
World Junior Championship preview: Top contenders, key players to watch
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6 months agoon
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Rachel Doerrie, ESPNDec 23, 2024, 07:00 AM ET
Close- Rachel Doerrie is a professional data consultant specializing in data communication and modelling. She’s worked in the NHL and consulted for professional teams across North American and Europe. She hosts the Staff & Graph Podcast and discusses sports from a data-driven perspective.
The holidays are here, and for hockey fans, that means it is time to settle in on the couch and make sweeping judgments about prospects based on their performance at the World Junior Hockey Championship.
Taking place in Ottawa, Canada, this year, the tournament is sure to be a good one. Without the likes of Connor Bedard or Macklin Celebrini — who are still eligible to play but are sticking with their NHL teams for obvious reasons — this is an opportunity for other prospects to shine.
Every team has medal hopes, and five or six teams have legitimate shots at gold. Canada and the United States always have golden expectations, Sweden and Finland will be in the hunt, and Czechia and Slovakia are, as always, upset threats.
The tournament is loaded with first-round picks and players expected to be drafted in the top five of upcoming drafts. There will be no shortage of highlight-reels plays, mistakes, heartbreak and jubilant moments.
Trying to predict a highly unpredictable tournament is always a fool’s errand, that’s why we’ve never had a perfect March Madness bracket. Every year, there is a Cinderella, a team that disappoints and players who announce themselves as potential stars of their sport.
That is no different this year, as many hockey fans will be introduced to the likes of James Hagens (U.S., 2025 draft-eligible), Matthew Schaefer (Canada, 2025) and Gavin McKenna (Canada, 2026). They will be reacquainted with drafted players such as Dalibor Dvorsky, Ryan Leonard, Zeev Buium, Konsta Helenius and Brayden Yager.
Group A in this year’s tournament includes Canada, Finland, Germany, Latvia and the United States. Group B is Czechia, Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland.
Here’s a look at what each team is bringing to the ice, presented in reverse order of each team’s competitiveness:
Kazakhstan
The Kazakhs will be in a tough spot at this tournament and are likely to find themselves in the relegation round.
Kazakhstan has plenty of continuity, as many of its players are centralized on one team for the season. Asanali Sarkenov is the lone Canadian Hockey League (CHL) player for Kazakhstan, playing for the Spokane Chiefs of the WHL.
Latvia
Latvia brings two NHL draftees to the tournament, Darels Uljanskis (Anaheim) and Eriks Mateiko (Washington) and nine returnees from last year’s team in Sweden. The Latvians have continuity in their lineup with the returnees but lack a true standout talent. However, they are always a scrappy, hard-working team capable of shocking a traditional power.
Latvia’s most important game will come against Germany and will likely determine which team makes the quarterfinal and which plays in the relegation round.
Germany
Germany brings a very young team to the tournament and lacks the eye-popping talent it has enjoyed in recent years with Tim Stutzle, JJ Peterka and Florian Elias. Germany’s only NHL draftee, Norwin Panocha (Buffalo), will be relied upon to play big minutes in a shutdown role on the blue line.
In fact, the strength of the team is on the blue line with Paul Mayer and Lua Niehus returning, and while they are undrafted, they have talent and could play themselves into a development camp invite next summer.
The Germans are missing their most dangerous forward in Kevin Bicker (Detroit), a major loss to the offense. The Germans will have to rely on David Lewandowski (2025), Julius Sumpf and Lenny Boos to drive the offensive engine. The game against Latvia should determine whether the Germans qualify for the medal round, and they have a few more offensive weapons than the Latvians do.
A solid showing in a quarterfinal, with a young team that can return many of its players next year, would be considered a success.
Switzerland
Every year, one team goes on a Cinderella run. This year, the candidate to do that is Switzerland on the back of Ewan Huet, son of Stanley Cup champion Cristobal Huet.
On paper, the Swiss lack the talent to get past the quarterfinal, but that hasn’t stopped them in the past. Huet has struggled to find consistent playing time in the WHL this season, but this is likely his net, and we all know what Huets are capable of when they feel confident in their game. This is the perfect opportunity for Huet to showcase his abilities and backstop Switzerland on a Cinderella run.
Leon Muggli (Washington) and Ludvig Johnson will play key roles on the Swiss blue line, with Muggli expected to play in all situations and log big minutes. The Swiss blue line has capable defenders who skate well and cause turnovers in games where flashiness gets the best of some players. They will be physical, block shots and make life difficult at the net front.
Up front, Lars Steiner is a skilled playmaker who isn’t draft-eligible until 2026, but he will surely draw attention from scouts and could produce a few highlight-reel plays. Jamiro Reber and Jan Dorthe are having productive seasons for their respective teams and will be leaned on to produce the bulk of the offense.
If Switzerland is going to ruffle feathers in a weaker Group B, the game against Czechia may be their spot to make noise.
Czechia
Czechia is always an interesting team at this tournament thanks to talented players and inconsistent goaltending (jaw-dropping or devastating). Seemingly always on the verge of an upset, this year feels like it could have more ups and downs than a roller coaster. After shocking Sweden to win bronze last year, many believe the Czechs have the most volatile projection this year.
Michael Hrabal (Utah) is the clear starter in goal, and while he is extremely talented, he has struggled to perform when he wears his nation’s colors. He is capable of more than he has shown at the WJC level, and the Czechs are hoping they see that version of him over the next two weeks.
All eyes will be on Adam Jiricek (St. Louis), the 2024 first-rounder who has been riddled with injuries over the past few seasons. The Czechs inexplicably left Dominik Badinka (Carolina) off their roster, making their blue line even thinner. That places the pressure squarely on the shoulders of Jiricek and AHL Ontario’s Jakub Dvorak (Los Angeles) to carry the load. Both are capable of impacting the game and will need to keep the best opposing players at bay while producing offense.
Up front, the Czechs lack a true game-breaking talent. Eduard Sale (Seattle), Miroslav Holinka (Toronto) and Adam Jecho (St. Louis) will be relied upon to lead the charge offensively. Sale is on a tear with Coachella Valley in the AHL, while Holinka and Jecho are scoring nearly a point per game with the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL. The Czech forward group is bigger and will play a tighter checking style to frustrate teams, while hoping to capitalize on power-play opportunities or turnovers generated from their defensive play.
The bottom line is that if Hrabal is at his best, the Czechs are likely to finish second in Group B, meaning they’d get one of Canada, USA or Finland in the quarterfinal. That’s a tough task, but the Czechs have proved they are capable of frustrating more talented teams and getting key saves from their goaltender in an upset.
Slovakia
Slovakia lost a heartbreaker in overtime of last year’s quarterfinal after an excellent run of group play. The Slovaks have had outstanding goaltending recently, and that is unlikely to change this year.
The Slovaks return quite a few key players to the tournament. Maxim Strbak (Buffalo), Luka Radivojevic and Dalibor Dvorsky (St. Louis) will play major roles, with Dvorsky expected to be one of the stars of the tournament. This age group has enjoyed success at the under-18 level, and could send Canada, USA or Finland home in the quarterfinal.
Samuel Urban well tend the goal, and has been a key piece of that recent Slovakian success at the under-18 level. The undrafted goaltender is more than capable of backstopping Slovakia through the medal round, and earn himself some draft consideration as a re-entry in the 2025 draft.
Strbak is playing in his fourth WJC (!) and will be the most important defenseman for the Slovaks. He is capable of producing offensively and shutting down the best players on other teams. Dvorsky joins Strbak returning for his fourth go-round, and should contend for various tournament awards. He will be appointment television at this tournament, capable of producing highlight-reel plays with dazzling skill.
Finally, Radivojevic will draw plenty of attention from scouts at the tournament after last year’s performance and a solid first half with the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks. The highly skilled defenseman could find himself in the first-round conversation with a standout performance in Ottawa.
Slovakia cannot be considered a Cinderella because of expectations and previous success, but there is reason to believe it could medal with its game-breaking talent and excellent goaltending.
Finland
Finland finds itself in Group A with Canada and the United States after a bitterly disappointing finish at the 2024 WJC. Given the talent in Group A, the Finns will be hard-pressed to finish higher than third, but the proverbial group of death means Finland avoids both Canada and the USA in the quarterfinals and is likely to face Slovakia or Czechia.
In terms of the roster makeup, Finland lacks superstar talent but has excellent depth at every position.
Finland continuously gets excellent goaltending at the tournament, and this year should be no different. Petteri Rimpinen, Kim Saarinen (Seattle) and Noa Vali are all options, with Rimpinen projected to start. None of the three are expected to be NHL stars, but given the goaltending factory that Finland is, it is more likely than not that Finland’s goaltending performs well enough to see it through to a semifinal appearance.
Finland has excellent depth on the blue line, with five NHL draftees, led by Aron Kiviharju (Minnesota). The highly skilled defender could be the difference between a medal and not in this tournament. He’s capable of taking over games and could find himself in the conversation for tournament’s best defender if he plays to his capabilities.
Every one of Finland’s defenders can play quality minutes, meaning there is room for error if one of the top six options falters. In an ideal situation, Finland does not have to overplay any of their defenders, and can run Kiviharju out in situations that allow him to showcase his tremendous talent.
Konsta Helenius (Buffalo) is the player to watch up front for the Finns, and he will be expected to play a major offensive and defensive role. He’s not Aleksander Barkov, but expect the Finnish coaching staff to deploy him in a similar manner to Paul Maurice’s deployment of Barkov in Florida. He’ll play in every key situation and be expected to lead the charge offensively.
Jesse Kiiskinen (Detroit) along with the London Knights duo of Jesse Nurmi (New York Islanders) and Kasper Halttunen (San Jose) will be relied upon to perform offensively for Finland against tough competition. Emil Hemming (Dallas) is a quality two-way player whose playmaking ability has developed this season. He will be a key player in the middle six who can forecheck, produce offense and keep top players off the scoresheet.
Given Finland’s talent and depth, its special teams should be among the best in the tournament, making it a legitimate threat to medal.
Sweden
Sweden is the prohibitive favorite to top Group B, with anything less seen as a disappointment. After a heartbreaking loss in the gold medal game on home ice at last year’s WJC, Sweden returns key players at every position, looking to improve upon its silver medal performance.
It is rare that a team’s top defensive pairing returns — as they are usually 19-year-olds. Axel Sandin-Pellikka (Detroit) and Theo Lindstein (St. Louis) will play huge roles on Sweden’s blue line, with slick puck-moving ability and solid two-way play.
Tom Willander (Vancouver) is another puck mover who will log key minutes in a second-pair role for Sweden, balancing the physical depth the Swedes have on the third pair.
Otto Stenberg (St. Louis), David Edstrom (Nashville) and Felix Unger Sorum (Carolina) will feature prominently for the Swedes. Stenberg was outstanding in last year’s tournament and is off to great start in the SHL this season. He has a knack for elevating his play when wearing his country’s colors and will be a key player in all situations.
Projected top-15 pick Viktor Eklund will draw the attention from scouts and executives, and is expected to play a prominent role in Sweden’s top six.
With Sweden’s solid depth and returning players, it is a threat to win gold, which would end a drought that has spanned more than a dozen years.
United States
The United States is bringing back a few players to defend its gold medal, a feat it has not been able to accomplish in the tournament through the years. The Americans were perfect in 2024 and they remain among the top gold medal contenders.
Goaltending is locked and loaded, with Trey Augustine (Detroit) returning as the starter for the third consecutive year, and the prohibitive favorite to be the tournament’s top goaltender.
Zeev Buium (Minnesota) returns and will lead the way for the Americans on defense. He started as the seventh defenseman in last year’s tournament, and ended as one of their best, scoring a crucial goal in the third period of the gold medal game. He’ll log major minutes alongside Drew Fortescue (New York Rangers), another returnee who is excellent in transition and complements Buium’s skillset.
Cole Hutson (Washington) is likely to lead the second power-play unit with his excellent puck movement and dynamic skating ability. The ability to pair both Buium and Hutson, two dynamic offensive players, with quality defense-minded partners is a luxury for the Americans, and provides balance to one of the best blue lines in the tournament.
The Americans went with a traditional top-six, bottom-six forward orientation for the tournament: a high-octane, productive top six, and a bottom six with physicality and energy.
Three of the top six come from Boston College, and will be expected to produce the bulk of the scoring output for the U.S. James Hagens, a 2025 top prospect, super sniper Gabe Perreault (New York Rangers) and captain Ryan Leonard (Washington) are more than capable of filling the net, and will be a dangerous trio.
Cole Eiserman (New York Islanders) and Trevor Connelly (Vegas) were hot topics at the 2024 draft, and both possess game-breaking offensive skill. Look for Eiserman to be a power-play triggerman with his excellent shooting ability.
The bottom six features solid two-way players who will be relied upon in matchup roles and to play a heavier style to wear down opponents. The U.S. left some skill off the roster in favor of a more balanced team, but the Americans have a quality roster capable of winning gold.
The U.S. might not be the favorite, but it has quality goaltending and game-breaking talent, which means the team is always dangerous.
Canada
Canada is a team looking to bounce back from a poor showing at last year’s WJC that saw it leave without a medal. Anything less than gold will fall short of expectations at every WJC, and even though the Canadians are missing Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini, they have the talent depth to win gold at home.
Calum Ritchie (Colorado) and Jett Luchanko (Philadelphia) bring NHL experience to the roster. Those two, along with Brayden Yager (Winnipeg), Bradly Nadeau (Carolina), Berkly Catton (Seattle) and Easton Cowan (Toronto) will be expected to provide speed, skill and a ton of offense.
Gavin McKenna, the favorite to be picked No. 1 in the 2026 NHL draft, possesses incredible talent, and if utilized properly, could be an X factor for Canada.
On defense, Tanner Molendyk (Nashville) and Oliver Bonk (Philadelphia) will play major roles for Canada. Bonk will log key minutes against top lines and on the penalty kill, and Molendyk will be expected to drive and produce offense from the back end. Matthew Schaefer, a projected top-three pick in 2025, possesses elite hockey sense, quality skating and excellent transition play. Even as a draft-eligible player, he’ll probably play a key role on Canada’s blue line and could be a difference-maker by tournament’s end.
Canada will need its special teams to be good to win gold, and much of that will rely on Molendyk’s power-play proficiency and a penalty kill that should feature Bonk, Andrew Gibson (Nashville) and Caden Price (Seattle).
Canada’s issue has never been talent, it has been getting in its own way. Whether it’s undisciplined penalties, shaky goaltending, head-scratching coaching decisions or ill-timed turnovers, Canada will need everyone pulling the rope in the same direction to get back on top of the podium.
The last time that Ottawa hosted this tournament, it produced one of the most iconic Canadian hockey moments: Jordan Eberle‘s tying goal against Russia with 5.4 seconds to go. The Canadians are hoping that more of that magic still lies within the walls of the Canadian Tire Centre.
Canada and the U.S. enter the tournament with gold medal expectations. There were some rather shocking cuts by both teams, and both should hope that cutting EJ Emery (U.S., New York Rangers) and Zayne Parekh (Canada, Calgary) or Andrew Cristall (Canada, Washington) do not come back to haunt them.
Mark your calendars: the New Year’s Eve showdown between the two clubs is likely to determine who tops the group. One can only hope it is a classic like the last time these teams played in Ottawa on New Year’s Eve in 2008.
Tournaments with young players are unpredictable because of emotions, highly skilled players trying to do a little too much and the occasional brain cramp. That’s what makes this my favorite tournament every year.
We’re bound to see plays that make our jaws drop, that makes us pull our hair out and even, laugh. This tournament does not make or break a player’s career. After all, these are kids who are still developing physically and emotionally. The one prediction you can take to the bank: We’re bound to be entertained.
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Sports
Angels’ Washington to miss remainder of season
Published
11 hours agoon
June 28, 2025By
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Alden GonzalezJun 27, 2025, 05:44 PM ET
Close- ESPN baseball reporter. Covered the L.A. Rams for ESPN from 2016 to 2018 and the L.A. Angels for MLB.com from 2012 to 2016.
Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington will remain on medical leave for the rest of the season, the team announced Friday.
Bench coach Ray Montgomery will manage the team for what remains of 2025. Ryan Goins will serve as his bench coach going forward.
Washington, the oldest manager in the major leagues at 73, was placed on leave last Friday because of an undisclosed medical issue. He experienced shortness of breath and appeared fatigued toward the end of a four-game series at the New York Yankees that ended on June 19. Washington flew back to Southern California, underwent a series of tests and was placed on medical leave.
A longtime third-base coach and well-regarded infield instructor, Washington served as the Texas Rangers‘ manager from 2007 to 2014.
He was in his second year managing the Angels.
The Angels were 40-40 entering Friday night’s game against the visiting Washington Nationals, winning three straight under Montgomery and seven of 10 overall. Los Angeles has played better than most expected from a team with major league-worst streaks of nine straight losing seasons and 10 straight non-playoff seasons.
The 55-year-old Montgomery is getting his first job as a major league manager. The native of New York’s Westchester County is a former Houston Astros outfielder who served as the scouting director for Arizona and Milwaukee before joining the Angels as their director of player personnel for the 2020 season.
Montgomery became Los Angeles’ bench coach in 2021 after general manager Perry Minasian took over the front office, and he stayed with the Angels while Joe Maddon, Phil Nevin and Washington managed the club.
Goins played eight seasons in the major leagues before Washington hired him as the Angels’ infield coach before the 2024 season.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Sports
Martinez’s near no-hitter, Steer’s 3 HRs lift Reds
Published
11 hours agoon
June 28, 2025By
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Associated Press
Jun 27, 2025, 10:11 PM ET
CINCINNATI — Nick Martinez took a no-hit bid into the ninth inning before allowing pinch hitter Elias Diaz‘s double and Spencer Steer hit three home runs, leading the Cincinnati Reds over the San Diego Padres 8-1 on Friday night.
Martinez (5-8) walked his third batter, Jackson Merrill, on a low full-count sinker, then retired 22 consecutive hitters before walking rookie Trenton Brooks starting the ninth. Diaz then drove an 0-1 changeup off the base of the wall in left-center on Martinez’s 112th and final pitch, which tied his career high.
A 34-year-old right-hander, Martinez struck out six as the Reds won for the fourth time in five games. He also threw 112 pitches for Texas against Boston on May 28, 2015.
Taylor Rogers walked a pair of batters, forcing in a run, before striking out Gavin Sheets.
Coming off a pair of relief appearances, Martinez made his first start since June 19. He entered with one complete game over 118 big league starts, an eight-inning effort in a loss at the Chicago Cubs last Sept. 27.
After Martinez allowed seven runs over 2⅔ innings against Minnesota, Reds manager Terry Francona suggested he make a relief appearance. Martinez threw two perfect innings at St. Louis two days later, and Martinez offered to making another bullpen outing to keep starter Brady Singer on turn. Martinez pitched a 1-2-3 innings against the Yankees on Monday.
Steer hit solo homers in the second and fourth innings off Dylan Cease (3-7), then a two-run drive against Yuki Matsui in a four-run fifth. Steer has nine home runs this season.
Sports
NHL draft tracker: Scouting notes and team fits for every first-rounder
Published
14 hours agoon
June 28, 2025By
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Rachel DoerrieJun 27, 2025, 07:56 PM ET
Close- Rachel Doerrie is a professional data consultant specializing in data communication and modelling. She’s worked in the NHL and consulted for professional teams across North American and Europe. She hosts the Staff & Graph Podcast and discusses sports from a data-driven perspective.
The 2025 NHL draft is taking place on Friday (Round 1) and Saturday (Rounds 2-7) at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
This page will be your home for the entire event, as each pick is added below, including scouting notes and team fit analysis for the first-rounders.
More: Prospect rankings
Draft week buzz
Late-round gems
Needs for all 32 teams
Round 1
Team: Erie (OHL)
DOB: 09/05/2007 | Ht: 6-1.75 | Wt: 183 | Shot: L
2024-25 stats: GP: 17 | G: 7 | A: 15 | P: 22
Scouting notes: Schaefer is projected to become a true No. 1 cornerstone for years to come. A dynamic presence at both ends of the ice, he skates with ease and elite mobility to shut down opponents in all situations, while creating offense with quality transition play.
Executives and scouts view him as a future elite NHL defenseman and a foundational piece for a championship-caliber roster. Schaefer’s ability to control play from the blue line, play tough matchups, and run a power play — combined with the belief in his character and leadership — result in many believing that Schaefer has the tools to become a top-10 defender in the league, while wearing a letter as part of a team’s leadership group.
How he fits: After trading Noah Dobson earlier in the day, the Islanders drafted their franchise cornerstone defender. Schaefer does everything well, and is a dynamic skater with elite mobility. He will take on the toughest matchups, help the Islanders exit the zone with smooth passes and carry outs, and drive offense from the back end. He’s a future No. 1 defenseman who will log 25-28 minutes per night and run the power play.
Schaefer’s ability to dictate play from the back end is franchise-changing for the Isles. Schaefer will attend development camp next week, and it is highly likely he starts the season in the NHL lineup. Don’t be surprised if Schaefer is running the power play and logging major minutes by November.
A very emotional Schaefer hugged his family and pulled on the Isles jersey for the first time, with a cancer patch. Through tears, he shared his excitement and emotion, and gained the hearts of a lot more than just Isles fans.
Team: Saginaw (OHL)
DOB: 02/16/2007 | Ht: 6-0.75 | Wt: 184 | Shot: L
2024-25 stats: GP: 65 | G: 62 | A: 72 | P: 134
Scouting notes: Granted exceptional status in the OHL in 2022, Misa delivered one of the most remarkable goal-scoring seasons in recent memory in 2024-25, netting 62 goals in just 65 games. He projects to be a top-line forward capable of consistently exceeding 90 points per season in the NHL.
Misa’s offensive instincts are elite. He processes the game at a high level and executes at top speed. Scouts believe he is NHL-ready and has the potential to become an elite top-line center. Away from the puck, Misa excels at finding soft areas in coverage and has a flair for delivering in clutch moments. His combination of high-end playmaking and goal-scoring ability makes him a constant dual threat in the offensive zone.
How he fits: The Sharks kept everyone guessing until the very last moment, but ultimately selected Misa. He is a special talent and adds a second elite two-way center to the organization. He projects as a first-line star, with dual-threat playmaking and scoring ability — notching 62 goals in 65 OHL games.
If Misa’s two-way game continues to improve, there’s a real chance the Sharks will have two centers capable of dominating play in all three zones with 2024 No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini already in place. On the power play, Misa can facilitate, be a shooting threat and carry the puck on entries. Because of his dual-threat capabilities, he can play the bumper, the flank or down low. With this selection, the Sharks have the potential to feature the best one-two punch down the middle for years to come.
Team: Djurgarden (SWEDEN-2)
DOB: 05/07/2007 | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 198 | Shot: L
2024-25 stats: GP: 29 | G: 11 | A: 14 | P: 25
Scouting notes: Frondell is a versatile two-way forward that plays both center and right wing. His flexibility is attractive to teams, although many believe he is most likely to reach his potential as a winger in the NHL.
Frondell is coming off one of the most productive seasons by an under-18 player in Allsvenskan history, giving him a confident projection as a first-line NHL forward. He’s a cerebral player, who picks apart defenders in one-on-one situations and defensive coverage in offensive zone play. The details of Frondell’s game are translatable, including excellent forechecking ability, willingness to attack the middle of the ice and high-end anticipation on both sides of the puck.
He has shown play-driving capabilities against men in the Allsvenskan, which has translated to the NHL for other prospects in the past. He’s projected to produce between 75-85 points per season. His style of play translates well and has executives excited about his ability to step in the league in the next 18 months.
How he fits: It was no secret that Chicago wanted to add some size up front, and Frondell is exactly that. He can play center or the wing, and brings an excellent two-way game. He confidently projects as a first-line forward that beats defenders one-on-one, drives play on both sides of the puck, and should score nearly a point per game.
He plays on the inside of the ice and has the ability to score 30-plus goals in the NHL because of his excellent shot. Frondell is a year away from playing in the NHL, and probably two or three from hitting his potential as a top-line forward who drives play. Chicago can play him behind Connor Bedard up the middle, or on Bedard’s line to capitalize on the versatility he brings.
Team: Moncton (QMJHL)
DOB: 04/11/2007 | Ht: 6-1.5 | Wt: 178 | Shot: L
2024-25 stats: GP: 56 | G: 35 | A: 49 | P: 84
Scouting notes: Described as a “coach’s dream” because of his ability to take an offensive or checking assignment and execute consistently. He makes smart, simple plays, provides a physical presence on the forecheck and generally agitates and makes life difficult on defenders.
He projects to be a quality second-line center with a decent chance of becoming a first-line player. He’s cerebral, with quick hands and playmaking ability. He’s not flashy, but he’s consistently effective and makes intelligent plays with the puck. As one scouting director described “he’s the type of player you win with.” Some have quietly compared him to Patrice Bergeron and Jonathan Toews, who are lofty comparisons, to say the very least.
How he fits: The Mammoth kept everyone guessing, would they trade or keep the pick. Ultimately, they kept the pick and selected Desnoyers. He can play in any situation as one of the best two-way players available. He’s a serial winner who plays whatever style of game required to win. If he needs to produce offense, he does. If he needs to shut down the opponent’s best, he does that too.
Utah needed some size and two-way capability to mesh with Logan Cooley, Clayton Keller and Dylan Guenther, and Caleb Desnoyers is exactly that. He’ll be NHL-ready a lot sooner than people think because his professional details are top-notch. He projects as a play-driving, two-way, second line center that the Mammoth will turn to in key situations. As noted above, there’s a lot of Jonathan Toews in Desnoyers’ game, which will excite Mammoth fans, management and coaches.
Team: Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
DOB: 03/16/2007 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 178 | Shot: R
2024-25 stats: GP: 57 | G: 33 | A: 39 | P: 72
Scouting notes: A Swiss Army knife type of player who will be most effective on the wing because of his strong wall play, Martin projects as a middle-six forward capable of scoring 20 goals routinely, with upside as a second-line forward.
He’s a wrecking ball that will bring value in all three zones, on and off the puck. Martin has scouts raving about him after an excellent performance at the IIHF under-18 championship, with many opining that he could go very early in the first round. He’s a workhorse without an off switch, who brings a blend of physicality and hard skill. He’s a nightmare to contain with his brute strength, and forces defenders into precarious positions with good speed and willingness to make “winning” plays.
Several teams mentioned how impressive Martin was during interviews at the combine. Combine an attractive personality with the hard-nosed style, and it forms a rare combination that is valuable to many scouts who believe he’s the type of player teams need to win in the playoffs. Surely, his mention of Conn Smythe winner Sam Bennett as a role model grabbed attention.
6. Philadelphia Flyers
7. Boston Bruins
8. Seattle Kraken
9. Buffalo Sabres
10. Anaheim Ducks
11. Pittsburgh Penguins
12. Pittsburgh Penguins (from NYR)
13. Detroit Red Wings
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
15. Vancouver Canucks
16. New York Islanders (from CGY via MTL)
17. New York Islanders (from MTL)
18. Calgary Flames (from NJ)
19. St. Louis Blues
20. Columbus Blue Jackets (from MIN)
21. Ottawa Senators
22. Philadelphia Flyers (from COL)
23. Nashville Predators (from TB)
24. Los Angeles Kings
25. Chicago Blackhawks (from TOR)
26. Nashville Predators (from VGK via SJ)
27. Washington Capitals
28. Winnipeg Jets
29. Carolina Hurricanes
30. San Jose Sharks (from DAL)
31. Philadelphia Flyers (from EDM)
32. Calgary Flames (from FLA)
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