I think Malhotra will be ranked top five rather unanimously by the end of the season. He keeps rising up the rankings, and I don’t think that’s going to stop. Yes, he plays on a stacked Bulldogs team, but he’s their leading scorer as a 17 year old.
Wouldn’t be upset at all if he ended up a Flame
Would it be crazy that if Malhotra ends up ranked in the top 5 that maybe the Canucks pick him at #3 or #4? His dad was a Canuck for a few seasons and is now the head coach of their AHL team in Abbotsford.
Jan.13th: LD William Hakansson (6'4.5",207lbs) was rated a "B" by Central Scouting in their Preliminary Rankings, but he seems to be firmly entrenched in the first-round on most people's lists- despite some ups and downs in the most recent World Juniors, where he picked up 2 points in 7 games in limited minutes. In their Mid-Term Rankings, he appears as their # 9 European Skater- 1 spot behind fellow-Swedish defenseman Malte Gustafsson. In league play this season, Hakansson (who is an older draft-eligible, with an Oct.8th-birthday) has played most of his games in the SHL, with 2 points in 22 games with fairly decent ice-time and responsibility for a youngster, although his TOI has steadily declined recently. He also put up 4 points (36 PIM) in 6 U20 games with Lulea. With 22 points in 42 games in the U20 last season, I have to wonder if his offense is being underrated- those numbers tie him for 54th all-time in scoring by U-18 defensemen. Those stats were also good enough for 26th-overall in U20 league scoring by defensemen in the 2024-25 season, and 6th for U-18 defensemen- tied with Theodor Hallquith (Minnesota), and ahead of Liam Pettersen (Boston), Felix Farhammar (NYR), and Zeb Lindgren (NYR). Unfortunately, his on-puck game against higher levels of competition lacks the same kind of poise and confidence, and he doesn't possess the strength needed to consistently handle older players physically right now.
Hakansson displays excellent mobility on a long, galloping stride, with outstanding edges that allow him to pivot on a dime, change direction and pace quickly, and transition seamlessly. As he gets stronger, his explosiveness and top speed will be much less deficient, but his mechanics look smooth and projectable. He plays a hard and heavy style, laced with high-end compete and undying motor, with an already well-developed defensive game, and an ability to log big minutes in any situation- although he was only used at 5-on-5 in the SHL. With his mobilty, enormous range, an active stick, and intimidating physicality, he is proficient at killing the rush, and does a good job of denying incursions to the middle, and defending his net. His anticipation, details, and awareness are heightened in his own-zone, making him always well-positioned to make stops, and highly disruptive to enemy puck-movement; scouts would like to see more aggression and urgency, though. Hakansson's underlying possession metrics paint a picture of a player who tilts the ice for his team, showing a high number of recoveries defensively, with efficiency in moving the puck out of the zone, solid puck-management, and a high rate of accuracy in his passes through transition. While he exhibits poise and calmness in his puck-movement in junior, and is able to stretch the ice a little more with some long-range outlets, he plays it more safe and careful in the SHL, and isn't as confident with the puck- at least, not yet. Once installed in the offensive zone, Hakansson walks the line with a keen understanding of how to open lanes, and flashes higher levels of vision and IQ in his playmaking- he's a little more raw in this end of the ice. He will join the rush, sometimes leading it with his carrying ability, and will pinch in deep in an effort to create opportunities; he owns a good shot that he gets on-net with fairly good frequency, but doesn't unleash it enough, and mostly uses it as a playmaking tool. Hakansson's NHL-projection is a bit murky, with some saying that he's a bottom-pairing shutdown defender, and others saying that he will make a nice #4, but I believe there's a chance he could be a steal.
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Jan.14th: LD Vertti Svensk (6'0",165lbs) was given a "W" by Central Scouting in their Preliminary Rankings, but that grade is sure to change as the season wears on; there are some who have him in the first-round. In their Mid-Term Rankings, CS ranked him as the #84 European Skater. Svensk has turned heads with his skating, which is elite- he is probably the fastest player in this draft in all four directions. He is very offensive-minded, and able to be as active in the zone as he wants, with the ability to come back quickly in a defensive mode without missing a beat. Though he's an older player by draft standards (with a Nov.9th birthday) his numbers in the U20 league are certainly eye-catching, with 21 points in 25 games, to go with 64 PIM. Those numbers earned him 1 game in the second-tier Mestis (no points), as well as 15 games in the SHL (1 assist), and while he has been given good grades for his play against men, his flaws are also amplified in the pro-leagues. While he's not a stalwart defensively, and can be prone to making mistakes with the puck (or throwing it away), these issues look much worse against older competition, and have brought up questions about his hockey-sense and overall decision-making. In junior, he's a transition ace with his overwhelming speed and well-developed puck-skill, very aggressive in the offensive zone, and looks good against the rush with his slick backwards skating and ability to mirror oncoming attackers' footwork. He battles hard for loose pucks, and plays a fiery physical game, but his lack of size and strength hurts him in this area- even against juniors. His offensive instincts and playmaking ability are outstanding, but there will be questions as to how translatable they are. At the very least, Svensk will need a longer runway, but he has a very good base to build on. Exciting prospect, but there's plenty of questions.
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Jan.11th: Another casualty of the CHL Trade Deadline was "C"-rated LW/C Jean Cristoph-Lemieux (5'11.25",190lbs), although in his case- it was more of a liberation. Many who have watched him have wondered what he would look like if he was given more ice-time and responsibility away from the team that drafted him in the second-round (22nd-overall) of the 2024 OHL Priority Selection- the Windsor Spitfires, who have been using him in their middle-six. The 'Spits are 4th in the OHL, and boast a talent-laden lineup, which has made it difficult for JCL to get offensive opportunities, but he managed to put up 10 goals and 18 points in 33 games, before being moved on January 5th (along with 8 draft-picks) to the Sudbury Wolves in exchange for gritty veterans Nathan Villeneuve and Alex Pharand. The trade meant more ice-time and responsibility for him, and he has responded in a big way, with 3 goals and 5 points in 3 games with the Wolves. He has largely been pigeonholed into being more of a defensive performer, and it was more of the same for Team Canada in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where was used on the 4th-line in 4 games, producing 1 assist (and a +3), but being quite noticeable every time he stepped out on to the ice.
Jean Cristoph "JC" Lemieux (who is quite young, with a June 19th birthday) is one of the most relentlessly hard-working players in this draft-class, exhibiting endless motor, tireless hustle, and indomitable intensity, and though he isn't huge, he throws his weight around with reckless abandon, keeping his feet in constant motion while moving from hit-to-hit. With high-end compete, breakneck pace, and exorbitant energy, he plays a pesky, agitating style to keep attackers off-balance, apply overwhelming pressure, and drive opponents crazy with frustration. He's not tall, but solidly built, and can dish out bonecrushing hits along the wall or in open-ice, while launching himself into puck-battles- where he wins more than his fair share of pucks. Already defensively responsible, he is adept at breaking-up plays by removing time and space from the opposing team's top-players, and forces them to look over their shoulder, as he plays on the edge, pursues pucks like a dog-on-a-bone, and has a bit of a mean streak. Of course, the same style is present when JC is on the forecheck- he never gives up on a play, and shows his high-end aggressiveness, physicality, and combative drive when pressuring the puck-carrier. He is not without skill though, as he handles well, and is an excellent skater with separating speed, as well as strong edges for extra agility to weave in-and-out of traffic. He has shown well-developed passing skill, and flashes of quality play-creation, but I would say most of his offensive generation comes from the way he funnels pucks to the net with his high shot-volume; he owns a wicked wrister with a paralyzing release that can fool goalies, a knowledge of how to use screens to his advantage, the knack for finding open space, and a nose for the net. I'm waiting to see if he can keep up the scoring pace with Sudbury before I comment on his ceiling, but he has a pretty high floor in my opinion, due to his robust physicality, PK aptitude, and checking skills.
If JC can walk on water, I’m in.
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Jan.14th: Tuomas Uronen's brother, LD Eelis Uronen, was measured by Central Scouting to be 5'11.75, 195lbs, but most outlets have him at 6'1". With the absences of Juho Piiparainen and Sam Alauri at November's 5 Nations, Uronen was given an elevated role, and was even named Captain of the team; he responded admirably, with 4 points in 4 games, and was a tournament standout. He was also named Captain of Team Finland in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, but was only able to muster 1 assist in 5 games, en route to a 4th-place finish after losing to Team Canada in the Bronze-Medal Game. Uronen is competitive, fiery, and intense, and can play a physical brand of shutdown hockey with aptitude in defending the rush. He moves the puck well, owns smooth puck-skill, and despite possessing average-ish speed, he showed in the 5 Nations that he carry the puck himself through exit and entry, and is capable of running his team's offense from the line- he can also activate intelligently in search of offense. He played top-pairing there, and was a minute-muncher. Back home, he has been cast in more of a dependable stay-at-home presence, and has shown proficiency in his retrievals and puck-movement in breakouts. With only 6 points in 18 U20 games with HIFK, his NHL future is cloudy, but he has already earned 2 games in the Liiga with over 15 minutes in each contest- fairly good TOI for a youngster. Unfortunately, he hasn't played a game since the end of November, as he is out with an injury.
Jan.14th: Eelis Uronen's twin brother, LHC Anttoni (listed at 6'0.25",191lbs by Central Scouting), may have a murky path to the NHL as well, but I like him. To date, he has 5 goals and 10 points in 13 U20 games with HIFK, which has earned him 9 games in the Liiga (1 assist) with fourth-line ice-time. HIFK's U20 squad is quite weak though, sitting 14th out of 18 teams, although they're 7th in goals-for. In this past summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Uronen had a limited role for Team Finland with checking duties, and was only able to produce 1 assist in 5 games. Like his brother, Anttoni is fiery, intense, and physical, and can play a grinding defensive game with solid details- his 35 PIM attests to his rather surly demeanor. He skates and handles well, but plays a simple and straight-ahead game that's devoid of any flashiness or dynamism. He is considered to be a solid playmaker with a high IQ who sees the ice well, but he also has a nose for the net, with the hands to score in-tight, and the grit to drive the crease. All of the above, plus his relentless motor and work-ethic, make me believe that he could make a good bottom-six performer in the show- or maybe a top-six scorer in the Liiga. Worth a late-round pick though, in my opinion.
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Would it be crazy that if Malhotra ends up ranked in the top 5 that maybe the Canucks pick him at #3 or #4? His dad was a Canuck for a few seasons and is now the head coach of their AHL team in Abbotsford.
That’s a possibility for sure, but I don’t know how much that plays into things. I think NHL teams pick best player available.
For me, he’s top 5 for sure at this moment. Kid is an electric factory. He’s damn good.
Long time until the draft, but I feel he’s exactly what we need
Last edited by sch19lks; 01-14-2026 at 06:55 AM.
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Would it be crazy that if Malhotra ends up ranked in the top 5 that maybe the Canucks pick him at #3 or #4? His dad was a Canuck for a few seasons and is now the head coach of their AHL team in Abbotsford.
Canucks can't pick later than 3rd (they are going go finish last) and that may be a bit of a reach for him but they are similar to the Flames in that they lack organizational depth at center so anything is possible.
Lawrence with 0 points in 3 games since he made the jump. Obviously still early but I wonder if theres a chance Malhotra ends up being the first center off the board.
I think Malhotra will be ranked top five rather unanimously by the end of the season. He keeps rising up the rankings, and I don’t think that’s going to stop. Yes, he plays on a stacked Bulldogs team, but he’s their leading scorer as a 17 year old.
Wouldn’t be upset at all if he ended up a Flame
He is their leading scorer and 3rd in the league, but is worth pointing out that a bunch of their team was at the world juniors (or hurt) so in point per game he's behind a few of them by a decent chunk
