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He was so good, in fact, that he has made the choice to enter the NCAA early, playing as a 17-year-old for Boston University last season. His play in the NCAA was wildly impressive, with him already establishing himself as the best player in all of college hockey. Celebrini’s performance for Team Canada at the 2024 World Juniors was borderline dominant, and he was their best player in the entire tournament despite being a double-underager. His first-touch passing has improved, making him a more dangerous puck carrier in his own end, and his defensive decision making has made him a serious threat on defense. Lamoureux looks like a future NHLer to me at this point, though his offensive play at the pro level will likely decide his ultimate ceiling. Thankfully, his treatment and recovery have been going well and he returned to play the following season.
Zach Hyman, F, Edmonton Oilers
Isak Rosen laced up for exactly 120 professional hockey games by his 20th birthday, and has added quite a few since. The main reasons he has been so successful against larger and stronger competition are his phenomenal skating and his ability to make good decisions at a very high speed. Rosen has the defensive effort and technique to be a solid two-way winger in the NHL one day, which has served him well in the AHL so far, where he’s been one of the league’s best young players for the past two seasons.
Sergei Bobrovsky, G, Florida Panthers
Like the other elite, young blue-liners who’ve lit up the league over the past few seasons, it took only one night under the bright lights of the NHL for the hockey world to see that Makar was something special. He was quick and rangy and daring right from the start, scoring his first goal in his first game, in the post-season no less. In the half-decade since, he’s collected the second-most points in the league from the blue line, Roman Josi earning a pair more, albeit in far more games. On paper, it may be difficult to pull apart why exactly Makar stands out from the other new-school rovers in the league, the Hugheses and the Foxes.
- That’s been the case from the very beginning, as he came back season after season with some skill tweaked, some ability enhanced.
- He has scored 80+ points in each of the last three seasons and has back-to-back 40-goal seasons.
- What makes Draisaitl so key in this series is that, although he’s earned a reputation as a prolific goal-scorer, he’s no pushover in the physicality department.
- Gabe Perrault looks like someone who could be a power play specialist at the next level with great skill and smarts in the offensive zone.
- Byfield is still young at just 22 years old, and he has proven that he has the skills to take a big jump in production and could use his size as an advantage.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs surprised the hockey world when they selected Easton Cowan with the 28th pick in the 2023 Draft.
Brennan Othmann, LW, New York Rangers
- He looks like a pro and has a ton of qualities, including a really dangerous shot, that make me confident he’ll find a role in the middle-six forward group of an NHL team someday.
- There is certainly an argument for him to be even higher on this list than number 10.
- With only 164 games so far, some may want to see a longer sample, but he has been outstanding so far.
- The days of being a perennial MVP candidate may be in the rearview mirror, but the Great 8 is still as entertaining as ever at age 38.
- Not only is Guentzel a great goal-scorer, but he was also among the league’s best in possession numbers.
- From Macklin Celebrini and Matvei Michkov, to Logan Stankoven and Will Smith, the NHL is experiencing a massive influx of young talent once again this season.
- Without further ado, here is our ranking of the top 100 NHL prospects as well as a few honourable mentions.
In the ensuing offseason, he was signed by the Canucks and loaned to the SHL where he played with Örebro HK and led all U20 SHL players in goals and points. Lekkerimäki was excellent at the 2024 World Junior Championship for Sweden, scoring seven goals in as many games and winning the award as the tournament’s MVP en route to a silver medal. Cole Eiserman was the 2024 Draft’s premier goal scoring prospect, and he was by far the most polarizing player in the group. He can play physically, but can sometimes get caught chasing hits and losing track of defensive coverage. Liam Greentree is a big winger who looks like he could be a great all-round player in the NHL someday if he can make some improvements to his speed and acceleration. Greentree does most things well, fighting hard in puck battles, making smart passes, and handling defensive responsibilities well.
Highest-paid NHL players by salary cap hit
Young, speedy, and skilled winger Jesper Bratt has had three fantastic seasons in a row now and has proven himself to be a top offensive option for the Devils. With a healthy forward group for the Devils, Bratt will have better players surrounding him all season, and could very well hit the 90-point mark, or even higher this season. Mark Scheifele is an all-offense player who can challenge for 30 goals and 70+ points in most seasons. He is the cornerstone of the forward group for the Winnipeg Jets, and as the team’s weakest position is center, he is thrown into a lot of situations.
Roope Hintz, C, Stars
Slavin has received Norris Trophy votes in eight straight seasons, which is every year outside of his rookie season, where he also earned Calder Trophy votes. Slavin is such an underrated defenseman, and should arguably be higher on this list. Not only is Guentzel a great goal-scorer, but he was also among the league’s best in possession numbers. In his first two seasons in the league, he has established himself as a goal-scoring, speedy forward with great offensive skill, but is also quite reliable defensively. For a while, it looked like he could challenge for the Conn Smythe Trophy in the 2024 playoffs, but the Stars fell to the Oilers and didn’t make it to the Stanley Cup Final. With only 164 games so far, some may want to see a longer sample, but he has been outstanding so far.
Utah Hockey Club debut has ESPN talent excited ‘to be part of something new’
Three of those have been game-winners, which put him a tie for second in the league. Hyman is proving the regular season was no fluke, and he could end up a strong argument for the Conn Smythe. The Stars center can flat-out fly up and down the ice, making him one of the most exciting players to watch. He potted exactly 37 goals for the second consecutive season, and followed up a 78-point regular season with 24 playoff points in 19 contests.
Johnny Gaudreau, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets
He blocks a bunch of shots, shattered his career-high in hits, and had his best season in many defensive metrics. He only played 59 games last season but was credited with 142 hits, which would be nearly 200 hits across a full season. He isn’t afraid to mix things up and will battle for any loose puck harder than most. While he still awaits a big offensive breakout, Svechnikov is very valuable to the Hurricanes.
- Nyman is a big Finnish winger with the size and strength to compete against men in Liiga (the top Finnish pro league) without looking out of place.
- The Irish have hung around .500 because they had a great goalie but now that goalie, Ryan Bischel, has moved on.
- On paper, it may be difficult to pull apart why exactly Makar stands out from the other new-school rovers in the league, the Hugheses and the Foxes.
- One thing he and Michkov have in common is a difficulty earning minutes in the KHL as a draft eligible player.
- Hutson sees the ice really well and was dominant offensively through two NCAA seasons.
Wild, Sabres among potential breakouts
He has the size, skating, and strength to be a meaningful NHL defender, and his offensive skills are quite good, as showcased by his impressive point total in the AHL last season. I see a defender who could become a good offensively minded second-pairing defender who excels in transition. There are still some issues he’ll need to smooth out a bit, mainly in his decision making which can lead to turnovers under pressure and weak lackadaisical defensive positioning. Conor Geekie caught plenty of NHL scouts’ attention during his draft year as a 6-foot-4 center with a respectable two-way game in the WHL. He is competitive and uses his size well against shorter and weaker junior competition, and his playmaking from the perimeter on the power play is likely going to translate to the NHL someday.
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Celebrini excels at everything, with great skating, goal scoring ability, off-puck play, defensive effort, confidence, and just about every other attribute you could dream of. After tearing up the United States high school prep circuit with Shattuck St. Mary’s, Celebrini tried his hand in the USHL last season with the Chicago Steel and was immediately the best player in the league. Simon Edvinsson is one of the most exciting prospects in the hockey world, with nearly limitless potential due to his remarkable size (6-foot-6), mobility (guys his size rarely skate this well), and offensive skill. Edvinsson was an impressive two-way force in the SHL after being drafted, and made the transition to North America two seasons ago. He looked much more comfortable with the North American game over the course of his first season and grew a lot on ice from his NHL pre-season games to the NHL games he played toward the end of the year.
- There may be an adjustment upsizing to a starter’s workload if they want him to play 35 games but I like that get for the Nittanys.
- Aho’s rise among the NHL elite took a bit of a bump last year, as he regressed from 81 points to 67.
- Mark Scheifele is an all-offense player who can challenge for 30 goals and 70+ points in most seasons.
- Last season, Minten cracked the Leafs’ lineup out of training camp, a testament to his off-ice training and his mature defensive game.
- Matthews was just named the 26th captain in Maple Leafs history and was well-deserving of it.
Mattias Ekholm, Edmonton Oilers
On top of the offense, Barzal is one of the best skaters in the league and puts in good work defensively as well. Not many would have been able to predict Gustav Forsling to make this kind of list even just a few years ago. From being a throw-in in a trade and being waived, to now in the Top 50 for the best players in the league is remarkable. Forsling is a great shut-down defenseman and was given a heavy workload in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs on the path to winning a Stanley Cup, and received eight third-place votes for the Conn Smythe.
Fantasy Hockey Defenseman Tiers
He is one of the biggest bounce-back candidates moving forward and is very likely to move up the list. Through two seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, Mattias Ekholm has an outstanding 59 points and has a plus-minus rating of +72. Of course, offense comes a bit easier with the Oilers, but it is his defense that has been the biggest stand-out part of his game.
Hutson confident ‘better years’ ahead for Canadiens, young defense corps
Cale Makar, a defenseman with remarkable offensive talents, continues to impress with his vision and ability to control the game from the blue line, earning accolades and respect from fans and peers alike. The Edmonton blue liner’s 27 points only trail McDavid and Draisaitl out of all players, but it’s already the fifth-most points in a single playoff by a defenseman of all time. His six goals put him in a tie for the lead at his position in 2024, while his 21 assists rank second out of all skaters. Bouchard’s thunderous slap shot at the point makes him an exceptional weapon on the Edmonton power play, as he creates tons of offensive chances for the team. On top of all that, his 140 shot attempts are the most this postseason out of all skaters. He’s a center with a June birthday, meaning he’s one of the youngest players from the 2024 draft class, and will be just 18 years old for his entire rookie season in the NHL.
Even though he didn’t record as many goals last season as the two before, he is still a high-end player for them and is a prime candidate to get back to 35+ goals. He has been a consistent 60-point player who plays with a ton of speed and can be good defensively, but he never gets the high-end minutes he seems to deserve and often doesn’t get top power play unit time. Both are fantastic two-way options and while Theodore produced more offense, Pietrangelo specializes in the defensive department. He blocks a ton of shots, plays excellent defense, and is one of the strongest leaders and mentors in the league. After a bit of a production dip in his sophomore season, Seth Jarvis came into his third season and took huge strides offensively scoring 67 points. He has become an important part of the Carolina Hurricanes’ top-six, and has been an excellent playoff performer for the team, who has struggled to score in the postseason over the last few years.
Editor’s Picks
However, I’m still a firm believer in Reinbacher’s projection as a high-end defender for the Montreal Canadiens. Luneau reads plays incredibly well, tracking opponents’ routes and plans about as quickly as you could ask for. The Senators didn’t have a strong group overall, but with three high-end left-handed defensemen, with preference going to the two home-grown ones, he was the odd man out and played on the third pair with more limited time.
The projection is tantalizing, but the reason people are hesitant about Geekie is that his skating is average at best. He will need to keep putting work into his ability to play at a fast pace but his length and skill combo should make him an effective middle-six player for Tampa Bay regardless. He also seems to have a knack for unleashing the full weight of that extra gear when it matters most. Perhaps it was because he began his NHL career in the post-season that Makar feels so at home in the grind of the playoffs. Just 25 years old, fresh off a career 21-goal, 90-point season, the question isn’t whether Makar can maintain his current level — it’s how much higher he’ll have raised it when all is said and done.
Fantasy hockey rankings, picks, 2024 season simulation
One explanation is that Hastings’ coaching style is regarded as, shall we say, abrasive and perhaps players got tired of him as the year went along and those who didn’t fit his style exited in the offseason. That’s an explanation as to why they specifically lost players with NHL potential to the portal. Despite the strong goaltending https://gambibet.org/ from Augustine, MSU gave up 117 goals last season which was quite a few (way more than Minnesota, Wisconsin, or ND) and a lot of that was attributable to icing a very young D. Levshunov obviously exits but much of the defense returns and is a year more experienced in college hockey and could be ready to tighten things up.