By Scott Wheeler, Corey Pronman, Jeremy Rutherford, Arpon Basu, Max Bultman, Scott Powers, Kevin Kurz and Thomas Drance
NHL rookie tournaments marked the start of a new season over the weekend and The Athletic’s team of reporters were on site(s) to take them in.
Scott Wheeler was in Buffalo for the six-team Prospects Challenge. Corey Pronman was in California for the seven-team Rookie Faceoff. Max Bultman was in Traverse City, Mich., with the Red Wings and Stars. Thomas Drance was in Penticton, B.C., for the four-team Young Stars Classic. Scott Powers and Jeremy Rutherford were in Maryland Heights, Mo., for the three-team Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase. Kevin Kurz was in Allentown, Penn., for the Rookie Series between the Flyers and Rangers. And Arpon Basu was at the new Prospects Showdown in Montreal between the Canadiens and Maple Leafs. All told, we had eyes on the prospects of 26 different teams.
These tournaments are an important kickoff of NHL training camps and an opportunity for many young players — from top drafted prospects to potential free agent invites/signings — to make a lasting impression.
Here, our writers have compiled their notes on the standouts from each event.
Prospects Challenge (Sabres, Bruins, Blue Jackets, Devils, Senators, Penguins)
Jiři Kulich, C, Sabres: The host Sabres were unquestionably the most talented team on paper at this year’s Prospects Challenge, led by five first-round picks and a four-pack of talented mid-round Russians. Noah Östlund and Konsta Helenius both created a ton of looks and were probably owed more on the stat sheet. Ryan Johnson looked like he played most of last season in the NHL. Isak Rosén looked like a player who led an AHL team in scoring last year and found the score sheet when Östlund and Helenius couldn’t. Vsevolod Komarov and Nikita Novikov looked like potential NHL D someday. Viktor Neuchev’s hands looked quick as ever. But Kulich, despite being the second-youngest of those five first-rounders, looked a clear cut above — like he was ready to play for and win an NHL job with the Sabres. He scored in all three games, scored twice in two of them, pounded his one-timer on the power play and, more importantly, was around and winning pucks, looking really strong.
Harrison Brunicke, RHD, Penguins: The Penguins’ roster had a little more juice than it has in years past thanks to the additions of Rutger McGroarty (who was top billing and answered the bell with points in all three games and a couple of posts, showing his knack for putting himself in good spots and a willingness to go get pucks and finish checks), Vasiliy Ponomarev (who stirred the drink and showed good puck protection for a smaller player), Ville Koivunen (who made plays off the rush and flashed comfort and handling with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone) and Sergei Murashov (who impressed in net), but it was 2024 second-rounder Harrison Brunicke who had people talking. The 18-year-old started the tournament on the Penguins’ third pairing but was their best D all week. He was involved all over the ice with his high-end skating ability and good length, impressing especially off the rush both ways. He transported pucks, joined the play and escaped pressure. He looked confident on the puck and atop the umbrella on PP2. He nearly finished several good looks. He had a third assist on a goal that he started but didn’t get credit for on the score sheet.
I thought he looked like a better pro prospect than first-rounder Owen Pickering. If he can build on this, look for him to play his way onto the 2026 Canadian world junior team — Hockey Canada head Scott Salmond was in the building this week. —Scott Wheeler
Young Stars Classic (Canucks, Jets, Flames, Oilers)
Zayne Parekh, RHD, Flames: The headliner of a wildly young Calgary Flames side at this year’s Penticton Young Stars tournament — the team included just one free agent invite, three full-time AHL players and eight players selected by the club at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft in Vegas this summer — Parekh was nonetheless the most impressive player at this year’s tournament.
It wasn’t a perfect tournament for Parekh by any means. He had an ugly giveaway at three-on-three in overtime of Calgary’s first game of the tournament, coughing up a gimme that the Winnipeg Jets converted on.
The breadth of his talent, physical maturity and hockey IQ, however, was on full display. There were sequences where he was able to stop the cycle in his own end, bodying older players who have appeared in NHL games already. There were others in which he executed composed defensive zone dekes engineering clean exits and helped free a Flames side that was often under duress from their own end.
Parekh’s offensive instincts stood out too. He was a willing and frequent shooter but never really took a slap shot. His preference from the point is to skate in toward the Bowman line, and either change the angle on a sharp wrister or shoot low and accurately for a second-stick opportunity. It took him until his third game to record a point, but the goal he scored was a gorgeous one, and representative of how he attacks goaltenders as a shooter from the point:
More scoring from Flames 2024 first-round picks as Zayne Parekh makes it 2-0! #Flames pic.twitter.com/m0YDxnuNce
— Mackenzie Grafton (@mgrafton37) September 16, 2024
There’s space in Parekh’s game to elevate that wrist shot — which has solid velocity and accuracy — even higher up his set of considerations as an attacking player, but the baseline there is already dynamic.
Aatu Räty, C/LW, Canucks: Center Aatu Räty has often been the forgotten man among Vancouver’s prospect group. Still only 21 years old, and coming off an AHL season in which he caught fire down the stretch, Räty provided a reminder he’s worth keeping an eye on.
Held back largely by his foot speed in his previous North American professional seasons, Räty appears to be somewhat quicker. Given his multiple years of AHL experience, he predictably stood out at this level, but in contrast with many of the other professional standouts — with the exception of Winnipeg Jets forward Brad Lambert — Räty is young enough where dominating at this level should still be meaningful to us, as opposed to an expectation.
While Räty’s best moments as a sophomore player in North American professional hockey came on the wing, the Canucks are intent on continuing to try him out at center for now. He looked the part of a player that could challenge to break camp with an NHL team, or at least have the chops to be a first call-up option when injuries strike in-season. —Thomas Drance
Rookie Faceoff (Utah, Kings, Sharks, Ducks, Golden Knights, Kraken, Avalanche)
The San Jose Sharks: There wasn’t one or two players who clearly stood out for me at the L.A. showcase, so I defaulted to the team that collectively was the most impressive. The Sharks were the No. 2-ranked team in the NHL Pipeline Rankings, and were neck and neck for me with Chicago for the No. 1 position. They showed their depth of young talent at this event. Even with No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini having an average game by his standards in the first match against Utah, the Sharks played well enough to win. In their second game against a talented Anaheim team, they controlled the game even without Celebrini in the lineup. Will Smith clearly outplayed his Boston College teammate Cutter Gauthier, displaying his dynamic skill and playmaking. Their wingers in Quentin Musty, Collin Graf and Kasper Halttunen made a lot of plays, and Ethan Cardwell stood out at times as well with his hustle and speed. On defense, Luca Cagnoni, while small, showed he could help the offense a lot, and they had a lot of big blueliners who didn’t give Anaheim room. —Corey Pronman
Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase (Wild, Blues, Blackhawks)
Frank Nazar, C/RW, Blackhawks: Outside of Connor Bedard, the Blackhawks aren’t likely to have many young players in their NHL lineup to start the season. One prospect who does have a chance to crack the Blackhawks’ lineup out of camp is Frank Nazar. At the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase, Nazar did his part to show he belonged in that conversation and was the Blackhawks’ best player over the two games. He was constantly around the puck, created quality chances for himself and his teammates and made plays in all zones. He finished with a goal and two assists. We’ll now see where he takes that. —Scott Powers
Zack Bolduc, LW/RW, Blues: The 2021 first-round pick ended his rookie season with a bang, scoring three goals in the final five games of 2023-24 with the Blues. He realizes that’s long forgotten and that he’ll be starting from scratch when training camp opens, and he played like he has a lot to prove. He wore the “C” for the Blues and was their best player, showing a lot of poise and improved puck protection, which is an area he worked on this summer. He punctuated his performance with a highlight-reel goal in Sunday’s 6-2 win over Minnesota. —Jeremy Rutherford
Prospect Tournament (Red Wings, Stars)
Nate Danielson, C, Red Wings: The Traverse City “tournament” this year was really just a two-game set between Detroit and Dallas, of which Detroit won both games largely on the strength of players who were already pros last year. But one notable exception was Danielson, whose skating and playmaking really stood out, particularly in the second game of the weekend. In the end, he finished with just one assist in two games, but he created a significant number of chances for himself and his teammates. The Red Wings will of course want to see that turn into more point production, and that’s been a trend for him the last couple seasons, but his impact on the game was still clear. He’ll be of considerable interest this preseason, after a strong exhibition showing for Detroit last fall. —Max Bultman
Prospect Showdown (Canadiens, Maple Leafs)
Lane Hutson, LHD, Canadiens: Hutson dazzled the sold-out Bell Centre crowd on back-to-back days with his shiftiness, elusiveness, passing and dancing on the blue line. He came exactly as advertised and no one on either team stood out more than him over two games. It wasn’t even close. Now comes the tricky part: winning a job with the Canadiens out of training camp. Breaking the ankles of guys heading to the AHL or back to junior is one thing; making those same plays against the best players in the world is something entirely different. But what Hutson showed in these two games was his unique talent. No one currently in the NHL plays the game quite like he does.
Easton Cowan, LW, Maple Leafs: Cowan has lots of skill, but that’s not what made him stand out in Montreal. It was the pro habits, the proper positioning, the good stick, time after time, shift after shift, with remarkable consistency. He made the plays that needed to be made, even if they were as boring as a dump-in to complete a change. One example: While killing a penalty in the second game of the series, Cowan was skating toward a loose puck near the Maple Leafs blue line with Canadiens defenseman Logan Mailloux giving chase to try and keep it in the offensive zone. Mailloux lowered his stick onto Cowan’s, hoping to muscle him off and get the puck. Cowan fought through it and got the puck out anyway, despite giving up about four inches and 30 pounds to Mailloux. He did stuff like this constantly. The skill is good, but it’s the pro details that pop, especially in an environment like this.
Rookie Series (Rangers, Flyers)
Matvei Michkov, RW, Flyers: Flyers fans who made the approximate 90-minute drive north to see the prized rookie’s first game in an orange sweater did not leave disappointed. Michkov was a level above everyone on the ice in terms of skills with the puck and his playmaking, including a power play goal on Friday (he did not play on Saturday). Michkov got better as the game went along, too, culminating in a third period in which he seemed to do something notable on every shift — even attempting an “alley-oop” with 2024 Flyers first-round pick Jett Luchenko. He’ll have a head of steam heading into main training camp later this week.
Brett Berard, LW, Rangers: The two-game series didn’t end well for Berard, who was tossed in the second period on Saturday for spearing fourth-liner Sawyer Boulton. Prior to that, though, Berard was arguably the most noticeable Rangers forward, helping to generate a power-play goal moments before he was tossed. While he still apparently has work to do when it comes to walking the line between effective pest and taking avoidable penalties — he was also called for roughing early in the first period on Saturday — the puck did seem to follow him around. —Kevin Kurz
(Top photo of Easton Cowan: David Kirouac / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
