THW NHL Prospects & Draft Substack - Sept. 25, 2023
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 some 2024 NHL Draft rankings, two prospects who could make the Washington Capitals’ lineup out of training camp, a look at the prospect making headlines for the Arizona Coyotes in Australia, and 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…
2024 NHL Draft: Baracchini’s Top 32 Preseason Rankings
September 23, 2023 by Peter Baracchini
With the 2023-24 NHL season just around the corner, scouting for the 2024 NHL Entry Draft is already under way. With the Hlinka Gretzky Cup completed and junior and European leagues already starting, everyone is getting an early glimpse of all of the top prospects that could hear their name called.
While many had him as the potential first overall pick before the season started, Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini is the top name at the moment given his well-rounded and versatile skillset as a potential first line centre. But the race is close as sharpshooter Cole Eiserman and dynamic Russian forward Ivan Demidov are right behind him for the top spot. While those are the top names that will garner attention, this draft will solely be remembered for the amount of defensive talent that will be available.
Coyotes: A Global Series Success Down Under
September 24, 2023 by Cooper Krigbaum
When it was announced that the Arizona Coyotes would be taking on the Los Angeles Kings in Melbourne, Australia, it was a long time coming. “We have been looking at Australia for upwards of a decade as a place to potentially play games to really try and grow our business,” said Proper. “One of the things that we’ve tried not to do is rush into any particular market without doing our due diligence, and there was a lot of due diligence we felt needed to be done because it’s obviously a major enterprise to try and build your business in Australia. “
However, there were plenty of implications heading into the historic matchup. Not only would both teams be traveling over 8,000 miles, but it was also the first NHL game to be played in the Southern Hemisphere. Though, the Coyotes had a slew of new faces entering the lineup, and after a week filled full of practices, photo shoots, and games, here are some takeaways from the two matchups down under.
2 Capitals Prospects Who Could Crack Opening Night Roster
September 24, 2023 by Jesse Courville-Lynch
The Washington Capitals are going to try and make it back into the playoff picture in the 2023-24 season. They didn’t make an insane amount of moves or signings in the offseason and instead chose to rely on their current roster to try and take them back to the promised land. The Capitals brought in Max Pacioretty on a one-year contract, as well as Matthew Phillips on a one-year deal, and Joel Edmundson to bolster their depth a bit, but there is still a good chance that a couple of rookies could crack the Capitals’ opening night roster.
The two Capitals prospects that have the greatest opportunity to make the team out of training camp are Ivan Miroshnichenko and Vincent Iorio. Miroshnichenko has no NHL experience under his belt, but Iorio played three games last season where he tallied one assist. While Iorio seems like the more likely of the two to make the team, Miroshnichenko is extremely skilled offensively and could sneak his way into the bottom six on opening night. I would guess if Iorio makes the team, he will start the season as a bottom-pair defender and work his way up from there.
Red Wings Prospect Rankings: #6 Carter Mazur
September 22, 2023 by Logan Horn
Carter Mazur has been a shining star in the Detroit Red Wings’ prospect for a few years now. The team has done a good job overall with their picks early in the first round, but great teams need to find contributors in the later rounds as well if they want to reach the heights that Detroit longs to reach once again. When the Red Wings selected Mazur in the third round of the 2021 Draft, nobody expected him to develop this well in such a short time, and he now looks like a high-end NHL prospect.
What makes Mazur special is his work ethic which can be seen when he is hounding opposing puck carriers and winning countless puck battles, all while providing good offensive value, primarily as a shooter. Mazur certainly isn’t the most dynamic offensive talent skill-wise, but he is a well-rounded winger who should provide a ton of two-way value no matter the spot he fills in the lineup.
Griffins Notebook: Early Observations From Traverse City
September 22, 2023 by Devin Little
Traverse City, Michigan is absolutely buzzing right now, and that can only mean one thing: the Detroit Red Wings have begun their training camp and preseason festivities. While the main focus is deservedly on Alex DeBrincat, J.T. Compher, and the many other new faces that will join the Red Wings this season, there are a ton of other players participating, many of which will begin and spend most of their season in Grand Rapids playing for the Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Training camp has only just begun, but there are already some things worth taking note of, especially regarding how they will affect the Red Wings’ top minor league affiliate.
Boston Bruins - 4 Bruins Prospects Who Could Make NHL Debut in 2023-24
Columbus Blue Jackets - Blue Jackets Would Benefit From Potential AHL Exemptions for 2 Prospects
Detroit Red Wings - Red Wings Prospect Rankings: #8 Trey Augustine