[The Athletic] Prospects de la LNH : Connor Bedard en tête des projections des 114 meilleurs joueurs de moins de 23 ans pour 2024-25

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1. seeldoger47 15 heures ago

   **Tier 3 — All-Star**
   A top 60 player. Someone who wouldn’t be the best player on a contender, but would be an important part of any contending or championship core. A strong top-line forward, above average No. 1 defenseman, or borderline top five goalie.

   Owen Power

   >Why he’s here
   I’ve begun to feel like Power is underrated publicly. And in conversations I had for this project, that was borne out. Hockey people want to see him take charge and play with more fire. They’ve always wanted him to be more commanding on the ice. But they also have a lot of time for a 6-foot-6 D who has already played 24-25 minutes a night at 19, 20 and 21 years old. Let’s call it what it is: rare. Power’s offensive numbers haven’t popped (36 per 82 is still very respectable) but he has quietly had an excellent start to his career behind Dahlin and some I spoke to even believe he’s got a chance to play for Canada at the Olympics. He’s going to be a big-minutes D in the NHL for a long time.

   **Tier 4 — Star**
   A top 100 player. Someone who would be a strong piece within a contending or championship core, but not a go-to option. An average top-line forward, below average No. 1 defenseman, or top 10 goalie.

   Zach Benson

   >Why he’s here
   Benson’s got that dog in him. What he lacks in size he makes up for in cleverness, smarts, relentlessness and fire. He’s an extremely likable player and one the Sabres need to turn into a bona fide top-six winger. A word to the wise: Don’t bet against him.

   >I thought it was noteworthy that one scout said he believed Benson was on the cusp of the All-Star tier/moving up for him as well.

   Konsta Helenius

   >Why he’s here
   Helenius is considered one of the smartest young players in the sport, both offensively and defensively. He’s not expected to be a point-per-game type, but think some moderate version of Nick Suzuki, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Elias Lindholm or Nico Hischier if all goes well. I initially slotted him in Tier 4A before moving him down a letter grade to Tier 4B after two scouts said they might lower him a little bit.

   JJ Peterka

   >Why he’s here
   Peterka’s 28-goal, 50-point sophomore season last year makes him one of the more accomplished players on this list. He’s an up-and-down-the-lineup type who can be the third guy on a first line, the second guy on a second line or the top dog on a third line. Does he have more than 50 points in him, though? There is some question about that, and his slotting just above Support at the fringes of Star felt appropriate.

   >He’s got some proponents, though. Here was one analyst: « JJ Peterka rocks, I have him above KJ and Sennecke. More valuable winger. I think 60 points is possible. He is not going to finish at the same rate at five-on-five but his assists will go up. He was much better at generating chances for others in the AHL, which will grow with improvements in his transition play. If he gets PP1 time ever, there should be more points there too, though not super likely on that roster. 25G-35A is my best guess. »

   **Tier 5 — Support**
   A top 150 player. Someone who would offer strong support to a contending or championship core, but wouldn’t be an integral piece within it. A below-average top-line forward, a strong No. 2 defenseman, or an above average starter.

   Jiri Kulich
   >Why he’s here
   One scout said he’d move Kulich up, but the top of Star just below All-Star felt more appropriate. I can see the case if you think Kulich is going to be a premier power-play threat. He’s got one of the best one-timers outside the NHL and that weapon is complemented by a strong pro build, good puck protection skill, and an ability to play all three forward positions, which should help him find the right matches for linemates.

   Noah Ostlund
   >Why he’s here
   Ostlund’s a beautiful skater whose intelligent, committed game has made him a favorite of coaches and scouts over the years. His slight frame is a bit of a talking point but if he can get stronger, the consensus belief is he’ll have a nice NHL career. I did consider making him one of the final cuts because of the crowd of young players in Buffalo (names like Benson, Kulich, Helenius, etc., are all in front of him) but I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt because he is an equal prospect to those in this tier. I’m looking forward to watching him in the AHL this season.