2026 NHL Draft Thread

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Feb.18th: Ed Ta'amu was a 6'1",380lb offensive lineman in the NFL, who was selected in the 4th-round of the draft by the Minnesota Vikings. His son, "C"-rated LD Alofa Tunoa "Noa" Ta'amu (6'2",233lbs) was selected 3rd-overall by the Edmonton Oil Kings in the 2023 WHL US Prospects Draft, and is currently sitting at 9 points (57 PIM) in 48 games. Ta'amu helped Team USA to win the Gold Medal in last summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup, posting an assist, while tying for the team-lead, with a +4. Central Scouting puts him as the #94 North American Skater on their Mid-Term List.

His offensive numbers are paltry, but there's a reason as to why he was selected so early in that draft- he's physically intimidating, a stalwart shutdown defender, and a calming presence on the blueline for a team that sits in 6th-place in the WHL. Ta'amu is a standout in defending the rush, keeping tight gaps and forcing attackers to the outside- he never gives up the middle of the ice, and wins most puck-battles. His defensive awareness is high-end, making his positioning almost infallible, and though he has been criticized for inconsistencies in his aggression and intensity at times, he seems to physically separate his man from the puck at an unusually high rate. He casts a wide range with a long reach, and wields a well-timed, active stick to disrupt plays. It is impossible to overpower him in a net-front battle, and he imposes his will along the boards, tossing carcasses along the way. The rest of his game is quite simple, and devoid of any flash and dash, but he scans well to make the right play in retrievals, and is remarkably accurate and efficient in kickstarting the breakout. In the other end of the ice, he has been known to join the rush when it's safe to do so, and he will often activate into the play in search of offense. Ta'amu moves well for a big man, with fluidity and smooth mechanics, but his overall speed and agility are in need of improvement going forward. He could be picked as high as the second, or third-round in my opinion, but I can't see him making it past the fourth.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Feb.18th: In 2024-25, then-seventeen year-old LD Yaroslav Matyev (6'5",220lbs) played the 11th-most games in the KHL all-time by a U-17 player (no points, and a -2 in 19 games) for Amur Khabarovsk. His MHL team from this season and last, Amurskie Tigry Khabarovsk, is a very poor team, sitting 7th in the 11-team Western Conference-Silver Division, so his offensive output this year of 12 points in 47 games is hard to judge one way or another- but it's safe to say that he'll never be a big points-producer. He is highly thought of though, and Central Scouting has him as #42 on their list of European Skaters in their Mid-Term Rankings.

Matyev skates very well for a player his size, with solid mobility in all directions, which gives him proficiency in matching the footwork of oncoming attackers when defending the rush. He exerts enormous range with an active stick to make stops, which makes it a daunting task to get past him. Matyev looks like a man among boys in the MHL, dominating physically with his size and strength, and intimidating with his willingness to throw his considerable weight around. There's no getting near the net when Matyev is patrolling the ice, as he keeps attackers boxed out from the net effectively, but gives those who go there a rough ride. He is a willing shot-blocker with strong defensive awareness who shuts down lanes, picks off passes, and identifies secondary threats. A physical workhorse, he is capable of logging big minutes, and is often deployed in a shut-down role to subdue the opposition's top-players. He has the footspeed to skate the puck out of the zone through exit and entry, showing solid protection ability, but his puck-skills are said to be in need of improvement, as his breakout passes are hit-and-miss. In the other end of the ice, Matyev is active in pinching in to the play and joining the rush, and he owns a rocket of a shot; there are plenty of scouts who believe that there is offensive potential there, if he can improve his play with the puck. Look for him in the third, or fourth-round.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Feb.18th: Swiss-born RW/C Fabrice Bouvard (6'0.25",185lbs) was given a "W" as a player to watch for the 2026 Draft, but he certainly made an impression in the Hlinka as Team Switzerland's top-scorer, with 5 points in 4 games- good enough for 17th in tournament scoring. He was Mr. Everything for the Swiss, performing on both sides of special teams, supplying energy and a physical presence, and doing a lot of the heavy lifting for his line; Bouvard was also the tournament leader in hits with 2.75 per game. In league play this season, he has posted 29 points in 34 games in the Swiss U21-Elit, putting him 9th in scoring by U-18 players- and he is one of only 3 U-18 players so far this season to play a game in the SL- the second-tier men's league (he has played 15 games with 3 goals). Considering that he plays in a Swiss junior league, I would have expected better numbers, but it's hard to judge. He is ranked #70 for European Skaters on their Mid-Term List.

Bouvard is a power-forward who plays a heavy game, and can set the tone of the game by dishing out big hits- he is much stronger than he looks. He intimidates on the forecheck, wins battles in the greasy areas, and can contribute in all 3 zones, in any situation- as he showed at the Hlinka. Bouvard is a speedster, who shows excellent acceleration up to a pressure-inducing top-speed that allows him to fly up the ice through transition, while connecting plays with short feeds on the go; he showed an ability to be a meaningful contributor to exits and entries at the Hlinka. Though he sees the ice well enough to make skilled passes at times, I would say most of his play-creation comes from his tunnel-vision to the net, his willingness to drive the slot, and his presence in front of the crease, which generates chances for his teammates. Bouvard is a volume-shooter, and has that goal-scorer's built-in ability to find open space in coverage, and the timing to be in the right place, at the right time, to capitalize on high-danger opportunities. He owns soft mitts in-close to beat goalies, and shows no fear in cutting inside to the slot to unleash a hard, accurate shot. Bouvard works hard on the backcheck, throws his weight around to dislodge pucks, and hunts down pucks, showing energy and reliability. Going forward, he needs work on his puck-skills, which can negatively affect his playmaking, and his consistency- which shows highs and lows, not only game-to-game, but shift-to-shift. Look for him in later rounds.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Feb.18th: While he's been branded with a "W" by Central Scouting, and may not see top-six ice in the NHL, C/RW Ryder Carey (6'0",176lbs) is a player I like. He was actually putting up respectable numbers for a mediocre North Bay Battalion squad that sits 10th, out of 20 teams in the OHL, with 8 goals and 18 points in his first 25 games- which would prorate to 43 points in 60 games. Since December 28th though, he has only produced 4 points in 20 contests, giving him 22 in 45. His decline might be because of the Battalion's acquisition of C Sebastien Gervais on January 5th, which would have pushed him down the line-up. Carey is #212 for North American Skaters on Central Scouting's Mid-Term List.

Carey models his game after Ryan O'Reilly, and he does show some parallels to the veteran center, in that he is versatile (can play all forward positions), leads by example, drags his teammates into battle, plays a detailed and reliable two-way game, and supplies a heavy style with plenty of grit and energy. Carey is a power-forward who goes to war in all of the greasy areas of the ice, but also shows some skill, with a powerful skating stride, and well-developed puckhandling that enables him to carry through transition, and beat opponents one-on-one at times. It should come as no surprise though, as he drafted 16th-overall by North Bay in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection. Like a true power-forward, he does a lot of his business in the low-slot, and is not afraid to drive the net, but also flashes high-end playmaking ability at times, with the ability to connect on dangerous passes through traffic- showing glimpses of quality vision and offensive awareness. I'm sure scouts would like to see higher numbers, with an effort towards turning those "glimpses" and "flashes" into regular occurrences. At this point, Carey is a long-shot to be drafted, but if he is- it won't be until later rounds.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Feb.18th: In early December, with injuries to their blueline, the Saskatoon Blades traded overage center Dominik Petr and a 5th-rounder to the Spokane Chiefs for winger Elias Pul, and 17 year-old LD Kaden Allan (6'2.75",185lbs). The injury bug hit him in January though, and he missed over a month of action with his new team, only playing 8 games with them to-date, picking up 1 point. While he only has 6 points through 27 games split between the two teams, Allan is the prototype for what scouts want in a two-way rearguard- one with a powerful skating stride, an ability to move the puck, and a high activity rate in the offensive zone. I wouldn't call him mean (only 6 PIM), but he's strong and physical, proficient in defending the rush, and hard to go up against in front of the net. He scans thoroughly in retrievals and evades pressure, displaying a high panic threshold, and is cool and calm in his breakout passes- even showing the smooth puck-skills to skate the puck out of the zone by himself on occasion. In the offensive zone, he will activate when the opportunity presents itself, and he has an absolute cannon of a shot. Allan is in danger of being skipped over in this summer's draft, and wasn't even raked by Central Scouting in their Mid-Term Rankings, but if he does get picked- it won't be until later rounds.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Feb.18th: "C"-rated LW Jordan Duguay (5'10.25",174lbs) has seen more than his fair share of criticism from scouts over the past few years, with many saying that his game won't translate, that he lacks any separating NHL-traits, he shrinks in physical games, he's not fast enough for a small player, and the list goes on. It's true that he's another player that fits the adage of one who is good at everything, but not elite in any one area, and that he lacks dynamic skill- which are not things you want to hear about a smaller player. Duguay had an excellent D-minus-1 year in 2024-25, putting up 32 points in 68 games, and he has followed that up in the current campaign by placing 3rd in scoring for the Portland Winterhawks, with 19 goals and 53 points in 54 games. The 'Hawks are 10th in goals-for right now, but they sit 13th in the WHL Standings, out of 23 teams. Duguay is #73 for North American Skaters, as per Central Scouting, in their Mid-Term Rankings.

While he needs upgrades to his top-speed and pace with the puck, Duguay is clearly a high-IQ player with offensive awareness, and well-developed puck-skill, who tilts the ice in his team's favor. He is a gifted playmaker who can find teammates in high-danger areas, through the smallest of open seams in coverage, while under duress. Skating with his head up to scan, he reads the ice at an advanced level, processes quickly, and makes deceptive maneuvers and fakes to shift defenses, or he delays to draw pressure, in order to pry open lanes in traffic. His passing skill contains a soft-touch and pinpoint placement, with the skill to connect on saucers over sticks, slips through triangles, or backhands behind defenders. He can get the puck cross-ice through traffic, or low-to-high from behind the net- Duguay's vision is elite. Obviously, he's a pass-first player, and while I wouldn't classify his shot as being particularly threatening, he has managed to rack up 19 tallies already- this is mostly due to his ability to seek out open space off-puck to strike at just the right time, as well as his smooth, quick hands. He is fearless in charging the net, and can be a dangerous net-front inhabitant. There's a bit of a chip on his shoulder too, and he battles hard in the trenches to win pucks for his team; a pesky, annoying presence, he brings energy, motor, and compete, with a solid 200-ft game. Duguay's ability to outthink opponents comes in handy in defensive situations, making him properly positioned most of the time, and he brings his high-battle level to confrontations along the walls, and in the corners. Look for him in the middle-rounds.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Feb.18th: In the first few months of the season, the "Brown-Brown-Duguay" line in Portland consisted of Jordan Duguay, 19 year-old Nathan Brown, and "C"-rated LHC Reed Brown (5'10.5",161lbs), who produced 11 goals and 18 points in his first 26 games. It seems that the native of Tempe, Arizona is mostly playing on the third-line these days with fellow-American Jake Gustafson, and as a result- he has only been able to muster 8 points in his last 22 games, for 26 points (15 goals) in 48 contests. Brown was drafted by the Wheat Kings with the 6th-overall pick in the 2023 WHL US Prospects Draft, but was acquired by the Winterhawks in June of 2024. He is #167 for North American Skaters on Central Scouting's Mid-Term List.

Brown has plenty of assets that most would want to see in a top-six C, except for ideal size; he plays a very projectable, straightforward, and simple game, with contributions in all three zones, and in any situation. There is no issues in regards to his effort and engagement- he brings relentless energy to his team, and is aggressive and physical, as well as strong on the puck, but desperately needs to bulk up and get stronger in order to win more battles. Even still, he plays a heavy game, and is unafraid of competing in the dirty areas of the ice. Brown in known for his near-elite skating, which includes explosiveness in his start-up and acceleration, a blinding top-speed, and effortless agility on his edges that allows him to sidestep checks, change direction expeditiously, and pivot on a dime. It also makes him hard to deal with when he's streaking in on the forecheck. With his reliable handling and protection skill at top-speed, he is an able contributor to his team's transition, and a major factor in controlled exits and entries for his line. His offensive awareness and IQ are strong, with the vision to pull off some high-end plays at times, but his profile is that of a goal-scorer, and he has always had more goals than assists at every level of hockey he's played. Brown has a shooter's eye for open lanes, and understands how to make his own space, but is also unafraid to go to the net, or to plant himself in front of the goalie to finish. Even with some high-end skills, he keeps things relatively simple and devoid of flashiness. Brown works hard on the backcheck, wielding his high-end motor to be a constant nuisance, taking away space and time, while acting as a disruptive force- and doing so in all three zones. Look for him in the later-rounds.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Feb.18th: The powerhouse Brantford Bulldogs were loading up for their Memorial Cup bid when they traded LHC Layne Gallacher and four draft picks to the Guelph Storm in exchange for Flyers first-rounder Jett Luchanko, on Nov.4th. It was good news as far as I was concerned, for a player I really like in the "C"-rated Gallacher, who is listed as being 5'11" on some sites, but is actually 6'1",180lbs. My hopes were that Gallacher, who was injured in mid-November and returned in the new year, would hopefully get a legitimate chance to showcase himself for the 2026 Draft, with more ice-time and responsibility. Before the trade, as the Bulldogs' third-line C, he posted 5 goals and 12 points in 21 games, which prorates to 33 points in 57 games, but he started the season with 8 points in 10 games (with a +7). With the Guelph Storm, who are in 13th-place, he has only managed to contribute 10 points in 17 games. Central Scouting has him as the #62 North American Skater in their Mid-Term List, which shows how well he is thought of in the scouting world.

Gallacher is a player I like, and one who I feel has been severely underrated. While he has only accrued 4 PIM so far this season, Gallacher is a power-forward with a gritty physical game, and competes hard in the greasy areas for pucks, with a disruptive forechecking game. He is unafraid of driving the middle, or parking himself in front of the net to battle for position, screen the goalie, or pounce on rebounds- he exhibits a high compete level, with a relentless work-ethic. Gallacher is intense, wielding overwhelming motor to outwork larger opponents in puck-battles, and throws hits aplenty to keep the enemy team off-balance. With a powerful skating stride, he accelerates quickly up to an excellent top-speed that allows him to win races to loose pucks, separate in open-ice, and push defenders back on their heels when blazing through the neutral zone in transition. He handles and protects reliably too, giving him the ability to weave through traffic, and to drive the net with the puck; he scored the game-winning goal for Team West at the OHL Top Prospects Game in this manner. You wouldn't know it from his stats, but Gallacher has high-end IQ and hockey sense, which makes him able to anticipate the play in front of him, in order to be a few steps ahead of the opposition. His offensive game is well-balanced between his finishing touch, and his heads-up playmaking skills; he can finish in-tight with his soft hands, locate open pockets of space off-puck in high-danger to make himself available for the pass, and he can also pull off some slick seeing-eye dish-offs to teammates in traffic. Most of the time though, he keeps his feeds relatively safe and simple, as well as short-range- but there are flashes of higher-end playmaking potential. Gallacher is quite reliable defensively, and works as hard on the backcheck as he does on the forecheck, displaying his usual intensity while also bringing his heavy game. Look for him in the top-96.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Feb.18th: RHC Caden Harvey (6'0.5",183lbs) looks like another American kid who has been relegated to a depth position on a deep and talented Canadian team, mostly deployed in a third-line role for the Windsor Spitfires- who are 6th in the OHL, and 3rd in goals-for. Reports are that he was tried on the top-line while Liam Greentree was away at World Juniors camp, but it didn't even last a full game. Harvey has the toolkit, but suffers from inconsistency, low pace, and an inability to put it all together on a nightly basis, with some saying he struggles with his identity on the ice. He is blessed with an athletic frame, a powerful stride, and exhibits flashes of high-end processing, vision, and playmaking prowess. His shot could use more power, but he owns soft hands around the net. Like the rest of his game, his physical engagement has ebbs and flows, but he sometimes looks like a power-forward with a high battle-level- too often though, his intensity and workrate are not there. Only 8 goals and 25 points in 55 games this season in the OHL, after playing a checking role for Team USA in this past summer's Hlinka, where he posted 2 goals in 5 games. Playing at a more up-tempo pace is a big need. Central Scouting put him at #178 for North American Skaters in their Mid-Term Rankings, and I think he'll be taken in the late-rounds of this summer's Draft.

[fotze2]

I like no draft because it gives players some autonomy, but we know would be getting the big guys year after year. I guess it incentivizes being better and offering better whole packages. In my dad's era, there was no draft, you just were owned outright by the junior team you played. He was owned by Boston with no recourse because he played with Barrie Flyers and they were c-words. Was brutal and why he quit hockey.

[Ba'alzamon]

^ I watched Gallacher quite a bit earlier this season and am astounded he only has four PIMs lol.

He's very Ridly Greig.

[Sandman]

The WHL had their Prospects Game tonight, featuring 44 draft-eligible players divided between two teams- Team East vs. Team West.

Team East won, by a score of 5-4, but D Carson Carels assisted on all 4 goals for the West.

There was also 2 fights: Noa Ta'amu vs. Sean Burick, and Dylan Dean vs. Joe Iginla.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Feb.19th: The Guelph Storm are 13th, out of 20 teams in the OHL so far this season, and they are 11th in goals-scored, with a fairly deep blueline brigade with the likes of Rylan Singh, Quinn Beauchesne, Noah Jenken, Grant Spada, and Rowan Topp. That made it even more impressive that 17 year-old, "C"-rated draft-eligible LD Eric Frossard (6'5.5",206lbs) saw some top-line duty on a pairing with Singh, due to injuries to their D-corps in December. Scouts have been promising a Frossard offensive-breakout all season, and that looked like it might be the start of it, with 2 points in a 3-game stretch, but it wasn't to be. He has missed 14 games so far this season to injuries, but has also sat out with a one-game suspension for high-sticking in November, and a two-game suspension for cross-checking in early-January. The end result is a rather disappointing 8 points in 37 games (35 PIM), which puts him as #151 on Central Scouting's list of North American Skaters.

Other than his gargantuan size, Frossard's best asset is his surprising mobility in all directions- which aids him in mirroring his opponents' footwork against the rush, surfing across the ice to close gaps, making stops with physicality, beating attackers in retrievals, and moving the puck out of the zone with calmness and poise- there's big value in a blueliner who can perform these tasks so smoothly, and on a regular basis. Frossard manages to keep his PIM down, while still plying a physical game with a mean edge to punish opponents, and dislodge pucks- he stays in control when throwing a hit, and steps up with immaculate timing. With his long winspan, maneuverability, and active stick, he exerts enormous range- making him very hard to get past, essentially cutting off massive swaths of ice to enemy incursions. He also defends his net with snarl. He mostly makes smooth first-passes, and can stretch the ice with some longer breakouts, with no fear of joining the rush- and he even owns some deception and one-on-one skills in transition. When the play is installed in the offensive zone, he is a capable quarterback from the line with a hard and heavy shot, and will activate into the play for chances; there is big upside in his offensive ability, with not much of an opportunity in Guelph to grow his game. There are upgrades needed to his puck-skill, as he sometimes has problems with puck-receptions while in-flight, and has issues in exacting his best playmaking ideas. Look for him in the mid-to-late rounds, but he might be a steal.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Feb.19th: In the first 37 games of the season, "C"-rated RW Joe Iginla (5'10",174lbs) was used by the Edmonton Oil Kings in all situations, with his ice-time and linemates varying, depending on the opponent; he played on each of the top-three lines, played both center or wing, and contributed to both sides of special teams. He was 8th in team scoring with 21 points (11 goals) in 32 games mid-way through December, prorated to 44 points in 68 games, but was actually held pointless in his last 7 games in Edmonton, before an early-January trade that sent him to the Vancouver Giants. Iggy suffered an upper-body injury early in his career with the Giants that kept him out of some games, but he has only managed 3 points in 9 games so far with his new team, for a grand-total of 24 points (12 goals) in 46 games on the season. Thankfully, he is quite young, with an August 13th, 2008 birthday, and has plenty of runway to develop. The youngest Iginla was drafted in the first-round of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft by the Oil Kings, with the 12th-overall pick, but Central Scouting has pegged him #124 for North American Skaters in their Mid-Term Rankings.

Iggy started the season with 10 points in his first 11 games, but only has 4 points in his last 25- there are many who are still waiting for him to break out offensively. When he's on his game, he's a pretty well-rounded, all-around player with pro-style habits, who is known to be a very good defensive forward, and can be a pesky, grinding presence with tenacity and physicality- despite his smaller frame. He may not be a speed merchant, but he skates well enough with agility and evasiveness, shows proficiency in protecting the puck, and owns some deft one-on-one skills in the form of dekes and dangles, but he seems especially adept in finding space in traffic to unleash his hard and heavy shot. There is no fear of competing in the hard areas of the ice, and he will go to the net for chances in-tight, with soft hands to beat goalies; he is known to be a hard-working, high-motor player. In February's WHL Top Prospects Game, featuring 44 draft-eligibles split between two teams, Iggy's main contribution (other than 4 shots) was a fight against former Oil Kings' teammate Dylan Dean- which shows his heart and toughness. Iggy is hard on the puck, and wins battles along the wall, but needs to improve his pace in possession, and his consistency of intensity. Though he exhibits good hockey sense and vision, and flashes high levels of creativity, he's not known to be a playmaker- more of a shooter and finisher, with a heavy shot-volume. Older brother Tij was a bit of a late-bloomer, and had a big growth spurt leading up to his draft, so here's hoping for more of the same for Joe. With his name alone, I wouldn't be surprised if he was picked in the third, or fourth-round this summer.

[UK flame]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Draft Thoughts:

Feb.19th: In the first 37 games of the season, "C"-rated RW Joe Iginla (5'10",174lbs) was used by the Edmonton Oil Kings in all situations, with his ice-time and linemates varying, depending on the opponent; he played on each of the top-three lines, played both center or wing, and contributed to both sides of special teams. He was 8th in team scoring with 21 points (11 goals) in 32 games mid-way through December, prorated to 44 points in 68 games, but was actually held pointless in his last 7 games in Edmonton, before an early-January trade that sent him to the Vancouver Giants. Iggy suffered an upper-body injury early in his career with the Giants that kept him out of some games, but he has only managed 3 points in 9 games so far with his new team, for a grand-total of 24 points (12 goals) in 46 games on the season. Thankfully, he is quite young, with an August 13th, 2008 birthday, and has plenty of runway to develop. The youngest Iginla was drafted in the first-round of the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft by the Oil Kings, with the 12th-overall pick, but Central Scouting has pegged him #124 for North American Skaters in their Mid-Term Rankings.

Iggy started the season with 10 points in his first 11 games, but only has 4 points in his last 25- there are many who are still waiting for him to break out offensively. When he's on his game, he's a pretty well-rounded, all-around player with pro-style habits, who is known to be a very good defensive forward, and can be a pesky, grinding presence with tenacity and physicality- despite his smaller frame. He may not be a speed merchant, but he skates well enough with agility and evasiveness, shows proficiency in protecting the puck, and owns some deft one-on-one skills in the form of dekes and dangles, but he seems especially adept in finding space in traffic to unleash his hard and heavy shot. There is no fear of competing in the hard areas of the ice, and he will go to the net for chances in-tight, with soft hands to beat goalies; he is known to be a hard-working, high-motor player. In February's WHL Top Prospects Game, featuring 44 draft-eligibles split between two teams, Iggy's main contribution (other than 4 shots) was a fight against former Oil Kings' teammate Dylan Dean- which shows his heart and toughness. Iggy is hard on the puck, and wins battles along the wall, but needs to improve his pace in possession, and his consistency of intensity. Though he exhibits good hockey sense and vision, and flashes high levels of creativity, he's not known to be a playmaker- more of a shooter and finisher, with a heavy shot-volume. Older brother Tij was a bit of a late-bloomer, and had a big growth spurt leading up to his draft, so here's hoping for more of the same for Joe. With his name alone, I wouldn't be surprised if he was picked in the third, or fourth-round this summer.

Would love to see him picked up in 3rd or 4th round for flames, just feels like it would be right to have an Iginla on the flames, and would come with way less pressure than if the flames had ended up with Tij too. Do like the thought of him being a late bloomer too... bring him home!

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Feb.19th: "C"-rated RD Jiri Kamas (6'1.25",187lbs) had scouts excited coming in to the season, especially with his standout performance in the summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he led the Czechs in goal-scoring (3 goals in 4 games), while displaying his mature two-way game, and his mobility. His showing in that tournament came after he was selected in the second-round of the 2025 CHL Import Draft, at 62nd-overall, by the Penticton Vees. Unfortunately for Kamas, the Vees are one of the WHL's best teams, and have a deep enough blueline that he was often used as a third-pairing/rotation player at first, but he earned a regular role as he became more used to his new surroundings, and was even given a few cups of tea on the second, and first-pairing. By the time he was dealt to the Red Deer Rebels in early-January at the trade-deadline (for fellow Czech Samuel Drancak), he had posted respectable totals of 2 goals and 9 points in 22 tilts with the Vees, but the Rebels are in the other end of the spectrum from Penticton, sitting 19th- out of 23 teams, with the 4th-worst goals-for, meaning that offense has been harder to come by. In 18 games with his new team, Kamas has only put up 3 points, for a total of 12 points in 40 contests. Central Scouting ranks him #128 on their list of North American Skaters in their Mid-Terms.

At the time of the trade, Kamas was still getting acclimated to playing in North America, but he is steadily improving his defensive details, and decision-making with the puck. Even so, his game is still quite raw and inconsistent in all areas, and his projection is mostly tools-based, with more "potential" and "growth", than "finished product" in his profile. He owns excellent mobility in all directions, and though he could perhaps use an upgrade to his explosiveness, he possesses a separating top-gear, a fairly rapid acceleration rate, and nimble edges for extra agility. While he sometimes overcommits, he closes gaps quickly on the rush with solid angling and an active stick, often punctuating the stop with a stiff bodycheck; he can play a physical game, but sometimes seems to pass-up finishing his hits. His habits and details still need work as well, but his mobility and awareness help him in taking time and space away from attackers in-zone, and to his credit- he is a willing shot-blocker. He sees the ice well and makes sound reads to make stops, then completes poised and calm plays to get pucks moving in the other direction, but like many areas of his game, he has shown some inconsistency in this area; his decision-making still needs some refinement, and he can be harassed into making errors. In the other end of the ice, one of Kamas' top assets is his cannon of a shot that he can pick corners with, and can get on net through traffic consistently. He is a high-volume shooter, which creates opportunities for his teammates in the form of tips and rebounds, but he's also a capable distributor, and can run a powerplay. Based on his tools and potential, he will still be drafted- but not until the mid-to-late rounds.

[Bingo]

Interesting to see Wiebe appearing in Flames prospect lists.

Could be a little more value there than expected.

https://twitter.com/user/status/2024157550657036337

[Tkachukwagon]

Originally Posted by Sandman

The WHL had their Prospects Game tonight, featuring 44 draft-eligible players divided between two teams- Team East vs. Team West.

Team East won, by a score of 5-4, but D Carson Carels assisted on all 4 goals for the West.

There was also 2 fights: Noa Ta'amu vs. Sean Burick, and Dylan Dean vs. Joe Iginla.

Sounds like Carels and Rudolph stood out

https://twitter.com/user/status/2024360408560042252

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Tkachukwagon

Sounds like Carels and Rudolph stood out

https://twitter.com/user/status/2024360408560042252

My boy Tyus Sparks had 2 goals, and another favourite of mine, Cooper Williams, had 2 assists for the other side.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Bingo

Interesting to see Wiebe appearing in Flames prospect lists.

Could be a little more value there than expected.

https://twitter.com/user/status/2024157550657036337

Calgary Flames scouting staff strikes again!!!!