With that, admittedly, negative outlook out of the way, lets dive into how each prospect faired this year in Sweden’s hockey ranks.

Viggo Nordlund, W (Oskarshamn, HA)

Arguably the best U20 player in HockeyAllsvenskan this year, Nordlund was really, really solid for Oskarshamn. In 63 games played, he had 15 goals and 20 assists for 35 points.

He played 58 HockeyAllsvenskan games, with 28 points coming in those games. During the regular season, he won the awards for most goals by a U20 player (12) and the award for most points by a U20 player (26). He’s got that level of dynamic skill you want to see in an undersized forward. It’s not gamebreaking, but there’s enough skill within his game for him to be extremely dangerous when he’s in the offensive zone. His work in transition has become something to behold, being able to use his skating to weave in and out of traffic. This was a really nice year for Nordlund overall, showing good signs of development in most aspects.

Outlook for 2026/27: This one is interesting, because of just how deep Skelleftea is. There are two options, either he fights for a role with the SHL team, or he heads out on loan again to another SHL or HockeyAllsvenskan team.

Oskar Vuollet, W (Skelleftea, SHL)

While I was slightly negative about Vuollet in the open, make no mistake. He still helped Skelleftea win the SHL championship this season. Every player that plays, especially almost every game in the playoffs, helps a team win. In 60 games played this year, he had 5 goals and 4 assists for 9 points.

One thing to keep in mind is that the SHL is a tough league for younger players. Unless you’re someone with lottery level talent, it’s tougher for you to get consistent minutes. Vuollet has a good amount of offensive creativity in his game, mainly being a perimeter player at this point. He’s got good playmaking ability but it’s hard to flash that ability in his limited play time.

Outlook for 2026/27: A bottom/middle 6 winger for Skelleftea.

Noel Fransen, LHD (Karlskoga, HA)

Fransen started his year in the SHL with Farjestad, getting limited (but productive) minutes with 2 points in 3 games. He was then loaned to Karlskoga in HockeyAllsvenskan and was getting 16+ minutes a night very regularly. He was then called back to Farjestad when former Wolves head coach Cam Abbott was hired, where he honestly struggled a bit. After 8 games, he was sent back to Karlskoga, called back up to Farjestad the next day, and then sent back to Karlskoga 2 weeks later (after playing 3 games in 3 days). Ok, got all that? In 56 games played this year, he had 7 goals and 11 assists for 18 points.

Fransen is one of the best offensive defenseman in the Canes system. He’s got dynamic skating ability and a desire to move the puck quickly. He’s had success running power plays for teams over the past few seasons and it’s easy to see why. Big fan of the way he’s a dangerous threat when he’s patrolling the blue line. The thing that I’d love to see Fransen work is being more physical defensively. He’s not the smallest defenseman, standing at 6’1 and 194 pounds, but he’s not the most physically engaging defender, which leads to some lapses in coverage.

Outlook for 2026/27: He’s rumored with a move to Ilves in Liiga, Finland’s top tier league.

Simon Forsmark, LHD (Timra IK, SHL)

After posting a career best year in the SHL, Formark had a slower year than previously expected. His ice time was down slightly and the plus/minus, a stat that I don’t really like using when judging defense, went from a +11 to a -8. In 51 games this year, he had 3 goals and 11 assists for 14 points.

A solid 4 way skater with good defensive instincts, he really blossomed into a top 4 role with Timra last year. Not quite sure what happened this year, but he wasn’t the same player as last year. The offense was still decent, like his passing ability from the point. Just a down year overall for the 22 year old.

Outlook for 2026/27: With his rights expiring on June 1st combined with his contract running until 2029, Forsmark’s time as a Canes Prospect will be coming to an end.

With that in mind, there are only 3 leagues I can currently tackle as of now, those being the NCAA, CHL, and HockeyAllsvenskan. HockeyAllsvenskan, while admittedly easier to do because there are only two players, I’m putting off for now because I’ll loop in the other Swedish league (SHL) to make it easier for myself. So for now, let’s talk about the “junior” ranks of North America, with the NCAA and CHL prospect(s).

Charlie Cerrato, C (Penn State)

A sadly common trend we’ll see when I talk about these prospects is seasons getting derailed due to injury. Charlie “Chuck” Cerrato was able to come back before his season was over from injury but it did derail a good chunk of his season. In 23 games this year, he had 7 goals and 20 assists for 27 points.

Cerrato was arguably Penn State’s most important center this season and when he went out with injury, you could see the impact it created. He plays in every situation and plays heavy minutes at even strength. He’s a crafty playmaker who isn’t afraid of going into the dirty areas to make things happen. Dangerous in transition, he’s able to use his passing ability to make things happen and has the hockey sense to see the play before it happens. He’s been great in the dot as well, making me more confident he sticks as a center throughout his career. As well, his work ethic is second to none and he’s got that #dawg trait that teams love to have come playoff time. He was a great player pre injury and tried his best to help Penn State in the postseason before going down with yet another injury in the NCAA tournament. While it stunk to see him out for an extended period of time, this was another successful season of development for Cerrato.

Outlook for 2026/27: Cerrato will be an important piece for the Chicago Wolves in the AHL. He’s already flashed the pro level skills he showcased at Penn State in the playoffs with an impressive performance in Game 1.

Jayden Perron, W (Michigan)

What needed to be a big season for Perron became a big season, as Perron was one of Michigan’s most important offensive players as the season went on. In 40 games this season, he had 18 goals and 23 assists for 41 points.

It was a career year for Perron, who capitalized on the opportunities given to him at Michigan. The wider public saw the immense skill that had Perron drafted in the 3rd round back in 2023. A lot of the traits you wanted to see developed did, including his play driving. Perron is extremely dangerous in transition, partly due to the East-West nature of his skating. He’s not afraid to go from one side of the ice to the other with the puck on his stick because he’s found ways to get around and through contact from defenseman. The passing remains great, being trusted as much to be the powerplay quarterback for the number 1 power play in the country, a power play that clicked at a 31.6% rate. His shot remains sneaky good, able to pick corners with deceptive speed off the stick. This year was also the first time you saw that real game breaking potential skill that Perron has, a prime example shown by this goal in the Big Ten Championship game.

Outlook for 2026/27: It looks like Perron will head back to Michigan for one final season, even though nothing has been announced anything yet.

Justin Poirier, W (Maine)

Stop me if you heard this one before, yet another player who was really important to their team’s success suffered an injury and the team started to struggle. Poirier was Maine’s top goal scorer and one of the best freshman in the country before injury. In 27 games played this season, he had 18 goals and 11 assists for 29 points.

Poirier was having a really nice run of games pre hip injury, leaning into the traits that made him successful in junior. His shot was still great, being able to beat most goaltenders with power and precision. He was handling the physicality better than expected, winning some board battles and being able to bounce off contact from time to time. He was one of the better players on that Maine team and will now, barring being healthy, be an important top 6 winger for a reloaded Penn State team.

Outlook for 2026/27: Hopefully healthy in time for the start of next season, Poirier will be a top 6 goal scoring winger for Penn State.

Michael Emerson, W (Merrimack)

A 6th round pick in 2023, Emerson has turned into a decent bottom 6 winger for a Merrimack team that shocked a lot of people and won the Hockey East Championship. In 37 games played, he had 4 goals and 5 assists for 9 points.

Emerson is mainly used for his physical presence and defensive impact. He has the ability to help out in faceoffs as he was a center for a good portion of last year. His shot is sneaky good, but his value is in his physicality, forechecking, and defensive impact. He was a decent player for that Merrimack team who surprised people.

Outlook for 2026/27: A middle/bottom 6 winger for Merrimack

Filip Ekberg, W (Ottawa 67s)

After ending his draft year season on a crazy heater, Ekberg came into this year fully healthy and ready to be a big contributor for Ottawa. In 68 games played, he had 27 goals and 27 assists for 64 points.

To be fair to Ekberg, he was a big contributor for Ottawa. Injuries robbed parts of his season but he was the 6th highest scorer on his team during the regular season and 4th in the playoffs. His goal scoring took a step up, which was nice to see since he has a tiny bit of the “I have a good shot but I’d much rather pass the puck” syndrome. The playmaking is noticeable, being able to connect plays at a decently high rate. With one more year of OHL eligibility left, I’d expect Ekberg to step up in point production, especially with Ottawa losing some production going into next year.

Outlook for 2026/27: One of Ottawa’s more important wingers.

You could still say the Kids are alright, since the average age of the Chicago Wolves roster is 24 years old, but the team is led by a youth movement, with their top 3 scorers being 20, 23, and 20. Even with losing a good amount of their scoring to the NHL during the last bit of the regular season, the Wolves still squeezed out a great 3 in 3 weekend. I’ll speak more on their MVP so far in the first Thought, but Felix Unger Sorum has become the engine that drives this Wolves team when push comes to shove. His playmaking and ability to be creative with the puck is one of the biggest reasons why the Wolves are 2nd in the division. That’s no disrespect to Justin Robidas (23) and Bradly Nadeau (21), who are incredibly impactful players, but Felix has been able to stay healthy and continue doing what he does, which is why I’m giving him the (mostly worthless) regular season MVP for the Wolves team.

With that said, let’s tackle some Thoughts.

1. Felix Unger Sorum (20), the player reborn. To triple your production in the AHL year over year is insanely tough, but Felix was up to that challenge. Last year, Felix was somewhat apprehensive and nervous to engage fully in board battles or most things that involved physicality. Now, he’s actively engaging in board battles and winning them more often than not. He fully bought into what his potential could be and this year has been absolutely reformative for him.

2. I know people will forever be mad at undersized wingers and, while I do understand it to a certain extent, please understand that Felix doesn’t get bullied off the puck often. He’s done immense work in the weight room over the past calendar year and has become a stout 5’11, 172 pounds. People had the same qualms about Jackson Blake and look what he’s become physically. Being undersized is not the end all, be all when it comes to a hockey player.

(Update: 1 NHL game, 1 NHL point).

3. I’ll be completely honest, I didn’t think Ronan Seeley’s (23) NHL debut would come with the Hurricanes. He’s a complete story of perseverance, from being diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm, to being a 7th round pick (this isn’t really a perseverance thing, but going to the NHL as a 7th round pick is tougher), dealing with the Hurricanes AHL/ECHL situation during Covid, he’s just been a pro’s pro. He deserves this callup too, as he’s moved into the role of the Wolves most consistent defenseman. He’s done everything, from playing power play and penalty kill, to eating big minutes when others go down with injury. This is, truly, one of the most deserved call ups during my tenure of covering the prospects.

4. Since we last spoke, Charlie Cerrato (21) signed a PTO with the Chicago Wolves. As of last Tuesday, he has started practicing with the team and is (hopefully) in line to contribute to the lineup for their playoff run. The PTO means he cannot return to college, which means we are just waiting for the announcement of an ELC. I’m just happy that he might play hockey again this season, as I was worried after the injury he suffered in the NCAA tournament.

5. Ivan Ryabkin (18) had one hell of a run in the QMJHL. 42 points in 20 regular season games and then 9 points in 7 playoff games is something you just don’t see that often, but he also went from playing against grown men to playing against U20 comp. I’d be more worried if he didn’t have immense success, but nevertheless. His first 3 games in the AHL after returning from Charlottetown were good. He was much more engaged into game action and was much more involved overall. The offense has come much more naturally and I’ve noticed the play driving traits flash more, which is what you really want to see from a young center playing professionally.

6. In one last funny Ryabkin QMJHL moment, he’s been suspended 3 games for abuse of officials. I really, really, doubt that he’ll ever actually serve that suspension.

7. The Glebinator has returned. There’s something special when two people from the same country who have never played together finally end up playing together and they look like they have the most natural chemistry. This is the case with Gleb and Ryabkin, who looked really, really good together. More so, they didn’t look worse off when switching from Nikita Pavlychev as the center to Ryabkin as the center, with Josiah Slavin running the LW. I really want to see more of this duo going forward, as they might be able to unlock the better parts of each other’s game.

8. For a more serious thing, the last 7 games Gleb Trikozov (21) has played has been some of the best hockey of his career in North America. He’s been the primary sniper on the third line and he’s been good! The offense is flowing and his backchecking has gotten much better. He’s forechecking with decent aggression as well. It takes me a second to remember that this is his technical first AHL season after having the vast majority of last year taken away from him due to 2 different leg injuries.

(Update: He blocked a shot on Saturday and seemed to be hurt. He couldn’t skate off on his own and needed help off the ice. Hoping for good news for him)

9. The Wolves are getting healthy at the perfect time, by the way. With Justin Robidas and Charlie Cerrato returning to practice, alongside the litany of players getting NHL game time right now, this lineup is going to be scary good come playoff time. Even with a depleted lineup, they still ended up getting points in all 3 games this past weekend. Adding Legault, Nystrom, Seeley, Nadeau, Robidas, and (potentially) Cerrato to that lineup is going to make for some incredibly fun viewings (in decent quality because I finally caved and bought FloHockey! No more 480p footage that freezes constantly!). Hopefully Ryan Suzuki and Juuso Valimaki (and Gleb) can get back in enough time as well.

10. Let’s talk Greensboro Gargoyles for a second, because I’ve gotten questions about them recently and I feel the need to talk about the guys down there. To be honest, they stink, which was expected for a brand new ECHL franchise. I had hoped that they’d be a little better, but alas. Ruslan Khazheyev’s (21) counting stats are going to look ugly, but I have to remind people that most of their defense is built upon recent college graduates and guys that don’t have a ton of experience at the pro level. As well, Ruslan still had more than handful of good starts, enough to give me a good feeling with him going into next year.

11. A fun stat I wanted to look up regarding Khazheyev. Since February 1st, he saw less than 30 shots in a game 3 times. He played in 19 games during that time. Ruslan faced a ton of shots over the course of the year, which is what you want to see when you are a young goalie.

12. Bryce Montgomery (23) was also good in my viewings, as he was a real leader for that team at times. The physical defenseman has one more year on his ELC, which I imagine will end up kind of the same way this year. He’ll get AHL looks, in which I should add that he was good in those AHL games, but might spend most of the year in Greensboro again.

13. 2 prospect related moves that might happen. First, KHL team Amur want to make the loan move for Andrei Krutov (19) permanent. I think it’s good, for one it shows that Amur were happy with what Krutov showed during his stint with the team. Secondly, Krutov could benefit from staying with Amur, a younger team that might use him more at center, something that he could be good at.

14. Noel Fransen (20) is rumored with a move to Ilves in Liiga, Finland’s top league. This seems like a good place for a fresh start. It seemed like he and Farjestad were headed for this after he returned from his loan to Karlskoga, played a couple games, and then was sent down again. A fresh start in a new league with a different style of play could do wonders for Fransen.

15. While we are talking about Farjestad, want to mention that former Wolves coach Cam Abbott signed a 2 year extension with Farjestad to continue coaching there.

16. I mentioned it during the last Canes regular season game, but it’s awesome to see all the Wolves guys play on the penalty kill and not look a second out of place. It’s a great showing of preparation that Spiros Anastas and the Wolves coaching staff does to get these younger players ready to play that trademarked style of hockey. It’s also a great showing of how the development is going, because if I told you 365 days ago that Bradly Nadeau would be killing penalties at the NHL, I might be telling a fib.

17. Spiros Anastas getting the full time coaching gig in Chicago was the easy choice, since he’s gotten points in 36 out of 50 games since he took over. Players have really bought into his system and his coaching style really seems to stick with them. He’s shown a good track record for youth development, shown by Felix tripling his point total, Bradly Nadeau going back to back point 25+ goal AHL seasons before he’s 21, and just a whole host of development for guys like Dominik Badinka, Ivan Ryabkin, and others.

17. It recently came out that Justin Poirier (19) will/has entered the transfer portal. Maine has had a mass exodus of guys, including 5 of their top 10 scorers and Florida Panthers draft pick Luke Coughlin. Poirier was having a great freshman season before going down with what we now know as a hip injury, which led him to getting hip surgery recently. At least 2 different people have reported that Wisconsin is a potential landing spot.

18. It’s quite honestly ridiculous that Felix Unger Sorum wasn’t named to the AHL first or second All Star team. He’s a top 5 scorer in the AHL but apparently that’s not good enough.

19. For anyone wondering about Jayden Perron (21), don’t be surprised to see him go back to Michigan for his senior season.

20. Alexander Siryatsky (19) has been really solid for Metallurg in the KHL playoffs. He’s been the 7th defenseman the majority of the time, which is the best place for him. He gets around 15-17 minutes a night, with some spot time on the power play and penalty kill. Outside of one really, really ugly moment that led to Torpedo tying up a game and then winning in OT, he’s been good.

21. NHL playoff related thought, it’s cool that the best line for the Canes in the playoffs so far has 2 “smaller” forwards by NHL standards (and Taylor Hall). While Jackson Blake isn’t the strongest skater, he’s got a combination of work ethic, hockey sense, and ability with his hands to keep him making plays. Then we got to the focus of the point, that being Logan Stankoven.

22. Not every smaller forward is going to be Logan Stankoven. It’s not possible to recreate what he does because he’s a special player. But the stigma around smaller forwards being net negatives on ice because they’ll just get bullied around needs to go away. Obviously, there will still be some smaller players who can’t handle the physicality, but it’s just not the case for everybody. Justin Poirier stands 5’8 and is able to handle contact pretty well, even inviting it at times.

22. Another NHL playoff related thought (that I’ll connect to prospects in a second), K’Andre Miller has really blossomed in the first 2 games of the playoffs. His physical frame and strong skating ability allow him to become a play eraser at a high rate, which is the point I want to make.

23. Do you remember last year when Darren Yorke and Eric Tulsky made it a point to mention how Roman Bausov fits the mold of defenseman they like? They want big, rangy defenseman that have a strong skating base who have the ability to take away time and space at a high rate. It’s something the Canes have coveted in (almost) all the defenseman they’ve taken over the past 3 years.

24. In 2023, they took 1 defenseman, that being Charles Alexis Legault. In 2024, they took Dominik Badinka, Noel Fransen, Alexander Siryatsky, Roman Shokhrin, and Timur Kol. In 2025, they took Kurban Limatov and Roman Bausov. The strongest attribute of each defenseman:

• Legault (6’4): defensive ability and good skating base

• Badinka (6’3): Projectable NHL traits (defense, breakouts, physical ability) and great skating

• Fransen (6’): Great skating and offense

• Siryatsky (6’4): Great skating

• Shokhrin (6’5): Great skating

• Kol (6’4): Great skating

• Limatov (6’3): Great skating

• Bausov (6’5): Great skating

Notice a trend? Out of the 8 drafted defenseman, only one was smaller than 6’3. Out of the 8 drafted defenseman, only one had an Elite Prospects skating grade under 5 (that being Charles Alexis Legault, who I’d say is better than a 5 now). Their drafting strategy over the past 3 years when it comes to defenseman has been take the upside swing on big, rangy defenseman who have a strong skating base and see if you can get development on the other aspects. For Fransen, it’s the offensive ability. For Limatov, it’s his aggressive play style in each zone. For Kol, it’s the defense (offense has also come along). Each of these guys has another trait, or two, that can project to the NHL if, and I stress if, it develops enough.

25. The Last Thought, brought to you by enough Russian player viewings that I’ve learned parts of the language without touching Duolingo in over 6 months, I’m still watching some players closely when it comes to any potential prospects coming to North America. I mentioned them last time, but I’m still looking at Fyodor Avramov (20), Timur Kol (19), and Alexander Rykov (20). Obvious disclaimer that I have no sources and hockey is an ever changing business, but these are the guys that could come to North America.

The new format will be a different Felix Unger Sorum game, but in video format. It’ll let me explain my thinking in a little more depth than what I can over words on a screen. Don’t expect that any time soon, because this one already took me months to get to. But it is something that’ll happen down the line. For now, let’s watch some Felix Unger Sorum tape and dissect what has made him successful this season.

Shift 1:

Off the faceoff, he supports to get the puck back. Receives the puck on the wall and fires a no look pass to the middle, which ends up in a grade A chance for Ronan Seeley. If Seeley is a righty, that looks a lot cleaner but still the idea is great from Felix. Having the sense to understand where the other defenseman is going to go and to be able to send the pass without looking over your shoulder is really nice. Rest of the shift is not much, but the wall work towards the end where he’s shielding the puck is encouraging when talking about his ability to handle the physicality of North America.

Shift 2:

Running the 2 man game with Aleksi Heimosalmi and then, eventually, the 3 man weave with Domenick Fensore creates all kinds of havoc for Manitoba. Wish Heimosalmi went back to Felix when he was one timer ready but the shot ends up being decent. The next play, where it’s probably more luck than anything, of him being able to get the puck to the middle while falling down is pretty cool.

4 on 4(3):

This is where Felix is allowed to show the insane creativity in his game. Liked him realizing that he wasn’t going to do anything 1v2 in transition and deciding to wait in the neutral zone to re-engage. Did it lead to anything? No, he messed up the entry pass and it resulted in a turnover. But the idea was good.

The abrupt freeze in the middle of this shift was the game footage I have, sorry about that.

He then gets stuck on ice for a little penalty killing shift, where it was somewhat ugly. But he did get the puck out and almost gave Justin Robidas a good chance the other way.

Shift 4:

Picking up this one in the middle of his shift, the Manitoba defender pushes him to the ice with relative ease but the pucks still ends up with Felix. He’s able to recover quickly and find Evan Vierling with open space. He reloads on the boards and receives the puck. His eyes immediately go to Vierling backdoor, but there is about 4 Manitoba players between Felix and Vierling.

How in the world does Felix get the puck to Vierling from here? Maybe it takes a slight bounce off the Manitoba player, but it gets there in the end and it’s a goal. Good work to keep the puck moving in the zone after losing his footing and then even better work to fit the puck backdoor in a tight window.

Shift 5:

We’ll pick up this shift with him getting the puck in transition and entering the zone. Here’s a nice example of him anticipating contact and embracing it, even going into the defender first. He starts to cycle behind the net and gets the visual attention of every single Manitoba player.

If you’re Manitoba, you staple this to the wall somewhere with the text “DON’T DO THIS” in all bold in a film session.

Nothing really comes of it, but good on Felix for taking Seeley’s place on the blueline while he does what he was doing.

“Shift” 5:

We bring the BOOM.

That’s about all I got for this game. Like I mentioned before, I plan on trying to get a video format version of After Further Review with a second game I have for Felix, but it’s getting to busy season with my semester ending, so that’ll come down the line.

What a season it’s been. Just like last year, I’m going to tally up who’s been in the Top 5 to see who’s been making noise over the course of the year, even though I have a feeling I know who’s going to be at the top. With that said, let’s get into the honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

• Filip Ekberg, RW (Ottawa 67s, OHL): 13 GP, 6 goals, 4 assists, 10 points

• Andrei Krutov, RW/C (Amur, KHL): 9 GP, 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 points

• Viggo Nordlund, LW/RW (IK Oskarshamn, HockeyAllsvenskan): 9 GP, 3 goals, 4 assists, 7 points

• Alexander Perevalov, LW/RW (Metallurg Novokuznetsk, VHL): 9 GP, 2 goals, 5 assists, 7 points

Ekberg has been Ekberg. He’s a really solid piece of Ottawa’s offense but has been known to have a dry spell or two. If he stays with Ottawa through his DY+2 (I doubt he leaves, but I also doubted Justin Poirier would leave Drakkar), would love to see a big jump in production. Krutov might have some slight favoritism from me, but he became a top 6 player for Amur on a playoff push while playing a position he wasn’t familiar with. I’ve said it before but I’d like to see him stay at center until it doesn’t work, a la Felix Unger Sorum. Nordlund had a really nice season in Sweden’s 2nd tier league, wondering if he sticks with Skelleftea in the SHL next year or goes out on loan again. Perevalov has been really solid this year, 6 foot guy with good skill while being a netfront power play presence.

5. Justin Robidas, RW/C (Chicago Wolves, AHL)

Stats: 11 GP, 0 goals, 8 assists, 8 points

Even though he’s currently injured (get better soon), “Robi” had a great month, being one of Chicago’s main playmakers with Bradly Nadeau out with injury. I’ll say it once, I’ll say it a million times, Justin Robidas will be a long time NHL player. He’s playing in every situation at a pretty high level, he can play center if needed, he’s a smart player, he’s a good playmaker, and more importantly, he’s a great dude. Robidas is complete package and I’m hoping he gets fully healthy in time for the Wolves’ playoff run in a few weeks.

4. Stanislav Yarovoy, W (Khimik, VHL)

Stats: 10 GP, 4 goals, 5 assists, 9 points

In hockey, there is such a term called the “16 game player.” A 16 game player is someone who’s game elevates when it’s playoff time. Their game takes the next step when 16 wins will win the big one. In terms of the VHL playoffs, Stanislav Yarovoy is a 16 game player. In Khimik’s 4-1 series win in the first round of the playoffs, he had 8 points in 5 games and it’s not hyperbole to say that he was Khimik’s best offensive player. He was electric, being able to weave in and out of traffic both in transition and in the offensive zone. It didn’t flash a ton during the regular season, but his skill is unreal.

3. Felix Unger Sorum, RW (Chicago Wolves, AHL)

Stats: 14 GP, 2 goals, 9 assists, 11 points

I was watching a Wolves game recently and realized just how improved Felix has been this season. He’s handling contact so much better, able to shield the puck with defenseman draped over him much more successfully now. The playmaking has gotten better, as his creativity is at it’s best when he has the puck on his stick. It’s not hyperbole to say he’s one of the best playmakers within the Canes system, including NHL guys. His skating has improved as well. He’s almost an entirely new player, a different version of the 20 point AHL guy last year. Felix Unger Sorum is in line for his NHL debut at some point in the next 2 weeks, I have no doubts about it.

2. Jayden Perron, RW (Michigan, NCAA)

Stats: 5 GP. 4 goals, 4 assists, 8 points

Turns out, transferring schools for a new opportunity is a good idea in certain situations. Perron has been a totally new player for Michigan, going over a point per game production wise for the first time in his college career. The playmaking has really, really stood out during Michigan’s run to the Frozen Four, being able to connect plays together at a high rate while on the top line. Even more, leading the nation’s top power play as the quarterback is something you don’t see forwards do very often. I know people want to see him sign after his season is over, and I think there’s a chance it happens, but I wouldn’t be entirely shocked to see him head back to Michigan for his senior season.

1. Ivan Ryabkin, C (Charlottetown Islanders, QMJHL)

Stats: 10 GP, 9 goals, 15 assists, 24 points

“Justin Poirier rule” be damned, that boy can hoop! Ivan Ryabkin has been part of a three headed dragon for Charlottetown over the past month that is almost incapable of not scoring. It feels like every single game Ryabkin has 2 or more points, because that’s what happens. Fun stat: Ivan Ryabkin has played 20 games in the QMJHL. He has 2 or more points in 13 of them. He has 3 or more points in 9 of those 20 games. His point pace if he played the entire season in the Q was 134 points. Now, would he have played in all 64 games? Absolutely not. As we’ve all seen with Ryabkin, the want and desire to be a pest and a “goon” drives him sometimes, so I’d bet money that he would’ve been suspended at some point. Hell, he already got suspended in the playoffs for “abuse of officials”. But the undeniables about Ryabkin are his talent, the hockey sense, and the roughhousing/physical playstyle.

As promised, here’s the tally of who made the Top 5 lists throughout the year. Note that we only count a top 5 appearance, not an honorable mention.

5 Times: Bradly Nadeau, Felix Unger Sorum

4 Times: Jayden Perron, Justin Robidas

3 Times: Nobody

2 Times: Yegor Velmakin, Jakub Vondras, Ivan Ryabkin, Justin Poirier

1 Time: Semyon Frolov, Ruslan Khazheyev, Fyodor Avramov, Charlie Cerrato, Filip Ekberg, Timur Kol, Viggo Nordlund, Alexander Perevalov, Stanislav Yarovoy

I’ll openly admit that the Central Bargaining Agreement confuses the absolute hell out of me. I’ve tried to understand it multiple times and just get more and more confused every single time (example: Earl Schwartz being hired by the Hurricanes as a CBA and Salary Cap analyst, someone who knows the ins and outs of this thing). BUT, as was pointed out by Mike McMahon of College Hockey News, players who sign an ATO can’t go back to college if they play in a game. Now, what’s the difference between a PTO and an ATO? Easiest way to describe it is one is for professional (PTO) and the other is for amateur (ATO). For Cerrato, the difference is minimal. This allows him to play in the AHL playoffs* while the Canes and his representatives work on the finer details of his entry level contract. The two examples I mentioned that would be the most discussed would be signing bonuses and, more importantly, when the contract starts.

The asterisk next to the AHL playoffs is due to health. Cerrato battled an injury that kept him out of most of the second half of the NCAA season. He came back in the Big 10 semifinal and then played in Penn State’s NCAA tournament game, but couldn’t finish out said game due to an injury. With the PTO, this allows him the opportunity to play in the AHL if he’s healthy enough to do so, which I certainly hope he is.

Now about Cerrato the player, I love this kid. My first real introduction to his game was at this past season’s development camp, where you could just see how much of a gamer this guy was. It didn’t matter what they were doing, Cerrato wanted to be the best at it. He wanted it more than others and he made sure to show that. The playmaking stands out the most to me, as he’s incredibly dangerous with the puck on his stick. Whether it’s just a connecting pass or it’s the primary assist, Cerrato understands how the game plays out and uses that to his advantage. The defensive side of his game is still a work in progress, but it did make good progress this year.

Also, for those wondering if he’ll be able to stay at center at the NHL level, the answer is a flat out yes. He’s able to drive play, something NHL centers have to be able to do at the next level and the defensive responsibility is getting there. As well, he had a 58.7% faceoff win percentage this past season for Penn State. The year before? 57.2%. I wish there was a way for me to see what his faceoff numbers were at the Spengler Cup but alas.

Lastly, I used this phrase a good amount when talking about him post Development Camp but Charlie “Chuck” Cerrato is a DAWG. Now, what does DAWG mean? It’s a lot of things wrapped into one. To me, it’s a combination of skill level, work ethic, and the ability to be an ass. Cerrato checks all three boxes. He has the skill level to be a top 9 center for the Canes (I’m leaning towards 3C right now, but point production could be closer to a 2C in the future), his work ethic is insanely good, and he has the innate ability to get under someone’s skin. First time I saw that last part was during small ice 2v2s at dev camp, where he made Alexander Rykov and Ivan Ryabkin real mad about something he did (even though Ryabkin might’ve just been doing it back because, well, that’s Ryabkin). It’s the small things like that that can really energize a team.

Also, he says he models his game after Sam Bennett. If you think that is a bad thing, you are wrong. Sam Bennett, moving the questionable hits aside, is a top 6 center that plays a physical style while also having enough skill to contribute on a top power play unit and a contending team’s NHL top 6. If Cerrato is half of what Bennett is, which I think he can and more, then the Hurricanes have a heck of player coming along.

I’ve also been lucky enough to talk to some Penn State people (shoutout Josh Bartosik) about Cerrato as a person, not just a player. The kid is amazing by all counts, a true stand up person. As well, Penn State’s coach Guy Gadowsky loves him. Seen partially by just how much of proud father he is watching Cerrato sign.

This is big for the Hurricanes because they really don’t have many center prospects in the system (it’s legitimately him and Ryabkin). Getting Cerrato to the professional level this soon shows just how far along he is in his development. Wolves and Canes fans are going to love the crap out of this kid.

It’s been a rather weird season. Not covering much of Alexander Nikishin is probably the biggest part of it, seeing as he’s been the lead guy for so long and I normally had something every single day. It also helped that Nikita Artamonov (20) was having one of the best U20 KHL seasons of all time, among other guys that had a really good season. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been happening again this season, but this season has felt somewhat incomplete to me.

That doesn’t mean we don’t have some guys having great seasons (ahem, Chicago Wolves top 3 scorers). This season has just been absolutely ravaged by injuries. Whether that be to Alexander Siryatsky (19), Semyon Frolov (19), Kurban Limatov (19), Justin Poirier (19) or Roman Bausov (18), it’s just been an unfortunate season for a lot of prospects. It feels more impactful for these guys because Siryatsky was on his way to becoming a consistent everyday KHL defenseman (more on that later), Frolov was carving out a real role with his MHL team and was putting up great stats, and Poirier was well on his way to being one of the better freshman in all of college hockey (again, more on that later).

With that said, let’s get to thinking.

1. Starting with a potential position change, Andrei Krutov (19) has been playing at center for the past few games with Amur in the KHL. I was somewhat confused by this because I had never remembered him ever playing center in the time that I’ve covered him and that’s because, well, he hasn’t played center since he played youth hockey. But it’s not the worst idea, as one of Krutov’s greatest skills is his hands, which is an important part of taking faceoffs. So far, he’s played 6ish games at center and has won 34.1% of his faceoffs. That looks bad, flat out. BUT, he has 3 games taking under 10 faceoffs. When he takes more than 10 faceoffs, he’s gone 33%, 10%, and 57%. It’s still not great, but seeing as he’s never played center at the professional level, it’s not the worst it could be. Since he’s still really young, I honestly hope Torpedo continues using him in the middle from time to time to see if it develops any further.

2. Alexander Siryatsky was getting a great run pre injury and since coming back, it’s been up and down. He got his season high in ice time in February, with 18:47 against Severstal. But then he’s seen a few scratches as well as sub 10 minute games. He’s been ok since coming back, had some great moments and then some not great moments. We’ll talk contracts later on, but he’s one player I’d prefer to see stay in Russia for another year or two.

UPDATE: He got a new career high in TOI with 21:33.

3. I’m gutted for Roman Bausov. Faught hard to come back, looked really good in the 18 games he played, and then he gets hurt again (for clarity, I went back and watched the last game he played. I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary and he finished out the game). Just absolutely sucks for him and I hope he gets healthy soon.

4. Alright, let me give the people some fun information. Here’s the list of Russian prospects that have expiring contracts as of May 31st, 2026:

• Alexander Siryatsky

• Alexander Pelevin

• Timur Mukhanov

• Alexander Rykov

• Fyodor Avramov

• Timur Kol

• Alexander Perevalov

• Yegor Velmakin

5. Out of those players, I think you’ll see at LEAST 2 of them head to North America after their seasons are over. I think Siryatsky would be better served staying with Metallurg Magnitgorsk for at least 1 or 2 more seasons. I think the sun has set on Alexander Pelevin (21), who will be an effective KHL/VHL defenseman in his career. Timur Mukhanov (20) and Alexander Perevalov (22) intrigue me in different ways. Perevalov has a heavy shot and has been a really solid netfront power play presence, which is cool for a sub 6 foot guy. Mukhanov is an undersized winger (roll your eyes, whatever) who’s played in 170 KHL games before turning 21. There is skill there, combined with a good skater. At the end of the day, I doubt they actually sign him.

6. That brings us to Alexander Rykov (20), Fyodor Avramov (20), Timur Kol (19), and Yegor Velmakin (22). 3 of these guys have already been in North America with the Canes at a development camp, with 2 of those being last year (Rykov and Avramov).

7. What does that mean?

8. Moving contract talk to Europe, here are the guys the Canes have until June 1st to sign:

• Nils Juntorp

• Simon Forsmark

• Jakub Vondras

With Simon Forsmark signing a 3 year extension with Timra and Nils Juntorp still playing 3rd tier Swedish hockey, I don’t think either will get signed, so salute to both of those guys for their service while Canes Prospects🫡.

9. College wise? Well, there’s no deadline on any of those guys but I guess there’s no harm in talking about it. I felt pretty good about Charlie Cerrato’s (20) chances of earning a pro contract after Penn State’s season, but the injury changed my thinking on it. If Penn State has a deep run, goes to a Frozen Four, or wins the National Championship, I think there’s still a chance. But I also wouldn’t be entirely shocked if he goes back to school for another season.

10. Justin Poirier, mentioned above, was one of the best freshman in college hockey pre injury. He’s better served heading back to school, whether that be with Maine or somewhere else (you never know in the day of NIL).

11. Jayden Perron (21) is a weird one. I’ll explain what I’ve seen in a second, but here’s an updated microstats chart from Mitchell Brown (who does spectacular work with these):

This basically sums up my thinking with Perron, he’s a great playmaker from the perimeter who struggles with contact, which shouldn’t be a huge shock since 5’9 and 174 pounds. He doesn’t really drive play but does have success in transition. I’d imagine he heads back to Michigan for his senior year and wouldn’t be shocked if it ends up like Lucas Mercuri.

13. Lastly, Michael Emerson (22). He’s got another year and I’d imagine he uses it.

14. The last thought, brought to you by the 2026 NHL Draft and the 4 picks the Hurricanes currently have, Ivan Ryabkin (18) is electric. He’s straight up dominating the QMJHL, something which is almost expected of him. He’s physically stronger than 90% of the competition and is just flat out better than a large majority of players too. Whether it be playmaking or his shot, he’s just better. If there is one player I’m going to watch real closely for the playoffs, it’s Ivan. His already borderline psychotic physicality is going to get ramped up to 11.

With March being the last real regular season month for a lot of prospects, alongside playoffs starting for others, March will be the last Top 5 for the year. Which means it’ll be the normal top 5 plus a recap of the year afterwards, including who holds the belt going into next year (because that’s still a thing). This month was also just weird, with a lot of injury and some lengthy breaks, alongside just a down month for the prospects overall. With that said, the honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

• Filip Ekberg, W (Ottawa 67s, OHL) - 11 GP, 4 goals, 4 assists, 8 points

  • Pretty much a normal month for Ekberg now. Flashes of a player that can lead his team in points but injuries derailed part of his season. Has a 20-20 season going though, which is nice for a 18 year old.

• Kurban Limatov, D (MHK Dynamo Moscow, MHL) - 9 GP, 5 goals, 2 assists, 7 points

  • This guy rules. Just a rangy defender who loves to run in transition and use his superb skating. His lowest ice time total in the month of February was 22:30.

• Jayden Perron, W (Michigan, NCAA) - 8 GP, 3 goals, 3 assists, 6 points

  • He’s been a perfect player on the top line for a contending team in college. Playmaking is awesome, skating is a plus attribute.

• Stanislav Yarovoi, W (Khimik, VHL) - 10 GP, 4 goals, 3 assists, 7 points

  • They gave him ice time and it worked! He plays offense with much more flair than I expected. Injuries haven’t helped him this season either. Has made a KHL appearance after not seeing it since the start of the year, which I didn’t think would happen.

5. Ivan Ryabkin, C (Charlottetown Islanders, QMJHL)

The “Justin Poirier” rule, introduced last year while Justin Poirier was doing his thing for Drakkar, returns with Ivan Drag-, I mean Ivan Ryabkin. February was a nice month for the young center, who had 3 goals and 7 assists for 10 points in 6 games.

Matt’s statement about Ryabkin stands completely true in my eyes, “I hope he never loses his sense of wonder.” When talking about Ryabkin’s move to the QMJHL, I wanted to see him take certain aspects of his game from the Wolves and further refine them. I also wanted to see him find that offensive confidence again. I can confidently speak to the second statement and say he’s found it. He’s deking (and sometimes decking) opponents before giving his teammates a perfect pass. His shot is still electric, being able to beat goalies in a whole host of ways. Most importantly to some, he still loves to start things with his physicality and his antics. Perfect example is a goal he scored from this past weekend (from March but it works really well).

Scores with a nice shot, hits an ELITE celebration, and then talks junk to the opposing bench on the way to the handshake line. If his effort level comes up further, he’d get serious consideration for the #dawg stamp.

4. Bradly Nadeau, W (Chicago Wolves, AHL)

Ugh, my 20 year old prospect only had 4 goals and 3 assists for 7 points in 8 games. What a shame (please understand sarcasm).

Nadeau, one of the Wolves’ 3 headed monster, is the team’s most important player. When he’s going offensively, he’s able to carry his line. One trend I’ve noticed is his ability to find open space consistently. If I’m the coach of an AHL team that’s playing the Wolves, I’d try to cover 82 at all times. He’s still on pace for back to back 30 goal AHL seasons, which would be rather ridiculous.

Fun fact: Bradly Nadeau, if he scores 7 goals in the next 21 games, would become the first player in AHL history to have two 30+ goal season before turning 21. Unreal

3. Yegor Velmakin, G (Dynamo St. Petersburg, VHL)

After flirting with the top 5 for a few months, Yegor Velmakin makes his triumphant entrance into the top 5 for the first time EVER. It’s well deserved too, as in 5 games played, he had a .952% save percentage and a 1.6 Goals Against Average.

Is this slightly inflated by a 9 save appearance where he came in relief? Partially, yes. But he also posted his first shutout of the season, he made 36/38 saves in a 4-1 loss, and he made 35/38 saves in a 4-3 win. I’m still really interested in what he does after this season. With his contract running out and with 3 out of the 4 goalies the Canes have in the AHL/ECHL on an expiring contract, I wonder is Velmakin gets a chance to try his hand in North America.

2. Justin Robidas, W/C (Chicago Wolves, AHL)

Justin Robidas, the most consistent of the Wolves’ 3 headed monster, just keeps doing what he’s supposed to. He’s killing penalties, he’s helping the top unit on the power play, he’s doing great at even strength, AND taking faceoffs on the right side of the ice. I’m going to keep stressing this, but Robidas is good enough to be an NHL guy right now.

1. Felix Unger Sorum, W (Chicago Wolves, AHL)

The third head of the three headed monster in Chicago, Felix Unger Sorum is the most improved out of any Chicago Wolves player this year. He’s on pace to TRIPLE his rookie year production! In February, Felix had 3 goals and 6 assists for 9 points in 8 games.

There is just so much intrigue about Felix. If you listened to the most recent Developing Hurricanes episode, you would’ve heard Matt and I rant and rave about the player he is. The way he can process the game and make plays is something the Canes haven’t seen since Teuvo Teravainen, someone who we compared him to multiple times (even if Matt was sheepish about his other comp, but for good reason). He’s an unbelievable playmaker, moreso now that he’s able to handle the physicality of the professional game much, much better now. When the Canes make callups for Wolves players at the end of the year (barring he isn’t traded by the deadline), he will be among those making his NHL debut this year.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: I am headed to Vegas on Sunday so don’t expect anything written from me until sometime after March 16th. I’ll try my hardest to keep the normal updates going on the account, but I can’t promise anything.

You know, I always enjoyed basketball as a kid. I sucked, do not get me wrong, but it was fun to just play pickup with friends, even if I stunk. Learning about the three man weave was one of the things I vividly remember, because it was the one thing I could actually do. I couldn’t dribble (and still can’t now) but I can move the rock. The Chicago Wolves are currently getting insane production from three young guys, who can move the puck cleanly and efficiently but who can also finish when needed. There’s also a 4th guy, Ryan Suzuki, who would be talked about here but since he’s not a prospect anymore, I’ll spend more time talking about the other 3. But seriously, shoutout Suzuki for being the glue that holds the Wolves top line together. With that explanation (which the relation to the three man weave being incredibly weak) out of the way, let’s get to thinking.

Also, Three Man Weave by Injury Reserve is a spectacular song.

1. Felix Unger Sorum (20) has been superb this year. There’s many examples I could use but I really like the OT goal he had against Colorado before the All Star Break.

Felix loves to pass, he’s extremely unselfish with the puck. But sometimes, he needs to do this. Just be individualistic and selfish and just take over. Takes it from his own end, uses Juuso Valimaki as a screen to open up space, and then just RIPS it. His shot is underrated and he should really use it more. But man, from 20 points last year to 39 as of the All Star Break is great. (He’s up to 41 points now)

2. Bradly Nadeau (20) has been the Wolves best offensive player, flat out. Any time he steps on the ice, he’s a threat. Like Spiros Anastas said, he’s become a much more complete player. The development it takes to go from a “power play merchant” last year to a top unit penalty killer who has completely flipped his plus/minus is great.

3. I explained it further on Twitter but +/- has to be used WITH context. Without context, it’s a stat that people can point to and make assumptions that might just be wrong. In regards to Nadeau, this is a big indicator of the strides he’s made defensively from last year. He’s more active with his stick in the defensive zone and has been pretty solid on the penalty kill. So, when someone has been playing with the same relative players on a line over the past year and finds a way to flip their +/- by over 40, it’s a good indicator of defensive development.

4. Justin Robidas (22) has been the Wolves best all around player, flat out. Nadeau has been better offensively but Robidas has been the better all around player. This is a player who just succeeds everywhere he goes. Whether it’s junior (winning the QMJHL and the CHL Cup), whether it’s being near a point per game player as a 20 year old in the ECHL before, or whether it’s in the AHL, where he has 97 points in 110 games. He’s going to be a good bottom 6 forward in the NHL for a long time.

5. Did I mention these guys first for a reason? Maybe. When speaking about the deadline, at least Nadeau and Felix are the two guys I see the most involved in any sort of mock trade and it’s fair. Those are the forwards with the most value as of right now. Defensively, it’s probably Legault. Maybe Kurban Limatov (18) has some good value but he’s just a D+1 right now.

5. Speaking of Big Kurb, what an electric hockey player. He’s actively leading or joining the rush, he’s jumping up at the right time, he’s making the offense look easy. I’d say he’s one of my favorite prospects to watch right now.

6. His defensive partner, Timur Kol (19), has continued his great season. But I want to absolutely stress just how ridiculous his usage is. I made a graphic during Alexander Nikishin’s last KHL season because he was getting 25 minutes or more almost every single night. I think I might repurpose that same graphic for Kol, who is averaging 25:04 TOI a night. That’s about 1:50 more than the next closest player. (Update: hey look he got KHL time. It was barely any, but it counts!)

7. It’s been nice to see a handful of prospects start rolling again. First, Stanislav Yarovoy (22) has had a really, really nice string of games over the past month or so. Much more involved offensively, even in limited roles some times. It’s cool to see the flair in his game shine through from time to time.

8. Oskar Vuollet (20) has enjoyed a similar stretch of games, not to the same extent of points but has had some good production. I still have questions about his game translating but this stretch has been really nice.

9. I’ve found myself watching the QMJHL much more and Ivan Ryabkin (18) has made the experience one to behold. I don’t want to say good or bad because it’s been about as bipolar as you can imagine. One night, he has 4 points (3 primary) and looks incredible. On other nights, he’s taking some less than stellar penalties and struggling. It’s been more good nights than bad though. For fun, if we look at his points per game (sitting at a 2.0 with 20 points in 10 games), that’s good enough for 1st in the league. (Small sample size is small, so this is nothing more than a fun fact but it’s still cool).

10. Viggo Nordlund (19) is chugging along just fine in the HockeyAllsvenskan. Currently sitting in 4th in U20 points, he’s been inconsistent for the most part of this year. But it’s a big jump from the U20 league so I’m not too concerned with it.

11. It’s awesome to finally see Alexander Siryatsky (19) back on the ice, even better to see him not miss a single beat. 14 minutes of ice time in his first game back while also getting a little bit of penalty killing time is awesome to see from a young defenseman in a senior league. I’m super high on him and it’s for a good reason, promise.

12. Speaking of defenseman that I’m super high on returning from injury, Charles Alexis Legault (22) returned to action on Thursday for the Chicago Wolves and didn’t look out of place at all. Picked up a primary assist on a great activation from his zone after noticing a defenseman out of place. Was really solid defensively and was physical.

13. The last thought, brought to you by enough caffeine to take down a water buffalo, congratulations to Gleb Trikozov (21) on the birth of his first child! New born dad strength on ice is one hell of a thing.

I went into a legit panic last Friday night, trying to prep this entire thing for a release on Saturday. Then I realized that there are 31 days in January. Sometimes, you forget the small things in life.

Oh yeah, Honorable Mentions.

• Timur Kol, D (MHK Dynamo Moscow, MHL): 9 GP, 4 goals, 5 assists, 9 points

• Kurban Limatov, D (MHK Dynamo Moscow, MHL): 9 GP, 3 goals, 6 assists, 9 points

• Oskar Vuollet, W (Skelleftea, SHL): 10 GP, 1 goal, 4 assists, 5 points

• Stanislav Yarovoy, W (Khimik, VHL): 7 GP, 2 goals, 3 assists, 5 points

That Kol and Limatov duo for MHK Dynamo Moscow has been great. Limatov has been a killer in transition, normally leading it out from his own zone. Timur Kol has also been a killer, but mainly on the power play and with his shot. Also, he has to be one of the most well conditioned MHL athletes right now. He’s getting an average of 25:03 TOI per game! That’s the highest in the MHL by almost 2 minutes! The next closest is sitting at 23:14! Oskar Vuollet, after having one of the slowest starts out of any Canes Prospect, has turned his season around. With 7 points on the year now, he’s only 3 points away from breaking his career high in SHL points. Yarovoy, who also had a slower start to the year, has found his groove in the VHL. He’s been a third line winger for the most part and has been pretty solid in that role.

5. Jakub Vondras, G (Pardubice B, Czechia2)

This month’s stats: 4 GP, 2.00 GAA, .923% save percentage

Well, well, well, what do we have here? That’s back to back really solid months for Vondras, who is putting together one hell of a season with Pardubice B. He’s currently sitting 11th in save percentage with a .915%. There are only 2 other goalies that are under the age of 21 in the top 11. With the goalie situation the farm system looking interesting for next year, I don’t think I’d mind seeing Vondras get an opportunity in North America next year.

4. Jayden Perron, W (Michigan, NCAA)

This month’s stats: 6 GP, 4 goals, 4 assists, 8 points

Perron has been a perfect player for this Michigan team this year. One of the best teams in the country, he’s consistently been on the top line while also helping quarterback a power play, something somewhat rare for a forward to do.

Again, I know people will always worry about size. It’s a genuine concern in the modern day NHL. I think there are some concerns about Perron in terms of size, but his dynamic ability with the puck on his stick is unreal. He’s able to do things with the puck that not many players are able to do. Combine that with his underrated shot and good skating and you create an interesting player. My biggest concern with Perron (outside of size) was consistency, something he struggled with while at North Dakota. Those concerns have been quieted.

3. Felix Unger Sorum, W (Chicago Wolves, AHL)

This month’s stats: 13 GP, 0 goals, 14 assists

It was a rather great month for some of the prospects on the Chicago Wolves, with Felix being no exception. Wonder what sort of reaction people will have when they see the prospect that myself and Matt have compared to Teuvo Teravainen have a month where he’s over a point per game but he doesn’t have a single goal.

Felix has been perfect on the Wolves second line, handling much more responsibility this year compared to last year. Spiros Anastas gave a great answer about the what and why Felix has looked so much better. To me, he’s handling everything about the pro game better. Two of the main things he struggled with was the pace and physicality, but he’s gotten so much better at handling both. According to Spiros, he’s been elite when it comes to the work in the gym and nutrition, while the pace of play slowly comes naturally over time.

Note: Last night’s Wolves game was a pretty clear indicator of how his development is going.

1a and 1b. Bradly Nadeau, W and Justin Robidas, W/C (both Chicago Wolves)

Yes, I know that Nadeau won AHL Player of the Month. But you could’ve had either Nadeau (8 goals, 10 assists) or Robidas (9 goals, 9 assists) as player of the month, as they both had 18 points over the course of 13 games in the month of January. The Shaq and Kobe (or Jordan and Pippen) of the Chicago Wolves.

Starting with Nadeau, what else can you even say about him at this point. After putting up a historic AHL season as a 19 year old, he’s only putting up a 2nd historic AHL season as a 20 year old. Currently, he’s on pace for 78 points. A U21 AHL player hasn’t had more than 70 points since Artyom Anisimov back in the 2008/2009 season. The caveat being that he played 80 games that season while Nadeau will play 63 (if he’s not called up again). He’s become a much more complete player this season (shown by him being one of the Wolves more reliable penalty killers), one that can be a top 9 NHL winger right now, even if his ceiling is higher.

Justin Robidas has become an unreal AHL player. Just everything about his game is good. From his work at even strength, whether that be as a center or on the right wing, his defensive ability, his work on the power play, his work on the penalty kill. Hell, even his shot has gotten better. I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again, he’s going to play a good amount of NHL games in future.

As we can see, this was made in 2025, and uh, wow. Scott Morrow was used in the K’Andre Miller trade, Simon Forsmark is close to aging out of the prospect rankings, and I think Nikita Artamonov is about to have a fall from grace. Other than that, it’s not too bad. I think a good amount of these guys, or at least 3 or 4, will stay on the list so with that said, let’s tackle the rankings.

(Note: I thought about doing NHL comps for each player. After further consideration, I stink at making them. Also, I give reasonings after the rankings.)

1. Bradly Nadeau, LW/RW

Age: 20

Strengths: Shot (best in the system), skating, playmaking

Areas of Growth: Own zone defense

Evaluation: There isn’t much left to say about Nadeau, who has been the Canes best prospect ever since Nikishin aged out, and even then you could’ve made an argument. Nadeau has the best shot in the entire prospect system, having the level of power and accuracy that most NHL players just don’t have. His even strength play has been his biggest development this year, not relying as heavily on the power play to score and collect points. The only area of growth I can think of now is his defensive play. A real blue chip prospect.

2. Charles Alexis Legault, RHD

Age: 22

Strengths: Gap control, defensive game, skating, physicality, breakouts

Areas of Growth: Offense

Evaluation: A shocker? To some, I’d imagine so. But Charles-Alexis Legault looks like a seasoned pro, even at the highest level of hockey. Has the length and reach that the Canes covet in defenseman, is adept at reading plays, has the physicality and desire for contact that people love. His offense might still have another level, as he’s adept at breaking the puck out from his own zone and could have more playmaking upside. Recover quickly, kid.

3. Felix Unger Sorum, RW

Age: 20

Strengths: Playmaking, hockey sense, perimeter play

Areas of Growth: Physicality, shooting

Evaluation: One of the smartest players in the system, Felix is able to think the game a step ahead of most players. He complements this with great passing ability and is able to make the tough passes look routine. Shot is better than what you’d think, but he rarely uses it. Would still like to see him add weight onto his frame and get to the middle more, as his perimeter play is more advanced. Super fun player to watch who has seen his stock rise during this bounce back season in Chicago.

4. Semyon Frolov, G

Age: 19

Strengths: Technical ability, aggressiveness, positioning, skating

Areas of Growth: Aggressiveness, Positioning

Evaluation: Goalies are always going to be a little tougher to get an accurate read on, mainly because their development is less linear than that of a skater. But Frolov checks a lot of the boxes that you want to see early in his development. Hyper aggressive in net, sound technical ability, strong skater. Another player that needs a healthy run of form.

5. Justin Robidas, C/RW

Age: 22

Strengths: Adaptability, forechecking, defensive game, playmaking

Areas of Growth: Honestly, not much

Evaluation: Good enough to be an NHL player right now, and would probably have 100+ NHL games already if his height started with a 6. Good in basically every situation. Can play bumper or wing on the power play, relied on heavily on the penalty kill. Can play either center or wing, has been taking draws a good amount this year.

6. Charlie Cerrato, C

Age: 20

Strengths: 2-way game, passing, hockey IQ, DAWG trait

Areas of Growth: Consistency

Evaluation: A college player who has already played high level European pro competition is rare, but Cerrato looked relatively comfortable in that level. He was trusted to be a second line center while playing in all situations and didn’t look that out of place. Big fan of his ability in all zones. Also is the proud owner of the “DAWG’ trait, someone other teams don’t like but they’d love to have him on their team.

7. Alexander Siryatsky, LHD

Age: 19

Strengths: Offensive ability, skating

Areas of Growth: Even strength play, own zone defense

Evaluation: Arguably the biggest riser within the system, as Siryatsky was barely talked about (from me/us) before the season. But the 19 year old has been a KHL player this season before his injury. Defensive game is still developing, but the offense has flashed a good amount. With young KHL defenseman, they play much more reserved, as they don’t want to make a mistake that takes away ice time. But he’s been trusted in late game situations, overtime situations, and was a power play quarterback. Combine that with great skating ability for a 6’4 defenseman and you create an intriguing player to monitor.

8. Justin Poirier, LW/RW

Age: 19

Strengths: Shot (2nd best in system), playstyle

Areas of Growth: Defensive ability, skating

Evaluation: Let’s get the obvious out of the way first. Yes, Poirier is 5’8. But he doesn’t play like he’s 5’8. He’s going into contact and not shying away from it, something most smaller players don’t do. Obviously, he has an absolutely ridiculous shot, having the ability to label shots with the power and accuracy of a NHL sniper. The height will always make it a little tougher to see the NHL potential, but the attributes are there.

9. Joel Nystrom, RHD

Age: 23

Strengths: Defensive ability, calmness, hockey sense

Areas of Growth: Skating speed, offensive traits

Evaluation: Nystrom, like Legault, just looks like a seasoned pro already. He’s lower solely because I see Legault’s potential as higher, but that doesn’t mean Nystrom isn’t going to be an NHL defenseman for a long time. He’s calm, cool, and composed in everything he does. It just looks simple for him out there, both the offensive and defensive game. He has 500+ NHL games written all over him.

10. Timur Kol, LHD

Age: 19

Strengths: Slap shot, passing, range, skating

Areas of Growth: Next level of play

Evaluation: Kol is a prototypical 6th defenseman in the NHL. He’s solid at even strength, able to defend the rush with his size and physicality. His slapshot is HEAVY, not rivaling that of Alexander Nikishin, but I’d argue it’s closer that I think. My worry right now is him finding that next level. His fundamentals are good, good enough for a potential move to North America, but I really want to see him find that next level.

11. Kurban Limatov, LHD/RHD

Age: 18

Strengths: Incredibly strong skater, defensive instincts, reach

Areas of Growth: Offensive production

Evaluation: Limatov is a freak of nature from a physical standpoint. If he could get to 200-215 and maintain his same level of skating, he’ll be even higher on this list. He’s easily a top 3 skater in the pipeline and one could easily argue he’s not 2 or 3. He’s quick, he’s able to change directions quickly, he’s able to keep pace with skaters while maintaining eye contact. Defensive traits are more advanced than the offensive, but the offensive side still has more growth to go.

12. Ivan Ryabkin, C

Age: 18

Strengths: Physicality, shot, hockey sense

Areas of Growth: Consistency, Sometimes effort, defense

Evaluation: In the most loving way possible, Ryabkin is a beer fridge. Or more so that he’s built like one. He’s not shy about using it either, having multiple thunderous hits spread throughout his playing days. His shot is really, really solid and his hockey sense is more advanced than I previously thought. The effort concerns pre draft were overblown, but there is still the occasional off shift. Defense will always take longer for centers.

13. Dominik Badinka, RHD

Age: 20

Strengths: Defensive ability, breaking up plays, size

Areas of Growth: Hockey IQ, offense

Evaluation: Badinka is handling his own during his first season in North America, never being overly flashy but always remaining steady. Reminds me a lot of what made Legault so successful in his first professional season. He’s never going to jump out at you but everything he does is in the name of keeping his zone calm. I want to see him develop some more offense in his game and try and keep up with the pace of play, but he’s looking solid so far.

14. Nikita Artamonov, LW/RW

Age: 20

Strengths: Good forechecker, solid two way game, hockey sense

Areas of Growth: Consistency, offense

Evaluation: Turns out that the 21.2% shooting percentage was unsustainable. Solid enough two way game. Able to find the soft spots in defenses and exploit them. Good on the forecheck. Big slump season, even with going to a new team. Needs a rebound season.

15. Noel Fransen, LHD

Age: 20

Strengths: Skating, playmaking, offensive zone IQ

Areas of Growth: Defense

Evaluation: One of the best skaters in the system, Fransen has the speed and change of direction to make him dangerous. His offensive game is advanced, being able to run power play units at times in pro leagues. Defense is still developing, but the offensive ability is enough to think that he could run a power play at the NHL level at his peak.

HM. Jayden Perron, RW

Season stats: fill in

Age: 21

Strengths: Skating, playmaking, shot

Areas of Growth: Defense, dealing with physicality

Evaluation: One of the more dynamic players to watch with the puck on his stick, Perron is an offensive dynamo. He’s able to move in and out of defenders with his skating or his puck handling and has the feel for the game to make the right play. Shot is slightly underrated. He still struggles from time to time with physicality due to his height but that hasn’t stopped anyone from making the league before.

Reasonings

• Like Nikishin when he was a prospect, Bradly Nadeau is the clear number 1 guy in the system. Nobody comes close in my opinion.

• Charles Alexis Legault is probably much higher than anyone, including myself, expected. But if I’m keeping the previous rankings in mind, Legault would be up there. Thought really hard about Legault vs Unger Sorum, but I’m very bullish on Legault at the NHL level. I can really see a Brady Skjei-esque player within him.

• Felix makes the jump back to the top 3, mainly due to his rebound AHL season. He’s going to more than double his point total while looking so much more comfortable at the pro level.

• Semyon Frolov is the best goalie prospect in the system, by far. He has real starter potential down the line.

• Justin Robidas vs Charlie Cerrato was something I debated, but I leaned Robidas because he’s a legit NHL talent right now. Cerrato has the higher potential, as he could be a legitmate 2nd line center in the future.

• Alexander Siryatsky is the biggest riser by far, as he’s gone from unranked to the top 10. A legit top 4 potential defenseman, being a KHL regular at 19 really helps his rank.

• Timur Kol vs Kurban Limatov was also tough, but I leaned Kol because of his experience. I believe his MHL game has been better than Limatov up until this point. But Limatov might have a higher ceiling within his game.

• When I revisit these rankings after the draft or after the deadline, I’ll probably be upset over where I placed Ivan Ryabkin. He’s low right now, mainly due to his AHL play (which isn’t a slam or slight at all by the way), but him running the QMJHL for the rest of the year will have him higher (more than likely).

• Nikita Artamonov, woof. The Prospect Wall™ is a real thing and he’s hit it. Even with the move to a new team he still hasn’t found that level of success that he had last year.

• Jayden Perron deserves to be mentioned. I also thought about Ruslan Khazheyev or Filip Ekberg but Perron has been great for Michigan and has regained that confidence that got him drafted in the third round.

This was supposed to come out before Christmas, but a whole heap of things delayed that. It honestly worked out for the best since a LOT has happened since I last wrote one of these, so I’m not complaining. Let’s tackle the big ticket item first.

1. Ivan Ryabkin (18) was assigned to the Charlottetown Islanders of the QMJHL from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. A shocking amount of people saw this as a completely abhorrent thing, seeing someone get “demoted” from the second highest pro league in North America to the juniors of Canada. I know it looks like a demotion on paper, but let me explain the reasons why you shouldn’t view it like that.

2. First, it was great for the Canes to get a benchmark of where Ryabkin is in terms of his pro development by letting him play in the AHL. He’s already played pro hockey, albeit in Russia with limited games, but it’s not like he’s coming in completely blind. I had mentioned it a while ago but he looked physically ready out there, but the rest of the game needed work. The big one was discipline, seeing as he had a casual 56 penalty minutes in 25 games. His defense was shaky and some skating concerns remain. Offensive flashes were there, mainly his work as a net front and his passing, but it wasn’t super consistent.

3. This is where having the ability to get him to the Q is best for him. For one, he’s going to get much more game time there than he did in Chicago, going from the 4th line center with limited (if any) power play time to a top 6 or top line center while also getting premiere power play opportunities. Yes, the Q is a weaker league relative to the AHL, but this is best for him. He gets sent there with a good amount of feedback on the things to work on to better prepare him for the pro game and he gets to hone in on those skills.

4. What else has happened since the last one? Let’s tackle Simon Forsmark (22) signing a new contract with Timra in the SHL. After rumors of him signing an ELC popped up last summer, nothing came of it until I saw that he had inked a new deal until the end of 2029. With his rights expiring in June, I’d imagine this ends his run as a Canes Prospect. Liked his steady game, reminded me of Joel Nystrom in that way. But the Canes have about 250 LHD in the system now.

5. Sticking with contract news in the SHL, Oskar Vuollet (20) signed a new deal with Skelleftea until 2028, where he will be 23. He has 2 points in 34 SHL games this year. There are some good aspects in his game, he just hasn’t put it together yet.

6. Injuries up next, Semyon Frolov (19) is still hurt. Alexander Siryatsky (19) is still hurt, which stinks because I’d imagine he would’ve been a KHL U23 All Star if he was healthy. BUT we finally got someone back, that being Roman Bausov (18). He’s doing what most of these young Russian defenseman do in the MHL, eat minutes. His lowest ice time so far came in his first game back at 16 minutes. Doesn’t help that he also had 4 penalty minutes, but I digress. He’s averaging over 20 minutes a night and seems like himself. Super smooth skater with good defensive traits. Offense is a work in progress, but the defensive stuff is nice.

7. Timur Kol (19) also returned from injury, missing a month with I believe a groin injury sustained in the Futures Cup. He’s come back and continued his great start, putting up 3 points in 3 games while getting about 24 minutes a game. MHK Dynamo Moscow recently united the gigantic left handed defenseman that happen to be Canes Prospects, using Kol and Kurban Limatov (18) as a pair. So far, the pair are a combined +5 while also having 6 points in 3 games. Seems pretty decent to me!

8. If I told you last year that Justin Poirier (19) was leading all Canes Prospects in points, I don’t think people would be shocked. He was a premier player in the QMJHL. But now, what if I told you he is still leading all Canes Prospects in points? The freshman at the University of Maine is having one hell of a year, with 27 points in 21 games. That’s good enough for 8th in the country, while his 17 goals has him 2nd in the country. Some quick milestones I’m looking at for Poirier, he needs 19 points to beat Bradly Nadeau’s (20) point total at Maine (had 46). He needs 3 goals to beat Nadeau’s 19. Finally, while probably unlikely, he needs 15 goals to tie Macklin Celebrini’s freshman goal record of 32.

9. It was weird to not put emphasis on the World Juniors this year, since the Canes had nobody playing in it. It was still a great viewing experience though. But my time was spent watching the Spengler Cup and the United States Collegiate Selects for Charlie Cerrato (20). It was the first time he’s played against genuine pro competition and I thought he handled it well. He was a decently important penalty killer, was relied to work on the wing (and sometimes bumper) on the power play, and was the 2C throughout the 4 games. 2 points in those 4 games won’t blow anybody away, but I thought he did pretty good.

10. I’m officially fully intrigued about Jakub Vondras (21). Not saying that I was completely checked out on him, but if you take quick glances at his OHL stats and his stats from last year, you probably wouldn’t think twice about him. But wow, what a difference a year makes. He’s improved from a .890% save percentage to a .915%, while lowering his goals against average from a 3.32 to a 2.63. He’s 6’4 with fluid movement and his rights expire on June 1st. With both Cayden Primeau and Amir Miftakhov being on one year deals, plus with what has been shown by Nikita Quapp (22) and Ruslan Khazheyev (21) so far, I wouldn’t hate to see them take a chance on Vondras.

11. Let me also say that I think Khazheyev has shown great strides in his development so far this year. He’s had a nice start in the ECHL while getting a good amount of game time and had one of the better performances of any goalie that has played Grand Rapids in the AHL this, getting a shootout win. The technical aspects of his game that were shaky last year have become much more well rounded, but still need some work. But he’s progressed a ton since this time last year. As for Quapp, he’s had some good starts and some bad starts. He also got into a goalie fight and showed that he can throw some real haymakers.

12. Alexander Rykov (20) has tied his career high for points in the KHL with 8 this year. It’s not a ton, but he’s been a 4th line player for the majority of the 107 games that he’s played in the KHL. Still wonder what happens with him after this year, seeing as his contract will expire at the end of the KHL season. Was cool seeing him at development camp this past year.

13. The last thought, presented by a flight to Alaska that I am very much unprepared for, is about Spiros Anastas. I just want to mention how nice of a guy he is. Got the chance to meet him at this past Development Camp and he’s just a genuine good dude. I’ll tell the story about the interaction on Developing Hurricanes soon (next week) because I think it’s funny (it’s probably not).

You know, I had an entire 16 Thoughts written out and ready to release before Christmas, but that obviously didn’t work out. Now here I am, writing this out on New Years’ Eve and with, honestly, very little research done into this month. With that said, let’s tackle the honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions:

• Fyodor Avramov, W (Yuzhny Ural Orsk, VHL): 6 GP, 5 assists, 5 points

• Filip Ekberg, W (Ottawa 67s, OHL): 9 GP, 7 goals, 1 assists, 8 points

• Kurban Limatov, D (MHK Dynamo Moscow, MHL): 10 GP, 2 goals, 3 assists, 5 points

• Timur Mukhanov, W (Severstal System, MHL/VHL/KHL): 10 GP, 3 goals, 5 assists, 8 points

KEEP FYODOR “UNCLE” AVRAMOV AT THIS LEVEL. PLEASE. NO MORE OF THIS JUMPING AROUND LEAGUES THING. HE’S GETTING GOOD LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN THE VHL WHILE GETTING GOOD MINUTES.

Filip Ekberg continues to be one of Ottawa’s best players, as he’s recently turned on the “I have a good release” part of his game. I mean it’s ridiculous the amount of goals he’s scored recently. Good to see that part round into his game.

Big Kurban Limatov is a freak. Super good skater and the offensive instincts are intriguing. Even with Timur Kol making a return to the lineup, he’s still taking up 25 or more minutes each game.

Speaking of players going through the ringer of teams, Timur Mukhanov played at every single level of professional Russian hockey this month. 2 games at the KHL level, 2 games in the VHL, and 6 games in the MHL. Racked up the majority of them with the MHL team, but had one stellar game for the VHL side, with a goal and 2 assists.

5. Ruslan Khazheyev, G (Greensboro Gargoyles, ECHL)

December Stats: 4 GP, .932% save percentage, 2.00 GAA

Is that a man on a horse galloping towards my direction? It sounds like he’s saying something, and it seems urgent.

“THE RUSLAN IS COMING”

Is it premature for it? Yes, more than likely. But this has been an extremely inspiring stretch of games for Khazheyev, who has needed an inspiring stretch of games. When you watch this 6’4 freak of nature athlete play, you are drawn to the size and aggressiveness, attacking shooting angles while almost forgetting where the blue paint is. To me, it’s the reinforcement of the fundamentals and making sure to not get rattle after giving up a goal that have been major improvements. He’s making the saves he just didn’t make last year and he looks better overall. He’s become the starter in Greensboro and I don’t think he’ll look back anytime soon.

4. Justin Robidas, RW (Chicago Wolves, AHL)

December Stats: 8 GP, 6 goals, 2 assists, 8 points

It feels like Robidas is still underrated by some, even though at this point, he’s the most NHL ready player in Chicago right now. He’s able to play either center or wing, even though he’s mainly been used as a RW (while taking faceoffs from the right circle). He’s able to be an effective penalty killer, shown by being one of the most important PK forwards for the Wolves, alongside SBA and Josiah Slavin. He’s had success on the power play, whether that be in the bumper or on the boards. He’s a coach’s dream.

This month, Robidas reminded me of why he’s basically an NHL forward now. Without Nadeau for stretches, the Wolves need someone to step up the goal scoring and Robidas goes on a 5 game goal streak, getting 6 goals in that time. He’s everything you could ask for in a forward and would probably be a full time NHL player by now if he was 4-5 inches taller.

3. Jakub Vondras, G (Pardubice B, Czechia2)

December Stats: 5 GP, .944% save percentage, 1.6 GAA

Well, hello there goalie. I’ll be the first to the admit that I haven’t watched any Vondras tape this year, mainly because trying to watch a Czechia2 game is a little hard for a fella in North Carolina without using some fun measures. But those are some really good stats for Vondras.

I mentioned it a few weeks ago but I barely talk about Vondras, partly because of the league he’s in being harder to find for me and because he’s had up and down performances over the past year. But this year seems is lining up to be his best year as a pro, turning in an impressive 2.74 goals against average and a .914% save percentage in 16 games. That puts him at 8th in terms of save percentage out of all goalies in the league, with Vondras being the 2nd youngest (21 years old).

2. Justin Poirier, W (Maine, NCAA)

December Stats: 5 GP, 6 goals, 3 assists, 9 points

Now, he’s not first solely because of where the bulk of his points came from, a 3 game stretch against Lindenwood and UMass Lowell. But that’s also not a negative, seeing as he posted 2 goals and an assist in back to back to BACK games, which is impressive for a freshman.

I keep coming back to the question that I get asked a good amount now, “Will he turn pro?” I’m going to continue to say no, since I’m always a bigger fan of players taking a little bit longer to smooth out the other aspects of their game. But I’ve but swayed by his ability to continue to produce. A few stats, Poirier needs 3 goals to beat Bradly Nadeau’s freshman tally at Maine, Poirier needs 16 goals to beat the freshman goal record, Poirier has 9 more points than anyone else on Maine.

1. Bradly Nadeau, W (Chicago Wolves/Carolina Hurricanes, AHL/NHL)

December Stats: 8 GP, 5 goals, 4 assists, 9 points

Yeah, this feels right. The top prospect in the system shows why he’s the top prospect by having great performances at both the AHL level and NHL level. Even though the usage at the NHL level, mainly at even strength, is a little head scratching (FOR ME).

What I wanted to see from Nadeau was a willingness to engage physically more often and more 5v5 points. I have gotten my wish in my both regards. Nadeau is finishing checks at a higher rate than ever and isn’t afraid of getting to the dirty areas with bigger players, something that was a little more rare last year. I’ve also really liked his play at 5v5, consistently being one of the more dangerous players on the ice. The Nadeau-Suzuki-Robidas line is really, really good when they play together.

Also, on the day this releases, Saturday January 3rd, Matt and I will be doing a watch along for the Wolves game. Come out and join for live reactions, or if you have any questions about prospects or anything like that.