Welcome to my midseason ranking of the top 64 prospects eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft.
This is my fourth of what will be seven rankings for the upcoming draft. It includes full scouting reports on all 64 players presented this season with an all-new design and user interface. It follows my way-too-early top 24, preseason top 32 and preliminary top 64 and will be followed by a March top 64, an updated top 32 post-U18 worlds (released in May) and my final top 100 (released in June).
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Though it’s led by a star forward prospect in Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini, this draft class will be defined by both the quantity and quality of its high-end defensemen. A clear top 12 has emerged for me in this class and half of them are D (for reference, I also like four or five of that half dozen more at this stage than I did David Reinbacher, the top D in last year’s class).
The ranking, now completely sortable, is also broken down into tiers to give you a better sense of the fluidity within groupings and the drop-offs between them. This ranking is divided into six tiers. They are: 1, 2-4, 5-11 (though No. 12 is right on the cusp of this third tier for me), 12-21, 22-51 and 52-64+. Also included are 39 honorable mentions (sorted alphabetically) who were given anywhere from passing to serious consideration for the end of the list.
Note that while I consult scouts, coaches, general managers, team staff and agents in building my draft rankings, the following evaluations are strictly my own.
Macklin Celebrini
Celebrini has, so far, traveled the path of a true star-forward prospect. He doesn’t profile in the Connor Bedard-Connor McDavid-Sidney Crosby echelon, but he was a star at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, he was a star as one of the youngest players in the USHL with the Chicago Steel last season (where he put together the most prolific 16-year-old season in the league’s history, led the league in scoring and was named the USHL Player of the Year), he was Canada’s best player at U18 worlds as an underager while dealing with a lingering shoulder issue, and he has again looked like a star as the youngest player in college hockey at BU (coming off of shoulder surgery, no less) and an underager again with Hockey Canada at the world juniors. What he accomplished to date would be impressive even if he were on the older side of 2024 draft eligibles. It’s even more impressive because of his June birthday.
His profile has it all, too. He’s a natural center. He plays with confidence and presence that is rare in a player his age, consistently looking to attack and dictate with the puck. He’s also an intelligent off-puck player who understands timing, routes and how to get open and make himself available without the puck in his hands. He’s a plus-level skater and excellent transition puck transporter who has an impressive ability to giddy up and drive the middle third. He's quick and hard to track on turns. He’s a hardworking player defensively, and into battles and races for pucks. He’s got dynamic puck skills that allow him to break down opponents and coverage at speed. He’s a tactile shooter and finisher who can get pucks off in a variety of ways, from a variety of stances, and without needing to tunnel vision for it (plus he has a hard and comfortable one-timer). He’s consistent in approach. He sees and executes through seams with a lot of crispness. He is sturdy and thick for his age and absorbs and plays through bumps extremely effectively, staying over pucks and extending sequences through a strong lower half. Those tools, combined with excellent puck-protection skills and an aggressive approach, allow him to play a heavy-skill game. He’s a quietly powerful player for a 6-foot kid, and while he’s not going to bully his way around the ice, he commands play and imposes himself on games.
Artyom Levshunov
Belarus has produced two top-10 picks at the NHL Draft, but Levshunov has a real chance to be the country’s first top-five selection. He had a stellar rookie season in North America last year, registering 43 points in 65 combined regular-season and playoff games in the USHL to fast-track his way into college hockey at Michigan State. With the Spartans this season, he hasn't looked the least bit like a teenaged freshman either, playing big minutes to excellent two-way results and producing at a point-per-game rate. While he’s on the older side of the first-year eligibles for 2024 because of his October 2005 birthday, I don't think he's on a track that's far off the one Owen Power and his November birthday took.
Levshunov’s profile checks all of the boxes that teams are looking for in a high-end defenseman. He’s a righty with an imposing and physically mature build already. He’s a smooth skater with plus-level four-way mobility (including a long, gazel-like stride the length of the ice). Though he was a little green defensively when he arrived in the USHL, he made fast progress and really figured it out last year (which included becoming a top penalty killer as the season progressed after not starting there) and his ceiling defensively is sky-high with the right development. That ceiling is led by a physical nature that regularly sees him bowl over opposing players (even on reverse hits) and outmuscle in battles. He’s a heady passer and shot shaper but mostly impacts games offensively with how eager and loose he plays as a carrier and activator who comfortably leads exits and entries and loves to hop off the line (including deep into the O-zone) and join the rush with his skating. He also walks the line proficiently and manages the game well in control, which has allowed him to produce very high shot totals so far this season at MSU. And after beginning to take over games offensively and show a more dynamic element over the second half of last season in the USHL, he is already playing with an abundance of confidence and identity in college hockey. He already possessed all of the tools he needs to become a stud, and he just keeps getting better and better. The decision-making is a little raw, but he's very much still learning it, and the raw tools are incredibly appealing. With continued fine-tuning, I believe there's first-pairing upside there. I was very high on him coming into this season, and he has still exceeded my expectations. When he's been out there, the Spartans have won his 20-plus minutes a game handily. He's a force.
Cole Eiserman
A dynamic goal scorer in the truest sense, Eiserman possesses an exhilarating ability to cleanly pick his spots in the net and beat defenders and goalies one-on-one when the shot isn’t there. He can score in every way: long range, midrange, jam plays, rush plays, quick hands in tight, the one-timer, a lethal catch and release (there isn't a pass he can't take and get off). Last year, he showed one of the better shots and sets of hands I’ve seen in a player that age. This year, he's on track to break or challenge Cole Caufield's NTDP goal-scoring record. He’s actually two and a half months younger than Celebrini, too, with a late-August birthday that makes him one of the youngest players in the draft.
Eiserman is a shot creator who, against his peers, usually takes whatever he wants and seems to score at will.
I actually think he's a better skater than he has been given credit for in conversations I’ve had with folks about him, too, but it’s his puck skill, quick release, shot variety (he can rip it in motion, off catch and releases, standing still and from a one-timer, and he’ll make goalies guess wrong in alone because of how fast his hands are) and sneaky strength (when he uses it, which he has started to do more of) that allows him to create at will against his peers. He can frustrate, though, too, and scouts desperately want to see him round out his game. He can be a little careless and selfish with the puck. He can get carried away trying to do too much, stickhandling into trouble or shooting into shin pads. The play selection and habits definitely need some work, and have led to many understandably lowering him outside the top-three range I still have him in (though I am less sure about it than I thought I'd be). He doesn’t miss when he’s got an opportunity, though, and it's so, so hard to find goal scorers like him outside of the very top of the draft. The puck pops off of his stick so effortlessly and he produces that "he’s about to score here” feeling every time the puck comes to him in a good spot. It’s cliché, but you can’t teach that. He looks to me, with a little coaching, like he’s on a track to NHL stardom as a first-line winger and PP1 focal point.
Ivan Demidov
Demidov is a highly skilled, playmaking forward who finished third in the MHL in scoring last year (extremely rare for a player his age in a league typically dominated by 19- and 20-year-olds) and played at a higher point-per-game pace than the two players in front of him, alongside his older brother, Semyon. This season, after a strong preseason with SKA, he won a job out of camp but played little and then, after bouncing between levels trying to rediscover his game, injured his knee and missed a month and a half. Since returning, he has torn up the MHL with a string of multi-point games and 5 to 10 shots a night (including a five-goal game with a couple of highlight reel ones just last week). He’s on the older side as a December 2005, and he’s got work to do to get stronger, but he's a true play-creator and you want the puck in his hands so he can slip around the ice to make things happen for himself or his linemates. His ability to get off the wall to the middle, either with the puck on his stick into traffic (though I think he falls back on his heel-to-heel skating a little too much), his manipulation one-on-one, or passing through layers to the weak side of coverage, is very unique. And while his skating in straight lines doesn't always look smooth, he's still a fast skater and very shifty side to side. He's got the best hands in the draft (though he can get himself into trouble trying to beat two or three guys in a crowd) and has made more one-on-one skill plays so far this season than almost any prospect I've scouted for any draft. He’s also a pretty engaged off-puck player who keeps his feet moving, hunts pucks on the forecheck, and can turn a steal into a game-breaking play in an instant. He’s not quite at Matvei Michkov’s level (as some have suggested) for me but he still looks — at this age — like one of the most purely talented prospects to come out of Russia in recent memory (his game also has more of a pro style/competitiveness/roundedness to it than Michkov's at the same age) and scouts really like him.
Anton Silayev
The story of the draft this season, Silayev is a unicorn 6-foot-7 defenseman who has risen to the top of the class playing legitimate minutes for one of the KHL's better teams — an extremely rare feat for a 17-year-old. He has already broken the league’s under-18 scoring record by a defenseman, and will soon break the under-19 record. He has played on the power play, consistently registers multiple shots per game and has even played both sides. Silayev is an excellent skater who walks the line with ease, drops back onto his heels comfortably, and pushes forward to either carry pucks up ice, close gaps, or disrupt a carrier with an active stick. Despite how prodigious his play has been, he looks like he's only scratching the surface of his true potential as well, with steps to be taken in his decision-making on the puck (I find he's a little too trigger-happy — he actually shows good poise and comfort when he doesn't rush), his shot (which he gets off in volume and does a good job putting on target, but will definitely add power as he gets stronger and works on it), and his ability to really impose himself with his size (which he's doing more and more of, now leading Torpedo in hits). He has shown some soft skill for a big man, he's disruptive in zone defense and hard to beat off the rush because of his length, and there's plenty of room for continued growth and development within his game. Many scouts think he's the top D prospect in the draft. I'm still partial to Levshunov but I like Silayev at the front of that next group (though the gap between him and Zayne Parekh, Zeev Buium and Sam Dickinson is smaller for me than it is for most scouts I've talked to).
Zayne Parekh
Parekh has turned me into a total believer the last two seasons, even though that's not the case for everyone. He might even be in a special tier offensively. Last season, despite playing in just 50 of Saginaw’s 68 games after missing three weeks due to injury from the end of February into March and another couple for the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (where he scored three goals and five points in seven games as the highest-scoring defenseman on the fourth-place-finishing Canada Black), he still broke the OHL’s all-time goals record by a U17 defenseman, scoring 21 times and regularly looking dynamic on the puck. An OHL Cup All-Star and first-round pick into the OHL even before his breakout season last year, Parekh might be the top offensive defensemen in junior hockey this year and has so far scored at an all-time great draft-year rate. He plays an aggressive offensive style that looks to attack off the line into the slot or even the front of the net or below the goal line. He’ll also regularly involve himself in the rush, much like a winger does, driving down the wall in control to look to put defenders on their heels with his skating and attack into his shot or create an odd-man rush. He’s super confident on offense and opening up his feet (where necessary) around the zone without going to his heel-to-heel by default. He’s got great hands and a balanced skating posture, which helps him carry pucks and beat the first layer of pressure to get to his spots. When the puck arrives on his stick, it just seems to stop and glue to him through his movements — a very rare quality that almost makes him look lackadaisical with the puck because it's settled so easily into his pocket. He likes to roam, but he's also learning to pick his spots better and his head is constantly on a swivel to identify where he is in relation to his teammates. When he plays freely, which is almost always, you're drawn to him whenever he touches the puck because he's always a threat to make something happen. He’s got great footwork and edges to manipulate across the line and stop up along the boards to change directions or maintain gaps. I know some scouts were interested to see how he'd do at the CHL/NHL Top Propsects Game on-ice testing and he performed well (he's not the fastest going forward but his maneuverability compensates). He protects the puck extremely well with players leaning on him, escaping situations you wouldn't expect him to. And then he also defends at a high enough level to be given free rein to go out there and look to attack. Though his defense is a common criticism among scouts, I'd argue he's got a great stick and reads the play quite well. I've liked what I've seen from him on the penalty kill, and even though he definitely doesn't play a physical style, I think he's made important progress in his own zone. There are times when his posture will look disengaged and a little upright, and you'd like him to really get low and battle, but he's playing to win pucks with his stick and does so fairly well (he's never going to be a staunch defender). Add in a frame that is a little more mature than I think people realize/give him credit for, that he's a very good communicator (he's constantly talking on the ice), passes that are always tape-to-tape and perfectly flat, an ability to draw penalties escaping pressure as well as just about anyone in the draft (he's never in trouble), and a want to have the puck and make a difference, and there’s a very high-end package. He has regularly played huge minutes for the Memorial Cup hosts this season and if he can defend at a reasonable level in the NHL (which I believe he'll be able to) he's got star power offensively. He won't be for every team, but I'd pick him early without much hesitation.
Zeev Buium
Because of his December 2005 birthday, Buium (the younger brother of Red Wings prospect Shai) entered the national program a year ahead of Cole Eiserman and company. Last year, in his second season, he really hit his stride, too, becoming a driver for the U18s. And this season, after growing a little (he was listed at 5-foot-11 last year and is now listed at 6-feet by NHL Central Scouting), he hasn't lost his identity in college and if anything has really expanded it, stepping in at Denver to play roughly 20 minutes per game of very active hockey. He’s a plus-level skater who plays an extremely involved game in all three zones, whether that’s activating into the rush or off the point, shaking pressure on exits or across the blue line (which he does extraordinarily well), working in and out of give-and-gos, or playing tight gaps against the rush. He's a very busy player on both sides of the puck and he gets in and out of his transitions and footwork so quickly that he can play that style. When he’s dialed in, applying pressure on and off the puck and using his feet and his skating to influence play, he can really impact a game in a lot of ways. And while I would have said he had good but not high-end skill a year ago, he definitely looks like he has the latter now. His head is always on a swivel. He opens up and walks the line to create lanes for his shot and pass so well, even working off of his off-side. He shakes past opposing players with ease. He's got great hands (though most of it is in his inside edges and shoulder fakes). Some question his lack of physicality (with one scout even calling him soft) but he enjoys play D, has learned that the faster he cuts off plays the more he can play offense, and will defend with the occasional bump on top of all of his stickwork and footwork. He has played some very good hockey for a while now (last spring to finish strong at the NTDP, again at the World Junior Summer Showcase, now as a freshman with the Pioneers and at the world juniors, where he was pretty clearly one of USA's four best defensemen as its youngest) as well. He has quickly gone from a late first-/early second-round projection to right there in the conversation at the very top of this strong D class.
Sam Dickinson
It’s never easy to play a regular role for the London Knights, especially as a 16-year-old and a defenseman. But that’s what Dickinson did last season, stepping into a blue line that initially had four drafted prospects plus a would-be first-rounder in Oliver Bonk. What started as Dickinson finding an immediate role as a highly touted player out of minor hockey finished with a strong playoffs that saw him play over some of those drafted players in key situations. This season, he's now playing a leading role in all facets of the game (which has included successfully quarterbacking one of the power-play units) on a Knights team that looks poised to contend again. He’s a strong 6-foot-3 defenseman whose skating is high-end (forward, backward, four-way mobility, the full package for a defender his size), who plays hard and firm, defends at a very high level for his age, has skill and poise with the puck (which was on display more at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and has continued to reveal itself for the Knights this season) and has started to make better and more consistent reads under pressure (he's showing real comfort and even deception past opposing forwards these days, and has shown some nice vision and touch as well). He’s not the most dynamic player with the puck, but he has all of the physical tools you look for, he can really shoot it, he comfortably moves it, he has a high floor, and he could have a very high ceiling (at both ends) with proper development. He's also helped by a June birthday that gives him some more runway. Scouts are extremely excited about his toolsy game and potential upside, and I don't blame them (I debated ranking him higher here). He can command a game and there aren’t really any major holes, which is saying something for a defenseman his age. He looks like he's got a real chance to be a two-way stud in the NHL.
Berkly Catton
The No. 1 pick in the 2021 WHL Bantam Draft, Catton has impressed in the WHL, where he quickly became an offensive catalyst on a bad team and finished second on Spokane in scoring last season, and has taken another step as deceptive and dangerous whenever he’s on the puck this year, particularly in recent months. He also has impressed internationally, first at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (where he captained Canada Red to silver and led them in scoring with 12 points in seven games), in flashes in a limited role as an underager at U18 worlds, and then at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he was named captain, led the tournament in goals (eight) and points (10) in five games, and shined through, demonstrating his knifing, slippery game. Inside the offensive zone, the way he baits and shades, drawing players to him and then playmaking past them with a pass or a cut, is pretty impressive. Catton is a heady playmaker who uses spacing to his advantage and sees the ice at an advanced level, regularly executing quick plays through coverage or delaying into a pre-planned play. He’s got multi-dimensional skill, with an ability to play both with speed on the rush (he’s a smooth, fast and nimble skater) and more slowly inside the offensive zone when the pace ramps down and he has to spin away from pressure (which he does so well). He’s got great instincts offensively. He tracks back consistently and will get up and under sticks to win his fair share of battles. He thrives in tight spaces and on cutbacks, he can play on the perimeter or take it to the net, and he’s got a dangerous and quick release while moving. He does such a good job losing defenders with his back to them to avoid getting pinned down because of how adjustable his skating is through stops and starts and tight turns. He draws a lot of penalties with his skating. Catton's path from fitting right in as a rookie who was asked to play center on a top line and handled it extremely well (he even won the majority of his draws last year) to constantly threatening as a deceptive and dangerous player offensively has positioned him as one of the top forward prospects in the draft. He's got some very translatable top-six elements with his skating and skill set type and I debated ranking him higher here.
Konsta Helenius
After filling the stat sheet in Finland’s top junior league as a 16-year-old last fall and outshining a strong group of Finnish forward prospects on route to a bronze at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (where he capped off an 11-in-seven tournament with a four-point performance in the bronze medal game), Helenius played exclusively in Liiga on loan from Tappara to Jukurit last season after returning from the tournament at the end of November, registering 11 points in 33 games as the league’s youngest player. He has also stood out playing above his age group at both U18 worlds (where I thought he really drove the bus on an otherwise disappointing team) and the World Junior Summer Showcase, even excelling at his natural center position (there was some wonder if he’d be a center or winger at the NHL level, but he’s solid in the faceoff circle, his defensive play is where it needs to be, and he has looked like he belongs down the middle when there in Liiga). This season, he has played well and created looks in my viewings in Liiga, has been very productive for his age, and was probably a little better than his two points in seven games at the world juniors (he wasn't a standout, but was in a couple of games and drew some penalties). He’s a joy to watch navigate, manipulate and pass the puck with his smarts. He's got an ability to find his teammates in space and then get pucks to them with the perfect weight and timing, even while he’s well covered. He has also grown an inch to get to 5-foot-11 and he stirs the drink through his effort level, regularly coming up with pucks when you don’t expect him to while impacting play at both ends of the rink. Against his peers, he’s both a driver and a playmaker. He does such a good job identifying lanes and attacking into them/taking what the defense gives him. He’ll look for his own look when it’s there or play in a quick give-and-go when spacing tightens up. He seems to create constantly. He’s a good skater. He anticipates the play at a very high level off the puck (the puck just seems to find him again and again inside the offensive zone). I like him on the forecheck. Every time I see him, he looks like a legit top-10 pick. I'm not sure he's a top-five guy in this class, though (which, for a time, I believed he was). He is getting to the inside against pros more this year and has looked pretty clearly like one of the draft’s more intelligent forwards in my viewings. I like the determination he plays with, too. He has already proven to be a pro play driver as well. Last season, Jukurit, which finished 11th in the 15-team Liiga and was outscored 165-155, actually outscored the opposition 18-9 with a 16-year-old Helenius on the ice at even strength. This season, his underlying numbers have remained strong, with the team generating 60 percent of the shot attempts with him on the ice.
Cayden Lindstrom
Lindstrom is a big center (though his NHL Central Scouting listing dropped him from 6-foot-5 to 6-foot-3.25) and excellent skater who already uses his size to his advantage, whether through finishing his checks, shielding pucks, powering through contact or going to the net front to provide screens. He's also got decent overall skill and quick hands, both in flight and around the net and the wall. He can play off of the puck and take up space in front, play on the cycle and stay over pucks to help his team maintain possession inside the offensive zone, create in transition — putting defenders on their heels with a head of steam — and even make skill plays from a standstill inside the offensive zone. He's a strong, powerful skater who can pull away in open ice and win races. He's also strong in the faceoff circle. He looks like a projectable middle-six center, which at his height would make him a pretty rare player type in the league. He did have to undergo a minor hand operation, which sidelined him for the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, but he should be back before the end of the season. He's an easy player to like and one most scouts like a lot. The expectation at this point is that he'll be picked higher than where I have him here, and it's easy to see why, given his makeup, size and position.
Carter Yakemchuk
Yakemchuk was the only 2024 draft-eligible to make one of the WHL’s All-Star teams when he was named a Central Division Second All-Star last season. Only a couple of weeks away from being eligible for the 2023 draft, he played a big role for a middle-of-the-pack Calgary Hitmen team and his 19 goals were third-most by a defenseman, behind only 19-year-old Hudson Thornton and Anaheim Ducks top prospect Olen Zellweger. I thought he was mostly unnoticeable at U18 Worlds for Canada, but part of that was his role/usage and he has looked completely himself in an even greater role on another lackluster team this season. Led by his instincts, plenty of confidence and legit skill for a D his size, he generates a lot from the back end for a Hitmen team that generates little. While his game in the WHL does come with some give and take, he’s got pro size, a pro shot (maybe an understatement given his gaudy goal totals) and an attack mentality that is complemented by good instincts on when to eagerly jump off the line or into the rush and when to hold it or outlet it. He also protects the puck really well for a defenseman, which allows him to make the most of his decisions to involve himself in the play around the offensive zone, holding pucks past and away from reaching defenders and occasionally dazzling one-on-one. It’s not uncommon to see him take a puck to the inside off the wall. And while I’d say he’s a good, but not great, defender, he's got the size and tools (it never hurts when you're a 6-foot-3 righty) to take the steps he needs to there and he plays really hard at both ends. I would like to see his skating, which is fine but not a strength, improve (I know some were surprised he didn't perform well in testing at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game). There have been games this season in which he has dictated terms with his offense and physicality, really taking charge on the ice.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
Brandsegg-Nygard is one of the most well-rounded forwards in this class and the best of a wave of Norwegian players who’ve joined Mora IK’s program. He's an October 2005 with a pro frame who played to above a point per game at the junior level and scored his first pro goal in HockeyAllsvenskan last season. He lost out on playoff action and a chance to play for the senior men’s national team at the World Championships after undergoing knee surgery in March, but he was healthy in time for his draft year and got off to an excellent start, registering nine points in his first three J20 games and quickly establishing himself back with the pro club in preseason and regular-season play. He’s a multi-faceted shooter who can score from the top of the circles with his wrister but also gets down to one knee and really powers through a good one-touch shot — skills that have helped him excel on both the flank and the bumper on the power play across domestic and international levels. He’s not a dynamic individual play-creator but he’s got pro size, he works extremely hard and engages himself in the play, he plays well off of his linemates, and he’s got good all-around skill. He also plays the game with a physical tilt even against pros, constantly engaging in battles and keeping his effort level ramped up. He's got a commitment to staying on pucks and finishing his checks, and uses a long stick to protect pucks well out wide to his body. He's got good straight-line skating. He looks like a projectable middle-sixer to me, and a solid top-sixer with the right progress. There are some who aren't sure he's quite skilled enough for the front half of the first round, but you won't find any who don't like his game/style.
Liam Greentree
A Hlinka Gretzky Cup performance that was just OK soured some on Greentree, but he was well-liked last season for his consistency on a deep Spitfires team (consistency which led OHL rookies in goals with 25 and earned him a First All-Rookie Team nod) and he has re-earned everyone's belief in him as a projectable top-nine forward with an excellent draft year as the leading scorer, captain and best player on a now-rebuilding Windsor team and a strong showing at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game (in which he scored, was robbed and had multiple looks). He's a big, strong kid whose game is all about being around it. He finds his ways onto pucks inside the offensive zone, stays on them, wins battles, keeps his feet moving, plays an opportunistic style, and then has decent skill and an NHL release (the puck comes off of his stick hard, and quickly, and hits his spots). I haven't seen a dynamic quality, and he isn't a burner (though his speed is decent when he gets going even if he's not the quickest in his first three steps), but he's got pro size and a well-rounded toolkit and has shown more and more individual skill and confidence as the season has progressed to build out a nice statistical profile to complement the completeness of his game (he protects pucks well, can shoot it, etc.). Nobody was surprised when he was named Windsor's captain, either. He's not going to be a front-line guy but he looks like he's got the makings of a solid NHL forward who can play up and down a lineup. When one part of his game isn't working, he's got a B, C and D aspect that most other players his age don't have.
Trevor Connelly
Connelly is a highly talented playmaking winger who was very productive in the USHL last season. He has consistently flashed dynamic talent level this season, and he led Team USA’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup team in scoring this summer, registering 10 points in five games on route to a bronze medal. He's committed to Providence.
Teams have expressed concerns about his on- and off-ice conduct, though. Connelly has admitted to posting a photo depicting a swastika to his Snapchat in March 2022, and he has denied an accusation that he directed a racial slur toward an opponent during a game in 2021.
On talent, he’d be a front-half-of-the-first-round prospect in this draft class. Though he has room to develop physically and add strength, his slight build doesn’t hold back his shot (which uses a quick release to fool goalies) or his skating (which is fast and fluid even without the muscle/power that's coming) and I like his work rate off of the puck. He possesses some of the better hands, on-puck movement at speed, offensive zone problem solving, and touch as a passer in the draft, regularly making difficult skill plays in tight coverage. He’s a dynamic one-on-one player who can turn defenders inside out with his hands and uses quick crossovers and a light skating stride to be agile on cuts, jumps, and changes of direction. He's creative. He seems to have a really good understanding of how to deploy his skill and outsmart opposing structure. He's as comfortable playing off of his backhand as his forehand. His ability to beat players laterally and shake around and through coverage, combined with his playmaking sense, gives him top-six, PP1 NHL upside as a player.
Aron Kiviharju
Kiviharju is the player on this list who has been on the scene the longest. He made the leap to Finland’s top junior league at 15 and didn’t just play but excelled, immediately becoming one of its most productive defensemen and even wearing a letter on his jersey. He then played and starred at the U18 worlds twice; first in Germany at 16, topping Finland’s blue line with six points in six games to help steer them (figuratively, but also literally steering the game on the ice) to a silver medal, and then again in Switzerland (still as an underager), where he was the best defenseman on a team that disappointingly lost in the quarters. He also led the Finns to bronze at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, again as an underager. Last season, after an excellent preseason with TPS, it looked like he might play his way into being the youngest full-time player in Liiga and at the world juniors. But then neither of those things happened and he bounced between levels and was one of the final cuts for Finland’s under-20 national team. Then, after making a move away from TPS to join HIFK for his draft year, he got off to an up-and-down start, scored his first pro goal, and then suffered an injury which required surgery and a four-month recovery (a timeline which again took him out of the world juniors, where he was poised to play a leading role). He's going to be back in time for a potential third under-18s, where he'll still have to prove himself as a top prospect. He was always going to need a big year for teams to use a high pick on a diminutive defenseman, and now he may not get an opportunity to really show them what he's got. I've moved him down into the front of my fourth tier because of that, and even then, NHL scouts I've talked to would be hesitant using this high a selection on him at the moment. I still like the player though, so here's hoping he can finish strong.
I’m a fan of the way Kiviharju plays the game. He manages play in front of him with impressive poise and comfort, directing and influencing play all the way down the ice. He effortlessly advances play under pressure inside his own zone, side-stepping forecheckers to headman pucks. He walks the line beautifully, with a knack for shaping shots through to the net. His first touch on the move is always perfectly caught. He’s clever. He processes the game faster than the opposition and sees things that others don’t see. And he’s a smart defender who gaps up well and gets pucks going the other way quickly with little bump passes and exits in order to offset some of his size limitations.
He’s definitely most noticeable breaking the puck out of his own zone, where his little carries and outlets make a big difference. He shows deception across the line though as well, although there are times when I’d like to see him look to attack and take charge himself in the offensive zone a little more. It can look like he’s always trying to set up the next heady little play instead of just commanding it. When he does really attack, he usually accomplishes what he’s looking to as well because he’s hyper-aware out there of the way the play develops. Cerebral is the perfect word. He can lack a separation gear and quickness in straight lines, which can result in a lot of resets, but he’s quick and comfortable through his crossovers and usually makes the right play when he does have to turn back and regroup. He also plays his off side comfortably. I still like him but there's a chance that, if he doesn't find another level when he gets back, he slides into the late first round on my list.
Adam Jiricek
Adam Jiricek, the younger brother of Blue Jackets top prospect David, is a summer birthday who worked his way from junior into Czechia’s top pro rung as a 16-year-old last season. This season has been a difficult one for him, as he has suffered a pair of knee injuries (one right before the world juniors and then another almost right away in the tournament, the latter of which required surgery and ended his season). Even before the injury, I didn't think his draft year had gone as well as he would have hoped for and I was starting to question why some were as high on him as they were. Still, it wasn’t a coincidence that he played atop Czechia's defence alongside Kings draft pick Jakub Dvorak, even as an underager, at the U18 worlds last spring. He doesn’t have the presence that his brother has, but Adam plays the game with confidence and intention and has shown real ambition against his peers. He’s got good four-way mobility, an active disposition (he has also shown at the pro level that he can simplify and play a more effective game), balanced shooting mechanics, and an eye for spacing and for identifying opportunities to jump on both sides of the puck, plus legit skill with the puck to build upon. There are definitely tools and room to grow his game and fill out his frame but he's competitive, I like his defensive habits and he's got size and ability. I remain a little more cautious in my evaluation of him than most scouts because he feels a little rawer than the defensemen in front of him here to me, though. And the injury is a setback. I was closer to ranking him lower than higher here.
Igor Chernyshov
Chernyshov is a November 2005 who has progressed in line with his older age, establishing himself as a point-per-game MHL player and scoring his first KHL goal (at 16 years and 352 days, he was actually the 11th-youngest player to ever play in a KHL game) last season. This year, he has bounced between the MHL and KHL, creating more looks at the junior level than his production suggests and generating some good looks while playing very little in his appearances with the big club. He’s a big, strong winger and power-forward type who plays a straight-line game and has the individual skill and quick release to go at defenders and make plays off the rush, or finish from the slot with a quick, one-touch shot in zone. He’s a smooth skater, too, which complements his impressive rush game. Add in a committed game off the puck and there's a lot to like about his mould. He can attack at defenders in a variety of ways, threaten on the puck or get open off of it, and he works hard and profiles like a pro and future top-nine NHL winger.
Henry Mews
The No. 7 pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, Mews played an important role on one of the best teams in the OHL as a rookie last season. He also twice played very well for Hockey Canada, first in a standout showing as the captain of the otherwise disappointing Canada White at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, tying for the team scoring lead with eight points in six games, and then in another strong performance at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, again leading Canada’s defense in scoring. He has looked sloppy and unsure of himself at times this season, though more so early on, which softened his outlook for some to more of a mid-to-late first-rounder rather than an upper-half guy. He's just a player who scouts really aren't sure what to make of yet, even though they all see the potential/toolkit.
Mews is an athletic, right-handed shot who is capable (keyword) of consistently driving and tilting play from the back end. When he’s at his best, he dictates play by regularly looking to activate into the rush or off the line to use his skill and playmaking ability from the back end. He's capable of defending hard, too (though sometimes I think he's working harder than he is effectively in battles). But he has struggled at times with his positioning and seems to get beat one-on-one or on misreads a little too often (everything, as one scout said to me, is just a little too "chaotic" with him at the moment). He's actually a good skater, too, so those things should be happening a little less than they do. I love his attack and take-instead-of-give mentality offensively, and it’s complemented by good athleticism, NHL skill, an NHL shot and an ability to execute against coverage and pressure to the middle third of the ice (he's an impressive slot passer). His business inside the offensive zone, jumping in and out of the play, will occasionally catch him in a bad spot, but can also really impact play and offense when his team needs it. His ceiling will be determined by the consistency of his reads. But while his inconsistency this season will leave him out of this range for some, I've so far mostly sat tight with where I think he belongs in this draft, and that's right in the mid-to-late teens for me.
Emil Hemming
Hemming is a raw but very interesting prospect who battled inconsistencies in his play and deployment at Finland’s U20 level last year with TPS after showing so much promise last fall (which included a strong showing at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge before an illness kept him out of Finland’s last two games, and a six-point hat trick with TPS's junior team). Then, after hitting a bit of a wall late in the year, he was tremendous again internationally at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where his four goals and nine points in five games led the Finns to a bronze medal. This year, Hemming has turned heads with his skill at the junior level, where he has played to a goal per game and nearly two points per game, and he has had some really nice stretches of play in Liiga as well, already scoring his first half dozen pro goals as a 17-year-old (he won't turn 18 until next summer). After making the Finnish world junior team, though, he saw his minutes reduced after some careless play in his own zone. Hemming has clear tools as a 6-foot-1, 200-ish-pound winger with real individual skill as both a handler and a shooter. I’d like to see him use his size a little more, but that’s not uncommon for a player his age. He’s got high-end (or close) skill, a dangerous wrister on the power play (from the flank and the bumper) and a quick, one-touch release and catch-and-release motion. When the puck lands on his stick and he looks to attack and keeps his feet moving, he can create looks and beat defenders and goalies. There are the makings of a potential top-six player in there, but he does have more to work on than most of the players in front of him here, and he comes with some risk as a result.
Tij Iginla
After playing his rookie season in a limited role with the WHL-champion Seattle Thunderbirds — at times even scratched — Tij, the son of Jarome Iginla and the No. 9 pick in the 2021 WHL Bantam Draft, was traded in June to Kelowna in a package that included a first-round and second-round draft pick. Since, he has taken off with the Rockets, regularly looking dangerous both off the rush and attacking inside the offensive zone. He's an excellent skater who can beat you in a straight-out race, cut past you laterally with quick weight shifts, or build speed through tight crossover patterns around the offensive zone. On the puck, he's a dangerous individual creator who can create in knifing bursts and works quickly to put defenders on their heels, attacking on angles and jumps. Off of it, he's got great instincts for jumping into gaps in coverage to get open for his linemates. His snapshot, which has a traditional look to it and is more wrists and leverage than the curl-and-drag you commonly see now, is a major weapon, consistently beating goalies cleanly with both its pop and how quickly it comes off. He's got great hands and adjustability, which blend with real creativity to create a threatening one-on-one player. He's also a fan-favorite type who gets after it on the forecheck and involves himself in the play often with some sneaky strength. Add in NHL puck skill and a dangerous and heavy wrister from mid-range, and you've got a fun player and prospect.
Michael Hage
A star prospect who would have gone at the very top of the OHL draft had he not chosen to go to the Chicago Steel and commit to the University of Michigan, Hage was limited to 13 games last season (five goals, five assists and 10 points) after undergoing shoulder surgery. He’s playing a massive role with a brutal Steel team this season, though, and there are staff there who think he’d be in the top-10 conversation if not for the lost time last year. Hage is a natural center that has it all. He’s got pro size, he’s got dual-threat skill, he can create for himself or elevate a line, he plays hard, he stays on pucks, he battles, and he reads the game at an advanced level with an intelligent, studious approach. I like him in puck control/protection. He's got detail and work ethic. And he has driven and produced offensively to stamp himself as one of the USHL's best players despite there being little around him and after missing most of last season. I could see him following a similar path to the one Joshua Roy has in Montreal, as a star minor hockey prospect who wasn't drafted in the first round but worked his way back into that kind of cachet after the draft (Hage could still go in the first round, though, and I expect we'll see him step up for Team Canada at U18 worlds in the spring).
Maxim Massé
The first forward taken in the QMJHL’s 2022 draft (No. 3), Massé lived up to the selection (which was not the consensus choice at the time), playing to nearly a point per game and nearly 30 goals as a 16-year-old last season. The leading goal scorer (second in points) on a young Chicoutimi team, he was named the CHL’s rookie of the year. Massé, who earned high praise from around the QMJHL last season and performed well for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup but has been a little snakebitten this year, possesses a natural and versatile shot and above-average skill across the board. But it’s the completeness of his game that really stands out for a player his age. He can penalty kill, he’ll go to the dirty areas and make plays around the net, he battles, and he’s just a toolsy player who stays around it and goes to the right spots, whether that's swinging to the wall to pick up cycled pucks before defenders do or popping out into the slot at the right time. With continued work on his below-average skating (which will likely mean he's picked lower than where I have him here, as some scouts are concerned about his pace of play), he’ll be a good NHL player. I thought he had one of the better performances on a thinner Team Red up front at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game, too, which probably helped his softening first-round stock for some. He reminds me of recent, well-rounded QMJHL draft picks like Dawson Mercer and Zach Dean, though I think he has more skill than the latter did at the same age. He's a better prospect than his sub-point-per-game numbers on a low-scoring Chicoutimi team (which he still leads in scoring, it should be noted).
Sacha Boisvert
As one rival USHL coach put it to me: "Sacha Boisvert is a really good player.” Boisvert, a top prospect in Quebec growing up who was a first-round pick into the QMJHL even after he’d gone to the U.S. for the final two years of his minor hockey, is a North Dakota commit who was named to the USHL’s All-Rookie Second Team last year after he finished third on the Lumberjacks in scoring as a 16-year-old. As a 17-year-old, he's now wearing a letter on his jersey with Muskegon. He’s got the desired height and position on his side, room to fill out his once-wiry frame (which he already added a bunch of muscle to last summer and still looks lean), and NHL skill. That includes a quick release, good instincts on and off the puck, above-average feet (he's a decent skater, even if a little upright in his stance), a developing power game and great feel with the puck on his stick both at speed and in slowing the game down (though a high grip and long stick can occasionally limit him with the puck so far out in front of his body).
Ryder Ritchie
Ritchie is another on a long list of summer birthdays in this draft class who excelled as 16-year-olds in their respective leagues last season. In his case, he finished third on a bottom-of-the-standings Prince Albert team in scoring at nearly a point per game. I liked what I saw of him at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge as well, and he was one of Canada’s most dangerous forwards at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup to kickstart this year as a standout for scouts — play which continued early on as he was the Raiders' focal point offensively this season before tapering off a bit before being sidelined in mid-December with a lower-body injury. I had high expectations for him this season. He’s also now listed at 6 feet after being listed at 5-foot-10 last season. Ritchie’s a shifty playmaking winger who can make highlight-reel skill plays with the puck. He protects it extremely well and will commonly shake past or around opposing players, building speed through his crossovers to hang onto the puck inside the offensive zone until a play presents itself. There’s also some real creativity to his game as an equal opportunity facilitator and finisher (he’s got a really nifty curl-and-drag and snap release that can cleanly beat goalies from midrange). He’s a crafty, talented winger who looks like he’s got top-six upside to me, even if the points haven't popped this year.
Terik Parascak
A fourth-round pick in the WHL Bantam Draft who played at Edge School last year and went scoreless in five WHL games, Parascak has burst onto the scene this season, quickly climbing the lists of NHL scouts. He has slowed down a smidge after a torrid start which included back-to-back rookie of the week nods, but he's still top-10 in WHL. And while he gets to play with the team's two drafted stars, Riley Heidt and Koehn Ziemmer, on the top power play, he doesn't play with them at five-on-five and has really clicked on a separate line, mostly with import Ondrej Becher and Zac Funk, giving the Cougars two of the league's best lines. His off-puck timing and spatial awareness have so far defined his game, as he regularly gets into the right spots at the right time to bang home rebounds, tap-in backdoor passes or get out in transition to give his D a stretch option on outlets (without really cheating for it). He anticipates play offensively at a very high level, knows how to get open and play off of a driver (which Becher is), has a great wrister and one-touch shot from mid-range, always goes to the net when the play funnels there instead of hanging out wide, and has skill around the net and in tight to his body when challenged by defenders. He also uses his linemates well and has shown nice touch as a passer. He's not a flashy skater (though I think he's a better, more controlled skater than I and others realized after earlier viewings) or individual playmaker off the rush, but with timing and good skill, he makes things happen offensively.
Beckett Sennecke
One of the more productive rookies in the OHL last year, Sennecke was a standout on a young Oshawa team, earning Second All-Rookie Team honours and playing both wings successfully (he’s a right-handed shot but often played the left wing with would-be Avalanche draft pick Calum Ritchie, although he has played mostly right wing this year). He looked a little skinny when I first went to see him play last fall, and he has still looked that way in viewings in Oshawa and Moncton, but his stride and shot, which both lacked power a year ago, have made clear progress over the summer (his release, which has always been naturally quick, now has some oomph, and his skating has really smoothed out and looks like a borderline strength, which has helped his rush game). He can definitely handle the puck. He’s got soft hands and a confidence on it, even under pressure spinning and weaving off the wall or attacking right into defenders with his stick skill — regularly finding his way out of tough spots and traffic with craft and creativity. The puck just sticks to him. He also moves well in control, side-stepping checks and sticks nicely. He's impressively dexterous and does a good job catching bad passes and handling the puck in his feet. But he does have a bad habit of playing one-on-one a little too much, which has frustrated some. He'll dangle past a defender multiple times a game, but also turn it over, trying to be a hero when there are better plays. There are also times when he needs to empty the tank on the backcheck, but he has made more of an effort to finish his checks and battle through contact this year (I've seen some games in which he has battled and others in which he hasn't, and I know that has frustrated some scouts, because it is there). Still, he has real skill, he's one of Oshawa's only real creators, and his feet and stick move in and out of unison to shade away from opposing reach-ins really well. He also sees through coverage well and — when he's not so focused on making the individual play — can really pass it through gaps in coverage. I'm not sold on him as a first-rounder but he has clear talent. I know scouts were keen to watch him closely at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game as they try to make up their minds on whether he's a first-rounder as well, and I thought he was one of White's most noticeable players with the puck and worked hard, so that was positive. There's some risk and reward with picking him.
Tanner Howe
Howe is an interesting case study this year. It's his third full season in the WHL and his fourth in part. And despite having been very productive to date (69 points in 64 games as the league’s second-most productive under-17 player, and then 85 in 67 as the league’s fifth-most productive under-18 player), it still feels like his draft year is a prove-it year because the player at the top of both of those lists was Connor Bedard, his frequent linemate. He was also largely unnoticeable in front of the NHL’s brain trust in Germany at 2022 U18 worlds, despite playing alongside Bedard (a combination Team Canada probably was a little too reluctant to move off of), and again at last year's U18 worlds in Switzerland, where he was given more of an opportunity as one of three returnees and was fine but unspectacular, eventually getting banged up and falling out of the top-six. He did play away from Bedard more than I think most people realize (including for stretches as the team’s second-line center behind him) and did show he could be successful in driving his own line in the WHL when he did. He has so far looked up to the task of his draft year this season, too, leading Regina in scoring by a hefty margin and proving he can create offense for himself. He is also by all accounts a competitor and leader (he was named Pats captain to replace Bedard) who is determined to prove his merits as a first-rounder in this draft.
There’s a lot to like about his game as well. He doesn’t necessarily wow you with his skill level for a player with his statistical profile and size, but he makes a lot of small area plays (little five-to-10-foot passes through feet and sticks under pressure), he always seems to be around the puck inside the offensive zone, he’s tenacious off the puck, he finishes his checks, he can play down the middle or on the wing and he’s got well-rounded skill and decent skating (which he hasn't always been given credit for but demonstrated in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game's testing). I like him. He's a competitor with skill and that can take you a long way.
Andrew Basha
Playing on a line with Lindstrom this season, Basha, who is a couple of inches taller than he was a year ago, has looked really good, very consistently. He's a good but not great skater who gets off the mark quickly and attacks in short bursts but isn't a burner. And while he has excellent hands, he doesn't hold onto the puck too long (a common problem for players with his skill set), instead using a two-touch short or a quick handle into a deft pass back against the grain to make the majority of his plays. His patience then becomes a utility rather than a crutch, only going to it when he needs to, and relying on quick reads the rest of the time. He also shows a willingness to forecheck, play through bumps and fight for positioning and possession. He makes plays under sticks and through feet and into space, he thrives moving off the puck in and out of five-and-gos, and he has legitimate skill. Once the cream of the crop is gone in this draft, he's right there in that next cluster for me in the late-first/second round.
Cole Hutson
Here I am, once more, ready to bet that a Hutson will grow a couple of inches and emerge as the best of the bunch from his NTDP class (seeing as teammate Logan Hensler, who is a different animal, is in the 2025 draft class). Cole’s point-per-game U17 season (and well above point-per-game U18 team production) at the program last year was actually more prolific than Lane’s was, and he did it while four and a half months younger than his brother was at the same age (Cole has a summer birthday). He was the most talented defenseman on either of the NTDP’s teams last year. This year, though the points haven't come quite as easily for him, it's clear Cole is trying to really dial in his game defensively, and the play creation has still been there (I expect him to have struck the right balance by year's end). Cole's got more of a physical element to his game than Lane does and plays opponents really hard so that his size is less noticeable, gluing himself to them in order to be as disruptive as possible. He was the most impressive 2024 defenseman at the U18 worlds for me, too, playing 17 to 19 minutes per game as an underager. He quickly identifies second and third options, often a step ahead of opposing structures. The way he shows one thing and does another is pretty unique. His little hesitations in control into quick, decisive attacking moments grab your attention and allow him to make plays past the first layer. He has the puck on a string at times. I think he’s a better skater than his big brother was at the same age (he snakes his way through gaps in coverage so effortlessly, and his lateral agility on cuts is a major strength). He executes some beautiful stretch passes. He’s got great touch and feel on his backhand as well as his forehand. And he's holding his own defensively, for my money. It was clear from watching the program last year that both the U17s and U18s were so much better with him out there than without. That has been less pronounced this year, as some of the other D have taken steps forward, but I'm still a big believer in the talent and like him as a late-first/second-rounder even though he might go in the middle rounds.
Leo Sahlin Wallenius
I really like this kid. He takes what's given while maintaining an eager game. He's an excellent skater and playmaker who transports pucks through neutral ice, joins the rush, jumps in and out of lanes, and then has the cleverness needed to hold and play pucks into space with proper timing. He's got good hands for a defenseman. His offensive-zone instincts are already there. And whenever I watch him, it feels like he has taken a step versus the last viewing as he builds confidence and finds new ways to impact play. He defends well with his feet and a good stick. There are two legit 2024 D prospects on Vaxjo's J20 team this season, and I was partial to Alfons Freij coming into the year. I'm partial to Wallenius now, for sure, although they both have top-60 talent and some upside.
Nikita Artamonov
Silayev has drawn the majority of the attention with Torpedo, but scouts have been impressed by Artamonov, who is having a strong draft-age season for a forward in the KHL as well. He's a skilled and spatially aware left-shot right winger who plays the game to get open and apply pressure when the puck gets to him. He knows who he is and how to best fit into a line, he plays within himself, and he allows the game — and the play — to come to him. He's got above-average tools in most of the areas that matter. And I think he's got a little more of a finishing/goal-scoring element to his game than his statistical profile indicates, too. He's a solid B or B-plus prospect, even if there isn't a star quality to his game.
Jett Luchanko
Luchanko is an average-sized player with above-average skill and impressive skating ability, but it's his on-ice intelligence that defines him. He understands timing, spacing and puck movement at a very advanced level, always finding his way into good spots. There are other tools. He protects pucks well with a wide gait. He's got really good balance, posture and mechanics, and while I wouldn't call his upper-echelon skating elite or explosive, it's a definite asset and he's got some pull-away speed (he also finished first in overall on-ice testing results at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game). He plays in and out of give-and-gos. He can penalty kill. But it's the consistency of his reads, paths and decisions that define his game. He makes the right play with the puck almost always, and he's extremely unselfish (there are actually times when I'd like to see him hold onto pucks and attack so that I can evaluate his skill better, but he just always gives it to the open man and then gets back open). When there's a play to be made, he won't hesitate to make it. I'm not sure whether his lack of a dynamic quality will hold him back up levels, but he's already a go-to player in all situations for Guelph and he's got quieter tools and habits that should help him.
Charlie Elick
The only non-OHL defenseman on Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup this summer, Elick really came into his own as the tournament progressed, playing more than 26 minutes in the gold medal game and carrying that over into a strong start to his draft year (though his production has leveled off since). Led by standout physical attributes and excellent skating both forward and backward, Elick is a steady, engaged defender with real two-way upside and a developing offensive game. I like the way he defends in-zone and boxes out. He’s got a good stick and great feet defending the rush and gapping up, but can also step up and lay the body, which he does with force (he's one of the hardest-hitting players in the draft, regularly driving through players to sit them down along the wall and occasionally even leaving his feet). He is starting to use his skating to be more involved in the rush this year. Teams are high on his toolsy makeup as a staunch defender with length, athleticism (he crushed on-ice testing at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game with the second-best overall results among the 12 defensemen) and standout mobility.
Simon Zether
Zether is one of the older players on this list as an October 2005, and his profile so far reflects his age. He was a point-per-game J20 player and got appearances at U18 worlds and the World Jr. A Challenge already last season, and has taken a smart but at times passive game to another level this season, earning a call-up to the SHL team and dominating his peers in ways he didn't a year ago. He has pro size to work with, an intelligent game built on plus-level vision, a head that’s always up and hands that control the puck smoothly at a little over 6 feet 2. He’s got work to do to get a little quicker but he has made progress there and he's so good at knowing where to be and using spacing to his advantage that his average footspeed isn't noticeable. He reads the game at a high level, he’s got some skill, he’s a right-shot center who plays a reliable game, and he has started to take pucks to the interior and look to create for himself a little more instead of always making the efficient but low-upside play.
Luke Misa
One of the better skaters in the draft, Misa is a November 2005 who is in his third season in the OHL and was a predictable standout in combine testing at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game (he's a great athlete). He wins races and can create with his feet, regularly beating his man wide and getting a step on defenders for partial breaks (he rounds corners particularly fast and tight). He's not the biggest kid, and the knocks on him in his first two years in the league were that he needed to use his speed to get to the middle third of the ice more and play with a more competitive edge, but he has made noticeable progress on both fronts this year to emerge as one of the top scorers in the OHL and more of a play-driver at both ends. I like the way he jumps into gaps and creates quick looks. He's starting to play into the guts and find his way out more, making better choices about when to go wide and when to drive into teams, push them back and make the kick-out play. And when he’s feeling it, he has the puck a lot and passes it well to the weak side of coverage.
Cole Beaudoin
The son of Eric Beaudoin, a former OHL captain and fourth-round NHL draft pick who played parts of three seasons in the NHL and had a successful career in Europe, Beaudoin plays a pro style and makes good reads and decisions around the ice. He's a big, strong, driven, hardworking, decently skilled player who carried over his standout play at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup into his second OHL season with an eight-points-in-four-games preseason. While his start to the regular season was a little slower in production, he has gotten back into a rhythm, has played well in my viewings at both ends (in Barrie and Moncton for the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game) and has created some good looks that haven't gone in. An incredibly strong athlete in the gym, he already looks like a pro physically. Though he's definitely not quick (which showed up in the on-ice testing in Moncton) and he needs to work on his skating, he's a strong and sturdy skater once he gets into his stride, which allows him to get after it on the forecheck (where he excels) and backcheck (he really tracks pucks) and drive play down ice. Beaudoin is a very well-rounded player who supports pucks well on both sides, protects pucks well against defenders and can be relied upon defensively and offensively. He's already wearing a letter and I could see him as an OHL captain as early as next year.
Lucas Pettersson
The first draft-eligible player to play in an SHL game this season and an alternate captain with Sweden's Hlinka team this summer, Pettersson is a smart and well-rounded two-way center who has talent and understands how to get the most out of his game. He makes decisions quickly on the ice and shoots it quickly when he gets it in good spots, with a dangerously accurate snap shot and a confident one-touch shot. He's got great hands and an ability to delay and hesitate on defenders, freezing them off the rush so that he can cut past and gain an advantage. He's also a faster skater who does a good job forcing turnovers, intercepting passes and creating breaks for himself. Plus, he's a capable penalty killer who has worn a letter for his club and country. I'm a fan.
Dean Letourneau
Letourneau has drawn a lot of attention from scouts this season as a towering center who can skate. I've had staff at SAC tell me he's also closer to 6-foot-7 or 6-8 than his 6-6 listing from NHL Central Scouting, believe it or not, too. His skating, shot and puck control in tight to his body all leap out as unusual for a player his size. He's fluid through his crossovers and comes out of them lighter than you might expect. It can be difficult to project players from the Prep Hockey Conference, but SAC has a track record of developing one or two prospects per draft, and BC did a good job bringing along Jack McBain, another big center who traveled a non-standard path. When you see him on the ice, his makeup is striking. When he finishes his checks, he can overpower opposing players at the boards or muscle through in control. Off the cycle, players at the prep level don't engage with him, which allows him to take pucks off the wall and make plays with his good sense on the puck. He plays the flank on his off-side on the PP rather than the net-front/bumper role big men are usually tasked with. He's got some vision and a natural shot. I don't love how passive he can be without the puck, though. There's too much standing around and too much time spent with one hand on his stick. I'd like to see him close out pucks and win them back quicker than he does because he's actually got a good stick when he's around it. I'm not sure he'll make a good penalty killer up levels (which players his size are usually asked to do) without an adjustment to his appraoch and play style. There are definitely some real gifts/tools to work with, though. There haven't been many forwards his size who've made it (it's more common for a defenseman) but there are some who believe he can get to where Brian Boyle and a couple of others have, as a bit of an exception to the rule. And if he's more than that, he'll be a pretty unique player. He went down to play a couple of games for Sioux Falls in the USHL over the holiday break and didn't look himself in 11 minutes per game, but that's not uncommon for kids from prep or the Minnesota high school circuit. He's going to need some time.
John Mustard
One of the top players in 16U AAA hockey last year, Mustard has also been one of the top rookies in the USHL in his draft year, stepping right in to become Waterloo's leading goal scorer and a real driver. He's a tremendous skater who uses his speed to get out in transition, turn defenders with the puck, get on pucks and win races. A Providence commit, he fits well with the Friars as a hardworking forward who gets after it. He's also shown some skill, a quick release and a hard wrister this season, too, and is just a month away from eligibility for for the 2025 NHL Draft. His athleticism will carry him a long way.
Veeti Vaisanen
The No. 2 Finnish D in this draft class to Kiviharju, Vaisanen has also already played up a year — first to help Finland to bronze at last year’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup and then again at the 2023 U18 worlds in Finland. I’d expect him to be a big part of their world juniors team in the two tournaments after he’s drafted. He’s a competitive and smooth-skating two-way defenseman who established himself as a minutes-eating player at Finland’s U20 level, made his Liiga debut in the playoffs with KooKoo last year, and has played predominantly at the pro level this season. I like his stick, his gaps and his positional awareness defensively. He’s a comfortable distributor, shooter (he’s got a hard shot) and handler with the puck, even if his skill level on offense isn’t dynamic. I have questioned his discipline and decision-making in control at times (he has been prone to coughing pucks up when playing against higher-end competition), but I think some of that is just a byproduct of his age and the advanced levels he has been asked to play at. He's got a chance to be a No. 4-6 D.
Dominik Badinka
Badinka is an interesting case study as a Czech who played last year in Finland and is playing this year in Sweden. He's also a November 2005. But despite being on the older side of the draft, he still led all under-18 defensemen (which included the draft class ahead of him) in scoring in Finland's top junior league last year, and has so far looked his age as a point-per-game defenseman in Sweden's junior level who is getting SHL reps. Malmo's program has developed a bit of a reputation for how hard it has recruited players from outside Sweden, with a junior roster made up of Czechs, Slovaks, a Slovenian and a bunch of Danes and Norwegians this season. Badinka has stood out within that group, playing with a presence about him at both ends. He's got size, moves the puck and sees the ice well, likes to carry it and influence play, plays hard and confidently, and takes space on both sides of the puck when it's there. He missed out on playing at U18 worlds due to appendicitis, but I think he would have had some more buzz had he played. There's a solid player to work with there, once you start talking about the second- and third-round range in this draft.
Marek Vanacker
Vanacker is a player who, after he impressed me in an early season live viewing, I immediately made time for on tape and asked around about. Since then, I've become more and more of a fan, right through to his good showing at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game's combine testing. Playing primarily as a second-line left winger in Brantford, Vanacker has shown confidence on the attack this season with the puck in his hands. There's a lot to like. He's got size, he's a really strong skater, he'll take pucks to the net, he protects and shields the puck well, he knows where to be and go on the ice, he's got a solid two-way game and he works to get the most out of his above-average skill. He's got the makings of a complementary winger and he knows who he is and what he's going to have to be up levels.
Christian Humphreys
Humphreys, who recently decommitted from Michigan State to commit to Michigan, has proven he can facilitate and make plays at both center and on the wing this season, and with a variety of linemate types. There was a lot of talk heading into this year as to which non-Cole Eiserman/James Hagens forward from the 2006-born NTDP group would emerge — so far Humphreys has stood out from the pack for me in terms of talent, and Kamil Bednarik has done the same in terms of consistency/versatility/roundedness. Some of that growth has just been physical, too. Humphreys, who scored five goals in his NTDP debut a year ago but was listed at 5-foot-10 and 150 pounds in his U17 year, is now an inch taller and 20 pounds heavier. That added strength has allowed him to get the most out of his talented and intelligent game. He's an agile skater who side-steps close-outs. And he has quick hands and a great feel for the game as a playmaker, which blend with a heady disposition and good instincts on and around the puck to create an interesting offensive package. I'm still not quite sure where I'm going to land on his NHL projection, and there are people who aren't super high on him, but I've liked what I've seen from his development curve to this point.
Kamil Bednarik
Bednarik's an easy player to like and is well-liked by scouts for his consistency and his know-how. He's a heady, methodical player who makes little plays all over the ice and does everything well without having the dynamic quality you'd see in a first-rounder. He's got well-rounded skill and has shown he can stir the drink and make a play, depending on what's called for. He also plays to his linemates' strengths, which has made him a natural fit with different players at the program. His skating isn't a strength and it can be a little stilted at times, but I'd say his speed is average. I think we're going to see more offense out of him in college, too. He hasn't shown the flash of some of the other 2006s at the program, but there's some talent there and he reads and anticipates play quite well.
Matvei Gridin
Gridin, a Russian import to the USHL, got off to one of the hottest starts in North American junior hockey, leading a strong Muskegon team in scoring out of the gate. That has leveled off a little, but he's still got some tools, including a pro build, some skill on the puck and a quick NHL look to his release. He regularly tries and pulls off difficult, clever little moments on the ice to snake his way out of trouble or play pucks through or past defenders. Part of that is a credit to his ability to think and adapt quickly on the ice (I've seen him lift his head from a pass reception and make a number of instinctual, no-panic plays under immediate pressure in a split second). He has also taken positive steps away from the puck to round out his game. Add in good size and good skating and there's a lot to like. He's another University of Michigan commit.
Yegor Surin
Surin is a talented and multi-dimensional offensive player who has really elevated his game over the last month or two to become one of the best forwards in the MHL. He excels on the flank on the power play because of his plus-vision and a dangerously quick release from midrange. He can frustrate with his lack of discipline though, whether by trying to be too cute at five-on-five attempting unnecessary one-on-one plays, or by constantly taking careless penalties (scrums after the whistle, interference trying to be sly, high hits, stick infractions, etc.). Some of it you can live with because he's competing for possession and battling for pucks or looking to play the body, but there are too many instances in a game where he's reckless in his decision-making on and off the puck. I expect there will be teams that really like him because of his skill and fire, and others that think he doesn't have the head for the game and aren't sure he'll be able to play his style, at his size, against NHL competition.
Will Zellers
Zellers is one of two legitimate 2024 prospects who stayed at Shattuck instead of jumping into the USHL full time, and I've liked him more than teammate Aidan Park whenever I've watched the pair (both at Shattuck and for Team USA at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup). A North Dakota commit, Zellers does a wonderful job playing pucks into space and skating into them. He has legit touch and skill on the puck, and has scored some beautiful goals this season. I like his approach to offense and the way he uses the puck to create advantages for himself or his linemates. He can make the quick play or the long one, and makes good decisions about when to pace up or slow it down and hold it. There's some clear talent there; the question is whether it'll translate. It's easy to see him becoming a top offensive player in college, but there are some who question what he might look like in terms of an NHL conversation some day. I like the player/style/makeup for the modern game, though. Drafting players out of the prep school circuit always comes with a longer timeline and a bit of a risk, but he looks like a B or B+ prospect to me.
E.J. Emery
A plus-level skater with athletic genes (he's the son of former CFL linebacker Eric Emery) who has taken steps in the way he sees the ice and passes, Emery is a projectable, right-shot two-way defender with pro qualities. Emery was raised and developed in B.C., his mom is Canadian but his dad is American, and he chose the NTDP-to-college route and committed to the University of North Dakota. Emery owns his ice defensively, continues to show growth handling and transporting pucks and has major steps that he can continue to take in his development (which does come with some risk if he doesn't take them). He doesn't have natural offense but his instincts on when to jump into the play are starting to come and he defends and skates well enough to project as an effective five-on-five defender and potential penalty killer.
Adam Jecho
A name prospect out of Czechia for what feels like years now, Jecho — who has played in three Hlinkas, a U17 WHC, a U18 worlds, Finland and now the WHL — is a huge center (though he has also played a lot of wing coming up and isn't particularly strong in the faceoff circle) with decent skills. He's a below-average skater who has work to do on his first three strides (which was evident in a poor showing in testing at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game), but if he can pick up a step there's enough elsewhere for him to become an NHLer. He can shoot and handle the puck, with a wrister that comes off quickly. He protects pucks well and will make the odd soft-area play. He has learned to work and use his frame off the puck to become a more rounded player defensively. But while NHL Central Scouting and some scouts I've talked to view him as a potential first-rounder, I'm not there. He doesn't generate enough looks for himself individually and remains too much of an off-puck player on his lines to be considered a first-round talent for me (even though he does a good job reading play off of the puck to pick his spots to drive the middle lane or get open out wide). I expect that he tops out as a bottom-six type.
Alfons Freij
Freij is a smooth-skating, strong-on-his-feet-and-his-edges defenseman who thrives in transition both ways, handles the puck comfortably and confidently on exits and past pressure, walks the line beautifully and will roam and maneuver when opportunities present themselves inside the offensive zone (sometimes to his detriment defensively). He's an aggressive and skilled defenseman who has the tools to defend better and just needs to buckle down a little more defensively and make better decisions with the puck (I think he reads play well, he's just a little overzealous on both sides and it comes with some mistakes). I'd be eager to work with him because there's some potential there.
Leon Muggli
While his world juniors (one bad game and a suspension mixed in with some good ones, including a leading role in Switzerland's quarterfinal loss) were a little up and down, Muggli has generated some interest from NHL teams this year for his strong results in third-pairing minutes in Switzerland's top pro league. He's got good comfort under pressure and will move his feet to beat the first layer. He can run the top of the power-play umbrella. His outlets are crisp and leading. He will block shots and compete for body positioning (though he has at times struggled to win those battles and box-out at the front of the net). He keeps his head up and understands the game. I could see him becoming a depth defenseman in the NHL and while I'm not fully convinced he’s a second-rounder, he's probably a third-rounder for sure.
Daniil Ustinkov
Ustinkov, who has already played regularly at the NL level (a very good pro league) for ZSC this season and last, and is an import selection of the London Knights if he decides to come over, was really impressive as an underager at U18 worlds with Switzerland (who he represents internationally despite also having Russian citizenship) and played well again at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup (he was fine-to-good at the world juniors). A late August birthday, he makes the right choices with the puck and reads without it, consistently on both fronts and in all three zones. He plays with a great deal of poise, simplicity and maturity. His head is always on a swivel and he’s just an intelligent player who takes what’s given to him and advances and steers the play. He needs to get a little quicker getting back to pucks, etc., but that will come with age/strength and is compensated by knowing where to be, good edges, a competitiveness and a want to make a difference. When he’s been on the ice, the Swiss national team has typically been able to hang with anybody. That says something. That he's played exclusively between the NL and second-tier SL pro levels this season (to decent underlying results) does, too. He might finish as more of a top-100 guy for me than a top-64 one but I like him here for now.
Ben Danford
Danford doesn't maybe have the statistical profile you'd look for out of a second- or third-rounder (though it has improved as he has tried to do more as this season has gone on) and some scouts are hesitant about his offensive game, but he has the respect of a lot of people around the OHL and the Generals gave him a letter for his draft year (and I know they considered naming him captain and likely will at some point). He gets high marks as a person and as a player who takes care of his own end first but is developing his offensive instincts and starting to take more chances off of the line and involve himself in more plays around the O-zone. He also shows good poise under pressure to hold pucks with players on his back and find ways to spin off and head-man. His skating is average or maybe slightly above. I wouldn't call it a strength but it's decent and he did well in testing at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game (where he also showed those developing offensive instincts and played well at both ends in the actual game, too). More importantly, the details are already there (stick placement, gap control, reads, positioning, etc.). I've also seen him show more comfort under pressure to beat the first layer of late and better choices atop the blue line to work off of his teammates and use space to his advantage.
Anthony Cristoforo
An important part of a top team in the OHL last season, Cristoforo’s play took him off the table at the trade deadline when the Spitfires were looking to add. By year’s end, his 41 points in 63 games were one more than Ducks top-10 pick Jamie Drysdale’s 40 in his 16-year-old OHL season (in the exact same number of games), and three more than Kings top-10 pick Brandt Clarke’s (in six more games). He was also a big part of Canada Red’s silver medal at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, where he wore an "A" and performed well at both ends (although he played a limited role at this month’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup). This season, however, on a Windsor team in transition, while he has played a big role, often pushing 25-plus minutes a game (which at times I think has actually been too much for him), he hasn't taken the next big step forward that is required of defensemen his height to become more than just mid-round picks. Cristoforo also doesn’t possess the effortless skating stride that made Drysdale a top-10 pick or the bold play-creating that made Clarke one. But he is a well-rounded offensive defenseman who boasts strong edges and good skating in his own right, who plays and defends really hard shift to shift and who usually makes the right decisions. He plays a modern style and has most of what you want from a 5-foot-11 defenseman. He is missing a dynamic quality, though, and there are some who are starting to believe last year's production had more to do with the team than him (which reminds me of the excellent 16-year-old season Penguins fifth-rounder Isaac Belliveau had on an excellent Rimouski team before hitting a wall in his draft year).
Stian Solberg
Solberg's a tricky one. For starters, there's where he comes from as a Norwegian who has played exclusively in Norway to this point in his career, including in their poor pro league for the better part of the last four seasons. Then there's his game, which has some real identity but also some warts. He plays really hard and firm on both sides of the puck, with a mean, strong, physical presence that has seen him make life hard on opposing players whenever he has played against his peers internationally. He's really physical in man-to-man coverage, sometimes even too much so. It's tough to take him one-on-one and then he can skate the other way, though he can also be a little too eager on that front. But his reads and decision-making need some real tightening as he can be sloppy/turnover-prone. Players with his makeup do typically go in the second or third round. And while I'm not convinced he'll stay here on my list, he belongs here at this point in the season. He's going to need to come to North America (where his style should work) or sign somewhere else in Europe sooner rather than later.
Will Skahan
Skahan’s a big, already-200-plus-pound defender with decent mobility for his size and age, though some of the belief I had in him having more offense than his statistical profile indicated has faded. He outlets the puck well, he’s got a heavy shot, and with his frame and mobility, scouts are intrigued by his potential defensively. His father, Sean, is also a strength and conditioning coach who has worked with the Minnesota Wild and Anaheim Ducks, so he comes by the power and strength in his game honestly (he's stronger than his peers and can push junior-level players off pucks, though he also has a good stick). There’s a lot to work with there. I was expecting him to take a bigger step as a big-time two-way defenseman with the U18 team this year than he has, though, and that has slid him into more of a late-second or mid-round range for me as a result.
Max Plante
The first time I watched Max Plante play, I was scouting his older brother, Zam, now a Penguins prospect and then a star at Hermantown High. Immediately, Max stood out even next to his older brother for his dynamic puckhandling ability and hardworking disposition. Where Zam's game was about smarts, Max's was all about working to get the puck. When I was done the viewing on tape, the pair had toyed with the opposition and I texted a Minnesota-area NHL scout to say this: "That Max Plante is a demon." A year later, he was predictably named to the national program. But there was a hitch: He was really tiny. So even when he made plays in his U17 year, it always seemed to come with a "but." Now he has grown a couple of inches and the playmaking has continued. He has also clearly worked hard to continue to build a sellable identity as an all-around player and worker when he doesn't have the puck. He supports well, he plays a team game, he skates well, and then the skill enters the equation when it should — rather than as his only thing. I'm a fan of the skill level but also the way he plays the game, which has an endearing quality to it. I could see him surprising some people to become a skilled and determined NHLer, even if 5 feet 10 is as tall as he gets. He's starting with longer odds, though.
Melvin Fernstrom
Fernstrom has impressed scouts this season on a team with fellow 2024 prospect Alexander Zetterberg, producing at a very high clip at the J20 level. He's a strong kid who can stay over pucks and power through a variety of shot types, with an excellent one-timer and a heavy wrister. He has looked dangerous on the flank on his off-side on the power play this season, but also does a really good job hiding off of coverage and finding gaps to get open into in the offensive zone at five-on-five. While his skating can look hurried at times, it's actually quite strong. He shades away from sticks with the puck really well. I like the way he supports, tracks and gets the puck back defensively. I like the way he protects and shields it against defenders offensively. He's a competitor who works hard and likes to mix it up (and occasionally takes bad penalties). There's a good shell to work with.
Eriks Mateiko
Mateiko really caught my eye as Latvia's captain at U18 worlds, to the point I found myself texting sources about him after each Latvia game. Though he only registered two points in five games, he could have had a couple more and the Latvians only scored six goals in all. And while he didn't leave the same impression on me at the world juniors, that's understandable due to his age, he was probably owed more there as well and he has impressed me enough in Saint John to keep him on my list for now. He's got good skill and soft hands for a 6-foot-4 kid, and while his stride can still look a little choppy out of the blocks, he can actually really move out there (I think he surprised some people with a pretty strong showing at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game's on-ice testing) and it quickly went from being awkward to arguably above average (every time I seem him play his skating seems to fall in line a little better than the last time, which is what matters at his size). When he first got to Saint John, they called him "Moose" because of how awkward he was. Now they joke that he's full-grown one. He gets after it and uses his pro frame well, he has shown he can attack at defenders one-on-one and protect pucks in possession, he stays above pucks defensively, and he has just made a ton of progress since the start of last year with the Sea Dogs to develop a more layered game. He's also starting to play more physically without sacrificing his commitment to staying above pucks defensively. Though the Sea Dogs named 20-year-old Peter Reynolds captain of their young team this year, I know they considered Mateiko even though he's a draft-eligible (which would have been a particularly rare nod as an import player, too). I could see him becoming a depth NHLer, even if he's a bit of a long shot (most are in this range).
Clarke Caswell
One of the best passers in the draft, Caswell is an elusive and slippery playmaker who facilitates into open space beautifully. He has a knack for drawing coverage and then using the gaps that have been vacated to play pucks back into for his linemates. The No. 6 pick in the 2021 WHL Bantam Draft, Caswell receives mixed reviews from scouts, with some praising his sixth sense in the offensive zone on the puck and others questioning whether he has the roundedness in the rest of his game that he'll need to make his pass-first style work up levels. He needs to get to the slot and score more if he's going to get picked in the draft's first two rounds, but he does have some unique attributes and I could see him becoming one of the WHL's more productive forwards in a couple of seasons.
Aidan Park
Park is equal parts talented and competitive. He's got a desire to win and stay on pucks and plays the game with pace, whether that's hunting or pushing through arms and sticks to drive to the slot or the net in control of the puck. He then has excellent hands in tight when he gets there, which allows him to tuck and finish plays around the crease and has made him a tremendous bumper/goal-line guy for Shattuck's power play. He keeps his feet moving to stay involved, get open and track pucks and has shown he can play both center and right wing. A University of Michigan commit, he's not going to follow the one-and-done or two-and-done path that many have with the Wolverines, but he's a decent NHL prospect who should become an impactful collegiate player in time and I wouldn't rule out him giving the NHL a go with the right development plan/patience.
John Whipple
Viewed by many as the star D prospect in the American 2006 class when he arrived at the program, Whipple has become more of a good piece of the puzzle with the national team than the quote-unquote guy. He's a solid player, though, with a competitive spirit and decent tools and skill. It took him some time to find out who he was and then to make better decisions on both sides of the puck (though his decision-making can still frustrate), but he's slowly figuring it out and I believe he'll show more creativity and offense in college than he has been able to at the NTDP. He can defend, make reads, move it (he snaps his outlets) and can execute difficult plays (some of which I think has been beat out of him by the style at the program). I still think he's got another level to find in college hockey if the right team is willing to be patient. I know not all NHL scouts feel the same way, though, and I debated ranking defensemen Matvei Shuravin (who scouts definitely prefer), Tomas Galvas and Tomas Lavoie here in his place.
Riley Patterson
Patterson was a player I was eager to dial in on this fall after I'd heard good things about him coming out of the OJHL and into the OHL from a couple of sources. Sixteen-year-olds don't often lead their teams in scoring by 19 points or go for 30 goals and 70-plus points in 50-something games in the OJHL (although he did play on a bad team where his defensive responsibilities weren't the focus). I've liked what I've seen from him with the Colts as a rookie in his draft year as well. He had some learning to do defensively to start the year in the OHL in terms of picking up marks and keeping his feet moving, but he has adjusted quickly and shown a real commitment to improving his play off of the puck and upping his pace when he doesn't have it (he has really gotten after it and shown a real desire to get to pucks so that he can make plays of late). He's a strong skater and athlete. He's fairly strong on pucks and in the faceoff circle. He goes to the net, attacks the middle third and plays a direct attacking style offensively. He shoots it hard, gets it off quickly and has good feel around the slot. He executes little slip plays one-on-one to take pucks under defenders and to the net. He plays with confidence, he's very vocal and he wants to take the space that's offered. The points are starting to come. The Colts paid a lot to acquire him, sending six draft picks to Flint, which owned his rights (he was previously a Michigan State commit). I was pretty surprised when NHL Central Scouting didn't even list him on their players to watch list but he landed at No. 116 on their mid-term list and I could see him outperforming that slot. I'm not alone in that either as it sounds like multiple NHL clubs have expressed real interest in him. I could see him taking a big step forward offensively in the OHL next season. He's got the skill to be a top player at that level.
Matvei Babenko
Austin Baker
Raoul Boilard
Alexandre Blais
Eric Burger
Maximilian Curran
Thomas Desruisseaux
Will Felicio
Noel Fransen
Gabriel Frasca
Tomas Galvas
Carter George
Spencer Gill
Marcus Kearsey
Ondrej Kos
Felix Lacerte
Tomas Lavoie
Ryerson Leenders
Miguel Marques
Luca Marrelli
Teodor Munther
Ilya Nabokov
Sam O'Reilly
Kasper Pikkarainen
Justin Poirier
Jesse Pulkkinen
Colton Roberts
Anthony Romani
Joona Saarelainen
Artyom Shchuchinov
Matvei Shuravin
Sebastian Soini
Karl Sterner
Teddy Stiga
Mac Swanson
Oskar Vuollet
Carson Wetsch
Alexander Zetterberg
Brodie Ziemer
(Illustration: Eamonn Dalton / The Athletic; Photos: Jonathan Kozub / Getty Images; Richard T Gagnon / Getty Images;
Adam Ihse / TT News Agency / AFP via Getty Images)
