Most Improved Prospects in The Hockey News' Future Watch Rankings

Whether going from unranked to the middle of the pack or jumping into the top 10, these prospects made huge leaps from 2021 to this year’s THN top-100 prospects list from the recent Future Watch issue, available here.

Marco Rossi, MIN
2021: 19 // 2022: 9

Rossi went from missing an entire season to top-tier prospect. His adjustment to the professional game has been seamless, as evidenced by his scoring at a near point-per-game clip as an AHL freshman.

Topi Niemela
2021: N/A // 2022: 35

From third-rounder in 2020 to top of the prospect chart in Toronto. He’s producing at a prolific rate from the blueline as a teenager in Finland’s top league. He’s not that big, but Niemela is smart, fast and skilled. 

Kaiden Guhle
2021: 34 // 2022: 16

His Canadian captaincy at the WJC was cut short, but the big blueliner’s mix of offensive acumen and defensive deftness has the Canadiens looking as though they’ve found themselves a future blueline pillar.

Ridly Greig
2021: 94 // 2022: 43

The Senators’ late first-rounder in 2020 has added an additional offensive element to his game, while his physical nature and willingness to stir the pot will win fans over.

Scott Perunovich
2021: 68 // 2022: 25

The 2020 Hobey Baker Award winner’s minor-league excellence earned him an NHL opportunity, and he didn’t disappoint. Perunovich has the makings of a power-play quarterback and top-four defender.

Daniil Tarasov
2021: NR // 2022: 59

Tarasov is best equated to a fresh cut of prime beef: raw and in need of some seasoning. Given his brief NHL spell, though, Columbus’ goaltending situation could be ironed out for the foreseeable future.