Hockey Prophets

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Cody GlassKelowna vs Portland (WHL)3/4/2017What a play in front. Takes a pass instead of trying for a tip attempt and deftly finds Hughes in the slot. Wow!

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Brian Fogarty Top Prospects By Team

Top Prospects: The NHL System Rankings

#13: Winnipeg Jets

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Number of Ranked Prospects: 25

Number of Forwards in the Top 50: 3

Number of Defensemen in the Top 50: 2

Average Rank of Top 10 Prospects in Pool: 112th

Top Forward Prospect in The System: Colby Barlow (29th)

Top Defenseman Prospect in The System: Alfons Freij (43rd)

System Score: 4

 

If the success of an organization's drafting ability is measured by the NHL players they are able to find beyond the first two rounds of the NHL draft, then the Winnipeg Jets have been among the league's best since moving from Atlanta prior to the 2011 season. The list of mid- and late-draft NHL regulars that the Jets have found is long and sometimes illustrious, including: Adam Lowry (67th overall in 2011, 707 NHL games played), Connor Hellebuyck (130th in 2012, 509 NHL games) and Andrew Copp (104th in 2013, 649 NHL games). Of course, Winnipeg has found success in the first two rounds, as well. The Jets drafted Cole Perfetti 10th overall in 2020 and he has quickly become a productive regular in the Jets lineup with 79 points in 145 games over the last couple of seasons. The last couple of drafts have seen the Jets with fewer than normal picks, but they have had a string of first and second round selections--and a few from later rounds, as well--who are waiting for their chances to crack the big league lineup.

Brian Fogarty Top Prospects By Team

Top Prospects: The NHL System Rankings

#14: Nashville Predators

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Number of Ranked Prospects: 23

Number of Forwards in the Top 50: 2

Number of Defensemen in the Top 50: 2

Average Rank of Top 10 Prospects in Pool: 69th

Top Forward Prospect in The System: Matthew Wood (40th)

Top Defenseman Prospect in The System: Tanner Molendyk (17th)

System Score: 4

 

For the better part of its existence, the Nashville Predators have been a team clawing and scratching for a chance at the Stanley Cup, but have reached the Cup Final only once (losing to Pittsburgh in 2017). One of the remarkable things about the organization is that they have been able to be a perineal post-season contender and yet have managed to have first-round picks in each of the last six years (eight first-round selections in total). The other remarkable thing is that of those picks, only Philip Tomasino (drafted 24th overall in 2019) has become a full-time NHL player. In fact, of all the picks since 2018 (50 picks in total), only Tomasino and Luke Evangelista have played at least 100 NHL games. Even prior to 2018, the most successful Nashville draft picks (Samuel Girard, Eeli Tolvanen, Yakov Trenin, Kevin Fiala, Victor Arvidsson, etc.) are no longer with the organization. What the system does have, however, are several prospects ranked in the top 100 of the Hockey Prophets top prospects rankings who are looking to take the next step in their hockey careers. 

Brian Fogarty Top Prospects By Team

Top Prospects: The NHL System Rankings

#15: Los Angeles Kings

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Number of Ranked Prospects: 24

Number of Forwards in the Top 50: 1

Number of Defensemen in the Top 50: 1

Average Rank of Top 10 Prospects in Pool: 109th

Top Forward Prospect in The System: Liam Greentree (23rd)

Top Defenseman Prospect in The System: Brandt Clarke (11th)

System Score: 4

 

The Los Angeles Kings seem like an organization that has been trying to recapture the glory of their Stanley Cup success of the early 2010s without having to strip the team down to the bones and rebuilding through the draft and young talent. Perhaps that perception is due more to the notion that the team continues to make to playoffs (first round losses in each of the past several years) than it does the quantity of draft picks and the quality of the prospects. The team has a nascent superstar in Quinton Byfield, a player who they selected second overall behind Alexis Lafreniere in 2020. Byfield played 80 games for the Kings last year, scoring 55 points on 20 goals and 35 assists. Another NHL success from recent NHL drafts was Brock Faber, drafted 45th overall in 2020. The Kings, however, traded Faber as a part of a package to bring in forward Kevin Fiala, so Faber's breakout season came while playing for the Minnesota Wild. Alex Laferriere was a surprisingly productive rookie for the Kings last year, putting up 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) in his first professional hockey season after leaving the Harvard men's hockey program. 

Brian Fogarty Top Prospects By Team

Top Prospects: The NHL System Rankings

#16: Washington Capitals

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Number of Ranked Prospects: 28

Number of Forwards in the Top 50: 3

Number of Defensemen in the Top 50: 0

Average Rank of Top 10 Prospects in Pool: 78th

Top Forward Prospect in The System: Terik Parascak (17th)

Top Defenseman Prospect in The System: Leon Muggli (58th)

System Score: 4

 

As the Washington Capitals have tried to figure out a way to keep a viable team around Alex Ovechkin in order to help him reach the all-time goal scoring record while also trying to hold on to a position near the top of the standings after their Stanley Cup title in 2018, they have managed to stock a prospect pond with some truly talented forwards (and a couple of quality defenders, too). Since the Cup win, the Capitals have only graduated four of their draft picks into fulltime members of their NHL squad (and another in Brett Leason who has played 158 NHL games but only 36 of those with Washington). Martin Fehervary (drafted 46th in 2018), Connor McMichael (25th overall in 2019), Aliaksei Protas (91st in 2019) and most recently Hendrix Lapierre (22nd in 2020) are the only players that the Capitals can call (mostly) mainstay NHL contributors from the 22 picks they made from 2018 through the 2022 drafts. However, their 21 picks since then have generated at least five or six top NHL prospects who should become regular NHL players in the next couple of years.

Brian Fogarty Top Prospects By Team

Top Prospects: The NHL System Rankings

#17: Dallas Stars

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Number of Ranked Prospects: 27

Number of Forwards in the Top 50: 1

Number of Defensemen in the Top 50: 2

Average Rank of Top 10 Prospects in Pool: 90th

Top Forward Prospect in The System: Mavrik Bourque (30th)

Top Defenseman Prospect in The System: Lian Bichsel (25th)

System Score: 3.5

 

The Dallas Stars have managed to build a championship quality team while maintaining a consistent assortment of draft picks each year. The Stars have held first-round picks in six of the last seven drafts, and three of those picks were players who have since become NHL contributors (Ty Dellandrea, Thomas Harley and Wyatt Johnson). Johnson had a breakout year for Dallas in 2023-2024 when he scored 32 goals and 33 assists in the regular season, then added 10 goals and 6 assists in 19 playoff games. Harley also took a big step forward last season to become a full-time starter and contribute 47 points from back end. Dellandrea has seen more mixed results, and given the depth of the system and to help make room for the imminent arrival of a couple of prospects, the Stars traded Dellandrea to the San Jose Sharks last June. Beyond the first round picks, Logan Stankoven (selected 47th overall in 2021) saw his first professional play last year and despite playing in just 24 regular season games he lined up for 19 playoff games, and found a way to chip in 8 points.   

The remaining first round picks and several other early-round selections are currently filling the Dallas prospect pipeline. Although there is not a lot of depth in the pool beyond the top prospects (there are only 27 ranked players in the Dallas system), the Stars' have a nice collection of talent at the top of the pool, including two players who look poised to be NHL players as early as this season.
Brian Fogarty Top Prospects By Team

Top Prospects: The NHL System Rankings

#18: Carolina Hurricanes

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Number of Ranked Prospects: 39

Number of Forwards in the Top 50: 0

Number of Defensemen in the Top 50: 3

Average Rank of Top 10 Prospects in Pool: 94th

Top Forward Prospect in The System: Nikita Artamonov (69th)

Top Defenseman Prospect in The System: Dominik Badinka (28th)

System Score: 3

 

Since 2018, the Carolina Hurricanes have added just three full-time NHL skaters via the NHL entry draft, Andrei Svechnikov (406 games, 316 points), Seth Jarvis (231 games, 146 points) and Jack Drury (114 games, 37 points), despite having used 16 first- and second-round picks. Former general manager Don Waddell watched over the drafts for those years--save the 2024 draft--and despite not having pulled many players who have made an impact on the NHL squad, he was able to stock a pipeline with some quality talent, particulary on the defensive side of the puck. Waddell and his scouting staff leaned heavily on European players over the past several years, and that tactic has allowed the Hurricanes to keep top prospects in the system while they develop in European professional leagues. Eric Tulsky took over the GM duties in May of 2024, and of the Hurricanes ten draft picks in the 2024 draft, nine of them were used on European players, so the trend continues in full force. 

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