Devils Sign Matyas Melovsky To Two-Year, Entry-Level Contract
The New Jersey Devils have signed forward prospect Matyas Melovsky to a two-year, entry-level contract. Melovsky is playing through his first pro season with the AHL’s Utica Comets on a minor-league contract. He has three goals, 13 points, and a minus-eight in 35 games.
Melovsky, 21, was a sixth-round pick to the Devils in the 2024 NHL Draft. He earned his selection on the heels of a standout year with the QMJHL’s Baie-Comeau Drakkar and Czechia’s international U20 team. Melovsky recorded 42 assists and 60 points in 53 QMJHL games that season – but caught the most attention during the 2024 World Junior Championship. Playing on a line with Buffalo’s Jiri Kulich and Seattle’s Eduard Sale, Melovsky racked up 10 assists and 11 points in seven tournament games, good for second on the team in scoring behind Kulich’s 12 points. That mark helped push Czechia to a Bronze medal finish and earned Melovsky a must-buy status late into the draft.
The bump-and-grind forward followed his draft selection with 26 goals and 83 points in 57 games with Baie-Comeau last season. It was a stellar encore, even without a return to the World Juniors after Melovsky aged out of eligibility. With three point-per-game seasons in the QMJHL and a sizable, 6-foot-1 and 190-pound frame, Melovsky had stamped his right for a pro role. He has slotted into Utica’s top-nine this season. He has found his scoring touch recently, after a quiet start to the year, racking up seven points in his last 14 games. The Devils will acknowledge that hot streak by signing Melovsky to the first NHL contract of his career, set to begin in the 2026-27 season. That deal will give the bulky forward a chance to compete for NHL minutes as soon as his second pro season.
Sabres’ Michael Kesselring Sustains Lower-Body Injury
The Buffalo Sabres could lose a recent acquisition to another injury. Defenseman Michael Kesselring was seen in a walking boot after Saturday night’s win over the Detroit Red Wings. He tweaked his ankle on a hit midway through the second period and had to hop to the bench. He returned for one shift in the third period, but head coach Lindy Ruff told media that the injury “doesn’t look good”following the game, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Kesselring began the season on injured reserve due to an undisclosed injury that Ruff said plagued him through much of training camp. He didn’t make his Sabres debut until October 28th, and has only played in nine game since. He has managed no scoring, 10 shots on goal, and nine blocks in those appearances, while operating from a third-pair role.
Another injury will dampen the excitement around Kesselring in Buffalo. He moved to the city alongside forward Josh Doan as part of the deal that sent JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth. It seemed the Sabres were landing a true impact defender, after Kesselring posted the second-most points on Utah’s blue-line in their inaugural season. He scored 29 points to go with 89 penalty minutes, 150 shots on goal, and 87 hits in 82 games. It was a nice step up from Kesselring’s rookie year in Arizona, where he recorded 21 points, 66 penalty minutes, and 106 hits in 65 games.
The extent of Kesselring’s new injury isn’t yet clear. His return to the ice, even for one shift, could be a positive sign. Buffalo has three games ahead of them this week, and will lean on Jacob Bryson if Kesselring is forced to sit. Bryson has one point, four penalty minutes, and four blocks in eight games this season.
Canucks Sign Riley Patterson, Gabe Chiarot To Entry-Level Contracts
The Vancouver Canucks have signed wingers Riley Patterson and Gabe Chiarot to their entry-level contracts. Patterson was drafted in the fourth-round of the 2024 NHL Draft, while Chiarot was drafted in the sixth-round of the 2025 Draft. Both players were loaned back to the OHL as part of Vancouver’s round of training camp cuts on Sunday. Patterson will head to the Niagara IceDogs, while Chiarot joins the Brampton Steelheads.
Patterson’s contract will carry a $923K cap hit at the NHL level, and pay an $85K salary in the AHL. It also features $85K in signing bonuses awarded annually, per PuckPedia. Chiarot’s deal will carry a $917K cap hit in the NHL and a $85K salary in the minors. He received a $75K signing bonus each season, also per PuckPedia.
Patterson spent the last two seasons filling a top-six role for the Barrie Colts. His play hit a peak in the 2023-24 season, when he notched 29 goals and 62 points in 68 games with Barrie. That was both Patterson’s first year of draft eligibility, and his first year in the OHL, after playing his age-17 season in the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL). His scoring dipped last to 25 goals and 59 points in 64 games with Barrie last season. Despite that, Patterson’s snappy playmaking and ability to quickly jump into fast-moving plays both shined clear all year long. He made noticeable improvements to his two-way game, and will now offer stout veteran presence to a Niagara lineup that’s turned over much of their forward group. Patterson could struggle to earn a top-line role alongside centers Ryerson Edgar, Alexander Hage, and Ryan Roobroeck – though the Canucks draftee will be sure to find hot impact among that level of talent.
Chiarot should have a clearer path to minutes for the Steelheads. He’s gradually risen through their ranks over the last two seasons, netting 10 points in 48 games at age-16 and 35 points in 66 games of his draft season last year. To boot, Chiarot became known for his snappy shot and the heft he uses to drive deep into the offensive end. Those attributes, complimented by a summer of NHL guidance, should pave a path to top-six minutes as Chiarot returns to the junior flight. The cousin of Detroit Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot, Gabe will look to prove he can play above his com petition enough to jump to the minor-league ranks next season. He notably finished last season with 10 points and 34 shots in his final 14 games, a spark he’ll look to keep up as he returns.
NHL Prospects Participating At World Junior Summer Showcase
The dog days of summer have finally been relieved by the start of the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase. It’s one of the top junior tournaments of the year, bringing together the top players from the USA, Canada, Sweden, and Finland for a four-game face-off. The group features two squads from both North American countries, and is often the first chance for top 18-year-olds to play after being drafted into the NHL.
That sentiment is truer than ever in this year’s tournament as it will mark the first games of the calendar year for reigning first-overall pick Matthew Schaefer. He’ll be joined by a heap of NHL talent, both present and future. Let’s break down the players currently in NHL pipelines, or on top of the 2026 draft class, participating in this year’s showcase.
2026 NHL Draft
Gavin McKenna (F, Canada); Viggo Bjorck (F, Sweden); Ivar Stenberg (F, Sweden)
Anaheim Ducks
Lucas Pettersson (F, Sweden, 2024 #35); Eric Nilson (F, Sweden, 2025 #45); Lasse Boelius (D, Finland, 2025 #60); Tarin Smith (D, Canada, 2024 #79)
Boston Bruins
James Hagens (F, USA, 2025 #7); William Moore (F, USA, 2025 #51); Will Zellers (F, USA, 2024 #76), Elliott Groenewold (D, USA, 2024 #110); Kristian Kostadinski (D, Sweden, 2023 #220)
Buffalo Sabres
Adam Kleber (D, USA, 2024 #42); Brodie Ziemer (F, USA, 2024 #71); Luke Osburn (D, USA, 2024 #108)
Carolina Hurricanes
Filip Ekberg (F, Sweden, 2025 #221); Viggo Nordlund (F, Sweden, 2025 #183)
Calgary Flames
Cole Reschny (F, Canada, 2025 #18); Cullen Potter (F, USA, 2025 #32); Henry Mews (D, Canada, 2024 #74)
Chicago Blackhawks
Sacha Boisvert (F, Canada, 2024 #18); Marek Vanacker (F, Canada, 2024 #27); A.J. Spellacy (F, USA, 2024 #72)
Columbus Blue Jackets
Cayden Lindstrom (F, Canada, 2024 #4); Charlie Elick (D, Canada, 2024 #36); Evan Gardner (G, Canada, 2024 #60); Tanner Henricks (D, USA, 2024 #101)
Dallas Stars
Emil Hemming (F, Finland, 2024 #29); Atte Joki (F, Finland, 2025 #146)
Detroit Red Wings
Eddie Genborg (F, Sweden, 2025 #44); Max Plante (F, USA, 2024 #47); John Whipple (D, USA, 2024 #144)
Edmonton Oilers
Aidan Park (F, USA, 2025 #223)
Florida Panthers
Linus Eriksson (F, Sweden, 2024 #58)
Los Angeles Kings
Henry Brzustewicz (D, USA, 2025 #31); Carter George (G, Canada, 2024 #57); Kristian Epperson (F, USA, 2025 #88); Caeden Herrington (D, USA, 2025 #120)
Montreal Canadiens
Michael Hage (F, Canada, 2024 #21); Aatos Koivu (F, Finland, 2024 #70); Owen Protz (D, Canada, 2024 #102); L.J. Mooney (F, USA, 2025 #113)
Minnesota Wild
Ryder Ritchie (F, Canada, 2024 #45); Aron Kiviharju (D, Finland, 2024 #122); Sebastian Soini (D, Finland, 2024 #140)
Nashville Predators
Brady Martin (F, Canada, 2025 #5); Cameron Reid (D, Canada, 2025 #21); Ryker Lee (F, USA, 2025 #26); Jacob Rombach (D, USA, 2025 #35); Teddy Stiga (F, USA, 2024 #55); Jack Ivankovic (G, Canada, 2025 #58); Viggo Gustafsson (D, Sweden, 2024 #77)
New Jersey Devils
Benjamin Kevan (F, USA, 2025 #63); Kasper Pikkarainen (F, Finland, 2024 #85); Mason Moe (F, USA, 2025 #90); Daniel Nieminen (D, Finland, 2025 #163)
New York Islanders
Matthew Schaefer (D, Canada, 2025 #1); Kashawn Aitcheson (D, Canada, 2025 #17); Cole Eiserman (F, USA, 2024 #20); Kamil Bednarik (F, USA, 2024 #61); Jacob Kvasnicka (F, USA, 2025 #202)
New York Rangers
E.J. Emery (D, USA, 2024 #30); Malcolm Spence (F, Canada, 2025 #43)
Ottawa Senators
Logan Hensler (D, USA, 2025 #23); Gabriel Eliasson (D, Sweden, 2024 #39)
Philadelphia Flyers
Porter Martone (F, Canada, 2025 #6); Jack Murtagh (F, USA, 2025 #40); Shane Vansaghi (F, USA, 2025 #48); Jack Berglund (F, Sweden, 2024 #51); Spencer Gill (D, Canada, 2024 #59); Heikki Ruohonen (F, Finland, 2024 #107); Max Westergård (F, Finland, 2025 #132)
Pittsburgh Penguins
Benjamin Kindel (F, Canada, 2025 #11); Melvin Fernstrom (F, Sweden, 2024 #93); William Horcoff (F, USA, 2025 #24); Harrison Brunicke (D, Canada, 2024 #44); Mac Swanson (F, USA, 2024 #207)
San Jose Sharks
Michael Misa (F, Canada, 2025 #2); Sam Dickinson (D, Canada, 2024 #11); Joshua Ravensbergen (G, Canada, 2025 #30); Leo Sahlin Wallenius (D, Sweden, 2024 #53); Cole McKinney (F, USA, 2025 #53); Carson Wetsch (F, Canada, 2024 #82)
Seattle Kraken
Berkly Catton (F, Canada, 2024 #8); Jake O’Brien (F, Canada, 2025 #8); Blake Fiddler (D, USA, 2025 #36); Kim Saarinen (G, Finland, 2024 #88); Ollie Josephson (F, Canada, 2024 #105)
St. Louis Blues
Justin Carbonneau (F, Canada, 2025 #19); Love Härenstam (G, Sweden, 2025 #179)
Tampa Bay Lightning
Joona Saarelainen (F, Finland, 2024 #149); Caleb Heil (G, USA, 2025 #193)
Toronto Maple Leafs
Ben Danford (D, Canada, 2024 #31); Victor Johansson (D, Sweden, 2024 #120)
Utah Mammoth
Cole Beaudoin (F, Canada, 2024 #24); Will Skahan (D, USA, 2024 #65)
Vancouver Canucks
Braeden Cootes (F, Canada, 2025 #15); Wilson Björck (F, Sweden, 2025 #143)
Vegas Golden Knights
Trevor Connelly (F, USA, 2024 #19)
Washington Capitals
Cole Hutson (D, USA, 2024 #43); Nick Kempf (G, USA, 2024 #114)
Winnipeg Jets
Sascha Boumedienne (D, Sweden, 2025 #28); Alfons Freij (D, Sweden, 2024 #37)
Penguins Sign Melvin Fernstrom To Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed forward prospect Melvin Fernstrom to a three-year, entry-level contract. Fernstrom was originally drafted in the third-round of the 2024 NHL Draft by the Vancouver Canucks. He was traded to the Penguins ahead of this year’s Trade Deadline, alongside a first-round pick and two depth pros in the deal that send Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor to Vancouver.
Fernstrom spent the bulk of the 2024-25 season with Orebro HK of Sweden’s SHL. It was his first full year of professional hockey and he dotted it with eight goals and 17 points in 48 appearances. That stat line doesn’t jump off the page, but Fernstrom’s scoring did lead all U19 skaters in the SHL. In fact, his scoring total falls closely in line with current and former NHL fixtures like Magnus Paajarvi, Adrian Kempe, and Alexander Holtz — who all managed either 16 or 17 points in their own U19 seasons in the SHL.
For his part, Fernstrom earned his pro role on the back of responsible and smooth hockey across the board. He’s a strong skater even despite a lanky frame, and uses that to find his spots and weave between his teammates well. When he can’t, he has a laser wrist-shot that’s dangerous anywhere below the tops of the circles. He may not fall into the clear category of playmaker, but showed an abundance of confidence in handling the puck around pro defenders and finding ways to set up his teammates.
Fernstrom recorded 63 points in 45 games in Sweden’s U20 league – and added eight points in seven games at the World U18 Championship – in his draft year last season. That stat line, and his smooth style, led to a confident third-round selection, though some public scouts like Craig Button had him ranked as a second-round talent. Fernstrom was a priority addition to the Pettersson trade, and Pittsburgh will now take the first step in trying to bank on the upside he offers. Fernstrom is expected to return to the SHL next season, but could be a candidate to join the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins when Orebro’s 2025-26 campaign concludes.
Capitals Prospect Cole Hutson Likely To Return To School
Star Washington Capitals defense prospect Cole Hutson is leaning towards returning to Boston University for his sophomore season, per Jeff Marek of Daily Faceoff and sources available to ProHockeyRumors. Hutson won the Hockey East ‘Rookie of the Year’ award this season, after leading all freshmen in scoring with 14 goals and 46 points in 37 games this season. Hutson’s BU Terriers lost the National Championship game to Western Michigan University this weekend. He had no points in the championship game.
This news will see Hutson look to right that wrong and carry Boston University back to a National bid next season. He’s defiantly a star prospect and already seems to have outperformed his second-round, 43rd-overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft. Hutson has earned that acclaim on the back of a season filled with highlight-reel plays, using nifty head-fakes and quick cuts to dance defenders out of their skates and open clear lanes to the net. They’re the same traits that earned him first-round acclaim from many last season, after he scored 51 points in 51 games with the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP).
Hutson is the younger brother of star Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson, who is making a valiant push for the NHL’s Calder Trophy and record for most points from a rookie defenseman this season. The two play an unmistakably similar style, each using elusive skating and flashy dekes to draw opponents in and beat them clean. Like Lane, Cole has struggled at times to translate his dominant impact to his play away from the puck – struggling to match physicality and clear opponents out of the danger areas in the defensive zone. But Lane has come along well in all regards over the course of his rookie season, and continues to shed many of the concerns surrounding his defensive game. Cole could go through the same arc soon – but first, like his older brother, he’ll return for a sophomore season at BU.
Hutson will be set up for a clear path towards star minutes with the Terriers next season. He became the third-straight Terrier to win Hockey East’s ‘Rookie of the Year’ award this season – alongside brother Lane and star center Macklin Celebrini over the last two years. With a return for year two, Cole will get a chance to chase the Hockey East MVP title as well, stealing it away from rival Boston College after Ryan Leonard won the award this season. Should he continue his phenomenal scoring, he’ll be an early-season favorite for the Hobey Baker Award as well. That momentum and a return to the National Championship should go far in giving Hutson the momentum needed to make a strong impact on the Capitals lineup at the end of next season.
Kraken Sign Nathan Villeneuve To Entry-Level Contract
The Seattle Kraken are formally bringing one of their higher-round selections from the 2024 NHL Draft to the organization. According to a team announcement, the Kraken have signed Nathan Villeneuve to a three-year entry-level contract.
Seattle selected Villeneuve with the 63rd overall pick of last summer’s draft. He had just concluded his sophomore campaign with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves, scoring 23 goals and 27 assists in 50 games with a +10 rating.
This year has been a bit more of a mixed bag. He did improve his offensive output, scoring 34 goals and 70 points in 57 games, but he took far more penalties than at any point in his playing career. He finished the 2024-25 campaign with 120 PIMs, the third-highest of any player in the OHL.
Still, that primarily came from Villeneuve’s physicality and high pace of play. He’s an aggressive forechecker and was known as a pest by opponents during his major junior career. He’ll want to clean up many of those penalties should he have a future in the NHL, but he’s starting with an impressively high motor.
Villeneuve will likely finish the 2024-25 campaign playing on an amateur tryout agreement with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds. The Firebirds have already clinched a position in the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs and will look to qualify for the Calder Cup Final for a third consecutive year.
Prospect Notes: Kirsanov, Pinelli, Hage
With the end of the season nearing, news surrounding some of the league’s top prospects is beginning to ramp up. The Los Angeles Kings are the focal point of the latest updates, after news that Russian defender Kirill Kirsanov could sign with the team at the end of the season, per Scott Coffman of Mayor’s Manor.
The Kings drafted Kirsanov in the third round of the 2021 NHL Draft, just months after his rookie season in Russia’s KHL came to a close. He tallied just three points in 29 games in his first pro year, but showed upside as a heavy and physical presence in the defensive end. Kirsanov continued to plant his feet in the KHL in the subsequent three seasons, routinely rivaling 25 games and a few points each year. He’s found a bit more stride with Novgorod Torpedo this season, with a career-high seven points in a career-high 34 KHL games – though his best impact remains close to his end boards. It will be the six-foot-two, 220-pound frame that Los Angeles looks forward to in signing the 22-year-old Russian, as they look to find the hefty compliment for impactful youngsters like Brandt Clarke and Jordan Spence.
Other notes across the prospect world:
- The Columbus Blue Jackets have assigned 2023 fourth-round draft pick Luca Pinelli to the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. Pinelli’s OHL season with the Ottawa 67s came to an end on Sunday. He closed the season with a team-leading 37 goals and 71 points in 52 games. That’s just narrowly ahead of his scoring pace last season, when he potted 48 goals and 82 points in 68 games. But Pinelli’s story tood tall this year, as he led a 67s roster that struggled to score when he was off the ice. Ottawa managed just 205 goals as a team, good for third-lowest in the OHL. Pinelli is a speedy puck-handler who pushes transition – and carries surprising heft and strength on the puck for his five-foot-nine frame. He’ll be an interesting prospect to watch in the pros, after scoring 252 points in 246 career games, and four seasons, in the OHL.
- Top Montreal Canadiens prospect Michael Hage has decided to return to the University of Michigan for his sophomore season, per Marco D’Amico of RG Media. Montreal drafted Hage 21st overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, after he scored 33 goals and 75 points in 54 USHL games as the Chicago Steel’s top center. He followed that performance with 13 goals and 34 points in 33 games in Michigan’s top-role this year – good for second in scoring on the Wolverines behind 23-year-old junior T.J. Hughes‘ 38 points. Hughes is viewed by many as a top college free agent this summer. His signing could open a clear path for Hage to become Michigan’s true star scorer next year. On top of many returnees on a young roster, Hage will be joined by 2025 NHL Draft prospects Cole McKinney and Aidan Park in 2025-26.
Avalanche Recall Nikita Prishchepov, Assign Chase Bradley
The Colorado Avalanche have recalled forward Nikita Prishchepov to the NHL. It’s already Prishchepov’s fifth call-up of the season, with his last stint on the Avalanche roster ending on November 14th. In a corresponding move, Colorado has assigned forward Chase Bradley to the AHL, ending the first call-up of his NHL career after just three days.
Bradley stepped into the first two NHL games of his career on the short recall, but failed to record any notable stat changes while averaging just 5:35 in ice time. It’s Bradley’s first year of professional hockey, after spending the last three seasons climbing the University of Connecticut lineup. He recorded 51 points in 95 games with the Huskies, including 22 points in 31 games last season – good for second on the team in scoring behind Nashville Predators prospect Matthew Wood. While his NHL scoring is yet to come, Bradley has found a bit more production in the minors – posting three goals and four points through his first 17 AHL games.
Prishchepov is in a very similar spot, playing through his first year of professional hockey with a strong start in the minors – six points in 12 games – but so far no scoring through six NHL games. Prishchepov became the third player drafted in the 2024 NHL Draft – and the first selected outside of the top-15 picks – to make his NHL debut. Recording a point would make him just the second 2024 draftee to score, behind first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini.
Big Hype Prospects: Benak, Demidov, Barlow, Eliasson
The hockey world has one final hurdle to get through before the hustle-and-bustle of the regular season – presently shrouded by the start of the college football and NFL seasons. To cut through that cloud, we’ll once again borrow the Big Hype Prospects series from MLB Trade Rumors and break down some of the prospects getting attention heading into the 2024-25 season.
Four Big Hype Prospects
F Adam Benak, Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
2024 USHL Preseason: 6 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 TP
The USHL Pre-Season was bound to be headlined by Youngstown Phantoms tender Adam Benak – a starring Czech prospect and client of prolific NHL agent Allan Walsh. He brings a wealth of experience, most notably scoring eight points in eight games at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and 24 points in 26 games with the Czech U18 team through friendlies and tourney play. But even knowing that precedent, his start in the USHL has been shocking. Benak got the primary assist on the first goal of Youngstown’s pre-season – and while it was his only point of game one, he managed five points (1 G, 4 A) in Youngstown’s second pre-season game. Granted it was against a Green Bay lineup clearly not at full strength, but Benak nonetheless played at a step above everyone else, showing power in his strides and confidence on the puck. He worked best with winger Jack Hextall – Youngstown’s starring tender from the 2008 birth year. Hextall is still adjusting to junior-level physicality, but thrived in the tempo and space that Benak was able to create. His next game will be Youngstown’s season opener on September 18th, but Benak’s ability to control possession shined through in his pre-season action. There’s no telling how high on 2025 Draft boards the undersized, but highly-skilled centerman could climb if he carries that momentum into the regular season.
F Ivan Demidov, SKA (KHL)
2024 KHL Regular Season: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 TP
The start of the KHL season has brought the first look at Ivan Demidov, now the Montreal Canadiens’ newest top prospect. He’s served that title well, making SKA’s KHL roster with dominant pre-season performances, and – perhaps more impressively – admirably filling a third-line role through the year’s first two games. SKA has gained notoriety for how they’ve deploy their star teenagers over the last few years, though it seems Demidov is playing above that ire through the early going. There’s no denying Demidov’s prowess. He’s dominant on the puck, showing control at top speeds and using his body to defend possession while driving the net. He’ll be near the top of the shortlist when it comes to exciting prospects to follow this season – especially if he continues earning routine ice time in SKA’s lineup.
F Colby Barlow, OHL
2023 OHL Regular Season (Owen Sound): 50 GP, 40 G, 18 A, 58 TP
Early year speculation has Colby Barlow as near-certainly bound for a trade away from the Owen Sound Attack. Where he’s headed hasn’t yet come clear, but it seems the Winnipeg Jets first-round pick will have a chance to join a stronger roster after scoring six fewer goals and 15 fewer assists last season, compared to the 2022-23 season. He still managed a 40-goal season, speaking to his assured scoring and offering intriguing upside for the winners of Barlow’s trade sweepstakes. Pre-season trades led other top NHL prospects like Matthew Savoie and Conor Geekie to bountiful seasons last year, with both players turning pro this summer. Now, it could be the precedent to a big year for Barlow, hopefully providing momentum into his transition into Winnipeg’s pro flanks.
D Gabriel Eliasson, OHL
2023 J20 Nationell Regular Season: 36 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 TP
Gabriel Eliasson is hard to ignore. Literally – he’s 6-foot-7, 216-pounds. But he caught scouts attention for more than just his size – also flashing impressively fluid skating, strong puck control, and – above all else – an old-school style of headhunting. Eliasson seemed to study at the Jacob Trouba school of hitting-defensemen, earning a total of 200 penalty minutes through 65 total games last season, split between league and international play. He’s a high upside bet – with the size and control to play high levels, but lacking poise. Still, the Ottawa Senators were willing to gamble on Eliasson early, taking him 39th-overall in the 2024 NHL Draft. Now, reports claim that Eliasson is headed to the OHL, rather than making his expected move to the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and the Big Ten’s University of Michigan. Eliasson was selected by the Niagara IceDogs in the most recent CHL Import Draft, though additional info suggests he could be traded when Import trades open on September 25th. Fans will have to wait in anticipation for that move, though the thought of Eliasson in the OHL is certainly an interesting one. His reckless abandon would have been well-matched in Cedar Rapids, while the OHL could better encourage the fluid play-driving that makes his skillset so unique. While Eliasson may not be a star at the heights of his peers on this list, his unique frame and heavy hitting will make him an exciting name to follow – whether it be in the OHL or USHL.