Welcome to Scott Wheeler’s 2025 rankings of each NHL group’s prospects. You will discover the whole rating and extra data on the venture and its standards here, as we rely down every day from No. 32 to No. 1. The collection, which incorporates in-depth evaluations and perception from sources on almost 500 prospects, runs from Jan. 8 to Feb. 7.
The St. Louis Blues have one of many deeper swimming pools within the NHL, with 5 legit prospects on the high and good amount behind them. They’ve bought a great participant at each place, too, with a middle, winger, right-shot D and left-shot D amongst that group of 5. However they lack the true star prospect/game-changer sort that the league’s finest swimming pools all have. Consequently, their group is powerful with out being stacked.
2024 prospect pool rank: No. 14 (change: none)

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NHL prospect pool rankings 2025: Scott Wheeler evaluates all 32 farm systems
1. Dalibor Dvorsky, C, 19 (Springfield Thunderbirds)
Dvorsky’s June birthday made him one of many youthful gamers within the 2023 draft however he has already achieved quite a bit at an early age. It seems like he’s older than he’s due to what number of worldwide occasions he has performed in and the way a lot professional expertise he has. He led a Slovak Hlinka Gretzky Cup workforce that featured Juraj Slafkovský and Filip Mesar in scoring as an underager, produced effectively above some extent per recreation in Sweden’s J20 stage three years in the past, produced at a powerful age-adjusted clip in his draft yr within the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan (whereas clicking at two factors per recreation in stints again down at J20 when the schedule allowed), drove the bus on a Slovak workforce that exceeded expectations in Switzerland on the 2023 U18 worlds, and has performed in 5 World Juniors which concluded with a powerful exhibiting as their captain this yr in Ottawa. And although he didn’t play a lot within the SHL to begin his post-draft season final yr and needed to transfer to the OHL, he was a pressure on Sudbury’s unstoppable high line and would have simply damaged 50 targets and 100 factors had he began the yr there. He has additionally had extra success on the professional stage this yr within the AHL than he did final yr within the SHL, and has been certainly one of Springfield’s high gamers and main scorers as a teenage rookie.
The massive query with Dvorsky for some time was whether or not or not he’d be a middle or a winger long-term. After noticeably including some muscle and slightly extra velocity (his skating nonetheless isn’t a power however he works), I believe he’s bought an actual probability to stay down the center if he can proceed so as to add a little bit of tempo. He has the roundedness, the defensive consciousness and positioning, the habits and the stick element already. He’s sturdy within the faceoff circle, too.
He makes use of his physique to realize inside positioning on defenders and shields pucks from defenders extraordinarily impressively. I don’t assume his skating is prohibitive. He has proven extra fireplace and competitiveness as he has developed. His presents in charge of the puck are actual — I truly discovered it bizarre he was solid as a high-floor 200-foot participant as his draft yr progressed as a result of whereas his vitality and element are actually strengths, I see reputable finesse expertise, point-production upside and power-play instruments. He can run the wall or the purpose on the PP, effortlessly choosing protection aside and feathering pucks by seams. He’s bought glorious contact and weight on his passes (he’s an amazing saucer passer off his forehand and backhand particularly) and does a good looking job ready for lanes to open. He trusts his one-timer (a reputable weapon) and his wrister from mid-range. He’s bought fast palms and instincts, with standout puck management and shading — and he makes use of them to take pucks to the center. I like him in give-and-gos and in particular person attacking sequences contained in the offensive zone.
Dvorsky is a extremely gifted and clever playmaker who can threaten protection in quite a lot of methods, whether or not that’s carving by it in management at his personal tempo and ending cleanly from the home-plate space, sliding off protection to seek out pockets of area to get open into, or drawing protection and facilitating — he does a beautiful job hanging onto pucks and ready for choices to open. He’ll sometimes pressure issues however he often finds his manner by along with his talent, power on pucks and smarts. His statistical profile is basically sturdy, too. I see second-line potential and a middle-six ground with clear power-play upside.
2. Jimmy Snuggerud, RW, 20 (College of Minnesota)
Snuggerud has been one of many Golden Gophers’ main scorers in three consecutive seasons and is anticipated to show professional after his junior yr this yr. He was one of many hottest prospects in hockey in his post-draft season, going from B-plus prospect to A-minus (or shut) with a uncommon 50-point freshman season. He didn’t get again there as a sophomore final season after linemates Logan Cooley and Matthew Knies each turned professional, however he nonetheless scored 20-plus targets for a second time and was the Golden Gophers’ finest ahead for me even when he completed third on the workforce in factors. That has continued this season at Minnesota, the place he’s on tempo for an additional 20-plus purpose season because the Golden Gophers’ main scorer.
Snuggerud’s recreation was all the time sturdy on the program, the place he performed on the highest line and confirmed above-average instruments and first-round deserves, however each piece of it has elevated slightly since then. Plus-shot (had that already). Plus-skill. Ok skater (has gained half a step). Arduous on pucks. Hunts and sticks with pucks. Constantly impactful. Discovering methods to launch and transfer as quickly as he has made his play in order that he can get open for the following one once more.
It’s all there now. And possibly all of us ought to have seen it coming. Once I polled the 2004 U.S. NTDP gamers for his or her most underrated teammate, he was mainly the unanimous reply.
Snuggerud is a well-rounded three-zone participant with a flexible offensive recreation who could make performs with talent and can. His head is all the time up and on a swivel, even in congested areas. He’s good under the purpose line and makes a variety of low-to-high performs into the slot to seek out chopping teammates for probabilities. He goes to scoring areas and follows pictures to the web to get to rebounds, taking part in a decided forechecking recreation. He’s bought a harmful one-timer, catch-and-release wrister and pure taking pictures movement — pucks come off his blade laborious and shortly — however he doesn’t tunnel-vision for his shot, he sees the ice effectively and he could make performs again towards the grain. He’s bought good palms, which helps him make outside-in performs to beat defenders one-on-one greater than he will get credit score for. He makes use of area effectively and makes a variety of performs off his backhand. He’s sturdy on pucks and stick lifts. He’s bought some contact as a passer.
And on high of all of it, he’s additionally bought a professional body to construct upon and a June birthday that gave him good runway to get higher. There’s a goal-scoring second-line winger there. He’s most likely a scoring third-liner at his ground, too. I debated rating him No. 1 right here.
3. Adam Jiricek, RHD, 18 (Brantford Bulldogs)
Jiricek is a summer season birthday who labored his manner from junior into Czechia’s high professional rung as a 16-year-old. He misplaced final season to a pair of knee accidents (one proper earlier than the World Juniors after which one other nearly straight away within the event, the latter of which required surgical procedure and ended his season) and even earlier than he went down, I didn’t assume his draft yr had gone in addition to he would have hoped for and I had began questioning why some have been as excessive on him as they have been. Nonetheless, he performed atop Czechia’s protection alongside Los Angeles Kings draft choose Jakub Dvorak as an underager on the 2023 U18 worlds, made the Czech World Junior workforce as an underager regardless of the sluggish begin final yr, made the early bounce to the professional recreation, was glorious on the Hlinka Gretzky Cup when his inventory was highest and he’s now taking part in massive minutes for a high OHL workforce after a profitable second World Juniors through which he helped the Czechs to a bronze medal with 5 assists in seven video games.
He doesn’t have fairly the presence his older brother David has, however Adam performs the sport with confidence and intention and has proven actual ambition at instances towards his friends. He’s bought good four-way mobility, an energetic disposition — he has additionally proven on the professional stage that he may simplify and play a more practical recreation — and balanced taking pictures mechanics. Jiricek has a watch for spacing and figuring out alternatives to leap on each side of the puck, plus good talent with the puck to construct upon. There are undoubtedly instruments and room to develop his recreation and fill out his body. He’s additionally aggressive. I like his defensive habits and he’s bought measurement and talent.
I stay slightly extra cautious in my analysis of him than most scouts as a result of he feels slightly rawer than his observe document would counsel and I nonetheless haven’t persistently seen the high-end offense he confirmed on the Hlinka (together with in Brantford, the place he has been superb however hasn’t popped offensively like some thought he would). He’s able to involving himself towards his friends, although, and hopefully he makes use of some good puck touches from the World Juniors and his return to his age group in junior to proceed to construct again some momentum in Brantford. He’s a great NHL prospect who has size and has had some actually sturdy stretches over time.
4. Theo Lindstein, LHD, 20 (Brynäs IF)
Lindstein is an unspectacular however stable two-way defenseman whose well-rounded and mature recreation helped him get into 49 SHL video games earlier than he was drafted and have become a 16-to-20-minute defender on the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan stage final season. After taking part in effectively in a second-pairing position in Brynäs’ promotion again into the SHL, Lindstein has additionally performed to good leads to a full-time position there as a youngster this season. He was additionally an alternate captain and a giant a part of Sweden’s high 4 at U18 worlds; made an enormous impression ultimately yr’s World Juniors in Gothenburg, exhibiting some actual offense and getting named to the event all-star workforce (he was on my poll, too) after he was initially not even named to Crew Sweden earlier than a pair of accidents opened up a spot; and wore a letter and performed on their shutdown pair as a returnee at this yr’s event in Ottawa.
His recreation isn’t flashy, however he performs very certain of himself, makes his choices shortly, executes and defends at a excessive stage. He’s additionally an excellent skater. There’s only a two-way reliability and element to his recreation. He manages play and makes use of sturdy positioning, mobility, a great stick and a heady strategy to have an effect in all three zones. There’s additionally some secondary offense to his recreation and he has proven some creativity and imaginative and prescient towards his friends (he has performed the ability play for the Swedes however not Brynäs) and good consolation at play-on-play on the professional stage shifting pucks and serving to out in transition. Lindstein contributes at each ends with out sacrificing one for the opposite. I wish to see him be slightly extra bodily/firmer in battles and engagements, however he defends largely along with his stick and skating. It seems like he’s bought a reasonably excessive ground/probability of turning into a stable D companion to somebody within the NHL for a very long time.
5. Otto Stenberg, C/LW, 19 (Springfield Thunderbirds)
Coming into his draft yr, Stenberg was considered by many because the second-best Swedish prospect within the 2023 class after Leo Carlsson. He had performed to almost some extent per recreation on the J20 stage, regarded like he belonged as an underager on the nationwide workforce at U18 worlds and impressed as Sweden’s main scorer and captain on the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. (He additionally scored two Michigan targets that yr). He then continued to put on the “C” for Sweden in his draft yr at occasions just like the 5 Nations, World Jr. A Problem and U18 worlds, the latter of which he was super in. Scouts had a troublesome time slotting him attributable to his so-so manufacturing on the J20 stage, although he was higher than his numbers mirrored and didn’t look misplaced in a number of stints with the SHL membership.
In his post-draft season, he then made Frölunda’s SHL workforce out of camp, stood out for Sweden in his first World Juniors after which registered 16 factors in 21 mixed regular-season and playoff video games on a mortgage to Karlskoga within the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan. This season, he grew to become a full-time SHLer with Malmö within the fall, was advantageous in depth utilization for them, performed on Sweden’s high line in his second World Juniors after which made the bounce to North America within the new yr. The early indicators have been constructive within the AHL, too.
In opposition to his friends, he has all the time been a artful handler who hangs onto pucks to spin away from stress, assaults out and in of crowds, makes performs into area for himself and may comfortably make performs by layers to others. He’s additionally bought an correct shot from mid-range. I like the way in which he assaults on angles to assist forestall defenders from taking him one-on-one, and to take pucks from the perimeter to the inside and create chaos across the slot. When he performs with tempo and intention, he appears to have the puck on a regular basis and appears efficient whereas flashing some talent in all three zones. There have been instances when he seems to be like he’s making an attempt slightly too laborious to impress and make issues occur as an alternative of permitting the sport to come back to him, however even when issues aren’t going his manner and the factors aren’t falling, I’ve all the time preferred his involvement stage so it’s laborious to get down on him.
He’s a {smooth} skater. He’s bought {smooth} palms. He’s affected person below stress and may discover his manner out of bother weaving and swerving by holes or away from sticks. He’s fast side-to-side on little jumps and drags. And when he’s taking part in with confidence he likes to attempt to take D one-on-one, which can lead to some high-end performs but in addition some turnovers. With the nationwide workforce, he has all the time discovered methods to raise, manufacture offense, spend his shifts within the offensive zone and contribute on particular groups. He has additionally added extra of a cycle recreation/good wall play so as to add to his respectable talent stage, good launch, comfy one-timer and chopping recreation. All people loves a employee with talent and opportunism. That’s his recreation.
He passes the attention check even when the manufacturing hasn’t all the time been there (exterior of worldwide play). He’s not going to be a high-end NHLer however I don’t assume anybody conversant in his recreation can be shocked if he grew to become a contributing top-nine ahead on the NHL stage as some sort of third-liner/secondary play driver.
6. Lukas Fischer, LHD, 18 (Sarnia Sting)
Fischer is a participant NHL scouts and people across the OHL have a variety of time for. He has performed enormous minutes (28-30+ most video games) for Sarnia the final two years and whereas he was sometimes uncovered by a poor group final yr, he’s 6-foot-3, he defends, he’s robust and he’s actually fairly cell — and a very good pure athlete in a number of methods.
He was additionally one of many youngest gamers in final yr’s draft and was only a week away from eligibility for 2025. Add in good athleticism and a powerful body that may proceed so as to add muscle and there’s quite a bit to love. I’ve questioned his reads/timing/decision-making at instances and whereas he can chase it and be erratic at instances, there are a variety of instruments there, and he and his workforce have performed a job in him being requested to do quite a bit. I believe he has the instruments, make-up, disposition and work ethic to turn out to be a bottom-pairing NHL defenseman. The stats don’t pop (although he did rating a hat trick a few weeks in the past!) however he’s a powerful child with a powerful, broad base to his stride who can play massive minutes and appears like how NHL groups need their D to look nowadays.
He’s nearer to the gamers behind him right here than those in entrance of him, although.
7. Colin Ralph, LHD, 19 (St. Cloud State College)
Ralph was among the many ultimate cuts on D for my ultimate high 100 forward of the 2024 NHL Draft and has made the tough bounce from Shattuck St. Mary’s and the U18 prep circuit on to the NCAA this season, after a so-so World Junior Summer time Showcase in Plymouth. At St. Cloud, he has had a fine-to-good freshman yr, averaging about 20 minutes per recreation and holding his personal. He additionally gained a gold medal with Crew USA on the 2025 World Juniors in Ottawa — I assumed he had some robust/haphazard moments in his personal zone and one-on-one, and it confirmed all through that it was his first high-level worldwide event, however he was finally advantageous in restricted utilization.
He’s a giant (6-foot-5), heavy (already 225 kilos), sturdy D who confirmed some offense final yr at Shattuck, strikes pucks effectively sufficient to venture and skates advantageous. He’s bought work to do to proceed to get faster from a standstill however his mobility isn’t tremendous sluggish contemplating his measurement. He defends laborious, he’s bought a tough level shot that he does a great job maintaining low and on internet, and his reads and timing are coming alongside. The attraction is in his measurement and make-up. If he progresses effectively, he may turn out to be a No. 5-7 D on the NHL stage post-college.
8. Juraj Pekarcik, LW, 19 (Moncton Wildcats)
A standout at U18 worlds and the second-youngest participant on my board for the 2023 draft, Pekarcik was born mere days away from being eligible for 2024. He was productive at Slovakia’s U20 stage at 16, performed professional at 17 (producing eight factors in eight video games in Slovakia’s second rung and three assists in 30 video games with Nitra at its high flight), completed fifth in factors per recreation within the USHL final yr at 18, and is now one of many main scorers on the QMJHL favorites in Moncton. I assumed he was extra noticeable than his three factors in 5 video games ultimately yr’s World Juniors indicated, too, after which he was a high participant at this yr’s event, taking part in enormous minutes for Slovakia with Dvorsky.
His greatest belongings are his skating and athleticism. Pekarcik can actually fly for a 6-foot-2 ahead. He’s bought each fast toes and a {smooth}, quick stride. He additionally has a sneaky laborious and fast launch — although his purpose totals haven’t all the time mirrored it, he can shoot it — and a few one-on-one talent. He’s noticeable in puck safety, each on the perimeter and in holding pucks to assault into the slot off his hip, and off the frenzy along with his velocity to realize a step on defenders. He can play-make out of corners and in transition. I wish to see him play slightly tougher and use his body slightly extra off the puck to win positioning and battles, or get to the within and end slightly greater than he does, however he’s bought some professional attributes and goes to be a great top-nine AHLer at minimal. There are some instruments to work with there and a few runway to benefit from. He’s not a completed product by any means however he’s fascinating on the very least.
9. Adam Jecho, C/RW, 18 (Edmonton Oil Kings)
Jecho has been a big-name prospect out of Czechia for what seems like years now. He performed in three Hlinkas, a U17 WHC, a U18 worlds, Finland, the WHL and now a World Juniors, the place regardless of taking part in a third-line position and minutes he discovered methods to have an effect on play and had a few massive moments. He’s an enormous middle —although he has additionally performed a variety of wing developing and isn’t significantly sturdy within the faceoff circle — with respectable expertise. He’s a below-average skater who has work to do on his first three strides, which was evident in a poor exhibiting in testing on the CHL/NHL High Prospects Recreation final yr and has restricted him at instances from taking a step offensively within the WHL, but when he can choose up a step, there’s sufficient elsewhere for him to turn out to be a fourth-line NHLer.
He’s truly a fine-to-good skater for his measurement in straight traces as soon as he will get going, too. He can shoot and deal with the puck with a wrister that comes off shortly. He protects pucks effectively and can make the odd soft-area play. He has flashed some talent when he has time and area to make a play on a defender — he can take guys one-on-one and deal with pucks in his toes, although much less proficiently when he’s in a rush or crowded. His curl-and-drag wrister comes off his blade laborious and he’s a giant (6-foot-5, over 200 kilos), sturdy child already. He has realized to work and use his body off the puck to turn out to be a extra rounded participant defensively.
I’ve needed to see him take an even bigger step within the WHL than he has, although. He doesn’t generate sufficient seems to be for himself individually and stays an excessive amount of of an off-puck participant on his traces — regardless that he does a great job studying the play off the puck to choose his spots to drive the center lane or get open out broad — however there’s some particular attraction and he’s bought an opportunity to play. I did take into consideration rating him slightly decrease right here.
10. Quinton Burns, LHD, 19 (Kingston Frontenacs)
Burns, the Frontenacs’ captain this season, has measurement and skates effectively, which is the way in which the league is happening protection. Whereas watching him I’ve felt at instances I used to be extra of a future two-way AHL defenseman than an NHL one, however I believe he has made sufficient progress to be thought of a possible future No. 6-7 D now.
Burns is a cell 6-foot-2 lefty who has performed 25 minutes per recreation within the OHL to glorious outcomes this yr. He defends laborious and firmly, with a great stick and mobility but in addition a keen physicality. He defends the frenzy and in zone effectively, closing out and taking away area to problem opposing carriers. He can transfer pucks and sometimes contribute in transition/off the road. He’s bought an opportunity and ought to be good organizational depth at minimal.
11. Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, C, 20 (Springfield Thunderbirds)
Kaskimaki’s a participant I’ve all the time had a comfortable spot for and have loved watching however have by no means been in a position to confidently venture into the NHL. In his draft yr, he was one of many high forwards in Finland’s junior league and a first-line participant at U18 worlds. His post-draft season was a bit sluggish as he tried to seek out his spot within the professional workforce and nationwide workforce lineups, although it was a credit score to him that he made the Finnish World Junior workforce at 18 and he did play effectively for HIFK within the Liiga playoffs that yr. Final season, although he has nonetheless performed largely in a depth position, he established himself as an on a regular basis professional participant, scoring 10 targets in Liiga and a few massive targets at his second World Juniors in Gothenburg, together with an enormous one within the ultimate minutes to present the Finns the 3-2 lead and the win within the quarters. And after signing and coming to the AHL as a rookie this yr, he has performed effectively, producing close to the highest of the Thunderbirds roster as a 20-year-old.
In opposition to his friends over time, he has proven he can assault and create with the puck on his stick, repeatedly racking up gaudy shot totals at Finland’s junior stage. His palms can flash. When he will get a possibility, whether or not that’s being left alone within the slot or a defender making a mistake, he’s bought the talent to make performs or end. He’s decently sturdy for his measurement (6 toes) and works laborious to be on the middle of the motion.
However he’s additionally a kind of traditional case research the place he’s actually going to should hit a variety of checkpoints to turn out to be an offensive use-case participant and he’s most likely not going to be a job participant, regardless that he has been utilized in defensive/penalty-killing minutes at instances at decrease ranges. He has hit a kind of checkpoints this yr, although. I do surprise if he’s simply going to high out as a second-line AHLer quite than an on a regular basis NHLer, however he’s on observe to play some video games in some unspecified time in the future if he retains it up.
12. Zach Dean, C, 22 (Springfield Thunderbirds)
Regardless of uninspiring manufacturing and a historical past of accidents — together with a lower-body harm that has saved him out week-to-week for months now — Dean has a likable recreation that also earned him NHL video games final yr. Dean confirmed some actually constructive indicators towards the top of his ultimate junior season and into the QMJHL playoffs with Gatineau, taking part in the most effective hockey of his profession and actually making his recreation work for him, however he has largely regarded out of kinds/ineffective in my viewings with Springfield.
Between his laborious work, fixed software of stress, always-in-motion motion with or with out the puck, the belief he earns, his willingness to assault the inside, the tempo he performs with and units bodily, his particulars alongside the wall and the little performs he makes across the ice in give-and-gos, he performs an endearing type. Combine in quick palms, a powerful neutral-zone recreation as a provider, a stable stride and an honest one-timer, and also you’ve bought the makings of a employee with secondary talent. However he has discovered it tougher to make performs on the professional stage and was by no means a talent man in junior till the top. The choice-making and reads haven’t all the time been there, both, and have made his adjustment to the professional recreation a harder one than some anticipated given his professional type.
He’s most likely owed some higher puck luck/harm luck, although, and will nonetheless meet his contributing bottom-sixer projection if he can get again on observe and wholesome. Coaches have all the time had time for him, so I’m not ready to jot down him off but, even when the clock is now ticking.
13. Michael Buchinger, LHD, 20 (Springfield Thunderbirds)
An alternate captain and the No. 1 D on Guelph in each his 18- and 19-year-old seasons (although a thumb tendon harm that required surgical procedure did set again his season final yr), Buchinger is a cell, smooth-passing, two-way defenseman who breaks pucks out with a constant first go on shops however can even bounce into the frenzy to create offense along with his toes as a trailer. He’s bought a tough shot when he includes himself, too. Defensively, he’s bought a great stick that he leads with to disrupt carriers and a physicality that he’s comfy falling again on as a backup to shut out. I’ve seen him cough the puck up and get burned taking part in towards higher competitors (World Junior Choice Camp and now the AHL), however I’ve additionally seen him look fast and crisp.
Within the OHL, he performed an aggressive type holding the purpose and pinching down the wall, made good choices below stress, slipped little five-foot passes by stress and walked the road effectively. He bought his pictures by, saved his head up, managed aggressive gaps in impartial ice, regarded to take, and preferred to drive off the wall and drop a shoulder to assault into his shot. Some questioned if he’d have the ability to do all of that up ranges as an average-sized (5-foot-11/6-foot) defenseman who doesn’t have a dynamic high quality per se, although, and that has borne out this season in a really actual adjustment to the AHL.
He shocked scouts along with his imaginative and prescient contained in the offensive zone and total defensive polish as a rookie in his draft yr (as a result of pandemic) to emerge as a third-round choose, and he performed to a few level per recreation within the two seasons after that, however I’m unsure about an NHL projection. He’s the sort of participant who seems like he’ll be stable AHL depth at minimal and possibly he works his manner into the call-up dialog in his mid-20s.
14. Jakub Stancl, LW, 19 (Kelowna Rockets)
A breakout performer at this yr’s World Juniors, Stancl is a 6-foot-3 winger and fourth-round choose who performed to only half some extent per recreation on the J20 stage in his post-draft season however all the time had extra professional high quality than the numbers indicated. He has had a powerful season this yr break up between Kelowna, the place he’s above some extent per recreation, and the World Juniors, the place he led the event in scoring with seven targets in seven video games, together with a few massive ones and in addition a put up within the bronze medal recreation.
He’s a giant, decently sturdy participant who can maintain pucks and push by contact or get open off them. He’s bought a tough one-touch shot — not the standard one-timer however extra of a low-leverage shot he goes to. He doesn’t have high-end talent or skating however he strikes effectively sufficient and provides a constant effort. The World Juniors was the most effective hockey I’ve seen him play and also you don’t need to get carried away with one exhibiting, however he has made sufficient progress that he seems to be like he’ll be a stable contributor in an AHL top-nine and a few assume he’s bought an opportunity to play NHL video games if he continues to progress.
15. Simon Robertsson, RW/LW, 21 (Springfield Thunderbirds)
I’ve all the time had a comfortable spot for Robertsson’s recreation and he has proven sufficient in his rookie season within the AHL this yr to warrant a point out. I’m decrease on Robertsson at the moment than I used to be on draft day, although. He ranked thirtieth on my ultimate listing when the Blues took him No. 71, and their vary was the suitable one. I assumed he ought to have performed an even bigger position at his World Juniors, although he was spectacular on the PK, bought some seems to be offensively and skated effectively on a workforce that wanted extra from the fellows greater within the lineup.
He truly had a extremely stable 19-year-old season two years in the past, splitting his time between the SHL and HockeyAllsvenskan and discovering methods to supply in each, together with on a Skellefteå workforce that made it to the SHL ultimate. He registered 5 targets and 10 factors in 22 HockeyAllsvenskan video games and 6 targets and eight factors in 24 SHL video games. These are respectable numbers. Final yr, he didn’t take a step and continued to separate time between the SHL and HockeyAllsvenskan however completed as part of the Skellefteå workforce that gained the SHL title. This yr, after going scoreless in his first few AHL video games, he has been fairly productive since.
I’m not satisfied he has a defining talent that may propel him into an offensive or defensive position on the NHL stage, however it’s not inconceivable to think about him as a complementary bottom-six man in a pair extra years with the best endurance. Robertsson is a play-driving, versatile winger with a nifty wrist-shot launch who pushes tempo by impartial ice with a compact stride. He makes a variety of sensible, aggressive performs contained in the offensive zone and may course of the sport at velocity. When he will get the puck, he seems to be to take it at defenders and assault the within. I like the variability to his recreation in order that when the play to the center isn’t there, he can improvise, although I believe he’s much less artistic at the moment than I assumed he was in his draft yr which does mute a few of his potential. His recreation works on the smaller ice in North America as effectively. He may simply high out as a great AHLer.
The Tiers
As all the time, every prospect pool rating is damaged down into team-specific tiers with a purpose to offer you a greater sense of the proximity from one participant — or group of gamers — to the following.
The Blues’ pool is split into three tiers: 1-2, 3-5, 6-15+.
Thought of however not ranked have been WHL ahead Tomas Mrsic (the ultimate minimize at ahead), Russian ahead Matvei Korotky, Russian defenseman Arseni Koromyslov (the ultimate minimize on D), Czech ahead Ondrej Kos, and Springfield goaltenders Colten Ellis and Vadim Zherenko, who may each play video games in some unspecified time in the future however look extra like No. 3/4 goalies than No. 2s to me.
Rank
|
Participant
|
Pos.
|
Age
|
Crew
|
---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Dalibor Dvorsky |
C |
19 |
Springfield |
2 |
Jimmy Snuggerud |
RW |
20 |
U. of Minnesota |
3 |
Adam Jiricek |
RHD |
18 |
Brantford |
4 |
Theo Lindstein |
LHD |
19 |
Brynas |
5 |
Otto Stenberg |
C/LW |
19 |
Springfield |
6 |
Lukas Fischer |
LHD |
18 |
Sarnia |
7 |
Colin Ralph |
LHD |
19 |
St. Cloud State |
8 |
Juraj Pekarcik |
LW |
19 |
Moncton |
9 |
Adam Jecho |
C/RW |
18 |
Edmonton |
10 |
Quinton Burns |
LHD |
19 |
Kingston |
11 |
Aleksanteri Kaskimaki |
C |
20 |
Springfield |
12 |
Zach Dean |
C |
22 |
Springfield |
13 |
Michael Buchinger |
LHD |
20 |
Springfield |
14 |
Jakub Stancl |
LW |
19 |
Kelowna |
15 |
Simon Robertsson |
RW/LW |
21 |
Springfield |
(Photograph of Dalibor Dvorsky: Keith Gillett / IconSportswire)