensive upside as a pro, but there will need to be a lot of patience exhibited by the Bruins. Drafted out of Shattuck St. Mary’s (USHS-Prep) last year, Zellers opted to play in the USHL this year with Green Bay before heading to North Dakota (NCAA). That decision has paid dividends as Zellers has been one of the USHL’s top performers all season long, leading the league in goals by a significant margin. Coming out of the prep loop, his game needed a lot of refinement and there was some concern that he wasn’t powerful or dynamic enough to carry over his offensive prowess to higher levels. With his strong USHL play this season, that’s the first rung of the ladder checked off. Zellers may not be dynamic in terms of explosiveness, but he’s got quick feet and he’s great at finding gaps in coverage to utilize his excellent shot. Zellers’ hands are also excellent, as he routinely escapes pressure and creates extra time/space for himself to prolong possession or get pucks into the slot. Likely at least a three-year player at UND, the Bruins won’t quite know what they have in Zellers for a few years, but the progress he has shown this year offers hope that he can be a potential top six player in the future for them.

TORONTO, ON - NOVEMBER 20: Toronto Maple Leafs Right Wing Nikita Grebenkin (71) reacts during the NHL regular season game between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Toronto Maple Leafs on November 20, 2024, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, ON, Canada. (Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire)

Nikita Grebenkin - Wing - Philadelphia Flyers

A key piece in the Scott Laughton deal, Grebenkin (or Grebyonkin as it is sometimes spelled) is a player Philly fans are likely to really admire. He brings both physicality and skill from the wing and has had a solid start to his pro career in North America this year, following a breakout season in the KHL last year. Grebenkin’s hands are top notch, and he can be a real asset deep in the offensive zone with how he can protect the puck and prolong possession. He’s also a very consistent physical player; a pest if you will, who is active on the forecheck and who has a desire to get to the net and play through the middle. He’s received a few looks from the Leafs this year in a limited role and I’d expect him to get a good look in Philadelphia to close out the year. Interestingly enough, he’s close with top Flyers’ rookie Matvei Michkov. One would expect them to get a look playing alongside each other. The best-case scenario here for Philadelphia would be that Grebenkin develops into a solid middle six option in the near future.

Calum Ritchie - Center - New York Islanders

The top NHL prospect moved this deadline, the Islanders got a good one in Cal Ritchie. A first rounder by the Avs, Ritchie started the year in Colorado before being sent back to Oshawa of the OHL. The big pivot is a naturally talented playmaker; the kind of player who elevates the play of their wingers with how well he sees the ice. He controls the pace of play well thanks to strong skating ability and puck control, and he has worked hard to be more “middle of the ice centric.” He’s terrific at drawing in pressure before dishing off; an expert of the slip pass into the slot. Ritchie has also worked hard to make his two-way game more consistent by upping his physical play and intensity level. While I’m not sure I see Ritchie as a true number one center, he does project as a second line staple who can be a consistent offensive contributor in the future. Depending on how Ritchie’s offseason goes, he could end up playing a middle six role for the Islanders as early as next year, especially if they end up moving one of their higher priced forwards to help with their cap crunch.

Marat Khusnutdinov - Center - Boston Bruins

A full time NHL player since coming over from the KHL, you could definitely make the argument that he’s no longer a prospect. However, I’ve included Khusnutdinov because he’s been used in such a minimal role thus far in Minnesota, that I’m not sure we’ve gotten a great read on his true NHL upside. A competitive two-way pivot, Khusnutdinov projects almost similarly to the recently acquired Fraser Minten; it would be interesting to see them on the same line at some point to close out the year. He skates fairly well and can push pace. He’s active on the forecheck and backcheck. He is aggressive physically. He’s not really a high skill guy, which likely limits his offensive upside. However, he’s probably got a little bit more to offer offensively than what we have seen thus far. A short trip to the AHL (where Khusnutdinov has yet to play) might actually be beneficial to him, allowing him to play a more offensive role to build confidence in his on puck play.

NEWARK, NJ - JANUARY 22: Vegas Golden Knights center Brendan Brisson (19) looks on during a game between the Vegas Golden Knights and New Jersey Devils on January 22, 2024 at Prudential Center in the Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Andrew Mordzynski/Icon Sportswire)

Brendan Brisson - Wing - New York Rangers

After it looked like Brisson’s development had stagnated in the Vegas system, a change of scenery could do him well. A former first round selection of the Golden Knights, Brisson is the son of super-agent Pat Brisson. A strong offensive player, Brisson’s point production has dried up this year, his third as a pro. He’s now facing a major crossroads in his career as his ELC ends at the end of the year and his waiver eligibility dries up. With the Rangers, it could be a make-or-break situation. Interestingly enough, Brisson’s bread and butter as a junior and college player was his shot and ability to execute on the powerplay, however, thus far as a pro that hasn’t really been the case. The Rangers would be smart to try to nurture that in Hartford, to get his game back on track. The million-dollar question is, does Brisson have the kind of physical attributes required (dynamic skating, physicality), or the high-end skill required to be a top six NHL player? It’s becoming more and more likely that he settles as more of a tweener, but let’s see how the change of scenery in New York affects him.

Herman Traff - Wing - Anaheim Ducks

One of our draft favourites last year, Traff has had a solid year in Sweden playing a depth role at the pro level (split between the SHL and Allsvenskan). He has really intriguing physical tools; size, speed, and tenacity. He plays a “hard” game. He is really effective as a forechecker and as a net front presence. This was on display at this year’s World Junior Championships, where Traff was a really solid and visible role player for Sweden. Traff’s offensive upside as an NHL player is likely capped; we’re not looking at a top of the lineup player. However, we do love the fit for him in Anaheim where he can operate as a potentially solid, middle of the lineup complement to some of the higher skilled players they’ve accumulated. The question is, where does Traff play next year? Will Anaheim bring him over to play in the AHL or will they let him play another year of pro in Sweden?

Max Wanner - Defense - Boston Bruins

A big right shot defender, Wanner was proving to be one of the most underrated players in the Oilers’ system after a strong pro debut last year. However, his role hasn’t been as concrete this year and he’s taken a step backwards. So, what is Wanner moving forward? The answer to that question remains to be seen. Wanner has solid mobility for a bigger defender. He can be tough to play against physically. He can move the puck effectively and execute a breakout. At the WHL level, he showed an ability to quarterback the powerplay. There are some solid pieces there, but they just haven’t come together. If the Bruins develop him well, there’s a chance that he could develop into a solid third pairing defender for them who can kill penalties and play a reliable game. There aren’t many pro ready blueline prospects in the Bruins’ system so if Wanner can put things together in a new system, he could end up a solid depth option, sooner rather than later.

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

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

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

Top 20 Ottawa Senators Prospects

1. Ridly Greig

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

2. Zach Ostapchuk

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

3. Mads Sogaard

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

4. Egor Sokolov

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

5. Lassi Thomson

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

6. Tyler Kleven

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

7. Leevi Merilainen

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

8. Tyler Boucher

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

9. Stephen Halliday

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

10. Maxence Guenette

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

11. Roby Jarventie

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

12. Jacob Bernard Docker

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

13. Angus Crookshank

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

14. Phillippe Daoust

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

15. Jorian Donovan

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

16. Tomas Hamara

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

17. Kevin Reidler

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

18. Donovan Sebrango

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

19. Hoyt Stanley

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

20. Oskar Pettersson

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

MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – #19 Ottawa Senators

Josh Bell — Wed, 17 May 2023 11:33:17 +0000

There was hope that this would be the year the rebuilding Senators would finally see some playoff action for the first time in six years. While they fell short, the future remains bright. GM Pierre Dorion had built an excellent core in Brady Tkachuk (23-years-old), Josh Norris (24), Drake Batherson (25), Tim Stutzle (21), Jake Sanderson (20), and Thomas Chabot (26), all poised to hit their prime together. The timeline was accelerated with the addition of Alex DeBrincat (25) in the summer, and then Jakob Chychrun (25) at the deadline, adding two impact young players. Whether they can re-sign RFA DeBrincat remains the outstanding question heading into next season.

Ottawa has graduated an impressive group and explains the downgrade in ranking from 19^th to 12^th. It also includes Shane Pinto, the 32^nd overall pick in 2019, who can also be a difference maker going forward. Ridly Greig, the 28^th overall pick in 2020 made an appearance in 20 NHL games and would appear to have made the team for the 2023-24 season and will bring both grit and skill that should mesh well with the current group. They have no picks until the fourth round in the upcoming draft, signaling the end of the rebuild. Look for Dorion to add more character veterans, similar to Claude Giroux, and likely dip into picks for future years. Finding a lasting solution in net will also be a focus.

Ridly Greig

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

2. Zack Ostapchuk

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

3. Mads Sogaard

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

4. Egor Sokolov

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

5. Lassi Thomson

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

6. Tyler Kleven

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

7. Leevi Merilainen

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

8. Tyler Boucher

Speaking of players that the Senators have drafted recently that surprised, Ottawa called Tyler Boucher’s name 10th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, shocking the hockey world. They’ve made some good calls recently though, so it was worth keeping an eye on. Bouncer was selected out of the USNTDP and then jumped to Boston University where he couldn’t seem to put things together before jumping to the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s. He’s a bit of a complicated prospect in that his physicality is what could carry him to the NHL, but he’s also been marred with injuries over the past few years, questioning his durability in the role he’s now known for. He does have a great, hard shot as well, but there are concerns with the rest of his game. At this point. he projects as a bottom-six winger - maybe. It’s not likely he lives up to the weight of the 10th overall selection.

9. Stephen Halliday

The Senators are no stranger to selecting double-overage players in the NHL Draft. First eligible in the 2020 NHL Draft, they drafted Stephen Halliday two years later in 2022, 104th overall. Spending the three years prior with the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL, Halliday popped off in 2021-22, doubling his production and being named to the First All-Star Team. He moved up to the NCAA and Ohio State University this season, continuing to play very well, over a point-per-game as an older freshman. He’s a big body who protects the puck extremely well and does have a level of creativity in his game. He can dish the puck out well too, but his overall ceiling, especially only popping off as an older player relative to his peers. He’s likely an AHL regular at this point but could earn the occasional call-up. However, he has surprised in the past.

10. Maxence Guenette

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

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

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

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

You can find our most recent ranking here.

Risers

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

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

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

Marco Kasper (79 to 24) - Detroit Red Wings

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

Alexander Nikishin (130 to 27) - Carolina Hurricanes

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

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

Lane Hutson (158 to 38) - Montreal Canadiens

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

Joshus Roy (178 to 44) - Montreal Canadiens

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

William Wallinder (225 to 52) - Detroit Red Wings

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

Lian Bichsel (163 to 53) - Dallas Stars

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

Filip Bystedt (239 to 69) - San Jose Sharks

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

Nikolai Kovalenko (285 to 76) - Colorado Avalanche

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

Connor Zary (266 to 79) - Calgary Flames

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

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

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

Zach Ostapchuk (218 to 91) - Ottawa Senators

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

William Dufour (192 to 95) - New York Islanders

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

Reid Schaefer (267 to 98) - Nashville Predators

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

Carter Mazur (Unranked to 99) - Detroit Red Wings

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

Fallers

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

Prokhor Poltapov (75 to 175) - Buffalo Sabres

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

Grigori Denisenko (105 to 158) - Florida Panthers

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

Cayden Primeau (126 to Unranked) - Montreal Canadiens

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

Justin Sourdif (138 to Unranked) - Florida Panthers

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

Ben Meyers (146 to Unranked) - Colorado Avalanche

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

2021 NHL DRAFT: ATLANTIC DIVISION REVIEW

Ryan Wagman — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 15:40:04 +0000

2021 NHL Draft Review

Time to review the draft, in depth. As I have done in previous seasons, this review will cover the league one division at a time. For each team, we will offer a quick summary of their draft class, a deeper look at their first pick/first rounder(s), and then a look at what we think to be the best value pick of their draft class, and a final look at their worst value pick. Once the divisions have all been covered, a final article will go over some other miscellaneous trends of the draft that was (odds & ends), and the annual McKeens shadow draft class. Let’s dig in.

Atlantic Division

Luleå's Fabian Lysell during the ice hockey match in the SHL between Rögle and Luleå on 5 January 2021 in Ängelholm.
Photo: Petter Arvidson / BILDBYRÅN

Boston Bruins

1 (21) Fabian Lysell, RW, Lulea HF (SHL)

3 (85) Brett Harrison, C, KOOVEE U20 (U20 SM-sarja)/Oshawa (OHL)

4 (117) Philip Svedeback, G, Vaxjo HC J20 (J20 Nationell)

5 (149) Oskar Jellvik, LW, Djurgardens IF J20 (J20 Nationell)

6 (181) Ryan Mast, D, Sarnia (OHL)

7 (213) Andre Gasseau, C, USNTDP (USHL)

7 (217) Ty Gallagher, D, USNTDP (USHL)

The Bruins had used a lot of their picks in recent years on lower-upside, higher floor players, giving them a system with a lot of players with NHL projections, but few looking like top half of the lineup types. This year, Boston took a different approach, largely drafting for upside, seeing which players dropped and finding a home for them. Five of their seven picks were selected lower than we had them ranked. I also appreciated how they spread out their picks among the different on-ice positions, selecting one goalie, two blueliners, two wingers, and two centers. As for geography, they selected three players out of Sweden, two from the USNTDP, and two Ontarians, one of whom spent the year in Finland with the cancellation of the OHL season, and the other who didn’t see game action last year. So, no major trends of note here, but they commendably let the draft come to them, not even making any draft day trades to move up, down, in, or out.

First round pick – Fabian Lysell, RW, Lulea HF (SHL), 21^st overall

Although his profile was not without warts – some clubs were disconcerted by his request to be moved from Frolunda to Lulea mid-season last year, Lysell reminded the hockey world what he is capable of with a stellar showing at the World Under 18 tournament, where he tied for the team lead in scoring on the Bronze Medal winning Swedish side. He is an electrifying puck handler, and his development will include learning when to play it simple, and when unleash his creativity and skill. His talent level is rare and gives him top line upside if it all clicks. A pick to get excited about.

Best value pick(s) – Ty Gallagher, D, USNTDP (USHL), 217^th overall, & Ryan Mast, D, Sarnia Sting (OHL), 181^st overall

Although the Bruins didn’t select a defender until the sixth round, they ended the draft with a pair of pretty good ones. Mast is a big, shutdown type with a right-handed shot. He has never displayed much of an offensive side, at any level of his development, but he has always known how to take care of business in his own end. We highly suspect that had he played at all this year, he would have been drafted far earlier. As for Gallagher, he is the polar opposite style of defender compared to Mast. He is a riverboat gambler who gets dinged for skating concerns, but as the year progressed, he timed his risks much better and his ability to positively impact a shift grew exponentially, which included a stellar showing for Team USA at the WU18s. His rawness can be very frustrating at times, but he tries to make things happen, and has enough skill and hockey sense to succeed enough to be of value.

Worst value pick – Oskar Jellvik, LW/C, Djurgardens IF J20 (J20 Nationell), 149^th overall

I though about naming fourth round pick Philip Svedeback, a goalie who had been passed over in his first year of eligibility and was unrated by us – or any other public facing outlet, but he was also drafted by Dubuque in the USHL draft and will spend next season stateside. Jellvik was considered by our Swedish analyst, but despite solid numbers in the Swedish junior leagues, he doesn’t seem very projectable, with an average frame, and tools that project in the sphere of average across the board. He is only a fifth rounder, but there isn’t much to dream on.

Photo Courtesy of the University of Michigan

Buffalo Sabres

1 (1) Owen Power, D, Michigan (NCAA/Big 10)

1 (14) Isak Rosen, RW, Leksands IF (SHL)

2 (33) Prokhor Poltapov, LW, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)

2 (53) Alexander Kisakov, LW, MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)

3 (88) Stiven Sardaryan, RW, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL)

3 (95) Josh Bloom, LW Saginaw (OHL)

4 (97) Olivier Nadeau, RW, Shawinigan (QMJHL)

5 (159) Viljami Marjala, LW, Quebec (QMJHL)

6 (161) William von Barnekow, LW/RW, Tyringe SoSS (HockeyEttan)

6 (188) Nikita Novikov, D, MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)

7 (193) Tyson Kozak, C, Portland (WHL)

After four straight drafts of only selecting five or six players per year, it was good to see the moribund Buffalo franchise inject a ton of talent into their system, coming away from the 2021 draft with 11 new players, including multiple picks in each of the first three rounds. Still new GM Kevyn Adams has received criticism for a number of his early decisions running the Sabres, but it’s hard to find significant fault with his handling of this year’s draft, including the shipment of maligned defender Rasmus Ristolainen to Philadelphia for a mid-first round pick, Robert Hagg, and a 2023 second rounder in the hours before the first round began.

The picks themselves were very forward heavy, with nine forwards among the 11 picks, to go with two defenders. The Sabres also mixed up the pipelines they selected from, which included drafted players from a few areas that previous GM, Jason Botterill, notably overlooked in the CHL and Russia. Buffalo drafted one or two players from each CHL league, and four out of Russia. The remaining picks were from Sweden (2) and the NCAA (1 big one). As far as selecting for upside, which the McKeens rankings have a bias towards, most of the Sabres’ picks were selected around where we had them ranked – in fact, six of their selections were incredibly close to their ranking slot, while most of those we saw as reaches came in the last two rounds. We’ll get into the exception to that rule a little bit below.

First first round pick – Owen Power, D, Michigan (Big 10), 1^st overall

The pick of Power at first overall was a near no-brainer. He has virtually every tool and characteristic a team wants in a workhorse, number one defender. He is gigantic, skilled, solid in his own zone, skates well, even if he will never be mistaken for Cale Makar/Quinn Hughes. He has dominated against his age-peers, as well as against NHL veterans, such as he demonstrated at the World Championships. Power is going back to Michigan for his sophomore season, a decision supported publicly by Buffalo. He could play in the NHL now, but he could develop further collegiately, with a longer leash for risk taking. I still expect him to sign right after Michigan’s season ends, and finish up 2021-22 with the Sabres, what should be the beginning of a long run as a fixture for the team.

Second first round pick – Isak Rosen, RW/LW, Leksands IF (SHL), 14^th overall

Power was the clear choice at #1, but Rosen, selected with the primary pick received in the Ristolainen deal, was the prototype of the forwards that Buffalo targeted in the draft. Smallish (six of the nine forwards they drafted are either short, skinny, or both), incredibly skilled (the rest of the forwards all project to above average skill with the puck, although Rosen stands heads and shoulders above the others), and still just scratching the respective surfaces of their potential. Rosen had few opportunities to stick out when he was forced to play in the SHL last year due to the mid-season cancellation of Sweden’s junior leagues, but he proved his worth with a stellar showing at the U-18 championships.

Best value pick – Prokhor Poltapov, RW, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva, MHL, 33^rd overall

In actuality, the Sabres did not select anyone below where we had him ranked, but as noted above, several came very, very close, including Poltapov, drafted exactly where we had him ranked. It would have been easy to go in a different direction after the selection of Rosen in the middle of the first, as Poltapov has a profile with a few similarities in size, and skill-based style of play, but the Sabres system needs a lot more skill to rise through the ranks, and I would be hard pressed to say that he had the most pure skill of anyone available after the first round was completed. I for one would love to watch a future forward line with Rosen and Poltapov on the flanks.

Worst value pick – Stiven Sardaryan, F, Krasnaya Armiya Moskva, MHL, 88^th overall

We did not have Sardaryan ranked at all, even in our extended list of roughly 600 names. That isn’t to say that he should not have been drafted under any circumstances, but that we felt that his production in the Russian junior leagues, where he was actually a teammate of Poltapov’s, was underwhelming. We were also not the only outlet to ignore him. Maybe he wasn’t being afforded enough opportunities, as he did not want to sign with the KHL club, given his desire to play collegiately at the University of New Hampshire. Sardaryan is expected to take his next steps in the USHL, where Youngstown drafted him this year. If Buffalo believes in his skill set, more power to them. But it seems very likely that he would have still been available one or two rounds later than where the Sabres selected him.

Frölunda's Simon Edvinsson during the ice hockey match in the SHL between Rögle and Frölunda on 28 December 2020 in Ängelholm.
Photo: Petter Arvidson / BILDBYRÅN

Detroit Red Wings

1 (6) Simon Edvinsson, D, Vasteras IK (HockeyAllsvenskan)

1 (15) Sebastian Cossa, G, Edmonton (WHL)

2 (36) Shai Buium, D, Sioux City (USHL)

3 (70) Carter Mazur, LW, Tri-City (USHL)

4 (114) Redmond Savage, C, USNTDP (USHL)

5 (134) Liam Dower Nilsson, C, Frolunda J20 (SuperElit)

5 (155) Oscar Plandowski, D, Charlottetown (QMJHL)

6 (166) Pasquale Zito, C, Windsor (OHL)

As General Manager of the Red Wings, Steve Yzerman knows who he wants at the top, and grabs them, no matter how iconoclastic the selection is at that point. See Seider, Moritz from two years ago. Seen as a surprising overdraft at the time, he is now one of the top prospects in the sport and seemingly ready to break into the NHL now. The Wings took an elite-skilled forward up top last year in Lucas Raymond, but returned to building from the back out this year. At sixth overall, they selected a defender who holds some similarities to Seider in Simon Edvinsson, as big, smooth skaters with men’s league experience and untapped athleticism. Edvinsson may not be as advanced now as Seider was when he was drafted, but his tools give him a slightly higher upside if he can put it all together. Not long after selecting the big Swedish defender, Detroit traded a late 1^st rounder (part of the return from the Anthony Mantha trade) to Dallas to pick up the #15 pick, which they used to select the first goalie in the draft, the towering Sebastian Cossa. Many had Cossa ranked behind Sweden’s Jesper Wallstedt, but Yzerman likes who he likes and Cossa is a Wing.

Pick shuffling was a bit of theme for Detroit in this draft, as they did it again in the second round to grab USHL defender Shai Buium, and then traded down in the fourth round in order to acquire an extra pick in the fifth round. In the end, the eight players selected by the Red Wings were nicely divided between the positions, with two other defenders taken after Edvinsson, four forwards, and the one goalie in Cossa. They drafted two out of Sweden, three college-bound players from the USHL, and one player from each of the three CHL leagues. When the final chapter of this draft class is written, it will be judged on the top three picks’ (Edvinsson, Cossa, Buium) abilities to prevent goals far more than the production numbers any of the forwards may eventually put up.

First first round pick – Simon Edvinsson, D, Frolunda HC, SHL, 6^th overall

If Moritz Seider is the right-side first pairing defender of the future, we have to see Edvinsson as his partner on the left. A massive blueliner who has – by far – the best combination of speed and puck skills of any defender in this draft class, he spent most of his draft year playing against men in Sweden after the junior league was shut down, playing double digit games in both of Sweden’s top two leagues. He is rawer than Seider was in the latter’s draft year, but I expect him to continue to develop in the SHL this year, and his upside is as a Norris Trophy finalist.

Second first round pick – Sebastian Cossa, G, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL), 15^th overall

The first goalie selected in the 2021 draft, Cossa was practically unbeatable in the WHL this year, with a .941 save percentage, and 17 wins in 19 games. The latter stat is not really that telling, but the first number is, and is a continuation of stellar netminding that Cossa has provided as far back as he has trackable stats. Between his size, athleticism, and ability to read the play develop, he should be expected to be the heir apparent to the crease in Detroit, even if we believed that Jesper Wallstedt, who Minnesota drafted five picks later, was the better prospect.

Best value pick – Liam Dower Nilsson, C, Frolunda J20 (J20 Nationell), 134^th overall

A remarkably polished, two-way center, Dower Nilsson is no one’s idea of a top six center, but he played a shutdown role as captain for Team Sweden at the U18 tournament and put up impressive numbers in both Sweden’s junior and third-tier men’s leagues last year. The skill set does not support those numbers continuing as a higher-level pro, but he can find a way to contribute and should have been selected at least one full round earlier than where Detroit nabbed him.

Worst value pick – Carter Mazur, LW, Tri-City Storm (USHL), 70^th overall

In his second year of draft eligibility, Mazur had a great season captaining Tri-City, and being drafted by his hometown team is a great story. He is a fun player to watch and a good reminder that development is not linear, as he did take a huge developmental step last year to earn being drafted. He ends up as the worst value pick however, over the anonymous Pasquale Zito, because Zito was a late round pick and Mazur was taken in the third round. Mazur’s tools don’t line up with his production and he lacks any one tool that would come up in an elevator pitch. If he reaches his ceiling as a bottom six winger, the pick will be correctly deemed a success, but there were still players on the board who have higher projected ceilings.

Mackie Samoskevich.. Photo Dan Hickling

Florida Panthers

1 (24) Mackie Samoskevich, RW, Chicago (USHL)

2 (56) Evan Nause, D, Quebec (QMJHL)

4 (120) Vladislav Lukashevich, D, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)

5 (152) Kirill Gerasimyuk, G, SKA Varyagi (VHL)

6 (184) Jakub Kos, LW, Ilves U20 (U20 SM-sarja)

7 (210) Braden Hache, D, Kingston (OHL)

While I absolutely adored Bill Zito’s first draft class last year – it seemed as if he was simply drafting the best player among those remaining from the McKeens list at times – this one feels much more “meh”. Not a bad class by any stretch, just uninspiring. The 2021 Florida draft class consists of a goalie, three blueliners, and two wingers. The six picks were divided evenly between European talents (two Russians and a Czech) and North Americans (one each from the USHL, QMJHL, and OHL – the last of which spent the year on the sidelines given the OHL’s cancellation).

There was no real trend to note among the Panthers draftees. They took players with grades among the best in skating (Samoskevich) and physicality (Hache) in the draft class, but on the other hand, guys like Nause and Lukashevich are relatively well-rounded prospects, without any one selling tool. The five skaters all have decent size (Samoskevich is only 5-11”, but built stocky), and Hache and Kos both qualify as big, so perhaps size was important, although not in the same way that it was for the Ottawa Senators. There was one notable element of the Panthers experience at the draft that was not related to the players they selected, but connected to a pick they dealt away from 2022. On day two of the draft, the Panthers sent their 2022 first round pick, along with goaltending prospect Devon Levi to Buffalo for Sam Reinhart. So, if we include that deal in our assessment of this draft class, it’s an obvious win. We really shouldn’t though, so like all draft classes, we will wait and see.

First round pick – Mackie Samoskevich, RW, Chicago Steel (USHL), 24^th overall

Top end speed and top end skill. Based on the first half of his season, Samoskevich is not only a first round pick, but a top 15 pick, to boot. He is an incredible skater, combining both great speed and great edges, making him a four-directional threat. His puck skills were just as impressive. He utilizes his linemates expertly, uses his feet to create new passing lanes and very slick hands to put the puck on his linemate’s sticks. His draft season was interrupted by an injury, and for a lengthy stretch, Samoskevich was not the same player upon his return, although he still flashed it enough to be worthy of being picked where Florida called his name. He will be spending the next (at least) two years on campus with Michigan, and teamed up with a good finisher, will be deadly.

Best value pick – Vladislav Lukashevich, D, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL), 120^th overall

Second rounder Evan Nause was a consideration here, but he was never going to go more than 10 or so picks higher than where the Panthers selected him. Lukashevich, a surprise omission from the Russian U18 tournament roster, was seen as more likely to be taken as much as a full round higher than where Florida drafted him, even if he went higher than where we had him ranked. Although tall, he is physically immature, but all of his tools grade out as average or better. He skates well, he is a promising mover of the puck, and he does a solid job of battling for the puck even though most opponents have more bulk on their frames. He will never be flashy enough to be a top prospect, but he has sleeper written all over him.

Worst value pick – Kirill Gerasimyuk, G, SKA Varyagi (VHL), 152^nd overall

Very young for this draft class (he has a late August birthdate), Gerasimyuk was not on to many radars for the draft, considering the limited playing time he has so far had in his career. This isn’t really bad value, per se, just a pick with more risk attached than any of Florida’s others this time, even if Florida has done well drafting goalies.

Oliver Kapanen, Photo by Dan Hickling.

Montreal Canadiens

1 (31) Logan Mailloux, D, SK Lejon (HockeyEttan)/London (OHL)

2 (63) Riley Kidney, C, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)

2 (64) Oliver Kapanen, C, Kalpa U20 (U20 SM-sarja)

3 (87) Dmitri Kostenko, D, Lada Togliatti (VHL)

4 (113) William Trudeau, D, Charlottetown (QMJHL)

5 (142) Daniil Sobolev, D, Windsor (OHL)

5 (150) Joshua Roy, RW, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)

6 (191) Xavier Simoneau, C, Drummondville (QMJHL)

7 (214) Joe Vrbetic, G, North Bay (OHL)

I am generally not one to pass absolute judgement on a draft class before five years have passed, and even then, judgement will be provisional. But this class, despite including some solid players, is worse than a dud. And it earned that branding on day one, with the absurdly heartless selection of Logan Mailloux. The rumors that had followed the defender around for the previous few months had been enough for some clubs to mark him as a “DO NOT DRAFT”, but once the full details of his actions came to light, many others joined. When the player himself asked not to be drafted, there could only have been a handful of teams left who would even have considered him for the seventh round, much less round one. AITA? Yes, Mr. Bergevin, you are. The selection was callous, brazen, and an utter inability, or disregard to, reading the room.

In fairness to the other eight players selected by Montreal’s scouting staff, a few words then. Usually happy to minimize their QMJHL drafting, the Canadiens actually went heavy on their home turf this year, with four QMJHL draftees, including one (Xavier Simoneau), a third year eligible, who put up big numbers for years, but was ignored for his size. His recognition as the QMJHL and CHL Humanitarian of the Year two years ago does not redress the bad Mailloux karma, but good that Simoneau was drafted. Outside of the Q’, they selected two from Russia – one of whom was planning to play last year in the OHL and experienced a lost season as a result, one from Finland, and Mailloux and one other from the OHL. Their picks focused more on the defensive side of the game, with four blueliners plus one goalie, compared with four forwards. Size does not seem to have been a primary consideration.

First round pick – Logan Mailloux, D, SK Lejon (HockeyEttan)/London Knights (OHL), 31^st overall

Enough digital ink has been spilled by myself and many others about why Montreal should not have drafted Mailloux from a personal/personnel standpoint. But Montreal drafted him anyway and we should take a brief moment to discuss Mailloux as a hockey player. If he had not committed the crimes that he did, he would have been a reasonable, albeit not a slam dunk as a late first rounder, as we saw him in the second round before the full story of his actions was revealed. He is very big, moves well, plays a physical game. His offensive tools are fine, but his game is very raw and still mistake-prone. He is not a horrible prospect looking only at on-ice potential, but he is 100% not the caliber of player for whom you ignore or downplay his off-ice track record.

Best value pick – Joshua Roy, RW/C, Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL), 150^th overall

Although his numbers have not yet caught up with his inherent skill set, it was not that long ago that Roy was coveted highly enough to be taken first overall in the QMJHL Entry Draft. Some teams were turned off by the fact that he forced a trade way from Saint John to Sherbrooke, even though it was largely a matter of homesickness, as his family was not able to leave Quebec to visit him in the Maritimes, due to COVID restrictions. So, I ask you, how does that push a gifted forward this far down draft boards while Mailloux’ actions seemingly bumped him up? It really boggles the mind. As for Roy, he has a great shot and fantastic puck skills, but his skating needs some work. Moderate improvements to his mobility could give him middle six value.

Worst value pick – Mailloux & Dmitri Kostenko, D, Lada Togliatti (VHL), 87^th overall

Enough about Mailloux. Kostenko isn’t bad. We had him ranked just outside our top 223, meaning we would not have drafted him if we were the GM of every single team, but we would have considered him and would not fault a team calling out his name in the fifth round or later. We just didn’t see a reason to really pull for him either. His offensive tools are solid, but his skating needs work, and his ability to process the game and make correct choices is lacking. Montreal has been right (at our expense) before with Russian defenders, as was the case with Alexander Romanov, who we also were not fond of, and if Kostenko is another Romanov, more power to him and Montreal. Making that bet in the third round is rich for me, though.

Tyler Boucher, Photo by Rena Laverty, USA Hockey

Ottawa Senators

1 (10) Tyler Boucher, RW, USNTDP (USHL)

2 (39) Zach Ostapchuk, C, Vancouver (WHL)

2 (49) Benjamin Roger, D, London (OHL)

3 (74) Oliver Johansson, C, Timra IK (HockeyAllsvenskan)

4 (123) Carson Latimer, RW, Edmonton (WHL)

7 (202) Chandler Romeo, D, Hamilton (OHL)

Big boys only here. Ottawa gave us the first real surprise of the 2021 draft by selecting USNTDP power forward Tyler Boucher with the 10^th overall selection. More on Boucher below, but the pick was indicative that the Senators would be hunting for size and strength with their picks this year. Of their six picks, all are at least 6-0” tall, with three of them listed as over 6-3”. Not only tall, but only two of their picks weigh in at below 198 pounds. Unfortunately, in most of these picks, it looks like Ottawa sacrificed playing ability to get those big boys, which is not to say that they won’t see NHL value out of any of these picks, but that the approach will likely mean that they receive less value at the NHL level than they would have if skill/ability was their primary concern. Each and every player selected by Ottawa was drafted far ahead of where we had the player in question ranked, something we cannot say about any other team.

Beyond the size issue, there isn’t much noteworthy about the Senators’ picks, taken as a class. Lacking picks in either of the fifth or sixth rounds, but owning an extra second rounder, the team ended up with two players each from the WHL and OHL, one from the USHL, and one European, a Swede with the best skills of anyone among their picks. The picks were evenly split positionally, with two defenders, two centers, and two wingers.

First round pick – Tyler Boucher, RW, USNTDP (USHL), 10^th overall

A power winger who can dominate physically, Boucher, son of long time NHL goalie Brian Boucher, hasn’t topped the point-per-game rate since he was playing U14 hockey in New Jersey. He has decent offensive tools, when looked at in a vacuum, but has never put them to consistent use. There was some thought that some team would call out his name in the late first round, but 10^th overall was a shock, and that’s without even considering his injury history that kept him off the ice for much of his draft year. Some pundits reported that they looked to trade down, but couldn’t work out a deal that would still ensure they could land Boucher. I strongly suspect that this selection set the stage for a few other less-talented, but big/physical/gritty players to go in the first round that otherwise might not have.

Best value pick – Carson Latimer, RW, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL), 123^rd overall

Technically, the Senators didn’t have a value pick this year, but Latimer is the closest to qualifying. He has good size with some physicality to go along with it, some skill with the puck, two-way ability, and knows how to fit in in a supporting role, which will be his sole path to the NHL. This is not a high upside player, but with some moderate improvement to his skating stride, could turn out to be a solid fourth round gamble.

Worst value pick – Zack Ostapchuk, LW, Vancouver Giants (WHL), 39^th overall

In a draft class full of reaches, the selection of Ostapchuk in the early second round was the most egregious. His pros are his plus size, above average mobility, and nascent puck skills. None of those elements are truly top six caliber, and he hadn’t produced at a top six rate since his U15 days. This pick was made around two rounds too high. Ostapchuk making the NHL at all is no guarantee, and it is very hard to see anything more than a fourth rounder. The Senators went all in on their size strategy, and I have to assume that it is because the organization feels that the young players already in the pipeline will be taking over the top roles anyway. Regardless, there is a good chance that Ostapchuk would have been available one round – or more – later.

Dylan Duke. Photo Rena Laverty, USA Hockey

Tampa Bay Lightning

3 (96) Roman Schmidt, D, USNTDP (USHL)

4 (126) Dylan Duke, LW, USNTDP (USHL)

5 (160) Cameron MacDonald, C, Saint John (QMJHL)

6 (192) Alex Gagne, D, Muskegon (USHL)

7 (196) Daniil Pylenkov, D, Podolsk (KHL)

7 (211) Robert Flinton, LW, St. Paul’s School (USHS-NH)

7 (224) Niko Huuhtanen, RW, Tappara U20 (U20 SM-sarja)

The last team to make their first pick this year, and then the last team to make any pick, a team’s draft class after winning the Stanley Cup – much less winning back-to-back Cups – is almost an afterthought. But we should never forget how instrumental good drafting – in all rounds – has been to Tampa’s recent run of success. We can’t say if the next Brayden Point will emerge from one of the seven players Tampa selected, all in the third round or later, but we shouldn’t be surprised if one or more of these mid-to-late round picks far exceeds his expected draft slot value.

Both of their first two selections (Roman Schmidt and Dylan Duke) were from the USNTDP. Two other picks were of US-based players headed for college. With the other three selections, we have one player each from Russia, Finland, and the QMJHL. The picks were a simple mix of four forwards and three defenders. Size seems to have been a consideration, with six of the seven picks (all except Duke) coming at a minimum size of 6-1”, 190. They had no problem picking up players who had been passed over in previous drafts, with Alex Gagne in his second year of eligibility and Daniil Pylenkov in his third.

First pick – Roman Schmidt, D, USNDTP (USHL), 96^th overall

Tampa’s first pick was the final selection of the third round, and with Schmidt, they added a physical specimen who combines immense size (6-6”, 209) with remarkable skating ability, and a willingness to play hard. The rest of his game s still pretty raw and prone to inconsistency on both sides of the puck, but early in the season he was given some consideration as a potential first rounder because of his two higher-end traits. Schmidt’s recent decision to forego college for Kitchener of the OHL does shorten his path to the pro game. He looks like an intriguing option for a bottom pair now, but if he adds offense to his game, that projection can easily improve.

Best value pick – Dylan Duke, C, USNTDP (USHL), 126^th overall

To be honest, had Tampa drafted Duke in the third and Schmidt in the fourth, it would have lined up far better in terms of the eventual value we expect out of each player, but size was paramount throughout this draft class, so flipping the script on these two makes sense, as there was probably a good chance that Schmidt would have been taken by another team before the Lightning had the chance to draft in the fourth round. Although smaller, Duke plays a very gritty game, thriving near the crease. He will have to learn to play on a lower line next year at Michigan, but his style is suited for that type of role. He isn’t (likely) the next Brayden Point, but Duke is likely to have had the greatest NHL value once all is said and done with this Tampa draft class.

Worst value pick – Robert Flinton, LW, St. Paul’s School (USHS-NH), 211^th overall

Truthfully, the only concern with Flinton is that nothing is really known about him. He played in a smaller prep school in his home state of New Hampshire and has no experience against top competition. He’s big and strong and has a solid snap shot, but he is mostly a mystery. Committed to Dartmouth for the 2022-23 season, he is expected to play in the USHL next season, most likely with Cedar Rapids. Flinton may be their worst value pick, but seeing as the pick was made late in the seventh round, where expected value is near nil, we at least know that the scout who pushed for him is happy, and morale is never a bad thing. This is more a statement that Tampa got solid to very good value out of the other six picks they made.

Matthew Knies. Photo by DAN HICKLING

Toronto Maple Leafs

2 (57) Matthew Knies, LW, Tri-City (USHL)

5 (153) Ty Voit, C, Sarnia (OHL)

6 (185) Vycheslav Peksa, G, Irbis Kazan (MHL)

This is easy. The Leafs only made three selections. One each from the USHL, the cancelled OHL, and Russia. Not much sense looking for patterns in a sample size of three, but the organization’s willingness to trade away their picks earlier in the year, after they were widely known to be one of the clubs who did not allow its scouts to attend games in person all year, is telling. They approached this draft class as a near afterthought, which I strongly suspect was a result of the bulk of leagues playing significantly condensed schedules. This is as close to opting out as a team could reasonably do.

First pick – Matthew Knies, LW, Tri-City Storm (USHL), 57^th overall

Knies had some first round buzz before the season started, considering his premium size and the playmaking chops he demonstrated with aplomb in 2019-20 as a USHL rookie. A bout with COVID led to a very slow start this year, both in terms of production and literally as a skater. He just looked heavy-footed. Knies picked it up as the season progressed and had some going back to the previous first rounder impression. He will have to improve his skating to maximize the rest of his game, but he is a smart enough forward to be able to succeed in a middle six if he can just get up to average mobility. Headed to play for Minnesota, Toronto will not rush him.

Best value pick – Ty Voit, C, Sarnia Sting (OHL), 153^rd overall

The Pittsburgh area native looked like a very promising playmaker as an OHL rookie in 2019-20, and might have gone off the board much higher than the late fifth round if he were bigger, or if the OHL had even an abbreviated season this year. He flashes high end puck skills, skates very well, and showed a clear propensity for making good decisions when he debuted with the Sting. He is no sure thing, but there are markers here of previous Toronto mid-round picks who either worked out, or are still young and trending in the right direction, like Adam Brooks, Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, Mikhail Abramov, or Nick Abruzzese.

Worst value pick – Vyacheslav Peksa, G, Irbis Kazan (MHL), 185^th overall

By process of elimination, the worst value can only have been from Toronto’s third and final selection, the unheralded netminder from Russia. Peksa was not on anyone’s radar. He played in only two games at any level in 2019-20, and 18 last year, where he was the backup to Vladimir Mosin in the regular season and played behind 2020 Toronto pick Artur Akhtyamov in the postseason. My guess is that the Leafs were comfortable with Peksa based on tracking the development of Akhtyamov. We will know a lot more about Peksa if he can finally play a full season as a starter. The fact he hasn’t done that yet – and he is already 19 years old - increases the risk factor. It would be easier to understand taking this type of a risk if the Leafs had a more normal sized draft class, but with only three players selected altogether, a more careful approach would have been preferred.

2021 NHL DRAFT: OTTAWA SENATORS REVIEW

Ryan Wagman — Mon, 30 Aug 2021 15:34:10 +0000

Tyler Boucher, Photo by Rena Laverty, USA Hockey

1 (10) Tyler Boucher, RW, USNTDP (USHL)

2 (39) Zach Ostapchuk, C, Vancouver (WHL)

2 (49) Benjamin Roger, D, London (OHL)

3 (74) Oliver Johansson, C, Timra IK (HockeyAllsvenskan)

4 (123) Carson Latimer, RW, Edmonton (WHL)

7 (202) Chandler Romeo, D, Hamilton (OHL)

First round pick – Tyler Boucher, RW, USNTDP (USHL), 10^th overall

Best value pick – Carson Latimer, RW, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL), 123^rd overall

Worst value pick – Zack Ostapchuk, LW, Vancouver Giants (WHL), 39^th overall