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 Kevin Korchinski and his chances at making the NHL this year, Cole McWard’s surprisingly good chances of playing on Vancouver’s top d-pairing, the context for why Lassi Thomson was waived by Ottawa, and much more!
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Now on to the good stuff…
Korchinski’s Speed & Skill Making Blackhawks’ Decision Tough
October 1, 2023 by Brooke LoFurno
The one Chicago Blackhawks prospect that everyone is intrigued by, besides Connor Bedard, is Kevin Korchinski, and for good reason. He was their 2022 seventh-overall draft pick and has the skill set to be one of the team’s most dynamic defensemen they have seen in years. He had an impressive training camp last season, followed by a career year with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL (Western Hockey League), winning the WHL U.S. Division Defenseman of the Year, and was a finalist for the Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy (WHL Defenseman of the Year).
While speaking with Thunderbirds’ general manager Bil La Forge about Nolan Allan for part one of this series, I got some extra insight into how Korchinski’s game has evolved into the player once again turning heads at this year’s Blackhawks’ training camp.
Canucks’ McWard Performing Well In First Preseason
September 30, 2023 by Adam Kierszenblat
One of the few players that has impressed this preseason for the Vancouver Canucks is Cole McWard. The 22-year-old defenceman signed with Vancouver as a college free agent near the end of last season and didn’t look out of place when given the opportunity to play games at the NHL level.
While he could be American Hockey League (AHL) bound, his performance over the past few weeks is a good indicator he may be closer than some originally thought to become an everyday NHLer.
Senators’ Thomson Hits Waivers in Second Round of Roster Cuts
September 30, 2023 by Jacob Billington
On Friday night, the Senators announced a wave of players being sent to the Belleville Senators training camp, including goaltenders Leevi Merilainen and Mark Sinclair, and defensemen Djibril Toure, Donovan Sebrango and Ryan MacKinnon. For forwards, it was Angus Crookshank, Tarun Fizer, Phillippe Daoust, Graham McPhree, and Brennan Saulnier.
Additionally, the Senators have placed Josh Currie, Dillon Heatherington, Garret Pilon, and Lassi Thomson on waivers for the purpose of joining Belleville’s camp.
Red Wings Prospect Spotlight: Cross Hanas
September 30, 2023 by Matthew Zator
The Detroit Red Wings have a deep prospect pool made up of scorers, grinders, playmakers, offensive and defensive defensemen, and starting-caliber goaltenders. They really don’t have a huge weakness when it comes to youth, so it’s always exciting to follow the progress of the pipeline throughout the season. So in the spirit of that, I thought it would be great to shine a spotlight on a few of them as we continue to count down the days to opening night on Oct. 12.
Hanas made the jump to the pro ranks last season after coming off a very successful stint in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Winterhawks where he scored a career-high 26 goals and 86 points. He also starred in the playoffs to the tune of five goals and nine points in 11 games, leading his team to the second round where they were eliminated by the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Detroit Red Wings - Red Wings Prospect Rankings: #2 Nate Danielson
Vancouver Canucks - Canucks On The Farm: Bloom, McDonough, Zlodeyev & More
Draft Coverage - 2024 NHL Draft: Baracchini’s Preseason Top 32