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A Glimpse of What’s to Come for the Flyers
Photo Credit: Philadelphia Flyers and BSB
With preseason games now upon us, we are finally getting the chance to witness the fruits of the Flyers General Manager Danny Briere’s labor. And I don’t know about you, but I have not been disappointed.
Take, for instance, the play of the Flyers 2023 seventh overall pick Matvei Michkov and their 2024 13th overall pick Jett Luchanko in Sunday’s 6-2 victory against the Washington Capitals. Both managed to tally two assists each in the game, not to mention creating multiple scoring chances of their own. But it should be noted that their play went so much more beyond just what was able to be transcribed on the score sheet. For instance, it seemed as though each and every time that this pair stepped on the ice, they were creating havoc for the other team. From Jett’s unmatchable speed to Matvei’s majestic work behind the net, these two young men not only were able to impress their coaches and fans alike with their performance, but they were actually able to make the performance of others who were lucky enough to play with them better.
So much so, in fact, that they were able to yield the often-overhyped Morgan Frost to appear as though he was an NHL Superstar out there. They did so by helping Frosty attain two goals and one assist for three points. They also aided Joel Farabee in his efforts to total an impressive one goal and three assists on the night, not to mention the fact that they were able to elevate Bobby Brink’s game to the point that he was able to accumulate two goals of his own during regulation on Sunday.
This got me thinking: with this duo already beginning to show us “A Glimpse of What’s to Come” for the Flyers, who else may still be on their way for the Orange and Black?
By now, it is well known that “Dealing Danny” has been busy trying to right all the wrongs done by his less-than-admirable predecessor, Chuck Fletcher. But few may really know just how well Briere might have already set both himself and this franchise up for the future. For example, if you look ahead to the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, you’ll see that Danny has already managed to potentially stockpile three first-round picks and three second-round picks for next summer. So, let’s take a look at some of the players that they could obtain with these picks, shall we?
Despite the team now essentially operating as if they are in an accelerated rebuild mode thanks to their star prospect Matvei Michkov surprisingly being able to get out of his KHL contract a few years early, they most likely will still find themselves utilizing their own first-round pick to make their teams initial selection of the 2025 Draft.
Flyers 1st Round Pick
And with that pick, I think that Philadelphia should look to draft the towering 6’5, 190-pound center Roger McQueen from the Western Hockey Leagues (WHL’s) Brandon Wheat Kings. This pick makes a lot of sense if you think about it. The Flyers GM has already expressed the want and need to upgrade his team down the middle of the ice, and what better way to do that than drafting a punishing offensive threat that they most likely already fell in love with last season when they were attending the Wheat Kings Games to see how their 2023 second round pick goalie Carson Bjarnason was progressing.
But who could blame them? Roger is a unique physical specimen who can indeed deliver crushing, blows and add a net-front presence like no other. But at the same time, Roger can surprisingly skate and stick handle with the speed and grace that you usually expect from a much smaller finesse guy.
To prove this, all you have to do is look at his stats from last season, where McQueen was able to total a near point per game in his draft minus one season, netting 21 goals and 31 assists for 51 points in 53 games played.
A feat that he looks more than capable of topping this season, seeing that he was able to post seven points in five games played for Team Canada on their way to winning a Gold Medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Not to mention, him being able to net four goals and two assists for six points in just the first two games played this season for the Wheat Kings.
Colorado’s 1st Round pick
The following selection came when Danny Briere so wisely decided to trade veteran defenseman Sean Walker to the Colorado Avalanche at last years deadline for the AV’s own first-round pick in 2025.
Therefore, with this selection, I’m hoping that defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson from the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) will fall a little. My thought behind this is that since the 2024 Draft was filled with so many great defenders, multiple teams couldn’t help but spend their first-round pick on them. Thus hopefully negating the need for them to do so again this year.
Aitcheson, who stands at 6’1 and 198 pounds, is a left-hand shot with a nasty disposition. An old-school defenseman, if you will, who is equally willing to clear the porch for his goalie or drop the gloves to come to the aid of a fellow teammate. But Kashawn is more than just some on-ice bouncer. He is a minute eater! One that you can put out there on the Power Play, the Penalty Kill, or during just regular five-on-five play. And in order to be that trusted, Aitcheson had to prove he could be mobile. And to this point he’s done just that. Reacting to a teammate’s turnover in the blink of an eye, Kashawn has proven time and time again that he must have taken many power skating classes over the years because he can transition from a forward motion to a backward motion with ease.
Edmonton’s Conditional 1st
This pick was acquired by Briere in Vegas during the first round of the 2024 Draft when he decided to trade away the 1st round pick that they received from the Florida Panthers when the Flyers dealt them Claude Giroux. But it has not yet been determined whether the Flyers will be granted the Oilers 1st round pick this year or the one in 2026.
However, if it does happen to be this year, I would find it difficult for Danny to pass up the chance to draft fellow Quebec Native Justin Carbonneau at the tail end of the first round.
Justin is a 6’1, 190-pound, speedy, playmaking right winger whose puck-handling ability makes him seem unstoppable most nights. A statement that most goalies playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last year found to be true since Carbonneau was able to score so frequently last season that most netminders in the league should probably have been tested this off-season to see if they now have epilepsy given the fact that Justin made that red goal light come on so often. Case in point: last year, while playing for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, Carbonneau was responsible for scoring 31 goals and 28 assists for a total of 59 points in 68 games played.
However, the reason why this talented player might be drafted so late is his lack of defensive ability. Despite him scoring 59 points on the season, Justin should, at least for now, be considered ineffective because he was on the ice last season when the other team scored 60 goals which resulted in him finishing the year a -1. Never fear, though, because defense can be taught, and that’s a good thing considering this season Carbonneau has already managed to amass 5 points in just two games but still is somehow rated as a 0 or even in terms of plus-minus rating.
Conditional 2nd Round pick from Columbus
In the second round next summer, the Flyers are bound to be picking early and often, given the fact that their first selection in the second round will probably be the one that they garnered from the Blue Jackets in a trade where the Flyers sent defenseman Ivan Provorov packing. This pick was a conditional one, but after the Blue Jackets chose to retain their second-round pick last year, they will now be forced to give up this year’s second-rounder to the Flyers.
In saying that, I think that the Flyers should take this opportunity to snatch up a player who I believe might fall to the second round, not because he is not skilled enough to be a first-round talent but rather for his total lack of size.
His name is Cameron Schmidt, and in addition to being probably one of the fastest players in this upcoming draft class, he can fill up a stat sheet as well. The only knock on him is that he stands at 5’8 and weighs in at only 152 pounds.
But height is not as important as it used to be in the old NHL. Players nowadays are able to run free out there without fear of being hooked, held, or downright driven into the concrete below like in the days of old. Such is why diminutive players like Montreal’s Cole Caulfield and Detroit’s Alex DeBrincat are able to do so well in this league.
And lucky for whoever is smart enough to draft him, Schmidt looks to be a 2025 version of both of those players. Because in his draft minus one season, Cameron racked up 31 goals and 27 assists, scoring 58 points in just 59 games played. And in the very early parts of this season, he looks destined to demolish his previous highs by scoring four goals in only two games played thus far this season.
Anaheim’s 2nd Rd Pick
Perhaps the most deflating moment of Briere’s still relatively young front-office career was the Flyers’ loss of their former top-five pick, Cutter Gauthier. Who, if you remember, Gauthier informed the team that he no longer wished to play for them and seemingly cut off any communications with the Flyers some time ago. Still being open-minded, It wasn’t until the Philadelphia’s management traveled halfway around the world to speak to Cutter at a Tournament he was playing in for Team USA and was denied access to talk to him face to face that they realized they had to do something.
That something turned out to be manifesting a trade that sent him to the Anaheim Ducks for the return of a young and prospering defenseman named Jamie Drysdale. But what most people forget is that it was not a one for one player trade. The Flyers also acquired in that trade the Ducks 2nd round pick in the 2025 Draft.
So, with the pick probably coming in the early part of the second round as well, I would suggest that the Flyers look to draft Jordan Gavin from the WHL’s Tri-City Americans. Jordan is a 5’11 181 pound two-way forward who can play both the wing and the center position.
He, like Cameron Schmidt and Jason Carbonneau, can take over a game single handily, but the difference between them is that Jordan will not force a play. At times, he is okay with just falling back and excelling as a playmaker when he sees that someone else just has the hotter stick that night. It’s about winning the game for Gavin, and with that kind of mindset, the sky is the limit for this young man.
Flyers Own 2nd
Now, to this point in the article, I have a potential top-line center of the future, a rough and rugged defenseman, and some absolutely explosive wingers for the Flyers to look to draft, but given the fact that the biggest question yet again for this team this season is how will their goaltending will fair? I think I should recommend a goaltender. But not just any goaltender, one that the Flyers could build around, one that will dominate the crease for at least the next decade.
This is no easy task, though, considering that this is something that the team has been trying to find since Ron Hextall retired in 2000. But I think I’m up for the challenge. This upcoming draft, there are going to be a number of good goaltenders available to select, but if I had my way, I would look to Switzerland, where a kid by the name of Elijah Neuenschwander plays.
And that’s because Elijah, to me, has a bit of old-school flare to his game. He, unlike most Butterfly goalies coming out today, does not choose to stay on his knees and just flop around the ice surface to try and locate a rebound through the opposition’s legs. Neuenschwander plays more of a standup style, where he chooses to use his 6’4 frame to his advantage and only goes down to make a stop down low or cover the puck.
To go with that, Elijah’s reaction and recovery time is off the charts. To prove this, you just have to watch his game tape, and you’ll see that Neuenschwander is so quick that, commonly, a player can shoot the puck. Elijah will go down to stop it and recover to his feet before the announcer can even finish getting out that the forward has taken a shot.
Folks, like him or not, Briere has been able to bring in two of the best prospects that this team has had in the last 20 years. Matvei Michkov & Jett Luchanko really look like they can be something special. And let me tell you, if Danny can turn all of the 2025 draft capital that he gained in such a short amount of time into this laundry list of players that I just laid out for you above, I swear construction crews will be erecting a statue of him outside of the Wells Fargo Center real soon!
Potential Dumpster Diving Treasures that Could Pay Dividends for the Flyers if Injuries Occur
Photo Credit: shutterstock.com
With Training Camp now upon us, teams all over the NHL will be trying to see exactly what they have. Their coaches will be taking a look at some new line combinations, evaluating their team’s top prospects to see if they are ready to make the jump to the NHL, and trying to figure out where any newly acquired free agents will fit in. The primary purpose of all this, of course, will be to try and come up with a final list of players who they feel will best give them a chance at winning the highly coveted Stanley Cup.
But as we all know, not all prospects turn out to be what their respective teams hope they will be when they draft them. Some players who are coming back from an extended injury are bound to reaggravate it, or lazy ones who may not have trained as hard as they should in the off-season acquire new ones.
With that being said, the Philadelphia Flyers are no different. Their 25-year-old center Morgan Frost still has not developed into the elite offensive threat that he appeared destined to be when they drafted him out of juniors. Plus, with the extensive injury history of their over-paid Selke Award-winning center Sean Couturier, highly talented young defender Jamie Drysdale, and veteran blueliner Rasmus Ristolainen things could go from “Good” to “OH SHIT, NOT AGAIN” real quick!
So, with that being said, I think that there are a couple of players that were brought into other team’s camps on an invite basis that they should keep a close eye on. Just in case any of the Flyers players/prospects underachieve, or any of those unwanted injuries rear their ugly head. Then maybe, just maybe, Philadelphia could still salvage the season by signing one of these players off the Trash Heap if they do not manage to make the club that they are currently on a try-out basis with.
Tyler Johnson
The first in my mind would have to be the two-time Stanley Cup Champion center Tyler Johnson. I’m a bit surprised that Johnson did not receive a contract from anyone. I get that he is now 34 years of age, but he can still produce offensively. To prove this, all you have to look at is his totals from last season, where he scored 17 goals (that’s four more than any Flyers center was able to net last year) and 14 assists for a total of 31 points.
Now, perhaps the reason nobody wanted him was that he was a -35 on the season last year. But let me remind you that he was playing for Chicago, which has been horrible for quite some time now. So, much so that everybody who played for the Blackhawks was pretty much a minus player last season, including Connor Bedard, who was a -44. Did teams forget that Johnson was a +84 during his nine years in Tampa Bay? I’m sure he didn’t just forget how to play defense. He simply made the mistake of leaving a dynasty for the chance at a bigger payday.
In the coming days, if cut from Boston’s training camp, Johnson could not only prove to be an inexpensive upgrade offensively over the Flyers’ current disappointing group of centers. But a stopgap who could play alongside the Flyers’ Star prospect Matvei Michkov, at least until their newly drafted explosive center Jett Luchanko is ready to join the team, perhaps after playing one more season in juniors.
Logan Brown
If Johnson proves unavailable, another possible option for the Flyers to gain help in the dots would be the former first-round pick of the Ottawa Senators, Logan Brown. Logan is a 6’6 227 pound 26-year-old who, through all of Juniors and most of his time spent playing in the AHL, was a well over a point per game player. However, with so many prospects down the middle, the Sens decided to trade him along with an additional draft pick to St. Louis for an NHL player who could help them now.
If put into a bad position, the Flyers might be willing to take a chance on Logan because of this. Throughout the course of his career, Logan has excelled at making others look great. His head is always up and scanning the ice to try and make the perfect pass to set up a goal. This trait would bode well for the Flyers, considering most of their depth is at the wing position, with guys like Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster, Joel Farabee, and Bobby Brink already slotted to be on the roster.
But the Flyer should be aware that Brown is just coming back from hip surgery that cost him to miss all of last season. And, although he is supposed to be fully recovered now, when you are that big, once you start to sustain injuries, they usually begin to come in bunches. So, the team will need to do a full medical workup on Logan before allowing him to sign his name to anything. That is if the Lightning (who he is currently in camp with on a PTO) don’t sign him first.
Tyson Barrie
As previously stated, if Drysdale sustains another injury or Ristolainen suffers another setback, the Flyers could be in for a very long season. Both are right-hand shot defenders and although the Flyers have a plethora of blueliners within their system, most seem to be on the fast track to becoming career AHL players. That is with the exception of the young Oliver Bonk, of course. But he isn’t even likely to turn pro until after this upcoming season. Soooo, what should the Flyers do if the now somewhat expected happens again, and we lose one or more of our top four defenders to injury?
In my opinion, although it might not be too favorable with the current coaching staff considering this player’s lack of defensive abilities, I would look to try and sign 33-year-old Tyson Barrie to a contract if the Flames end up letting him go from his current PTO deal.
Think about it: the Flyers are coming off back-to-back seasons where they had the league’s worst power-play unit. And Tyson is a power play specialist. In fact, Barrie is so good while on the man advantage that 210 out of his 505 career points that he has scored have come while on the powerplay. And, if you add him to our back end, he will only make things easier for the likes of Michkov, Konecny, and Tippett.
As for all you Barrie haters, listen, he is not my top pick either, but we’re talking about if the team is put in a position where they have to scramble to find an NHL-caliber defenseman. Because I’m sorry if they were that worried about finding a veteran defender that was defensively sound like they preach, they want all the time; then they should have traded for 35-year-old Ryan McDonagh, who is a two-time cup winner and holds a career plus-minus of +246. And not chosen to re-sign the 36-year-old Erik Johnson, who has a career -11. Because the rest of Philadelphia’s defense could use some better guidance, seeing that Tyson, who was a -10 last season while playing for Nashville (and has been labeled not the best defender), was still better defensively than Cam York, who was a -13, Erik Johnson who was a -14, or Travis Sanheim and Jamie Drysdale who both finished the season a -20.
In closing, I hope it doesn’t come down to the Flyers needing to sign one of these players, but the harsh reality is that it might; with guys like Couturier missing a total of 98 games over the course of the last three seasons, Drysdale only playing in 42 of his last 246 games and Risto, managing to suit up for only 31 contest last year. Like they say, history is bound to repeat itself, and the Flyers have to be ready if it does. Because God forbid, the next time may be the last time for one of these players, and the Flyers cannot afford another Ryan Ellis situation where they are stuck paying buku bucks to some injury-prone player who is never going to hit the ice again, thus leaving them high and dry.
Each Country’s Top Prospect Available for the 2025 NHL Draft
Photo Credit: Rena Laverty / USA Hockey
In the not-so-distant past, the only cultural diversity you would find in an NHL locker room would be the Canadian providence from which the players hailed. But that is not the case anymore because the love of this game is now so vast it has stretched to all reaches of the world.
To the point where, it’s not out of the ordinary to have players from several different nations coming together on a single roster. That’s why most teams now are having to hire interpreters to follow these players around so that they can translate what the coach is asking of them.
But this is not a bad thing because, I believe, with the addition of each country’s prospects bringing with them their own particular style of play, this game not only continues to get more exciting but it is metamorphosing before our eyes into something even better.
With that being said, let’s take a look at the best player each country has to offer to see which nation will reign supreme in the 2025 Draft.
BELARUS
Belarus is a small landlocked country in Eastern Europe with a population of only nine million people. It gained independence in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union. And, although they may not have the lengthy list of former NHL players that other countries have to boast about. They will soon, given the fact that over the last couple of years, Belarus has been able to produce players like defenseman Artyom Levshunov, who was just taken second overall this summer by the Chicago Blackhawks.
With that being said, one Belarusian player that I think you should keep an eye on this year is Yaroslav Bryzgalov. Yaroslav is a skilled forward who has chosen to take a similar route to that of Levshunov in that he decided it was in his best interest to come to play stateside this season to prove to both himself and prospecting NHL franchises that his game could translate well to not only the North American style game but that of the NHL.
To do so, this 6’3, 205-pound, still very raw prospect has agreed to play for the USHL’s Des Moines Buccaneers this season. With that, the Bucs stand to gain a forward who scored 21 goals and 48 assists for a total of 69 points in 52 games played last year. And, if those stats weren’t exciting enough, the fact that he was able to do so while maintaining a +44 average on the year should be.
CURRENT NHL DRAFT RANKING: Late 2nd RD.
CANADA
This one is a toss-up between Porter Martone and Michael Misa. I can tell you I’ve literally sat here and watched hours and hours of tape on these two players and still cannot definitively say that if put in the position of going up to the podium on draft day to select one over the other, I would be comfortable in doing so.
That’s because both players are simply outstanding! Each managed to score well over a point per game last season in the Ontario Hockey League at just 16 years of age. And with that, there’s no doubt in my mind that each player will one day, sooner rather than later, have their faces plastered all over banners and billboards throughout their respective NHL club’s city.
So, I’ll let you pick your favorite.
Porter Martone– who plays for the Brampton Steelheads (who were previously known as the Mississauga Steelheads), is a 6’3, 196-pound power forward who is able to create his own offense by dangling through the competition. (Note: this could be an enticing trait to have for a franchise that is in the middle of a rebuild and might not have too much to surround him with at the moment).
Because of this skill and many more, Porter was able to light the lamp a total of 33 times last season and managed to assist on another 38 to finish with 71 points. To boot, Martone also managed to sustain a +25 average for the year.
Michael Misa– who plays for the Saginaw Spirt and stands in at 6’1 and 185 pounds, is more of a speedy, opportunistic forward who is at his best when playing with others who can cycle the puck on the power play or put home one of his passes that he serves up to them on a silver platter.
Not to be outdone, last year, Misa scored 29 goals and 46 assists for a total of 75 points. Not to mention the fact that he netted another five points in five games played to help his team win the CHL’s 2024 Memorial Cup Championship.
Were you able to decide between the two? Yeah, me neither.
CURRENT NHL DRAFT RANKING: Both players have Top 5 overall potential
Czechia
While some might argue that the best Czech player out of this draft is forward Dominik Pavlik or defenseman Radim Mrtka. I believe that the diminutive Adam Benak will prevail over all others.
The main reason for that is that Benak (unlike any of the others listed above) was willing to come over and play in the USHL this season for the Youngstown Phantoms so that NHL clubs will have ample opportunity to scout him this year.
And for good reason. Benak is an elusive, offensive-minded player who can beat you any way he deems necessary. To prove that at just 16 years of age last season, Adam was able to score 29 points in 29 games played versus U20 competition in Czechia, and he just managed to surpass all others that came before him in total points scored (21) during the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
CURRENT NHL DRAFT RANKING: LATE 1ST Early 2nd RD.
Finland
Now that we turn our focus to Finland, the name that stands out above the rest for me is Jesper Kotajarvi. Jesper is an elite defender who moves very well and possesses a heavy shot. In terms of his play, he is wise beyond his years. Kotajarvi very seldom makes mistakes to the point that on the rare occasion that he is accused of making one, if you take the time and review the play, you’ll most likely conclude that while Jesper may have indeed made the turnover, it was only because the winger was not playing with his head up and therefore could not see Kotajarvi absolutely threading the needle right to where the tape of his stick should have been.
Finland has not been the prospect factory that it once was and, therefore, has not been able to provide Jesper with the kind of help he needs to truly thrive. Nevertheless, Kotajarvi is a special player who will indeed make whatever team that drafts him look really clever.
CURRENT NHL DRAFT RANKING: 2ND RD. Pick
Germany
Now, although there doesn’t appear to be any gems like Leon Draisaitl, Tim Stutzle, or Moritz Seider coming out of Germany this season, there are a couple of players from Deutschland who will be drafted.
The first of those players will probably be David Lewandowski, a 6’2 176-pound forward who was able to score 15 goals and 33 assists for 48 points in only 33 games last season playing against U-20 competition.
Still, David will most likely take a few years before he’s ready to come stateside, and that’s ok because he is not considered to be a first-round talent.
CURRENT NHL DRAFT RANKING: Late 2nd or Early 3rd
Norway
Surprisingly enough, this Scandinavian country that is directly connected to prospect powerhouses Sweden and Finland has never really been able to produce many Norwegian-born players who could ever make it to the ranks of the NHL. But they have one this year.
His name is Mikkel Eriksen, and he is so good that if he works hard enough, his career (when it’s all said and done) could rival Norway’s own Mats Zuccarello.
Case in point: Last year, at just 16 years of age, Eriksen was able to post 2.04 points per game while playing up in Norway’s U-20 League. To reach that feat, he scored 19 goals and 28 assists for 47 points in only 23 games played and averaged a +32.
Now, I get it if you are still kind of skeptical about his actual value because of the lack of competition he faces on a daily basis playing in Norway, but to prove that his play can match up against some of the best in the world at his age. Mikkel also managed to post a point per game at the U18 World Junior Championships last year, scoring four goals and one assist in five games.
CURRENT NHL DRAFT RANKING: 3rd RD.
Russia
Although it can sometimes be tough to get this country’s prospects over here after drafting them, it is usally worth the hassle because Russia takes their hockey very seriously. From a very young age, when a player shows potential, Russia will do everything in its power not only to harness it but also to cultivate it.
This being the case with the young Ivan Ryabkin, who last season scored 58 points while playing in the MHL in his draft minus one season. To compare how good he is to other Russian players who came before him, we can take a look at another Russian Prospect named Ivan Demidov, who was taken fifth overall by Montreal this summer. Last season, while playing in his draft-eligible year, Demidov managed to put up 60 points in the same league. So, Ryabkin, who is essentially a year younger than Demidov, was only two points off his pace.
With that being said, it should come as no surprise to hear that Ryabkin has already seen playing time in the KHL (Russia’s top professional league) this season.
However, teams who want this young center should be aware because, like the Flyers’ Michkov was, Ryabkin is signed for the next few seasons. So, teams would have to be willing to either wait until the end of the 2026/2027 season when he is a free agent or somehow convince ($$$) his current club to grant him an early release from his deal if they want to utilize his talents before then.
CURRENT NHL DRAFT RANKING: Top 5 Overall Pick
Slovakia
When I think of Slovakian-born players, I think of speedy wingers like Peter Stastny, Peter Bondra, Marian Gaborik, and Zigmund Palffy. But on the rare occasion, you can get a pretty good defenseman out of them like Zdeno Chara or Andrej Meszaros.
This being the case this season with the young right-hand shooting defenseman Luka Radivojevic, who was actually born in the USA, but resides in Slovakia and is Eastern European through and through.
Radivojevic is a mobile, offensively driven defenseman who can get back and play defense as well, which can’t be said for most offensive defensemen coming out in the draft nowadays. To prove this, all you have to do is compare Luka’s 33 points that he managed to score in Sweden’s J20 League last year to his league-leading +29 plus-minus rating.
CURRENT NHL DRAFT RANKING: Late 1st Rd.
Sweden
The Swedes are a country whose list of all-time greats could stack up with just about anybody’s. And the next player in this country’s long line of succession may be a kid named Anton Frondell.
Anton is a forward who possesses both the skill set to dance through the opposition’s defense and the NHL-caliber shot that it takes to send that little piece of vulcanized rubber right past their goaltender like he is standing still.
Last season, Frondell spent the majority of his season playing in Sweden’s J20 League, where he scored 18 goals and 21 assists for a total of 39 points in only 29 games played. But, the knock on him will be that he is set to undergo knee surgery and currently has no timetable set for a return.
Now, with this not being his first significant injury, his draft stock will surely suffer, but trust and believe with him being this talented someone inside the top ten will still take a chance on him.
CURRENT NHL DRAFT RANKING: Top Ten pick
Switzerland
-is another country that is underrated in terms of the prospects they put out. Mainly because it is not every year that they develop top-end talent, but when they do; watch out because they are going to be something extraordinary! Case in point: Nashville’s Josi Roman and the two Swiss brethren that play up in New Jersey former top 10 pick Timo Meier and 2017’s number one overall pick Nico Hischier.
This season just so happens to be one of those years. This time, their prized prospect comes in the form of 17-year-old goaltender Elijah Neuenschwander. For me, Elijah is a breath of fresh air. His style of play is not that of today’s typical butterfly goalie who stays down on the ice and continues to flop around, looking through peoples’ legs to try and locate the puck after a rebound. Instead, he is a bit old school in the sense that he chooses to stay up when at all possible, using his 6’4 frame to his advantage. He likes to challenge the shooter, and only when he has no other choice does he decide to go down into the butterfly to make a save. But you best believe once he has, Elijah immediately recovers to a standing position.
And, just to clarify, when I say immediately, I mean it has been a very looooong time since I’ve seen a goalie with his kind of reflexes and reactionary time. So, although this draft appears to have a few good guardians of the blue paint, I would have to say Neuenschwander might be the cream of the crop.
CURRENT NHL DRAFT RANKING: 2nd Rd.
United States
No team in the world over the past ten years has been more dominant than the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. Every year, this club seems to have five to ten kids on the team who not only get drafted but also get taken in the first or second round of the draft.
They’ve gotten so good, in fact, that this upcoming off-season, they just might have helped to develop yet another number-one overall draft pick. That’s right, the USNTDP helped produce former number overall picks like Jack Hughes, Auston Matthews, and Patrick Kane.
Now, the next might just be a dynamic 17-year-old center named James Hagens. James is perhaps the most complete player in this draft class. He has the speed to skate through the opposition’s defense with ease, he has the sticking handling ability to get open and place a perfect pass right on the tape of an awaiting teammate. To go with all that James possesses the kind of finishing ability you’ve come to expect from a ten year professional.
Now, if you think I’m just blowing smoke, then let me go over some of his stats from last year. In 58 games played for Team USA last year, James was able to score 39 goals and 63 assists for 102 points. But that was just his offensive production. Hagens is also good in his own zone as well, seeing that he was able to maintain a +43 average on the year. But if that’s still not enough to convince you that James is already the consensus number-one overall pick before he even plays a single regular season game. Then this might. During the World Junior Championships U-18 tournament. Hagens was able to finish with nine goals and 13 assists for a total of 22 points in only seven games played. That feat was good enough to earn his country the silver medal and James the honor of being named the Tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
With nothing else to prove in the junior ranks, James is set to attend and play for Boston College next season. The question now is, will he be able to match 2024’s 1st overall pick Macklin Celebrini’s success from last year when he played for Boston College and scored 64 points that helped him to win the highly regarded Hobey Baker Award? We will just have to wait and see.
CURRENT NHL DRAFT RANKING: 1st Overall
So, there you have it, proof that hockey is alive and well in all reaches of the world. As you just read, this upcoming draft is going to be a good one and why wouldn’t it? As this game’s popularity continues to grow around the world, so will the game itself. Every nation brings a little something different to the game, and nowhere is that more evident than when they all come together to play in the Melting Pot, that is the NHL.