NHL prospect expert Tony Ferrari finished a deep dive on all 32 teams, analyzing the strengths, weaknesses and much more of each prospect pool. Here they are in one spot.
NHL prospect expert Tony Ferrari finished a deep dive on all 32 teams, analyzing the strengths, weaknesses and much more of each prospect pool. Here they are in one spot.
The 2023-24 NHL Prospect Pool Overview series has come to an end at The Hockey News. Over the last month, we have covered every team's prospect pool, dug deep into who to watch and what the storylines are for each squad's prospect pool, and so much more.
Each deep dive consists of a pipeline summary, a 2023 NHL draft review, strengths and weaknesses of the system, and a depth chart of the notable prospects in the system.
Here, we have added links to each and every team’s Prospect Pool Overview in alphabetical order with a quick tidbit on what to expect from the deep dive.
Anaheim Ducks
Leo Carlsson joins the new wave of young Ducks. Trevor Zegras may not be a prospect anymore, but the exciting budding star leads the way as Carlsson joins a pipeline that includes Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov, Sasha Pastujov and so many others. The Ducks are coming.
Arizona Coyotes
The Yotes are starting to figure things out off of the ice while they build a promising young group on the ice. Logan Cooley signed his entry-level deal and should challenge for the Calder Trophy next season. Conor Geekie and Dylan Guenther will be looking to crack the roster while 2023 draft picks Dmitriy Simashev and Daniil But will be on the way soon.
Boston Bruins
The Bruins are about to enter a new era of Bruins hockey. Fabian Lysell could be a factor in keeping the team competitive over the next few years, but who else is coming for the long-time powerhouse Bruins?
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres are building what looks to be a potential long-term cup contender. The young players on the roster, such as Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power and Dylan Cozens, will be bolstered by the likes of Matthew Savoie, Noah Ostlund and Zach Benson. They also have Devon Levi in net who could garner Calder Trophy buzz if he can help the Sabres into the post-season.
Calgary Flames
Dustin Wolf may be one of the best goaltenders outside of the NHL. Matt Coronato and Jakob Pelletier are poised to make the NHL roster for the Flames, and they lead the pipeline as it stands. Who else do the Flames have on the way?
Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes' prospect pipeline is loaded with talent, unlike most contenders. Alexander Nikishin and Scott Morrow are promising blueliners. Bradly Nadeau and Gleb Trikozov are promising talents up front. Pyotr Kochetkov is still their future in net. The Canes have so many other prospects coming as well.
Chicago Blackhawks
Connor Bedard is a Chicago Blackhawk. The rebuild has its centerpiece, but GM Kyle Davidson did wonders in building the system back up. Forwards Frank Nazar and Oliver Moore, as well as defensemen Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro, may be a part of the next era of Chicago hockey.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche added two very good prospects in Calum Ritchie and Mikhail Gulyayev at the 2023 NHL draft, a much-needed injection of talent into their pipeline. Speedy forward Jean-Luc Foudy and undersized skilled defender Sean Behrens are among the best players in the system as well.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Adam Fantilli was the dream scenario at the 2023 NHL draft, and the Blue Jackets lived that dream all summer. They finally have a true No. 1 center for the first time in their franchise history, but Columbus has so much more coming from Adam Jiricek to Jordan Dumais. The Blue Jackets could be dangerous in a few years.
Dallas Stars
Mavrik Bourque and Logan Stankoven could compete for a roster spot on the Stars in training camp while the other tears up the AHL. Dallas has a sneaky good prospect pool, with Lian Bichsel, Christian Kyrou and Matthew Seminoff highlighting the rest of the group.
Detroit Red Wings
Is the Yzerplan finally beginning to take shape? Simon Edvinsson must recover from off-season surgery but should push for NHL playing time when healthy. Nate Danielson and Marco Kasper will be looking to give the Wings center depth behind captain Dylan Larkin in the coming years. With Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond already key players, the young Red Wings could be quite fun to watch.
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers are ready to compete for a Stanley Cup and would love to have some help from their prospect pool. Xavier Bourgault and Raphael Lavoie may just be ready to help if they can keep up on Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl’s wings.
Florida Panthers
The Panthers' prospect pool took a hit, as they’ve sold plenty to try and compete for a Cup. Mackie Samoskevich and 2023 draft pick Gracyn Sawchyn have some potential to be impact players for the Cats. They could also be trade fodder if Florida wants to find some more established NHL talent.
Los Angeles Kings
Even with Quinton Byfield graduating to the NHL and Brock Faber being traded, the Kings have a very good prospect pool. Alex Turcotte is still a very legitimate prospect despite his injuries. Brandt Clarke is one of hockey's most entertaining defenders outside of the NHL. The Kings could find the missing piece to being a Cup contender within the organization.
Minnesota Wild
Jesper Wallstedt is a game-changer for the Wild. He is the most polished goalie prospect in years and could be their starter sooner than most would have guessed. They have a very good group beyond him, though, as Marco Rossi, Liam Ohgren, Brock Faber, Danila Yurov and Marat Khusnutdinov are all possible high-end NHL players.
Montreal Canadiens
Juraj Slafkovsky had an up-and-down rookie year that ended in injury, but with a fully healthy summer, he could be poised to take a big step. Owen Beck, Filip Mesar, Lane Hutson and David Reinbacher are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the talent the Canadiens built in their prospect pool recently.
Nashville Predators
Yaroslav Askarov is an all-world goalie prospect and one of the best new personalities in the game. Joakim Kemell and Matthew Wood are high-end scorers who could bolster the Preds lineups soon enough. The Predators enter a new age as they no longer have David Poile in the GM role for the first time in franchise history as Barry Trotz takes over at the helm.
New Jersey Devils
It’s almost unfair how much young talent the Devils have, from Jack Hughes and Dawson Mercer already established on the roster to Luke Hughes, Alexander Holtz, Simon Nemec and so many other young players on their way. Watch out for the Devils.
New York Islanders
William Dufour and Matt Maggio headline one of the least impressive prospect pools in the NHL. It’s going to be interesting to see what the Islanders have in Calle Odelius and Isaiah George.
New York Rangers
The Rangers have Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere already in the NHL, with Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othmann and Adam Sykora on the way. Zac Jones or Matthew Robertson may find their way into playing time on the Rangers blueline this season in a limited role as well.
Ottawa Senators
Ridly Greig and Tyler Kleven may find spots on the NHL roster to start the season, but the prospect pool behind them is a bit of a question. Zack Ostapchuk and Tyler Boucher may have some potential as role players at the NHL level. Who else will help the Sens take it to the next level?
Philadelphia Flyers
The Flyers got a gift from the hockey gods when Matvei Michkov fell to them at the 2023 NHL draft, giving them a potential franchise-changing talent. Add in Cutter Gauthier and Tyson Foerster up front, as well as Oliver Bonk on the back end, and the Flyers could very well have a wonderful future as they finally embrace the rebuild.
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pens sold off a lot of their picks and prospects in an effort to stay competitive during the Sidney Crosby Era. But they added center Brayden Yager in this year's draft and defender Owen Pickering last year, which gave them a couple of solid prospects to supplement the roster in a couple of seasons.
San Jose Sharks
With the Sharks moving out Erik Karlsson, they are on pace to be a bottom-of-the-league team this upcoming year. A top pick in the draft should give them another high-end prospect to add to the likes of William Eklund, Filip Bystedt and 2023 first-round picks Will Smith and Quentin Musty. They have plenty of solid prospects coming behind them as well.
Seattle Kraken
They’ve only been in the league for a couple of years, but the Kraken have a solid pipeline. With Eduard Sale, Oscar Fisker Molgaard and Lukas Dragicevic joining a prospect pool featuring Shane Wright, Jagger Firkus and Ty Nelson, they have a bright future. They made the playoffs last year, and with the young talent coming, they’ll be a threat for a while.
St. Louis Blues
The Blues embraced the teardown and sold a number of their high-impact veterans at the trade deadline last year. They ended up with three first-round picks this past June. Dalibor Dvorsky, Otto Stenberg and Theo Lindstein may be the foundation for their rebuild alongside Jimmy Snuggerud and Joel Hofer.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Prior to last season, the Lightning went to three straight Cup finals and captured two Stanley Cups along the way. That said, their prospect pool isn’t among the NHL’s elite. Isaac Howard and Jack Thompson could be factors in the next few years, helping them to another deep playoff run.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Matthew Knies made waves last year when he finally made his NHL debut with the Leafs, and he should be an impact rookie this upcoming season. Topi Niemela and Roni Hirvonen are getting close to competing for an NHL gig, and the Leafs have a surprisingly good prospect pool for a team that’s been as competitive as they have been.
Vancouver Canucks
They’ve been in the mushy middle for a while, but the Canucks built the pipeline up over the last couple of years by adding Aatu Raty, Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Tom Willander to lead the charge. The Canucks may have started to build something after years of misses.
Vegas Golden Knights
Coming off a Stanley Cup win, the Golden Knights are living their best life. Unfortunately, their prospect pool isn’t loaded, but they do have some very intriguing players in Brendan Brisson, David Edstrom and Pavel Dorofeyev. Which players could be part of the attempt at a repeat?
Washington Capitals
The Capitals' main focus at the moment is getting Alexander Ovechkin to the all-time goal record, but who might be around to help him get there? Ryan Leonard and Andrew Cristall were outstanding talents that they added at the 2023 NHL draft, while Alexander Suzdalev and Ivan Miroshnichenko look to be a little closer to helping the active roster.
Winnipeg Jets
It’s time to turn a new leaf for the Winnipeg Jets. Their prospect pool features a number of names that could help turn things around. Brad Lambert and Rutger McGroarty are their top players, but names like 2023 first-round pick Colby Barlow or skilled Russian Nikita Chibrokov are intriguing talents. Is this the year Ville Heinola breaks through?
Note from the author: Thank you to everyone for reading the NHL Prospect Pool Overview series. It is one of my favorite and most illuminating activities throughout the year, as it gives me a chance to freshen up on the prospects from around the league and get to know each team’s system. Thank you to Jonathan Tovell for editing these deep dives and helping keep things consistent throughout. Thank you to Anthony Fava for filling in on editing duties for a week and intern Annalia Fraser as well for fact-checking. This is a massive undertaking, and it wouldn’t be nearly what it is without all their work.