Daniil But's Hot Start in the KHL and Why the Red Wings Aren't Calling Up Simon Edvinsson
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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 Daniil But’s hot start in the KHL, the reasons the Red Wings haven’t called up Simon Edvinsson, Jiri Kulich’s dominant play in the AHL, and much more!
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Now on to the good stuff…
Coyotes’ Daniil But Proving Doubters Wrong
November 24, 2023 by Cooper Krigbaum
Sports sites such as CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports, and SB Nation deemed the Arizona Coyotes as losers after the first round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Not only that, most scouts and analysts were scratching their heads after the pair of selections the Coyotes made.
You may ask, what were these two selections that had most of the hockey world talking? It was none other than a pair of Russians in Dmitri Simashev and Daniil But. Most teams weren’t able to watch these two live, as Russia is in the midst of a war. The Coyotes were not like most teams and managed to get a glimpse of the two players.
Why Red Wings Should Call Up Edvinsson and Why They Won’t
November 23, 2023 by Logan Horn
After a hot start, the Detroit Red Wings have cooled off significantly, with a 3-5-3 record in their last 11 games including back-to-back losses at the NHL Global Series in Stockholm, Sweden. While the three loser points soften the blow a tiny bit, they don’t obscure the fact that Detroit has lost their last 11 games, pushing them from 2nd in the Atlantic all the way down to fifth, with momentum continuing in the wrong direction.
I believe it is time for the Red Wings to call up prospect Simon Edvinsson from the Grand Rapids Griffins, but I don’t think the team will be willing to do so for several reasons. Let’s dive into those reasons now!
Sabres’ Prospect Jiri Kulich a Player to Watch in Future
November 22, 2023 by Derek Felix
A player to watch for the Buffalo Sabres in the future is Jiri Kulich. The former 28th pick in the 2022 Draft is off to a good start in his second pro season with the Rochester Americans in the American Hockey League (AHL).
The 19-year-old center is second in team scoring with 10 goals and four assists for 14 points in 14 games. That trails Sabres’ prospect Isak Rosen, who leads the Amerks with 17 points. With Kulich continuing to develop in Rochester, it won’t be long before he earns the opportunity to make his NHL debut. The Sabres can afford to be patient for now. Depending on how things go the rest of the season, Kulich could arrive sometime in the next calendar year.
Maple Leafs’ Easton Cowan A World Junior Hopeful
November 22, 2023 by Andrew Forbes
When his name was called at the 2023 NHL Draft in the first round, the Toronto Maple Leafs had the hockey world looking for answers. How could this player — projected as a second to third-round pick — move up to being a first-round selection? Still, the Maple Leafs took Easton Cowan with the 28th overall pick and the London Knights’ forward has made noise since he was returned to his OHL club.
The 18-year-old has eight goals and 27 points in just 16 games since returning to the Knights and is on pace for a career year of 107 points. Not only that, but Cowan’s strong camp and his start to the season has put him in the conversation for a potential spot on Team Canada at this year’s IIHF World Junior Championship tournament — an accomplishment that would be quite the compliment for the 2005-born forward.
Last Edition’s Poll Results
Last time I asked you which league you think is producing the best NHL talent these days and 50% of you chose the NCAA. That’s hard to argue with the recent emergence of prospects like Logan Cooley, Adam Fantilli, Luke Hughes, Matty Beniers, and many, many more. I didn’t even mention guys like Artyom Levshunov, Zeev Buium and Macklin Celebrini who are all phenomenal prospects in their own rights for the 2024 Draft.
Anyone’s answer here really depends on how large of a sample size you pick. If we’re going off of the last 18 months or so, then the WHL has a pretty solid case with guys like Connor Bedard, Nate Danielson, and Zach Benson leading the charge. If we’re choosing a larger sample of time then I think Sweden’s J20/SHL system deserves some more votes as the draft-year prospects who succeed in Sweden’s top professional leagues often become impactful players in North America as well.
Detroit Red Wings - Red Wings Prospects Who Could Play at the 2024 World Juniors
Philadelphia Flyers - Flyers’ Cutter Gauthier Can Quickly Flourish in the NHL
NHL Awards - NHL 2023-24 Calder Trophy Predictions
Draft Coverage - 2024 NHL Draft: Horn’s Top 32 for October
2024 NHL Mock Draft - Horn’s Early Top-16 Mock Draft