Reasons to watch every NHL team this season: Record chases, Michkov Mania, ‘Showtime’ in Detroit, more
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Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
The NHL Frozen Frenzy on Tuesday is that rare and joyous occasion when all 32 teams are in action on the same day.
It begins with the Washington Capitals at the Philadelphia Flyers (6 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+) and rolls all the way through the Los Angeles Kings at the Vegas Golden Knights (11 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN+). Games start at 15-minute staggered start times to maximize puck consumption on NHL Power Play on ESPN+ (available to all ESPN+ subscribers), and there’s a whip-around show bringing you action from all 16 matchups.
That’s a lot of hockey.
Which teams are worth your time and attention, not only during the Frozen Frenzy but during the 2024-25 season?
It turns out, all of them — for various factors. Here are reasons to watch all 32 teams this season, from superstar players to teams with championship aspirations to controversial storylines to one historic record chase playing out in Washington, D.C.
Here we go, and enjoy the Frenzy.
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Atlantic Division
The hulking defense
The Bruins swear that size didn’t matter when building their blue line, that they were just targeting the best players that fit their needs. It just so happens that the defense they’ve built could be the Boston skyline: They signed 6-foot-6 defenseman Nikita Zadorov this offseason to join Brandon Carlo (6-5), Hampus Lindholm (6-4), Mason Lohrei (6-5) and Andrew Peeke (6-3) in the depth chart. Charlie McAvoy, their No. 1 defenseman, finds himself looking up to his teammates at a mere 6-1.
Zdeno Chara is gone, but apparently his spirit lives on with the Bruins.
Can they end the playoff drought?
There’s only one team in the “big four” sports leagues that has experienced the kind of postseason drought the Sabres are experiencing: The hapless New York Jets, who last made the playoffs in 2010. The Sabres’ last appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs was in 2011, making this the longest postseason dearth in NHL history.
Optimism was high before the season, with burgeoning stars such as Tage Thompson and the return of long-time head coach Lindy Ruff — incidentally, the last man to coach Buffalo to the playoffs. The results aren’t there yet, but there’s a lot of talent on this roster. They’ve got to be a playoff team at some point, right? Right?
It’s still “Showtime”
Some believed Patrick Kane‘s career might have been over after hip resurfacing surgery in 2023, a procedure that other NHL players had undergone only to return as a shell of themselves. But the former league MVP had a resurgent season for the Red Wings in 2023-24, with 27 points in 50 games.
The 35-year-old Kane, a three-time Stanley Cup champion, signed a one-year deal with Detroit to bring “Showtime” back to the Motor City again. He’s the third highest-scoring American player in NHL history (1,286 points) behind Brett Hull (1,391) and Mike Modano (1,374).
Seeking a repeat performance
The Panthers won their first Stanley Cup championship last season with a team that had scoring talent, aggressive physicality and more than a little attitude courtesy of stars such as Matthew Tkachuk. Florida returns the majority of that roster this season in search of a second straight championship, and why not?
Both the Penguins and the Lightning have won back-to-back championships since 2016. The Lightning also made the Stanley Cup Final in three straight seasons from 2020 to 2022, an Eastern Conference three-peat that the Panthers are trying to match this season.
They’re out of the gate strong so far, despite missing star center Aleksander Barkov for most of it.
The thrill of Lane Hutson
Sometimes you just have to listen to the crowd when a player touches the puck. When Hutson has it on this stick at Bell Centre, you can hear the buzz and see people straighten up in their seats as the rookie defenseman starts smoothly skating through each zone. His offensive creativity is like a personal highlights studio. His defense … well, he’s a rookie defenseman, so that can sometimes add its own form of excitement.
The bottom line: Few first-year players will make you tune in this season the way Lane Hutson will.
Linus Ullmark, franchise goalie
For years, the Bruins had the best goaltending tandem in the NHL with Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman. But nothing lasts forever … especially when both goalies wanted to play upwards of 55 games and the Bruins had roster needs under the constraints of the salary cap.
So Ullmark was traded to the Senators, clearing the way for Boston to sign Swayman to an eight-year contract extension and a $8.25 million annual cap hit. Three days later, Ullmark signed an extension of his own: four years and the same $8.25 million cap hit. The Senators had the league’s worst goaltending last season. Can Ullmark turn that around and turn the Senators into a playoff team?
The best line in hockey?
One of the offseason’s biggest stories was when the Lightning let longtime captain Steven Stamkos leave as a free agent in favor of signing former Penguins star Jake Guentzel, who is four years his junior. Guentzel slid into Stamkos’s old spot on Tampa Bay’s top line with Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov, an MVP finalist last season.
He might have made a great thing even better: Through four games, the trio was averaging 6.8 goals per 60 minutes and surrendering just 1.2 goals per 60 defensively.
Mitch Marner and the murky future
Marner, 27, has been a member of the Leafs’ core of star players since entering the league nine seasons ago. He’s a dazzling offensive player, a Selke Trophy-nominated defensive player and a play-driving winger … in the regular season. As Toronto has experienced a lack of playoff success, much of the fans’ frustrations has been focused on Marner’s lack of postseason impact.
He’s in the last year of his contract. Will the Leafs re-sign him? Will they trade him? Does he walk away as a free agent? As usual with the Maple Leafs, there’s no shortage of drama.
Metropolitan Division
The Brind’Amour aesthetic
During Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour’s 20-season NHL career, he was good at pretty much everything: Tallying points, excelling defensively to the tune of two Selke Trophies and making an impact on special teams. It’s said that some teams take on the personalities of their coaches, and that’s true here: last season, Carolina was eighth in offense, fourth in defense, first on the penalty kill and second on the power play.
Even with some downgrades in their lineup during the offseason, to watch the Canes is to watch a team that’s pretty great in all facets of the game. And like their coach when he was a player, one of those facets is how hard Carolina is to play against, a hallmark of Rob the Bod’s six season behind the bench.
Playing through the grief
The answer here should have been Johnny Gaudreau. It’s still hard to process that this remarkable athlete was taken from us way too soon, as the 31-year-old Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were killed by a suspected drunken driver while riding bicycles on Aug. 29 in New Jersey. The Blue Jackets have memorialized Johnny Hockey in a dozen ways this season, from helmet stickers to keeping his locker room stall unoccupied to making their player of the game award a “donkey head hat,” as Gaudreau loved calling people “a donkey.”
Young standouts like Adam Fantilli, Yegor Chinakhov, Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson should all get their player of the game moments this season, reminding us that the future in Columbus is bright while honor the legacy of Johnny Gaudreau.
Torrid expectations
Two years ago, the Devils looked poised to challenge for the Stanley Cup. Last season, that poise morphed into volatility, as New Jersey dropped 31 points in the standings and finished seventh in the Metro Division in a season filled with injuries, underperformance and dashed expectations.
No team was more aggressive in trying to fix its flaws than the Devils after last season: Rebuilding their goaltending with Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen; adding veteran defensemen like Brett Pesce; building out their forward depth; and hiring former Toronto coach Sheldon Keefe. After last season’s low, expectations are sky-high again. Will the Devils deliver?
The Bo and Barzal Show
The Islanders’ two most accomplished offensive players are forwards Bo Horvat (33 goals last season) and Mathew Barzal (80 points in 80 games). They played the majority of the time on the same line last season, and coach Patrick Roy has them together again this season.
New York isn’t exactly an offensive juggernaut (22nd in the NHL in goals per game last season) so Horvat and Barzal will have to shoulder a good chunk of the scoring load on a team that’s expected to be around the playoff bubble.
Time for Shesterkin to break the bank?
The Rangers have one of the best goaltenders on the planet in 28-year-old Igor Shesterkin. They know it. Igor knows it. His agents know it, too. As a slew of star goaltenders signed contract extensions recently, the Rangers and Shesterkin couldn’t come to terms on one before the season ahead of unrestricted free agency next summer.
Reports claim he rejected an $88 million contract offer from the Rangers, which would have made him the highest paid NHL goalie of all time. Watching Shesterkin continue to raise his price with all-star level play — or potentially lower it if he unexpectedly struggles this season — is part of the intrigue on a very talented Rangers team this season.
Michkov Mania
The Flyers haven’t had an offensive rookie as talented as forward Matvei Michkov since Claude Giroux arrived on the scene in 2008-09. It could be argued that the Flyers haven’t had an offensive rookie this hyped since Eric Lindros arrived in 1992-23. Michkov has already shown flashes of the dynamic offensive game that had fans buying his jersey before he even played a preseason game for the Flyers.
There will be a learning curve for the 19-year-old phenom, but curmudgeonly coach John Tortorella has said he doesn’t plan on crushing that creativity.
“I’m not interesting in turning him into a checker,” the coach said. “We are starving for the types of instinctive plays that he can make.”
The band plays on
Sidney Crosby (37), Evgeni Malkin (38), Kris Letang (37) and Erik Karlsson (34) are all still trying to pry the Penguins’ contention window open in their NHL sunset years. Although try telling that to Malkin, who started the season with 11 points in seven games; or Crosby, who remains one of the top centers in the NHL.
If Pittsburgh makes the playoffs, it would be on the backs of this fab four. Let’s enjoy them while we can.
The Gretzky chase
Heading into Tuesday, Alex Ovechkin was just 41 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time career goals mark, and officially becoming the greatest goal-scorer in NHL history. Every goal he scores this season is one critical step closer to a moment that will transcend hockey.
The Capitals are fully embracing the chase, to the point where they’ve secured a “presenting partner of Alex Ovechkin’s pursuit of all-time NHL goal scoring record,” who will sponsor an in-arena goal tracker that’ll update the margin between the Great One and the Great 8.
Central Division
The Connor Bedard Show, Year 2
Bedard is the franchise savior for the Blackhawks, whose dynasty crumbled in the 10 seasons since their last Stanley Cup win. As an 18-year-old rookie, Bedard captured the Calder Trophy with 61 points in 68 games, including 22 goals, hitting the highlight reel with frequency.
In Year 2, Bedard has more offensive talent around him like Teuvo Teravainen and Tyler Bertuzzi. Expect Bedard to put on a heck of an encore performance, en route to superstardom — if he’s not there already.
Cale Makar goes for 100 points
Makar has accomplished plenty in his six-year NHL career: Rookie of the year, the Norris Trophy as top defenseman, a Stanley Cup championship and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Thanks to injuries and truncated seasons, one milestone has eluded him: Scoring 100 points in the regular season. It’s a feat accomplished by just six defensemen in NHL history, most recently Erik Karlsson in 2022-23.
With 12 points in his first six games, Makar is making an early offensive statement for the Avs.
Is this the year?
The last two Western Conference finals matchups included the Dallas Stars. The last two Stanley Cup finals did not feature the Dallas Stars. Hence, this team is determined to get over the playoff hump to the Cup Final.
Despite two subsequent trips in 2000 and 2020, the Stars have only won the Stanley Cup once, in 1999. With a team stacked with established stars (Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin), players in their prime (Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen) and young reinforcements (Wyatt Johnston, Logan Stankoven) in front of franchise goalie Jake Oettinger, the mix might be right for the Stars to finally shine the brightest this season.
Flower’s farewell tour
One NHL veteran that’s skating off into the sunset is goalie Marc-Andre Fleury of the Wild, who signed a one-year contract extension in April and declared that his 21st season would be his final trip around the league.
He’s no longer the Vezina Trophy-caliber goalie he was five seasons ago, but he remains one of the NHL’s most charismatic stars — as will be evidenced by the farewell fanfare he receives away from Minnesota this season.
Stamkos, Marchessault in their Nashville era
The Lightning walked away from Steven Stamkos. The Golden Knights didn’t offer Jonathan Marchessault the contract he was seeking. So both franchise icons became free agents and found the same new hockey home: Nashville, which saw an infusion of star power, scoring pop and championship pedigree as a way to level up in the Western Conference.
Will it work? The early returns haven’t been great for the Preds, who didn’t win once in their first five games, but everyone probably needs some time to get acclimated.
Thomas, Kyrou try to recapture the magic
Throughout their NHL careers with the Blues, forwards Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou have been linemates or have been dispersed through the lineup to balance the team’s offense. Coach Drew Bannister has made it clear early in the season that he’d like to see them more together than apart.
When they’re both clicking, there only a handful of duos more dynamic than Thomas and Kyrou in the West.
New NHL city, reenergized NHL players
When the Arizona Coyotes ceased to exist, and the franchise was relocated to Salt Lake City, they left all of their history and stats back in Tempe. Ryan and Ashley Smith essentially own a new NHL team … albeit one with a roster of players who were Coyotes last season.
It’s been exhilarating to watch the Utah Hockey Club — a placeholder name for this season before an official moniker arrives in Year 2 — as offensive talents like Dylan Guenther, Clayton Keller and Logan Cooley are energized by big crowds, enthusiastic fans and not having to worry about where the team will play next season. They want to put on a show for fans just getting into the NHL, and the early returns have been promising.
Are the Jets for real?
The Jets have begun the 2024-25 season as the best team in the NHL. They were tied for the league lead in scoring (4.80 goals per game) and were second in team defense (1.60) thanks in part to their goaltending tandem of Connor Hellebuyck and Eric Comrie. This was a 110-point team last season, and they want to show that was no fluke. New head coach Scott Arniel has built on the consistency of their defense by unlocking something in their offense.
It’s early, and their schedule has been friendly, but Winnipeg has looked impressive. It’s very refreshing to see at least one pro sports team named the Jets find their game this season.
Pacific Division
He’s 19 years old, 6-foot-3 and a total delight. The No. 2 overall pick in 2023 had his time limited through load management as a rookie, but he’s being unleashed upon an unsuspecting NHL this season. Look no further than his overtime game-winner against Utah earlier this season, when Carlsson collected a loose puck, outraced his opponents and undressed Connor Ingram for the goal:
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Leo Carlsson nets beautiful OT winner for Ducks
Leo Carlsson skates through Utah and fires a point-blank OT winner into the net for Anaheim.
He’s got size, skill, a high hockey IQ and has compared his game to that of Evgeni Malkin and Aleksander Barkov. Time will tell if he ever gets to that lofty status, but he’s a key to the next wave for the Ducks and the NHL as a whole.
Take the keys out of the tank’s ignition?
While some believe tanking doesn’t exist in the NHL, there have certainly been front offices that constructed their rosters in a way to maximize their draft lottery odds. The Flames would appear to be in such a position, what with the exodus of talent over the last three seasons.
But GM Craig Conroy has rejected the T word, saying that the Flames are a “retool on the fly.” That means, in theory, keeping veteran players like Nazem Kadri around rather than trading them for future assets. Again, in theory — but the early returns suggest he’s on to something: the Flames are 4-0-1 entering Tuesday, atop the Pacific.
Scaling the mountain again
Many expect the Oilers to win the Stanley Cup this season because their hunger to win one became even more insatiable after losing to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the Final last season. That loss came after a rally from a 3-0 deficit in the Final; after they rallied to eliminate Vancouver in the second round after seven games; and after they turned their regular-season around from an early-season disaster to a conference championship.
But last season showed what a perilous, arduous climb it is to reach the championship summit — star center Connor McDavid‘s emotional breakdown in the dressing room after Game 7 was evidence of that emotional investment. Can Edmonton scale that mountain again on an expedition led my generational talents like McDavid and Leon Draisaitl? Or will the climb prove to be too steep this season?
Kopitar’s still got it
It’s hard to own the corner of “37-year-old star center still playing at an MVP level within the context of his team” when Sidney Crosby is still in the NHL. But Anze Kopitar is once again making his case.
The two-time Selke Trophy winner crested over 70 points in each of his last two seasons and has started strong for L.A. this season — right when they needed him most, with fellow long-time Kings star Drew Doughty out of the lineup for months with a fractured ankle. The Kings have some significant offensive talent on the roster. Kopitar is still showing them how it’s done.
Macklin Celebrini, rookie sensation
Celebrini, 18, was the first overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Boston University. He arrives in the NHL as the centerpiece of a multi-year rebuild in San Jose, a franchise that’s now seven seasons removed from championship contention.
He’s been out since their season opener with a hip injury, and is considered week to week. But he is skating again, which is great news for Sharks, who have already seen flashes of his offensive wizardry.
Joey Daccord, the People’s Goalie
OK, so he’s not the best overtime celebration hugger. That only makes Daccord more endearing to Kraken fans, who have embraced the former Arizona State University goaltender as their guy.
Of course, it helps when Daccord rewards that affection on the ice, like when he had a .916 save percentage last season to earn a new five-year contract. Daccord has started strong in his encore campaign for Seattle, a franchise now in its fourth NHL season.
The Petey panic
“Let’s talk about Elias Pettersson.” “What’s the deal with Canucks’ Elias Pettersson?” “How concerned should the Canucks be about Elias Pettersson?”
That’s just sampling of the headlines in the last week regarding Vancouver’s star center. A slow start (two assists in five games) coupled with a 13-point decline offensively last season and one goal in 13 playoff games have made the 25-year-old star the subject of much conjecture. He’s in the first year of a massive eight-year, $92.8 million contract extension. Will Pettersson calm fears with another dominant offensive season or are they warranted?
Jack Eichel, All-American
Ever since he arrived in Las Vegas in 2021 — and had the surgery that the Buffalo Sabres refused to allow him to have — Eichel has been one of the best two-way centers in the NHL. He’s 11th in the league over the last three seasons in points per game (1.06) among centers. His defensive game was at the forefront when Vegas won the Stanley Cup for the first time in 2023.
Now in his 10th season, Eichel is the Golden Knights’ key offensive player — and could serve the same role for Team USA in this season’s 4 Nations Faceoff and the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
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Rachel Doerrie
The games are done for the top draft prospects; there is no hockey left to be played. A few players in the top 10 played until the last possible moment, making a lasting impression on scouts and executives at the Memorial Cup. With the combine taking place this week in Buffalo, New York, players will undergo physical testing and a rigorous interview process with interested teams. The combine allows teams to ask out-of-the-box questions, get a feel for the personalities of the players and, in some cases, understand the significance of injuries.
There is room for movement on the draft board because combine testing does impact model outputs. Furthermore, this list weighs scouting as 40% of the evaluation. The final ranking, which will be published June 23, will weigh scouting, projection, off-ice assessments and industry intel to varying degrees, which may see some players move up or down.
There are five parts of this set of rankings:
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The rank, which accounts for attributed value based on projection, the confidence of the projection and scouting.
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The NHL projection weighs the projection formula at 70% and scouting at 30%, and represents the most likely outcome for that player. The final edition of the rankings will include the player’s NHL ceiling.
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The NHL floor uses the same formula and represents the worst outcome, above 10% probability of occurring. If a player has a 4% chance of never playing NHL games and an 11% chance of becoming a fourth-line winger or No. 7 defenseman, then those projections will be used for NHL floor. For some players in the draft, the floor is outside of the NHL, perhaps the AHL or KHL.
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Projection confidence is based solely on the projection formula and forms two parts: confidence and volatility. The confidence has four tiers: High, fair, medium and low. This represents that confidence the model has that the player will reach the NHL projection for 200 or more NHL games. The level of confidence impacts the value of the player and, therefore, their rank. High confidence is above 80%, fair is 60% to 79%, medium is 35% to 59% and low is below 35%. The volatility has four categories: Low, slight, medium and high. Volatility relates to the range of outcomes a player has in their career. A player with a low volatility means there is a smaller range of outcomes for the NHL career, whether that is a No. 1 defenseman to top-pair defenseman, or third-line center to bottom-six forward. A player with high volatility has a wide range of outcomes, with relatively even distributions over the NHL projection. It could be related to a number of factors: the league they play in, their scoring if they changed leagues, injuries or a significant uptick/downturn in play. Many of these players are considered “raw” in their development curve.
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Strengths are each player’s standout abilities.
“Boom or bust” is an all-encompassing phrase with confidence and volatility. It means the player either hits their NHL projection or is unlikely to play 200 NHL games. The difference between a low-confidence/high-volatility projection and a boom-or-bust projection is simple: It means injuries played a role in the projection, and the sample size makes it difficult to confidently project the player’s most likely outcome; or that the league in which the player plays does not have a successful history of producing NHL players.
One other consideration is the “Russian factor,” where skilled Russians are more likely to return to Russia if they fail to hit their NHL projection.
Here is how the top 64 prospects line up according to my model:
1. Matthew Schaefer, D, Erie (OHL)
NHL projection: No. 1 defenseman
NHL floor: Top-pair defenseman
Projection confidence: High confidence, low volatility
Strengths: Mobility, puck moving, creativity, rush activation
2. Michael Misa, F, Saginaw (OHL)
NHL projection: Elite No. 1 center
NHL floor: Second-line winger
Projection confidence: High confidence, slight volatility
Strengths: Offensive instincts, explosiveness, transition offense, two-way play
3. James Hagens, F, Boston College (NCAA)
NHL projection: First-line center
NHL floor: Second-line center
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, slight volatility
Strengths: Transition play, speed, hockey sense, puck handling
4. Porter Martone, F, Brampton (OHL)
NHL projection: Second-line power forward
NHL floor: Middle-six winger
Projection confidence: High confidence, slight volatility
Strengths: Playmaking, scoring, hockey sense, size
5. Caleb Desnoyers, F, Moncton (QMJHL)
NHL projection: Top-six, two-way center
NHL floor: Third-line checking center
Projection confidence: High confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Two-way play, quick hands, playmaking, efficient puck play
6. Anton Frondell, F, Djurgardens (Allsvenskan)
NHL projection: Second-line center
NHL floor: Third-line scoring winger
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Versatility, two-way play, elite release, forechecking
7. Roger McQueen, F, Brandon (WHL)
NHL projection: First-line scoring center
NHL floor: Injury-shortened career
Projection confidence: Low confidence, high volatility
Strengths: Speed, puck handling, quick release, size
8. Viktor Eklund, F, Djurgardens (Allsvenskan)
NHL projection: Top-six scoring forward
NHL floor: Middle-six scoring forward
Projection confidence: High confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Motor, transition offense, two-way play, off-puck play, hard skill
9. Jake O’Brien, F, Brantford (OHL)
NHL projection: Top-six playmaking center
NHL floor: Middle-six scoring winger
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Playmaking, creativity, hockey sense
10. Jackson Smith, D, Tri-City (WHL)
NHL projection: Top-four defenseman
NHL floor: Bottom-pair defenseman
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Physicality, transition defense, mobility, puck moving
11. Brady Martin, F, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
NHL projection: Second-line scoring forward
NHL floor: Bottom-six power forward
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, high volatility
Strengths: Motor, wall play, physicality, hard skill, competitiveness
12. Radim Mrtka, D, Seattle (WHL)
NHL projection: Top-four shutdown defenseman
NHL floor: Bottom-pair transition defenseman
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, slight volatility
Strengths: Size, stick positioning and use, hockey sense
13. Carter Bear, F, Everett (WHL)
NHL projection: Second-line versatile forward
NHL floor: Third-line checker
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Playmaking, versatility, two-way play, motor
14. Justin Carbonneau, F, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
NHL projection: Second-line scoring forward
NHL floor: Middle-six forward
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Powerful stride, playmaking, puck handling
15. Logan Hensler, D, Wisconsin (NCAA)
NHL projection: Second-pair transition defenseman
NHL floor: Bottom-pair defenseman
Projection confidence: High confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Gap control, mobility, transition play
16. Lynden Lakovic, F, Moose Jaw (WHL)
NHL projection: Middle-six scoring winger
NHL floor: Bottom-six forward
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, high volatility
Strengths: Speed, finishing ability, hands, size
17. Kashawn Aitcheson, D, Barrie (OHL)
NHL projection: Second-pair defenseman
NHL floor: Bottom-pair physical defenseman
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Physicality, competitiveness, aggression, strength
18. Braeden Cootes, F, Seattle (WHL)
NHL projection: Middle-six two-way center
NHL floor: Bottom-six checking winger
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Two-way play, speed, anticipation, forechecking
19. Cameron Schmidt, F, Vancouver (WHL)
NHL projection: Second-line scoring winger
NHL floor: AHL player
Projection confidence: Boom or bust
Strengths: Speed, puck handling, offensive instincts, finishing ability
20. Cole Reschny, F, Victoria (WHL)
NHL projection: Middle-six two-way center
NHL floor: Bottom-six forward
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Two-way play, anticipation, quick hands, competitiveness
21. Cameron Reid, D, Kitchener (OHL)
NHL projection: Top-four transition defenseman
NHL floor: Bottom-pair defensive defenseman
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, high volatility
Strengths: Skating, transition play, hockey sense
22. Cullen Potter, F, Arizona State (NCAA)
NHL projection: Top-six forward
NHL floor: Bottom-six checking winger
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, high volatility
Strengths: Speed, agility, offensive play driving, elite release
23. Benjamin Kindel, F, Calgary (WHL)
NHL projection: Middle-six two-way winger
NHL floor: Bottom-six checking winger
Projection confidence: High confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Hockey sense, transition, two-way play
24. Malcolm Spence, F, Erie (OHL)
NHL projection: Third-line two-way winger
NHL floor: Bottom-six winger
Projection confidence: High confidence, slight volatility
Strengths: High-end motor, two-way play, tenacity
25. Joshua Ravensbergen, G, Prince George (WHL)
NHL projection: No. 1 starting goaltender
NHL floor: 1B tandem goaltender
Projection confidence: High confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Anticipation, crisp movements, competitiveness, lateral agility
26. Blake Fiddler, D, Edmonton (WHL)
NHL projection: Second-pair defenseman
NHL floor: Bottom-pair physical defenseman
Projection confidence: High confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Transition defense, in-zone defensive play, size, mobility
27. Sascha Boumedienne, D, Boston University (NCAA)
NHL projection: Second-pair two-way defenseman
NHL floor: Bottom-pair offensive specialist
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, high volatility
Strengths: Skating, stick play, transition play, slap shot
28. Jack Murtagh, F, USNTDP (USHL)
NHL projection: Third-line power forward
NHL floor: Fourth-line forward
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, slight volatility
Strengths: Motor, shooting, hard skill, straight-line speed
29. Jack Nesbitt, F, Windsor (OHL)
NHL projection: Middle-six two-way center
NHL floor: Fourth-line defensive center
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Strength, size, competitiveness, two-way play
30. Bill Zonnon, F, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
NHL projection: Third-line two-way forward
NHL floor: AHL player
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: High-end motor, raw playmaking, competitiveness, puck battles
31. William Moore, F, USNTDP (USHL)
NHL projection: Third-line forward
NHL floor: NHL depth player
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Puck protection, skating, offensive instincts, puck skill
32. Ryker Lee, F, Madison (USHL)
NHL projection: Middle-six playmaker
NHL floor: Bottom-six scoring depth
Projection confidence: Boom or bust
Strengths: Hockey sense, creativity, puck handling, one-timer
33. Nathan Behm, F, Kamploops (WHL)
NHL projection: Middle-six scoring forward
NHL floor: Bottom-six scoring depth
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Playmaking, shooting, creativity
34. Milton Gastrin, F, Modo (J20 Nationell)
NHL projection: Third-line two-way center
NHL floor: Fourth-line center
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, low volatility
Strengths: Defensive play, two-way instincts, motor
35. Shane Vansaghi, F, Michigan State (NCAA)
NHL projection: Third-line power forward
NHL floor: Bottom-six checking forward
Projection confidence: High confidence, slight volatility
Strengths: Physicality, strength, competitiveness, puck skill
36. Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, F, Lulea (J20 Nationell)
NHL projection: Middle-six scoring forward
NHL floor: Third-line scoring depth
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Playmaking, finishing ability, offensive instincts
37. Jack Ivankovic, G, Brampton (OHL)
NHL projection: Platoon starting goaltender
NHL floor: High-end NHL backup
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Positioning, controlled movements, patience in save selection
38. Henry Brzustewicz, D, London (OHL)
NHL projection: No. 4/5 transition defender
NHL floor: AHL scoring defenseman
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, high volatility
Strengths: Puck moving, gap control, creativity
39. Cole McKinney, F, USNTDP (USHL)
NHL projection: Third-line, two-way center
NHL floor: Fourth-line defensive center
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, slight volatility
Strengths: Two-way play, penalty killing, competitiveness, finishing ability
40. Eric Nilson, F, Orebro (J20 Nationell)
NHL projection: Bottom-six checking center
NHL floor: AHL top-six center
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Two-way play, forechecking, competitiveness, defensive instincts
41. Vaclav Nestrasil, F, Muskegon (USHL)
NHL projection: Top-six power forward
NHL floor: Fourth-line physical winger
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, high volatility
Strengths: Size, motor, two-way play, puck skill
42. Benjamin Kevan, F, Des Moines (USHL)
NHL projection: Middle-six two-way winger
NHL floor: Bottom-six speedster
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, high volatility
Strengths: Speed, puck handling, transition offense
43. Ivan Ryabkin, F, Muskegon (USHL)
NHL projection: Middle-six power forward
NHL floor: AHL player
Projection confidence: Boom or bust
Strengths: Quick release, creativity, physicality
44. Daniil Prokhorov, F, St. Petersburg (MHL)
NHL projection: Middle-six power forward
NHL floor: KHL player
Projection confidence: Boom or bust
Strengths: Size, strength, physicality, heavy shot
45. Carter Amico, D, USNTDP (USHL)
NHL projection: No. 4/5 transition defenseman
NHL floor: No. 7 defenseman
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Mobility, transition defense, physicality, size
46. Max Psenicka, D, Portland (WHL)
NHL projection: No. 4/5 two-way defenseman
NHL floor: No. 7 defenseman
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Instincts, mobility, gap control, puck moving
47. Luca Romano, F, Kitchener (OHL)
NHL projection: Middle-six, two-way center
NHL floor: Bottom-six checking speedster
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Speed, transition play, motor
48. Alexander Zharovsky, F, Ufa (MHL)
NHL projection: Middle-six scoring winger
NHL floor: KHL player
Projection confidence: Boom or bust
Strengths: Puck handling, instincts, creativity
49. Kurban Limatov, D, Moscow (MHL)
NHL projection: Second-pair, two-way defenseman
NHL floor: KHL player
Projection confidence: Boom or bust
Strengths: Skating, mobility, aggressiveness, physicality
50. Mason West, F, Edina (USHS)
NHL projection: Middle-six physical forward
NHL floor: Fourth-line physical forward
Projection confidence: Low confidence, high volatility
Strengths: Strength, physicality, size, mobility
51. Kristian Epperson, F, Saginaw (OHL)
NHL projection: Third-line scoring winger
NHL floor: AHL top-six forward
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, high volatility
Strengths: Two-way play, playmaking, hockey sense
52. Matthew Gard, F, Red Deer (WHL)
NHL projection: Bottom-six checking center
NHL floor: Fourth-line physical center
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, low volatility
Strengths: Strength, size, defensive play, motor
53. William Horcoff, F, Michigan (NCAA)
NHL projection: Third-line two-way center
NHL floor: Fourth-line physical presence
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, slight volatility
Strengths: Defensive play, strength, size, wall play
54. Jacob Rombach, D, Lincoln (USHL)
NHL projection: Second-pair shutdown defenseman
NHL floor: Bottom-pair physical defenseman
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, slight volatility
Strengths: Defensive play, puck retrievals, motor
55. Peyton Kettles, D, Swift Current (WHL)
NHL projection: No. 4/5 shutdown defenseman
NHL floor: Bottom-pair defenseman
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, low volatility
Strengths: Defensive play, size, physicality
56. Hayden Paupanekis, F, Kelowna (WHL)
NHL projection: Bottom-six defensive center
NHL floor: Fourth-line center
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Competitiveness, size, defensive play
57. David Bedkowski, D, Owen Sound (OHL)
NHL projection: Bottom-pair shutdown defenseman
NHL floor: No. 7 physical defenseman
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, slight volatility
Strengths: Physicality, size, strong stick, penalty killing
58. Ethan Czata, F, Niagara (OHL)
NHL projection: Bottom-six checking center
NHL floor: AHL depth
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, slight volatility
Strengths: Penalty killing, physicality, hard skill
59. Haoxi “Simon” Wang, D, Oshawa (OHL)
NHL projection: Second-pair two-way defenseman
NHL floor: AHL player
Projection confidence: Low confidence, high volatility
Strengths: Skating, mobility, size, transition defense
60. Theo Stockselius, F, Djurgardens (J20 Nationell)
NHL projection: Third-line two-way forward
NHL floor: AHL depth
Projection confidence: Low confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Hockey sense, hard skill, playmaking
61. Eddie Genborg, F, Linkoping (SHL)
NHL projection: Bottom-six checking winger
NHL floor: Fourth-line physical winger
Projection confidence: Medium confidence, slight volatility
Strengths: Physicality, two-way play, motor
62. Charlie Trethewey, D, USNTDP (USHL)
NHL projection: No. 4/5 two-way defenseman
NHL floor: Bottom-pair defenseman
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Defensive play, physicality, heavy shot, skating
63. Alexei Medvedev, G, London (OHL)
NHL projection: 1B NHL goaltender
NHL floor: Reliable NHL backup
Projection confidence: Fair confidence, medium volatility
Strengths: Positioning, competitiveness, anticipation, athleticism
64. L.J. Mooney, F, USNTDP (USA)
NHL projection: Middle-six two-way scoring depth
NHL floor: AHL top-six scoring forward
Projection confidence: Boom or bust
Strengths: Speed, puck handling, motor
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