Scouching's 2021 NHL Prospect Pyramids

Ok, so right off the bat, a couple things: First off, I hope you had excellent, safe summers and are looking forward to an exciting season of hockey around the world. Second, I'm absolutely, 100% ripping this idea off of the infamous Steve Dangle, because it just makes too much sense to not steal. All the credit for the idea goes to Steve. That idea is to organizing young players in NHL prospect pipelines into a pyramid of tiers, with franchise-transforming level players at the top, to core players, to fringe/depth players, to longshots, and "Everyone Else" at the bottom. I felt it was prudent to start this season off with a general and casual overview of pipelines around the league as we get into another season.

What constitutes each tier? A franchise-transforming player is exactly what it sounds like. Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Sidney Crosby, perhaps Connor Bedard one day? Either that or there is potential that the player could reach that point with development. These are very rare, and would only likely last on my drafted prospect sheet for one, dominant NHL season. A core level prospect is a player that will most definitely be a valuable piece to a team. A player you wouldn't want to trade unless you're getting quite a bit in return. A player that may not be dominant, but certainly one you reeeeeally like to have. Think Trevor Zegras, Cole Caufield, Owen Power and others. This is where most high end draft picks will land who still qualify as a prospect in my tracking document. Depth level players are likely destined for at best 2nd line roles on any given NHL team, and may be players that may bounce around a little in their careers, but ideally above replacement-level. There are certainly many more of these, as the majority of drafted prospects usually end up somewhere around this range on most NHL teams for a time. The maybe level is for players I'd consider projects or longshots. These are players who may have shown some level of promise but leveled off, or are players who are a step or two behind players that may be further along in their development. The rest get dumped into the "Everyone Else" category, which are players that I struggle to see a path to the NHL for relative to their peers. Could any of these players work up or down the tiers over time, even from the bottom to the top? Absolutely! The name of the game in this line of work is always probability, however, and many drafted players never even get a sniff in the NHL, so the pyramids must reflect that. On each team, I'll be highlighting who I believe is the "best" prospect in the team's pipeline, as well as a player who I've either loved watching in the past and will have my eye on often this season, or simply a fascinating case study that I'll want to keep in the back of my mind. They may not be the "best", but their success would bring me great joy and/or self-reflection.

In case you're wondering, these pyramids are hosted on my Team Prospect Tracker sheet, available at the $15 a month Patreon tier which comes with all perks of lower tiers. Detailed statistics for each team's prospect pipelines are available and updated daily. These pyramids will also be updated accordingly throughout the year.

The last thing is that I want to define what I consider a "prospect" for the purposes of this work. Any player that was first eligible in the 2017 draft or later appears on my lists, putting them in their 5th year of development. Any player who has played more than 41 NHL games or more is also removed from the list, so no Alexis Lafreniere, but yes to Quinton Byfield or Zac Jones. Of course there will be some players on the fringes, or technicalities, but this is just my methodology for tracking purposes, and it generally seems to line up with reality. With all that out of the way, let us begin in alphabetical order with the Anaheim Ducks!

Anaheim Ducks
Top Prospect: Trevor Zegras
Will's Pick: Olen Zellweger

I've really liked the direction the Ducks have gone recently. There's a nice blend of firepower, creativity, skill, and of course g r i t  that should be able to round out a good NHL roster down the road. Of course, high picks Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale and Mason McTavish headline the group, but there's a strong support cast of names like Olen Zellweger, Jacob Perreault, Brayden Tracey and Lukas Dostal that could be great middle of the lineup players with various high end areas of the game.

Trevor Zegras is simply a wizard with the puck, and I feel like it's only a matter of time before he gets stronger and more comfortable in the NHL. He was electrifying at the World Juniors, showing tremendous creativity and adaptability that I hope follows him to the NHL. My personal favourite pick of the litter had to be Olen Zellweger. There's a dynamic shiftiness to his game, able to shake off pressure, create lanes, create space, and move pucks offensively at a real high level. On top of everything, he has the advantage of being just barely eligible for the 2021 Draft, and is one of the youngest D+1 prospects in the league.

Even down the board a bit, Jackson Lacombe and Henry Thrun have taken strides in college, Sean Tschigerl was a favourite of mine last year, and of all the players I hadn't seen before the 2021 Draft, Josh Lopina stuck out as a high floor, smart, hard working energy player in college that could carve out a role down the road. It's an all-around solid group, and there will probably be more on the way in 2022.

Arizona Coyotes
Top Prospect: Dylan Guenther
Will's Pick: Victor Soderstrom

Oh, the Arizona Coyotes. They clearly are entering another rebuild with 11 picks in 2022 and 2024(!) already, and they may not be done selling off prime assets on the team. That is a tremendous amount of draft capital to accrue, but it's another thing to use it effectively. Considering how long the Coyotes have struggled to get over the hump of contention, their recent draft history can be seen as underwhelming. Their 2021 class was... fine, I suppose, but the value left on the board is hard to ignore.

Nevertheless, Dylan Guenther landing in their lap was a nice gift this year, and Victor Soderstrom has steadily improved his offensive leaning game on the backend. Some may question where I've put Barrett Hayton, but while I haven't been his biggest cheerleader, I do think there's a legitimate NHL centre locked away there somewhere, but maybe that's me hoping for Arizona's sake that they haven't completely whiffed on a 5th overall selection when names like Hughes, Boqvist, Bouchard, Smith and Dobson were all on the board.

I wasn't huge on the Josh Doan pick at 37 in 2021, but he isn't a lost cause whatsoever. Janis Jerome Moser may be an NHL player sooner than many taken ahead of him if they make it at all, and there's nice potential with names like Farinacci, Maccelli and Kolyachonok.

One player off the beaten path I have honestly enjoyed is Elliot Ekefjard. He's big, skilled, strong, and while he's a longshot, I had no idea who he was before he was drafted, and in my viewings I found him to be quite impressive. The same could be said for Alexander Daryin, though his development seems to be a bit stagnant lately.

All in all, the Coyotes are looking... fine maybe? For the next few years, it will be absolutely pivotal to really, really nail getting value from all those draft picks. The fate of the organization may partially depend on it.

Boston Bruins
Top Prospect: Fabian Lysell
Will's Pick: Fabian Lysell

The Boston Bruins have been too busy being very good at hockey to worry about filling their prospect cupboard, I think. Fabian Lysell is the star of the show, and was an excellent pickup for them in 2021. I'm still a believer in John Beecher's size and skating package, but the number of players in the pipeline that I can really get behind is a bit limited. Mason Lohrei had a huge year as a 19 year old in the USHL, but I still want to see him at higher levels. Andre Gasseau is an interesting pickup late in a draft, with size and skill, but a lack of refinement and consistency held him back to me. He's a player that in isolation can pull off impressive plays, so I'll have one eye on him this year.

Considering everywhere Jeremy Swayman goes, he stops pucks, and considering he stopped pucks extremely well in limited NHL minutes, as of right now, signs are bright for him to be a potential long term option for the Bruins.

There are just a lot of "guys" with the Bruins, but a lot of "guys" I could see molded into prototypical bottom six Bruins who work hard, earn the results they create, and carve out a role in the NHL. Names like Kuntar, Harrison, and Studnicka could all be part of that group down the road in my view. 

Buffalo Sabres
Top Prospect: Owen Power
Will's Pick: Ryan Johnson

Soooooo yeah. The Buffalo Sabres have been not good for a long time, and a big reason in my view is their inability to not only draft good value options in the draft, but develop players to the point where they're comfortable and capable of pushing play in the NHL. In 2020, I felt their draft missed out on value, albeit less so than prior years, but in 2021 the same trend continues. I'm one of very few who remains skeptical of Owen Power as a truly elite NHL prospect as of right now, but there's no doubt that he will be an NHL player that can drive play, especially in the offensive direction if it were up to me. Isak Rosen may not have been my guy where he was drafted, but he should be a solid complimentary scoring option. JJ Peterka absolutely should've been a 1st round pick in 2020, and people seem to have forgotten completely about Ryan Johnson as he continues to develop a modern and mobile defense-first game with the University of Minnesota. Jack Quinn, once again not the player I would've gone with where he went in 2020 is still a capable scorer with plenty of runway for development.

This is a team that can't afford to be as terrible as they've been, even if just for their fans' sake. There's still work to be done, and there's still value being left on the board in the draft, but the Sabres are certainly trying to move themselves in the right direction with a combination of energy, skill, and physical play with three strong options in net with Devon Levi, U-P Luukkonen and Erik Portillo all on the way.

Calgary Flames
Top Prospect: Matthew Coronato
Will's Pick: William Stromgren

Calgary is one of the teams that flies a bit under the radar with just how interesting their prospect pipeline has been built. They haven't drafted highly in recent years, but coming out with the trio of Connor Zary, Jakob Pelletier and Matthew Coronato is a nice group to work with down the road, and they've made big swings on names like Cole Huckins, William Stromgren, Jeremie Poirier, Dustin Wolf, Ryan Francis and others. If any of these players pop off, I feel like they'll really pop off. They're one of the better value drafting teams in the mid to late rounds, and that trend continued through 2021.

William Stromgren stands out to me as a player I'll be very interested in. He's mobile, big, skilled, but inconsistent and doesn't apply himself often enough to be extremely projectable. The potential is still huge, and in my view, players where the main criticism is that they aren't "good" often enough, but still "good" at times often have a ton of easy upside to expose with more coaching and experience.

Mattias Pettersen, Rory Kerins, and Dmitri Zavgorodny are fun, skilled names that I'd love to see break into the NHL one day. Martin Pospisil is a bit of a hothead from what I remember, but also not bad at the hockey and there's a possibility he carves out a role in the NHL as well. Cole Jordan has tons of upside in my view, but requires some time and patience to rework various areas of his game when it comes to puck management and utilizing his mobility more often.

The Flames are a quietly effective team when it comes to the draft, and while there may be some changes coming to the NHL team in the coming years, there is already a solid pipeline of interesting options across the board that could fill out the roster sooner than later.

Carolina Hurricanes
Top Prospect: Seth Jarvis
Will's Pick: Domenick Fensore

Here come the meme kings. The Carolina Hurricanes are on an island by themselves with how they look at the draft, it seems. Almost entirely focused on value and upside, regardless of almost any other quality, the Hurricanes have continuously stockpiled pick after pick after pick, and taking huge swing after huge swing after huge swing. Will it work out? Who knows, but it's fun to watch! They've gone out and added many personal favourites of mine available way past where they should've gone​. Noel Gunler, Domenick Fensore, Anttoni Honka, Tukka Tieksola, Ville Koivunen, Scott Morrow, Jamieson Rees, Alexander Pashin, I could go on forever. Their strategy is fascinating to say the least.

Headlining everything is Seth Jarvis. He was great in the WHL, great in the AHL, and shows projectable dual-threat offense that could slot into the Hurricanes roster as an effective ELC player. He's dynamic, skilled, creative and intelligent with rock solid potential. Not too bad for taking on Patrick Marleau's contract, eh?

I still am on the Domenick Fensore train  by the way. He and Anttoni Honka are real longshots, but they've come a long way since they were drafted in my view. Dynamic, mobile, creative, and sometimes frustrating, they're tons of fun to watch and I hope we see more of their kind in the NHL one day. As much as I  really liked Dominik Bokk at draft time, his development is troubling to this point. I'm not counting him out, but I really wanted to put him higher and I just don't believe it's the right thing to do. ​

Yes, the Hurricanes are simultaneously hilariously awesome and frustrating, but through it all, they've done an excellent job stockpiling value picks and interesting projects that should help round out their roster for years.

Chicago Blackhawks
Top Prospect: Lukas Reichel
Will's Pick: Landon Slaggert

What was once a promising prospect pool to me seems to be missing it's potential a little bit, but there's still a high volume of potential role players that Chicago has stockpiled. Lukas Reichel is a scoring winger that gets by on smarts and shot generation. While I like Nic Beaudin and Wyatt Kaiser, I don't quite see them on the same level as Reichel. Beyond that, there could be good depth options in names like Victor Stjernborg, Ethan Del Mastro, Colton Dach, and Nolan Allan, and NHL teams definitely still need those types of players.

Landon Slaggert is a player who I had in the back of my mind in the 2020 Draft and even I've been impressed with his progression. He could work his way up a tier with another strong year in Notre Dame. I was on Niklas Nordgren's train for a few years, but time missed with injuries, coupled with how much work needed to be done with his skating has stunted his development much to my chagrin. Potentially players like he and Evan Barratt find form again, but I may not hold my breath too long.

There isn't a tremendous amount to say here. Chicago tends to target low upside players recently in the draft, especially on defense, and time will tell how that shakes out for them. I felt Nolan Allan was questionable in the 1st round, but he's certainly big and physical! It's an up-and-down group of players, but I won't completely count them out as the Blackhawks continue to build around their new young core.

Colorado Avalanche
Top Prospect: Bowen Byram
Will's Pick: Jean-Luc Foudy

The Colorado Avalanche are bound to get to the promised land some time soon, right? Well, even if they don't, there are plenty of players waiting in the wings that will continue to help the Avalanche compete for years. Led by burgeoning NHL pieces Bowen Byram and Alex Newhook, new additions in Oskar Olausson, Sean Behrens, and Justin Barron all look like potential NHL pieces to suit a variety of roles. While I wasn't the biggest fan of Justin Barron, his puck carrying and evasive skill are a ton of fun to watch and his development has come along nicely. I still sit comfortably on the JLF train, and felt he took a nice step in his development with the Colorado Eagles last season. I may be optimistic with him where he is, but I just love watching the guy play, and think there could be great value from the speedy third rounder.

Beyond the big names, Justus Annunen has come along just fine in Finland, Colby Ambrosio had a rock solid freshman season, and Martin Kaut continues to improve his production in the AHL every year. For a team as absurdly talented as they are in the NHL, the Colorado Avalanche may not have the deepest pool around, but they certainly have a much better pipeline than quite a few teams in the league.

Columbus Blue Jackets
Top Prospect: Kent Johnson
Will's Pick: Kirill Marchenko

Columbus has been quite the roller coaster over the last few years, both in the NHL and outside it. They had more picks in 2021 than they did in 2020 and 2019 combined and four years of varying playoff success followed by a season of the opposite has resulted in a team looking to reshape their identity. That seems to have started with their enormous haul in the 2021 draft, led by creative king Kent Johnson, destroyer of pucks Cole Sillinger, and interesting value defenders in Stanislav Svozil and Corson Ceulemans. Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov continue to develop in the KHL in growing roles, and a number of curious later round picks such as Nikolai Makarov, Ole Bjorgvik Holm, and personal favourite Samuel Knazko could potentially be useful role players on Columbus' defense in the future.

I'm hopeful that Liam Foudy can carve out a consistent and important role for Columbus, and names like James Malatesta, Tyler Angle, Martin Rysavy and Trey Fix-Wolansky and swings on raw skill that I'm always a fan of. In my view, the work is not done in Columbus whatsoever, and after adding Jake Bean from Carolina and Adam Boqvist from Chicago, as well as another 1st round pick in the next two years from Chicago, Columbus could see their team start an upswing considering who they've added to this point, and who may be coming in the near future.

Dallas Stars
Top Prospect: Mavrik Bourque
Will's Pick: Logan Stankoven

A very large part of me loves how the Dallas Stars draft, but another part of me gives me a bit of pause. On one hand, drafting for high upside derived from skill, and capitalizing on high skill players who are available later than they should be is a strategy I'll always latch onto. I adore watching Mavrik Bourque make plays all around the ice in a variety of ways. Logan Stankoven is simply remarkable. Ayrton Martino has flown under the radar steadily, and Antonio Stranges, Yevgeni Oksentyuk, and Connor Roulette are pure, raw skill bets. On the other hand, I do believe there's such a thing as relying a bit too much on skill, and their track record on rounding out their pipeline is a bit questionable at this point. Riley Damiani has come along nicely and Artyom Grushnikov could be a solid defender, even after missing all of last season.

First round picks Ty Dellandrea and Thomas Harley may not have been the first names I would've called in 2018 and 2019, but they've come along nicely and should help round out Dallas' roster down the road.  The important thing to focus on, however, is if Dallas fans are looking for another Jason Robertson story, there may be more than one on the way in a few years, and those are always fun for everyone.

Detroit Red Wings
Top Prospect: Moritz Seider
Will's Pick: Lucas Raymond

*insert fake computer program recording of Steve Yzerman laughing maniacally*

In all seriousness, the Detroit Red Wings have drafted often, and in many areas, drafted extremely well. They made a damn fool out of me and many others drafting Moritz Seider, who has simply blossomed into an excellent two-way force on big European ice at multiple levels. He's got skill, mobility, physical imposition, strong defensive reads, and a very short list of weaknesses. On a similar note, Detroit again raised some eyebrows by drafting Simon Edvinsson over personal favorite William Eklund, but I certainly see a world where Edvinsson can hang with Eklund in a few years with strong development to his puck management and offensive confidence against men. In any case, a 1/2 punch of Seider/Edvinsson could be unpleasant for opponents to say the least.

On top of all that wonderfulness, they also have Lukas Raymond, Joe Veleno, Jonatan Berggren, Teddy Niederbach, and Albin Grewe working their way through the pipeline up front which ain't bad at all, and plenty of auxiliary talent on the defensive side in William Wallinder, Eemil Viro, and Shai Buium. There's just so, so much going on in Detroit's pipeline. They may not have nailed every pick they could've in my eyes, but it doesn't really matter. They do well enough and pick enough times that regardless of what happens, there should be a strong young future for the Detroit Red Wings. They've also got 9 picks in what looks to be a strong 2022 class of prospects, so the rich will continue to get richer. Development and player management will be key to maximize what they're getting out of their picks, but they seem to be doing just fine as it is, whatever that may be.

Edmonton Oilers
Top Prospect: Dylan Holloway
Will's Pick: Evan Bouchard

The McDavid-Draisaitl Show is certainly spellbinding, but a large part of me is pained watching Connor McDavid not even come close to competing for a Stanley Cup in the playoffs almost every year. A major driving force behind that is a complete lack of good value depth on the Oilers, and what often is the major driving force behind a complete lack of good value depth is poor drafting and development. While I believe things are changing ever so slightly in Edmonton, there's still work to be done. I like Evan Bouchard, but there are flaws that, while improved, are still there. I didn't mind Philip Broberg, but I did mind him going over names like, I don't know, Cole Caufield? The idea of Connor McDavid passing pucks to and working the offensive zone  with Cole Caufield for 10 years sounded like the greatest thing to happen to hockey since Connor McDavid hit the ice in 2015, but alas, here we are. Broberg has come along just fine in Sweden, but in my view there's still a ways to go to to match up with the projection of the players drafted shortly after him that could have filled a clear need for the Oilers as soon as this coming season.

In any case, the Oilers have built an interesting potential support cast of offensive skill in Ty Tullio, Raphael Lavoie, Xavier Bourgault, Carter Savoie, and Matvei Petrov, but there are many picks that seem to be foregoing real upside at the time of the pick. It's a mixed bag for the Oilers here, but there's potential. They've got the best player in the world playing at his prime, and they are going to start striking, because the iron is really, really hot.

Florida Panthers
Top Prospect: Spencer Knight
Will's Pick: Matthew Samoskevich

I find the new iteration of the Florida Panthers fascinating. They immediately found success under new GM Barry Zito this season, their 2020 Draft crop was an interesting combination of hard workers with strong resilience and aggressive offense, and while Emil Heineman is now in Calgary, Justin Sourdif took a nice step ahead with Vancouver this past season. Mackie Samoskevich, drafted in the 1st round of the 2021 Draft is pure skill upside, and names like Denisenko, Heponiemi, Benning and Ekmark all fit the same profile. Have I ever spoken about Anton Lundell? I can't remember, but he seems pretty good and should fit in just fine behind fellow countryman Alex Barkov at some point in the near future.

Honestly, I have a hard time really figuring out what it is that's bringing the Panthers the success they've had all of a sudden, but I do like the group of players they've put together who may be making their way to the NHL in the future. They continue to take small, calculated steps, and putting undervalued players in a position to succeed in a strongly defined role, and with Joel Quenneville at the helm, anything is possible.

Los Angeles Kings
Top Prospect: Quinton Byfield
Will's Pick: Quinton Byfield

The LA Kings bring a strategy that seems like a hybrid between the sheer volume approach of a team like Detroit, with the "just draft whoever shouldn't be available" strategy of a team like Dallas. Brandt Clarke being the player who just happened to fall in their laps sounds fine to me. Alex Turcotte had a strong AHL campaign with a World Junior gold medal on top, and he'll have my attention this season for sure. Quinton Byfield to my eye also looked much better in his limited NHL time than his lack of production might indicate, but he's also nowhere near developing, having just turned 19. I have every belief that he's going to be a top level force in the NHL. Why is he in the franchise tier? I believe with the size, skill, speed, creativity and shot quality he's got at his best, he's an absolutely dominant hockey player. He's somewhat inconsistent and not extremely agile on his feet, but his ceiling puts him in this tier to me if he hits it.

Going beyond the obvious names however, where shall we begin? There's a bit of a high floor with names like Helenius, Kirsanov, Bjornfot, Pinelli, Faber, and Grans, but there's also plenty of potential with names like Kaliyev, Simontaival, Nousianen, Spence, Fagemo, Thomas and Madden. Somewhere in this massive sea of raw talent must be at least a few net positive impact players in the NHL who can be great per dollar value when LA turns their boat around. I could go on all day about how the Kings have built a war chest of talent at all skater positions in a variety of playing types, but that would probably be boring the majority of you. What matters is that the LA Kings could be a very, very nasty team to play against for quite a while if all goes to plan over the next few years.

Minnesota Wild
Top Prospect: Jesper Wallstedt
Will's Pick: Marat Khusnutdinov

In Judd we trust. In Judd we trust. In Judd we trust. In Judd we trust. In Judd we trust. In Judd we trust. In Judd we trust. In Judd we trust. In Judd we trust. In Judd we trust...

Since coming out of the Paul Fenton era, the Minnesota Wild have had a hell of a turnaround on NHL ice, and a hell of an improvement in their prospect pipeline. Marco Rossi slipping to 9th overall in 2020 is absolutely laughable. Jesper Wallstedt falling to 20th could very well be the same. Everyone knows my feelings about Marat Khusnutdinov. Those who wrote off Matt Boldy after one season might be looking a bit foolish. There's a remarkably talented group at the top for Minnesota. 

Similar to the LA Kings though, Minnesota has an embarrassment of rock solid options on the way in names like Adam Beckman, Carson Lambos, Calen Addison, Jack Peart, and others on the C-level above. Lambos was a guy who I think was a bit overcorrected on by a few scouting outlets, and I certainly have learned a few things after watching Daemon Hunt in the year since being drafted. Would he and Ryan O'Rourke have been the guys I pushed for at their respective picks over say, Noel Gunler and Jean-Luc Foudy? Probably not, but they're definitely a pair that could fill solid roles for the Wild in the future. Raw potential upside picks in names like Bankier, Shaw, Masters, Pillar and Khovanov could also work their way into depth roles that could provide great value and scoring for the team as well. The future in Minnesota appears just as bright as almost any other NHL team, and a lot of that can be traced to their current draft strategy.

Montreal Canadiens
Top Prospect: Cole Caufield
Will's Pick: Sean Farrell

The Montreal Canadiens are a tough one. They've drafted often, and in many situations, drafted quite well in my opinion, but part of me is a bit concerned they're changing gears to pursue a style of play that is unlikely to capture long term success; a strategy only validated by their recent run to the Stanley Cup Final. Through it all, they've added a plethora of rock solid options in a variety of roles. Jan Mysak, Jesse Ylonen and of course Cole Caufield bring pure offensive skill and upside. Mattias Norlinder, Jayden Struble, and Josh Brook bring dynamic, mobile energy to the defense group. Sean Farrell, Rhett Pitlick, and Xavier Simoneau bring relentless energy. There's a lot to like over the years, but I also believe some good players have been left on the board come draft time.

It isn't all bad, and in fact Montreal has a very strong group in multiple positions to keep them competitive down the line. Trevor Timmins is widely respected for a reason, and I have high hopes for a number of the players drafted, but time will tell with just how well their strategy works in the NHL.

Nashville Predators
Top Prospect: Yaroslav Askarov
Will's Pick: David Farrance

It seems that Nashville is one of those teams that's teetering back and forth on the Compete/Rebuild Spectrum, and has been doing so since their cup run in 2018. They've got large contracts on the books, haven't been drafting a ton, and haven't had a ton of success when they do qualify for the playoffs. That being said, when they do draft, the Predators have been largely impressive in my view. Yaroslav Askarov may be the goalie to get the Predators truly back to contention after an excellent season in Russia, and his new teammate Fyodor Svechkov should be a rock solid piece of a core that includes other interesting names with great skill. Philip Tomasino, Zach L'Heureux, Alexander Campbell and Luke Evangelista are all fun players to watch for varying reasons, and Tomasino's great AHL experience last year only builds more confidence.

The real benefit with Nashville to me has always been their focus on nailing picks for their defense group. There was a time where the Predators carried an embarrassment of riches on the defensive side in the NHL, and they weren't afraid of dynamic, puck controlling defensemen regardless of size. They were  greatly rewarded for it, and I believe there's a time coming where the same will continue to be true. I adore David Farrance's offensive game, I still believe Frederic Allard is one of the more underrated non-NHL defenders for his age, and Spencer Stastney has slowly continued to improve with Notre Dame. Further down the depth charts, Marc Del Gaizo, Luke Reid, Anton Olsson, and others all fit in the "let's bet on mobility" category of defense prospect, which is always fine by me depending on where you're drafting the player.

The Predators are a team that has competed in the past and drafted somewhat rarely, but done well to fill their cupboard as best they can, especially on defense. It's a solid group, but there's more work to be done to get the Predators back to previous form through their prospect development pipeline.

New Jersey Devils
Top Prospect: Luke Hughes
Will's Pick: Arseni Gritsyuk

I'm really hoping the Devils can start their upswing back to contention starting this season. I'm really hoping Jack Hughes breaks out, because you can see that he's clearly capable of doing so. I'm really hoping that the expectations and hype surrounding Luke Hughes isn't overwhelming. I'm really hoping people are patient with Alexander Holtz after an up and down season. There's a lot of balls in the air for the Devils, but if things break right, they could have a great group to work with for the next few years as they continue to gain ground in the NHL.

All of Holtz, Luke Hughes, and Dawson Mercer should be valuable members of the team for years, especially in the offensive direction. There's a solid group that could develop into pieces down the lineup like Samu Salminen, Chase Stillman, Kevin Bahl, and the illustrious Shakir Mukhamadullin. The interesting longshots like Arseni Gritsyuk, Benjamin Baumgartner, and Reilly Walsh all are names that have captured my interest over the years.

The Devils have been rebuilding for a while, and signs are bright that the worst is behind them. Have they drafted extraordinarily well? I wouldn't go that far, but they've cast a very wide net with many picks, and it should bring a balanced, strong group of players to the NHL slowly over the next few years.

New York Islanders
Top Prospect: Aatu Raty
Will's Pick: Aaty Raty

This is another one of those Larry David gif teams. Some picks stick out more than others, but more often than not... there isn't a ton going on here. Landing Aatu Raty in the late 2nd round is a great swing to take on a player in my top 15 in 2021, and I think there's a ton of value there should he be able to gain some consistency against men. Alex Jefferies stuck out in my viewings of names I was unfamiliar with in 2020 as well. While the ceiling for William Dufour isn't likely extremely high, he's a combination of aggression, physicality, and skill for a large player that I could easily see filling a bottom six role on a team like the Islanders. On that note, the Islanders strike me as a team that might benefit from a strategy similar to the Florida Panthers moving forward. Finding hard working, physical, but skilled players who have talent on both sides of the ice if not a massive ceiling feels like a pipeline that lines up with what the NHL product is trying to be.

I do like the idea of Ruslan Iskhakov, I have a soft spot for Blade Jenkins, Robin Salo has been up and down but steadily improving, and there could be nice low upside picks in names like Tomas Machu, Matias Rajaniemi, and Sam Bolduc on defense.

The Islanders may not have the best prospect cupboard, but there are interesting names, and if there's anything Lou Lamoriello seems to gravitate to, it's trading draft picks. If you aren't drafting, it's tough to build a great pipeline. On the other hand, the team has been deep in the playoffs multiple years in a row now, so who cares, eh?

New York Rangers
Top Prospect: Zac Jones
Will's Pick: Nils Lundkvist

The Rangers have drafted often, and largely drafted quite well in my view. I wasn't a huge fan of the Braden Schneider pick, but he took a big step last year with his confidence, puck carrying ability and deception in transition that I didn't see in my sample in 2020, and while I wouldn't move him up my 2020 board a tremendous amount, he'd be moved up more than many other names in his range. My thoughts on Zac Jones are not new, and as much as I like Nils Lundkvist, I wonder how long he lasts until he's used as a trade chip to help accelerate the Rangers' path to contention. He's undersized, not the greatest defensive player, and leans offensively, which just feels like it doesn't quite line up with the new management/ownership group with the Rangers. Beyond the big names, I thought Brennan Othmann was a bit of a punt in the 2021 Draft, but he's no slouch and has a clear path to the NHL as a physical winger with a lovely shot and quick hands under pressure. Karl Henriksson, Brett Berard, and Leevi Aaltonen are all a ton of fun, and Ryder Korczak could be a lot of fun as well. Will Cuylle, Adam Edstrom, and Kalle Vaisanen are high-impact players with size and imposition that could fill out the roster in a way that lines up with the Rangers' apparent philosophy a  bit  better. Vaisanen is one I'm especially curious about if his speed generation and skill level can improve over time.

There's a lot going right for the Rangers in their pipeline, in my opinion. They're another team that has drafted often and largely drafted well with plenty of potential for quite a few NHL pieces at varying stages of development.  A Jack Eichel trade may change things a bit, but in my view, if you're getting Jack Eichel, there isn't a ton that I wouldn't put on the table from this list.

Ottawa Senators
Top Prospect: Jake Sanderson
Will's Pick: Roby Jarventie

I just looked out of my window and there are about 48 slightly bearded scowling men wearing foam fingers, all wearing Ottawa Senators hats and are standing in my yard. I know exactly why, so let me get this out of the way: The Ottawa Senators have the greatest management team, the greatest scouting team, the greatest fanbase, and the greatest hockey team to ever walk the face of the Earth.

In all seriousness, as much as the Ottawa Senators have become a bit of a meme, I sincerely admire the culture and identity they've crafted, and how much they're sticking to it. They know what they're trying to be, and they're just being it without caring what the general public cares about them. The Ottawa Senators seem to want to be a team of Sickos. Brady Tkachuks everywhere, interspersed with high skill/high upside players to take flyers on. Could there be another Drake Batherson hiding in a Carson Latimer, Oliver Johansson, or Zack Ostapchuk? I wouldn't count it out, and I'm a fan of all of those players.

While I still think drafting him at 5 left a massive amount of potential on the board, Jake Sanderson had a great freshman campaign with North Dakota which can't be denied. He looks like an exciting 200 foot threat defender who will slot in just fine on the Senators defense corps once he makes the jump. Laugh all you want about Tyler Boucher at 10, but he fits the mold that the Senators seem to be chasing to a T, and had he played an entire season last year, he could've found his way into my first round. Tenth overall is still absolutely bewildering to me, however.

With Alex Formenton continuing to develop, Shane Pinto looking like a solid two-way centre, Roby Jarventie finally showcasing his potential in the Liiga, and solid goaltending depth with Filip Gustavsson, Mads Sogaard and Leevi Merilainen, the Senators almost have no excuses if they don't find a way out of the basement in the next few years. All of this is leaving out the graduated youngsters playing on the NHL team already in Tim Stutzle, Drake Batherson, Josh Norris, Erik Bransstrom and more. Are they conventional? No. Will their grand strategy work? Perhaps. Is it a ton of fun to watch happen? Absolutely.

Philadelphia Flyers
Top Prospect: Cam York
Will's Pick: Bobby Brink

This is a weird one. The Flyers NHL roster seems to be in compete mode with some significant offseason moves across the board, and they've missed the playoffs every other year since 2012 which is probably a stat that means nothing, but is interesting regardless. The upside is that they're on the clock to make the playoffs this year, so that's absolutely going to happen, probably.

The prospect pipeline in Philadelphia is interestingly well rounded. I loved the swing they took on Samu Tuomaala. He's a player that I found frustrating, but clearly promising. Zayde Wisdom was a wonderful story from 2020 that plays an admirable game that I think could carve a role in the NHL for himself. Bobby Brink is a personal favourite of mine who continues to impress, and I'm hoping for a big college junior season out of him with Denver College. I knew he would take time to develop, and I imagine patience will pay off for Philadelphia.

It might be a surprise to see first round picks Tyson Foerster and Cam York in here, and to me, they and Brink are really on the cusp of that "core" level. Foerster is a heavily offensive leaning player, but that offense is undeniable. Cam York is a talented offensive defender as well, but his development since draft time just knocks him down enough to be below the names in that B-level like Jake Sanderson, Alex Turcotte and others.

Off the beaten path, Jay O'Brien was a bizarre choice in the 1st round, but it ain't over yet I guess, and Emil Andrae is a player I have had a hard time seeing a path to the NHL for, but slippery Connor McClennon, KHL goaltender Alexei Kolosov, and QMJHL breakout hotshot Elliot Desnoyers are interesting pickups in the middle of the pack.

The Flyers are going to be interesting to watch for the next couple of years. Key NHL players will continue to age, and they've sold off some picks to acquire current talent, but there is an interesting group of supplemental talent that could grow into something more over time.

Pittsburgh Penguins
Top Prospect: Samuel Poulin
Will's Pick: Lukas Svejkovsky

It feels weird to say it, but the beginning of the end of the Crosby/Malkin/Letang era is likely coming to a close in the coming years. Those three pillars of the franchise will be 35 or older after this season, and the pipeline Pittsburgh is putting together is a little underwhelming to say the least. Pittsburgh has drafted twice in the first round since 2013, and one of those first round picks has since been traded and reacquired, so not having a tremendous pipeline makes sense. With the picks they do have, I think Pittsburgh has done reasonably well to add a decent crop of "we'll see" combinations of skill and smarts, with multiple legitimate goaltending prospects in Joel Blomqvist, Calle Clang and Filip Lindberg.

I've liked Nathan Legare in Quebec when I've caught him recently, with power, skill and goal scoring in combination, and Lukas Svejkovsky was one of my underrated picks from 2020. I get the feeling that Pittsburgh may continue to sell off assets in order to stay competitive while the aging core is still intact, but when the time comes, there's potentially a decent baseline to rebuild with.

San Jose Sharks
Top Prospect: William Eklund
Will's Pick: Daniil Gushchin

Doug Wilson Jr. clearly leans in similar directions as I do, based on their draft history since 2019. William Eklund at 7 in 2021 is a gift from the hockey gods to say the least. The C-level group I've highlighted are all very impressive players in various ways that I could easily see filling out a strong San Jose roster in the future. That group of Coe, Wiesblatt, Bordeleau and Robins all coming from the same draft crop is absolutely bonkers, and I'm hopeful that at least some of these players can fill NHL nets as well as they've filled nets outside the NHL. They lack some depth at the centre position, and a true franchise-altering talent, but for all we know, that may be on the way in 2022 or 2023.

Theo Jacobsson, Liam Gilmartin, Timofei Spitserov, Max McCue, and Santeri Hatakka are all later picks that are sneakily interesting to me with a bunch of upside as well. The franchise's future is in good hands with the group leading the charge, and they're one of the few teams where I'm quite confident on that.

Seattle Kraken
Top Prospect: Matthew Beniers
Will's Pick: Matthew Beniers

There really isn't much to say here. Seattle has been underwhelming when it comes to adding a war chest of draft picks in the coming years, and their 2021 crop was also somewhat questionable. Of course, Matthew Beniers is a phenomenal building block who was my #1 player on my board, but outside of Cole Lind, and perhaps Jacob Melanson and Ryker Evans, I don't see a ton in the crop that likely pushes the needle a ton. I don't mind Ryker Evans, but I do mind him at 35th overall, but Jacob Melanson played a somewhat limited role and produced well with creative skill and one on one talent.

I'm crossing my fingers for the Kraken, but so far things have been... strange. Matty Beniers is still Matty Beniers, and there's plenty of talent in 2022 and 2023 for them to choose from to continue building.

St. Louis Blues
Top Prospect: Simon Robertsson
Will's Pick: Simon Robertsson

Similar to Pittsburgh, this is a team a little more concerned with competing recently than drafting a ton of players. I wasn't a huge fan of Zachary Bolduc or Jake Neighbours, let alone in the first round, but it is possible for me to be wrong. Simon Robertsson on the other hand is a player I've been a big fan of, and getting him in the 3rd round was absolutely wild. He's got a wonderful shot, great skill to evade pressure, and I feel like with enough time and patience, he'll learn to be more assertive and confident against men while working on his straight line speed generation in training.

Tyson Galloway was an interesting player I was glad to see picked in 2021, with great defensive instincts and a combination of mobility and size that I respected greatly. His decisions with the puck and fundamental passing ability undid a lot of the good in his game, but to me, it just points to the areas to focus on in development. I think there's something there, but it may take time. On the other hand, Tyler Tucker is similar but flipped around. His offensive game and aggression is admirable, but rounding things out will be a hurdle for him to overcome in pro hockey. Before you ask, Scott Perunovich, being a 20 year old at time of drafting, has aged out of my tracking document, but I do like him as well.

The Blues are in a similar boat to the Penguins. The pipeline is a bit middling, and their NHL lineup is expensive and aging in key areas. They may be able to hold onto their league position for a little bit longer, but I don't see an enormously promising group that can keep them in contention status in the next generation of the league right now.

Tampa Bay Lightning
Top Prospect: Dylan Duke
Will's Pick: Dylan Duke

I'm not going to sit here and judge the reigning repeat Stanley Cup Champions for the quality of their franchise. The team they've build, regardless of how they've done so, deserves respect. At the draft table, I can't help but wonder about what the plan is, but again, maybe I should stop thinking so much and let the champions do their jobs. Could Jack Finley be a fine bottom six centre in the NHL? Absolutely. Would I have taken him at 57th overall as the first name off my board in 2020? No. I like Eamon Powell, especially where they drafted him, and Dylan Duke where they landed him in 2021 could turn out to be larceny.

They haven't drafted a ton either, so this could all be forgivable in the same way it is for teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins, but for a team loaded with skill and tenacity, their draft strategy seems to lean more heavily towards the latter these days. We'll see how it turns out for them, and I am not sitting here saying the Lightning are destined for failure, but this is a hodgepodge of names that I don't see a tremendous amount of value in long term.

Toronto Maple Leafs
Top Prospect: Rodion Amirov
Will's Pick: Timothy Liljegren

It is painfully obvious where the Toronto Maple Leafs are with their NHL team. Everyone and their dogs are making them into a laughing stock. Luckily, their amateur scouting team has largely done a strong job adding a combination of smart value pickups, and risky big swings on upside that have nicely set up the team to have some per dollar efficiency on their NHL team over the next few years. Trading Kasperi Kapanen and landing a package that led to Rodion Amirov is a smart play, with Amirov taking steps in the KHL last season and coming to North America full time in 2022, looking to crack the 22-23 Leafs roster. Nick Robertson continues to come into his own, and should he learn to play a bit more dynamically, there could be a serious scoring winger on the team as soon as this coming season.

The supporting cast is also strong, people seem to think the clock has run out on Timothy Liljegren, but I'm still optimistic, considering he's been learning in pro hockey for four seasons now and always a bright spot on an up and down Marlies roster. Is he the top-5 pick many thought he was in 2016? No, but a serviceable defender down the Leafs lineup? I could see it. Topi Niemela had an excellent season in Finland, Roni Hirvonen is a low upside player, but still a potential NHL player, and Rasmus Sandin will hopefully be earning full time minutes down the lineup this year should he quicken his decisions and settle into NHL pace better than he had done last season. New addition Matthew Knies was a player I didn't have ranked, but was unaware he had battled COVID issues, and had a strong back half of the year. He brings size, puck protection and a strong possession game, which the Leafs pipeline seems to lack a bit of, and if there's a bottom six 200-foot role player there, that's totally fine with me.

The big swings in the dark really interest me, though. Veeti Miettinen had a great freshman year in college showcasing his remarkable shot while also showcasing the dual threat offense he hinted at in my tracking. Dmitri Ovchinnikov is hopefully going to earn more than 2 minutes of ice time a game in the KHL because his MHL time last year was simply dominant. Ty Voit is a name that probably would've been drafted earlier had the OHL played, but the weirdness of the 2021 Draft might have given Toronto great value here. Free agent signings Keith Petruzzelli (a Marlies signing, so not included in the list) and Alex Steeves have been NCAA standouts that I could've easily targeted, and if you get anything out of those guys, it's a win.

Toronto is a team with resources and financing, and they've put it to good use, in my opinion. The NHL team is objectively talented and still has a heck of a hill to climb, but for a team ideally making the playoffs, the pipeline of youngsters is strong with plenty of value in a number of positions.

Vancouver Canucks
Top Prospect: Vasili Podkolzin
Will's Pick: Joni Jurmo 

First off, my condolences to the family of Patrik Jonsson and the Vancouver Canucks after his passing from prostate cancer this week. Fuck Cancer.

The Vasili Podkolzin show is finally coming to town, and I'm pretty excited. He's going to be a player Canucks fans really enjoy watching, I think. Relentless physical energy, good skill around the net, strong north-south approach to the game, and probably a player who could wear a letter on the front of their jersey one day.

The rest of the pack isn't anything to scoff at either. I was surprised at Danila Klimovich going off the board so early, but the guy can shoot, step out of pressure with skill, and brings an intensity to the game that Vancouver seems to target. Joni Jurmo is a personal favorite of mine with tremendous potential. There's great length, reach, speed, skill, and confidence with Jurmo, and if he can refine his defensive game over time, I have high hopes. On that note, names like Jonathan Myrenberg is a somewhat similar package of traits that caught my eye and looked pretty good in my tracking work. Similar to Toronto's Ty Voit, Connor Lockhart is a wild card that I think could provide good value for Vancouver after seeing him with Erie in 2019-20 here and there.

Vancouver's done a solid job in the post-Brackett era to add a number of players with potential, and a few players with translatable skills. Has it been perfect? No, but the Canucks are adding well with strong depth potential at all positions.

Vegas Golden Knights
Top Prospect: Peyton Krebs
Will's Pick: Daniil Chayka

A team that consistently goes deep in the NHL has also added a strong pipeline of names in a variety of rounds in the draft. You most definitely should not forget about Peyton Krebs, who is a heck of a hockey player, with a ton of potential. Zach Dean is a high upside pick that I found struggled to find consistency, but showed great speed and skill in combination. Improvements to leverage that speed and skill could help find space and fight off pressure more consistently. Once he gets a second with the puck in the offensive zone, he can be one dangerous player.

A player he might be passing pucks to on a regular basis is Brendan Brisson, who had an up and down freshman year, but he's still a hell of a triggerman with good skill under pressure to find space. I'm a fan of Brisson and how he processes play quickly on puck touches, but there's work to be done to build the pace to reach his potential. On a similar note, Daniil Chayka is a player who objectively did not have a great year last season. At times, I saw flashes of the player he could be with mobility, skill and creativity, but it completely evaporated far more than not. If he can recapture his mobile, offensive form he showed with Guelph, the Golden Knights could have a good buy-low pick here.

The rest of the pack is a bit up and down, but don't sleep on Ivan Morozov. I don't think he's too far away from being a level up, and same goes for Lukas Cormier to a lesser extent. I've also still got time for Lukas Elvenes, and Jackson Hallum was impressive in my limited viewing of him last year in the USHL.

The Golden Knights may have gone a little off my board in places over the years, but they've build a good cupboard of skilled players, physical players, creative playmakers, and potentially dynamic 200 foot players that should be able to help the Golden Knights stay competitive.

Washington Capitals
Top Prospect: Connor McMichael
Will's Pick: Alex Alexeyev

There isn't much going on here in terms of depth for Washington, but don't sleep on the names they have drafted. Connor McMichael is legit and could be a dual threat offensive winger who can slot into an NHL lineup sooner rather than later. Hendrix Lapierre had a good bounceback year, and I've always been a fan of Alexander Alexeyev since he was drafted. Martin Fehervary may not have huge upside, he has continued to impress coaches with his defensive play and could slot into the Capitals lineup as a reliable backend presence. Brent Johnson may have been a later pick, but I have a ton of faith that his great year in the USHL only bodes well for his future. He's skilled, intelligent with the puck, and shows inconsistent promise on defending exits and entries. There's a lot of potential, and for a guy who was a USHL rookie last year, he had some seriously impressive moments.

The rest of the pack isn't the greatest group, but Vincent Iorio may have depth potential, Oskar Magnusson is fun to watch, and Hakon Hanelt is an interesting wild card to pick up. The Capitals have been competitive for a while, and that window may slowly be closing, but when it matters, they've drafted well and landed good upside. There's room for growth as there may be with a number of teams, but considering the hand they've been dealt, I have few issues with the Capitals' pipeline. 

Winnipeg Jets
Top Prospect: Cole Perfetti
Will's Pick: Anton Johannesson

Similar to Washington, the Jets haven't drafted often, but they've done well with the picks they've had, especially over the last two seasons. Selecting just eight times, they've stolen Cole Perfetti, landed potentially fantastic value in Chaz Lucius, landed a strong net-area winger in Daniel Torgersson, massive wild card Anton Johannesson, took a great swing on upside in Nikita Chibrikov, and another great swing on skilled upside in Dmitri Kuzmin. Picking Dmitri Rashevsky as a late round bet isn't the worst idea ever. I'm not totally as sold on his upside as others, but he's a shifty scoring winger that is off to a great start in the KHL  this year. It's also a little fun that he suited up for five separate teams last year across three leagues in Russia.

Leon Gawanke and Declan Chisholm are other interesting names on defense that have been fun to watch when I've caught them, and between all these offensive leaning players, at least one of them can hopefully land a good role for themselves with the Jets. David Gustafsson and Ville Heinola are still kicking around as well, and I'll be hopeful to see them landing more ice time this season. With regards to Kristian Vesalainen, the clock is truly starting to tick with him. He's 22, and while his production outside the NHL improved last season, this is an important year for Vesalainen to find form in the NHL.

Considering the Jets have drafted just 13 times in the last three years, there's an impressive amount of talent in their system that could easily lead to some good depth potential with some strong core pieces up front. If things break right for names like Johannesson, Kuzmin, Gawanke or Chisholm, the Jets might've found themselves a heck of a dynamic offensive defense group. They just have to find a way to deploy them in the NHL consistently to give them a chance to play their best game.

Bonus: Team Scouching
Top Prospect: Rodion Amirov
Will's Pick: Jean-Luc Foudy

And so, we get to the greatest team of them all: The one that only exists in my mind. If you're unfamiliar, I draft a team of names that I would've picked had I had every pick my local Toronto Maple Leafs have had since 2016. Some players have graduated, many are still developing. The idea is to essentially put my money where my mouth is as a talent evaluator. It's easy to identify 30-50 names that are legitimately names you like, but it's another to find talent through all 7 rounds consistently when 32 other teams are competing for many of the same players. The only rule is that the player has to be available at the time of the pick, and my picks are made live at draft time since 2019. Of course, development is arguably just as important as evaluating talent in the first place, but it's still a worthwhile exercise to explore the strengths and weaknesses of my work and avoiding framing things with the benefit of hindsight down the road.

I feel pretty good about this group overall. I was a big believer in Simon Robertsson, so adding him to the crop in the 2nd round of 2021 felt right, considering the other names on the board. Adam Fox, and Rasmus Andersson are among the graduated names on defense, but Liljegren, Addison, Tichacek, Gustafsson, and Kokkonen are all names I still very much believe in. Many players on my list have gone undrafted, and that's totally fine by me. Names like Jerry Turkulainen continue to impress in Finland, Pavel Tyutnev continues to fly under the radar with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, and two of my 2021 picks went undrafted, but as they're defenders under 6' tall, I'm not particularly surprised. Looking back at why certain names have gone undrafted or stagnated in their development is also a learning experience for me as well, a person who is always looking to check my work and learn when I can. The point is that I feel confident about the team I've built, and relative to the current Toronto Maple Leafs, there are a few names that might potentially help them solidify their roster on cost-effective contracts that they don't currently have. Mikhail Berdin is a strong netminder, Daniel Vladar was on my list but has since graduated, and Dmitri Nikolayev has stopped about 94% of the pucks he's faced for what feels like the last five seasons. If he has no interest in ever coming to the NHL, fine, but if he ever does, I'm glad I snagged him with a late round pick in 2020.

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So there you have it. 32 overviews of the pipelines in the NHL. I hope you're all as excited for the upcoming season as I am, with tons and tons of highly talented players available in 2022, and tons of fascinating drafted prospects who I'm looking forward to watching develop over the year. If I had to pick the pipelines that I'm most excited about, Detroit, Carolina, and San Jose all come to mind. In terms of efficiency, Winnipeg, Nashville and to an extent Minnesota are all there. I'm not really in the game of who has the "worst" pipeline, because many of those teams are competitive in the NHL, and when you don't draft, it's hard to guide probability in your favor.

In any case, I hope you enjoyed this overview of the landscape of the league and it's future, and I'm looking forward to sharing what I find on the upcoming class with you over the course of the season.

​Be safe, get vaccinated, and if you're Canadian, vote!