YoungMony29
New Member, Must Send First
I'm back again! I always have a ton of fun writing these and have had a lot of good conversations about prospects in the past as a result of making these tiers. Let's get right into it.
Cup of Coffee in the NHL
207 Hayden Hodgson - Philadelphia Flyers (26-RW)
This is what happens when they've added extended to the mix. Hodgson played in the ECHL for four years before playing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers AHL affiliate, in 2021-22. To be fair, he had a decent year with 31 points in 49 games, but it wouldn't surprise me if he ends his career with less than 25 NHL games played.
217 Linus Sandin - Philadelphia Flyers (26-RW)
Another random hockey player who dressed for the Flyers during their pathetic 2020-21 or 2021-22 season. Sandin played 1 game for Philadelphia and 52 games in the AHL the past two years, but he signed back in Sweden this summer. He won't be back again.
244 Chase Pearson - Detroit Red Wings (25-Fwd)
Chase Pearson is a career AHL player. He finished the 2021-22 AHL season with a -17 rating and only 18 points in 50 games. He was called up for 3 games last year but I don't expect that to happen anymore.
247 Jeff Malott - Winnipeg Jets (26-LW)
A former Cornell captain, Malott signed as an undrafted free agent with Winnipeg and has been a decent contributor in the AHL over the past two seasons with 37 goals and 24 assists in 96 games. He played a single game with the Jets last year and may get some time if they need to call anyone up, but at 26 years-old it would be a very late start to a NHL career for a Canadian.
Might Play Some Time in the NHL, Two-Way Contract Tier
206 Nathan Smith - Arizona Coyotes (24-C)
A Minnesota State University product, Smith broke out in the college hockey scene with 50 points in 38 games in 2021-22, the 2nd most in the nation. He help MSU reach the Frozen Four and was named one of the top 10 Hobey Baker finalists. Drafted by Winnipeg in 2018, Smith's rights were traded alongside the contract of Bryan Little in a cap dump to Arizona. He scored two goals and added two assists in 10 NHL games last year after leaving college, but he failed to make the team out of camp and currently plays in the AHL. At 24, it's hard to see him becoming a top six NHL player, but he'll probably spend some time bouncing back and forth between the NHL & AHL and hopefully can find himself a permanent spot soon.
223 Jonathan Kovacevic - Winnipeg Jets (Now on Montreal Canadiens) (25-D)
Kovacevic, a 3rd round pick from 2017, had been a fine AHL defenseman for three years for Winnipeg until he was given a chance to play in the NHL this season for Montreal. He's likely just going to be a fill-in player as the team is in the middle of the rebuild. He may stick around as a 6th/7th defenseman in the NHL for a handful of years, but it's just as likely that he ends up back in the AHL for the majority of his career.
225 Jakub Galvas - Chicago Blackhawks (23-D)
Galvas didn't really develop into anything for Chicago since being drafted (5th round, 2017) as he played in the top Czechian league for a few years and then the Liiga for two years before moving to the AHL in 2021-22. He doesn't have all that much offensive skill, finishing the year with 20 points in 59 games. He played a few games for the Hawks last year but didn't make the roster despite being one of the worst teams in hockey. Don't foresee much of an NHL career for him.
226 Jacob Moverare - Los Angeles Kings (24-D)
Moverare is just your average Swedish stay-at-home defenseman. Drafted by the Kings in the 4th round in 2016, he played a few years in the SHL before coming to N.A. He suited up for 19 games for the Kings last year, but has spent the majority of his time in the AHL where he has been decent (26 points in 60 games). At 24, there's likely not much of a NHL future for him, especially in LA. He may find a spot in a bottom 10 NHL team as a 6th/7th defenseman but likely won't ever be a full time NHL player.
229 Fredrik Karlstrom - Dallas Stars (24-C)
Frederik Karlstrom seems like an ok player that just hasn't ever grown into a NHL prospect. A 2016 3rd round pick, he had 45 points in 103 games in SHL in 2019-20/2020-21 and moved over to North America last summer. He spent all of 2021-22 (aside from 3 NHL games) in the AHL and had a decent year with 16g/13a in 65 GP. He started the 2022-23 season in the AHL and unless there's a late breakout this season he'll likely stay there. At 24 years-old, I don't think he's going to make any sort of impact even if he does get called upon because of some injuries.
231 Carson Meyer - Columbus Blue Jackets (25-RW)
Late 2017 pick who had a solid 4-year collegiate career for Miami (OH) and Ohio State. Meyer has 55 points in 91 AHL games over the past three years and suited up for 13 NHL games (3 points). He didn't put up crazy stats in college, but he on paper it wouldn't surprise me to see him play a little in the NHL, but he is 25 already and is in Columbus, at least for now.
236 Jack LaFontaine - Carolina Hurricanes (24-G)
A 2016 3rd round pick currently playing in the ECHL, LaFontaine had a really interesting resume before he ended up at the University of Minnesota in 2019. After an average year, he was phenomenal in 2020-21, winning the Mike Richter Award for Best Collegiate Goaltender with a 1.79 GAA and .934 SV%. He followed that up with a disappointing year, however as a Senior and struggled to keep a spot on the AHL team (.885 SV% in 13 GP). He's currently in the ECHL and I just find it hard to predict any NHL future for him, though with goalies you never know. In his two NHL games he had a 7.20 GAA...
239 Vladislav Kolyachonok - Arizona Coyotes (21-D)
2019 2nd round pick (Florida) out of BELARUS! Acquired by the Coyotes as a reward for taking on Anton Stralman's contract in 2020. Kolyachonok spent 2020-21 in the KHL (6 points in 46 GP) and split 2021-22 between the NHL (32 GP) and the AHL (33 GP) while in Arizona. Unfortunately, he didn't win a roster spot in 2022-23 which to me signals that his future in the NHL is definitely in question even at 21 years-old. They gave him a long look last year and will be the league's worst team, but they opted to send him back to the AHL. He's never been a big point producer so even if he does make it up to the NHL, his ceiling is very low in Arizona.
242 Zack Hayes - Vegas Golden Knights (23-D)
Undrafted Canadian defenseman who Captained Prince Albert in the WHL but was known entirely for his defense, only totaling 79 points in 272 WHL games (+97 rating though). He's continued to do exactly that in the AHL with only 17 points in 94 games but playing to a +31 rating. He could definitely be an option for Vegas or a team that is looking for a 3rd line pair who should limit opportunities against, but his ceiling in the hobby is very low. He could certainly become a NHL player since he has had that success, but in the hobby I don't see him becoming anything.
246 Brayden Pachal - Vegas Golden Knights (23-D)
Undrafted, Pachal spent one year in the Blackhawks organization before being signed by Vegas in 2020. He now serves as the Captain of the Henderson Silver Knights, their AHL affiliate, but he hasn't offered up much upside, offensively at least, with only 18 points in 89 games for the squad. He was a defensive defenseman for all but his last year in the WHL for Prince Albert, so it's not surprising for him to be the same in the AHL. I can't say much more than that on his game since I don't see many Silver Knights games on TV, but if I had to guess I'd say maybe he finds a spot on a 3rd line in the future? Or it could be just as likely that he's a career AHLer who gets called up at random times in his career.
Decent Prospects with Limited Upside: NHL or Bust Tier
202 Nick Blankenburg - Columbus Blue Jackets (24-D)
Played 4 years at Michigan and was signed as an undrafted free agent by Columbus, Blankenburg may be a decent defenseman, but he's got very little offensive upside and sits low on the totem poll in one of the league's smallest markets.
208 Erik Kallgren - Toronto Maple Leafs (26-G)
I understand that the Leafs are extremely cap strapped...but it's shocking that Kallgren is the team's best option as a backup with Matt Murray out after his NHL numbers (and even the AHL) last year. It was his first year in North America in 2021-22 after playing in the SHL and Liiga the last few years, but at his age I'm less willing to give him a pass at adjusting to the game here. I think his future lies directly where he is now, an AHL goalie that you hope your team doesn't rely upon to start any meaningful games.
212 Jacob Perreault - Anaheim Ducks (20-RW)
Perrault was labeled as a "pure sniper" in most draft guides when he was selected 27th overall in 2020, but honestly his stats are very underwhelming for a first round pick. He scored 39 goals in 57 games in his last OHL year, but his PPG (1.23) was only 37th in the NHL and he failed to make any WJC teams for Canada. He is for sure still raw, but he has kinda struggled in the AHL as well the past two seasons with only 17 goals in 82 games. 52 points across that span certainly doesn't kill his chances of being a NHL player, but that pace doesn't exactly say "future top six player". Add in the fact that he's in Anaheim where the majority of collectors will focus on Trevor Zegras, I just think the chances of him becoming a really solid player at that level at this stage aren't that great. If he's able to figure it out this year, hopefully we'll see him on the Ducks next year.
219 Brayden Tracey - Anaheim Ducks (21-Fwd)
- 2019 1st round pick (29th overall)
Broke out as a rookie in the WHL in 2018-19, leading all rookies in goals (36) and assists (45) in 66 GP for Moose Jaw. He didn't improve on those numbers the following season with 22 goals and 39 assists in 52 GP, but he was traded midway through the season and saw his numbers drop in Victoria. After splitting time in the WHL and the AHL in 2020-21, he spent a full year with the San Diego Gulls in 2021-22 and had a decent rookie campaign with 31 points in 55 games. He's back with the team in 2022-23 and should see a larger role and hopefully start producing at the levels the team hoped when they drafted him. As of now he's a longshot to be a top six NHL player, but there's a lot of players ahead of him that he'd have to pass to make that happen.
220 Marc McLaughlin - Boston Bruins (23-C)
As a Boston College grad I would love to sit here and say that Marc McLaughlin will be an impactful player in the NHL, but I just don't think that's true. It took until his Junior year of college to even become a core player for BC (20 points in 73 GP as a Rookie/Sophomore), which historically means that their NHL prospects aren't going to be very good. He finished off with two years averaging a PPG as the Captain of the Eagles, but I don't think Bruins fans should expect anything more than a bottom-six depth forward at best. He should be in the AHL for the entire season, so if he does have the tools to be a NHL player he should rack up some good stats as a 23 year-old in that league.
221 Jake Christiansen - Columbus Blue Jackets (23-D)
Jake Christiansen, signed as an undrafted free agent out of the WHL, led all AHL defenseman in goals with 13 in 62 games and was named a 2nd team All-Star. With 45 points in the 2021-22 season, Christiansen scored 8 more points than anyone else on Cleveland and finished 4th in the league for scoring as a defenseman. The Blue Jackets have a strong group of talented defenseman ahead of him, but given the struggles of the team thus far I wonder if he gets called up at some point this year (he played 8 games in Columbus last season). It still would be a little far-fetched to see him having a big-tie impact in the NHL even after his strong AHL season.
230 Jack McBain - Arizona Coyotes (22-C)
McBain is a prospect that I'm pretty familiar with since he went to Boston College, but one that for the most part has been just ok aside from a strong scoring Senior year.
He won the OJHL Top Prospect award in 2018, though historically that has meant very little without a lot of NHL players on the list of past winners. He has played every game for Arizona (19 GP, 5 points) since signing after his Senior season ended and represented Canada in the Olympics, but he's not someone I'm excited about. He projects as more of a depth forward and I'm not sure he would be on a NHL roster at the moment in more than a few organizations.
240 Isaac Ratcliffe - Philadelphia Flyers (23-LW)
Ratcliffe has been one of the most disappointing prospects for Philly. The huge 6'6" winger was picked 35th overall in the 2017 draft and proved to be a high-end goal scorer in the OHL for the Guelph Storm, scoring 41 goals (67 GP) and 50 goals (65 GP) the following two seasons. The next step in his development would be to find that success in the AHL, where he began the 2019-20 season. Unfortunately, it's now 3 years later and he has yet to have any real success at that level and began this season still stuck in Lehigh. He had to be sent through waivers after not making the team out of camp and nobody took a chance on him. It would take a wild change of trajectory for him to return to a high enough level to be an impactful NHL player.
241 Trey Fix-Wolansky - Columbus Blue Jackets (23-RW)
TFW is a very undersized (5'7") who as usual went overlooked in the draft, being picked in the 7th round (2018) despite 89 points in 71 GP in the WHL. In his first post-draft season he was named to the First All-Star Team after finishing T4 in scoring with 102 points in 65 GP. He's been in the AHL since 2019-20 and has steadily improved but hasn't done enough to earn a call-up the NHL aside from a small six game stint last year. He's off to a nice start with 8 points in 7 games for Cleveland this year and with the Blue Jackets really sucking this year I wouldn't be surprised if he did get a chance sooner rather than later. This is the year that he has to show out in the AHL as the time is ticking for him to be given a shot in the show.
245 Mads Sogaard - Ottawa Senators (21-G)
- 6'7" goalie from Denmark selected 37th overall in 2019
Still early in his development, but he has had just average numbers in the AHL so far with a 2.89 GAA and .908 SV% in 45 GP for Belleville (26-15-1 record). Honestly as a forward it would be a lie for me to analyze his potential at all outside of his mediocre stats, but I just hope the Senators used a second round pick on him for a reason other than his size. He should still have another two years or so in the AHL before the team hopes for him to play with Ottawa, but he'll have to show some growth in that time to earn a chance.
248 Alex Vlasic - Chicago Blackhawks (21-D)
- 2019 2nd round pick, product of Boston University (sucks to BU)
- Extremely stay-at-home defenseman, only 20 points in 82 games at BU
- Finished the year with Chicago in 2021-22 after signing his ELC when BU's season ended, playing 15 games and actually putting up solid underlying numbers in a depth role.
- Began the 2022-23 season in the AHL, so it's TBD whether he can play his way onto the roster this year. He probably has an upside of 2nd pair DFD, but I really can't say exactly how likely that is at this point with only a handful of professional games under his belt.
High Floor, Low Ceiling
205 Jordan Harris - Montreal Canadiens (22-D)
The Canadiens 2018 3rd round pick had a nice 4-year collegiate career at Northeastern University highlighted by a "best defensive defenseman" award in Hockey East during his senior year ('22). Immediately upon finishing his senior season, he started 10 games for Montreal to end the year and has begun the year on their roster. I don't think he's going to have much if any value in the hobby, but he could be a nice 3rd pair defenseman with 2nd pair upside in a defensive-minded role for Montreal.
214 Braden Schneider - New York Rangers (21-D)
The most surprising development in New York last season was Braden Schneider winning a permanent third-line role over Zac Jones and Nils Lundkvist, two players that many expected to take a roster spot. Schneider's hard-nosed and physical style brought the Rangers exactly what they needed in that role and he did an admirable job, especially being stuck next to Nemeth for a lot of his time with the team. Based on the struggles of the majority of former first round picks, being a rookie defenseman in the NHL is extremely hard. Schneider now finds himself with three rounds of playoff hockey under his belt and that should do nothing but give him more confidence and composure for this season. He's always been a defensive minded player with good skating ability, so I wouldn't expect him to be highly valuable in the card market, but he looks by all metrics to be a future bottom four NHL defenseman.
215 Mark Kastelic - Ottawa Senators (23-C)
Among an abundance of high-end prospects, it was a big surprise to see the 2019 5th round pick was on the NHL roster this season and signing a two-year one-way contract with the Senators in October. He was never a big time producer in the WHL but he put up solid numbers and wore the "C" for two years for the Calgary Hitmen. He spent the majority of the last two years in the AHL, playing 95 games for Belleville with 38 points and 105 PIM. Given his current standing with the club, it seems like he's going to be a depth forward for the foreseeable future with little to no chance to ever be a top-six player.
218 Kaedan Korczak - Vegas Golden Knights (21-D)
If the Knights roster wasn't already full on defense (Pietrangelo, Martinez, Theodore, McNabb, Whitecloud, Hague, Hutton), Korczak would most likely have been on the roster this season. I would wager that he'll be a call-up if they do have some injuries, but for now he'll continue to develop in the AHL. He's a defensive first player who provided a little bit of offense in the WHL and last year in the AHL, but not too much. A former 2nd round pick, he's most likely got a NHL future ahead of him, but it'll be a shock for it to turn into anything spectacular.
222 Ben Meyers - Colorado Avalanche (23-Fwd)
Undrafted out of the University of Minnesota, Meyers became a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in 2021-22 and played his way into the Avalanche 2022-23 opening night roster, playing on the 4th line. Meyers was the Captain of Minnesota as a Junior and accumulated 95 points in 102 career games. Those stats are impressive in their own right, but it was his performance in the Olympics and World Championships for Team USA that most impressed me, posting 4 points in 4 Olympics games and 8 in 10 World Championship games, which tied for the team lead. On Colorado, there's almost no chance that Meyers is able to get a top six spot, but he's definitely a wildcard in terms of predicting his future. He's only dressed for three games for Colorado (1 goal no assists) and played under 8 minutes per game on average, which isn't surprising. According to those more familiar with him, they say he projects out as a 3rd line defensive center who could offer a little offense as well.
232 Adam Raska - San Jose Sharks (21-RW)
The Sharks selected Raska in the last round of the 2020 draft because of his hardnosed style and work ethic and despite not having much offensive talent he was given five NHL games in 2021-22 as a reward for his hard work. He only accumulated 14 points in 49 AHL games which isn't surprising as he didn't put up all that many points in the QMJHL. He could develop into a checking 4th line player, but I'd expect him to be in the AHL at least for the next two seasons.
233 Dylan Samberg - Winnipeg Jets (23-D)
Although he's never been flashy offensively, the former 2nd round pick is a very reliable defender that won two National Championships for Minnesota-Deluth and represented Team USA twice in the U20 WJC. After a year and a half in the AHL, he earned a spot with the Jets after 15 games with the team last year where he held his own (51% Projected WAR JFresh in depth minutes). He began the season as the 7th defenseman, but with Logan Stanley injured he's dressed for 4 of 9 games this season. The Jets are in a weird spot and in my opinion really need to move a veteran in order to bring allow all three of Stanley (TWD), Samberg (DFD) and Heinola (OFD/PP QB) to play, but we'll see if that happens at the deadline. At this point, I have zero clue what the hell the organization is doing with Heinola and it's getting close to time that I wouldn't be surprised if he asked to be traded if he isn't on the roster by the deadline. Samberg is behind both the aforementioned young players in offensive talent, but he should eventually be a bottom four defenseman in the NHL.
237 Valtteri Puustinen - Pittsburgh Penguins (23-Winger)
Puustinen is an interesting prospect in this group, and not just because of his interesting Finnish last name. He was a 7th round pick in 2019 who played extremely well in his first two post-draft seasons in the Liiga and has turned into one of the better prospects in Pittsburgh, home to one of the league's weakest prospect pools. He's a smaller winger at 5'9" but by all accounts he is not a liability at defense (a stupid stereotype that people assume from smaller wingers) and his 81 points in 105 Liiga games before turning 22 (tied for most among U21 skaters in 2019-20) show that he's got some serious skill. He hade a decent but not spectacular first season in the AHL last year with 20 goals and 22 assists in 73 games and did post an assist in his lone NHL game. He has returned to the AHL to start the season, but I do think he'll be the first call up if the Penguins sustain any forward injuries and we'll see if he can stay up there. He's one to watch in Wilkes-Barre where we may get a better sense of exactly where his ceiling is in North America.
Truth be told I had no clue whether he was in the tier below this or the one above, so I put him here.
249 Noah Cates - Philadelphia Flyers (23- LW)
It took a long time after being drafted for Cates to turn pro, being drafted in 2017 but making his debut in 2022. The Minnesota native stayed local and eventually became the Captain of Minnesota-Deluth where he played four years and accumulated 99 career points in 139 games. Cates came out of the gates hot last year scoring 5 goals in his first 16 games, but this season is off to the start I would expect out of him with just 1 point in 10 games. Cates didn't light it up in college and wasn't a high-end prospect (5th round pick), so I'd expect him to be a bottom six forward for most of his career. The Flyers have a bunch of better offensive prospects so it will be an uphill climb for him to ever get top six minutes.
Good Prospects who could move up or down rankings rapidly
203 Lukas Dostal - Anaheim Ducks (22-G)
John Gibson hasn't been good for a few years now and it's time for another goalie to start taking over in Anaheim with this new young core. I think Dostal (3rd round pick in 2018) has shown that he's gonna be the next starter. Like almost every goalie his ceiling is TBD, but I'm sure the Ducks are ecstatic at his development the last few years. Every year he's had success at a different level:
2018-19: U20 WJC highest Save percentage (.957%) in 4 GP
2019-20: Liiga Best Goaltender (43 GP, 1.78 GAA, .928 SV%)
2020-21/2021-22 64 AHL games from 2020-22, 2.71 GAA, .916 SV%
2021-22: World Championship Bronze Medal for Czechia
Starting the 2022-23 season in the AHL, I could see an argument for him to be up in the "consolation prizes", but since he's a goalie and in Anaheim I think it's better off that he's in this tier.
210 Thomas Bordeleau - San Jose Sharks (20-Fwd)
Thomas Bordeleau was one of a number of Michigan players that put up impressive numbers the past two years, but he is one of the lesser known prospects of the bunch behind Matty Beniers, Brendan Brisson and Kent Johnson. As an undersized center, Bordeleau put up some fantastic assist numbers (47 assists in 61 NCAA games) and from what I read is quick and loves to hold the puck and find open teammates from the corners and on the rush. After getting the call up to San Jose for 8 games this year, he continued that production with 5 assists in 8 games, though he didn't find the net himself except for a shootout winner against Vegas. Like many of the other Michigan products from this team, I want to sit back and see how they fair outside of this arena where their talent was far and away high than every opponent they play.
211 Samuel Fagemo - Los Angeles Kings (22-LW/RW)
Sam Fagemo took the path of a typical Swedish prospect up to the SHL where his rookie year went very well (14g/11a in 42 games), leading to the Kings selecting him in the 2nd round of the 2019 draft. The following season, it looked like the Kings had made a great pick as Fagemo led the U20 WJC in Goals (8) and points (13) and he followed up his rookie season by netting the most goals by any junior in the SHL.
No matter where he has been, he's been able to find the back of the net. He came over to the US in 2020 and played 32 games for the Ontario Reign, putting up a modest but respectable 18 points in 32 games. In a full year with the AHL team in 2021-22, he found the net 27 times in 63 games and added 17 assists. Players that specialize in goal scoring and lack a little in the other parts of the game historically are boom or bust in the NHL. He has begun the 2022-23 season again in the AHL and if he's going to have a legit NHL future you would hope that he sees another bump in his goal total. Anything other than a top 10 finish would be a little disappointing. The Kings have a ton of talent ahead of him, but he's certainly one of the more intriguing prospects in this crop.
216 Matias Maccelli - Arizona Coyotes (22-LW)
If not for the place he was drafted, I think Maccelli would be a pretty well-known prospect. The Finnish winger quickly returned dividends to Arizona after drafting him in the 4th round in 2019. He played a year and a half in the USHL leading up to the NHL draft which I think hurt his stock a little bit, but when we returned to Finland following the draft he was extremely impressive in the Liiga winning Rookie of the Year easily with 30 points in 43 games (most goals and most assists by a rookie). He continued that success into the following season with another similar campaign before coming over to North America for the 2021-22 season.
Maccelli played 20 games for Arizona in 2021-22 (6 points), but it was his time in the AHL where he shined, accumulating an impressive 14 goals and 43 assists in 47 games, perhaps on his way to another Rookie of the Year Award if he hadn't spent some time in the NHL. He's made the Coyotes full-time in 2022-23 and has started the year with 4 points in 8 games, holding his own all-around on perhaps the league's worst team. In the card market, Maccelli is likely someone that gets lost with the small Arizona market unless he can really breakthrough and become a PPG player. It's not out of the realm of possibilities given his past though. Plus the opportunity is there in Arizona as he's playing 14 minutes per game.
224 Pyotr Kochetkov - Carolina Hurricanes (23-G)
2018-19 U20 WJC Best Goaltender --> 36th overall in 2019 by Carolina
He didn't play too many games from 2019-2021 and was traded twice in the KHL/VHL (25 KHL games, 2 VHL, 2 MHL), but he put up really impressive numbers in the KHL in 2021-22 (2.23 GAA, .926 SV% in 23 GP) and the AHL (2.09 GAA, .921 SV%) Goalies are always difficult to project, but both of the Canes' goalies are set to be UFAs after this season and knowing the organization I would guess they're hoping Kochetkov can either be the starter next year or split the workload. If you're looking to take a stab at one of the 2nd/3rd tier guys from this crop, I don't hate Kochetkov one bit.
234 Nicholas Abruzzese - Toronto Maple Leafs (23-Fwd)
Abruzzesse is an interesting prospect. He grew up playing in my home state of New Jersey and actually played for my organization for a little before moving to the USHL and eventually Harvard. He led the USHL in points prior to the 2019 draft, which got him noticed and drafted by Toronto in the 4th round, but it was his Freshman year success at Harvard that made him seem like a legitimate prospect (the USHL is a weak development league). He led the ECAC in points in 2019-20 with 44 in 31 GP and was named a third-team all-American. After missing the next season due to Covid (the Ivy League shut down all sports the entire year), he played one more season and signed an ELC right after the season ended, playing 9 games for the Maple Leafs to end the year. At this stage, it's hard to get a full grasp of his potential with only 9 professional games of experience, but he's certainly one of the Leafs' top prospects, which will always earn some attention in the hockey card hobby. He's playing in the AHL for the Marlies (at least for now), so that should give us a good indication of how much potential he really does have to play for the Leafs.
238 Jordan Spence - Los Angeles Kings (21-D)
Jordan Spence put up some nutty numbers in the AHL with 38 assists in 46 games this past season, his first as a professional. He's been a PP distributor throughout his young career and did get a little chance to do that during his 24 games in the NHL this year. He was scratched for 4 of the team's seven playoff games and went scoreless, but he compiled 8 points in the regular season. He shined offensively in the small sample size even though it only led to 8 points (93% EV offense), but definitely struggled defensively (7th percentile) at the top level. Defense could very well be an issue for Spence but it's too small of a sample size to know for sure. Spence will start the year in the AHL but could play his way onto the NHL roster if he continues to produce at last year's level. Brandt Clarke and Sean Durzi will stand in his way, and he could potentially be a player the Kings trade away, which may in all honesty be best case scenario for him. Either way, he's developed into a really nice prospect from being a 4th round pick and definitely has a future in the NHL with some upside.
Consolation Prizes
204 Jack Quinn - Buffalo Sabres (21-Winger)
Jack Quinn was a good prospect (CCHL Rookie of the Year) who vaulted up the draft board after a breakout 2019-20 season with the Ottawa 67s, scoring 52 goals in 62 games, second to only Nick Robertson. The Sabres selected him 8th overall and alongside JJ Peterka he had a fantastic year in the AHL in 2021-22 with 61 points in 45 games (AHL Rookie of the Year). He did struggle in the playoffs with only 2 points in 10 games and hasn't lit the world on fire for Buffalo this year (2 points in 8 games), but he's certainly a great prospect.
To be honest I'm definitely somewhat skeptical that he'll be a top-six mainstay in the NHL. His OHL team had 5 of the league's top 15 scorers and perhaps his success wasn't all a result of his abilities? His AHL season was 100% very impressive, I just wanna sit back and wait to see how he plays in the NHL this season. I think his YG prices will be decently high at first, I'll just be sitting this one out since there are other prospects in Buffalo I prefer.
209 Kent Johnson - Columbus Blue Jackets (20-LW/C)
Johnson was the last of the four University of Michigan products to be drafted in the top 5 of the 2021 draft. After two years there where the winger (though listed on hockey reference as a center) had 17 goals and 47 assists in 58 games, Johnson signed an ELC and finished the 2021-22 season with the Blue Jackets suiting up for 9 games (0 goals, 3 assists). I was surprised that he made the NHL roster this year but he's scored 3 goals and 3 assists in 9 games so far, so he's been the only bright spot during Columbus' abysmal start to the season.
For me personally, it's too early to forecast how high his ceiling could be, but he seems like he could be a star in the making with a great work-ethic. As a Canadian Olympian this year, Johnson started as an extra forward and ended up tying for the team scoring lead through the round-robin. The Blue Jackets might have a pretty sick one-two combo of Johnson-Sillinger in the future. I'm here for it. I prefer Sillinger for his goal-scoring abilities, but Johnson may have a more well-rounded game. Obviously being in Columbus is tough for his value, but he was 5th overall in 2021 for a reason and making the roster this year and having some early success was a pleasant surprise.
227 Bobby Brink - Philadelphia Flyers (21-RW)
Flyers fans were rightfully excited about Bobby Brink's 2022-23 season, whether or not it was in the NHL (I think he would have rightfully been given top line minutes in the AHL), but sadly he will be rehabilitating a torn labrum at least through the end of this calendar year. Brink was having a good couple years at Denver and on two WJC U20 teams for USA, but he went nuts in 2021-22, leading the nation in scoring with 57 points (43 assists), winning a National Championship and coming close to winning the Hobey Baker. He quickly looks like a good 2nd round pick by Philly, a team that really needed more talent on the roster.
It's hard to really assess his ceiling since he's only 21 and has only played 10 professional games, but there's definitely reason to be excited. Collegiate success hasn't exactly proven to always lead to professional success, especially for undersized wingers, but there is also a handful of very successful players that have had a similar college career. Brink is one of the players to keep an eye on whenever he returns this season, whether in the NHL or AHL, as he could quickly rise through the ranks in the league if his Junior season wasn't a fluke. He could very well be the Flyers #1 prospect.
243 Marco Rossi - Minnesota Wild (21-C)
While I'm very familiar with Boldy and Addison and confident in their futures in Minnesota, I'm less familiar with Marco Rossi, though he's considered by many to be their top prospect. The rare Austrian professional hockey player shot up the draft board by dominating the OHL in 2019-20, leading the entire CHL in points (39g/81a in 56 GP) and the OHL in plus/minus (+69) for the Ottawa 67's. Rossi basically didn't play at all in 2020-21 because of scary Covid-19 complications, but didn't look like he missed a step in his first year in the AHL, tying for the team lead with 53 points (18g/35a) in 63 games. He only played two games in the NHL, but it was promising to see him immediately put on the first PP unit.
Looking at the Wild's roster, it certainly seemed like Rossi would make the team with a strong camp, but would definitely struggle to find more than 12-13 minutes of ice-time to develop. I'm not a huge fan of the Wild's scoring depth so it may be tough to get him some great wingers to play with, but it would be a real challenge to see his true potential. The hype is very real for Marco Rossi, but personally I'm going with the "wait and see" approach for him for the time being as I could see him having a limited role in the NHL this season or even spending some time in the AHL after the trade deadline.
Chase Cards
201 Matt Boldy - Minnesota Wild (21-Winger)
It's a real shame that Matt Boldy only played 47 NHL games this year because he definitely would've been a Calder finalist and potentially won the award if he kept up his pace. The 20/21 year-old potted 15 goals and assisted on 24 after being called up while playing only 15:20 per game. For how insanely good Kaprizov was this year, Boldy finished very closely behind him in even strength points per 60 (3.62 vs. 3.45) for 2nd on the team. Even more impressive is that he was strong in all facets of the game in his first year (aside from not being used on the PK) while not playing on one of the top lines.
In the time tracked by JFresh, he stood out analytically with an outstanding 96% projected WAR as a result of above average offense (77%) and defense (62%) and fantastic results (97% finishing, 97% Goals/60, 96% Assists/60). The former Boston College (shoutout) player has made a name for himself with an absolutely lethal wrist-shot that will bolster any team's powerplay, especially Minnesota's who typically work through Kaprizov and Zuccarello, two pass-first players. With Fiala gone, I would think Boldy should be be added to the first PP (which was mediocre last season) or be the center-piece of the 2nd unit this entire year and should see his production in that department increase this season. The Wild have a lot of good players and should also add Marco Rossi this year or next, but none of them have the pure goal scoring ability of Matt Boldy. I know that he's yet to receive any big rookie cards, but I think Boldy is in for a breakout full season that will shoot him up into the stratosphere in the hobby. I think a 30-35 goal season is very achievable and he may push the PPG mark if he does find a spot on PP1.
213 Matty Beniers - Seattle Kraken (19-C)
The Seattle Kraken top prospect list starts and ends with Matty Beniers. This dynamic American center was, in my opinion, a fantastic pick by the Kraken to start their franchise. Although I would've done a ton differently with the rest of that draft, they nailed this selection. After returning to the University of Michigan for the college season after being drafted, Beniers arrived in the NHL in pretty spectacular fashion, notching 3 goals and 6 assists in 10 games, highlighted by a slick no-look pass for his first assist. The play highlights exactly the type of offensive talent he brings to the table.
Beniers has an above average shot (20 goals in 37 games for Michigan) which forces the defense and opposing goalies to focus on him and give him the opportunity to find open teammates quickly and on the tape for scoring chances. It's this combination that could make him lethal on the rush and on the powerplay. I can't say much on his defensive abilities yet, but from what I've read he's a very hard worker in the D-zone who uses his hockey IQ to break up plays and break the puck out quickly. Kraken fans should be very excited for his future. Beniers will be the first star in the Kraken's history and should be an all-star in the future.
228 Owen Power - Buffalo Sabres (19-D)
If you were to make a defenseman in NHL 23 they would most likely end up looking like Owen Power. He's 6'6" but skates like a 5'11" offensive defenseman and has a very good hockey IQ. The Sabres selected him with the 1st overall pick after a decent but uninspiring freshman campaign at the University of Michigan but after a really good sophomore year (3 goals, 29 assists), he ended the 2021-22 season with the Sabres and hasn't looked back.
Though he has 8 points in his first 18 games, I am hesitant to say that he'll be a top 10 defenseman (in terms of value) in the NHL because of the opportunity in Buffalo. The biggest hurdle for Power in terms is Rasmus Dahlin. I've been a big fan of Dahlin the past two years, but if there was any doubt who would be on the first PP unit his crazy start to this season has ended that conversation. Power does QB the 2nd unit, but in order for a D-man to get in that 55-60 point range or higher they have to be racking up assists on the man advantage. Right now, Dahlin is certainly not losing that job and he's still only 22 years-old. Nonetheless, Owen Power was the 1st overall pick and is one of the chase cards in this class, though I think he'll end up being #3-#5 in terms of value in a few years.
235 Lukas Reichel - Chicago Blackhawks (20-Winger)
The German teenager had a fantastic 2021-22 season in the AHL for Rockford, and I think it was smart of the Blackhawks to let him spend most of the year there instead of calling him up too early. After coming over from Germany's top league (DEL) last summer, Reichel found immediate success, which even at the AHL level is impressive for a 19 year-old European forward. I'm gonna completely forget about the 11-game sample size in the NHL since it came in spurts of 2 games in January, 3 in February and 6 in April when the season was over, and focus on his year in the AHL. With 21 goals and 36 assists in 56 games, he was the only player under 20 to score over a point per game and one of only 7 under the age of 25 to do so in the league (minimum 20 GP). I've continually said that people really underestimate how relevant AHL success is to NHL success for very young players. The game is very similar, there are tons of former NHL players on every team, and players are fighting to get back to the NHL.
Reichel should be ready to make the step into a middle-six role right now, but the Hawks decided he should start the year in Rockford once again (where he's already dominating) as the team is in a rebuild and should struggle. In an organization that has very little in terms of prospects, especially now that they've traded away Kirby Dach, I believe Reichel will be the team's best player in the next three years. If he had made the team this year and was showing potential, I think the hype would be huge.
There ya have it! What do you think! Who's a player you think deserves MORE attention than I'm giving them credit for? It's tough to do a massive deep dive on every player, so I'm sure there are some diamonds in the rough that I'm missing in here. Let me know!
Cup of Coffee in the NHL
207 Hayden Hodgson - Philadelphia Flyers (26-RW)
This is what happens when they've added extended to the mix. Hodgson played in the ECHL for four years before playing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Flyers AHL affiliate, in 2021-22. To be fair, he had a decent year with 31 points in 49 games, but it wouldn't surprise me if he ends his career with less than 25 NHL games played.
217 Linus Sandin - Philadelphia Flyers (26-RW)
Another random hockey player who dressed for the Flyers during their pathetic 2020-21 or 2021-22 season. Sandin played 1 game for Philadelphia and 52 games in the AHL the past two years, but he signed back in Sweden this summer. He won't be back again.
244 Chase Pearson - Detroit Red Wings (25-Fwd)
Chase Pearson is a career AHL player. He finished the 2021-22 AHL season with a -17 rating and only 18 points in 50 games. He was called up for 3 games last year but I don't expect that to happen anymore.
247 Jeff Malott - Winnipeg Jets (26-LW)
A former Cornell captain, Malott signed as an undrafted free agent with Winnipeg and has been a decent contributor in the AHL over the past two seasons with 37 goals and 24 assists in 96 games. He played a single game with the Jets last year and may get some time if they need to call anyone up, but at 26 years-old it would be a very late start to a NHL career for a Canadian.
Might Play Some Time in the NHL, Two-Way Contract Tier
206 Nathan Smith - Arizona Coyotes (24-C)
A Minnesota State University product, Smith broke out in the college hockey scene with 50 points in 38 games in 2021-22, the 2nd most in the nation. He help MSU reach the Frozen Four and was named one of the top 10 Hobey Baker finalists. Drafted by Winnipeg in 2018, Smith's rights were traded alongside the contract of Bryan Little in a cap dump to Arizona. He scored two goals and added two assists in 10 NHL games last year after leaving college, but he failed to make the team out of camp and currently plays in the AHL. At 24, it's hard to see him becoming a top six NHL player, but he'll probably spend some time bouncing back and forth between the NHL & AHL and hopefully can find himself a permanent spot soon.
223 Jonathan Kovacevic - Winnipeg Jets (Now on Montreal Canadiens) (25-D)
Kovacevic, a 3rd round pick from 2017, had been a fine AHL defenseman for three years for Winnipeg until he was given a chance to play in the NHL this season for Montreal. He's likely just going to be a fill-in player as the team is in the middle of the rebuild. He may stick around as a 6th/7th defenseman in the NHL for a handful of years, but it's just as likely that he ends up back in the AHL for the majority of his career.
225 Jakub Galvas - Chicago Blackhawks (23-D)
Galvas didn't really develop into anything for Chicago since being drafted (5th round, 2017) as he played in the top Czechian league for a few years and then the Liiga for two years before moving to the AHL in 2021-22. He doesn't have all that much offensive skill, finishing the year with 20 points in 59 games. He played a few games for the Hawks last year but didn't make the roster despite being one of the worst teams in hockey. Don't foresee much of an NHL career for him.
226 Jacob Moverare - Los Angeles Kings (24-D)
Moverare is just your average Swedish stay-at-home defenseman. Drafted by the Kings in the 4th round in 2016, he played a few years in the SHL before coming to N.A. He suited up for 19 games for the Kings last year, but has spent the majority of his time in the AHL where he has been decent (26 points in 60 games). At 24, there's likely not much of a NHL future for him, especially in LA. He may find a spot in a bottom 10 NHL team as a 6th/7th defenseman but likely won't ever be a full time NHL player.
229 Fredrik Karlstrom - Dallas Stars (24-C)
Frederik Karlstrom seems like an ok player that just hasn't ever grown into a NHL prospect. A 2016 3rd round pick, he had 45 points in 103 games in SHL in 2019-20/2020-21 and moved over to North America last summer. He spent all of 2021-22 (aside from 3 NHL games) in the AHL and had a decent year with 16g/13a in 65 GP. He started the 2022-23 season in the AHL and unless there's a late breakout this season he'll likely stay there. At 24 years-old, I don't think he's going to make any sort of impact even if he does get called upon because of some injuries.
231 Carson Meyer - Columbus Blue Jackets (25-RW)
Late 2017 pick who had a solid 4-year collegiate career for Miami (OH) and Ohio State. Meyer has 55 points in 91 AHL games over the past three years and suited up for 13 NHL games (3 points). He didn't put up crazy stats in college, but he on paper it wouldn't surprise me to see him play a little in the NHL, but he is 25 already and is in Columbus, at least for now.
236 Jack LaFontaine - Carolina Hurricanes (24-G)
A 2016 3rd round pick currently playing in the ECHL, LaFontaine had a really interesting resume before he ended up at the University of Minnesota in 2019. After an average year, he was phenomenal in 2020-21, winning the Mike Richter Award for Best Collegiate Goaltender with a 1.79 GAA and .934 SV%. He followed that up with a disappointing year, however as a Senior and struggled to keep a spot on the AHL team (.885 SV% in 13 GP). He's currently in the ECHL and I just find it hard to predict any NHL future for him, though with goalies you never know. In his two NHL games he had a 7.20 GAA...
239 Vladislav Kolyachonok - Arizona Coyotes (21-D)
2019 2nd round pick (Florida) out of BELARUS! Acquired by the Coyotes as a reward for taking on Anton Stralman's contract in 2020. Kolyachonok spent 2020-21 in the KHL (6 points in 46 GP) and split 2021-22 between the NHL (32 GP) and the AHL (33 GP) while in Arizona. Unfortunately, he didn't win a roster spot in 2022-23 which to me signals that his future in the NHL is definitely in question even at 21 years-old. They gave him a long look last year and will be the league's worst team, but they opted to send him back to the AHL. He's never been a big point producer so even if he does make it up to the NHL, his ceiling is very low in Arizona.
242 Zack Hayes - Vegas Golden Knights (23-D)
Undrafted Canadian defenseman who Captained Prince Albert in the WHL but was known entirely for his defense, only totaling 79 points in 272 WHL games (+97 rating though). He's continued to do exactly that in the AHL with only 17 points in 94 games but playing to a +31 rating. He could definitely be an option for Vegas or a team that is looking for a 3rd line pair who should limit opportunities against, but his ceiling in the hobby is very low. He could certainly become a NHL player since he has had that success, but in the hobby I don't see him becoming anything.
246 Brayden Pachal - Vegas Golden Knights (23-D)
Undrafted, Pachal spent one year in the Blackhawks organization before being signed by Vegas in 2020. He now serves as the Captain of the Henderson Silver Knights, their AHL affiliate, but he hasn't offered up much upside, offensively at least, with only 18 points in 89 games for the squad. He was a defensive defenseman for all but his last year in the WHL for Prince Albert, so it's not surprising for him to be the same in the AHL. I can't say much more than that on his game since I don't see many Silver Knights games on TV, but if I had to guess I'd say maybe he finds a spot on a 3rd line in the future? Or it could be just as likely that he's a career AHLer who gets called up at random times in his career.
Decent Prospects with Limited Upside: NHL or Bust Tier
202 Nick Blankenburg - Columbus Blue Jackets (24-D)
Played 4 years at Michigan and was signed as an undrafted free agent by Columbus, Blankenburg may be a decent defenseman, but he's got very little offensive upside and sits low on the totem poll in one of the league's smallest markets.
208 Erik Kallgren - Toronto Maple Leafs (26-G)
I understand that the Leafs are extremely cap strapped...but it's shocking that Kallgren is the team's best option as a backup with Matt Murray out after his NHL numbers (and even the AHL) last year. It was his first year in North America in 2021-22 after playing in the SHL and Liiga the last few years, but at his age I'm less willing to give him a pass at adjusting to the game here. I think his future lies directly where he is now, an AHL goalie that you hope your team doesn't rely upon to start any meaningful games.
212 Jacob Perreault - Anaheim Ducks (20-RW)
Perrault was labeled as a "pure sniper" in most draft guides when he was selected 27th overall in 2020, but honestly his stats are very underwhelming for a first round pick. He scored 39 goals in 57 games in his last OHL year, but his PPG (1.23) was only 37th in the NHL and he failed to make any WJC teams for Canada. He is for sure still raw, but he has kinda struggled in the AHL as well the past two seasons with only 17 goals in 82 games. 52 points across that span certainly doesn't kill his chances of being a NHL player, but that pace doesn't exactly say "future top six player". Add in the fact that he's in Anaheim where the majority of collectors will focus on Trevor Zegras, I just think the chances of him becoming a really solid player at that level at this stage aren't that great. If he's able to figure it out this year, hopefully we'll see him on the Ducks next year.
219 Brayden Tracey - Anaheim Ducks (21-Fwd)
- 2019 1st round pick (29th overall)
Broke out as a rookie in the WHL in 2018-19, leading all rookies in goals (36) and assists (45) in 66 GP for Moose Jaw. He didn't improve on those numbers the following season with 22 goals and 39 assists in 52 GP, but he was traded midway through the season and saw his numbers drop in Victoria. After splitting time in the WHL and the AHL in 2020-21, he spent a full year with the San Diego Gulls in 2021-22 and had a decent rookie campaign with 31 points in 55 games. He's back with the team in 2022-23 and should see a larger role and hopefully start producing at the levels the team hoped when they drafted him. As of now he's a longshot to be a top six NHL player, but there's a lot of players ahead of him that he'd have to pass to make that happen.
220 Marc McLaughlin - Boston Bruins (23-C)
As a Boston College grad I would love to sit here and say that Marc McLaughlin will be an impactful player in the NHL, but I just don't think that's true. It took until his Junior year of college to even become a core player for BC (20 points in 73 GP as a Rookie/Sophomore), which historically means that their NHL prospects aren't going to be very good. He finished off with two years averaging a PPG as the Captain of the Eagles, but I don't think Bruins fans should expect anything more than a bottom-six depth forward at best. He should be in the AHL for the entire season, so if he does have the tools to be a NHL player he should rack up some good stats as a 23 year-old in that league.
221 Jake Christiansen - Columbus Blue Jackets (23-D)
Jake Christiansen, signed as an undrafted free agent out of the WHL, led all AHL defenseman in goals with 13 in 62 games and was named a 2nd team All-Star. With 45 points in the 2021-22 season, Christiansen scored 8 more points than anyone else on Cleveland and finished 4th in the league for scoring as a defenseman. The Blue Jackets have a strong group of talented defenseman ahead of him, but given the struggles of the team thus far I wonder if he gets called up at some point this year (he played 8 games in Columbus last season). It still would be a little far-fetched to see him having a big-tie impact in the NHL even after his strong AHL season.
230 Jack McBain - Arizona Coyotes (22-C)
McBain is a prospect that I'm pretty familiar with since he went to Boston College, but one that for the most part has been just ok aside from a strong scoring Senior year.
He won the OJHL Top Prospect award in 2018, though historically that has meant very little without a lot of NHL players on the list of past winners. He has played every game for Arizona (19 GP, 5 points) since signing after his Senior season ended and represented Canada in the Olympics, but he's not someone I'm excited about. He projects as more of a depth forward and I'm not sure he would be on a NHL roster at the moment in more than a few organizations.
240 Isaac Ratcliffe - Philadelphia Flyers (23-LW)
Ratcliffe has been one of the most disappointing prospects for Philly. The huge 6'6" winger was picked 35th overall in the 2017 draft and proved to be a high-end goal scorer in the OHL for the Guelph Storm, scoring 41 goals (67 GP) and 50 goals (65 GP) the following two seasons. The next step in his development would be to find that success in the AHL, where he began the 2019-20 season. Unfortunately, it's now 3 years later and he has yet to have any real success at that level and began this season still stuck in Lehigh. He had to be sent through waivers after not making the team out of camp and nobody took a chance on him. It would take a wild change of trajectory for him to return to a high enough level to be an impactful NHL player.
241 Trey Fix-Wolansky - Columbus Blue Jackets (23-RW)
TFW is a very undersized (5'7") who as usual went overlooked in the draft, being picked in the 7th round (2018) despite 89 points in 71 GP in the WHL. In his first post-draft season he was named to the First All-Star Team after finishing T4 in scoring with 102 points in 65 GP. He's been in the AHL since 2019-20 and has steadily improved but hasn't done enough to earn a call-up the NHL aside from a small six game stint last year. He's off to a nice start with 8 points in 7 games for Cleveland this year and with the Blue Jackets really sucking this year I wouldn't be surprised if he did get a chance sooner rather than later. This is the year that he has to show out in the AHL as the time is ticking for him to be given a shot in the show.
245 Mads Sogaard - Ottawa Senators (21-G)
- 6'7" goalie from Denmark selected 37th overall in 2019
Still early in his development, but he has had just average numbers in the AHL so far with a 2.89 GAA and .908 SV% in 45 GP for Belleville (26-15-1 record). Honestly as a forward it would be a lie for me to analyze his potential at all outside of his mediocre stats, but I just hope the Senators used a second round pick on him for a reason other than his size. He should still have another two years or so in the AHL before the team hopes for him to play with Ottawa, but he'll have to show some growth in that time to earn a chance.
248 Alex Vlasic - Chicago Blackhawks (21-D)
- 2019 2nd round pick, product of Boston University (sucks to BU)
- Extremely stay-at-home defenseman, only 20 points in 82 games at BU
- Finished the year with Chicago in 2021-22 after signing his ELC when BU's season ended, playing 15 games and actually putting up solid underlying numbers in a depth role.
- Began the 2022-23 season in the AHL, so it's TBD whether he can play his way onto the roster this year. He probably has an upside of 2nd pair DFD, but I really can't say exactly how likely that is at this point with only a handful of professional games under his belt.
High Floor, Low Ceiling
205 Jordan Harris - Montreal Canadiens (22-D)
The Canadiens 2018 3rd round pick had a nice 4-year collegiate career at Northeastern University highlighted by a "best defensive defenseman" award in Hockey East during his senior year ('22). Immediately upon finishing his senior season, he started 10 games for Montreal to end the year and has begun the year on their roster. I don't think he's going to have much if any value in the hobby, but he could be a nice 3rd pair defenseman with 2nd pair upside in a defensive-minded role for Montreal.
214 Braden Schneider - New York Rangers (21-D)
The most surprising development in New York last season was Braden Schneider winning a permanent third-line role over Zac Jones and Nils Lundkvist, two players that many expected to take a roster spot. Schneider's hard-nosed and physical style brought the Rangers exactly what they needed in that role and he did an admirable job, especially being stuck next to Nemeth for a lot of his time with the team. Based on the struggles of the majority of former first round picks, being a rookie defenseman in the NHL is extremely hard. Schneider now finds himself with three rounds of playoff hockey under his belt and that should do nothing but give him more confidence and composure for this season. He's always been a defensive minded player with good skating ability, so I wouldn't expect him to be highly valuable in the card market, but he looks by all metrics to be a future bottom four NHL defenseman.
215 Mark Kastelic - Ottawa Senators (23-C)
Among an abundance of high-end prospects, it was a big surprise to see the 2019 5th round pick was on the NHL roster this season and signing a two-year one-way contract with the Senators in October. He was never a big time producer in the WHL but he put up solid numbers and wore the "C" for two years for the Calgary Hitmen. He spent the majority of the last two years in the AHL, playing 95 games for Belleville with 38 points and 105 PIM. Given his current standing with the club, it seems like he's going to be a depth forward for the foreseeable future with little to no chance to ever be a top-six player.
218 Kaedan Korczak - Vegas Golden Knights (21-D)
If the Knights roster wasn't already full on defense (Pietrangelo, Martinez, Theodore, McNabb, Whitecloud, Hague, Hutton), Korczak would most likely have been on the roster this season. I would wager that he'll be a call-up if they do have some injuries, but for now he'll continue to develop in the AHL. He's a defensive first player who provided a little bit of offense in the WHL and last year in the AHL, but not too much. A former 2nd round pick, he's most likely got a NHL future ahead of him, but it'll be a shock for it to turn into anything spectacular.
222 Ben Meyers - Colorado Avalanche (23-Fwd)
Undrafted out of the University of Minnesota, Meyers became a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award in 2021-22 and played his way into the Avalanche 2022-23 opening night roster, playing on the 4th line. Meyers was the Captain of Minnesota as a Junior and accumulated 95 points in 102 career games. Those stats are impressive in their own right, but it was his performance in the Olympics and World Championships for Team USA that most impressed me, posting 4 points in 4 Olympics games and 8 in 10 World Championship games, which tied for the team lead. On Colorado, there's almost no chance that Meyers is able to get a top six spot, but he's definitely a wildcard in terms of predicting his future. He's only dressed for three games for Colorado (1 goal no assists) and played under 8 minutes per game on average, which isn't surprising. According to those more familiar with him, they say he projects out as a 3rd line defensive center who could offer a little offense as well.
232 Adam Raska - San Jose Sharks (21-RW)
The Sharks selected Raska in the last round of the 2020 draft because of his hardnosed style and work ethic and despite not having much offensive talent he was given five NHL games in 2021-22 as a reward for his hard work. He only accumulated 14 points in 49 AHL games which isn't surprising as he didn't put up all that many points in the QMJHL. He could develop into a checking 4th line player, but I'd expect him to be in the AHL at least for the next two seasons.
233 Dylan Samberg - Winnipeg Jets (23-D)
Although he's never been flashy offensively, the former 2nd round pick is a very reliable defender that won two National Championships for Minnesota-Deluth and represented Team USA twice in the U20 WJC. After a year and a half in the AHL, he earned a spot with the Jets after 15 games with the team last year where he held his own (51% Projected WAR JFresh in depth minutes). He began the season as the 7th defenseman, but with Logan Stanley injured he's dressed for 4 of 9 games this season. The Jets are in a weird spot and in my opinion really need to move a veteran in order to bring allow all three of Stanley (TWD), Samberg (DFD) and Heinola (OFD/PP QB) to play, but we'll see if that happens at the deadline. At this point, I have zero clue what the hell the organization is doing with Heinola and it's getting close to time that I wouldn't be surprised if he asked to be traded if he isn't on the roster by the deadline. Samberg is behind both the aforementioned young players in offensive talent, but he should eventually be a bottom four defenseman in the NHL.
237 Valtteri Puustinen - Pittsburgh Penguins (23-Winger)
Puustinen is an interesting prospect in this group, and not just because of his interesting Finnish last name. He was a 7th round pick in 2019 who played extremely well in his first two post-draft seasons in the Liiga and has turned into one of the better prospects in Pittsburgh, home to one of the league's weakest prospect pools. He's a smaller winger at 5'9" but by all accounts he is not a liability at defense (a stupid stereotype that people assume from smaller wingers) and his 81 points in 105 Liiga games before turning 22 (tied for most among U21 skaters in 2019-20) show that he's got some serious skill. He hade a decent but not spectacular first season in the AHL last year with 20 goals and 22 assists in 73 games and did post an assist in his lone NHL game. He has returned to the AHL to start the season, but I do think he'll be the first call up if the Penguins sustain any forward injuries and we'll see if he can stay up there. He's one to watch in Wilkes-Barre where we may get a better sense of exactly where his ceiling is in North America.
Truth be told I had no clue whether he was in the tier below this or the one above, so I put him here.
249 Noah Cates - Philadelphia Flyers (23- LW)
It took a long time after being drafted for Cates to turn pro, being drafted in 2017 but making his debut in 2022. The Minnesota native stayed local and eventually became the Captain of Minnesota-Deluth where he played four years and accumulated 99 career points in 139 games. Cates came out of the gates hot last year scoring 5 goals in his first 16 games, but this season is off to the start I would expect out of him with just 1 point in 10 games. Cates didn't light it up in college and wasn't a high-end prospect (5th round pick), so I'd expect him to be a bottom six forward for most of his career. The Flyers have a bunch of better offensive prospects so it will be an uphill climb for him to ever get top six minutes.
Good Prospects who could move up or down rankings rapidly
203 Lukas Dostal - Anaheim Ducks (22-G)
John Gibson hasn't been good for a few years now and it's time for another goalie to start taking over in Anaheim with this new young core. I think Dostal (3rd round pick in 2018) has shown that he's gonna be the next starter. Like almost every goalie his ceiling is TBD, but I'm sure the Ducks are ecstatic at his development the last few years. Every year he's had success at a different level:
2018-19: U20 WJC highest Save percentage (.957%) in 4 GP
2019-20: Liiga Best Goaltender (43 GP, 1.78 GAA, .928 SV%)
2020-21/2021-22 64 AHL games from 2020-22, 2.71 GAA, .916 SV%
2021-22: World Championship Bronze Medal for Czechia
Starting the 2022-23 season in the AHL, I could see an argument for him to be up in the "consolation prizes", but since he's a goalie and in Anaheim I think it's better off that he's in this tier.
210 Thomas Bordeleau - San Jose Sharks (20-Fwd)
Thomas Bordeleau was one of a number of Michigan players that put up impressive numbers the past two years, but he is one of the lesser known prospects of the bunch behind Matty Beniers, Brendan Brisson and Kent Johnson. As an undersized center, Bordeleau put up some fantastic assist numbers (47 assists in 61 NCAA games) and from what I read is quick and loves to hold the puck and find open teammates from the corners and on the rush. After getting the call up to San Jose for 8 games this year, he continued that production with 5 assists in 8 games, though he didn't find the net himself except for a shootout winner against Vegas. Like many of the other Michigan products from this team, I want to sit back and see how they fair outside of this arena where their talent was far and away high than every opponent they play.
211 Samuel Fagemo - Los Angeles Kings (22-LW/RW)
Sam Fagemo took the path of a typical Swedish prospect up to the SHL where his rookie year went very well (14g/11a in 42 games), leading to the Kings selecting him in the 2nd round of the 2019 draft. The following season, it looked like the Kings had made a great pick as Fagemo led the U20 WJC in Goals (8) and points (13) and he followed up his rookie season by netting the most goals by any junior in the SHL.
No matter where he has been, he's been able to find the back of the net. He came over to the US in 2020 and played 32 games for the Ontario Reign, putting up a modest but respectable 18 points in 32 games. In a full year with the AHL team in 2021-22, he found the net 27 times in 63 games and added 17 assists. Players that specialize in goal scoring and lack a little in the other parts of the game historically are boom or bust in the NHL. He has begun the 2022-23 season again in the AHL and if he's going to have a legit NHL future you would hope that he sees another bump in his goal total. Anything other than a top 10 finish would be a little disappointing. The Kings have a ton of talent ahead of him, but he's certainly one of the more intriguing prospects in this crop.
216 Matias Maccelli - Arizona Coyotes (22-LW)
If not for the place he was drafted, I think Maccelli would be a pretty well-known prospect. The Finnish winger quickly returned dividends to Arizona after drafting him in the 4th round in 2019. He played a year and a half in the USHL leading up to the NHL draft which I think hurt his stock a little bit, but when we returned to Finland following the draft he was extremely impressive in the Liiga winning Rookie of the Year easily with 30 points in 43 games (most goals and most assists by a rookie). He continued that success into the following season with another similar campaign before coming over to North America for the 2021-22 season.
Maccelli played 20 games for Arizona in 2021-22 (6 points), but it was his time in the AHL where he shined, accumulating an impressive 14 goals and 43 assists in 47 games, perhaps on his way to another Rookie of the Year Award if he hadn't spent some time in the NHL. He's made the Coyotes full-time in 2022-23 and has started the year with 4 points in 8 games, holding his own all-around on perhaps the league's worst team. In the card market, Maccelli is likely someone that gets lost with the small Arizona market unless he can really breakthrough and become a PPG player. It's not out of the realm of possibilities given his past though. Plus the opportunity is there in Arizona as he's playing 14 minutes per game.
224 Pyotr Kochetkov - Carolina Hurricanes (23-G)
2018-19 U20 WJC Best Goaltender --> 36th overall in 2019 by Carolina
He didn't play too many games from 2019-2021 and was traded twice in the KHL/VHL (25 KHL games, 2 VHL, 2 MHL), but he put up really impressive numbers in the KHL in 2021-22 (2.23 GAA, .926 SV% in 23 GP) and the AHL (2.09 GAA, .921 SV%) Goalies are always difficult to project, but both of the Canes' goalies are set to be UFAs after this season and knowing the organization I would guess they're hoping Kochetkov can either be the starter next year or split the workload. If you're looking to take a stab at one of the 2nd/3rd tier guys from this crop, I don't hate Kochetkov one bit.
234 Nicholas Abruzzese - Toronto Maple Leafs (23-Fwd)
Abruzzesse is an interesting prospect. He grew up playing in my home state of New Jersey and actually played for my organization for a little before moving to the USHL and eventually Harvard. He led the USHL in points prior to the 2019 draft, which got him noticed and drafted by Toronto in the 4th round, but it was his Freshman year success at Harvard that made him seem like a legitimate prospect (the USHL is a weak development league). He led the ECAC in points in 2019-20 with 44 in 31 GP and was named a third-team all-American. After missing the next season due to Covid (the Ivy League shut down all sports the entire year), he played one more season and signed an ELC right after the season ended, playing 9 games for the Maple Leafs to end the year. At this stage, it's hard to get a full grasp of his potential with only 9 professional games of experience, but he's certainly one of the Leafs' top prospects, which will always earn some attention in the hockey card hobby. He's playing in the AHL for the Marlies (at least for now), so that should give us a good indication of how much potential he really does have to play for the Leafs.
238 Jordan Spence - Los Angeles Kings (21-D)
Jordan Spence put up some nutty numbers in the AHL with 38 assists in 46 games this past season, his first as a professional. He's been a PP distributor throughout his young career and did get a little chance to do that during his 24 games in the NHL this year. He was scratched for 4 of the team's seven playoff games and went scoreless, but he compiled 8 points in the regular season. He shined offensively in the small sample size even though it only led to 8 points (93% EV offense), but definitely struggled defensively (7th percentile) at the top level. Defense could very well be an issue for Spence but it's too small of a sample size to know for sure. Spence will start the year in the AHL but could play his way onto the NHL roster if he continues to produce at last year's level. Brandt Clarke and Sean Durzi will stand in his way, and he could potentially be a player the Kings trade away, which may in all honesty be best case scenario for him. Either way, he's developed into a really nice prospect from being a 4th round pick and definitely has a future in the NHL with some upside.
Consolation Prizes
204 Jack Quinn - Buffalo Sabres (21-Winger)
Jack Quinn was a good prospect (CCHL Rookie of the Year) who vaulted up the draft board after a breakout 2019-20 season with the Ottawa 67s, scoring 52 goals in 62 games, second to only Nick Robertson. The Sabres selected him 8th overall and alongside JJ Peterka he had a fantastic year in the AHL in 2021-22 with 61 points in 45 games (AHL Rookie of the Year). He did struggle in the playoffs with only 2 points in 10 games and hasn't lit the world on fire for Buffalo this year (2 points in 8 games), but he's certainly a great prospect.
To be honest I'm definitely somewhat skeptical that he'll be a top-six mainstay in the NHL. His OHL team had 5 of the league's top 15 scorers and perhaps his success wasn't all a result of his abilities? His AHL season was 100% very impressive, I just wanna sit back and wait to see how he plays in the NHL this season. I think his YG prices will be decently high at first, I'll just be sitting this one out since there are other prospects in Buffalo I prefer.
209 Kent Johnson - Columbus Blue Jackets (20-LW/C)
Johnson was the last of the four University of Michigan products to be drafted in the top 5 of the 2021 draft. After two years there where the winger (though listed on hockey reference as a center) had 17 goals and 47 assists in 58 games, Johnson signed an ELC and finished the 2021-22 season with the Blue Jackets suiting up for 9 games (0 goals, 3 assists). I was surprised that he made the NHL roster this year but he's scored 3 goals and 3 assists in 9 games so far, so he's been the only bright spot during Columbus' abysmal start to the season.
For me personally, it's too early to forecast how high his ceiling could be, but he seems like he could be a star in the making with a great work-ethic. As a Canadian Olympian this year, Johnson started as an extra forward and ended up tying for the team scoring lead through the round-robin. The Blue Jackets might have a pretty sick one-two combo of Johnson-Sillinger in the future. I'm here for it. I prefer Sillinger for his goal-scoring abilities, but Johnson may have a more well-rounded game. Obviously being in Columbus is tough for his value, but he was 5th overall in 2021 for a reason and making the roster this year and having some early success was a pleasant surprise.
227 Bobby Brink - Philadelphia Flyers (21-RW)
Flyers fans were rightfully excited about Bobby Brink's 2022-23 season, whether or not it was in the NHL (I think he would have rightfully been given top line minutes in the AHL), but sadly he will be rehabilitating a torn labrum at least through the end of this calendar year. Brink was having a good couple years at Denver and on two WJC U20 teams for USA, but he went nuts in 2021-22, leading the nation in scoring with 57 points (43 assists), winning a National Championship and coming close to winning the Hobey Baker. He quickly looks like a good 2nd round pick by Philly, a team that really needed more talent on the roster.
It's hard to really assess his ceiling since he's only 21 and has only played 10 professional games, but there's definitely reason to be excited. Collegiate success hasn't exactly proven to always lead to professional success, especially for undersized wingers, but there is also a handful of very successful players that have had a similar college career. Brink is one of the players to keep an eye on whenever he returns this season, whether in the NHL or AHL, as he could quickly rise through the ranks in the league if his Junior season wasn't a fluke. He could very well be the Flyers #1 prospect.
243 Marco Rossi - Minnesota Wild (21-C)
While I'm very familiar with Boldy and Addison and confident in their futures in Minnesota, I'm less familiar with Marco Rossi, though he's considered by many to be their top prospect. The rare Austrian professional hockey player shot up the draft board by dominating the OHL in 2019-20, leading the entire CHL in points (39g/81a in 56 GP) and the OHL in plus/minus (+69) for the Ottawa 67's. Rossi basically didn't play at all in 2020-21 because of scary Covid-19 complications, but didn't look like he missed a step in his first year in the AHL, tying for the team lead with 53 points (18g/35a) in 63 games. He only played two games in the NHL, but it was promising to see him immediately put on the first PP unit.
Looking at the Wild's roster, it certainly seemed like Rossi would make the team with a strong camp, but would definitely struggle to find more than 12-13 minutes of ice-time to develop. I'm not a huge fan of the Wild's scoring depth so it may be tough to get him some great wingers to play with, but it would be a real challenge to see his true potential. The hype is very real for Marco Rossi, but personally I'm going with the "wait and see" approach for him for the time being as I could see him having a limited role in the NHL this season or even spending some time in the AHL after the trade deadline.
Chase Cards
201 Matt Boldy - Minnesota Wild (21-Winger)
It's a real shame that Matt Boldy only played 47 NHL games this year because he definitely would've been a Calder finalist and potentially won the award if he kept up his pace. The 20/21 year-old potted 15 goals and assisted on 24 after being called up while playing only 15:20 per game. For how insanely good Kaprizov was this year, Boldy finished very closely behind him in even strength points per 60 (3.62 vs. 3.45) for 2nd on the team. Even more impressive is that he was strong in all facets of the game in his first year (aside from not being used on the PK) while not playing on one of the top lines.
In the time tracked by JFresh, he stood out analytically with an outstanding 96% projected WAR as a result of above average offense (77%) and defense (62%) and fantastic results (97% finishing, 97% Goals/60, 96% Assists/60). The former Boston College (shoutout) player has made a name for himself with an absolutely lethal wrist-shot that will bolster any team's powerplay, especially Minnesota's who typically work through Kaprizov and Zuccarello, two pass-first players. With Fiala gone, I would think Boldy should be be added to the first PP (which was mediocre last season) or be the center-piece of the 2nd unit this entire year and should see his production in that department increase this season. The Wild have a lot of good players and should also add Marco Rossi this year or next, but none of them have the pure goal scoring ability of Matt Boldy. I know that he's yet to receive any big rookie cards, but I think Boldy is in for a breakout full season that will shoot him up into the stratosphere in the hobby. I think a 30-35 goal season is very achievable and he may push the PPG mark if he does find a spot on PP1.
213 Matty Beniers - Seattle Kraken (19-C)
The Seattle Kraken top prospect list starts and ends with Matty Beniers. This dynamic American center was, in my opinion, a fantastic pick by the Kraken to start their franchise. Although I would've done a ton differently with the rest of that draft, they nailed this selection. After returning to the University of Michigan for the college season after being drafted, Beniers arrived in the NHL in pretty spectacular fashion, notching 3 goals and 6 assists in 10 games, highlighted by a slick no-look pass for his first assist. The play highlights exactly the type of offensive talent he brings to the table.
Beniers has an above average shot (20 goals in 37 games for Michigan) which forces the defense and opposing goalies to focus on him and give him the opportunity to find open teammates quickly and on the tape for scoring chances. It's this combination that could make him lethal on the rush and on the powerplay. I can't say much on his defensive abilities yet, but from what I've read he's a very hard worker in the D-zone who uses his hockey IQ to break up plays and break the puck out quickly. Kraken fans should be very excited for his future. Beniers will be the first star in the Kraken's history and should be an all-star in the future.
228 Owen Power - Buffalo Sabres (19-D)
If you were to make a defenseman in NHL 23 they would most likely end up looking like Owen Power. He's 6'6" but skates like a 5'11" offensive defenseman and has a very good hockey IQ. The Sabres selected him with the 1st overall pick after a decent but uninspiring freshman campaign at the University of Michigan but after a really good sophomore year (3 goals, 29 assists), he ended the 2021-22 season with the Sabres and hasn't looked back.
Though he has 8 points in his first 18 games, I am hesitant to say that he'll be a top 10 defenseman (in terms of value) in the NHL because of the opportunity in Buffalo. The biggest hurdle for Power in terms is Rasmus Dahlin. I've been a big fan of Dahlin the past two years, but if there was any doubt who would be on the first PP unit his crazy start to this season has ended that conversation. Power does QB the 2nd unit, but in order for a D-man to get in that 55-60 point range or higher they have to be racking up assists on the man advantage. Right now, Dahlin is certainly not losing that job and he's still only 22 years-old. Nonetheless, Owen Power was the 1st overall pick and is one of the chase cards in this class, though I think he'll end up being #3-#5 in terms of value in a few years.
235 Lukas Reichel - Chicago Blackhawks (20-Winger)
The German teenager had a fantastic 2021-22 season in the AHL for Rockford, and I think it was smart of the Blackhawks to let him spend most of the year there instead of calling him up too early. After coming over from Germany's top league (DEL) last summer, Reichel found immediate success, which even at the AHL level is impressive for a 19 year-old European forward. I'm gonna completely forget about the 11-game sample size in the NHL since it came in spurts of 2 games in January, 3 in February and 6 in April when the season was over, and focus on his year in the AHL. With 21 goals and 36 assists in 56 games, he was the only player under 20 to score over a point per game and one of only 7 under the age of 25 to do so in the league (minimum 20 GP). I've continually said that people really underestimate how relevant AHL success is to NHL success for very young players. The game is very similar, there are tons of former NHL players on every team, and players are fighting to get back to the NHL.
Reichel should be ready to make the step into a middle-six role right now, but the Hawks decided he should start the year in Rockford once again (where he's already dominating) as the team is in a rebuild and should struggle. In an organization that has very little in terms of prospects, especially now that they've traded away Kirby Dach, I believe Reichel will be the team's best player in the next three years. If he had made the team this year and was showing potential, I think the hype would be huge.
There ya have it! What do you think! Who's a player you think deserves MORE attention than I'm giving them credit for? It's tough to do a massive deep dive on every player, so I'm sure there are some diamonds in the rough that I'm missing in here. Let me know!
