By DraftPro Staff

The IIHF World U18 Hockey Championships just wrapped up last week in Espoo and Vantaa Finland, and was a scouting hotspot as a last big event for NHL staffs who are charged with evaluating the next wave of NHL talent.

There were some bright spots for the upcoming 2024 NHL draft that stood out and some future draft eligibles that really grabbed the spotlight. In this ten-part series we will look at each team entry and provide some review of prospects, how they performed and how their performance might have affected their draft stock. We will start with the last place team, Kazakhstan, and work our way through to the gold medal winning Canadian squad.

The Canadian roster was driven by underage performers and future NHL stars who are still a year or two out from being NHL Draft eligible. While not all difference making performances were from the underage contributors, plenty of 2024 NHL Draft eligibles also stepped up and made differences as the Canadians captured gold in Finland.  

Here are some player reports from our Liam Staples on the Canadian U18 players that stood out.

#9 F Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL), 6’0” 165 L. 20-12-2007

Heading into the tournament Gavin McKenna was a highly touted household name in the Western Hockey League (WHL) but by tournament’s end Gavin McKenna made his presence known on the International stage leaving scouts enthralled, eagerly having to wait in anticipation to draft Gavin McKenna. McKenna was Canada’s best player at the tournament and performed at his best when the moments mattered most. McKenna finished with 10 goals, 10 assists for 20 points in 7 games at the tournament, just two points behind American standout, James Hagens, for the tournament lead. The remarkable accomplishments McKenna achieved at this years U18 tournament become even more impressive by the fact that McKenna dominated a tournament meant for draft-eligible 17 year olds, McKenna aged 16 is considered a “double under-ager”, meaning he is not draft eligible until the 2026 NHL Draft, as he has a late 2007 December Birthday. He is a dynamic skater with a natural smooth straight-line stride. He excels playing at top speed with excellent control of the puck. His great edgework ability allows him to dodge opponents and move laterally without losing control. Gavin thinks the game at an elite level, he anticipates plays before they happen at an advanced level. As Canada progressed through the knockout stages, Gavin grew to become more of a leader on the ice for Canada, driving the play offensively, leading zone entries and became the player his defenceman would pass the puck to, to calm the storm in the defensive end and exit the zone in transition. McKenna saved his best performance for the gold medal game against the highly-skilled, favoured American side. Being heavily outshot and dominated in the possession game through the first half of the game. McKenna gave Canada life capitalizing on power play advantages with timely goals and stamped his performance with the empty net insurance goal for Canada to complete the hat-trick and secure the gold medal for Canada. McKenna’s skillset, skating and hockey IQ are at elite levels. If hockey fans were unaware of who Gavin McKenna was before the tournament, the Yukon native from Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation (Whitehorse) certainly is a player everyone needs to watch now.

#24 F Tij Iginla, Kelowna (WHL), 6’0” 185 L. 04-08-2006

Slotted on the forward line alongside Jett Luchanko and Ryder Ritchie. Iginla was strong on the puck, resilient and found ways to get his stick on pucks. When sizing up against his opponent to protect the puck, he was effective at opening up his skating gait by widening his stance, to distribute the strength in his lower body making it more difficult for opponents to knock him off the puck, by opening up his gait it provided that needed additional time and space for Iginla to find his teammates and make a play. This may sound familiar but Tij is an Iginla who likes to score goals. Iginla finished third in total points on the team with 12 points, 6 goals and 6 assists, in 7 games. Iginla averaged just below 4 shots per game in the tournament, about one shot less than his shots per game in the WHL this past season. Iginla elevated his game during the knockout stages of the tournament, recording 7 of his 12 points in the final 3 games, including the eventual game winning goal in the gold medal game against the United States. The gold medal winning tradition continues to run in the Iginla family, like his father Jarome, Tij carries a gold medal for Team Canada.

#30 G Carter George, Owen Sound (OHL), 6’1” 185 L. 20-05-2006

The crease for Canada’s number one goalie belonged to Carter George. The Canadian goalkeeper was insurmountable in his performance backstopping Canada to the gold medal. George finished the tournament with a .914 save percentage and 2.33 Goals-Against Average in the tournament. George was named a Tournament All-Star and awarded as the Best Goalie of the tournament. His reaction time was superb in the gold medal game against the United States. The Americans were a team that likes to move the puck quickly, maintain possession through cycles and timely passes and use the threat of deception through shot fakes and outlook passes to get goalies to react and move out of position. George managed to weather the storm for Canada, making key saves and remaining composed when being bombarded with shots by the Americans. Down by two goals and being outshot by close to 20 shots in the second period, George quite literally saved the game for Canada by making an acrobatic stick save on the goal-line to deny USA forward James Hagens from putting a stranglehold on the game by pushing the game to 4-1. George stayed square to shooters by getting to the top of his crease to make saves. There were moments when George was scrambly in his crease after having to recover from multiple shot attempts in close but he kept his composure and did not lose sight of the puck. George’s performance was remarkable throughout the entirety of the tournament. George played like how a NHL playoff goalie is expected to perform, play well enough to make timely saves, keep your team in the hockey game and possibly steal a victory for your team when it matters most and George certainly lived up to that.

#22 F Porter Martone, Mississauga (OHL), 6’3” 170 R. 26-10-2006

Martone was named captain and the only returnee for Canada at the tournament. Playing on a line with Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat) and Caleb Desnoyers (Moncton), all three forwards are not eligible until the 2025 and 2026 NHL Draft. Martone is not draft eligible until 2025 because he was born with a late 2006 birthday. The combination of skill and size Martone possesses was too much for defenders throughout the tournament. Watching Martone with the puck, he draws in multiple defenders to challenge him for the puck forcing the defence to collapse and create valuable open space for his teammates in the offensive zone. Martone is so effective at shielding the puck with his size and thoroughly understands how to use his body to gain advantages on the ice. Martone plays similar to a power forward; he finishes his checks, he hunts down pucks and uses his body to create offence. Yet, his skill with the puck is his strongest trait. Martone was a perfect fit for a top line with McKenna and Desnoyers, players that create offence using speed and quick in transition, Martone was so effective for this line because he utilized his size to create space on the ice for McKenna, who is so dangerous playing with speed and open space, and Martone possesses great passing ability that allowed him dish pucks out into open space for teammates in high danger scoring areas.  Martone finished the tournament with 17 points, 5 goals and 12 assists in 7 games. He possesses a strong shot, capable of scoring from distance and great hand-eye coordination, he keeps plays alive in the offensive zone by batting down pucks out of the air and even scored a goal against Kazakhstan by batting the puck out of the air. Important to consider, Martone recorded secondary assists in the semi-final and gold medal game. Although secondary assists are not always praised as much as primary assists by some, His effort on the assists should be noted as Martone started the scoring play and through his effective passing and puck protection, it led to significant goals for Canada in the respected hockey games. Martone is projected as a top prospect for the 2025 NHL Draft and will be a key player for a highly competitive Steelheads team aiming to make an OHL Championship run next season.

#8 D Frankie Marrelli, Ottawa (OHL), 5’11” 185 L. 16-02-2006

Paired with Ottawa 67’s teammate Henry Mews. Marrelli was a key piece on Canada’s backend who all played an excellent tournament. The defensive pairings on this Canadian roster, you could pick and choose who stood out to you and make a case for every player but Marrelli was a player who really stood out defensively in the tournament. Marrelli accepted his role of shut down duties as one of Canada’s defensive defenceman. Marrelli was excellent in his own zone occupying skating lanes pushing opponents to take further lanes to the puck. Marrelli was dependent upon on the penalty kill and shutting down the opposition’s best players. Marrelli maintained excellent gap control, eliminating his man from the play at the blue line by using perfectly timed stick checks and physical play. There were instances when Marrelli and his partner needed to play closer together to close down the middle of the ice, the pairing got burned a few times by opponents using speed to split through the pair for a breakaway. Marrelli was smart with his decisions when pinch in the offensive zone, he was rewarded with his lone assist of the tournament for his efforts on a pinched play against Sweden in the semi-final. Marrelli managed puck retrievals well and made smart passing decisions on zone exits. Marrelli inherited physicality well, he committed to blocking shots consistently, he boxed out opponents in front of the net and provided support for his partner along the wall. When it came to defending one-on-one situations against highly skilled, elite goal scoring forwards like USA forward Cole Eiserman, Marrelli played physical, using his body and strength to separate his man from and puck, completely eliminating them from the play. Marrelli was great with puck protection along the boards, shielding the puck with his body allowing no chance for his opponent to win back the puck. Marrelli was correctly pinning his opponent to the boards through proper body positioning, not allowing his opponent to escape with the puck. Marrelli was a key piece in Canada’s defensive core in the tournament. 

#4 D Harrison Brunicke, Kamloops (WHL), 6’3” 187 R. 08-05-2006

Brunicke was another standout on Canada’s blueline for his defensive efforts throughout the tournament. A tall right-handed shot defensive-defenceman Brunicke performed well to everything that is expected from a defensive-defenceman. Brunicke played an important role on Canada’s penalty kill, often paired with Frankie Marrelli on the penalty kill. Brunicke was quick to close the gap on his opponents, eliminating their time and space forcing turnovers or dump-in. Brunicke managed puck retrievals well, made smart passes to teammates and utilized his stick to knock pucks loose and obstruct passing lanes. The physical aspects noticeable in his game was how he used his strength to spin out his opponents, altering their momentum and direction effectively removing them out of the play. Brunicke was a committed shot blocker and boxed out opponents, clearing the front of the net. For a defenceman that played a more defensive role, Brunicke achieved four points in the tournament with one goal and three assists and led the Canadian defence with a +11 rating.

#5 D Henry Mews, Ottawa (OHL), 6’0” 185 R. 09-03-2006

Mews was the catalyst offensively on Canada’s blueline activating in on the rush and contributing offensively. Paired up with his Ottawa 67’s teammate, Frankie Marrelli, Mews served as another passing option for his partner during breakouts. The 67’s defence pair worked well together, building on their chemistry and understanding each other’s playing habits. Marrelli plays more defensively and prefers to move the puck, Mews plays more offensively, preferring to carry the puck more often and quarterback the offence from the blueline. Watching Mews play, he would leave you amazed with his decision making, for example, he baited forwards in to come pressure him in the corner below his own goal-line, once they committed to pressuring, he opened up his skating gait and used his edges to twist and turn his opponents around and break free, carrying the puck out of the zone. His skating agility is certainly impressive but the risks he would take in the defensive zone could easily cause negative consequences if the risk does not pay off. He played well defensively overall. He did not give up too much space after activating into the play. He was able to recover back defensively through his skating. He made smooth passes consistently. Mews finished with the most points on the Canadian blueline with 7 points, 2 goals and 5 assists, in the tournament. 

Photos courtesy IIHF.com

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Get your hands on the comprehensive DraftPro 2024 Draft Guide now!

In the 2024 Draft Guide our team ranks the top 224 NHL Draft eligibles, provides well-written profiles on the top 224 names for this year, includes in-depth prospect features, looks at the NHL’s top 50 drafted prospects coming down the pipe, dives into what each NHL team has in the prospect cupboard and what their draft needs are, provides a comprehensive look at the 2025 NHL Draft with profiles on the top 32, provides a top 32 ranking on the 2026 NHL Draft with profiles on the top 10, and so much more.

https://draftprospectshockey.com/draftpro-2024-nhl-draft-guide-now-available

By DraftPro Staff

The IIHF World U18 Hockey Championships just wrapped up last week in Espoo and Vantaa Finland, and was a scouting hotspot as a last big event for NHL staffs who are charged with evaluating the next wave of NHL talent.

There were some bright spots for the upcoming 2024 NHL draft that stood out and some future draft eligibles that really grabbed the spotlight. In this ten-part series we will look at each team entry and provide some review of prospects, how they performed and how their performance might have affected their draft stock. We will start with the last place team, Kazakhstan, and work our way through to the gold medal winning Canadian squad.

The Americans are always a big threat to bring home the gold at this event. The National Team Development Program is geared toward this event being the culmination of their two-year programs aim for this roster as they battle from u17 to u18 age groups.

Here are some player reports from our Andy Miller on the USA U18 players that stood out.

#10 James Hagens, C, USNTDP, U18, 5’10”, 158, L,  DOB 11.3.2006

Hagens is an electric player who did everything but disappoint with his demonstration of skill in the U18 tournament. He took over every game at some point or another. He was the tournament MVP leading the tournament in points. Hagens drove team USA through the round robin portion with his incredible hockey IQ and ability to distribute the puck to his teammates. He scored over a goal a game and averaged over three points a game. He had a remarkable tournament and the only smudge on his tournament was Canada’s ability to keep him off the scoresheet in the final game. His shot has a deceptive release and has a lot behind it.

#23 Cole Hutson, D, USNTDP, (USHL), 5’8”, 143, L, DOB 6.28.2006

Hutson demonstrated his elite offensive skill set from the backend at the tournament and was selected as the top defender in the tournament. He is a player who with one pass can exit the zone and he can transition from defense to offense quickly. He is a player that had a wonderful tournament. In the final game he played his best in the final against the deep and skilled team of Canada. He is a player who could develop into a top puck moving defenseman on a team and even a top one in the NHL. Hutson showed off his exceptional skating talent and he is a player who will be a later first round selection in the upcoming NHL draft.

#34 Cole Eiserman, LW, USNTDP U18, L, 5’11”, 192, DOB 8.29.2006

Eiserman has a pro shot and this will translate well to the NHL in a few years. He finished second in goal scoring at the tournament with 9 goals and was a factor throughout the tournament. He displayed his strong skating skills in every game. He was a key player in keeping team USA in the hunt for the gold in the Final game and they just came up short. He continued to show his willingness to go to the tough areas of the ice against a team that defended exceptionally well. When looking at the shot map his shots were all quality chances. He needs to clean up his game without the puck though. He will be a top ten selection and has an outside chance of being inside the top 5 as well.

#16 Trevor Connelly, F, USA, L, 6’1, 161, DOB 2.28.2006

Connelly is a very creative player who left a mark on this tournament. Being a bit of an outsider on team USA he did quite well fitting into the team, likely due to his high end skating skills. He demonstrated his great hands in passing the puck and putting it on the tape for quality chances, or deking in areas or around players. He is a player who if he has any time and space showed that he will make his opponent pay. Connelly was a player who managed to improve his game throughout the tournament and was a key piece for team USA. He is always an offensive threat on the ice and was a difference maker in many games.  He will likely be a top 15 selection in the upcoming draft.

#27 Will Skahan, D, USNTDP U18 (USHL), L, 6’4”, 205, DOB 5.14.2006

Skahan played a solid tournament and left a positive impression. He did not change anyone’s opinion on his playing style as he is a defensive defenseman who can move the puck. He still managed to put up two points and played well every game.  Plus/minus is not the most reliable stat but he was a +2 in the Gold medal loss which did represent his ice time as he was a positive player in the gold medal game on both sides of the puck. He is a player who will be a few years from getting to the NHL but will be a second pair guy on a deep team or a solid reliable anchor for an offensive defenseman on the first pair.

#8 Teddy Stiga, LW, USNTDP (USHL), L,5’10”, 176, DOB 4.5.2006

Stiga is a very quick skater who can turn on a dime and is very agile. He has the ability to find open lanes when he has the puck on his stick. He is a great puck handler and can be creative with the puck on his stick. He has a good shot and a quick release that is hard to read. Stiga is also responsible with the puck on his stick and while he makes quick decisions his decisions are typically the right one’s. He was a very versatile player who was effective in all areas of the game. He plays a 200 foot game and can play with speed in open ice or work the wall and come up with the puck.  He solidified himself as a likely second round selection in the upcoming draft with his play in this tournament.

#7 Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen, D, USNTDP U18, 6’0”, 181, L, DOB 12.18.2006

Rheuume-Mullen is a smooth skating defenseman who has good offensive instincts and can lead the rush confidently. He clearly has a high hockey IQ and uses that to make his decisions that he does with certainty. He was a bit too risky at times and could turn the puck over and made a bit more work for himself than was needed. He has great edge control and transitions quickly with or without the puck. He typically has good body position on the defensive side of the puck but like all young players could bulk up a bit more. He has another year til his draft but showed that he will be a solid draft option in the 2025 draft.

#16 Logan Hensler, D, USNTDP U18, R, 6’2”, 197, DOB 10.14.2006

Hensler is a big defender who has decent mobility too.  He put up almost a point a game in the tournament and was an effective player for pushing the puck up the ice for team USA. He was a physical presence at times. He is a quality passer who was able to find the seams and put the puck on a platter and made it easy to receive. He is a good defensive defenseman who has decent strength to help box players out at the net front. The tournament helped his draft status for next year as he demonstrated his ability to handle top end players.

#31 Nick Kempf, G, USA U18, L, 6’2”, 190, DOB 6.19.2006

Kempf is a goaltender with good size and he uses it well. He typically has good box control and doesn’t over play the puck. He demonstrated calmness during this tournament and was able to settle things down for team USA when it was needed.  He was able to make the saves he needed  to. He read the play well and tracked the puck well.  He had good rebound control in the tournament and didn’t make extra work for himself in the tournament.  Kempf moved well laterally and opened up few holes when he moved. He usurped Parsons as the number one goaltender for USA at this tournament and he certainly helped his status for the draft by doing that and could be as high as a fourth round selection after his play at this tournament.

Photos courtesy IIHF.com

************************************************************

Get your hands on the comprehensive DraftPro 2024 Draft Guide now!

In the 2024 Draft Guide our team ranks the top 224 NHL Draft eligibles, provides well-written profiles on the top 224 names for this year, includes in-depth prospect features, looks at the NHL’s top 50 drafted prospects coming down the pipe, dives into what each NHL team has in the prospect cupboard and what their draft needs are, provides a comprehensive look at the 2025 NHL Draft with profiles on the top 32, provides a top 32 ranking on the 2026 NHL Draft with profiles on the top 10, and so much more.

https://draftprospectshockey.com/draftpro-2024-nhl-draft-guide-now-available

By DraftPro Staff

The IIHF World U18 Hockey Championships just wrapped up last week in Espoo and Vantaa Finland, and was a scouting hotspot as a last big event for NHL staffs who are charged with evaluating the next wave of NHL talent.

There were some bright spots for the upcoming 2024 NHL draft that stood out and some future draft eligibles that really grabbed the spotlight. In this ten-part series we will look at each team entry and provide some review of prospects, how they performed and how their performance might have affected their draft stock. We will start with the last place team, Kazakhstan, and work our way through to the gold medal winning Canadian squad.

The Swedish team was seen as a bit overmatched heading into the event with solid depth on the roster but lacking in game breaking offensive talent up front. The Swedes managed to grind their way to the third place game and come home with a bronze medal in their pockets.

Here are some player reports from our John Ryan on the Swedish U18 players that stood out.

#4 D, Leo Sahlin Wallenius, Sweden (Vaxjo Lakers HC J20, J20 Nationell), 6’0”, 183, L, 04.10.206

Was called upon to be the big-time minute muncher for team Sweden during the tournament. He was heavily relied upon to be the team’s best defensive defenseman in the tournament playing huge minutes. Additionally, he was tasked with being the quarterback for the first powerplay unit. Offensively, he left more to be desired and was outshined by his teammate, Alfons Freij. However, he was Sweden’s most steady defenseman and consistently made tape-to-tape passes out of the defensive zone to one of his teammates. I was expecting more engagement on the rush using his speed to carry the puck up the ice than what I saw throughout the tournament. He did have flashes where his offensive skill shined but was inconsistent. Overall, he had a strong tournament and proved that he can be relied on to play heavy minutes. He will likely be selected somewhere in the late first to early second round of the 2024 NHL Draft.

#20 D, Alfons Freij (Vaxjo Lakers HC J20, J20 Nationell), 6’1”, 196, L, 02.12.2006

The offensive defenseman shined in this tournament. He was consistently Sweden’s biggest threat from the backend and was especially dangerous when he joined the rush up the ice. His skating ability, hands, and vision popped throughout the tournament. He is a smooth and fast skater that can handle the puck at top-end speeds and dance around opponents. He did have some defensive lapses during the tournament which is expected from an offensively minded defender that looks to push the play up ice nearly every shift. He stood out among all defenders for Sweden and was by far the biggest offensive threat from the backend throughout the tournament. Freij’s offensive tools and fast paced game should draw lots of attention from NHL scouts. He will likely be selected somewhere in the late first to early second round of the 2024 NHL Draft. 

#26 F, Alexander Zetterbeg, Sweden (Orebro HK J20, J20 Nationell), 5’8”, 148, R, 04.24.2006

A gifted undersized forward that plays a skilled game and excels at offensive creativity. Unfortunately, his tournament was cut short because of an injury he suffered against team Switzerland. During his time in the tournament, he was arguably Sweden’s most consistent player at generating offense for his team. A great trait that he demonstrated throughout his time in the tournament is his willingness to drive to the high traffic areas despite his small stature. His puck skills and skating ability also showed well in the tournament. He used these abilities to juke around defenders and create offensive opportunities for himself and teammates. Due to his size and lack of high-end skill, Zetterberg will likely be selected in the 3rd-4th round of the 2024 NHL Draft if not later.

#24 F, Linus Eriksson (Djurgardens IF, HockeyAllsvenskan), 6’0”, 185, L, 03.23.26

Played a strong 2-way game. Demonstrated that he can process plays quickly and has great vision of the ice throughout the tournament. His defensive game stood out more than his offensive skills throughout most of the tournament. He showed his high-end hockey IQ throughout the tournament with his positioning defensively and his ability to find open players in the offensive zone. Eriksson was consistently the first forward back in the defensive zone which further demonstrated the emphasis he puts on playing a strong defensive game. There were pockets of play where his offensive tools did flash, especially with his playmaking ability. He will likely be selected somewhere in the 2nd-3rd round of the 2024 NHL Draft. 

#18 F, Victor Eklund (Djurgardens IF, HockeyAllsvenskan), 5’11”, 161, R, 10.03.2006

A hard-working winger that drives to the front of the net to create chaos in front of opposing goaltenders. His compete level with and without the puck shined throughout the tournament. Whenever he mishandled the puck, he would quickly attack the opposing player attempting to strip the puck from them and take possession back. Most of his goals were scored within five feet of the net. He is an undersized forward which makes it even more impressive that he was able to compete for space in front of the goaltender to score close range goals. Eklund is not draft eligible until 2025 and with further growth in his skills and natural bodily growth, he could take a major step next season and shine even brighter at next season’s IIHF U18 Worlds tournament. Right now, he looks like a potential first round pick for the 2025 NHL Draft. 

#12 F, Melvin Fernstrom (Orebro HK J20, J20 Nationell), 6’0”, 170, R, 02.28.26

An average sized winger that possesses a great release. Unlike many of his counterparts on team Sweden, he does not excel away from the puck and is not a play driver. Instead, he is more of a support player and trigger man. I would have liked to see more engagement in the defensive zone and more of an ability to lead the rush. However, the things he does well in his game he did well in the tournament. He was strong along the boards in the offensive zone and did crash the net a few times. Additionally, he stripped opponents of the puck a few times in the offensive zone during the tournament which led to scoring chances for. A higher compete level in the neutral zone and defensive zone would make him a much more well-rounded player. Overall, he performed to the level that is expected of him. He will likely be selected in the 2nd-3rd round of the 2024 NHL Draft.

#11 F, Lucas Pettersson (MoDo Hockey J20, J20 Nationell), 5’11”, 172, L, 04.17.2006

A smart 2-way center that plays with a lot of pace. His play in transition was perhaps the best among all Swedish forwards in the tournament. In the offensive zone he saw the ice extremely well and made tight window passes look easy. He was especially dangerous when he used his speed and makes a quick cut to the slot to release his strong wrist shot. He played with a high motor and was consistently one of the best players on team Sweden throughout the tournament. His play away from the puck was also very impressive. He was consistently the first forward in the defensive zone and used strong stick work to strip the puck from opponents on the backcheck. He projects as a potential third line 2-way center with offensive upside. He will likely be drafted in the late first to early second round of the 2024 NHL draft.  

Photos courtesy IIHF.com

************************************************************

Get your hands on the comprehensive DraftPro 2024 Draft Guide now!

In the 2024 Draft Guide our team ranks the top 224 NHL Draft eligibles, provides well-written profiles on the top 224 names for this year, includes in-depth prospect features, looks at the NHL’s top 50 drafted prospects coming down the pipe, dives into what each NHL team has in the prospect cupboard and what their draft needs are, provides a comprehensive look at the 2025 NHL Draft with profiles on the top 32, provides a top 32 ranking on the 2026 NHL Draft with profiles on the top 10, and so much more.

https://draftprospectshockey.com/draftpro-2024-nhl-draft-guide-now-available

By DraftPro Staff

The IIHF World U18 Hockey Championships just wrapped up last week in Espoo and Vantaa Finland, and was a scouting hotspot as a last big event for NHL staffs who are charged with evaluating the next wave of NHL talent.

There were some bright spots for the upcoming 2024 NHL draft that stood out and some future draft eligibles that really grabbed the spotlight. In this ten-part series we will look at each team entry and provide some review of prospects, how they performed and how their performance might have affected their draft stock. We will start with the last place team, Kazakhstan, and work our way through to the gold medal winning Canadian squad.

The plucky Slovak squad put up a good fight getting all the way to the bronze medal game before finally loosing to a solid Swedish team.

Here are some player reports from our Joseph Stanislau on the Slovakian U18 players that stood out.

22 Adam Nemec, F, 6’0, 159 lb, 18.10.2007 (HK Nitra U20)

The younger brother to New Jersey Devils defenseman, Simon Nemec, is a forward who plays a different style of hockey where he is a very good forechecker who plays a high energy game, and has a lot of drive similar to his brother. Adam had 2 goals in 7 games and he needs to bulk up a lot to around 185 lb because the way he attacks offensively, and defensively throwing his body around he will certainly be a great mid line winger with really good puck handling, shooting, and phenomenal passing. Adding that muscle variable will make him a really dangerous player to go up against. Nemec is a high volume shooter who does get a lot of pucks on net yielding high danger scoring opportunities and has the ability to become a really consistent forward as he grows. He is an exciting skater and has really good wheels and has really good agility on the breakaways.

18 Miroslav Satan (Jr.) C, 6’7, 190 lb, 02.03.2006 (Team Slovakia U18, Slovakia 2)

We know what you’re all thinking but yes this indeed is the son of former NHL’er Miroslav Satan. He has shown in the faceoff circle against lesser developed and skilled centers that he can beat them in the faceoff dot. However versus Finland, USA, and Sweden Satan needs to improve against those super skilled, really strong leveraging centers. That is room for Miroslav to grow in the muscle mass department, and with that size and reach he does forecheck really well, and zips really fast around the boards looking to poke the puck loose. He is a disciplined player who doesn’t go into the box often. He does throw the body around and is a high volume shooter, he just has to get more of those on the net. From the skillset this center can improve in the faceoff circle with the right developmental, and skills coaches. Miroslav can also look to be a natural winger where he has a lot of speed and can playmake but should focus more on powering his way and getting more versatility in more roles as he gets primed up for a future in the NHL.

27 Adam Belusko, D, 12.04.2006, 5’11, 187 lb (HC Kosice U20, Slovakia U20)

The Slovak defenseman plays a really strong defensive game having nearly 2 shots blocked in his 5 games in the U18 Tournament, and getting 1 hit per game. He does a really good job of getting shots on net out of several opportunities he gets. Adam is a smaller sasquatch of a defenseman who even pinned one of Sweden’s skaters on the boards behind his goalies net. Belusko takes no prisoners and has very active feet, and an active hockey stick keeping his defensive positioning to limit any possible errors with an opponent he has from trying to evade. His ability to skate is rather good and is very smooth in skating backwards to keep an eye on his opponents. He plays as if he were a really big 6’3” but it truly is his heart of a competitor.

1 Martin Haronik, GK, 26.07.2006, 6’5, 205 lb (HC Modre Kridla Slovan, Slovakia 2)

Haronik has a really big size and takes up a lot of net coverage. When he goes into the butterfly during very fast passing by his opponents he tends to be out of position enough in a small window. He made an original right pad save on the original shot and the rebound had 2 Latvians blitzing the 1 Slovak defender. Martin had no time to get a few inches over to his low left pad side to make that save. He did everything he could to keep his team in the game making 35/39 saves. Easily 3 of those were on the defense and that was due in part because 2 of the 3 screened Haronik. 1 of which Haronik could have had but wasn’t in position to put the glove out in time. He was dealing with moving fast enough to make those saves but his defense did less to help him save more high danger chances. His positioning was slightly off in this game. His composure, and athleticism was there, but needs to work a bit more on tracking the puck with traffic on top of rebound control. Haronik has all the tools he needs; he just needs to get a bit more seasoning because he could develop into a starting goaltender if he gets it all together, especially with a truly sound defense that can fetch pucks and clear the zone out so he doesn’t have to do all the lifting.

17 Ondrej Maruna, C, 29.06.2006, 6’4”, 201 lb (Charlottetown Islanders, QMJHL)

Maruna is a really unique player who knows how to forecheck, skate really well, and sees the play developing perfectly. He knows what to do and makes small aspects in a game like getting takeaways in an opponent’s zone and taking the opportunity to shoot the puck on net. The Slovak center did just that versus Czechia and was able to rifle one home on a wrist shot far away from mid danger behind the faceoff circle. His speed, agility, and tenacity along with him having a nose for the net is gonna be key as he grows older into an NHL player he will be enjoyable to coach. His ability to go after pucks and go to the dirty areas and making the opportunities for him and his team to potentially win games. He plays a similar utility and playmaker, goal scorer role similar to Ondrej Palat, and Yegor Sharangovich. It wouldn’t be a surprise as he progresses that he starts to become a goal scorer the next level of hockey he will progress into

Photos courtesy IIHF.com

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Get your hands on the comprehensive DraftPro 2024 Draft Guide now!

In the 2024 Draft Guide our team ranks the top 224 NHL Draft eligibles, provides well-written profiles on the top 224 names for this year, includes in-depth prospect features, looks at the NHL’s top 50 drafted prospects coming down the pipe, dives into what each NHL team has in the prospect cupboard and what their draft needs are, provides a comprehensive look at the 2025 NHL Draft with profiles on the top 32, provides a top 32 ranking on the 2026 NHL Draft with profiles on the top 10, and so much more.

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By DraftPro Staff

The IIHF World U18 Hockey Championships just wrapped up last week in Espoo and Vantaa Finland, and was a scouting hotspot as a last big event for NHL staffs who are charged with evaluating the next wave of NHL talent.

There were some bright spots for the upcoming 2024 NHL draft that stood out and some future draft eligibles that really grabbed the spotlight. In this ten-part series we will look at each team entry and provide some review of prospects, how they performed and how their performance might have affected their draft stock. We will start with the last place team, Kazakhstan, and work our way through to the gold medal winning Canadian squad.

The host Finns finished in fifth place and had some strong performances from its roster with more than a few names making jumps up NHL team draft lists in our estimation.

Here are some player reports from our Andy Miller on the Finnish U18 players that stood out.

#12 Aron Kiviharju, D, Finland U18, 5’10”, 172, L, DOB 1.26.2006

He is a dynamic defenseman who can push the play with confidence in the tournament. Despite missing much of the season due to surgery and seems to have recovered his game well.  He was a great passer in the tournament and could initiate a breakout with a single pass, put the puck in an area or find a seam and thread the needle consistently. His shot could still use some more power or speed behind it.. His smaller size could be an issue at the NHL defensively but he will certainly bulk up by then.  He defended well particularly by using his body positioning to box out and protect the net front.   His play at the tournament locked him in as a first round defender in the upcoming draft.

#19 Konsta Helenius, F, Finland U18, 5’11”, 181, R, DOB 5.11.2006

Heleinius is a dynamic playmaker and could dictate the pace of the game.  His  slick skating game was on display throughout the tournament. who plays a 200 foot game.  His high end offensive skills were often visible.  He is usually a good decision maker but at times can be risky in the neutral zone or around the bluelines. He showed off his shooting skills at times but that skill could have been used a bit more in the tournament as zero goals stood out a bit. His tournament play solidified his ranking as a top puck distributor but may have dropped his overall ranking a bit due to his inability to elevate to a high level against other elite players. Helenius is definitely a top ten option in the upcoming draft and has a great shot at going in the top five.

#32 Emil Hemming, F, Finland U18, 6’2”, 194, L, DOB 1.27.2006

Hemming is a bigger forward who has good vision on the ice and he used that throughout the tournament. He was able to put the puck on the tape and made it easy to receive. He is a shooter first though and he has a good release that is hard to read for goaltenders and by scoring 4 goals in 5 games he had this skill set on display. He has exceptional hands and works the puck well. At times he was able to gain separation from plates on the ice with some quick acceleration.  He wants to be involved in the game and is not afraid to go to the dirty areas on the ice.  Hemming locked himself in as a quality shooter and finisher in this tournament and while he didn’t elevate his status he likely maintained it. He is a player who could be a top line player in the next few years and become a difference maker for a team that selects him in the top twenty in the upcoming draft.

#33 Tuomas Suoniemi, F, Finland U18, 5’10”, 161, L, DOB 4.16.2006

Suoniemi went to the net consistently and even though he isn’t very big he took up position and was hard to handle.  He was well balanced on his edges and surprisingly led Finland in points. In his points he registered goals and assists showing he can distribute the puck as well as finish. He went to the hard areas on the ice and often came out with the puck.  He showed he has an edge to his game and this is what will help him to become a better player than his skillset should allow. He has some good skill and could become a solid third line player with some offensive capabilities after a few years of development. He was a quality player in the tournament and likely ensured himself a middle round option in 2024.  He is likely a fifth round option in the upcoming draft. 

#36 Heiki Ruohonen, F, Finland U18, L, 6’1”, 196, DOB 6.19.2006

Ruohonen is a strong player on the wall and can protect the puck often. He demonstrated good offensive instincts throughout the tournament. He is a player who at times makes risky plays and can  turn over the puck multiple times in a game. He has an ability to receive the puck through traffic and get the puck on the net.  When he gets going he plays all 200 feet of the rink and can dictate the pace of the game, but the issue is that this doesn’t happen enough and he leaves onlookers wanting more. Ruohonen works the wall well and is a solid two way prayer.  In the tournament he was a quality forward who supported his teammates and got on the scoreboard a bit. Has the ability to finish and could become a middle six forward and is a third round option in the upcoming draft.

#24 Joona Saarelainen, F, Finland U18, L, 5’9”, 176, DOB 5.5.2006

Saarelainen is a very strong skater who can effectively drive the puck through the neutral zone. He is a player who can dictate the pace of the game and change it mid shift. He is a game breaker who can change the dynamics of the game when he steps on the ice. The puck finds Saarelainen on the ice and sticks to him, particularly in the offensive zone. He has an excellent shot with a very deceptive release that is hard to read.  He found the back of the net three times and was just under a point a game.  He is a very good passer and can find the lanes and pass quickly or delay to open it up. More consistency would help elevate his selection status. He could become a second line player with a few years of development and be a third round option at the draft.  His play at the tournament was good but he didn’t consistently stand out which matches what has been seen up until now, inconsistent play.

#27 Aatos Koivu , F, Finland U18,  R, 6’1”, 163, DOB 6.22.2006

Koivu won key faceoffs  in the tournament or didn’t lose cleanly. He is a player with good hands and good offensive instincts. He worked the low area in the offensive zone well throughout the tournament.  He is a smart player but at times can hesitate or not make a decision and run into trouble. Koivu has a good shot and has a quick release as well.  He is responsible in his zone and typically has good body position.  Koivu gets in the passing lanes and blocks or deters passes well.  At times he can be a bit soft on his stick though and needs to protect the puck against high end players along the wall. He is likely a third round option in the upcoming draft and is likely a solid middle six forward with some offensive capabilities. In the tournament he was effective without the puck and that was good to see as he was not very noticeable offensively. 

#4  Mitja Jokinen,D, Finland U18.L, 5’10”, 161, L DOB 3.1.2006

Jokinen has offensive instincts and protected the offensive blueline effectively in the tournament.  He is a quality skater who moves up the ice well and reads the play that is given to him. Jokinen shoots the puck well and is able to get it on the net more often than not. He is a hard worker at the net front but he must use his skating ability to box players out which could be an issue as he moves up levels. He deferred to his teammates often in the tournament and one would like to see him exhibit more confidence in his game. He has the ability to carry the puck up the ice and rush the full ice and protect the puck at times. He needs to be more consistent with his effort. Jokinen is not a very physical player and can be out muscled in the corner. He is a quality defender who has some capabilities and could be a second pairing defender or may not crack the NHL too.  His stats jump off the sheet in this tournament at a point a game, but the eye test left me wanting more from him. He is likely a fourth or fifth round option.  He was a quality defender in the tournament who had almost a point a game and there is a chance he could round out his game and be a gem for a team in the draft.

#1 Petteri Rimpinen, G, FInland U18, 6’0”, 176, L, DOB 4.25.2006

Rimpinen was a strong goaltender and excellent stats in the majority of the tournament. He is a goaltender who went down when the puck is at or near the goal line area. He was able to recover to his feet quickly and makes good reads.He doesn’t appear to read the play before it is going to happen but rather reacts to the play that happens. Rimpinen moves quickly and stays deep in his net more often than most other goaltenders who is more of a blocking style goaltender.  He is able to get out of the net and send up the puck or play it for his teammates.  He played well in the tournament but needs to improve his consistency against high end players, like Team USA.  Likely a later round option in the upcoming draft.

Photos courtesy IIHF.com

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Get your hands on the comprehensive DraftPro 2024 Draft Guide now!

In the 2024 Draft Guide our team ranks the top 224 NHL Draft eligibles, provides well-written profiles on the top 224 names for this year, includes in-depth prospect features, looks at the NHL’s top 50 drafted prospects coming down the pipe, dives into what each NHL team has in the prospect cupboard and what their draft needs are, provides a comprehensive look at the 2025 NHL Draft with profiles on the top 32, provides a top 32 ranking on the 2026 NHL Draft with profiles on the top 10, and so much more.

https://draftprospectshockey.com/draftpro-2024-nhl-draft-guide-now-available

By Andy Miller

Cole Hutson, a carbon copy of his brother Lane? 

Cole grew up in a hockey family, his dad played in the NCAA and two of his brothers are currently playing at BU, where Cole will play next season.  His brother, fellow defender Lane was drafted in the second round by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2022 draft.  Cole is playing on the USNTDP at the U18 level this year after a very strong season with the U17’s recording 42 points, including 8 goals in 42 games.  He actually recorded a higher ppg with the U18’s with 26 points in 19 games.  Hutson actually eclipsed the total points of Eiserman at the U18 worlds with 12 points.  He is a much more offensive defender, which is good since he is not a giant on the back end, but is a very fluid skater who changes directions with ease.

Cole likely has more potential than Lane, who most now think was a steal in the late second round.    He is an electric player on the ice who dances around with the puck on his stick and often dictates the play.   Hutson has the potential to be a PP1 Quarterback at the NHL level and be the offensive catalyst for a team from the back end.  While his defensive game is not his strength it is not a deficiency either as he is responsible and a capable defender.  He has the capability to be a Tory Krug or Sam Girard type defender at the NHL level in about 5 years time.  These are the best comparisons as his offensive side of the game is his strength.

The question is why is Hutson seen as a top prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft in June? Andy Miller with Draft Prospects Hockey breaks down Hutson’s game as he tries to answers that question.

Skating

Hutson has good foot speed and acceleration.  He skates well backwards and his transitions are seamless with or without the puck.    Hutson capably rushes the puck up the ice and creates havoc.  He sometimes will not be square to the play, likely because he is very confident in his skating ability.

You see Hutson’s ability to retreat and pick up the puck with ease and speed.  He then appears to call an audible on the play and takes the puck into the zone when the drop pass has not worked.  Not a lot happens offensively but you can see how he uses his edges and body to protect the puck on this play.

Here you see Hutson follow up the rush and fill in the high slot as the puck is retrieved he is ready and gets off a quality shot toward the net.

Puck Skill

Hutson is very good at protecting the puck from forecheckers and uses his edges to help with that.  He can corral passes that many others couldn’t, but at times he can get a bit too showy with the puck on his stick and take more time than needed.  Hutson can dictate the pace of the play when he has the puck on his stick.

Here you see him move up the ice with the puck and he demonstrates excellent skating, puckskill, decision making and scoring sense here.  He is able to read the play and support it and transition to leading the rush.  From there  makes some nice passes to create chances for his team and buys time to open lanes that allows him to get a quality shot on net too.  He returns to his defensive position at a good time after he supports down low.

Scoring Ability

Hutson has very good shot velocity and an incredible release.  His accuracy is good, even though he misses the net on this clip, he still makes a great read and has the ability to get to the dangerous areas on the ice and puts the puck up high as the goaltender is coming from low to high and moving laterally. 

Playmaking Ability

Hutson is a very creative player who is clearly engaged in the offensive side of the game.  He generates scoring chances for himself and his teammates routinely.  He opens up well (as could be seen in the Scoring Ability clip) and adjusts to poor passes.  Hutson capably makes good passes on the tape that are easy to receive.

Here we see Cole Hutson dancing around the offensive zone with the puck buying time and space while also exhibiting patience and waiting for a lane to open to make a pass or shoot.  He eventually gets a quality shot on net.

Hockey Sense/IQ

Hutson has excellent awareness on the ice, particularly when looking at the offensive side of things.  He sees lanes that are open or that he could open and finds them with good firm passes.  He typically makes quick decisions that are good on review.  He could improve his decision making in his defensive end as he frequently is looking to rush the puck up the ice, sometimes even before his team has possession and that can create some adventures.

Here you see him on the point on a 5 on 3 and he is moving most of the time, but when the puck gets to Eiserman on the far side he could do a bit more to be a passing option here and support his teammate under pressure.  This play required elevated reads for a player looking to be selected in the first round.

Here you see Hutson’s ability to control the play with the puck on his stick and he capably directs his teammates and is very aware of where the defenders are and directs them too.  He made better reads here then in the previous clip.

Character

Hutson demonstrates leadership and character on the ice.  In this clip you see him directing traffic as the play exits the offensive zone and the team transitions to defend.  He is a reliable player who works hard and is very consistent for a young player.

Defensive play

Hutson is surprisingly responsible in the defensive zone and he frequently takes charge in his zone to ensure that the house is protected.  He is a reliable defender but this is not his area of strength as that is with the puck on the offensive side of the game.   He does use his skating ability to help him back check which will be displayed in a clip included shortly.

Here you see Hutson have a large gap in the neutral zone likely due to hinging to support his D partner, but he quickly closes due to his strong skating skills.  Moments later in the zone he uses some good edge work to work the puck out of the high slot and then keeps his hips facing his net and recovers to cover a player on the back door with ease.

You can see how Hutson maintains a good gap with his opponent and capably keeps in the lane and blocks the shot attempt with ease.  He is also still on his edges and can track down the loose puck too.  You see him enter the corner and come out with the puck and he knows exactly what he is doing and makes an excellent pass across the house to Cole Eiserman to start the breakout.

You see Hutson thinking offensive as he misreads a breakout for USNTDP that doesn’t happen and he has to rush back to help support and while he gets in the vicinity of the player out front he is not effective in checking him and gets lucky.

Hutson has a tough play where the puck ends up in his feet at the tops of the circles skating backwards and while he doesn’t do poorly his body language shows indecisiveness which ends up in a turnover and a quality chance.  He needs to find a way to keep the puck going around the boards or try to pin it to the boards here.  Not an easy play but if he is going to be a top NHL defender he needs to be able to execute that some of the time.

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If you are looking for a mid-season rundown on the 2024 draft class as a whole be sure to pick up your copy of the Draft Prospects Hockey 2024 Preview Magazine available for instant download or print through Amazon.

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By Colin Johnson

Berkly Catton is a hockey star on the rise. 

A highly touted Centerman from the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League. He is a former #1 overall pick in the 2021 WHL Bantam draft and dominated his competition in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Putting up 108 points in 30 games before the 2020/21 season was cut short due to the COIVD-19 pandemic.

The January 2006 born prospect features a wide range of skill and talent and is currently projected as a consensus top 10 pick in the upcoming 2024 NHL Entry Draft in June. In his first full season with the Spokane Chiefs, Catton accumulated 23 goals and 32 assists, for 55 points in 63 games playing as a 16-year-old. This season, his draft year he is well over 1.5 points per game as an offensive leader for the Chiefs.

The question is why is Catton is seen as a top prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft in June? Colin Johnson with Draft Prospects Hockey breaks down Catton’s game as he tries to answers that question.

Puck Handling and Driving the Play

Catton is a player that controls the pace of play and forces the opposition to play the type of game that he wants. With control of the puck, he is extremely efficient at zone entries and exits, as he slithers in and out of openings and works around what the defence gives him to find open ice.

The clip below shows his ability to effortlessly exit his own zone and enter the offensive zone with possession. He calmy makes a move at center ice to open up space, uses his teammate on a give and go, pulling the defenders focus away from him, finding the dead zone between 3 Seattle defenders, gets the puck back and then makes a nifty backhand pass that tees up a grade A scoring opportunity.

He has quick reaction time and fast twitch movements, making him an excellent puck handler who is able to create space from defenders thus, opening up opportunities for himself and his teammates. These quick movements get combined with excellent footwork making him a dangerous offensive player in tight quarters. While his agility and puck possession at top speed makes him a nightmare in space for defenders and even more dangerous in 1-on-1 situations.

This next clip showcases this elusiveness as he starts by opening up space on the defender, followed up by a quick change of direction where he drives to the net for a scoring opportunity that gets blocked.

His ability to drive and control the pace of play is best shown when he is on the powerplay or in sustained offensive zone situations. With the puck he is calm and composed and can choose whether to methodically break down the defence or choosing to ratchet up the pace and pressure the defence to create disorganization and chaos, opening up passing and shooting lanes for himself and his teammates. Either way, in both situations he is effective and the longer he possesses the puck the more dangerous he seems to become.

In this next clip, Spokane is on the Powerplay and Catton starts by slowing down the play and finding his teammate across the ice with an excellent saucer pass. The play then transitions back towards Catton who receives a pass that would normally result in a one-timer; however, Catton patiently receives the pass, drawing the defender out of position and feeds a perfectly located shot pass to his teammate, who taps in the backdoor feed.

Sometimes Catton is able to control the play without even possessing the puck, in this clip his effort and tenacious play forces multiple turnovers and creates chaos for the opposition. Multiple times he has a takeaway and creates an opportunity, only to have it be unsuccessful. However instead of giving up and allowing a breakout or going for a change, Catton jumps right back into the dirty work and makes it hard for Seattle to breakout. This type of willingness and effort is what makes him a sure-fire NHL player in the future.

Shooting/Scoring Ability

Catton can score in a multitude of ways but is the most dangerous when he is coming off the rush with speed. His wrist shot has a lightning quick release and he is able to contort and adjust his release point, making his shot more and more deceptive for goaltenders. He’s able to pull the puck in or push it out at all ranges and is still strong enough to get a powerful shot off. Techniques such as this is what makes players like Connor Bedard and Auston Matthews so prolific goal scorers at the next level.

This clip shows how fast he can pull the puck in to change the angle of his shot. It is also impressive how he is able to do this at such a high speed with a defender in his face.

The next clip is Catton recognizing the bad change and using that space to turn on the jets, backing up the tired Swiss defenceman. Just before it looks like he’s going to drive by the defender, Catton pulls up makes a quick move from his backhand to his forehand, and lets a perfectly placed wrist shot go into the top left-hand corner.

Down low around the net Catton is very creative, using his hands and hockey IQ to make intelligent reads and score high percentage opportunities or somehow create something out of nothing. With possession he searches for open space and drives towards the net, taking advantage of positional errors by both the opposing defence and goalie and uses his quick hands to make split second changes to his release point and fool the goaltender. He also shows a willingness to grind it out, follow up his shot and finish the play, which is crucial for young players adjusting to the much tighter checking of the NHL.

Here Catton gets a rebound that takes him below the goal line. He recognizes the goalie is out of position, cheating towards the other side and not protecting his near post. Catton smartly looks to throw the puck off the goaltenders back, resulting in a very high IQ goal.

The next clip shows 4 separate instances where Catton drives to the net and finishes off a play with a goal. Each goal is different and requires a different skillset. Whether it’s hunting for a loose puck, finishing at high speed, bulldozing your way to the net, or making a flashy finish to elude a defender, he can do it all.

Passing Vision, IQ and Playmaking

Catton is a highly creative player with elite offensive IQ who looks to create high percentage looks for his teammates. On the Powerplay he is the Quarterback, controlling the puck and manipulating the opposing Penalty Kill to his liking before slipping quick tape-to-tape passes to wide open teammates that are swinging through or in high percentage scoring areas.

This Powerplay clip is in Overtime. Catton draws his defender towards him by opening up as if he’s going to drive the slot or shoot. As soon as the forward turns his skates towards Catton, he feeds a slick pass to his teammate who wires the one-timer home and wins the game.

Catton has phenomenal touch and is able to pass effectively on both his forehand and backhand. He can zip passes across the ice with velocity or put just the right amount of speed/height on a pass to feather the puck through tight windows to his teammates. He has an uncanny ability to get the puck through tightly covered passing lanes without turning the puck over. The puck seems to find it’s way to it’s intended destination consistently, just out of the reach of defenders.

The first clip is just a phenomenal cross ice backhand pass through the slot that lands perfectly for a one-timer and subsequential goal.

The next clip shows how he can put some speed on a pass, accurately to a streaking teammate without having it get intercepted by the defenceman.

Skating

Berkly Catton is not a burner. His top end speed is not next level or anything more than above average (something that you would expect from a top 10 pick), but he is extremely agile and uses elite level edgework to be elusive and dynamic on the rush and in the offensive zone. He has a second gear of acceleration that he uses to change speeds and gain a step on defenders. His first step is crucial to his game and he is very good at changing speeds when attacking, keeping the opposing team off balance.

This first clip shows how his ability to change speeds is dynamic and throws off everyone on the ice, leading to pretty easy goal.

With the puck he uses his edgework and balance to shield defenders from the puck and if he manages to get a step on the defender it’s either a blow by or a penalty incoming because he will use his body and skating to step in front and effectively rub the defender out of the play. He effectively uses his edges to gain speed without striding and make quick changes of direction. This clip displays all of those skills leading to a highlight reel finish.

Game Breaking Ability

This is what separates the good from the great. Great players can be struggling or be playing with players deeper in the lineup and still find a way to produce. It doesn’t matter if you’ve held him down all game, all it takes is a moment of lapse defensively and Catton will capitalize. Open space and puck possession is a recipe for the something to happen. Catton plays with high hockey IQ and can be an easy player to play with, meaning he can play with depth players and elevate their production or play alongside other top players and fit in and play as a unit.

The clip here is against Kelowna in a close game where Catton had been objectively shut down for most of the game. All of a sudden with a poor change and a regroup, Catton gets the puck with space and attacks the slot scoring a highlight reel goal and getting Spokane back into the thick of this game, late in the third period.

Areas in Need of Improvement

There isn’t much to complain about in Catton’s game, but one area he does need to improve in is maturing physically and growing more into his body, establishing more muscle mass and getting stronger. Catton can be shut down by physical play that smothers his ability to move with the puck and establish separation. He struggles to win battles along the wall and often can’t handle larger defenders when they tie him up in the corners. Despite his balance and edgework, physical play can knock him off the puck and he doesn’t attack well against physical defenders. The positive to this is he is only 17 and there is plenty of time before he is at his athletic potential. He also doesn’t shy away from contact and isn’t someone that plays scared. He is willing to work hard and attack the dirty areas, so his deficiency in this area can certainly be improved upon.

One sneaky concern with his game is his overall tendency to avoid his backhand when finishing. He has next to no shots taken off the backhand, which can be an effective tool to fool the goalie in tight and especially on breakaways. All of his shootout attempts in the WHL are close to carbon copies of one another and all result in the move finishing on his forehand. While shooting on your forehand does improve the percentages for success, having predictability could hinder him a bit at the next level.

The positive here is that Catton did show some flashes of a strong backhand last season (2022/23) and even just the ability to use it as a reliable breakaway/shootout move would be enough to implant that scoring idea in the back of opposing players/goalie’s minds.

Overall Summary

Overall Berkly Catton is an elite level prospect heading into the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. He possesses elite offensive talent with consistent production, no matter his situation, linemates, and coaching. He presents a future top 6 forward at the NHL level and the ceiling of a top 15 scorer. An excellent shot combined with playmaking ability will help him translate his offensive game to the next level because he can attack defences and do damage in a multitude of ways. He is currently slight of frame and not mature enough physically to be an NHL ready player, but the skill level is near the top of the Draft class. Every night he provides a high effort performance and is willing to forecheck and play an all-around game. Most importantly he is a play driver, no matter the linemates, he controls the puck consistently and breaks the puck in and out of the zones with possession. His mind for the game and creativity allows him to control the flow and pace of play, forcing opposing teams to conform to his style until they regain possession. Qualities like this in a forward are minimally available in the Draft and he should be a slam dunk top 10 selection, and in my professional opinion, Catton deserves to be in the top 5 come June 2024.

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If you are looking for a mid-season rundown on the 2024 draft class as a whole be sure to pick up your copy of the Draft Prospects Hockey 2024 Preview Magazine available for instant download or print through Amazon.

https://draftprospectshockey.com/draftpro-order-your-2024-preview-magazine-today/

By Steven Pratas

The United States Hockey League (USHL) has been producing elite talent for several decades, but Trevor Connelly is near the top of that list when it comes to overall NHL potential.

Connelly’s rookie season with the Tri-City Storm last year was very successful. The 16-year-old finished second on the roster with 24 goals and 47 points in just 57 games, which ultimately led him to be named to the USHL’s All-Rookie Second Team. He continued to be impressive throughout the 2022-2023 season as he broke the franchise record with the longest point streak, tallying at a remarkable 18 games. With his exceptional play, it was no surprise he would be on the Americans Hlinka Gretzky Cup roster, which is the only best-on-best competition at the U18 level. He asserted his dominance throughout the tournament, guiding the US team to secure the bronze medal. Additionally, he shared the top spot as the points leader with 10 points. The Hlinka Gretzky competition made Trevor’s draft stock increase dramatically with his incredible play, and made scouts follow him more closely going into his draft year.

So far in the current 2023-2024 season, Connelly has continued to be the best player among the Storm as well as being a key standout player across the league. Racking up almost 1.5 points per game so far, he is projected to hit the 80-point mark which would contend to be the point leader in the league. Being left off USA’s 2024 World Junior preliminary roster was a hit for the young American forward but gave Connelly time to polish his game in the USHL.

The omission might have been a blessing as well since there is much publicized talk of past questionable company the talented forward kept due to a social media post that was made a couple years ago which Connelly has since apologized for and said he has learnt from. At DraftPro we tend to give these youngsters the benefit of the doubt, as we were all young and made stupid mistakes that we wish we could go back and correct.

Here at DraftPro Hockey, we have Connelly ranked as a mid-first round selection. But what makes him so highly coveted as a prospect in this year’s draft? Let’s deconstruct his game and see how impactful and valuable he can be to whatever team selects him in the first round, and whether there’s room for an earlier draft selection then projected.

Playing as a forward, Connelly spends most of his ice-time on the left wing but plays the occasional center position when called upon. Wearing number 16 for the Tri-City Storm, he will be hard to miss in the video clips.

Skating Ability

It’s clear when watching Trevor play that skating is a major strength of his. If he isn’t already the best skater off the rush in the draft, he sure is at the top of the list. His remarkable capability to achieve maximum speed within a few strides is truly impressive, and his acceleration is nothing short of explosive. Getting the puck along the boards or in tough situations and being able to create distance between him and the opposition is what really excites me about his play. Defenders have headaches trying to contain him toward the outside as his edgework and crossover speed is terrifying to compete against. His success rate when carrying the puck through the middle of the ice is extremely high. Watching him play you’ll quickly notice that his pace far outshines his peers, demanding the puck and constantly taking on defenders toward the net. He tends to hold onto the puck longer than the typical forward would as he wants to be a difference maker on the scoresheet each and every shift. This quicker pace is a highly coveted attribute Connelly is gifted with, which showcases his skating maturity. Connelly possesses an attack mentality when handling the puck as he excels at driving the net and beating defenders on both the inside and outside of the puck. Connelly exhibits elusiveness through the use of multiple head fakes and deceptive maneuvers, enabling him to navigate through open ice and consistently generate scoring opportunities. His high-end gas tank mixed with his confident skating talent is a deadly combo.

In this clip, Trevor displays his north to south skating ability along with his attack mentality. He makes it look incredibly easy by going coast-to-coast against the Des Moines Buccaneers and scoring a highlight reel goal, as he recognizes where he can exploit open ice paths and drives toward the net.

This shift against the Green Bay Gamblers helps showcase his ability to draw in defenders with his blazing speed through the neutral zone at top speed. The Gamblers miscalculated the gap control giving Connelly open ice to enter on the right side, which he used to draw in three opponents allowing him to dish the puck to his teammate. The second clip is at the tail end of the same shift, giving you a glimpse of his motor along with his anticipation in transition. He is quickly able to accelerate and gain positioning up the center of the ice where he magically gets past the defensemen to get a terrific scoring look. A constant threat from the start to the end of his shifts, his skating is very consistent.

Plays like this Cedar Rapids RoughRiders are a common occurrence, grabbing the puck whether it’s on the powerplay or even strength and exploding down the ice. You’ll see how effective and deceptive his shoulder fake is as soon as he enters the far blueline to confuse the defender for a split second until getting a key scoring chance. He is constantly doing some sort of deception technique to make the opposition react when he’s at full speed, it’s proven extremely effective for him.

We can’t look at Trevor’s skating ability without highlighting a clip or two from his Hlinka Gretzky tournament where he really made a name for himself. You can see that Trevor eats up a lot of puck possession time especially on the powerplay as he isn’t afraid to cut back to create another skating or passing lane for himself. As he cuts back at the blueline he realizes how deep the penalty killers are toward the net, so he decides to do what he’s best at, which is attacking the net resulting in a fabulous goal. He’s constantly looking for skating lanes in high danger areas and doesn’t always have the generic passing idea in mind which can’t be easily deciphered and covered by opponents.

Against Finland in the bronze medal game, Connelly attacks the defender, beating him to get outside with his dynamic speed. He’s just so hard to contain in 1-on-1 situations if the defender isn’t fully committed to taking the body before the puck as he will just dance around you as shown in this highlight reel goal. His puck skills are phenomenal, he’s able to stick handles at full speed and make defenders hesitate when he’s darting straight at you.

Watching his stickhandle like that at full speed is just special, that quick inside to outside maneuverer with the lighting quick toe drag is what helps showcase his speed and skill. The puck seems to stick on his blade like glue as his puck control at top speed is exceptional.

Shooting & Scoring Ability

Connelly definitely has a healthy obsession of shooting the puck as he nearly hits double digits with shots on goal per game. His release is lethal and isn’t afraid to let off shots in tough situations. It’s evident that Trevor is the main difference maker on the Tri-City Storm and makes it his mission to produce on a nightly basis on the scoresheet. His linemates are constantly looking to dish him the puck as his finishing ability is excellent. Constantly gliding into those danger areas around the crease trying to generate offensive chances, Connelly’s scoring ability is easily visible on the man advantage and odd man rushes as he is usually the main trigger man. His shot is heavy, accurate and exhibits a large shooting selection. He’s a power play specialist, extremely deadly with his scoring instincts and overall passing ability as well. When taking on defenders 1-on-1 he is able to push the puck to the inside with a quick cutback turn and release a rocket through traffic or use the defender as a screen. Also noticeable is Connelly’s backhand, showing great effectiveness at raising the puck down low after cutting toward the net, it’s an underrated weapon of his.

When I said Connelly’s backhand was a weapon of his I wasn’t kidding. You’ll notice in this clip that Trevor beats his opponent to the outside and is cutting toward the goal, his head up gives him the ability to see if the passing option was available but decides to take the goalie on himself. You’ll notice Trevor doesn’t stickhandle once after his initial move on the defender, it sort of gives the impression that he is corralling the puck to bring it onto his forehand to tuck it on the far post but doesn’t.

Here, you’ll see Trevor receive the puck along the wall with open ice to work with and immediately has his eyes on the goal. He notices the traffic being built up near the crease and his linemate screening the goaltender. Trevor is able to pick the top corner with ease before the goalie is able to see or read the release. The quick lateral fake he delivered helped keep the defender flat footed and gave him valuable real estate on the left side to enter for a split second before shooting.

Connelly displays a shoot first mentality and scoring confidence in odd man rushes. He doesn’t even consider passing the puck in this short-lived 3-on-1 and has his eyes strictly on the net to where he will place his shot. Look at the power he produces with his back heel on his release, as he fully leans onto his stick with his follow through.

His quick release in unorthodox shooting situations helps him score impressive goals like this one. You’ll notice the numerous passing options that are presented to him after entering the zone but instead he decides to shoot the puck as his linemate is crashing the net with a screen.

Once he enters that high danger area around the slot with the puck on his stick, it’s gone in a flash.

Offensive Vision & Playmaking Ability

The game seems to slow down for Connelly whenever he has the puck. His brain is able to process and anticipate plays that are being developed and make instant opportunities for his team. Trevor controls the play of the game and can create constant pressure in the o-zone. His execution of passes may not be a strong element of his playmaking, but he has the right idea in mind when it comes to dishing the puck in tight and tough situations. As noted, he’s a constant threat to shoot the puck, making him even more deadly when he decides to pass in instances where you least expect it. Trevor makes key in-game reads to be able to get into the correct offensive positioning to gain the puck. He’s creative down low, wanting to produce the unexpected as compared to the generic passing plays most forwards would execute. His understanding of the game helps him to read and predict where the puck and his teammates will likely be in certain plays. Connelly can identify weaknesses in the opposing defense and exploit gaps in coverage. His overall decision-making skills are still a work in progress as he looks to move with a quicker intent.

There’s a lot to take in from this play. Early on in this play, he recognizes his teammate rushing behind him with an open lane toward the net. Later in this shift, he attempts a pass to a teammate (#9) in a high scoring position on the face off dot, followed by a final play making chance with a backdoor pass to his rushing defenseman on the back post. While this clip showcases Connelly’s great vision and sense of awareness, his passing execution was lacking.

In this clip, Connelly sets his teammate up with an instant cross-seam pass on the man advantage. It’s important he executed his pass quickly and without hesitation, as getting pucks through traffic is difficult.

As soon as he corralled the puck against the boards his head was up looking for passing options before circling behind the goal and delivering a tremendous scoring opportunity to his teammate. Like I said, he’s creative and tries to avoid the most generic passing option, in this case it would’ve been back to the point

Areas of Improvement

Although Trevor is offensively gifted, there’s other aspects of his game that need work. Connelly lacks defensive responsibilities in his own zone, continuously puck watching at times and not keeping proper position as a winger should. His work ethic is very inconsistent, his skating off the puck is worrying near the end of his shifts. He tends to consume most of his energy for when he receives the puck rather than staying defensively sound. Connelly’s heavy puck possession game sometimes gives the impression that he is selfish, holding onto the puck too long often causing preventable turnovers. His over skating with the puck tends to position teammates in open areas, but he needs to trust his teammates more and dish them the puck. He’s light on his feet but will need to improve his frame to be competitive in puck battles against heavier opposition as he makes his way out of junior hockey. I wouldn’t say that weighing 161 pounds is a negative, I’m just saying there’s always room to add muscle to his game. Trevor is durable but a bigger physique would improve his puck battle percentage and puck protection skills which is a major facet of his game. His persona has been a topic of debate since last year as he has had on and off-ice incidents to deal with. His character has been called into questionable, but everyone makes mistakes, he is constantly learning to become a professional adult and hockey player.

Summary

Overall, it’s apparent Trevor is an offensive force, using his dynamic skating ability mixed with his lightning quick hands, Connelly is a constant threat to his opponents. He excels at attacking the net aggressively, has an excellent motor and work ethic to match more often than none. His skillset is hard to come by, making him a very intriguing prospect in this year’s draft. His speed is what sets him apart from his peers, playing a step ahead of his competition. Without proper gap control or body positioning, he’ll make sure to exploit your weaknesses to his advantage. Talented at holding on the puck to create additional passing or shooting options for himself, a dual threat to shoot and score. A powerplay wizard, the extra open ice gives him the chance to display his explosive end to end rushes. His shot is high quality, able to easily pick the corners and can release the puck in unexpected locations. Trevor doesn’t back down from physicality, he makes sure to dish back the punishment he receives. His confidence with the puck is unparalleled, truly keeping you wanting to see more. Trevor’s passing game is constantly growing as he realizes he can’t do it himself every shift. His upside is through the roof, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he falls off the board sooner than projected at the draft if his game continues to impress.

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