If you wish to be top-of-the-line groups within the NHL within the Wage Cap Period, you need to draft and develop your personal prospects so you may construct for the longer term with younger contributors on low cost entry-level contracts. While you have a look at a number of the high groups within the league just like the Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils and Toronto Maple Leafs, you see groups which have developed by way of the draft and that proceed to construct their prospect methods for the longer term.
Associated: The NHL’s Prime 100 Prospects – Preseason Rating
A few of the high groups on this checklist 12 months in and 12 months out, just like the Detroit Crimson Wings, Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Geese proceed to develop and compete for the longer term, whereas different groups just like the Buffalo Sabres and Minnesota Wild are competing for the playoffs whereas additionally having nice prospect swimming pools. Having a deep farm system can go a great distance towards a staff’s long-term success. With out additional ado, listed below are the offseason farm system rankings heading into the 2024-25 season.
Very similar to the highest 100 prospects article, this rating goes to be primarily based on the standard and potential of every staff’s prospect pool. Gamers are listed in no specific order. I shall be utilizing Corey Pronman’s definition of “prospect” for this, so if you happen to’re confused about why gamers like Simon Nemec or Olen Zellweger aren’t on the checklist, this is the reason. “A skater not qualifies as an NHL prospect if he has performed 25 video games within the NHL in any marketing campaign, common season and playoffs mixed, or 50 video games whole; or reaches age 25 by Sept. 15. A goalie not qualifies as an NHL prospect if he has performed 10 video games within the NHL in any marketing campaign, common season and playoffs mixed, or 25 video games whole; or reaches age 25 by Sept. 15.” (From: “Pronman: 2019-20 NHL Farm System Rankings”).
32. Boston Bruins
Earlier Rating: 28
Prime 5 Prospects: Fabian Lysell, Dean Letourneau, Mason Lohrei, John Farinacci, Reid Dyck
The Boston Bruins have made simply 31 picks within the final six NHL Drafts mixed (5.1 picks per 12 months), with solely 5 of these being within the first two rounds (three first rounders and two seconds). That lack of draft capital is certain to depart you close to the underside of a listing like this, however their all-in technique over the previous few seasons has left them has actually achieved a quantity on their rating right here.
Boston’s prospect pool is kind of dry in the meanwhile, with Fabian Lysell standing out as a vibrant spot. Lysell is a wonderful skater and he has nice arms so I count on he’ll present worth within the NHL, he’s simply not sufficient to pull the Bruins out of the underside spot right here. One different prospect who I feel deserves just a little bit extra consideration is Dean Letourneau, a large ahead with wonderful arms and agility for somebody of his dimension. His preliminary plans have been to spend all of subsequent season within the USHL however has since determined to take a swing on the NCAA with Boston Faculty.
31. Ottawa Senators
Earlier Rating: 32
Prime 5 Prospects: Carter Yakemchuk, Jorian Donovan, Zack Ostapchuk, Tyler Boucher, Xavier Bourgault
This is perhaps decrease than some would count on for the Senators to land, however come on, have a look at that checklist. Now, there’s no purpose to panic, the rationale their prospect pool appears so naked is just because most of their greatest younger gamers have graduated from this checklist and into the NHL full-time. If this have been a rating of the very best younger cores then the Senators would discover themselves considerably larger on this checklist (nearer to top-10 than bottom-10 for certain) on the backs of gamers like Jake Sanderson, Ridley Greig and Tim Stutzle.
I’m a really huge Carter Yakemchuk fan. I do know he didn’t precisely wow NHL groups on the draft mix, however I see a defender of his dimension who strikes by way of site visitors like that and I see somebody who might probably be the subsequent Brent Burns. Regardless of my very excessive opinion of him, Yakemchuk was not sufficient to boost the Senators very a lot on this league-wide rating.
30. Tampa Bay Lightning
Earlier Rating: 30
Prime 5 Prospects: Conor Geekie, Ethan Gauthier, Isaac Howard, Dylan Duke, Niko Huuhtanen
The Tampa Bay Lightning narrowly prevented hitting the underside spot right here for a fourth consecutive time, and that’s principally because of them touchdown Conor Geekie in a commerce on the 2024 Draft. Tampa has gone all in a number of instances now and so they’re clearly looking for a brand new stability of younger expertise on cheaper offers.
Geekie is aggressive and makes use of his dimension properly towards shorter and weaker junior competitors, and his playmaking from the perimeter on the facility play is probably going going to translate to the NHL. The projection is tantalizing, however the purpose individuals are hesitant about Geekie is that his skating is common at greatest. He might want to hold placing work into his capability to play at a quick tempo however his size and talent combo ought to make him an efficient middle-six participant for Tampa Bay regardless.
Ethan Gauthier is a strong prospect, combining a high-skill recreation (he challenges and beats numerous defenders one-on-one) with a really aggressive and bodily fashion. He works extremely exhausting which manifests in his capability to win 50/50 puck races, gaining place in entrance of the opposing web, and getting below his opponents’ pores and skin at will. I feel there’s a superb likelihood Gauthier is usually a middle-six winger for the Lightning sometime, however that’s not sufficient to vault them out of the league’s basement when it comes to prospect swimming pools.
29. Florida Panthers
Earlier Rating: 24
Prime 5 Prospects: Gracyn Sawchyn, Mackie Samoskevich, Michael Benning, Justin Sourdif, Linus Eriksson
The Florida Panthers actually don’t have the deepest prospect pool, however the expertise on the top-end of their pipeline was sufficient for them to crack the 20s. They’ve moved a number of beneficial picks and prospects lately and all of it paid off with their Stanley Cup victory final season. Nonetheless, that does imply their prospect pool has seen higher days.
I used to be an enormous fan of Gracyn Sawchyn in his draft season and I preferred what I noticed from him again in junior final season. His capability to play by way of contact and draw penalties is admirable and I imagine it’s going to translate to larger ranges as properly. Justin Sourdif is one other under-the-radar kind prospect who I feel is worthy of extra consideration, particularly given his early success within the AHL.
28. New York Islanders
Earlier Rating: 31
Prime 5 Prospects: Danny Nelson, William Dufour, Calle Odelius, Cole Eiserman, Jesse Pulkkinen
Earlier than the 2024 Draft, the New York Islanders hadn’t made a primary spherical choice since they took Simon Holmstrom twenty third general within the 2019, and it exhibits. They broke that streak once they took Cole Eiserman twentieth general this 12 months, giving them a prospect who has an opportunity to be a severe distinction maker. In addition they have a deeper pool of men who’re prone to play for them sometime.
Danny Nelson is an intriguing prospect who solely lately made the swap to taking part in middle, rising up as a defenseman. Nelson confirmed flashes of offensive potential final season, and has an enormous body that he makes use of fairly properly. His growth will doubtless be fairly unpredictable, although I don’t count on he’ll be way more than a superb third-line middle if all goes properly.
27. Toronto Maple Leafs
Earlier Rating: 23
Prime 5 Prospects: Fraser Minten, Topi Niemela, Nikita Grebyonkin, Dennis Hildeby, Easton Cowan
The Toronto Maple Leafs are firmly inside their aggressive window so it will be a shock to see them land a lot larger on this checklist since they’ve traded a number of excessive picks lately. Matthew Knies is now a full time NHL participant (to no person’s shock) and is not eligible for this checklist, however their rating didn’t take a lot of a success due to the optimistic growth of men like Fraser Minten and Easton Cowan.
Whereas neither of those prospects had inspiring performances for Workforce Canada eventually 12 months’s World Juniors, a five-game pattern dimension with new coaches, teammates, and in a brand new nation is just not as beneficial as their league play within the CHL final 12 months which was nothing however encouraging. Minten is wanting like he has the potential to be a superb third-line middle for the Maple Leafs and Cowan has already made Toronto look actually savvy for choosing him up within the first spherical in 2023. If he retains it up, Cowan will attain the NHL very quickly.
26. Vegas Golden Knights
Earlier Rating: 25
Prime 5 Prospects: Trevor Connelly, Lukas Cormier, Brendan Brisson, Mathieu Cataford, Carl Lindbom
Prior to now I’ve been very vital of the Vegas Golden Knights’ tendency to commerce their greatest prospects and picks to win-now, and I’m prepared to confess once I’m fallacious. I used to be fallacious in considering that Vegas’ “it’s simply enterprise” mentality wouldn’t work and that they need to have held onto extra of their futures. Clearly all of it labored out for them with their first Championship in franchise historical past and that’s not even mentioning the truth that they’re nonetheless ranked larger than six different groups on this checklist.
Vegas held onto their first rounder within the 2023 Draft which they used to pick out David Edstrom thirty second general. I used to be an enormous fan of Edstrom because the draft approached, and so naturally I cherished the choose for Vegas . . . after which they traded him. Trevor Connelly comes along with his fair proportion of bags, however Vegas hasn’t been afraid to tackle just a little dangerous publicity. He’s received a ton of talent and the kind of recreation that screams top-six winger, simply don’t depend on him doing that in Vegas.
25. Edmonton Oilers
Earlier Rating: 29
Prime 5 Prospects: Matthew Savoie, Matvei Petrov, Maxim Beryozkin, Beau Akey, Sam O’Reilly
A couple of months in the past, the Edmonton Oilers’ prospect pool was in as tough of a spot because it ever has been through the Connor McDavid period (and doubtless nonetheless going again to the pre-Taylor Corridor period as properly). The Oilers have been doing the one sane factor a staff with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl can do, going all-in by buying and selling prospects and picks 12 months after 12 months. Nonetheless, that leaves the cabinets fairly naked after a number of years. Fortunately for Edmonton, the Buffalo Sabres believed that they had too many undersized, expert forwards and traded Matt Savoie to Edmonton in trade for helpful bottom-sixer Ryan McLeod.
Savoie instantly grew to become the Oilers’ high prospect (by a superb margin), and I feel he’ll show the Sabres silly fairly shortly. He’s a extremely artistic ahead with a high-end talent set. The mixture of pace, arms and stick dealing with makes him an offensive catalyst and he maintains offensive zone possession extraordinarily properly. Savoie has wonderful imaginative and prescient to identify a lane to interact or discover his teammates with a wonderfully executed move and he’s a dynamic skater as properly. He received his first style of professional hockey final Fall and was top-of-the-line gamers within the WHL final 12 months in his remaining 12 months of junior play.
24. New Jersey Devils
Earlier Rating: 19
Prime 5 Prospects: Anton Silayev, Seamus Casey, Arseni Gritsyuk, Lenni Hameenaho, Mikhail Yegorov
Luke Hughes making the New Jersey Devils full day out of coaching camp final 12 months was nice information. Hughes has seemed like a future star, with a lot of the agility and edgework of his older brothers and a way more typical NHL body. With him transferring on to the NHL, the remainder of the prospect pool appears fairly a bit weaker by comparability. Nonetheless, I did love the Anton Silayev choose for them within the 2024 Draft, and guys like Seamus Casey and Lenni Hameenaho each seem like future NHLers.
Silayev was the story of the 12 months early on final season, going from an unknown defender in Russia’s junior system final 12 months to an elite defensive prospect who was tearing up the KHL. He’s been a tough participant to scout as a result of the pattern dimension of his nice play remains to be comparatively small, however his potential is as excessive as any protection prospect we’ve seen previously few years.
23. Pittsburgh Penguins
Earlier Rating: 27
Prime 5 Prospects: Rutger McGroarty, Samuel Poulin, Owen Pickering, Tanner Howe, Emil Pieniniemi
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been in a continuing state of mortgaging the longer term for present success for the higher a part of the final decade as they tried to profit from the primes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin’s careers (fairly efficiently I’d add). Because of this they’ve solely used three of their final 10 first spherical picks, and the prospect pool actually displays that willingness to maneuver prospects and picks.
The Penguins lately traded away 2023 first rounder Brayden Yager in a 1-for-1 take care of the Winnipeg Jets for Rutger McGroarty. McGroarty is a real energy ahead, sturdy and decided sufficient to win pucks with nice playmaking abilities that enable him to make good performs with the puck as soon as he wins it. He’s a pure chief, shoots properly, and does nearly every little thing else you possibly can hope for from a high prospect. McGroarty received’t lead your staff in scoring, however he’ll do an entire lot of different issues at a really excessive stage.
22. Colorado Avalanche
Earlier Rating: 26
Prime 5 Prospects: Calum Ritchie, Mikhail Gulyayev, Oskar Olausson, Sean Behrens, Ilya Nabokov
The Colorado Avalanche had a really profitable first spherical on the 2023 Draft, deciding on Calum Ritchie and Mikhail Gulyayev, who I think about to be their greatest and second greatest prospects respectively at this level. They’ve moved loads of prospects and draft picks over the previous couple of years, and their lack of prospect depth exhibits that, however the addition of those two prospects is a severe enchancment.
Ritchie had a tough draft 12 months, with a shoulder harm derailing what might have been an elite OHL season mentioning questions on his lack of consistency. Nonetheless, the very fact stays that Ritchie possesses a superb toolkit to succeed as an NHL centerman, with the scale, face-off proficiency, and puck abilities to even be a middle-six middle sometime. He had a superb 2023-24 season within the OHL and seemed like a legit NHL prospect the entire time.
21. Washington Capitals
Earlier Rating: 18
Prime 5 Prospects: Ryan Leonard, Cole Hutson, Andrew Cristall, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Tarik Parascak
The Washington Capitals have been going all-in for greater than a decade and whereas it was in the end successful with their Stanley Cup victory in 2018, their prospect pool has been a sight for sore eyes for a really very long time. The Capitals haven’t had a lot success since regardless of the outstanding sturdiness of Alex Ovechkin, and the 2022-23 season functioned as a little bit of a turning level for the staff as they started to re-tool and look to the longer term.
The previous two drafts have seen Washington’s prospect pipeline enhance considerably, with the crowning piece of their future coming with the eighth general choose within the 2023 Draft the place they chose Ryan Leonard, a outstanding offensive expertise who makes his teammates higher at each flip. Leonard works extremely exhausting and has a knack for scoring huge objectives in soiled areas and profitable puck battles. He’s additionally a outstanding athlete, with way more power that one would possibly count on from him at first look. I count on Leonard to be a legit top-six (or perhaps even top-line) winger in brief order, hopefully quickly sufficient to assist Washington maximize the ultimate years of the Ovechkin period.
20. New York Rangers
Earlier Rating: 22
Prime 5 Prospects: Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann, Adam Sykora, EJ Emery, Dylan Garand
The New York Rangers have many extremely proficient younger gamers who’ve already damaged into the NHL full time which is why they aren’t larger on this checklist, though they nonetheless have a superb variety of gamers I feel could have actual worth within the NHL sometime. Adam Sykora appears like he might issue into the Rangers’ bottom-six ahead group in just some years whereas Gabe Perreault and Brennan Othmann every have an opportunity at cracking the top-six group.
Gabe Perreault was a prospect I used to be fairly excessive on getting into the 2023 Draft, however I perceive why he fell to the Rangers at twenty third general. His skinny body and skating points are actually worrisome from an NHL projection standpoint, however within the late-teens to early 20s of the primary spherical I actually assume groups have been leaving numerous potential on the desk by passing on Perreault. He’s received high-end talent and hockey sense which ought to make him an imposing determine on an NHL energy play sometime even when he can’t be a dominant participant at even power. He dominated the NCAA as a freshman final season, and I count on he’ll proceed to take action, even after Will Smith’s departure to the NHL.
19. Vancouver Canucks
Earlier Rating: 16
Prime 5 Prospects: Jonathan Lekkerimäki, Tom Willander, Aatu Räty, Arturs Silovs, Elias Pettersson
The Vancouver Canucks have risen considerably on this rating over the previous two years, rising all the way in which to from thirtieth with the addition of Tom Willander and the resurgence of Jonathan Lekkerimaki as a professional top-six potential prospect standing out as the principle causes. Lekkerimaki has been by way of the wringer since being drafted again in 2022, however his remaining season in Sweden was a superb one, main all U20 gamers in objectives and factors, in addition to incomes match MVP on the 2024 World Juniors in Gothenburg.
Tom Willander is a wonderful defensive prospect, with the talent and defensive chops to be an awesome top-four defender for the Canucks down the street. He’s additionally an outstanding skater and can doubtless take a big quantity of stress off Quinn Hughes as soon as he establishes himself within the NHL. Willander’s skating permits him to stay strong defensively even on off nights, making him a remarkably constant game-changer.
18. Los Angeles Kings
Earlier Rating: 21
Prime 5 Prospects: Brandt Clarke, Francesco Pinelli, Koehn Ziemmer, Alex Turcotte, Liam Greentree
The Los Angeles Kings’ prospect pool is a shadow of its former self, with prospects like Quinton Byfield and Arthur Kaliyev establishing themselves as NHLers and different younger gamers like Brock Faber and Rasmus Kupari being traded for extra established gamers. The Kings have one prospect to thank for his or her rating right here, with Brandt Clarke doubtless being the distinction between ending 18th and within the mid-20s on this checklist.
Clarke is likely one of the easiest prospects on the planet of hockey, with a great deal of offensive potential. He willingly jumps into play from the blueline, pinching in to maintain possession or to assault area left by opposing defenders. Clarke’s awkward skating hasn’t improved a lot since his draft 12 months, however he competes exhausting sufficient that he ought to have the ability to defend properly sufficient to warrant a constant spot within the Kings’ top-four. He was the very best offensive defenseman within the AHL final 12 months for my cash and it’s solely a matter of time earlier than he makes a severe influence within the NHL.
17. Dallas Stars
Earlier Rating: 15
Prime 5 Prospects: Logan Stankoven, Mavrik Bourque, Lian Bichsel, Emil Hemming, Aram Minnetian
The Dallas Stars have had top-of-the-line teams of younger gamers for a number of years now, although that power is draining out of their prospect pool as kids like Ty Dellandrea and Wyatt Johnston proceed to determine themselves as nice NHL gamers. Nonetheless, Dallas nonetheless has a few actually high-end prospects and several other extra with a superb likelihood of turning into NHLers.
Logan Stankoven stands clearly above the remainder of this group for me (metaphorically in fact because the 5-foot-8 Stankoven stands above only a few NHL prospects) with a close to good NHL talent put aside from his top. Stankoven is an outstanding skater, has an awesome shot, and competes extremely exhausting all around the ice. He must show that he’s an outlier in an period the place only a few gamers below 5-foot-10 succeed within the NHL, however he has already achieved an awesome job of proving that within the NHL expertise he’s obtained, wanting like a superb top-six ahead for the Stars down the stretch and into the playoffs.
16. Philadelphia Flyers
Earlier Rating: 20
Prime 5 Prospects: Matvei Michkov, Jett Luchanko, Denver Barkey, Oliver Bonk, Emil Andrae
The Philadelphia Flyers are one other staff that has risen considerably on this rating lately, largely resulting from their very profitable 2023 Draft. The Flyers added Oliver Bonk, who has a superb likelihood of turning into a second-pairing defender in my eyes, in addition to Russian phenom Matvei Michkov, giving them an entire lot extra to sit up for because the staff begins their rebuild in earnest. The Cutter Gauthier scenario harm their prospect pool for certain however Jamie Drysdale isn’t any slouch as a significantly gifted skater who strikes the puck properly and has the potential to be a primary defender in Philly.
Michkov was a tough participant to evaluate in his draft season as he spent many of the 12 months on one of many KHL’s worst groups the place he was requested to attain sufficient to maintain the staff afloat, with protection being secondary. He has as a lot offensive potential as anybody within the prospect world, however actually has a protracted solution to go if he needs to succeed in that elite stage within the NHL sometime. Michkov might not turn out to be a franchise-defining participant for the Flyers sooner or later, however there’s an excellent likelihood that he’s a superb winger who scores a ton of factors and I don’t assume they’d be too upset if he caps out as a roughly 90 level winger.
15. Nashville Predators
Earlier Rating: 10
Prime 5 Prospects: Joakim Kemell, David Edstrom, Matthew Wooden, Tanner Molendyk, Yegor Surin
The Nashville Predators have been in a bizarre place over the previous couple of seasons, with their greatest gamers ageing and slowing down a bit regardless of Juuse Saros being one of many league’s greatest goalies on a nightly foundation. They’ve in the end determined to take a little bit of a step again over the previous two seasons, buying and selling guys like Mattias Ekholm and Tanner Jeannot every for large returns. The picks and prospects that Nashville landed in these offers will doubtless present at the very least one or two vital items of the subsequent nice Predators roster.
After extending Saros to a long-term contract, Yaroslav Askarov quietly requested to be traded as he noticed no future for himself in Nashville with the starter’s web crammed for an additional eight years. Askarov was Nashville’s high prospect by a strong margin, however they managed to web some good worth in return for him in David Edstrom and a future first spherical choose. Edstrom isn’t the flashiest participant offensively, however he skates properly for his dimension and wins tons of battles, clearing the way in which for his linemates to supply extra offense. I additionally cherished the Yegor Surin choose within the first spherical of the 2024 Draft.
14. St. Louis Blues
Earlier Rating: 13
Prime 5 Prospects: Jimmy Snuggerud, Adam Jiricek, Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg, Theo Lindstein
The St. Louis Blues started their retool within the 2022-23 season, and dedicated to giving themselves the very best likelihood to reach the longer term, getting into the 2023 Draft with three first rounders. Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg, and Theo Lindstein are all legit NHL prospects and including them to a pipeline that already had guys like Jimmy Snuggerud and Zachary Bolduc gave their prospect pool an enormous enhance.
Including Adam Jiricek with the sixteenth choose of the 2024 Draft was a robust selection as properly. Jiricek could be very engaged bodily, and has a penchant for taking huge level photographs. He produces a ton of probabilities on offense from the blueline, readily activating into play to help his teammates and hold the puck transferring. Sadly, his pleasure to affix the play offensively implies that he takes numerous dangers, leaving himself in actually poor positions to get well defensively if issues don’t go in response to plan. Jiricek is absolutely nice at scanning the play off puck and he persists by way of stress fairly properly so I feel he’ll have the ability to lower down on the over-the-top dangers in time.
13. Calgary Flames
Earlier Rating: 17
Prime 5 Prospects: Zayne Parekh, Matt Coronato, Samuel Honzek, Hunter Brzustewicz, Dustin Wolf
The Calgary Flames are nonetheless coping with the fallout of the departures of each Matthew Tkachuk and Johnny Gaudreau, which has led them to commerce away a lot of their most useful gamers previously 12 months. Whereas their NHL lineup continues to be a tough puzzle to resolve they do have a number of actually nice prospects to look to going ahead, a few whom I feel shall be making a huge impact with the Flames as quickly as this season (Matt Coronato and Dustin Wolf). The Flames are going to look very totally different over the subsequent couple of seasons, and so they’ve begun to construct a extremely strong group of younger gamers.
Zayne Parekh shall be a large piece for Calgary’s future, and I do assume he’s a strong defender when he’s correctly engaged, slicing off passes and angling opponents towards the boards. Parekh is a outstanding expertise, with Quinn Hughes-like offensive upside if his growth goes properly, however his defensive recreation might get extra constant. He’s proficient sufficient and seemed sturdy sufficient defensively within the Memorial Cup that I feel he’ll determine it out within the NHL although, turning into an imposing determine on the Flames’ blue line.
12. Carolina Hurricanes
Earlier Rating: 12
Prime 5 Prospects: Alexander Nikishin, Scott Morrow, Bradly Nadeau, Dominik Badinka, Felix Unger-Sörum
Groups which can be pretty much as good because the Carolina Hurricanes shouldn’t have prospect swimming pools pretty much as good as this staff does. Regardless of being top-of-the-line groups within the NHL over the previous a number of years, the Hurricanes hold discovering methods to enhance their prospect system. A few of that’s by way of shrewd scouting, which led to them drafting Bradly Nadeau close to the tip of the primary spherical and Felix Unger-Sörum late within the second spherical of the 2023 Draft, and a few of it’s by way of outstanding growth curves with prospects like Alexander Nikishin.
Regardless, Nikishin is a outstanding defensive prospect who exploded offensively final season, main all KHL defenders in scoring. He’s huge (6-foot-4), has a heavy slapshot, and skates remarkably properly for somebody of his dimension. This season, Nikishin proved that final 12 months was no fluke, as soon as once more main all KHL defenders in factors. If the Hurricanes are capable of persuade him to return to play for them within the 2025-26 season, he appears like he’ll be a top-four defender instantly upon arrival, probably even a top-pairing man.
11. Columbus Blue Jackets
Earlier Rating: 11
Prime 5 Prospects: Cayden Lindstrom, Denton Mateychuk, Gavin Brindley, Stanislav Svozil, Jordan Dumais
The Columbus Blue Jackets have made some huge modifications over the previous couple of years, from buying and selling away Seth Jones for the picks that grew to become Cole Sillinger and David Jiricek, to touchdown Johnny Gaudreau within the largest shock of the 2022 Free Company interval. A number of of their greatest younger gamers have already entered the NHL like Jiricek and Adam Fantilli, however the Blue Jackets nonetheless have an awesome pipeline, led by Gavin Brindley and Denton Mateychuk.
Mateychuk is an extremely easy skater, and he’s tremendous assured when leaping into the play. Accidents to Tristan Luneau and Tanner Molendyk meant that Mateychuk was requested to do a lot of the heavy lifting for Workforce Canada on the 2024 World Juniors, and he did greater than his share. He seemed the a part of a dynamic offensive creator, with crisp stretch passes and intelligent off-puck routes within the offensive zone, however he additionally confirmed how his tenacity and pace make him an actual issue defensively. Mateychuk will not be a number-one defenseman within the NHL, however he has a extremely good likelihood of being a significant top-four piece in Columbus.
10. Chicago Blackhawks
Earlier Rating: 9
Prime 5 Prospects: Artyom Levshunov, Oliver Moore, Frank Nazar, Sacha Boisvert, Sam Rinzel
The Chicago Blackhawks have been clearly not going to stay on the high of this checklist for lengthy after Connor Bedard joined the NHL, however the success of Kevin Korchinski within the NHL is one other issue that led to them dropping right here. Nonetheless, the truth that the Blackhawks nonetheless possess a top-10 prospect pool within the league with their two greatest prospects becoming a member of the NHL is outstanding. Oliver Moore and Frank Nazar seem like potential top-six items, whereas second general choose Artyom Levshunov appears like a possible top-pairing defender.
Artyom Levshunov has an extremely thrilling toolkit as an enormous, right-handed defender who skates extremely properly. Levshunov has a really projectable recreation, with the scale, skating, and offense to be an awesome NHL defender. Levshunov’s offensive recreation is dynamic, along with his easy skating serving because the catalyst for every factor he does properly. He’s sturdy in breakout/entry conditions, has some intelligent stretch passes in his toolkit, and walks the blueline with confidence. Levshunov was a poor defender within the USHL when he first arrived, however completed that season as a robust two-way participant. His first NCAA mirrored that intently, with an elevated defensive accountability because the 12 months wore on. It appears like Levshunov is about to make the leap to the professionals subsequent season, and whereas his defensive recreation will not be nice proper off the bat, he’s proven himself to be a fast examine.
9. Utah Hockey Workforce
Earlier Rating: 7
Prime 5 Prospects: Tij Iginla, Cole Beaudoin, Dmitri Simashev, Daniil However, Maveric Lamoureux
The Arizona Coyotes aren’t any extra, and of their place, the Utah Hockey Workforce makes its debut on this checklist. The staff confirmed some enchancment final 12 months regardless of nonetheless ending twenty seventh within the league, largely as a result of continued excellence of Clayton Keller, and each Logan Cooley and Matias Maccelli shining as strong supporting items. Whereas the staff wasn’t able to emerge from the league’s basement fairly but, they’ve considerably improved the staff with the addition of Mikhail Sergachev in a commerce from the draft flooring.
Beneath new possession, the Utah Hockey Workforce appears poised to take a severe step ahead subsequent season, hopefully ducking the darkish clouds which were circling the franchise for a few years. Drafting Tij Iginla will definitely assist push the staff in that course. His recreation depends closely on pace and he’s capable of do a ton of harm on the frenzy on the junior stage due to it. Iginla has a superb wrist shot as properly, however he isn’t probably the most gifted playmaker or bodily man. Regardless, he works exhausting and is commonly the primary man in on the forecheck.
8. Seattle Kraken
Earlier Rating: 14
Prime 5 Prospects: Shane Wright, Carson Rehkopf, Berkly Catton, Jani Nyman, David Goyette
The Seattle Kraken are in a extremely unusual place for a staff that has solely performed three seasons in franchise historical past. Sometimes, growth groups are actually dangerous for a number of years till their accumulation of draft picks turns into a extremely sturdy prospect pool which ultimately turns into a superb NHL staff. The Kraken had a tough go of their inaugural season, however they adopted that up with a outstanding bounce-back that noticed them not solely make the playoffs, however play spoiler as they upset the defending champion Avalanche. Now they’ve come again to Earth once more and have been within the wild-card race at greatest for many of final season. They’ve achieved an admirable job of accumulating expertise of their prospect pool, even within the 2023 Draft once they have been choosing a lot later.
Shane Wright is undoubtedly nonetheless the highest canine right here, though Berkly Catton isn’t far behind and guys like Carson Rehkopf or David Goyette have proven severe potential within the OHL over the previous season or two. Wright was lastly allowed to play a full season within the AHL and he was a extremely spectacular two-way competitor for a 20-year-old. Catton is a really expert participant with a ton of pace and a high-end motor. I feel his offensive versatility and his potential whereas attacking off the frenzy will make him a superb addition for the Kraken.
7. Montreal Canadiens
Earlier Rating: 8
Prime 5 Prospects: Ivan Demidov, David Reinbacher, Lane Hutson, Michael Hage, Owen Beck
The Montreal Canadiens have continued to construct their prospect pool regardless of a number of necessary gamers, like Kaiden Guhle and Juraj Slafkovsky, graduating into full-time NHL spots. The Canadiens have an awesome younger core already within the NHL, so having a top-10 prospect pool as properly implies that they’re fairly prone to be a harmful staff within the NHL in a number of years. With Lane Hutson and David Reinbacher wanting like some nice defensive prospects, the Habs did properly to land two high quality ahead prospects within the 2024 Draft with Ivan Demidov and Michael Hage.
Demidov is an extremely proficient offensive participant, with nice arms, a zippy shot, and a few sneaky-good playmaking instincts. There aren’t many gamers who can deal with the puck fairly like Demidov. He completely torched the MHL final 12 months (2 factors per recreation) and scored 28 factors in 17 playoff video games. I’m assured he’ll rating a ton of factors within the NHL, it’s only a query of how efficient of a participant he may be at even power given his smaller body and unusual skating stride.
6. Winnipeg Jets
Earlier Rating: 6
Prime 5 Prospects: Brayden Yager, Chaz Lucius, Brad Lambert, Elias Salomonsson, Colby Barlow
The Winnipeg Jets have an unimaginable group of ahead prospects, with little or no to point out with regards to prospects on the backend. Brad Lambert, Chaz Lucius, Brayden Yager and Colby Barlow all have nice probabilities to turn out to be at the very least top-nine mainstays for the Jets sometime, with every of them having at the very least top-six upside. They might want to diversify their prospect pool before later until they need to be left with no younger choices on the backend internally.
Brad Lambert has been one of many least predictable NHL prospects over the previous few years, alternating between video games the place he appears like a sure-fire top-six centreman and video games the place you might be left pissed off along with his obvious lack of effort. Lambert’s skating capability is elite and offers him a standout talent that may translate to the NHL sometime. He additionally has nice puck abilities and might make nice passes or dekes whereas at his outstanding high pace. Final season was a optimistic one for Lambert who seemed like a high younger participant within the AHL, so right here’s to hoping he can proceed to construct on that momentum this Fall.
5. Minnesota Wild
Earlier Rating: 5
Prime 5 Prospects: Jesper Wallstedt, Zeev Buium, Danila Yurov, Liam Öhgren, Marat Khusnutdinov
The Minnesota Wild have had top-of-the-line prospect swimming pools within the NHL for a really very long time, courting again to once they had goals of signing Kirill Kaprizov and have been left ready for a number of additional years. Now that he has damaged a number of franchise information and established himself as a star within the NHL, the Wild nonetheless have a extremely strong pipeline with offensive abilities like Zeev Buium, Liam Öhgren, and Danila Yurov in addition to one of many hockey world’s most fun goaltending prospects in Jesper Wallstedt.
Wallstedt appears like he’ll turn out to be a superb beginning goaltender within the NHL at the very least, with the potential to be a real star. After taking part in very well within the SHL three years in the past, Wallstedt lastly tried his hand within the AHL the place he seemed like a possible star. He undoubtedly nonetheless wants a while to regulate to the totally different tempo of play in North America’s narrower rinks, however fortunately for Wallstedt the Wild have Marc-André Fleury below contract for an additional season and Filip Gustavsson for an additional two. A Gustavsson/Wallstedt combo could possibly be an outstanding goaltending tandem for Minnesota going ahead, offered Gustavsson can bounce again from a tough 2023-24 season.
4. Detroit Crimson Wings
Earlier Rating: 4
Prime 5 Prospects: Simon Edvinsson, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, Nate Danielson, Axel Sandin Pellikka, Sebastian Cossa
The Detroit Crimson Wings haven’t had a lot to have a good time over the past six or seven years besides for his or her prospect pool. Though a lot of these gamers haven’t panned out (I’m taking a look at you Filip Zadina), the Crimson Wings have continued to develop one of many league’s deepest pipelines when it comes to each NHL high quality and star potential. Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson mission to assist remedy the staff’s questions at middle going ahead, with Simon Edvinsson and Axel Sandin Pellikka each wanting like future top-four defenders within the NHL.
Some could also be fearful about Danielson’s lack of high-end manufacturing within the WHL, however anybody who noticed him play within the NHL Preseason final Fall ought to know he’s properly on his solution to turning into a high-end NHLer. He’s received the scale, skating, shot, and talent to be an impactful participant in all areas of a hockey recreation and I shall be a large Danielson apologist till he’s a full time NHLer within the close to future. Look ahead to him to land within the AHL subsequent 12 months with the Grand Rapids Griffins the place I feel he’ll be very profitable.
3. Anaheim Geese
Earlier Rating: 2
Prime 5 Prospects: Beckett Sennecke, Cutter Gauthier, Nathan Gaucher, Stian Solberg, Tristan Luneau
The Anaheim Geese appeared to be on the rise three years in the past once they got here out sizzling with a rookie Trevor Zegras and a breakout 12 months from Troy Terry. In the end that season fell aside within the new 12 months after which the previous two seasons have been forgettable for the Geese. That seems to have been the very best case situation for Anaheim as they’ve continued to construct one of many best possible pipelines within the NHL, with distinction makers at each beneficial place.
With Leo Carlsson and Pavel Mintyukov becoming a member of the NHL squad, the prospect pool was lastly beginning to diminish a bit (contemplating the commencement of men like Mason McTavish, Jamie Drysdale, and Zegras lately). Nonetheless, that each one modified when the Geese made the surprising commerce for Cutter Gauthier, giving up Drysdale and a future second spherical choose. They’ve a built-in substitute for Drysdale in Mintyukov, who has seemed nice within the NHL thus far, and now they’ve one other prospect who tasks to be a significant top-six participant, doubtless on the wing. Anaheim shocked the world (and Sennecke himself), once they took Beckett Sennecke third general within the 2024 Draft, giving them one more high-end wing prospect to play subsequent to McTavish, Zegras and Carlsson.
2. Buffalo Sabres
Earlier Rating: 1
Prime 5 Prospects: Jiri Kulich, Noah Östlund, Konsta Helenius, Devon Levi, Isak Rosen
The Buffalo Sabres’ younger core is the envy of the league at this level, with a humiliation of riches on their NHL roster with guys like Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Energy holding down the fort on the backend and each Tage Thompson and Dylan Cozens wanting like wonderful top-six centermen for the subsequent decade. They’ve already seen many nice prospects graduate into huge NHL roles and so they nonetheless have the very best group of prospects within the league for my cash.
Jiri Kulich burst onto the scene on the U18 World Junior Championship simply earlier than the 2022 Draft the place he scored 9 objectives in simply six video games. He’s nice at discovering gentle spots in defensive protection and organising for a rocket of a one-timer. Most prospects can’t leap straight from the draft and into the AHL, however Kulich has been remarkably profitable for the Rochester People as a youngster, giving me confidence that he might turn out to be a top-six scoring winger within the NHL within the close to future.
1. San Jose Sharks
Earlier Rating: 3
Prime 5 Prospects: Macklin Celebrini, Sam Dickinson, Yaroslav Askarov, Will Smith, Quentin Musty
The San Jose Sharks had made some huge strikes to vault themselves up this rating, however the calculations modified totally once they received the 2024 draft lottery and traded for Askarov, one of many world’s greatest goalies who isn’t already within the NHL. Touchdown a no-doubt top-line middle in Celebrini and somebody with a excessive likelihood of turning into a robust beginning goalie within the matter of two months gave them an enormous enhance right here. The Sharks might nonetheless use extra expertise, particularly on the again finish, however they’ve shortly constructed a extremely formidable younger group.
Macklin Celebrini is a middle with a June birthday, that means he’s one of many youngest gamers from the 2024 draft class, and shall be simply 18 years outdated for his complete rookie season within the NHL. Celebrini excels at every little thing, with nice skating, objective scoring capability, off-puck play, defensive effort, confidence, and nearly each different attribute you possibly can dream of. After tearing up the USHL with the Chicago Metal, Celebrini tried his hand within the NCAA final season with Boston College and was instantly the very best participant within the league, profitable the Hobey Baker Trophy as a freshman.
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