Rangers Adam Edstrom Could Alter Deadline Plans & 5 Red Wings' 1st-Round Targets in 2024 Entry Draft
Several underrated prospects are starting to make a name for themselves, but does that mean they'll factor into their team's long-term plans or will they become trade bait?
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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 Adam Edstrom’s return to the New York Rangers’ lineup and what that means for their playoff hopes, three Buffalo Sabres’ prospects who are tearing it up in the AHL, the Detroit Red Wings best first-round options for the 2024 NHL Draft, and much more!
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Now on to the good stuff…
Big Mystery Adam Edstrom Could Alter Rangers’ Deadline Plans
February 16, 2024 by Tom Castro
Perhaps no player better epitomizes the next three weeks of the New York Rangers‘ season than rookie forward Adam Edstrom.
On the surface, that’s a bizarre claim to make, given that the fourth-line winger has played only three NHL games. Yet Edstrom’s return to the lineup after opening his NHL career in memorable fashion in December seems to serve as a metaphor for the Blueshirts club that’s approaching the March 8 trading deadline as an unfinished product, still uncertain about the best way to bolster their roster for a Stanley Cup run this spring.
3 Sabres Prospects Who Deserve an Extended Look In 2023-24
February 14, 2024 by Jacob D. Strozyk
The Buffalo Sabres have struggled to produce much this season in the win column, and as the season dwindles away, it is time to start looking to 2024-25. With that in mind, the Sabres need to start looking at their young players on the Rochester Americans to give them the proper auditions for next season. They have plenty of options to choose from, but there are three in particular who deserve a real NHL opportunity. These player’s success or failure will not only determine if they are NHL-ready but also if the Sabres should move on from them and build up other top prospects in their system.
New York Islanders’ 4 Most Underrated Prospects
February 13, 2024 by Michael Ostrower
Over the past five seasons, the New York Islanders have committed to their core by becoming buyers at the trade deadline and have been forced to ship out their high draft picks – they have not made a first-round selection since drafting Simon Holmström 23rd overall in the 2019 NHL Draft. Despite that, the team has a few impressive prospects.
The organization’s two most notable prospects are Danny Nelson and Calle Odelius. Nelson, drafted 49th overall in the 2023 Draft, is a 6-foot-3, left-handed center playing for the University of Notre Dame in the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). He is a former defenseman and uses his body well to win puck battles and get the puck out of the defensive zone.
Odelius is a left-handed defenseman, selected with the 65th overall pick in the 2022 Draft, and plays a strong, fast-paced game that helps drive offense and create turnovers. Playing on loan for Djurgårdens IF of HockeyAllsvenskan, he is considered one of the most NHL-ready prospects in the Islanders’ system. Besides Nelson and Odelius, there are some lesser-known prospects in the organization that fans should look forward to seeing in Long Island.
Senators Prospect Report: Nikitin, Halliday & More
February 13, 2024 by Dayton Reimer
The new year has been kind to the Ottawa Senators. After starting January with a five-game losing streak, they followed it up with six wins over the next 10 games and two overtime losses. It may not be the dominance fans were hoping for, but it’s definitely more of what they expected. It’s also hardly a coincidence that the team began performing better once Shane Pinto returned to the lineup, and he’s been great, too; in seven games this season, he already has seven points. Add on the fact that Tim Stutzle finally is starting to look like his old self and Brady Tkachuk is scoring more consistently, there’s finally a bit of hope back with the Senators.
The Senators’ farm system is also showing some growth throughout the ranks. Jorian Donovan has continued his dominance of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Angus Crookshank continues to look like a hidden gem with the Belleville Senators, but some of the team’s more underrated prospects have found a new level of skill. Here’s who stuck out in January.
5 Red Wings’ First-Round Targets in 2024 NHL Entry Draft
February 17, 2024 by Jordan Orth
While the NHL Draft is still a few months away (June 28), it is never too early to take a look at a few players that could pique the interest of Detroit Red Wings fans to consider as the season treks on. As of Jan.15, the team is slotted to pick at the number 18 spot, which will fluctuate by the season’s end. So, who could general manager (GM) Steve Yzerman and the rest of the organization possibly target at pick 18 of the first round?
More Draft & Prospects stuff from THW:
Draft History - Redoing the 2005 NHL Draft
Rookie Report - Ridly Greig: The Senators Controversial Rookie
Prospect Rankings - The NHL’s Top 100 Prospects - Midseason Rankings
Draft Coverage - Horn’s Top 100 for February
2024 NHL Mock Draft - Horn’s Early Top-16 Mock Draft