One NHL prospect to watch on every AHL affiliate

Credit: Taya Gray/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

Truthfully, I don’t think there’s better value in pro hockey than the American Hockey League.

The tickets are typically affordable for the family, the players are quite accessible and you’re watching athletes trying to make a name for themselves. The mix of guys trying to fight to get on the radar and those looking to take the next step to the NHL makes it such a fascinating league to follow.

I try and make it to as many games as possible, especially when there’s a chance to see a prospect on a short stint with a club before heading back to the big leagues. It’s a look into the future for players already affiliated with NHL teams, giving the fans in those areas a chance to see prospects before they get big.

Of note: the Chicago Wolves have no prospects because they’re a fully independent team. The Carolina Hurricanes were previously linked to them but instead have scattered their players around the league as the Wolves have reverted to focusing solely on winning AHL titles. Their only NHL-affiliated player is New Jersey Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid, who, at the age of 34, surpassed the “prospect” moniker nearly 15 years ago.

The other 31 NHL teams, of course, have their own affiliates, including some in the same cities as their parent clubs. With the season set to kick off tonight, here’s a look at 31 prospects you need to know this year – whether they be future stars or players with interesting stories:

Abbotsford Canucks (VAN): Arturs Silovs, G

Silovs had quite the season last year, starting the bulk of Abbotsford’s games and even going 3-2-0 with the big team. But what really stood out was his play during the IIHF World Hockey Championship, where he led Latvia to its first-ever medal thanks to a 7-3-0 run with a shutout and a .921 save percentage. He played every single game, helping him earn top goalie and tournament MVP honors. Silovs will return to the AHL for a third year, where he’ll look to make a push to be Thatcher Demko’s backup of the future.

Bakersfield Condors (EDM): Matvei Petrov, RW

A few more experienced options could have worked, but I’ll have my eyes on Petrov this year. The 20-year-old winger is coming off a 93-point run with North Bay. And it wasn’t a fluke, either, with the Russian scoring 40 goals and 90 points as a rookie the year prior. He was sixth-round pick in 2021. Petrov’s skating is his downfall, so we’ll see if the Oilers’ coaching staff can adjust adequately. Luckily, he has a bit of time on his side, but he’s a legit key prospect in the team’s pipeline.

*Roby Jarventie (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

Belleville Senators (OTT): Roby Järventie, LW

Järventie has had an interesting start to the season with a strong rookie tournament and a great preseason. The 21-year-old was sent back to Belleville, where he’ll hopefully get a full, healthy season put together after playing just 40 games last year. A big, 6-foot-2 forward with decent skating, Järventie will look to add extra scoring with the promotion of Ridly Greig to Ottawa. If he can put together a solid campaign with at least 50 points, it might be the last we see of him in the AHL.

Bridgeport Islanders (NYI): William Dufour, RW

Dufour is coming off of a great rookie pro season, putting up 21 goals and 48 points in 69 games with Bridgeport. He also made his NHL debut on Jan. 18, an unremarkable first game with just 6:48 of ice time. Dufour had an outstanding final QMJHL season with 56 goals and 116 points and had a point-per-game run at the world juniors in 2022. So clearly, scoring isn’t an issue here. With the Islanders boasting one of the worst prospect pools in the game, we’ll see if Dufour – a fifth-rounder in 2020 – can become a nice little gem.

Calgary Wranglers (CGY): Connor Zary, C

Dustin Wolf felt too obvious, and it’s not like the two-time top goaltender has anything else to prove. With Zary, , the 22-year-old is coming off of a mega AHL sophomore campaign that saw him record 21 goals and 58 points in 72 games. Calgary’s offense will be less dynamic with the departure of Matthew Phillips and the likely promotion of Jakob Pelletier (when he’s healthy), so Zary will be even more important this year. Many believe Zary still has a good NHL future ahead of him, and, maybe with Ryan Huska as coach, we’ll see the smaller young guns thrive in Calgary’s short-term future. For now, it’s all about progressing upwards.

*Spencer Knight (Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports)*

Charlotte Checkers (FLA): Spencer Knight, G

Hopefully for the Panthers, this is short-lived. Knight is one of the brightest young goaltenders in the game today, but he took time off from the sport to focus on his mental health. He struggled before stepping back last year, so it’s been a while since we’ve seen some quality hockey out of the youngster. But at 22, he’s still a spring chicken, and he was one of the rare cases of going from a college standout to challenging for an NHL starter spot the following year. So Knight was rushed in, so this can feel like a bit of a fresh start. The Panthers likely still view Knight as the goalie of the future, and with Anthony Stolarz on a one-year deal to backup Sergei Bobrovsky, the pressure’s off a little to allow Knight the chance to focus on being the best he can be.

Cleveland Monsters (CBJ): Corson Ceulemans, D

Like Wolf, David Jiricek felt too obvious for Columbus, and he deserves a full-time spot sooner rather than later. For Ceulemans, he’s ready for his first year of pro after a solid second year at the University of Wisconsin. The 6-foot-2 defender moves well, gets engaged offensively and has an excellent shot. Ceulemans is another one of Columbus’ solid young defenders looking to make the next step up.

Coachella Valley Firebirds (SEA): Shane Wright, C

Expectations were high for Wright last year after he was drafted fourth overall. So when he wasn’t producing in the NHL, people started to get worried. Thankfully, after a year that saw him bounce between three leagues, Wright has been granted what essentially amounts to exceptional status to play in the AHL while he still holds OHL eligibility. Realistically, he had nothing left to prove in major junior, so this will be a nice step forward for him. Hopefully, the stability goes a long way in showing why the dynamic, skilled two-way forward was so hyped in the first place.

*Jason Polin (Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)*

Colorado Eagles (COL): Jason Polin, RW

Admittedly, the Eagles are not going to excite many hardcore prospect fans. But one name to keep an eye on is Polin, a 24-year-old rookie fresh out of college. He had a whopping 30 goals with Western Michigan, making him one of the top NCAA free agents last year. An undrafted free agent, could Polin be a depth guy down the line? The Avs signed Ben Meyers a few years back, but he hasn’t amounted to much. Polin could fall in that same hole as an older prospect, but with a weaker pipeline, maybe Polin can stand out with the Eagles.

Grand Rapids Griffins (DET): Marco Kasper, C

Now, the Griffins, on the other hand, are much-watch entertainment. With one of the best goalie prospects in Sebastian Cossa, a top-10 talent in Simon Edvinsson and some other notables like Carter Mazur, Amadeus Lombardi, Elder Soderblom, Cross Hanas, Jonatan Berggren and William Wallinder, there’s a lot to like about this club. But the big draw up front will be Kasper, the 19-year-old first-rounder coming over for his first season of North American pro. He had a good year with Rogle in the SHL, but expectations are even higher in his AHL rookie season. Kasper is the best forward prospect the Red Wings have.

Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR): Brennan Othmann, LW

Othmann is set for his first taste of pro hockey in 2023-24, hopefully building off a tremendous year that saw him put up great numbers in the playoffs and Memorial Cup. He also won the world juniors with Canada, serving as a setup man for his good friend, Shane Wright. Othmann had an outside chance of making the Rangers this year, but he needs some time to develop and push himself further as a pro. But if I had to guess, he’ll get at least one call-up before going full-time in the NHL next year.

Henderson Silver Knights (VGK): Brendan Brisson, C

One of just two first-round picks in franchise history to have not been traded. Brisson’s first year of pro hockey had mixed results. He can score, with 18 goals in 58 games, but he’s a below-average skater who can be found watching the play too often. Brisson is smart with a great release, but his lack of footspeed hurts him way too often. So trying to improve that will be a goal for Brisson, who still has middle-six potential.

*Hendrix Lapierre (Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun)*

Hershey Bears (WSH): Hendrix Lapierre, C

Scoring 15 goals and 30 points as a rookie in the AHL is no small feat. Lapierre’s energetic nature allows for him to stay on the attack more often than not, and he’s lethal on the power play. That being said, some scouts are worried he doesn’t have the high-end scoring potential or skating to translate into an NHL star. Lapierre is a smart player who can do a lot with the puck, but he needs to find another gear in his skating. This will be an important year for the 21-year-old.

Iowa Wild (MIN): Caedan Bankier, C

Bankier turned heads with his breakthrough WHL campaign, scoring 37 goals and 85 points in 57 games with Kamloops. He then was one of the top playoff performers and stood out even further at the Memorial Cup. You expect that from a 20-year-old, but it’ll be interesting to see if the 2021 third-rounder can keep the momentum rolling in a scoring role with Iowa this year.

Laval Rocket (MTL): Joshua Roy, LW

It might be understated just how underrated Roy is. Taken in the fifth round in 2021, Roy now has 297 points in 216 games over four QMJHL seasons with Saint John and Sherbrooke. He’s been exceptionally impressive in the QMJHL postseason, recording 51 points in 28 games over three runs – absolutely bonkers. Roy isn’t a great skater, so we’ll see how he adjusts to the pro game with Laval this year. But if there’s anything we’ve learned, it’s that he can annihilate the competition with his shot, and he showed it a bit during the Buffalo Prospect Challenge last month.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI): Helge Grans, D

The Flyers faithful are about to get their first taste of what Grans brings to the table. He was acquired by the Flyers in the Ivan Provorov deal, instantly giving the Flyers a boost on the blueline. Grans spent the past two years in the AHL with Ontario, recording 33 points in 115 games. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound defender has great size, skates well and has a good shot. He needs to put that together more consistently if he’s going to take his game up another level. But at 21, he’s still young, and should get some significant ice time with the Phantoms this year.

*Brad Lambert (James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports)*

Manitoba Moose (WPG): Brad Lambert, C

Last season was a learning year for the 19-year-old winger. It was his first season playing in North America since he was a kid, and after three points in 14 games with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, he was loaned out to Finland’s world junior team. He struggled with just one goal, the same mark he had at the previous tournament. Lambert looked great in the WHL, but you’d expect that out of a first-round pick with around four years of pro experience under his belt. This year, Lambert needs to find consistency if he’s going to prove he’s a realistic long-term threat for the Jets.

Milwaukee Admirals (NSH): Joakim Kemell, RW

Kemell had an eventful season, spending the year with JYP in Liiga before finishing off with the Admirals. His offense went down in Liiga compared to his draft year, but he was an absolute force once he joined Milwaukee for the team’s playoff push. Even with some NHL reinforcements heading back down for the postseason, Kemell was one of the team’s top players. Get excited, Preds fans.

Ontario Reign (LAK): Akil Thomas, C

Thomas was one of the top prospects during the NHL preseason, but still found himself on waivers early on. He went unclaimed and is headed for a fourth year with the Ontario Reign. Will this finally be the year he breaks through? Drafted 51st overall in 2018, Thomas missed most of last year due to injury, but he still put up eight points in 13 games. If he can channel the energy we saw during exhibition play, and he remains in the lineup throughout, Thomas could be in for a huge year. And he needs it; he’s a 23-year-old on the last year of a contract, so if he’s going to prove he has NHL-caliber talent, now’s the time.

Providence Bruins (BOS): Mason Lohrei, D

Lohrei would have been in the opening night lineup if the Bruins had their way and the cap didn’t matter. And his time in the AHL could be short-lived, honestly. The 22-year-old was a bit of a surprise to go at No. 58 at the 2020 draft, especially since the NHL’s Central Scouting Service had him as the 132nd-ranked North American skater. But ever since, Lohrei has looked like an absolute gem, putting up fantastic numbers during his two-year tenure at Ohio State before turning pro late last season. Lohrei got his first taste of professional hockey to close out the year, and now he’s ready to take his career up another step.

*Jiri Kulich (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

Rochester Americans (BUF): Jiri Kulich, LW

Kulich had one of the best U-19 AHL seasons ever last year with 24 goals and 46 points in the regular season and another 11 in 12 postseason outings. Add in a tremendous showing with Czechia at the world juniors and you’ve got one of the best shooters in the game. Kulich has been on an absolute tear since the 2022 U-18 World Championship and he’s ready to take another step forward in 2023-24. For what it’s worth, I was shocked Kulich fell to Buffalo in 2022. He was that good of a shooter in his draft year, and the Sabres look incredible for snagging him.

Rockford IceHogs (CHI): Ethan Del Mastro, D

All eyes might be on Kevin Korchinski with the big club, but Del Mastro is one of the top Blackhawks prospects in his own right. Drafted 105th overall in 2021, the big 6-foot-4 blueliner had a remarkable season between Mississauga and Sarnia, his final year of OHL play. Del Mastro should be a top-four defenseman with Rockford, where the 20-year-old will get accustomed to the pro game – something he’s built to handle already.

San Diego Gulls (ANA): Olen Zellweger, D

Zellweger is going to be one of those players that, if you have a chance to see him in person, do it sooner rather than later. He’s a defensive prospect with a high ceiling and someone who’ll be having an impact on the Ducks in the near future. Few players can control offense from the point like Zellweger. He finished his junior career with 183 points in 180 games and another 17 points over two World Junior Championships – both resulting in gold medals. It won’t be long until the skilled blueliner is controlling Anaheim’s power play.

San Jose Barracuda (SJS): Shakir Mukhamadullin, D

The trade for Mukhamadullin last spring gave the Sharks an instant boost on the team’s blueline depth, and he showed some encouraging signs during a 12-game stint with the Barracuda last year. The 21-year-old defender had 10 points while also playing heavy, all-situation minutes. Standing tall at 6-foot-4, Mukhamadullin had that projectable frame, but his hockey IQ was a big problem in his draft year. Nowadays, he’s a lot more refined and meticulous.

Springfield Thunderbirds (STL): Zach Dean, C

Originally drafted in the first round by Vegas in 2021, so you know the team had to trade him at some point, right? A hard-hitting, goal-scoring forward, Dean is set to make his pro debut this weekend, where he should be a decent piece of Springfield’s campaign. He had a career-best 33 goals and 70 points and helped Canada win gold at the world juniors. His run there was a bit controversial, with a headshot resulting in a suspension. He finished the season with an incredible 26 points in QMJHL 13 postseason games and will look to keep the momentum flowing in the AHL.

*Lucas Edmonds (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

Syracuse Crunch (TBL): Lucas Edmonds, RW

Will Edmonds be Tampa Bay’s next hidden gem? The club drafted him as a 21-year-old last year after he demolished the competition in the OHL with 79 assists and 113 points in 68 games. He missed some time last year with Syracuse but still put up 15 goals and 27 points in 49 games. The late-blooming forward has excellent hands and can beat anyone 1-on-1. Assuming he continues to get adequate ice time, don’t be surprised if Edmonds surpasses the 50-point mark this year.

Texas Stars (DAL): Logan Stankoven, RW

Stankoven was sent down to Texas after missing out on making Dallas’ opening-night lineup. As much as I would have loved for Stankoven to make the big team, I’m excited to see how he adjusts in the AHL. The 5-foot-8 winger was one of the WHL’s best producers over the past two years and was a big reason why Canada won gold at the world juniors. The biggest adjustment will be figuring out how to deal with his size limitations, but Stankoven’s skill should shine through.

Toronto Marlies (TOR): Topi Niemelä, D

Niemelä is an exciting young defenseman who is ready to go full-time with the Marlies this season. He showed his worth over the past four years of Liiga play, seeing close to 20 minutes a night most games as a 20-year-old with Kärpät. The Marlies blueline will look different with some veterans moving on, opening the door for Niemelä to make an impact out of the gate. The Leafs have a crowded blueline, but Niemelä could factor into the conversation in a few years. With the Marlies icing just an OK roster this year, Niemelä’s play will be spotlighted at Coca-Cola Coliseum.

Tucson Roadrunners (ARI): Dylan Guenther, RW

The Arizona Coyotes are on the upswing, and Guenther will be a key contributor down the line. But he’ll start the year with Tuscon after a season that saw him play 33 NHL games with the big club. A player with top-six potential, Guenther has an explosive shot and brings enough energy that he’ll have no issue standing out this year. Can he find the game-to-game consistency to earn him an early call-up?

*Graeme Clarke (Steven Ellis/Daily Faceoff)*

Utica Comets (NJD): Graeme Clarke, RW

Clarke scored 25 goals and 58 points in 68 AHL games last year – his highest offensive output of any level since he was 15 playing AAA. The older brother of LA Kings star prospect Brandt Clarke, Graeme attacks the play significantly more than he used to, working hard to gather pucks. He also looked great at the Buffalo Prospect Challenge last month, making some Devils fans wonder if he can force his way into some NHL games this year.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT): Joel Blomqvist, G

After sharing the net with Kärpät in Finland last year, Blomqvist is set for his first full season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He has two starts over two years, resulting in a pair of losses, but he hasn’t had much in front of him to work with. He’ll share the net with Magnus Hellberg and Garret Sparks, two veterans of the game, so playing time could be difficult to come by. But Blomqvist is Pittsburgh’s top goalie prospect, someone who could work in tandem with Tristan Jarry a few years down the line.

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