Get the in-depth rundown on the Carolina Hurricanes' prospect pool, from strengths to weaknesses and seeing who's most likely to join the NHL roster next season.
Get the in-depth rundown on the Carolina Hurricanes' prospect pool, from strengths to weaknesses and seeing who's most likely to join the NHL roster next season.
During the NHL off-season, prospect expert Tony Ferrari dives into the prospect pools for each team. This time, the Carolina Hurricanes get a look.
In this series, Tony digs into each team’s strengths and weaknesses, their latest draft class, where their positional depth chart stands, and who could be next in line for a shot at the NHL. Note that a player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for the purposes of these exercises.
Introduction
It’s rare when you have a team with a loaded prospect pool while being legitimate contenders, but the Carolina Hurricanes have done just that.
They are one of the favorites to capture Lord Stanley’s Cup while having few worries about restocking their roster as players move on or age out of their prime. Players such as Seth Jarvis and Andrei Svechnikov have established themselves as impact NHLers in their early 20s while more reinforcements are coming.
The stars of the Canes pipeline are on the blueline. Scott Morrow and Alexander Nikishin could be a future top pair for Carolina, as the right-left combo would mesh perfectly.
Morrow is the dynamic puck-moving savant with creativity and skill to burn. Nikishin is a stout defender who brings size and physicality to the table. Morrow has taken steps defensively, using his speed, size, and excellent stick to kill opposing plays. Nikishin exploded offensively this past year, using his bomb of a shot to create havoc at the net. His confidence as a passer has grown as well, which has given him a multi-dimensional game. A future pair of Morrow and Nikishin could wreak havoc on the NHL, continuing Carolina’s dominance on the back end.
It doesn’t end there, though. Aleksi Heimosalmi is one of the most intriguing offensive blueliners outside the NHL. His skill and creativity have allowed him to dominate at international tournaments, and his development in the Liiga as a rush defender has been a welcome sight. Anttoni Honka, meanwhile, has translated his success in the Liiga to the AHL. With 34 points in 70 games as an AHL rookie blueliner, he looks to be on the right path toward an NHL gig.
Domenick Fensore wrapped up a successful NCAA career at Boston University, posting 86 points in 122 games over four years and wearing the ‘C’ in his final campaign. Now signed to his entry-level deal, he will take his talents to the AHL to try to prove that, despite his size, he can be a quality defenseman at yet another level.
Even still, Fensore isn’t the only quality swing on a blueliner Carolina’s taken in the draft recently. Vladimir Grudinin, Bryce Montgomery, and Simon Forsmark are all legitimate prospects that most teams would love to have in their pipeline’s top three defenders, yet none of them come close in Carolina.
On offense, Justin Robidas showed out in the QMJHL this season, helping the Quebec Remparts to the Memorial Cup and earning an entry-level deal. He stood out despite his size in the QMJHL, but a jump to the AHL this year will go a long way to ensuring he has a legitimate NHL upside.
Carolina also hasn’t been shy about snagging Russians, as they’ve fallen down draft boards in recent years. The trio of Alexander Pashin (seventh round, 199th overall in 2020), Gleb Trikozov (second round, 60th overall in 2022), and Timur Mukhanov (sixth round, 163rd overall in 2023) all presented some of the best value in their respective drafts. The skill each of them possessed was never in doubt, but whether there were questions of if they'd come to North America (Pashin) or worries of geopolitical issues, the Canes have collected some of the most exhilarating players in their respective drafts.
Elsewhere, Ville Koivunen is a highly skilled playmaker who understands how to make those around him better on the ice, and while his first dozen games with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves didn’t go as planned, he has the potential to be a middle-six scorer. Ryan Suzuki is another high-skill playmaker working his way through the AHL.
2023 NHL Draft Class
Round 1, 30th overall - Bradly Nadeau, LW, Penticton (BCHL)
Round 2, 62nd overall - Felix Unger-Sorum, RW, Leksand J20 (Sweden Jr.)
Round 3, 94th overall - Jayden Perron, RW, Chicago (USHL)
Round 4, 100th overall - Alexander Rykov, RW, Chelyabinsk (VHL)
Round 4, 126th overall - Stanislav Yarovoy, RW, Vityaz (KHL)
Round 5, 139th overall - Charles-Alexis Legault, RD, Quinnipiac Univ. (NCAA)
Round 5, 158th overall - Ruslan Khazheyev, G, Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (MHL)
Round 6, 163 overall - Timur Mukhanov, LW, Omsk Jr. (MHL)
Round 6, 190th overall - Michael Emerson, RW, Chicago (USHL)
Round 7, 222nd overall - Yegor Velmakin, G, Voronezh (VHL)
Carolina made 10 picks at the 2023 NHL draft, in line with their average over the last five years. With 50 picks over the span, it’s no wonder the Canes have found a way to replenish their prospect pool while staying competitive.
Their first selection this year was Bradly Nadeau, a BCHL superstar. His shot was a major strength as he generated power in a variety of ways, from a wicked curl-and-drag to a seemingly instant snap shot where the puck explodes off of his stick. Heading to the University of Maine, Nadeau will have plenty of time to develop his defensive game and become a more well-rounded player overall.
Felix Unger-Sorum is a crafty playmaker who excelled in Swedish junior hockey but struggled in his SHL games. He has good hands and can manipulate opponents to open up passing lanes for him to work his magic. He must work on getting stronger and more dangerous as a shooter. They drafted a similar player in the third round in Jayden Perron – a highly skilled playmaker who can rip up junior hockey. Perron will head to the University of North Dakota to ply his trade in the NCAA, building out his game over the next couple of years.
In the fourth round, the Canes took two Russians, Alexander Rykov and Stanislav Yarovoy. Rykov is a shifty winger who produced at relatively the same level in the MHL and VHL. He does many little things well along the boards and cuts the middle with regularity. Yarovoy is a 19-year-old who had a very good season in the KHL. He plays a good defensive game with an attention to detail, and his development as an offensive player has been a great sign after struggling at the U-18 level in his draft year.
Timur Mukhanov is the most interesting of their late-round selections. The undersized Russian plays with pace and skill, attacks the middle of the ice, and drives play whenever he is on the ice. Off the puck, he is a predator stalking his prey, attacking the opposing puck carrier to force errors on the forecheck and backcheck. Mukhanov has pro habits while still bringing the daring skill and flair that makes him an exciting player.
Strengths
The blueline on the NHL roster has long been a strength for the Canes, and it should continue as their prospects move up because their defensive pipeline is as good or better than just about any other team in the NHL. Headlined by Morrow and Nikishin, who have immense talent at both ends of the ice and could form a lethal pair in the future, they have so many defenders with legitimate NHL potential. Their pipeline has a blend of safe defensive blueliners and high-upside puck movers who are excellent swings from their respective drafts.
Weaknesses
The center depth is the one questionable area. Robidas and Suzuki have experience down the middle, but they may best profile as wingers at the next level. Jack Drury has some potential as a bottom-six center but lacks the offensive upside to fill in up the lineup. The Canes have their NHL centers fairly set, but one or two injuries could force them into making a move or putting a player who isn’t quite ready to play center at the NHL level down the middle.
Next Man Up: Vasili Ponomaryov, C/W
The problem with having a very good pipeline while icing a roster expected to compete deep into the playoffs is that it generally means roster spots for young players are tougher to earn than on a team near the bottom of the standings. Ponomaryov had a very good season in the AHL and should see top-line minutes at that level this year. Carolina could use some offensive punch, and Ponomaryov could provide it. If injuries pop up, Ponomaryov should be among the first names coming up from the AHL.
Prospect Depth Chart Notables
LW: Bradly Nadeau, Gleb Trikozov, Timur Mukhanov, Zion Nybeck, Jackson Blake, Alexander Perevalov
C: Justin Robidas, Ryan Suzuki, Jack Drury, Jamieson Rees, Vasili Ponomaryov
RW: Noel Gunler, Jayden Perron, Felix Unger-Sorum, Ville Koivunen, Alexander Pashin, Tuukka Tieksola
LD: Alexander Nikishin, Simon Forsmark, Domenick Fensore, Vladimir Grudinin, Ronan Seeley
RD: Scott Morrow, Aleksi Heimosalmi, Anttoni Honka, Bryce Montgomery
G: Patrik Hamrla, Nikita Quapp, Yaniv Perets, Ruslan Khazheyev
For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook, Prospects Unlimited and Future Watch print editions of The Hockey News.