DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY

Tag: Muskegon Lumberjacks

  • 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Report – Teddy Lechner (RD)

    Teddy Lechner:
    Projection: Bottom 4 Defence
    Strengths: Skating, Poise with the puck, Hockey IQ
    Weaknesses: Physicality, Strength

    Analysis:

    Teddy Lechner is a solid two-way defenceman who excels in every
    situation. Watching his time in Muskegon, you wouldn’t know he spent
    the majority of the season playing in the Minnesota high school
    league. Immediately, you notice how good of a skater he is. He has
    such a fluid stride, a great top speed, and is super agile on his
    edges. He uses his skating as a weapon, threatening to carry the puck
    out of his own zone, join the rush, or pinch in the offensive zone to
    be an extra option down low, knowing he has the speed to get back in
    time if the puck is turned over. With the puck on his stick, he has an
    immense amount of poise and control, taking as much time as possible
    to decide what the best option he has available to him and executing
    accordingly. This stems from his superb hockey IQ, reading and
    anticipating plays before they happen to remain one step ahead of
    everyone else on the ice.

    The biggest worry in his game is his overall strength and physicality.
    When engaging in battles with opponents, it’s clear that he lacks the
    strength needed to be able to control or contain his opponents where
    he wants them to be. He struggles to push others around and force them
    off the puck on his own. Though he lacks the strength currently, he
    still gives and takes checks in order to create plays when needed,
    showing with a little development to grow stronger, he’d be capable of
    playing the physical style needed to excel at the next levels.

  • Weekly 2026 Draft Eligible Three Stars: U18 World Championship Edition

    While many prospects continue their playoff pushes at the club level, a significant portion of the 2026 draft class has taken center stage internationally at the IIHF U18 World Championship in Slovakia. The tournament provides one final opportunity for players to measure themselves against their peers and make a lasting impression ahead of the NHL Draft.

    This week’s three stars feature a Swedish winger leading the charge offensively for his country, a Canadian center continuing to find his game after an up-and-down season, and a Swedish pivot beginning to deliver on his first-round projection.

    Here are the draft-eligible three stars for the week of April 20 to 27.

    Elton Hermansson | RW/LW | Sweden U18

    Swedish winger Elton Hermansson continues to excel against his age group, building on a strong international season in which he recorded 19 points (10 goals, nine assists) in 10 games. The 6-foot-1, 174-pound forward has carried that momentum into the U18 World Championship, where he has been a consistent offensive driver for Sweden.

    The Örnsköldsvik native spent much of his draft year playing in HockeyAllsvenskan with Modo, where he led all draft-eligible players in both points (21) and games played (38). He saw limited action during the playoffs before Modo was eliminated in the semifinals.

    Hermansson opened the tournament with an assist and four shots on goal in a 7-2 win over Germany. He followed that up with another four-shot performance in a 2-1 loss to Czechia and again led Sweden with four shots in a 9-1 defeat against the United States.

    He broke through in a big way in Sweden’s final group stage game against Denmark. Hermansson opened the scoring just 32 seconds into the contest and later added a secondary assist in the first period. He took over in the third, scoring Sweden’s seventh goal before adding three assists as the team closed out the round-robin with a 10-1 victory.

    Tynan Lawrence | C | Canada U18

    Tynan Lawrence’s draft year has been marked by adversity, beginning with an injury in the USHL preseason that delayed his debut. Despite that, the Fredericton, New Brunswick native produced 17 points in 13 games with the Muskegon Lumberjacks, serving as team captain and reinforcing his standing as one of the top centers in the 2026 class behind Caleb Malhotra.

    The 2025 USHL playoff MVP transitioned to Boston University in January, stepping into the NCAA midseason. While offense was slow to come initially — he recorded his first point in his sixth game — Lawrence gradually found his footing, finishing with seven points in 18 games. Head coach Jay Pandolfo noted his strong play down the stretch, identifying him as the team’s best forward over its final games.

    At the U18 World Championship, Lawrence has continued to contribute in key moments. He picked up an assist on Canada’s lone goal in its opening loss to Slovakia. He followed that with a goal against Latvia, retrieving a puck along the boards before driving play and sending a pass to the front that deflected through the goaltender.

    His most impactful performance came in a dominant win over Norway. On the power play, Lawrence found space in the slot and wired home a one-timer to extend the lead. He added two assists in the second period as Canada rolled to an 8-0 victory.

    Alexander Command | C | Sweden U18

    Alexander Command entered the tournament following a highly productive season at the junior level, leading all draft-eligible players in Sweden’s U20 Nationell with 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) in 30 games. He added 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 14 playoff contests and contributed 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 13 international games. The Danderyd native also gained pro experience, appearing in six SHL games with Örebro HK.

    The 16th-ranked skater on Draft Prospects Hockey’s 2026 NHL Draft Rankings had a quieter start to the U18 tournament, recording one assist and four shots on goal in the opener against Germany. He followed that with another four-shot effort in Game 2 but was held off the scoresheet and added a lone assist in Sweden’s loss to the United States.

    A late adjustment to Sweden’s forward lines proved to be a turning point. Slotted alongside Hermansson and Marcus Nordmark on the top unit, Command broke through in the final group stage game against Denmark.

    He recorded an assist on the opening goal just 32 seconds into the contest, scored later in the first period, and added another goal in the third to secure his first multi-point performance of the tournament.

  • Weekly 2026 Draft Eligible Three Stars

    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.