WHL
– I was excited when Jakub Stancl announced he was heading to the Kelowna Rockets because it was going to be an opportunity for the skilled Czech winger to thrive in the spotlight. Stancl has 30 points in 23 games, including a pair of four-point efforts over the past week. Ironically, he failed to register a goal in one of the most dominant puck-possession games of his junior career – an eight-shot effort against Portland on Friday. Stancl, a St. Louis Blues prospect, is a 6-foot-3 winger who plays with solid pace, and he should play a solid role with the Czechs at the World Juniors.
– The Detroit Red Wings seem to be finding scoring stars just about everywhere. Emmitt Finnie, a 19-year-old forward with the Kamloops Blazers, is one of the WHL’s top scorers with 17 goals and 37 points in 24 games this year. Taken in the seventh round in 2023, Finnie has managed to take his offensive game up another step this year. He’s also great without the puck, often showing a good work ethic to help regain the puck whenever he loses possession. Finnie still lacks pure quickness, and he is prone to holding onto the puck a bit too often. But after getting taken as late as he did, Finnie has made himself relevant enough to be on Detroit’s radar – they signed him to an entry-level contract this past March. It’s rare for a player drafted so late to sign that early.
AHL
– After two productive final years in the WHL, many were hoping to see Jared Davidson continue the hot play once he jumped to the AHL’s Laval Rocket. Instead, the Montreal Canadiens‘ fifth-rounder had just 11 goals and 16 points in an injury-shortened 38-game season last year. This year has been much better, with Davidson playing at a pace for more than 40 goals and 60 points as a sophomore with Laval. Davidson is a high-end goal-scorer at this level who isn’t afraid to get into the dirty areas to make a play. His 200-foot game still needs work, but at 22, Davidson looks like a potential call-up option for the Canadiens.
– While some scouts are worried about Frank Nazar‘s long-term NHL potential, nobody can ignore just how great he’s been in the AHL. The 20-year-old pro rookie has 21 points in 17 games with the Rockford IceHogs – good for eighth in league scoring. Nazar scored his first NHL goal in his debut last year with the Chicago Blackhawks, but he couldn’t keep the magic alive during the preseason in September. That’s to be expected from an undersized forward making the jump up to the pro ranks, but it’s been great thriving with Rockford.
KHL
– Vegas Golden Knights draft pick Pavel Moysevich was injured over the summer and didn’t make his season debut with SKA St. Petersburg until a 2-1 loss against Kunlun Red Star on Nov. 4. It’s a bit of a crowded crease there, with five goalies having played at least a game so far. But Moysevich has a team-leading .928 save percentage and a 3-2-0 record. He has only allowed three goals in a game twice, and his 43-save victory against Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod late last month was incredibly impressive. The 6-foot-5 keeper was one of the most highly sought-after goalies in the draft last June and his early season play has to be encouraging.
NCAA
– Boston Bruins prospect Philip Svedebäck is a third-year Providence College student putting on a show right now. The Swedish keeper is 7-2-1 with a .920 save percentage, putting him near the top of the NCAA. His only start with more than three goals allowed was a 5-2 loss to Notre Dame to kick off the year, but he has been great ever since. He’s getting quite used to playing extra hockey, too – six of his 10 games have required overtime. The 6-foot-4 keeper is athletic and he tracks pucks well, which helps pair nicely with his big frame.
– While Penn State might not be a top program, they do have a high-end talent in Nashville Predators prospect Aiden Fink. Taken with the seventh last pick in 2023, Fink had 34 points in 34 games as a freshman last year and he’s set to surpass that early into the new year. Fink has 21 points in 13 games, including nine points over his past four outings. Once viewed primarily as a playmaker, Fink has established himself as quite the shooter, and he’s got the volume to make up for it right now. Sure, Fink might be on the smaller size at 5-foot-10, but he’s been one of the most dominant scoring threats at every level he has played.
Sweden U-20
– To say Victor Johansson was an off-the-board pick by the Toronto Maple Leafs at No. 120 in 2024 is an understatement. So, what’s the deal in his Draft + 1 season? With more eyes on him than before, it feels like scouts are starting to like what they see – even if he’s far away from being a big-time, impactful player. For starters, he’s listed as 6-foot-1 and 160 pounds – about 20 pounds bigger than his listed draft weight. He’s still not strong, but he’s so physically engaged. He’s making his presence known with 20 points and 79 penalty minutes in 26 Swedish U-20 games.
