Top 10 standout rookies from the 2023-24 NHL preseason

Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

We’re just days away from the start of the 2023-24 NHL regular season, and roster battles are going down to the wire.

Most teams have made significant cuts already, with many more key moves expected over the weekend. By Monday, we’ll have each team’s 23-man opening night roster, with the fun kicking off on Tuesday.

The preseason has been dragging on for a little too long already, and most just want the games to start meaning something. But for a few prospects, it’s been a chance to put themselves on the map and show they deserve a shot in Game 1. You’ve got the obvious stars like Connor Bedard and Matthew Knies living up to expectations, while some others that might have been pegged for a trip back to the AHL or major junior have made the decision-making process much harder for their respective teams.

Here’s a look at 10 rookies that have stood out during the NHL preseason:

Matt Coronato, RW (Calgary Flames)

What a story Coronato has been. The Harvard product has four goals and seven points, good for third among all preseason scorers and first among rookies. There was no question Coronato was going to factor into the team’s lineup plans this year. Now? He’s looking like a top-six scoring threat. His shot release has been given some incredible praise early on, something he put on full display against NCAA and IIHF competition in 2022-23. With a handful of pro games under his belt, he’s looking comfortable and ready to play a big role in Calgary’s hopeful resurgence this year.

Zach Benson, LW (Buffalo Sabres)

I had Benson as the sixth-ranked prospect ahead of the 2023 NHL Draft, even though I knew nobody was taking him that high due to his size. From an offensive standpoint, I had no doubts. So with three goals and five points in five games, it’s nice to see him thriving early. So much so, in fact, that Benson looks like he might even start the season with the big club. AHL standouts Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen were sent down to the AHL, with Benson still hanging around and earning power play time. Given the team’s makeup this year, with perhaps its most well-rounded offensive group we’ve seen in more than a decade, Benson’s chances of making the team looked limited. And he still likely will end up back in the WHL at some point. But he’s making the idea of sending him back in the near future that much harder with how well-adjusted he’s looked throughout the preseason, where he leads all Sabres players in points.

Connor Bedard, C (Chicago Blackhawks)

Who else? It’s hard to watch a Blackhawks broadcast and not hear Bedard’s name every 30 seconds, and for good reason. He has five points in three games while receiving widespread praise from teammates and opponents alike. While he only has one goal, his ability to lull defenders into a false sense of security before breaking past and creating a highlight-reel move has been fully displayed. Sometimes, it feels like he’s still beating up on WHL blueliners. It’ll be interesting to see Bedard once the games start to mean something and he’s up against more difficult competition every night.

Matt Poitras, C (Boston Bruins)

Man, Bruins fans love Poitras, don’t they? I do, too. My pick to win the OHL’s scoring race this year (if he returns to Guelph, of course), Poitras has consistently been one of Boston’s best forwards every single game. The 19-year-old has skated in the top six, while also seeing time on both the power play and penalty kill. He’s a smaller player at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, and he can struggle in physical situations. But few prospects can set players up on the rush like Poitras, and he might just be the long-term center solution the Bruins are looking for after the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci.

Logan Stankoven, RW (Dallas Stars)

Stankoven has avoided a few rounds of cuts so far, and for good reason. He’s up to five points in the preseason, making an impact as one of Dallas’ top contributors around the crease. Stankoven is small, but he’s willing to grind it out and be feisty when it calls for it. There’s a chance one of the final roster spots could come between Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque, who should have the edge after a solid AHL season with Texas last year. Stankoven deserves to start the season with the Stars, but it doesn’t make much sense to throw him on the fourth line. We’ll see what happens, but clearly the rigors of playing against older, stronger competition as a smaller player hasn’t bothered him much yet.

Mackie Samoskevich, RW (Florida Panthers)

With five points in his first five games, Samoskevich is already making an impact in his first few pro outings. He’s been given a chance in Florida’s top six while avoiding some of the bigger roster cuts to date. The team’s first-round pick in 2021, Samoskevich signed his entry-level contract after a stellar year at the University of Michigan, and it seems like the added intensity of the NHL hasn’t bothered him one bit. It’s only a matter of time until he’s a full-time Panther, and it should happen on opening night.

Matthew Knies, LW (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Toronto’s top prospect has lived up to early expectations, recording five points through five games. Expected to man the second left wing spot beside John Tavares and Sam Lafferty, Knies looks up to speed after dealing with a concussion during the Stanley Cup playoffs last spring. His aggressive, two-way game will allow him to fit in the NHL nicely, and it doesn’t seem like pressure gets to him, either. That’s important in a market like Toronto, a group that has high hopes after adding some solid winger depth over the offseason.

Fraser Minten, C (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Sticking in Toronto, it’s hard not to love what we’ve seen from Minten. And coach Sheldon Keefe seems to agree, keeping him around and keeping him engaged on Toronto’s third line. While I still think he’ll ultimately get sent back to Kamloops, I’m a believer in NHL teams keeping top prospects around for a bit over ripping apart the WHL a few extra times early in the season. And I believe Minten’s extended stay will have huge benefits as he looks to make his mark as a potential middle-six forward down the line.

Roby Järventie, LW (Ottawa Senators)

It’s been a good few weeks for Järventie, who was one of Ottawa’s standouts at the Buffalo Prospect Challenge. Through four games, the Finnish winger has three goals and four points on seven shots, giving the team a nice scoring boost. The 6-foot-2 forward is coming off a solid – albeit injury-impacted – sophomore campaign in Belleville and is expected to head back there this year. But could he perhaps make enough noise to earn himself a couple of call-ups to fill a bottom-six role.

Simon Edvinsson, D (Detroit Red Wings)

There are a few defenders that could have been on this list, but Edvinsson already looks better than most of the veteran blueliners on the Red Wings’ D-core. Paired alongside Jeff Petry, Edvinsson has shown standout gap control and two-way play, and he can clearly keep up with the pace. As a 6-foot-6 defender, Edvinsson does an excellent job of taking space away. He’s ready for the NHL, but we’ll see if they’d rather sit someone making a bit more cash in favor of letting a young defender take ice time away.

Other notables: Nate Danielson, C (Detroit Red Wings), Lukas Dostal, G (Anaheim Ducks), Emil Andrae, D (Philadelphia Flyers), Jiri Smejkal, RW (Ottawa Senators), Logan Cooley, C (Arizona Coyotes) Samuel Fagemo, LW (Los Angeles Kings/Nashville Predators), Alexander Holtz, RW (New Jersey Devils), Simon Nemec, D (New Jersey Devils), Bobby Brink, RW (Philadelphia Flyers), Cole McWard, D (Vancouver Canucks), Henry Thrun, D (San Jose Sharks)

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