2023 NHL Draft: 10 biggest risers after international tournaments

The U-18 World Championship is still lightyears away, but we got our second good look at some of the top NHL Draft eligible prospects over the weekend.

The U-18 Five Nations tournament in Plymouth, Michigan was the highlight event of the second international break. The weekend affair saw USA, Sweden, Finland, Czechia and Switzerland battle it out for gold. The Americans won it all, sweeping a perfect weekend for the USNTDP after a perfect run at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge.

There was also the U-20 Five Nations in Czechia, featuring some prominent NHL-drafted prospects. But perhaps the top standout prospect was 2023-eligible Leo Carlsson, whom I’ll dive deeper into below. Wrapping things up was the smaller, but still notable, U-18 Three Nations tournament in Germany. Kevin Bicker had a standout tournament, and you’ll learn more about him in this piece.

In Europe, it’s common for the young prospects that crack a pro team roster to play five or fewer minutes a night. Those teams are focusing on winning, not developing young talent. So events like the ones over the weekend are an excellent opportunity for players to showcase what they’re capable of against equal competition – a perfect storm for those looking to break out.

Here’s a look at 10 players that really helped their draft stocks over the weekend. Some were already notable prospects that pushed themselves further north, while others were lesser-known, but made their presence clear:

Will Smith, C (USA, U-18)

This will be an easy name to remember ahead of the NHL Draft – but mostly for his on-ice results. He tied teammate Gabe Perreault for first in scoring with six goals and nine points in four games. Before the season, he was projected for the draft in the 15-20 range. Now, with his start and continued success, is he a top five prospect? There’s a serious argument to be made. His shot is deceptive, he has incredible hands – top three in the class – attacks with purpose and can make some dazzling plays. After scoring on 46 percent of his shots, he deserves all the praise he’s getting. Everything is clicking for Smith this season.

Leo Carlsson, C (Sweden, U-20)

Instead of representing at the U-18 level, Carlsson plied his trade with the U-20 squad – and, oh my. The 17-year-old had five points at the Czechia five nations tournament over the weekend, giving him nine in five total U-20 national team games this year. That type of performance was expected after his wild start to the SHL season, where he has 12 points in 17 games with Orebro. For comparison, that’s 11 more points than any first-year draft-eligible prospect in one of Europe’s strongest leagues. Carlsson has forced himself into the top five conversation this year with how dangerous he’s been. He’s been more of a setup guy in the SHL, but he showed he can remember how to score with the national team.

Gabe Perreault, LW (USA, U-18)

Perreault started the year as a borderline first-round talent – so he answered by putting up 36 points in his first 19 USNTDP games, and nine points at the five nations. The son of former NHLer Yanic Perreault, Gabe led the U-17 team last year with 50 points in 51 games, but some of the team’s top players went up to play with the U-18 team. It’s clear Perreault isn’t messing around, and it’s a joy getting to watch him play.

Aram Minnetian, D (USA, U-18)

A slower start to the season for the Boston College commit resulted in him not sitting in many public rankings. This performance, though, should change that. He was a setup man for USA’s biggest starts, scoring once and adding seven assists while becoming a force on the power play. He looks as confident as ever carrying the puck, his top speed makes him dangerous and he does an excellent job of shutting plays down on the rush. Minnetian is constantly moving his feet, pinches in when he needs to and looks more determined to make a play work than he did a year ago. Could he crack into the top 60? If he keeps up the momentum, then definitely.

Otto Stenberg, C/LW (Sweden, U-18)

With Carlsson playing with the U-20 squad, more eyes were on Stenberg in Plymouth, and he delivered. He finished with four points in four games, but he showed a willingness to go all out to create a scoring chance. Stenberg doesn’t have much experience on smaller ice, but his skating really stood out at USA Hockey Arena. While he is typically a center, he skated on the wing in Plymouth, and it’s something some scouts believe he’ll thrive at in the NHL one day. He’s a dynamic scoring forward with a great release, and while he isn’t big, he can hold his own physically, too.

Jesse Kiiskinen, RW (Finland U-18)

It’s been a solid year for Kiiskinen, who kicked things off with a great Hlinka Gretzky. He was the top scoring player outside of the United States with two goals and eight points. He’s now sitting at 16 points in 15 games with the national team, good for first among all Finns. It’s not surprising, given he’s third among U-18 scorers in the U-20 Finnish league. He had a pair of hat-tricks in his two games before heading to Plymouth and 12 points in his last six games, so he’s heating up at the right time. If he can earn some time in the top Liiga, we could be talking about a potential first-round talent here.

Adam Csabi, LW (Czechia, U-18)

The Czechs had a rough showing, finishing dead last, but Csabi was easily the team’s most noticeable forward. At 5-foot-9, he’s undersized, but he’s a play-driver and can shoot from just about anywhere. He’s had a decent start to the year in the Finnish U-18 league, registering eight points in his final five games before heading to the States. There’s still a long way to go for a player who does have to fight size concerns to succeed, but it was a lovely weekend for the winger.

Noa Vali, G (Finland U-20)

Vali has been lights out this season, and the five nations was a perfect extension of that. He won both of his starts, posting a shutout and a .968 save percentage as the tournament’s standout goaltender. In domestic league play with TPS U-20, he has a 10-3-0 record, three shutouts and a .922 save percentage to put him near the top of the league early on in most notable categories. The biggest knock against him is his small six-foot frame, but he can be electrifying with the way he moves. He was seen as a mid-pack prospect, but he’s had one of the best seasons from a draft-eligible netminder. So all of that could change.

Eric Schneller, D (Switzerland U-18)

Schneller isn’t going to be a high pick, and he’ll never wow you with incredible offensive instincts, but he was quickly one of Switzerland’s more noticeable players. He had three points in four games, including a multi-assist effort against the Czechs in Switzerland’s only win. Compared to the rest of the Swiss lineup, Schneller was patient and smart when moving the puck, acting as a steady presence for a busy blueline. He competes hard and has seen a nice uptick in speed since the U-18 World Championship last year.

Kevin Bicker, C/LW (Germany, U-18)

Talking to some scouts, some believe Bicker could earn consideration to go in the top 75 of the NHL Draft. The 17-year-old center led the German three nations tournament with two goals and four points. That, along with his point-per-game run at the Hlinka Gretzky, has given scouts something to think about. He’s got good speed, works so hard and is easily one of the smartest junior players in Germany right now. There’s some serious NHL bottom-six potential here.

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