2024 Calder Trophy Tracker & David Reinbacher's Development has a Silver Lining
With the All-Star Break upon us, let's check in on some of the top prospects in the NHL and look ahead to the 2024 NHL Draft!
*NOTE: A Subscribers-only mailbag is on the way! Please leave any prospect or draft-related questions you have in the comment section below for a chance to be included and to have your questions answered!*
Welcome to the THW NHL Prospects & Draft Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our great team of writers.
In today’s edition, we have a look at the increasingly tight race for the 2023-24 Calder Trophy, who the St. Louis Blues could draft in the first round this season, David Reinbacher’s challenging season overseas, and much more!
It would be great if you’d share the THW NHL Prospects & Draft Substack with your friends and family so that they can subscribe and enjoy all the latest.
Now on to the good stuff…
2023-24 Calder Trophy Tracker
January 29, 2024 by Alex Chauvancy
It’s time for the first edition of the Calder Trophy tracker for the 2023-24 season. We’ve already looked at the Calder Trophy race a couple of times this season, but let’s update the race with the All-Star break approaching, as there have been some changes. Connor Bedard once looked like the front runner, but his injury has opened up the race.
Blues’ 2024 First-Round Draft Pick Options
January 28, 2024 by Mike Meyer
With the 2024 NHL Entry Draft rankings beginning to take shape and scouts boiling down their options for the organization’s newest draft class, it is time to take a look at a few prospects who could make their way to the podium donning the Blue note as the first member of the St. Louis Blues’ 2024 draft class.
David Reinbacher’s Development Has Silver Lining for Canadiens
January 27, 2024 by Blain Potvin
The Montreal Canadiens decided to do something different with their fifth-overall pick at the 2024 NHL Draft, David Reinbacher, than they did with their 2022 first-overall pick, Juraj Slafkovsky: They sent him back to Europe to join his Swiss League (NL) club, EHC Kloten. This decision shows management is willing to look at the individual and place them in the best opportunity to thrive as opposed to following a cookie-cutter template for all prospects. With the number of defencemen in Montreal’s system, it provides the ability to let him return to EHC Kloten.
Whenever the Canadiens select a European player, the consensus among fans and pundits is usually for that player to return to their club team for another season. Generally, that is the safest move, and the Canadiens felt that was the case for Reinbacher. However, in hindsight, this decision provided significant obstacles for the 19-year-old.
Red Wings’ Marco Kasper Bouncing Back After Slow Start in AHL
January 28, 2024 by Logan Horn
Marco Kasper rose in draft conversations throughout his entire draft year, but even his biggest supporters were surprised that he ultimately went eighth overall in the 2022 Draft to the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings had a well-documented need at center going into the draft so they clearly believed that Kasper would be a good fit for them, and they also believed he had more offense to give in the SHL.
After making the transition to North America and joining the Grand Rapids Griffins full-time this season, Kasper had a really slow start. He looked a bit timid and his timing was just a bit off. It wasn’t anything big enough to cause panic necessarily but it was certainly noteworthy to see one of Detroit’s top prospects struggling in the AHL. However, Kasper has really hit his stride recently and looks like the differencemaker I expected him to be in the AHL.
Penguins Prospect Update: Yager, Blomqvist, Poulin, Pickering
January 29, 2024 by Jordan Orth
With the Pittsburgh Penguins finding themselves with a farm system that ranks in the bottom third of the NHL, many would believe that they do not have any prospects to keep an eye on. But that is far from the truth, as they have two prospects in the THW top 100. With that being said, what prospects in the Penguins’ system should fans be familiarizing themselves with at the mid-way point of the 2023-24 season?
Sharks’ Shakir Mukhamadullin Impressed Teammates in Debut
January 28, 2024 by William Espy
Shakir Mukhamadullin‘s debut didn’t go according to plan for the San Jose Sharks, who were defeated by the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. With that being said, the young Russian defenseman was noticeable in his first game in the NHL. So much so that his teammates had many positive things to say about him at the end of the night. He has a very long career ahead of him, and although there are certainly ways he still needs to improve, it’s clear that his teammates feel he’s an NHL-caliber defenseman and belongs with the team.
More Draft & Prospects stuff from THW:
Draft History: 2012 NHL Draft: Where Are They Now?
Around the AHL: Manitoba Moose Had Serious Struggles in First Half of AHL Season
Tampa Bay: Lightning Having Long-Term Success Without Strong Farm System
Prospect Rankings - The NHL’s Top 100 Prospects - Midseason Rankings
Draft Coverage - Baracchini’s Top 64 January Rankings
2024 NHL Mock Draft - Horn’s Early Top-16 Mock Draft