Eight Boston College Eagles Named to The Hockey News Top 100 NCAA Players to Watch

He was drafted to be a two-way center with a strong shot and he’s not far from being just that in the NHL. Minten’s first WHL season after being drafted was a great showcase for his shot and his compete level, with Minten becoming a very important forechecker and defensive forward for the Kamloops Blazers. Luneau made the opening night lineup for the Ducks last year but bounced between the NHL and AHL before heading to Sweden for the World Juniors where he was sidelined with an infection in his knee that ended his season.

Hutson confident ‘better years’ ahead for Canadiens, young defense corps

• But there will be a lot of high expectations on a young player who is expected to slot into the Penguins’ top six.
• Kaprizov has incredible vision and hands, and he has been the engine behind the Wild offense.
• Florida claimed the defenseman off waivers in 2021 from Carolina, and he has since flourished into a legitimate top-pair defender.
• Cole Eiserman was the 2024 Draft’s premier goal scoring prospect, and he was by far the most polarizing player in the group.
• He may not have the offensive skill to wow you, or the size/physicality to excite NHL GMs, but Lindstein has a steadiness and consistency that is so rare for a U20 player.
• Thankfully, his treatment and recovery have been going well and he returned to play the following season.
• He’s talented enough and looked strong enough defensively in the Memorial Cup  that I think he’ll figure it out in the NHL though, if given enough time.
• He has some work to do filling out his rather skinny 6-foot-3 frame, but there is some real promise in his offensive game.

While some will look just at the point total and question if he he reaches the level of a strong first-line center, his defensive impacts are his biggest strength. Since being acquired by the Colorado Avalanche, Devon Toews has developed into an excellent defenseman to support all of the superstars on the team. He has had impressive point totals, and incredible defending, and has earned Norris Trophy votes in three straight seasons before last season.

24 Fantasy hockey top 250 player rankings

Unlike the Stars defender, we are still waiting to see McAvoy break out offensively. Don’t get me wrong, 52 points in 67 games is nothing to sneeze at, but if the Boston defender wants to shake his underrated status, he’ll have to put up more on the score sheet. The 2021 Norris Trophy winner finished second in Norris voting in 2023, losing to Erik Karlsson for the honor. I’d expect Fox gets at least one more nod for defenseman of the year before his career is over.

Filip Forsberg, LW, Nashville Predators

• 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.
• Michael Brandsegg-Nygård is a Norwegian winger who is known for his high work ethic and his shot.
• He possesses great physical qualities, but his game was very raw and needed to be refined.
• David Pastrnak seemed destined for greatness from the jump, making his presence known with a 35-goal campaign just three years into his NHL career.
• He isn’t going to produce a ton of highlight reel plays with his skill, but he’s got enough skill with the puck to compete in the NHL, and he works hard all over the ice.
• His performance in the playoffs en route to the Stanley Cup wasn’t as dominant, but with 10 goals, he certainly didn’t disappear.

Because the boring vets can be found on the waiver wire at any time unless you play in a 32-team league. Aleksander Barkov is arguably one of the Panthers’ biggest threats on both ends of the ice. After all, Barkov won the Selke Trophy this season as the best defensive forward in the NHL. As harassing as Barkov can be on the defensive end, he’s just as dangerous when he’s got the puck on his stick.

Zach Hyman, F, Edmonton Oilers

Matthews earned a majority of the second-place votes last year to finish ahead of Cale Makar, who was the top defenceman at No. 3. Matthews, though, is likely to see a slide down the list after finishing with 40 goals and 85 points in 76 games last season. With his game-breaking play every night, McDavid pulls himself closer and closer to the top of the list of all-time greats with each game he plays. The thing keeping him below the rest of the players ahead of him is likely the team success aspect. Matthews hasn’t found success in the playoffs yet, while three of the four ahead of him have won the Stanley Cup and the other one was the Conn Smythe winner on a losing team.

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Last season was a positive one for Lambert who looked like a top young player in the AHL. The past two years, however, have been a different story as Bystedt continues to show more offensive skill which he is then rewarded for with a larger role on the team which then leads to more offensive production. Bystedt played eight AHL games last Spring with the San Jose Barracuda and looked excellent.

Wyatt Johnston, Dallas Stars

His skating is his best tool both on offense and on defense, but he could use some help defensively where he can get pushed around a bit. Okay, I may have under-sold Brzustewicz’s offense already, he finished last season 10th in OHL scoring and led the league in assists with 79. He has second-pairing potential in the NHL, especially if paired with a solid defensive defender who can make up for his deficiencies on that end. He’s extremely deceptive when setting up his teammates and has a very underrated shot. Lysell has spent the last two seasons in the AHL where he has been excellent for the Providence Bruins, scoring 87 points in 110 total games. It won’t be long before he debuts in Boston, and I think his skating will make him stand out at the NHL level from day-one.

Sam Reinhart, F, Florida Panthers

Hage doesn’t have the most dangerous shot but it’s not a weakness by any means, and he competes well on defense and through traffic in the offensive zone. Ultimately, a lack of elite traits holds him back a little but Hage certainly has a chance to be a top-six forward in the NHL. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård is a Norwegian winger who is known for his high work ethic and his shot. He isn’t going to produce a ton of highlight reel plays with his skill, but he’s got enough skill with the puck to compete in the NHL, and he works hard all over the ice.

• Scoring goals, going into the tough spots of the ice, and playing well defensively are all the highlights of an average game by Chris Kreider.
• The thing keeping him below the rest of the players ahead of him is likely the team success aspect.
• He possesses an uncanny ability to get open in front of the net, knocking in passes on the backdoor and cleaning up rebounds in front in the process.
• The Panthers, on the other hand, are a team that prides themselves on playing suffocating defense from top to bottom.
• Guys his size don’t usually move through opponents like he does, casually dodging between checks to find space.
• There is still a lot of faith that he can bounce back after last season, and with his shooting and utilization of his size, there isn’t much reason to think 56 points is going to be a regular season for him.
• On top of that, he is a very good player on the defensive side too, and doesn’t sacrifice his two-way game for the offensive output.
• I am not sure we’ll have a 20-goal scorer on this team, as this one is less about the blue chip scoring talent and more about being able to build multiple scoring lines with a veteran defense behind them.

Why Iran attacked Israel and the potential consequences

He has flirted with a 100-point season in three out of the last four years, securing 92 last year. The Rangers winger is a superb playmaker who has made a career setting up his teammates. The Canucks knew they had a lethal shooter on their hands in Pettersson, but Vancouver’s face of the franchise has flourished into one of the best two-way centers in the league.

Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars

He didn’t last very long and didn’t leave the biggest impact, but he’s still just 19 so every bit of pro experience and guidance he soaked up in those weeks was time well spent. Your votes will help highlight the athletes who are making the biggest impact this season, showcasing the talent and https://gambibet.org/ dedication of the best players in the league. Join us in recognizing the exceptional performances of these hockey heroes and contributing to the ongoing excitement of the NHL. Last season, Makar became the second-fastest defenseman to reach 300 career points, and he did so in just 280 games.

The NHL’s Top 100 Prospects – Preseason Rankings

• This sort of feels like a classic late-stage-coach season where Notre Dame will mostly struggle and everyone is counting down the days until there is fresh blood taking over who can inject new life into the program.
• Only Hunter Hady or Will Felicio could be in the lineup as a skater as an undrafted freshman.
• He is a force on offense but don’t let that fool you, he is a hard-working defender who makes a lot of stops despite his 5-foot-11 frame.
• 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.
• With a 60-goal season under his belt, he has shown that he can be among the best in the league.
• 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.
• The Minnesota Wild have clearly identified Faber as their top defenseman, and moving forward they will be happy to have him there and build around him.
• Panarin hasn’t completely lived up to his monster contract, but that says more about his mega-deal rather than his production.
• Mateychuk’s production and confidence have only grown since his draft year and he’s been absolutely torching the WHL since then, and should find himself in the NHL next season with the Blue Jackets.

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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Updated hourly, with analysis, commentary and features from hundreds writers worldwide, our articles are read over 5 million times every month. The Minnesota Wild have clearly identified Faber as their top defenseman, and moving forward they will be happy to have him there and build around him. Faber was acquired by the Wild in a trade that sent Fiala to the Kings, and since then, Faber’s development has been fantastic. While the Senators try to leave their rebuilding years, the defense has been one of the biggest issues of the roster.

A towering defender at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, William Wallinder was drafted 32nd overall in 2020. He’s extremely mobile and has a smooth skating stride and a very strong puck carrier. He has put in a lot of work on his defensive game to round out his strengths, but his offensive instincts are what will make him a very good option for the Detroit Red Wings on defense. Wallinder was one of the best young players in Sweden last season and has made the switch to North America this year with the Grand Rapids Griffins. The transition hasn’t been the smoothest and the offensive production hasn’t really arrived yet, but his size and skating sure have, making him a solid defensive player from the jump. Jagger Firkus had a phenomenal final season at the junior level, leading the entire CHL in scoring (goals and points), and being named MVP of the WHL and CHL.

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.

The Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers both have plenty of star power, and those marquee names will go toe-to-toe for hockey’s ultimate prize. Back during the Oilers’ dynasty in the 1980s, those Wayne Gretzky clubs had the great Paul Coffey. There’s a clear path for Celebrini to become an excellent first-line center in the NHL and the San Jose Sharks are counting the days until he can show what he’s made of at their training camp in a few short days.

His performance in the playoffs en route to the Stanley Cup wasn’t as dominant, but with 10 goals, he certainly didn’t disappear. He was on Hart, Selke and Lady Byng ballots this year, and has earned votes for them in previous years, except for the Hart. A very disappointing year by Tage Thompson’s standards didn’t stop voters by much on this one. After posting 47 goals and 94 points two seasons ago, Thompson, along with most of the other Sabres players, took a big step back in production.

Roope Hintz, Dallas Stars

After being selected eighth overall by the Red Wings back in the 2022 Draft, Marco Kasper returned to Sweden as a top-six center for Rögle BK (SHL) at age 18. It quickly became clear that he had more offense to give and all he needed was the opportunity to show it off. Without further ado, here is our ranking of the top 100 NHL prospects as well as a few honourable mentions. Nikita Kucherov – who came in at No. 8 last year – appears to be the only member of the Lightning with a chance to remain in the top 10. Centre Brayden Point checked in at No. 17 Thursday, improving his ranking from No. 26 a year ago.

• What I’ve seen from him this year is a natural progression of him getting bigger and stronger, allowing him to dominate the WHL.
• He was on Hart, Selke and Lady Byng ballots this year, and has earned votes for them in previous years, except for the Hart.
• He had the captaincy moved from him to Auston Matthews, but he is still a very strong leader in the locker room and that will continue to be one of his biggest assets as well.
• He isn’t afraid to mix things up and will battle for any loose puck harder than most.
• 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.
• His ability to change the course of a game single-handedly makes him one of the most electrifying players to watch.

He is a very intelligent offensive player and can make these great reads and plays at full speed. Catton was phenomenal for Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup a year ago as well where he scored 10 points in just five games while captaining Canada to the gold medal. I think his offensive versatility and his potential while attacking off the rush will make him an excellent addition for the Kraken.

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.

He has emerged into a 40+ goal and 90+ point center on the Lightning since taking over the top-line role from Steven Stamkos. Not only can he produce, but he has also received votes for the Lady Byng and Selke Trophies throughout his young career. Like Reinhart, a big breakout year from Hyman in terms of goal-scoring shot him up this list pretty high. Now that he has 90 goals and 160 points over the past two seasons, he has proven that he is a perfect fit with the big names on the Oilers like McDavid and Draisaitl, and compliments their game very well. After a very long and successful career with the Lightning, Steven Stamkos has moved on and joined the Predators. He was one of the best goal-scorers for the last decade and a half, one of the best leaders in the game, and still brings a ton of offense every night.

The knock on the Maple Leafs is their playoff performances, but with Nylander, he has been one of the best players for them come the post-season. Scoring goals, going into the tough spots of the ice, and playing well defensively are all the highlights of an average game by Chris Kreider. He is the heartbeat of the forward group on the Rangers and provides leadership on and off the ice. Kreider is seventh in goals over the last three seasons, including his one and only 50-goal campaign. A big offensive step forward for Lucas Raymond has him relatively high on this list. Having a strong top-six, like Caufield, will help Raymond take an even bigger step this season.

With many awards finalists and proven playoff performers in the mix this spring, who comes out on top? We start with a player who scored more goals this season than anyone in the past 30 years. The Robin to McDavid’s Batman, Draisaitl is a world-class talent who would be the best player on 30 other teams. The German center finished with 52 goals and a career-high 128 points last season, giving him now three years with at least 50 goals and four seasons with at least 100 points. Draisaitl is regarded as the best passer in the league, and rightfully so with his slick dishing ability.

He scored 22 points through 43 regular season and playoff games with Dallas, and should be a serious contender for the Calder Trophy next season. For my money, he was the most talented offensive creator on the backend in the 2024 Draft, however, Parekh’s defensive game leaves a lot to be desired. Some may be worried about his lack of production in the WHL, but anyone who saw Danielson play in the NHL Preseason last Fall should know he’s well on his way to becoming a high-end NHLer. He’s got the size, skating, shot, and skill to be an impactful player in all areas of a hockey game and I will be a massive Danielson apologist until he’s a full time NHLer in the near future. Few centers in junior hockey enter their draft year as well-rounded as Nate Danielson.