Ivar Stenberg, LW
High-end Comparable: Lucas Raymond
Stenberg is a highly creative and cerebral winger with a well-rounded two-way game that gives opposing teams nightmares. He has all the tools to be a top-line winger at the NHL level and could evolve into a dominant playoff performer with his competitive nature and winning pedigree.
Low-end Comparable: Artturi Lehkonen
The body of work that Stenberg has put together suggests that the floor of his projection won’t drop off as far as McKenna’s. Stenberg can still become an incredibly impactful presence, even if he ends up a 60-point player rather than an 80-point player, thanks to his off-puck habits and commitment to playing a winning style of hockey.
Chase Reid, D
High-end Comparable: Zach Werenski
Reid is one of this draft class’s biggest risers, and he also has the best chance to become a No. 1 defenseman. At his best, Reid controls the flow of the entire offense with his dynamic skating and vision, and has an impressive shot that beats goaltenders from distance. He plays with a ton of poise and could become a franchise’s cornerstone piece on the blueline.
Low-end Comparable: Mikhail Sergachev
While Reid’s offensive game is special, he hasn’t produced at the level of some previous high-end offensive-defensemen leading up to the draft. The process is borderline elite, but that’s what you’re betting on. There’s also a chance that his defensive game doesn’t round out enough to be trusted against the top matchups on a nightly basis, even though he’s taken major strides in that area this season.
Caleb Malhotra, C
High-end Comparable: Nico Hischier
Malhotra is a highly skilled center who flew up draft boards this year because of his ability to make creative plays with pace while showing a detailed, mature 200-foot game. He plays the type of style that coaches can trust, and even when his offense isn’t at its best, his ‘B’ game is better than most.
Low-end Comparable: Sean Couturier
Similar to Stenberg, Malhotra’s offensive game taking major strides would really just be a bonus on top of the package he already brings. It’s possible he doesn’t end up being a team’s top point producer, but what he provides in competitiveness and leadership can’t be understated. At worst, he projects as a second-line center.
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