The QMJHL fell on some lean years at the NHL Entry Draft as they went without seeing even one player from the league be selected in the first round in 2023 or 2024. The drought came to an end in 2025 when three QMJHL players were selected in the first round and 19 in total were selected, which was an increase from 12 in 2023 and 15 in 2024.
The 2026 class looks to be stronger than the 2025 class, which could indicate the discussions to overhaul the development systems in Quebec should slow down. Here is a list of five QMJHL players who are challenging to become first-round picks in 2026.
Xavier Villeneuve – Left Defence – Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
Based purely on his offensive skill, Villeneuve is a top-10 pick. This season, he is on pace for more than 80 points and has been the source of most of the offence for the Armada. He oozes confidence when carrying the puck, and he has excellent offensive hockey IQ, anticipating plays and openings before they happen, even forcing player movements that open up those opportunities that he then exploits.
“Xavier is an electrifying offensive-minded defenseman with great agility and dazzling puck-handling abilities up the rush, showing significant potential for the 2026 NHL draft as a 1st round pick.” – Tyler Ballesteros-Willard
He is a smooth skater with good edgework and mobility, using quick punch turns and change-ups in speed to create space. But his risk-taking does come at a cost defensively. Villeneuve is much smaller than you’d want from a top defenseman.
Standing at 5’11’’ and 157 pounds, his size and strength deficiencies will be an issue, as they can limit his effectiveness defensively. He can’t rely on strength to win physical battles in the corners or in front of the net; instead, he will need to use body positioning and quick reactions to win leverage in any battle. He will be a bit of a project for teams, but the Lane Hutsons and Quinn Hughes’ of the world show how even smaller offensive defencemen can transform a team’s offensive potential.
Egor Shilov – Centre, Victoriaville Tigres
Shilov is a skilled 200-foot center who has a high hockey IQ and can be used in any situation. He’s also quick and aggressive, but lacks consistency from game to game as at times he can be slow to react defensively or to take advantage offensively of a misstep by his opponent. When he is on his game, his defensive play is impressive. He can be difficult to handle along the boards, but also in open ice, where he can adeptly funnel opponents to the outside before cutting them off along the boards or allowing his defencemen to do the job. He is also active low in his own zone, helping to provide support for his defenders, and providing a target to help launch the transition game with a controlled zone exit.
Offensively, after 27 games in the 2025-26 season, Shilov sits second in team goals (14) and tied for first in total points (35) with Victoriaville, putting him on an 80+ point pace on the season. He uses his frame effectively in the offensive zone as well, where he excels in the cycle game, winning board battles before creating offensive opportunities for his linemates.
He is a pass-first player, with a preference to make centring plays from below the goal line, but he does possess a heavy and accurate shot, especially off the rush. His game translates well to the professional levels, and his faceoff abilities and defensive game will be his ticket to breaking through to the top 32.
Olivers Murnieks – Centre – Saint John Sea Dogs
Murnieks has been Latvia’s top player on the international stage and is a lock for the Under-20 World Junior Championship team in 2026. He already plays a pro-style game, keeping it simple with a north-south style, which allows him to backcheck effectively and engage physically. His defensive positioning in his own zone is consistently excellent, and he uses his 6’1’’ 190-pound frame to break up the cycle with well-timed pinches. He has a strong hockey IQ, allowing him to anticipate developing plays and react accordingly.
He is relied upon for important faceoffs and can be trusted to play in any situation. His skating form does look inefficient, but with some refinement, it could become a strength. In the meantime, his edgework and mobility issues are made up for with good straight-line speed. Offensively, he is a threat in the slot, using his size to battle into the high danger areas. He boasts above-average playmaking skills as he can place accurate passes through traffic and has a good release with his shot in close. Murnieks translatable two-way game and ability to engage in all three zones points to a ceiling of a two-way, penalty killing third-line centre.
Oleg Kulebyakin – Right Wing -Halifax Mooseheads
This player has forced his way into this conversation. He was not seen as a top prospect at the start of the season with a W rating from NHL Central Scouting as a potential 6th/7th-round pick, but has since forced his way into the conversation in the top two rounds. Drafted ninth overall by Halifax in the CHL import draft, Kulebyakin was well-travelled in 2024-25 playing for five teams across five leagues. Yet he consistently remained a scoring threat, scoring 47 goals in 55 games played between those five teams. This season, the trend continues as he has 17 goals in the first 25 games played with the Mooseheads, leading the team in goals (is eighth in the QMJHL) and leading in total points (31).
Offensively, the Russian winger shines. He plays at a high pace, using that to his advantage, cutting time and space from defenders, causing them to rush plays. He excels at generating small-area plays. Once he has the puck on his stick, while he does have excellent puck handling and one-on-one skills, he prefers to keep to the simple plays, using speed to get past defenders and using give-and-go passes before letting loose a hard and accurate shot with a quick and deceptive release. He also has the confidence and skills to hold possession for that extra second to draw out defenders from their established defensive positions, opening up new lanes that he can exploit with a quick pass or use as a shooting lane. He is also adept at finding gaps in high danger zones and is unafraid of battling through coverage to get to scoring areas.
He can play a physical style, not initiating contact but battling through it in the offensive zone. He will need to add some strength to his 5’ 11’’ and 176-pound frame if he wants to remain effective at the next level. Kulebyakin plays with a high pace and brings energy to every shift, showing an ability to jump from one battle to the next along the boards, to the front of the net. His skating abilities are still raw as he needs to elongate his stride to add power and speed, as well as improve his edgework to allow him the ability to change directions without losing speed, which is necessary for his offensive game to translate to the pro ranks. Defensively, he is still a work in progress as he does miss assignments in his own zone and is still cheating to the offensive side of the puck in the hopes of a quicker zone exit pass. He has top-six upside but is still seen as a long-term project to refine his game.
Lars Steiner, Right Wing, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Lars Steiner had a strong D-1 campaign as he had 60 points in 57 games and was named to the CHL’s All-Rookie team. This season, the 5-foot-10, 176-pound forward is an offensive threat, scoring five goals and 14 points in 15 games. He unfortunately missed 12 games due to an upper-body injury. He is also relied upon to play a leadership role, as he was named an assistant captain. The Swiss import plays with no fear, going to the dirty areas and paying the physical toll to do it. He is a skilled playmaker with a good shot, which he uses to keep defenders guessing on which tool he will use, a pass or a shot, forcing them to respect the shot, and buying himself an extra split second to allow the play to develop. He has good vision and anticipation, allowing him to make the right play without risking a costly turnover.
He is able to play at a high pace, but he can also slow the play down depending on what the team needs in the moment. He brings a strong and consistent work ethic to every shift. He has good skating ability, displaying a good first step and excellent top speed, at which he can still anticipate and complete plays effectively. Defensively, he is responsible, tracking back quickly to assist in cutting off the middle of the ice in the neutral zone, then playing a positionally sound defensive game in his own zone, where he can play physical if necessary but also use his stick to cut off lanes and stifle the attack. The injury may hurt his chances to break into the first round, but his skill set and consistency could be enough to have him break the top 32.
The Whitby Silver Stick Invitational is one of the premier showcases, serving as a proving ground for players hoping to make their mark with junior and college scouts. Many of these athletes are still a few years away from NHL Entry Draft eligibility, but the tournament has long been a launchpad for future stars, with countless alumni advancing to the different CHL leagues and eventually the NHL. This year’s event featured 30 teams across six pools, producing thrilling preliminary-round battles and razor-thin outcomes. Ontario clubs dominated the field in numbers, but it was the two superior Michigan-based programs who stole the spotlight in final stages
It was my first time attending this tournament and, therefore, my first viewings of almost all players. Still, here are some standouts I noted:
An energetic left-shooting centre who was always putting pressure on the opposing puck carrier. He makes up for his average height by throwing hard hits in the open and firing off stiff shots from up close. He was quite noticeable on the PP
A tall imposing lefty forward who comes down the wings with quick handles. He attracted the backtracking defenceman towards him before making a smart pass over to produce a scoring play.
Walker Connor wearing 11 for Philadelphia Jr Flyers –
A tall skilled right wing who goes to the net with rushes or sets up aiming to move D for clearer lanes. Solid feints with the puck, in motion 1 on 1. Still pretty lanky with an interesting frame to fill in.
Jakub Kuklinski wearing 88 for Mississauga Senators –
A large righty forward with smooth hands who opens shooting lanes for himself. He circles around in the offensive zone with intent and fluidity, maintaining control through traffic. Gets goals on rebounds from in close as well with his quick hands. One of my favourite players so far.
A tall right shooting D who protected the front of his net and tied up sticks. His explosiveness is a work in progress but one at the blue line he’s patient with his lateral passes and shots when lanes clear up.
A smaller right wing with blazing speed. He caught the puck in transition and let off a quick wrister with no wind up to pick off an open spot high blocker. His game right now is mainly focused on creating offense. Additional attention to defensive zone play will make him a more desirable prospect.
An imposing forechecker with thunderous checks along the boards. Right handed, he moves from A to B with purpose and handles the puck beautifully through the neutral zone. I didn’t get to see his release or shot velocity.
Marko Mesich wearing 31 for Toronto Jr Canadiens –
A wide goaltender with efficient side to side movement. Economical in his butterfly usage. He had a solid lead in the third that evaporated. The goals he gave up were on surprise plays from behind the net or clean shots from close.
A physically mature left shooting Centre originally from NB. He’s uneven in the faceoff circle but won his battles in the corner and established his position in the front of the net. Jumped on loose puck for a quick chance is on net or rebound opportunities for his line mates. The first game I saw was a mismatch and he took advantage of it.
Listed 6’02.5 left catching goalie. He covered the bottom really well with quick adjustments and kept his rebounds out of the blue paint. I liked his calm demeanor. He kept his team in the game almost until the end before giving up 2 on redirections late.
Rico Champagne wearing 90 for Toronto Jr Canadiens –
A smaller crafty RW who’s not afraid to get in tough areas. Seems responsible at both ends and uses his quick feet to get places, anticipating where the puck will end up. Catches rebounds net front to cash in on extra chances.
Logan Prud’homme wearing 55 for Upper Canada College –
I had first seen him at the Cross Border Challenge in the summer of 2024, he was tall and lanky and took on the whole team to score. I said if he fills in he’ll be a beast. Now listed 6’7 the right handed centre is a great puck handler out of his zone, unafraid to take on checkers through the neutral zone and drive the net. Strong on draws. He’s unmovable once he gets to the front of the net.
Based on their places of birth, most players across the 30 teams will be eligible for the OHL draft. Still, I noted some QMJHL draft eligibles
We are now into December, and the scouting calendar is ramping up with more opportunities to see the top prospects in action. This past week was dominated by centers that are trying to make their case as to why they will be part of the solution down the middle for an NHL club in the future.
Muskegon Lumberjacks captain Tynan Lawrence is back in action and is out to prove his billing as the top center prospect available in 2026. Maddox Dagenais got to show off his game for the many fans and scouts that flocked to Alberta for the Team CHL vs. USA Prospects Challenge before going back and helping his club team capture two big victories. Finally, Swedish center Alexander Command is drawing eyeballs to his play as one of the top draft-eligible players in his league.
Tynan Lawrence | C | Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
After impressing the hockey scouting community with 54 points in 56 games with Muskegon in his pre-draft year, Lawrence is starting to prove in 2026 why he deserves to have his name called on day one. The top-ranked center on Draft Prospects Hockey’s 2026 NHL Draft Rankings missed the start of the season while he was rehabbing an injury but has played in six games since returning to the lineup. The 2027 Boston University commit has nine points (six goals, three assists) in those contests.
Lawrence was all around the net this week in three USHL matches, firing a total of 22 shots. His signature performance came in the second half of a back-to-back with four points against the Dubuque Fighting Saints.
Eight minutes into the first period, Lawrence won an offensive zone draw that his linemate Victor Norringer sent on goal. The rebound came free and was pounced on by the Lumberjacks for Lawrence to pick up the secondary assist. With the game knotted at one goal each in the middle of the second period, Lawrence sped in on a two-on-one with 2025 Pittsburgh sixth-round pick Carter Sanderson and popped in the rebound to make it 2-1 for the Lumberjacks. The Shattuck St. Mary’s product potted two empty-net goals in the third to secure his first career USHL hat trick.
Maddox Dagenais | C | Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
Quebec Remparts centerman Maddox Dagenais has the kind of size and a skillset to make him a very fascinating player to watch in the lead-up to the 2026 NHL Draft. The first overall pick in the 2025 QMJHL is 6-foot-4 and 196 pounds and has already tied his goal total (12) from his rookie season through 25 games this season.
Dagenais joined Team CHL this past week for the second annual CHL vs. USA Prospects Challenge and, despite starting on the fourth line, managed to contribute. Late in the second period with his team trailing by one, Dagenais fed a pass to a wide-open Alessandro Di Iorio, who buried a quick wrist shot to tie it up.
Returning to the Remparts for a pair of games after the showcase event, Dagenais potted three goals and an assist with six shots in two decisive wins.
Alexander Command | C | Örebro HK U20 (U20 Nationell)
Swedish center Alexander Command is off to a hot start in U20 Nationell play this season with 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) in 18 games. The two-way pivot’s play against his peers this season in international play has also been impressive, with seven points (three goals, four assists) in four games.
Playing in three games this past week, the 6-foot-1, 183-pound pivot recorded four points. In his second game of the week, against Rögle BK U20, he tied the game at one just shortly after the opponent had scored. After his team got a clean break-in, Command jumped to some open ice in the slot. He avoided a weak stick check by a defender and then stepped into a one-timer that beat the goalie cleanly. He added a second assist later in the period, while on the power play, to help tie the game at two. Command fed his teammate beside the Rögle goal, who slipped a feed to a wide-open man on the other side. He ripped a quick one-timer to tie the game at two and give Command his second point of the contest.
The CHL has long been a key pipeline for NHL-draft talent, but this season presents a different kind of storyline in net. While it may not be the strongest year for CHL goaltenders at the top of the class, the league still features a deep group of intriguing prospects, each offering flashes of potential, yet without a clear-cut No. 1 or true consensus among scouts. This first instalment highlights several draft-eligible goaltenders who have stood out in early- season viewings, showcasing a variety of skillsets, developmental paths, and projection questions. From technically polished netminders to raw, tools-heavy projects, this part one aims to set the stage for a class defined more by breadth than by a headline star.
Underwhelming game here for Jovanovski, coming off a recent B-grade from NHL Central Scouting. His primary strength was on full display, as his positioning remained strong and his overall movement looked smooth and coordinated. When plays developed in tight, he adopted a more aggressive stance, giving himself an edge on shooters and using his posts effectively to redirect back toward the middle of the crease.However, there were several elements in this viewing that raise questions about his upside as one of the higher-ranked goalies in his class. His skating looked average, lacking the power and explosiveness needed in lateral movements, and he often appeared a step late on his recoveries. Screen management was also an issue: traffic in front disrupted his posture too easily, and his reactions on screened shots were noticeably slow. On one sequence, he reacted so late that the puck was already released before he had fully set, resulting in a goal.Overall, it’s easy to see the surface-level traits that make Jovanovski appealing to scouts, but this performance also highlighted several areas that will need close monitoring as the season progresses
2025/11/08 Guelph 3 @ Flint 6 (OHL) Another game where Jovanovski looked calm and in control in his crease. He handled his relief appearance well, staying precise in his routes and maintaining generally strong positioning and squareness. He also showed quicker feet than usual, particularly on his butterfly recoveries.However, the concerns remain. He still lacks the high-end speed and explosiveness needed to close space efficiently or beat lateral passes. His screen management continues to be an issue as well, he was too relaxed, often trying to look over traffic rather than working around it. As a result, he was again late reacting to several point shots. At the next level, he’ll need to track through bodies with more urgency and retrieve pucks more aggressively.After
these viewings, I’m still uncertain about where to slot Jovanovski in the rankings. He will certainly hear his name called in June, but based on his current profile, I don’t view him as a lock for the top 64.
Parker Snell 2025/14/11 Edmonton 3 @ Victoria 1 (WHL)
It was a relatively quiet night for Snell, but that didn’t stop him from showcasing how effectively he can control and manage a game. He rarely drifted out of position, avoided giving up dangerous rebounds, and neutralized threats efficiently, never allowing the opposition to build momentum. Despite not being the tallest goaltender, Snell consistently looks big in his stance: keeping his chest tall, his hands active, and using his hip mobility to widen his base and maximize angle coverage. His post play was another standout element. He sealed the post cleanly on short-side pressure and used it as a springboard to explode back into his crease with strong, controlled movements. However, there were moments where his stick discipline in the butterfly created avoidable openings. On one short-side rush, he attempted to cut the passing lane even though the puck carrier showed no real passing intent, leaving the five-hole exposed. He made the save, but the shooter could’ve easily targeted that gap. A similar issue occurred later on another short-side sequence, where exposed space between the pads contributed to a goal off a missed pass. Overall, Snell’s technical foundation is very strong, and if he maintains this level of structure under a heavier workload, he has the potential to solidify himself as one of the top goaltending prospects in this class.
2025/29/10 Lethbridge 6 @ Edmonton 8 (WHL)
I really like how Snell conducts himself in the crease, blending control, patience, and just the right amount of aggressiveness and explosiveness. His stance and posture are nearly flawless: knees bent, weight balanced, and consistently prepared to move even in a more relaxed setup. That foundation allows him to make precise micro-adjustments, track the puck cleanly, and remain set for incoming shots. However, the opposing team found success when they committed bodies to the front of the net, exposing an area where Snell still needs refinement. He struggled at times to locate pucks off rebounds directly in front of him, and his recoveries in tight looked a bit sluggish. These sequences revealed a gap in his ability to manage traffic and re-set quickly after initial saves—an area he’ll need to sharpen if he wants to keep pace with other goalies ranked ahead of him. Despite these flaws, Snell remains an intriguing prospect. His technical base and overall poise give him a high floor, and his consistency throughout the season will determine whether he rises in the rankings or stays where he is.
Carter Casey 2025/08/11 Brandon 7 @ Medicine Hat 4
It was an up-and-down game for Casey, who looked like two completely different goalies across the halves. Early on, he was sharp and decisive, moving with impressive quickness and power. His pushes and slides were clean, and despite being an extremely active goalie, he managed to slow his game down just enough to stay square and on angle. He tracked the puck well, absorbed rebounds efficiently, and displayed strong control in his crease. In the second half, however, his play recognition noticeably dipped. He struggled to identify passing threats and committed too soon to the initial play, leaving himself exposed to secondary options and allowing at least two goals because of it. His posture and overall seal also became inconsistent, leading to a couple of through-the-body goals. On top of that, his stick management wavered—his five-hole opened up on multiple occasions, creating unnecessary vulnerability. Casey has a lot of tools and physical attributes that could make him a complete goaltender and one of the top prospects in his class. But he needs to use those tools with more consistency and sharpen his awareness and play-processing habits. Without that layer of refinement, the physical gifts lose much of their impact.
2025/25/10 Medicine Hat 4 @ Kelowna 3 OT (WHL) It was a high-volume game for Casey, who stayed sharp from start to finish. His competitiveness stood out immediately.He’s an extremely active goalie who refuses to give up on any shot or sequence, and he has the athletic tools to adjust on the fly and make difficult saves look routine. On the surface, he checks a lot of boxes that scouts look for, and this game certainly reinforced that. However, despite the strong performance, questions about his overall hockey IQ remain. Casey often plays on the reactive side, relying heavily on his athleticism to respond to plays rather than anticipating them. On several occasions, he failed to identify developing threats or didn’t adjust early enough to the play unfolding in front of him, leading to goals against or unnecessarily dangerous rebounds where a more controlled read could have produced a routine save. Leaning this much on pure athletic ability can look impressive in isolated moments, but it’s unlikely to be sustainable at higher levels of competition. Casey remains fairly high on my list because the physical tools are undeniable, but his ability to continue rising will depend on showing more projection, processing, and play awareness as the season progresses.
Harrison Boettiger 2025/11/08 Kelowna 6 @ Victoria 3 (WHL)
Boettiger is a highly active goaltender who leverages his mobility to cover as much net as possible without losing structure. In this game, his butterfly play stood out the most. He generated powerful, precise slides while maintaining strong upper-body posture, and his combination of mobility and pad control allowed him to seal the ice effectively. He also redirected low shots with controlled kick saves, placing rebounds into safe areas.That said, he relies heavily on the butterfly. He dropped to his knees quickly and, at times, chose to slide when holding his edges and moving laterally on his feet would have been the better option. Increased patience on his skates will be important for his long-term development.Despite these areas for refinement, Boettiger clearly looks like one of the top goaltending prospects in his class.
2025/11/05 Kelowna 6 @ Penticton 2 (WHL)
Boettiger delivered another strong performance in this viewing. Although he wasn’t challenged much with high shots, he excelled at taking away the lower part of the net. His seal was consistently excellent, using his hip mobility to stay compact and controlled, and he once again showed why he’s among the best butterfly-based prospects in this draft class. His slides were powerful yet smooth, with impressive precision, and his posture remained tight when down.One recurring issue, however, is his tendency to lean slightly too far forward in the butterfly. That forward tilt makes him appear smaller and leaves more exposure up high, giving shooters potential scoring windows. He also had some difficulty with his kick-save rebounds, which too often landed in the slot or other dangerous areas. Using his stick more proactively to redirect or neutralize those pucks would benefit him greatly.Overall, Boettiger continues to grow on me with each viewing. If he maintains this trajectory, he could earn a high spot on my draft rankings by the end of the season.
Marek Sklenicka 2025/14/11 Prince Albert 5 @ Seattle 4
Not a bad game for Sklenicka, who is a goalie that relies heavily on his size and positioning. He consistently found ways to set himself square and on angle, sometimes using quick and crisp adjustments in his crease. His size alone gives you a chance on every shot.However, in this viewing, I questioned his speed and athleticism when it came to handling what follows after the initial save or read. His athletic limitations were evident in his lateral movements and recoveries: he often fell behind the play and lost control of his positioning, leaving him exposed. His short-range rebound control is also something to monitor throughout the season, as a few pucks dropped into the slot and created dangerous opportunities and scrambles.Overall, I think Sklenicka is a solid goalie and should be considered a middle-round
option for the draft. If he can add a bit more consistency in his athleticism, I’m sure scouts will quickly warm to him.
2025/11/11 Wenatchee 1 @ Seattle 4 (WHL)
Good start for Sklenicka, who was tested early with a couple of odd-man rushes. He handled those situations perfectly, reading the passing threats and secondary options while adjusting his body positioning accordingly. I really liked how he managed himself in the crease.He showed higher-than-average hockey IQ and a strong understanding of developing plays. His post play was also solid, sealing the posts well in RVH and transitioning smoothly into the butterfly to return to the middle of his crease while maintaining a consistent ice seal.That said, I still find that Sklenicka lacks high-end quickness and athleticism, which could impact his draft stock. Controlled, intelligent performances like this one can help balance that weakness to some extent, but improving his overall explosiveness will be key as the season progresses.
Yermolenko is a smaller goalie, but he blends several intriguing traits—most notably strong positioning. He’s consistently on time to the play, maintaining great angle coverage and squareness even without high-end speed. In this viewing, he occasionally adopted a more aggressive approach, such as using the overlap to cut down angles, and while he isn’t the most athletic, he generated impressive power and speed on his lateral pushes. I was also impressed by his glove hand, catching pucks with ease and smoothness throughout the game. However, while his slides showed good power, he needs to rein them in. He often pushed without enough precision, overshooting and overcommitting on certain plays, which cost him energy and made recoveries slower. He also created a few scrambles by allowing low-shot rebounds into dangerous areas. Yermolenko has tools and looks sharp technically, but projecting him high on draft boards remain difficult at this stage, largely due to his size.
2025/6/11 Niagara 3 @ Ottawa 4
Yermolenko once again showed that his main strength lies in his positioning and overall crease presence on the initial shot. However, it wasn’t enough in this viewing, as his smaller frame and average athleticism led to frequent scrambles on recoveries and lateral plays. While Yermolenko remains an interesting prospect thanks to his strong fundamentals, I struggle to see an NHL projection at this stage given his size and overall athletic limitations.
Although the 2026 NHL Draft class is still developing, prospects are already making waves in the hockey community with their standout performances. This week continued to demonstrate why Ivar Stenberg, Viktor Fyodorov, and Caleb Malhotra are rapidly becoming must-watch names. Here’s a closer look at how these three prospects in the draft further developed their cases this week.
Ivar Stenberg | RW/LW | HC Frölunda (SHL)
Swedish winger Ivar Stenberg has all the tools and the kind of production against men in Sweden that points to him being a potential star in the NHL. The younger brother of St. Louis Blues’ 2023 first-round pick Otto had already proved he was adept at playing against older competition last season when he torched J20 Nationell with 53 points (26 goals, 27 assists) in 27 games. Stenberg put himself firmly on the radar for NHL scouts as a top draft-eligible player for 2026 with a strong performance at the 2025 U-18 Men’s World Championships with 13 points (8 goals, five assists) in seven games to help Sweden claim a silver medal.
The 6-foot, 181-pound playmaker is producing at a historic level in the SHL with 20 points (5 goals, 15 assists) in 21 games. If he can continue his pace, he will top Daniel Sedin for the best points per game by a draft-eligible player in the league’s history. Stenberg, the third-ranked skater on the DraftProspects.com 2026 NHL Draft Rankings, had a slow start to the week. He was held pointless in a 2-1 loss to Grenoble in Champions Hockey League play, then picked up a primary assist in a 3-0 win over Malmö in a return to SHL play. In his third game, Stenberg broke out for four points (one goal and three primary assists), playing just under 13 and a half minutes, in a 5-2 win over Leklands.
Holding onto a 3-2 lead in the early stages of the third period, Stenberg nabbed the insurance marker for Frölunda just two and a half minutes into the frame. The slick Swede sped in from his spot on the wing to pick up a loose puck from his teammate beside the Leklands net. After his first attempt to jam the puck past the goalkeeper failed, the rebound came right back to him, and he ripped a quick wrist shot up and over.
Viktor Fydororov | C | Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL)
Viktor Fyodorov is the highest-ranked Russian skater on the DraftProspects.com 2026 Draft Rankings. The two-way center has been shuffled between the KHL, VHL, and MHL this season but has managed to catch scouts’ eyes. Fyodorov has struggled to put up points in the VHL with just five points (two goals, three assists) in 17 games but has a point per game in five MHL contests and two points in three KHL games.
Fyodorov is listed at 5-foot-10, 176 pounds, which would be on the smaller side for an NHL center. He has dominated the faceoff dot with a 55% winning percentage against his peers but has played wing when called up to the KHL. The Tomsk, Russia, native had a productive week against MHL competition with a goal and two assists while firing 10 shots in two games. He also played in his third KHL game with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod.
With Torpedo trailing 3-2 midway through the third, Fyodorov joined the forecheck to harass the Spartak Moskva goalie as he left the net to play the puck. After a teammate blocked the goalie’s pass attempt, he slipped a pass to Fyodorov, who cleanly popped it into an empty net to bring his team back even and nab his first KHL goal.
Caleb Malhotra | C | Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
Caleb Malhotra’s OHL career started with a trade from Kingston to Brantford. Originally bound for Boston University in 2026, the NCAA rule changes allowed for him to play his draft-eligible season in the OHL. The son of longtime NHL player and current Abbotsford Canucks head coach, Manny, has taken on the second-line center role for a dominant Bulldogs outfit.
The 6-foot, 170-pound pivot is third in the OHL among draft-eligible players with 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) in 23 games. Playing in just two games this week, Malhotra picked up four points (two goals, two assists) in the second game after being held off the scoresheet by the Niagara IceDogs.
With the Bulldogs already holding a firm 4-1 advantage over the Sarnia Sting, Malhotra helped add more insult to injury in the middle of the second period. After the Bulldogs’ aggressive forecheck recovered the puck in Sting territory, Malhotra settled into some open ice beside the net and tipped home a one-timer from Adam Jiricek. Malhorta added his second goal of the contest on the power play on a similar play where the Bulldogs’ passing around the zone left Malhotra wide open for a tap-in.
WHL Red Deer (2) @ Moose Jaw (3) (OT) November 9, 2025 @ 15:00
Beckett Hamilton, #21 Red Deer Rebels – March 28, 2008, Right shot centre, 5.10 / 173
Strength: Hamilton is an offensive minded forward. In this viewing he was about 25% in the face off circle. Does a good job stripping pucks and gaining possession from the opposition. Reliable centreman on the PK1 unit.
Opportunity: Needs to finish his checks more consistently and challenge goaltenders more often with his shot.
Projection: 6th round
Skating: 5
Shooting: 5
Passing: 5
Puck Handling: 5
Hockey IQ: 5
Physicality: 5
Offensive upside: 5
Defensive upside: 5
Jan Trefny, #43 Moose Jaw Warriors – March 16, 2008, Left shot left wing, 5.11 / 172
Strength: Trefny is a reliable 2-way forward with solid defensive instincts. Jan Shows strong hustle and compete level. Effective in the defensive zone by stripping pucks and making smart clears. Has decent hands and defends well with an active stick.
Brek Liske, #42 Everett Silvertips – January 9, 2008, right shot defenseman. 6.01 / 190
Strength: Moves the puck well with crisp outlet passes. Maintains a solid gap and uses an active stick effectively. Displays good edge work and battles hard along the boards. Smart and crafty with body positioning, consistently preventing opponents from gaining the advantage.
Opportunity: Needs to add more strength to win battles more decisively and improve his ability to separate players from the puck. Could increase urgency in transition to move play up ice quicker.
Projection: undrafted but reliable two-way defenseman with potential to develop into a steady shutdown presence.
Skating: 5
Shooting: 5
Passing: 5
Puck Handling: 5
Hockey IQ: 5
Physicality: 5
Offensive upside: 5
Defensive upside: 5
Brett Olson, #12 Vancouver Giants – February 24, 2008, right shot right wing. 6.01 / 185
Strength: Smooth skater with average speed. Applies good pressure in the offensive zone and supports the play well.
Opportunity: Needs to improve lower-body strength to stay on his feet and compete more effectively in board battles. Should look to get more puck touches and be more assertive in challenging goaltenders with his shot. Lacks physical engagement.
Projection: Undrafted depth forward with potential to contribute more offensively as confidence and strength develop.
Chase Harrington, #26 Spokane Chiefs – October 30, 2007, Left shot left wing, 6.00 / 196
Strength: Harrington is a power forward. He shows good foot speed and a heavy shot. Plays a physical, high-compete game and consistently battles to win races to the puck. Willing to go to the hard areas in front of the net. Displays strong hockey IQ and anticipation, with good puck patience and the ability to make accurate passes on both the forehand and backhand. He scored Spokane’s only two goals in this viewing.
Opportunity: None noted
Forecast: Late first round
Skating: 6
Shooting: 7
Passing: 6
Puck Handling: 6
Hockey IQ: 6
Physicality: 6
Offensive upside: 7
Defensive upside: 6
Ty Bonkowski, #24 Kamloops Blazers – July 9, 2008, Right shot right wing. 5.10 / 161
Strength: Bonkowski is a 2-way forward. He is a strong skater with good balance and control. Establishes a solid net-front presence and handles the puck with confidence and authority.
Opportunity: Continue to work on improving overall speed to enhance effectiveness in transition and on the forecheck.
(*Saw limited ice later in an 8-2 game when rookies and 4th liners were getting more shifts). Will have to watch again in a better game to get a better evaluation.
As the 2026 NHL Draft picture continues to develop, a trio of emerging major-junior standouts are forcing scouts to take notice. Across the CHL, high-end skill, production, and poise are coming into focus—whether it’s the dynamic twin-driven surge in Medicine Hat, a Russian playmaker redefining “instant impact” in Victoriaville, or a towering OHL power forward bulldozing his way up draft boards. Liam Ruck, Yegor Shilov, and Ethan Belchetz aren’t just off to hot starts—they’re building cases to hear their names called early on draft night in June. Here’s a closer look at why all three are rapidly rising prospects to watch.
Liam Ruck | RW | Medicine Hat Tigers
Liam Ruck and his identical twin brother, Markus, have both had hot starts to their respective draft-eligible seasons in Medicine Hat. The twins are both producing at a point-per-game level with 21 points each. Liam has found a little bit more of a scoring touch with seven goals and 14 assists, while Markus is dishing the puck with just three goals to go with 18 assists.
In a pair of games over the weekend, Liam showed off his offensive prowess, collecting six points. Early in the first period against the Regina Pats, Ruck settled into some open ice near the faceoff dot on the left side before taking a pass and ripping a wicked wrist shot that hit the crossbar and went in. With the game tied at two in the second, Ruck broke the tie. After taking a feed on his backhand, the Osoyoos, BC native tried to feed the puck across the slot, but his pass was redirected back to him, and he popped it in. Ruck added a secondary assist on the overtime winner to pick up points on all four Tigers goals.
The 45th-ranked skater on the 2026 Draft Prospects Rankings added a goal and an assist to his weekend total in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Yegor Shilov | C | Victoriaville Tigres
Russian center Yegor Shilov is leading the way for draft-eligible prospects in the QMJHL with 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) in 21 games. After lighting it up in minor hockey in Russia, he had 76 points in 30 U17 games in 2023-24; the crafty playmaker moved across the ocean to play for the Long Island Gulls 16U program. The transition to North American ice didn’t seem to faze him, as he scored 48 points in 31 games with the Gulls and another 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 39 games with the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers.
The Boston University commit for next season was picked third overall by Victoriaville in the 2025 CHL Import Draft and acclimatized to major junior hockey extremely well. After picking up an assist in Victorville’s Wednesday tilt with Baie-Comeau, Shilov exploded for a hat trick and a five-point outing against Shawinigan. In on a three-on-two, Shilov used the Shawinigan defender as a screen and fired a wrist shot over the goalie’s glove-side shoulder. He added another marker on a shorthanded breakaway, slipping a backhand through the goalie’s pads. He capped the hat trick with a breakaway goal on an empty net. The 49th-ranked skater on the 2026 Draft Prospects Rankings was held off the scoresheet in a 4-1 win over Gatineau, but it wasn’t for lack of trying, as the pivot had six shots on goal.
Ethan Belchetz | LW | Windsor Spitfires
Ethan Belchetz has always had a nose for the net, and the monster power forward is currently leading the OHL draft-eligible group with 16 goals in 21 games. After potting 17 goals in his rookie season last year with the Spitfires, Belchetz is set to soar past that number in his sophomore campaign. The Oakville, ON, native, standing at 6-foot-5 and 227 pounds, has the kind of size NHL teams dream about and a toolkit of offensive skills to go with it.
Belchetz opened the scoring for the Spitfires on Thursday night against the Soo Greyhounds. Finding some open ice in the slot, the gargantuan winger walked in uncovered and wired a wrist shot over the Greyhounds keeper’s blocker-side shoulder. Belchetz found the back of the net less than two minutes into the second period for the daily double. After gaining the zone, Belchetz dropped the puck off for Philadelphia Flyers prospect Jack Nesbitt and settled into some open ice in the left-side faceoff circle. As he drifted towards the Soo cage, Nesbitt fed him the puck. Despite not being able to get a clean shot off, the puck rattled around and found its way in.
The 5th-ranked skater on the 2026 Draft Prospects Rankings had nine shot attempts with six on target during Saturday’s game against the Guelph Storm. He managed to find the back of the net off a play he created in his own zone. After blocking a point-to-point pass by the Storm, Belchetz took off and received a feed to give himself a breakaway. With all kinds of time and space, the 2024 first overall pick in the OHL Draft faked a shot to get the goalie to drop and then roofed a quick forehand wrist shot up and over.
The Under-17 World Hockey Challenge is the introduction for these young players to international competitions. Most of these players will not be eligible for the NHL Entry Draft until 2027 or 2028. There have been hundreds of young men who have gone on from this tournament to the NHL, many top picks such as Alex Ovechkin, Nathan MacKinnon, Mats Sundin and Connor McDavid included. We saw some surprising performances and outcomes during the preliminary round of the U17 World Hockey Challenge. Team Czechia delivered a gritty and spirited performance and, along with the United States, finished at the top of their division, earning a bye into the semifinals. Canada White and Canada Red both finished second in their division and will face Finland and Sweden in the quarterfinals.
I will provide some insight into two players per team
Czechia
Adam Nemec – Right Wing
Adam Nemec (no relation to the NHL Nemec brothers) was Czechia’s leading goal scorer with two goals at the tournament. While that may not seem like much, his entire team scored only seven goals total in this tournament.
Offensively:
Nemec used his speed along the outside to generate controlled zone entries, which allowed him to generate most of Czechia’s offensive chances. The first game of the tournament was when he did his best and scored two goals in the upset win against Canada White. He has good skating mechanics and a good first step, but it is his ability to glide with pace and to explode with speed changes that create separation from defenders, allowing him to either carry pucks into optimal lanes or to get into open space when playing off puck. He uses this skill to maintain a breakaway threat that is used to stretch defenders further from their positions than comfortable for them to support the offence.
He also handles the puck very well, demonstrating his ability to weave his way through traffic while maintaining control of the puck. This pairs well with his offensive vision, while he does identify shooting lanes quickly, despite not having any assists in the tournament, he can also thread passes to linemates in optimal scoring positions. But his play away from the puck needs work, as his hockey IQ does allow him to read developing plays in which he can then pounce onto loose pucks, or to cut off the breakout and reattack, but it is more often leaving him over committed to the attack when a better defensive position would allow him to take advantage of his strengths in transitional play.
Defensively:
While he is a breakaway threat and does well to stretch the defence, it’s a double-edged sword as he was regularly cheating on the offensive side of the puck by edging away from his best possible defensive position to try and gain a step on the defenceman. This would pay off with the breakaway if his team can win the puck battle happening lower in the zone, but if they don’t, it prevents him from defending against the opposition forward from circling over to the slot with control. He’s still a raw prospect defensively, but his scoring ability will make him a player to watch
He wasn’t as effective as a rush passenger forcing his way into the blue paint for a close-range deflection or rebound, working better as the offensive-zone entrant sniping a shot from the half-wall or weaving into the slot with skill. In cycle offence, he showed some flashy high-end passing, able to recover from movement and rotation to reliably land long passes across the zone.
Lukas Kachlir – Left Defence
With the puck on his stick in the offensive zone, there are few prospects in this age group who are as dynamic as him. Dynamic footwork paired with quick hands, good vision, and passing skill. A prototypical PP quarterback who will put up tons of points in his junior career before making the jump to the pro level sooner rather than later. However, he displayed the same concerns we’ve seen in the past again in this game, too. He knows what to do to defend the rush, but still frequently struggles against bigger, faster, skilled players, who often find ways around or through him. In-zone, his size limits him against bigger, stronger players protecting the puck. He also isn’t as quick and effective on retrievals or in open ice as some of his peers. Purely as an O-zone player, I think Kachlíř is more skilled than Tomáš Galvas was at the same age, so there’s still a lot that can happen in the next two years; but getting drafted, and especially getting drafted as high as his skill level suggests, will be an uphill battle just like it was for the undrafted Galvas.
In this game, Kachlíř was as offensive a defenseman as they come. Making a statement early on his first O-zone activation, he looped wide around the net to launch a shot saved only by a Swedish defender. He showed good puck-handling skills on zone entries in those frequent activations, although some flashier moves led to clean takeaways by competent defenders. He had a standout defensive moment in this game as well, getting away with some light hooking on a breakaway, which in turn highlights some defensive deficiencies. Kachlíř is a prolific offensive defenseman prospect who has often been playing beyond his age group, but even on a level playing field, the same habits and evaluations emerge. He’s on the long list of players to watch for the 2027 NHL Draft, but the pressure will soon be on to show more promising pro projectability via defence, strength, and details.
Finland
Lenni Kokkonen – Right Defence
Kokkonen is a promising puck-moving offensive defenceman. During the U17s, he was used heavily in all situations, especially on the power play. What stood out was the confidence he has with the puck and his mobility. He was able to walk the blue line using his edges, be deceptive in transition using hip mobility, and his ability to pivot to reverse was fluid, allowing him to keep his speed.
Offensively:
His puck-moving ability stood out thanks to his mobility, but also due to his above-average puck-handling skills, which he was able to use in conjunction with body positioning to protect the puck, to cut through traffic, and to set the table for a quick pass on either his forehand or backhand. He made good use of his mobility on the power play. He was able to walk the blue line to change angles, forcing defenders to reposition and open shooting/passing lanes. He would attack open space and smartly reload when those gaps closed. His vision was on display as he identified the most advantageous play, distributing pucks to teammates in high danger areas or taking the shot himself. He can be depended on to find lanes through traffic, getting shots on net through traffic from the point, but also make quick and accurate passes in the neutral and offensive zones.
He was the quarterback of the top PP unit, directing the movement of all his linemates. Also, he displayed an intense desire to make a difference in the outcome, consistently pushing the pace by jumping up on the rush, on the PP or at 5v5. His offensive game is still raw, and there is room for better attention to detail that would improve his offensive effectiveness.
Defensively:
Overall, he plays a solid, but not mistake-free, defensive game. This stems from his desire to get the offensive game moving, as he did have some turnovers on breakouts stemming from rushing the play. That said, it was clear he was purposefully trying to remain below the puck; one reason is to be able to hold good defensive positioning in the event he would need to shut down a rush attack in transition, but also to keep the play in front of him so as to better assess his offensive opportunities.
His mobility and good overall speed comes into play defensively as well, as he is a very capable rush defender, using stick and body positioning to maintain tight gap control and to funnel the attacking player towards the boards, where he can close him off along the wall or attempt to strip him of the puck. He did overcommit at times to lay a crushing hit on attackers who tried to outskate him wide, which caused him to miss or give them a lane to the middle of the ice. He needs to identify and communicate more with any backchecking teammate who could help him cut off his side of the ice without sacrificing a stronger defensive position.
His hockey IQ isn’t all offence-focused as he does identify the best method of attack, a board battle, to be the first on the puck, playing through the hands, or to simply pin the opponent and wait for support. His backtracking defensively does need work, as he wasn’t consistently chasing the puck into his zone and did have problems handling larger forwards in front of his net. He needs to add strength to handle those physical players, but also find ways of tying up their sticks, as there were rebounds and tipped pucks that were available that he couldn’t defend against.
He is most effective when he is using his edges to shake off forecheckers on puck retrievals and using deception with his punch turns to create lanes to let him carry pucks into transition. His overall game is very enticing, he has excellent offensive instincts, is coachable and at 6-foot-1 and 176 pounds at only 16 years old, has good size. Being a right-shot puck mover with potential to become a good two-way player, there is going to be interest in this player.
Luka Santala – Right Wing
Santala was not only one of the top Finns, but he was also one of the better players in this tournament. While his five points in four games didn’t get him into the top 10 in points, Finland only scored 11 goals total, and he factored into nearly half of their offence.
Offensively:
Santala is a big, 6-foot-2, 176-pound, right-handed centre, which immediately makes him a desirable prospect. His offensive game helps that as he is a consistent play driver. He is highly effective playing a no-nonsense style of two-way game. His skating is good for this level, but it is an area that will need improvement as he moves up. He tends to prefer slowing the pace of play to take control and will need to learn to play with more speed and pace.
Physically, he uses his frame well to protect the puck and to initiate contact when needed. He has a high IQ, which is evident when watching his off-puck play. When not directly involved in generating the cycle or in a board battle, he was quietly moving through the offensive zone, looking for any soft spot that he could exploit in a high-danger area. When that wasn’t the case, he showed he isn’t reliant on only one trick; he also consistently identified when he would need to drive to the net or look for rebounds.
He did well in the faceoff dot. If he didn’t win his matchup, he was quick to tie up his counterpart, using his frame to shield his area of responsibility and allow for a teammate to jump in and gain possession. Santala wasn’t a passive rider, looking to strike with an opportunistic play; instead, he was deliberate, showing an ability to read evolving plays and to choose the correct action to his and his team’s advantage.
As with most Finnish players, he isn’t a flashy offensive player, instead relying on a full set of tools. His size and physicality make him most effective when making plays off the cycle, using his good vision and passing skills to create offensive opportunities. He is consistently above the puck, rarely, if ever, cheating to the offensive side of the puck. His calm and calculated nature allows him to remain patient with the puck, even under pressure. Combine his size with his vision to let him absorb the contact, protect possession and complete a quick and accurate pass, or release a quick shot.
Defensively:
Santala was highly effective defensively. As in the offensive zone, his hockey IQ is an asset here, as his off-puck play is very strong. He showed consistency, pursuing attackers deep into his own zone, initiating contact or providing support to his defencemen. He was also quick to identify his best use defensively, as he also took care of net-front responsibilities when the defenders were engaged in one-on-one battles.
He continually scanned his surroundings, allowing him to be prepared to anticipate pressure and time to select the highest percentage play ready to be executed. This allowed him to identify when to release and find open ice and become a reliable outlet to receive a quick pass from his defenders, making the transition game smoother and more effective. He was also highly capable in transition, controlling zone exits and entries, helping to defend by moving the puck 200 feet from his own net.
Overall, he showed himself to be an effective two-way centre with some additional offensive potential to be unlocked, making him an interesting player to watch for 2027.
Canada Red
Alexis Joseph – Centre
Alexis Joseph, first overall in the QMJHL Draft in 2025, the Saint John Sea Dogs forward may be the best prospect coming out of the QMJHL in the last few years. He definitely has the highest potential at this point; he has top-line centre, possibly even franchise centreman potential. At the Under 17s, he was the player all of the media and scouts had their eyes on.
Offensively:
His long, smooth strides mean he can keep pace with the quickest skaters; despite that, he still has room to improve. He does have good edge work, which allows him to make quick direction changes, but he tends to glide instead, sometimes moving away from the puck. This is something he has identified as an issue in his game when I spoke with him, demonstrating a very mature and cerebral approach to his game. He is coachable, he can identify weaknesses in his own game and seek out help from the staff and accept critiques and direction as well. Joseph possesses a high hockey IQ, allowing him to anticipate plays and create opportunities for his teammates with precise and deceptive passes. He is also very effective in the faceoff circle, winning the majority of his faceoffs.
The 16-year-old is already 6-foot-5 and 201 pounds, making him very difficult to defend due to his leverage and reach. While he isn’t a player that will regularly initiate contact, he is one that can play through that side of the game, battling for positioning, playing a cycle, and winning his share of board battles.
Once he graduates to the professional levels, he will need to become a little more aggressive in order to keep his opponents honest and generate more space for himself. He is an offensively gifted player who has a powerful shot with a quick and deceptive release; however, even for a player scoring as much as he has, he needs to be more consistent in his use, as it would force defenders to stop cheating in covering the pass, opening more scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. Especially with his high-end puck skills, which enable him to control the puck effectively even at high speeds and protect it from defenders. The coordination between his stick and feet stood out as he used his entire body to protect and handle the puck.
Defensively:
His size is an advantage defensively, yet as he himself identified, power and speed are areas he still wants to improve in, which would allow him to become even more effective defensively. Currently, he is consistent in his ability to provide support down low while also remaining a passing option, which helps the transition game, especially as he is highly capable of generating controlled zone exits. His skating skill set allows him to cover a lot of area in the defensive zone as well as cut off lanes. If he can improve his maneuverability in tight spaces (edge work), he would become even more effective in support of his defencemen. He is trusted by coaches to be used in all situations.
His faceoff ability makes him a logical choice to take important draws when his team is down by a goal late in periods, or to help defend. He is an obvious choice on any PP, but his defensive game is sound enough that he can be trusted on the PK as well. This means he will chew up a lot of ice time every game, and his consistent work ethic off the ice allows him to maintain and improve his cardio and strength in season.
Joseph was over a goal per game average with six goals in five games he played at the U17s on his way to leading Canada Red to a Gold medal. He also averaged nearly three points per game pace with 13 points. While he looked dominant offensively against players in his age group, when he returns to playing against older, more experienced defenders, he could work on varying his pace more frequently and attacking defensive structures more strategically. On the defensive side of the puck, that same approach would help him counter top offensive lines. While some see defenceman Landon DuPont as the current favourite to challenge for the top pick in 2027, however, Joseph is forcing his way into that discussion, especially as the 2026 draft class is seen as thin at centre.
Brock Cripps – Right Defence
Brock Cripps was the WHL’s 2nd overall pick in 2024 and was one of the biggest standouts in the U17 tournament as he was able to make an impact at both ends of the ice. The basis of his entire game is his skating ability. He is a quick, evasive skater who is highly mobile and uses speed changes and edgework to deceive defenders and attacking forwards. He has an ability to move laterally and change directions sharply. His use of stutter steps confuses his opponents; this makes him elusive and difficult to defend, allowing him to create separation from opponents in all three zones.
Offensively:
Cripps pairs his skating with a poised demeanour, especially under pressure. His excellent hockey IQ is aided by his habit of constantly scanning the ice, allowing him to read emerging plays and better anticipate where pressure will be applied. His transitional play stands out thanks to a good first step, allowing him to reach top speeds more quickly (which will improve as he gains strength). His edgework, coupled with his puck skills, is on full display when he is in the offensive zone, as he creates space for himself while walking the blueline, evading defenders and creating open spaces that teammates can exploit. Cripps also has a very hard and accurate point shot, which makes him a scoring threat at distance, and paired with his puck handling skills, a very strong PP quarterback as well.
His IQ also allows him to identify the best opportunities to pinch at the point, or to slide down the weakside to an open area I the slot where he can use that heavy shot to beat a goaltender clean. His offensive instincts and excellent skating allow him to be an effective puck mover who can confidently and effectively skate the puck out of danger and through the neutral zone.
Defensively:
At only 5-foot-10 and 161 pounds, the 16-year-old still has room to grow to be more durable once he reaches the professional ranks, but that doesn’t mean he was afraid of physical contact; quite the opposite, he relished it. Cripps is highly competitive, and this meant he initiated contact regularly, and did so to gain possession, not just to lay a big hit. Despite how often he initiated contact, he was rarely penalized, demonstrating his calculated and disciplined defensive style.
That defensive style stems from his skating and mobility, which he uses to gain positional advantages in open ice and along the boards. It allows him to break up plays, including using an active stick to take away lanes. Cripps displayed strong rush defence, using his mobility to help him keep tight gaps as he matched speed with the attacking player, and used his body and stick positioning to angle them to the boards, killing the rush.
While he was one of the top defencemen in points, he is capable of being even more impactful on that end, but it was his all-around performance, two-way style, that impressed and makes him a player to watch for the 2027 draft.
Canada West
Liam Pue – Centre
Liam Pue and linemate and Regina Pats teammate Maddox Schultz were the only two underage players at the tournament. Pue is a natural centreman, who displays intelligence, creativity and high-end skating ability to be an impact forward in all three zones. He is a really good skater with powerful strides to generate excellent speed in direct lines, but is also able to use his edges to make direction changes while maintaining speed. Standing at 6-foot-2, he has an NHL frame already, and weighing over about 154 pounds just means he will need time to add mass and strength, which is to be expected of a 15-year-old.
Offensively:
Pue plays with a physical edge and a sniper’s touch. Pue has an elite offensive hockey IQ. He uses it as he stalks the offensive zone like a hunter tracking his prey. His acute peripheral vision is a tool that helps to augment his excellent offensive IQ, letting him scan the zone and identify weaknesses and the best times to pounce onto loose pucks, but also when to jump into a battle and help gain possession. His puck protection is elite at this level. He uses a combination of patience, quick stops and starts, lower body strength, his close-quarter stickhandling, and vision to generate scoring opportunities. He handles the puck effectively and is deceptive with his movements.
He handles the puck quickly and does so with his head up at all times. This assists him in identifying opportunities, but it also helps him avoid being targeted physically. His shot is a weapon that he uses often and effectively. He is able to shoot at distance with a heavy and accurate shot, but also, he is effective in tight quarters, using his puck protection and handling skills to allow him to fire pucks with a quick release in tight to the net.
Defensively:
In his own zone, Pue is active and effective. He is already showing an ability to not rush the defenceman at the blue line, instead, skating in the same direction and angling them towards the boards while using his stick position to prevent them from backtracking with a tight punch turn. He is also consistently placing himself in a position to be an outlet for the transition game, but this, at times, does make him seem too passive in his own zone. That said, he doesn’t make low percentage plays in his own zone. He is still inconsistent with his neutral zone pressure; he lacks the experience to more consistently identify the times to meet attackers at centre to angle them off, helping his defencemen with funnelling pucks to more easily defensible positions.
He did have some defensive lapses, but that is expected of much younger players. Again, experience is all that is needed to clean this area of his game up, as his work ethic and competitive nature are not in question.
Pue is a prospect with an attractive blend of skills and physical attributes. He won’t be eligible for the NHL draft until 2028, which means junior hockey fans will get to see this player for a few more seasons, including this one. Normally, 15-year-old affiliate players would only be eligible to play up to 10 games with their WHL Club, but due to Pue being granted exceptional status by his provincial hockey body to play in a U18 league, he will be allowed to play 34 games in the WHL despite being only 15 years old.
Maddox Schultz – Left Wing/Centre
Maddox Schultz was a standout at the tournament, and being only 15 years old made his performance as a top five-point scorer at the U17s with 9 points in 5 games even more impressive. He and Pue were paired up and helped to lead Canada White to a Silver medal. At 5-foot-10 and 181 pounds, he is built like a tank, which helps translate to a player with incredible core strength and control. Especially in his elite skating, which is considered his best attribute, providing the foundation for his two-way potential. His exceptional ability on the ice is a direct result of his background in figure skating and focused edgework training with his parents, who are both skating instructors.
Schultz’s training provides him with excellent command of his edges, providing him with superior agility and the ability to execute precise turns even at high speeds. This makes him evasive and difficult for defenders to contain.
Offensively:
Schultz is a high-end playmaker and goal scorer with exceptional skating ability. This provides him with the time and space needed to use his ability to read the ice and anticipate plays, allowing him to create scoring chances for himself and his teammates. His vision, combined with his elite skating, allows him to find teammates in dangerous areas in the offensive zone. His evasiveness makes life hard for defenders trying to contain him; that and his puck skills draw in opponents, leaving large gaps in coverage that he then exploits by feeding pucks to open teammates.
His shot is another weapon he can use. It is hard and accurate, pair that with a quick and deceptive release, and it makes it difficult for goalies to track, especially when he uses the defenceman or net front traffic to act as a screen. His puck protection is another skill in his toolbox, as he is highly effective at moving the puck through traffic and controlling the play. Thanks to his control at top speeds, he is also able to play at a high pace, which is translatable to the next level.
Defensively:
His constant training on his skating techniques has given him an innate understanding of weight distribution and how to generate speed efficiently. That means he uses less energy, allowing him to maintain top speeds for longer periods. This skill contributes to his strong two-way game. His compete level adds to his skating, which makes his ability to track hard on the backcheck more effective. His off-puck play displays his high hockey IQ as he is rarely ever out of an optimal defensive position. He is unafraid of physicality; instead, he prefers to play a more physical brand of hockey. He can mark his man in the defensive zone, even when teams are trying to play the cycle.
He wins most of his puck battles as well, and, while he is highly responsible in his own zone, his biggest value is in transition. His speed and puck possession ability mean he generates controlled zone exits and entries, which in turn help to keep the puck 200 feet from his own goal. His defensive play is used to transition into generating offence, and his offensive game is a tool he uses to defend by keeping the puck away from his own goal.
Sweden
Loui Karlsson – Left Wing/Centre
Loui Karlsson brings clear offensive upside, especially with his shot execution. The 5-foot-9, 168-pound forward was the offensive lynchpin for the Swedish team, scoring six goals, tied for first at the tournament with Joseph and Schultz, and eight points in 4 games.
Offensively:
This is the strength of his game; he provides his club with an offensive weapon, especially on the PP. His shot can be lethal; if he finds any space in the offensive zone, his release is quick and accurate. Despite his size, he generates surprising power on his wrist shot and one-timer. He’s especially dangerous in high-tempo, quick-transition plays. His offensive hockey IQ is high; he has the ability to find soft ice in the offensive zone, reading plays quickly and positioning himself to capitalize on rebounds or passing lanes.
Unfortunately, he can be physically outmatched along the boards or net-front against larger defenders. While his best attribute is as a shooter, his playmaking skills are also advanced; however, he doesn’t utilize them as often, making it easier for defenders to anticipate his next move.
Defensively:
Karlsson can play a two-way game, staying on the right side of the puck and tracking back quickly after turnovers, but it is still inconsistent. His size is an issue as he can be outmuscled in front of the net and along the boards, especially in the defensive zone. Despite his size, he’s willing to battle in his own zone. He is able to use quick reads to disrupt passes and force turnovers. When he does, he turns them into counterattacks. If he misses, it provides his opponent with a more advantageous scoring position. He will need to become better at his positioning to avoid this happening. For long-term success, being reliable without the puck (back checking, positioning, defensive reads) will matter, especially in his draft year.
His skating is a strength at this stage of his development, and if he can work on his consistency, improve his skating mechanics to keep pace with his age group, he has top-six upside.
Douglas Johnsson -Right Defence
Douglas Johnsson plays in the Skellefteå system and fits into the mould of a prototypical Swedish puck-moving, offensive-minded blue-liner and power-play quarterback.
Offensively:
Johnsson is a smooth, confident skater with solid edgework and mobility. This mobility allows him to join the attack and to recover defensively if there is a turnover. He is a good passing option, making a quick first pass and shows a willingness to use his shot from the point, which is used to generate tip-ins and rebounds that increase scoring chances. He excels on the PP, using his mobility to effortlessly walk the blue line and look for seam passes. He is also effective when using the give and go, stepping into open space to release a one-timer and remain a shooting threat.
Defensively:
He competes and is willing to engage in traffic, but added strength will be needed if he hopes to consistently win battles along the boards and in front of his net at the next level. Through the neutral zone and against a rush offence, he uses positioning, tight gaps and an active stick to guide forwards to the outside and to cut off passing lanes. This pressure has forced turnovers that turn into a quick transition offence. Continued refinement of angling and timing will increase his defensive reliability.
Johnsson is consistently looking to generate offence on the transition by moving the puck up from the defensive zone with a quick pass or to take possession and jump up on the rush. This desire means he must work to gain possession. At 154 pounds, he can’t rely on physicality to make that happen; instead, he is highly capable of maintaining tight gaps, remaining between the puck and his goal, and playing through the hands of the attackers, making it difficult for them to complete plays around him.
As a mobile, puck-first defenseman who defends with skating and anticipation rather than physical dominance, he fits in with the prototypical offensive defenceman seen in the NHL today
