Pacific Notes: Sharks, Hart, Karlsson
The Sharks have not yet decided if they will loan forward Michael Misa or defenseman Sam Dickinson to play for Canada at the upcoming World Juniors, reports Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. Misa is set to debut with the AHL’s Barracuda tonight while on a conditioning assignment, one that can last up to two weeks. The second overall pick back in June has been used quite sparingly this season, getting into just seven NHL games where he has a goal and two assists. Accordingly, he hasn’t officially activated the first year of his entry-level deal. If Misa plays out his AHL stint and then joins Canada’s roster, that would allow San Jose to wait until January before making a final call on keeping him in the NHL or sending him back to junior.
As for Dickinson, the 19-year-old has played much more frequently, getting into 21 games with the Sharks so far. However, he has been limited to just one goal and one assist after putting up 91 points in just 55 games with OHL London last season. Dickinson is averaging a respectable 14:27 per game of ice time but would have a much more prominent role at the World Juniors. With San Jose carrying eight healthy blueliners, they wouldn’t necessarily need to bring anyone up from the Barracuda to take his place on the roster if they were to loan Dickinson out.
More from the Pacific:
- Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, relays Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal (Twitter link). He sustained the injury in his season debut on Tuesday against Chicago, one that saw him make 27 saves in a shootout victory over Chicago. Vegas recalled Jesper Vikman from AHL Henderson earlier today and they are using an emergency roster exception that lasts up to 48 hours to allow them to temporarily exceed the 23-player roster limit.
- Still with the Golden Knights, they’ve placed center William Karlsson on LTIR, PuckPedia reports (Twitter link). The move was needed to afford Vikman’s recall. Karlsson last played on November 8th, meaning that he has already missed the required 10 games and 24 days, assuming the placement was back-dated. The 32-year-old has four goals and three assists in 14 games this season and remains listed as out week-to-week.
Sweden Announces Roster For 2026 World Juniors
After USA Hockey announced its preliminary roster for the 2026 World Junior Championship at the beginning of the month, the Swedish Ice Hockey Association became the next gold medal contender to follow suit. Unlike the host country, though, Sweden released a 26-man list and therefore only has one cut to make before the tournament kicks off on Dec. 26 at the Wild’s Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul and 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, home to the University of Minnesota men’s team. Their roster is as follows:
F Jack Berglund (Flyers, 2024, 2-51)
F Viggo Björck (2026 draft eligible)
F Wilson Björck (Canucks, 2025, 5-143)
F Liam Danielsson (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
F Victor Eklund (Islanders, 2025, 1-16)
F Linus Eriksson (Panthers, 2024, 2-58)
F Anton Frondell (Blackhawks, 2025, 1-3)
F Milton Gästrin (Capitals, 2025, 2-37)
F Eddie Genborg (Red Wings, 2025, 2-44)
F Casper Juustovaara Karlsson (2026 draft eligible)
F Loke Krantz (Kraken, 2025, 7-218)
F Valter Lindberg (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
F Eric Nilson (Ducks, 2025, 2-45)
F Lucas Pettersson (Ducks, 2024, 2-35)
F Ivar Stenberg (2026 draft eligible)
D Sascha Boumedienne (Jets, 2025, 1-28)
D Felix Carell (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
D Alfons Freij (Jets, 2024, 2-37)
D Viggo Gustafsson (Predators, 2024, 3-77)
D William Håkansson (2026 draft eligible)
D Victor Johansson (Maple Leafs, 2024, 4-120)
D Felix Öhrqvist (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
D Leo Sahlin Wallenius (Sharks, 2024, 2-53)
G Måns Goos (Stars, 2025, 5-158)
G Love Härenstam (Blues, 2025, 6-179)
G Herman Liv (undrafted in 2024, 2025)
At forward, the Swedes are arguably bringing more true star power to the event than the Americans, who are seeking a three-peat. While the Bruins’ James Hagens is the only top-10 pick on the States’ roster, Sweden could have three – the reigning third-overall selection in Frondell, plus Stenberg and Björck, both of whom should hear their names called early on the first night of next year’s draft. Björck’s stock has slipped somewhat this year, but Stenberg’s has only risen to the point where he’s a legitimate challenger for first overall. With 23 points in 24 SHL games for Frölunda, he’s operating at the third-highest point-per-game pace all-time for an 18-year-old in that league behind Tomas Sandström and Markus Näslund. He and Frondell will form the centerpiece of Sweden’s attack.
The talent level drops off somewhat on the back end. They don’t have the top-15 talents like Axel Sandin Pellikka and Tom Willander that they’ve had at their disposal over the past couple of years. Boumedienne now takes the reins as their most high-profile name, along with the draft-eligible Håkansson, a 6’4″ lefty who most have pegged as a late first-round pick.
In goal, the Swedes have an open competition for the starters’ crease – in a good way. Härenstam and Liv are both off to great starts this season as starters for their respective teams in the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier pro league. It would be quite a story for the undrafted Liv to emerge as the No. 1 option, considering his last start for the Swedes at a major international tournament was at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. However, it’s looking like that could be the case. With a .923 SV% in 12 games for Almtuna IS, he’s second in the league. The 19-year-old is the son of former SHL and KHL star and Red Wings prospect Stefan Liv, who died in the 2011 plane crash that killed 26 players and three staff of the KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
While Sweden has lost just four times in regulation in the group stage at the WJC since 2012, they haven’t won a gold medal in that span. In the past 13 tournaments, they’ve won silver four times (2013, 2014, 2018, 2024) and bronze twice (2020, 2022).
Flames Will Loan Zayne Parekh To Team Canada For World Juniors
Flames defenseman Zayne Parekh will be on Canada’s roster for the World Junior Championship when it’s announced in December, Eric Francis of Sportsnet reports. First, he’ll need to recover from the upper-body injury that’s kept him out since Nov. 7 and has him listed as week-to-week.
Parekh has already been ruled out through the Flames’ ongoing road trip, Francis writes, but the team is targeting an early December return for their 2024 ninth overall pick. They have a four-game homestand to kick off the month and will look to get him into a couple of those games before letting him join the Canadian national junior team, which commences its camp in Niagara Falls on Dec. 12. He’s also eligible for a conditioning stint with AHL Calgary as a result of his missed time, something Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960 reports is under consideration.
The ultimate deadline for Parekh’s inclusion on the Canadian roster is Dec. 20, though, according to Francis. Even if Parekh can’t get on the ice before then, that would at least leave him enough time to get into a couple of exhibition games in Minneapolis and St. Paul, the host cities of this year’s WJC.
The injury has dotted what’s been a trying adjustment to pro hockey for Parekh. As a result of the 19-year-old being ineligible for a full-time assignment to the AHL, he’s been stuck operating as a No. 6/7 piece on the Flames’ NHL roster and hasn’t gotten extended playing time. He was a healthy scratch on multiple occasions before sustaining his injury. He was only averaging 14:46 of ice time per game when in the lineup, limiting him to one assist through 11 appearances.
Calgary’s only other option was to send him back to junior hockey for the remainder of the season. That was never something the Flames were seriously considering, though. Parekh has won back-to-back OHL defense scoring crowns with the Saginaw Spirit, putting up back-to-back 33-goal seasons from the blue line and logging 107 points in just 61 games last season. But depending on the state of their defense after Parekh returns from the World Juniors, letting him finish the season in Saginaw – where he’ll at least get back to playing top-pairing minutes – might be a better outcome for his readiness heading into training camp next fall.
NHL Draft Picks On 2025 World Junior Championship Rosters
The 2025 World Junior Championship is just around the corner. This year’s edition of the tournament, which takes place in Ottawa, will start on Boxing Day (Dec. 26) as usual. Most NHL fans looking to tune into the tournament will want to focus on Group A action – Finland, Canada and the United States comprise three-fifths of that group while Sweden is the only true NHL-heavy squad in Group B, although Czechia and Slovakia have a decent amount of NHL representation there.
Every one of the 10 squads participating in the tournament has at least one NHL-drafted player on their roster, although, in the case of relegation favorite Kazakhstan in Group B, it is just the lone representative. Out of the NHL’s 32 squads, only the Bruins don’t have a prospect suiting up in the tournament.
Wondering which countries to keep an eye on to track your team’s prospects? Here’s a list of every club’s prospects that are competing in the tournament:
Anaheim Ducks
F Austin Burnevik / USA / 2024, 6-182
D Vojtěch Port / Czechia / 2023, 6-161
F Carey Terrance / USA / 2023, 2-59
D Darels Uļjanskis / Latvia / 2024, 7-214
Buffalo Sabres
F Konsta Helenius / Finland / 2024, 1-14
D Adam Kleber / USA / 2024, 2-42
D Norwin Panocha / Germany / 2023, 7-205
D Maxim Štrbák / Slovakia / 2023, 2-45
F Anton Wahlberg / Sweden / 2023, 2-39
F Brodie Ziemer / USA / 2024, 3-71
Calgary Flames
D Axel Hurtig / Sweden / 2023, 7-208
Carolina Hurricanes
F Bradly Nadeau / Canada / 2023, 1-30
F Felix Unger Sörum / Sweden / 2023, 2-62
F Oskar Vuollet / Sweden / 2024, 5-133
Chicago Blackhawks
F Jiří Felcman / Czechia / 2023, 3-93
F Oliver Moore / USA / 2023, 1-19
Colorado Avalanche
F Calum Ritchie / Canada / 2023, 1-27
Columbus Blue Jackets
F Luca Pinelli / Canada / 2023, 4-114
G Melvin Strahl / Sweden / 2023, 5-156
Dallas Stars
F Emil Hemming / Finland / 2024, 1-29
D Aram Minnetian / USA / 2023, 4-125
Detroit Red Wings
G Trey Augustine / USA / 2023, 2-41
F Jesse Kiiskinen / Finland / 2023, 3-68
D Axel Sandin-Pellikka / Sweden / 2023, 1-17
Edmonton Oilers
D Beau Akey / Canada / 2023, 2-56
D Paul Fischer / USA / 2023, 5-138
Florida Panthers
F Linus Eriksson / Sweden / 2024, 2-58
Los Angeles Kings
D Jakub Dvořák / Czechia / 2023, 2-54
G Carter George / Canada / 2024, 2-57
G Hampton Slukynsky / USA / 2023, 4-118
Minnesota Wild
D Zeev Buium / USA / 2024, 1-12
D Aron Kiviharju / Finland / 2024, 4-122
F Rasmus Kumpulainen / Finland / 2023, 2-53
D Sebastian Soini / Finland / 2024, 5-140
Montreal Canadiens
D Rasmus Bergqvist / Sweden / 2024, 7-224
Nashville Predators
F David Edstrom / Sweden / 2023, 1-32
D Andrew Gibson / Canada / 2023, 2-42
D Viggo Gustafsson / Sweden / 2024, 3-77
G Jakub Milota / Czechia / 2024, 4-99
D Tanner Molendyk / Canada / 2023, 1-24
F Felix Nilsson / Sweden / 2023, 2-43
F Teddy Stiga / USA / 2024, 2-55
F Joey Willis / USA / 2023, 4-111
New Jersey Devils
F Herman Träff / Sweden / 2024, 3-91
New York Islanders
F Cole Eiserman / USA / 2024, 1-20
G Marcus Gidlöf / Sweden / 2024, 5-147
F Danny Nelson / USA / 2023, 2-49
F Jesse Nurmi / Finland / 2023, 4-113
New York Rangers
D Drew Fortescue / USA / 2023, 3-90
F Rico Gredig / Switzerland / 2024, 6-191
F Gabe Perreault / USA / 2023, 1-23
Ottawa Senators
G Vladimir Nikitin / Kazakhstan / 2023, 7-207
Philadelphia Flyers
F Jack Berglund / Sweden / 2024, 2-51
G Carson Bjarnason / Canada / 2023, 2-51
D Oliver Bonk / Canada / 2023, 1-22
F Jett Luchanko / Canada / 2024, 1-13
F Heikki Ruohonen / Finland / 2024, 4-107
Pittsburgh Penguins
F Tanner Howe / Canada / 2024, 2-46
D Kalle Kangas / Finland / 2023, 7-223
D Emil Pieniniemi / Finland / 2023, 3-91
San Jose Sharks
D Sam Dickinson / Canada / 2024, 1-11
F Kasper Halttunen / Finland / 2023, 2-36
G Christian Kirsch / Switzerland / 2024, 4-116
F Brandon Svoboda / USA / 2023, 3-71
Seattle Kraken
F Berkly Catton / Canada / 2024, 1-8
D Jakub Fibigr / Czechia / 2024, 7-202
F Zeb Forsfjäll / Sweden / 2023, 6-180
F Julius Miettinen / Finland / 2024, 2-40
D Caden Price / Canada / 2023, 3-84
F Carson Rehkopf / Canada / 2023, 2-50
G Kim Saarinen / Finland / 2024, 3-88
F Eduard Šalé / Czechia / 2023, 1-20
St. Louis Blues
F Adam Jecho / Czechia / 2024, 3-95
D Adam Jiříček / Czechia / 2024, 1-16
F Ondřej Kos / Czechia / 2024, 3-81
D Theo Lindstein / Sweden / 2023, 1-29
F Juraj Pekarčík / Slovakia / 2023, 3-76
D Colin Ralph / USA / 2024, 2-48
F Jakub Štancl / Czechia / 2023, 4-106
F Otto Stenberg / Sweden / 2023, 1-25
Tampa Bay Lightning
F Ethan Gauthier / Canada / 2023, 2-37
F Joona Saarelainen / Finland / 2024, 5-149
Toronto Maple Leafs
F Easton Cowan / Canada / 2023, 1-28
F Miroslav Holinka / Czechia / 2024, 5-151
Utah Hockey Club
F Cole Beaudoin / Canada / 2024, 1-24
G Michael Hrabal / Czechia / 2023, 2-38
F Vojtěch Hradec / Czechia / 2024, 6-167
G Melker Thelin / Sweden / 2023, 5-134
D Veeti Väisänen / Finland / 2024, 3-96
Vancouver Canucks
D Sawyer Mynio / Canada / 2023, 3-89
D Basile Sansonnens / Switzerland / 2024, 7-221
D Tom Willander / Sweden / 2023, 1-11
Vegas Golden Knights
F Mathieu Cataford / Canada / 2023, 3-77
F Trevor Connelly / USA / 2024, 1-19
F Tuomas Uronen / Finland / 2023, 6-192
Washington Capitals
D Cole Hutson / USA / 2024, 2-43
F Ryan Leonard / USA / 2023, 1-8
F Ēriks Mateiko / Latvia / 2024, 3-90
D Leon Muggli / Switzerland / 2024, 2-52
F Miroslav Šatan Jr. / Slovakia / 2024, 7-212
F Petr Sikora / Czechia / 2024, 6-178
Winnipeg Jets
F Brayden Yager / Canada / 2023, 1-14
USA Hockey Announces 2025 WJC Roster
Dec. 19: Emery, Fiddler, Pelosi and Spellacy didn’t make the cut. The rest of the names on the list below will comprise the Americans’ contingent at the tournament.
Dec. 2: The United States is on gold medal defense in the IIHF World Junior Championship for the first time since 2021. Excitement continues to build for this year’s rendition of the event and the team has announced its 28-man preliminary roster.
General manager John Vanbiesbrouck and head coach David Carle will have to trim three players from the preliminary roster before official rosters are due. The tournament will run from December 26, 2024, to January 5, 2025, in Ottawa, Canada. Team USA will play in Group A alongside Canada, Germany, Finland, and Latvia.
Will Smith of the San Jose Sharks is the biggest name left off the list of available age-eligible players from last year’s team. Smith was flat-out electric for the team last year scoring four goals and nine points in seven games but the Sharks organization has decided not to loan him back for this winter’s tournament.
Team USA will bring 10 members of last year’s gold-medal team present at this year’s camp. This year’s preliminary roster is as follows:
F Austin Burnevik (Ducks, 2024, 182nd overall)
F Trevor Connelly (Golden Knights, 2024, 19th overall)
F Cole Eiserman (Islanders, 2024, 20th overall)
F James Hagens (2025 draft-eligible)
F Ryan Leonard (Capitals, 2023, 8th overall)
F Oliver Moore (Blackhawks, 2023, 19th overall)
F Danny Nelson (Islanders, 2023, 49th overall)
F Chris Pelosi (Bruins, 2023, 92nd overall)
F Gabe Perreault (Rangers, 2023, 23rd overall)
F AJ Spellacy (Blackhawks, 2024, 72nd overall)
F Teddy Stiga (Predators, 2024, 55th overall)
F Brandon Svoboda (Sharks, 2023, 71st overall)
F Carey Terrance (Ducks, 2023, 59th overall)
F Joey Willis (Predators, 2023, 111th overall)
F Brodie Ziemer (Sabres, 2024, 71st overall)
D Zeev Buium (Wild, 2024, 12th overall)
D EJ Emery (Rangers, 2024, 30th overall)
D Blake Fiddler (2025 draft-eligible)
D Paul Fischer (Oilers, 2023, 138th overall)*
D Drew Fortescue (Rangers, 2023, 90th overall)
D Logan Hensler (2025 draft-eligible)
D Cole Hutson (Capitals, 2024, 43rd overall)
D Adam Kleber (Sabres, 2024, 42nd overall)
D Aram Minnetian (Stars, 2023, 125th overall)
D Colin Ralph (Blues, 2024, 48th overall)
G Trey Augustine (Red Wings, 2023, 41st overall)
G Sam Hillebrandt (went undrafted in 2023, 2024)
G Hampton Slukynsky (Kings, 2023, 118th overall)
* Fischer was originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 2023
Hockey Canada Announces 2025 WJC Roster
Dec. 13: Canada has confirmed its roster for the tournament. Among the cuts were Ratzlaff, Allen, Brunicke (injured), Barkey, Cristall, Heidt, and Wood. Players like Sennecke and the Flames’ Zayne Parekh, who were added mid-camp due to injuries, were left off the final roster.
Dec. 2: Team Canada will look to rebound in a major way at this year’s IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa. The Canadian U20 failed to medal for the first time since 2019 in last year’s event and they’ll now look to rediscover their magic back on home ice.
Hockey Canada announced their 32-man preliminary roster earlier today and will have to cut seven players before the tournament begins. The 2025 World Junior Championship will run from December 26, 2024, to January 5, 2025. Team Canada will play in Group A alongside Germany, Finland, Latvia, and the United States.
One notable name left off this year’s roster is the recent third-overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft, Beckett Sennecke. It’s uncommon to see such a high draft pick left of his country’s roster, especially considering Sennecke hasn’t aged out and wouldn’t have to be loaned from his NHL club.
There are still numerous exciting names up for consideration. Team Canada’s preliminary roster is as follows:
F Denver Barkey (Flyers, 2023, 95th overall)
F Cole Beaudoin (Utah, 2024, 24th overall)
F Mathieu Cataford (Golden Knights, 2023, 77th overall)
F Berkly Catton (Kraken, 2024, 8th overall)
F Easton Cowan (Maple Leafs, 2023, 28th overall)
F Andrew Cristall (Capitals, 2023, 40th overall)
F Ethan Gauthier (Lightning, 2023, 37th overall)
F Riley Heidt (Wild, 2023, 64th overall)
F Tanner Howe (Penguins, 2024, 46th overall)
F Jett Luchanko (Flyers, 2024, 13th overall)
F Porter Martone (2025 draft-eligible)
F Gavin McKenna (2026 draft-eligible)
F Bradly Nadeau (Hurricanes, 2023, 30th overall)
F Luca Pinelli (Blue Jackets, 2023, 114th overall)
F Carson Rehkopf (Kraken, 2023, 50th overall)
F Calum Ritchie (Avalanche, 2023, 27th overall)
F Matthew Wood (Predators, 2023, 15th overall)
F Brayden Yager (Jets, 2023, 14th overall)*
D Cameron Allen (Capitals, 2023, 136th overall)
D Beau Akey (Oilers, 2023, 56th overall)
D Oliver Bonk (Flyers, 2023, 22nd overall)
D Harrison Brunicke (Penguins, 2024, 44th overall)
D Sam Dickinson (Sharks, 2024, 11th overall)
D Andrew Gibson (Predators, 2023, 42nd overall)**
D Tanner Molendyk (Predators, 2023, 24th overall)
D Sawyer Mynio (Canucks, 2023, 89th overall)
D Caden Price (Kraken, 2023, 84th overall)
D Matthew Schaefer (2025 draft-eligible)
G Carson Bjarnason (Flyers, 2023, 51st overall)
G Carter George (Kings, 2024, 57th overall)
G Jack Ivankovic (2025 draft-eligible)
G Scott Ratzlaff (Sabres, 2023, 141st overall)
* Yager was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2023
** Gibson was originally drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in 2023
Czechia Releases Preliminary World Junior Roster
Last week, several countries released their preliminary rosters for the upcoming World Juniors (or in Sweden’s case, pretty much their entire tournament roster was revealed). Today, it was Czechia’s turn as their federation announced their preliminary roster, one that consists of three goalies, nine defensemen, and 15 forwards. The roster is as follows with NHL affiliation, if applicable, in parentheses:
Goalies:
Michael Hrabal (Utah)
Jan Kavan
Jakub Milota (Nashville)
Defensemen:
Jakub Dvorak (Los Angeles)
Jakub Fibigr (Seattle)
Tomas Galvas
Vojtech Husinecky
Matteo Koci
Adam Jiricek (St. Louis)
Vojtech Port (Anaheim)
Marek Rocak
Patrik Volas
Forwards:
Vojtech Cihar
Jiri Felcman (Chicago)
Miroslav Holinka (Toronto)
Vojtech Hradec (Utah)
Adam Jecho (St. Louis)
Ondrej Kos (St. Louis)
Matej Mastalirsky
Adam Novotny
Dominik Petr
Eduard Sale (Seattle)
Petr Sikora (Washington)
Pavel Simek
Jakub Stancl (St. Louis)
Richard Zemlicka
Adam Zidlicky
St. Louis is by far the most represented NHL team out of this group with four players on the initial roster. Their top prospect of the group is Jiricek, a player whose availability for this tournament remains in question. Jiricek, the 16th overall pick back in June, has been limited to just four games with OHL Brampton this season. The federation is in touch with the Blues and a decision will be made about him being released later on.
Up front, Sale is the headliner. The 20th overall pick in 2023 by the Kraken, Sale is off to a solid start in the AHL with a dozen points in 19 games after splitting last season between OHL Barrie and Kitchener. It’s expected that Sale will not be with the Czechs for the entire camp but join them later on; a release date is being worked out between the federation and Seattle.
Czechia is in Pool B with Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Sweden, and Switzerland for the event which gets underway on December 26th. They’ll have to have their roster down to three goalies (which they are already at) and no more than 22 skaters by the time the tournament begins.
Sweden Names Roster For 2025 World Junior Championship
After Hockey Canada and USA Hockey announced their preliminary rosters for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship on Monday, the Swedish Ice Hockey Association today announced their initial 24-player roster for the tournament. As always, this year’s iteration of the WJC kicks off on Dec. 26 and will be held in Ottawa.
Coached by Magnus Hävelid for the third year in a row, nine players are returning from the team that went 3-0-1 in group play last season and lost the gold medal game to the United States. Some of last year’s top-end talent, such as Canucks prospect Jonathan Lekkerimaki, have aged out, but four of their top six scorers from the 2024 tournament are back as Sweden looks for a medal for the third time in the last four years.
The squad’s strong suit will be its defense, headlined by a trio of 2023 first-round picks in Theo Lindstein, Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Tom Willander. All were spectacular for Tre Kronor in 2024, and with another year of development and experience under their belt, will be relied upon even more.
Sweden is light on first-rounders up front, only boasting two, but pencil in the youngest player on the team as a third. 18-year-old left-winger Victor Eklund has made the team and is widely projected to be a top-15 selection in the 2025 draft class, following in the footsteps of older brother William Eklund. He has 15 points (8 G, 7 A) in 20 games for Djurgårdens IF this season in HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier professional league.
The Swedes also don’t have a clear-cut starter between the pipes, but that’s due to having three good options rather than a few mediocre ones. Utah’s Melker Thelin is the only returnee from last year’s tournament, and while he’s done well with a 7-1-0 record and .914 SV% in eight HockeyAllvenskan games this season, the Islanders’ Marcus Gidlöf has a .915 SV% and 2.10 GAA in top-level SHL action for Leksands IF and has a solid shot at starting games. The Blue Jackets’ Melvin Strahl has been strong stateside, logging a .911 SV% in 15 appearances for the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms.
The most notable omission is 17-year-old center Anton Frondell, who plays with Eklund with Djurgården and is widely expected to go a few spots ahead of him in next year’s draft. He’s failed to make the offensive impact his counterpart has this season, though, with only a goal and two assists in seven games.
The full roster, which features only a few non-NHL affiliated talents, is here:
F Dennis Altörn (undrafted in 2023, 2024)
F Jack Berglund (Flyers, 2024, 2-51)
F David Edstrom (Predators, 2023, 1-32)*
F Victor Eklund (2025 draft-eligible)
F Linus Eriksson (Panthers, 2024, 2-58)
F Zeb Forsfjäll (Kraken, 2023, 6-180)
F David Granberg (undrafted in 2023, 2024)
F Isac Hedqvist (undrafted in 2023, 2024)
F Felix Nilsson (Predators, 2023, 2-43)
F Otto Stenberg (Blues, 2023, 1-25)
F Herman Träff (Devils, 2024, 3-91)
F Felix Unger Sörum (Hurricanes, 2023, 2-62)
F Anton Wahlberg (Sabres, 2023, 2-39)
F Oskar Vuollet (Hurricanes, 2024, 5-133)
D Rasmus Bergqvist (Canadiens, 2024, 7-224)
D Viggo Gustafsson (Predators, 2024, 3-77)
D Wilhelm Hallquisth (undrafted in 2023, 2024)
D Axel Hurtig (Flames, 2023, 7-208)
D Theo Lindstein (Blues, 2023, 1-29)
D Axel Sandin-Pellikka (Red Wings, 2023, 1-17)
D Tom Willander (Canucks, 2023, 1-11)
G Marcus Gidlöf (Islanders, 2024, 5-147)
G Melvin Strahl (Blue Jackets, 2023, 5-156)
G Melker Thelin (Coyotes/Utah, 2023, 5-134)
*The Golden Knights drafted Edstrom before trading him to the Sharks, who subsequently dealt him to the Predators.
Flyers Return Jett Luchanko To OHL
Few expected prospect center Jett Luchanko to make Philadelphia’s roster in training camp but his training camp performance allowed him to do exactly that. However, the team has decided that returning to junior is the best move for development; the team announced that they’ve assigned him to OHL Guelph. GM Daniel Briere released the following statement on the move:
The decision to send Jett back is something we strongly believe is the right path for him and his development. His work-ethic, preparedness and play during training camp and preseason was something we were extremely impressed with and felt he earned the right to make our roster and start the season with us. Ultimately, we feel it is more valuable for Jett to be put in the best possible position to prepare himself for an NHL career, and right now that is with his team in Guelph.
The 18-year-old had a strong showing with the Storm last season, notching 20 goals and 54 assists in 68 regular season games along with three assists in four playoff appearances. That had him rated by many outlets as a first-round pick outside of the lottery. But the Flyers felt differently about his upside, ultimately selecting him 13th overall, signing him to an entry-level contract less than two weeks later.
Luchanko got into four preseason games with Philadelphia, picking up two assists and playing his way onto the opening roster. He suited up in four regular season contests as well – making him the youngest player in the league – but was held off the scoresheet while playing just over 14 minutes per game on average. However, after being scratched for three of their seven games, it seemed likely that he’d eventually return to junior where he can play significant minutes in all situations and push for a spot at the World Juniors in December.
Since Luchanko won’t get into ten or more NHL contests this season, his contract won’t officially begin this season after all and he will still have three years remaining on it with a slightly lower cap hit heading into 2025-26. The Flyers now have one vacancy on their active roster and can either promote someone from AHL Lehigh Valley to fill it or operate with 22 players for the time being.
Snapshots: Cotter, World Juniors, Murashov
The Devils were looking for some more size and speed in their bottom six when they gave up former top-10 pick Alexander Holtz in a trade with the Golden Knights to acquire Paul Cotter, general manager Tom Fitzgerald told James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now.
“For us today and what we wanted to accomplish, adding a guy like Paul Cotter, who we believe has upside and has a little bit of Miles Wood in him. He can skate and is physical,” Fitzgerald said. It’s easy to see the comparable drawn between the current and former Devil – both have 6’2″ frames and above-average straight-line speed. Cotter checks in nearly 20 lbs heavier than Wood, who left New Jersey in free agency in 2023 to sign a long-term contract with the Avalanche.
The 24-year-old played 138 NHL games over the last three seasons with Vegas before the trade, scoring 22 goals and 23 assists for 45 points while averaging 12:44 per game. He finished second on the Knights with 233 hits last year, which would have led the Devils by a long shot – Curtis Lazar was their leader with 179.
More from around the hockey world today:
- Before NHLers return to the international stage at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off in February, the world’s top U-20 talents will convene again for the World Juniors in December and January. This season’s edition is in Ottawa, and well in advance of the event, The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler, Corey Pronman and Max Bultman took a crack at projecting what rosters may look like for the four traditional powerhouses.
- After signing his entry-level contract last week, Penguins goalie prospect Sergei Murashov is ready for the jump to North America, he tells Daria Tuboltseva of Responsible Gambling. The 20-year-old is hoping for a chance at NHL action this season, but he’s “ready to spend an entire season in the AHL.” “We’ll see how it goes,” Murashov continued. “It’s a new challenge for me. The Penguins’ coaches have told me about the specific aspects of playing in the AHL.” A 2022 fourth-round pick, Murashov has been one of the best goalies in the Russian junior circuit the past three seasons and had a .930 SV% and 24-4-2 record in 30 appearances with Loko Yaroslavl last season. In a six-game Kontinental Hockey League call-up to Lokomotiv, he continued his strong play with a .925 SV%, 1.84 GAA and his first professional shutout.