2026 NHL Draft Thread

[Roko]

Originally Posted by Five-hole

Carels with our pick (assuming we're not top 2) and Lawrence with the VGK pick would be an absolute home run.

Yeah exactly. That is the best case if we miss on the lottery probably. Smits is interesting too. As is Bjorck.

Mckenna or stenberg is the lofty dream though

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Mar.23rd: No goalies made Central Scouting's "A" list, but there are a few candidates that could sneak into the first-round of the 2026 Draft if a team goes hunting for a netminder, and "B"-rated LG Harrison Boettiger is one of them. While he's usually listed at 6'3", Central Scouting measured him to be 6'1.75",189lbs. An American born in Colorado, he played this season in Kelowna of the WHL, where he recorded a 2.83 GAA (11th), and a .911 SV% (5th), on a record of 25-10-5. He played a game in each of the last 2 iterations of the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge, for Team NTDP in 2024 (0-1-0, 3.00 GAA, .921 GAA), then for Team CHL in 2025 (0-1-0, 3.07 GAA, .880 SV%); in the 2024 contest, he kept the Americans in the game despite being largely outclassed, eventually losing 3-2. He became quite familiar with being outgunned in his two seasons with the NTDP, but usually got favorable reviews for his play against College players, and USHL competition. Boettiger has been called a "big-game performer", as he has a solid mental base that keeps him competitive, as well as calm and collected, and he resets well after letting in a goal. While he is both fairly athletic and owns near-elite technical skill, it might be his ability to read the play in front of him that is his best asset, along with his hockey sense. He battles for loose pucks around the crease, and shows improving rebound-control, but isn't the best puckhandler, and can struggle a bit with heavy traffic. Even still, the speed at which he moves side-to-side, as well as up-and-down is quite well-developed, and he seals the lower part of the net off proficiently. Going forward, there is a perception that his blocker side is a bit weak. He is the 7th-ranked North American Goalie in Central Scouting's Mid-Term Rankings.m

Mar.23rd: The top goalie on many pre-draft lists is another American (born in Toronto), "B"-rated LG Brady Knowling (6'5",202lbs), who is toiling for the NTDP, posting a 10-10-0 record with a 3.75 GAA, and an .875 SV%. Some may still have his performance in the 2025 CHL-USA Top Prospects Challenge fresh in their minds from November, where he stopped 42 of 44 shots (.955 SV%) en route to a 4-2 win over Team CHL in game #1, and Player of the Game honors for Team USA. He really made a name for himself in the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup for Team USA, winning four games (with two key victories against Canada, and then Sweden in the Gold-Medal game), and sporting a 2.35 GAA, with a .914 SV%. Knowling is a huge hybrid goalie, and understands how to cut down angles and make his net look smaller by aggressively challenging shooters. He is also quite athletic and flexible, with impressive mobility around the blue paint, as well as up-and-down quickness to a set position; he is quite controlled as well, and doesn't seem to lose his net when surfing laterally. It's no surprise, but his legs are long and quick, and it's difficult to beat him low- he covers a ton of net, even when down on his knees. Knowling is blessed with mental fortitude, which he needs when playing for the NTDP, but he also exhibits competitiveness, a calm demeanor, and an ability to "shake it off" seamlessly after a goal. He also never gives up on a rebound. There is a need to tweak his explosiveness side-to-side, and his ability to track the puck with heavy traffic in-front- although he is fully capable of making clutch "desperation" stops. Knowling is the top-rated North American Goalie, according to Central Scouting in their Mid-Terms.

Mar.23rd: The Guelph Storm finished the regular season in 14th-place in the 20-team OHL, but they would be much worse-off it weren't for their #1 Goalie, "B"-rated LG Zachary Jovanovski (6'3",187lbs), who bears no relation to Ed Jovanovski. Zach was 25-20-4, with a 3.39 GAA, and an .890 SV%, which looks pretty poor, but compare those numbers to those of his back-up, Colin Ellsworth- who was 3-14-1, with a 4.30 GAA, and an .863 SV%. Jovanovski relies a lot on his positioning, technique, and size, but is also capable of making athletic saves based on pure reaction, reflexes, competitiveness, and desperation. His tracking is one of his best assets, as he can find the puck through traffic, and follows the shot in order to calculate where the rebound will be- he seems to be proficient in stopping the second and third chance. His glove-hand is another important asset, and he is mobile in his crease- he moves well laterally by exploding off of his posts, and has good control when he slides on his pads. Of course, to be designated the #1 Goalie on a team like Guelph (and own a winning record), one must be mentally tough and resilient, and Jovo seems to be a battler- he stays even-keel after giving up a goal, and comes back stronger after a bad period. Going forward, there is still a need for better rebound-control, as he throws out too many second-chance opportunities, and his puck-control is shaky at best. He is 10th for North American Netminders in Central Scouting's Mid-Term Rankings.

Mar.23rd: Drafted in the first-round (48th-overall) of the 2025 CHL Import Draft by the Drummondville Voltigeurs, "B"-rated LG Jan Larys (6'3",168lbs) was tasked with splitting netminding duties with Dayton Kitchener (another 2026 draft-eligible) for the 5th-placed team, 18 games to 15, before Kitchener was dealt to Rimouski. Through Larys' 38 appearances this season, he has posted a 2.86 GAA (T-15th), and a .908 SV% (T-10th), going 26-10-2-3. His 26 wins are 7th-overall, despite playing less games than those ahead of him. Larys has quick feet in the crease, tracks the play well through traffic, and has solid hockey sense and anticipation. His movements come with expert control- he never overcommits when going side-to-side, and doesn't lose his net when sliding. His up-and-down mobility into the butterfly might be the best in this class, as he seems to effortlessly explode back to a set position after dropping down in the butterfly, and he uses this skill to stop second and third chances. This ability is needed, as he gives a lot of rebounds, and struggles to control them. Larys has sharp reflexes, and a reliable glove hand, but doesn't come out to the top of his crease enough to challenge shooters, instead staying a bit deeper in his net. He is #4 for North American Goalies in Central Scouting's Mid-Term Rankings.

Mar.23rd: "B"-rated LG Frantisek Poletin (6'1",190lbs) is a favorite for many scouts, but his stock dropped a slight bit after he missed nearly two months of the current season due to injury; he had to work to regain his form. He finished the regular season with a 5-7-0 record in Finland's U20 League for the 2nd-placed Pelicans, with a 2.38 GAA, and a .911 SV%. While he looked quite good at the U-18 Worlds (0-2-0, with a 3.69 GAA, and a .903 SV%), he was less than stellar at the Hlinka (4.01 GAA, .875 SV%) for Team Czechia. Poletin (who is the younger brother of 2025 Islanders' 4th-rounder, Tomas Poletin) is technically and positionally sound, using his high-end play-tracking to always stay square to the puck; he plays low to see around bodies, deals well with traffic, and scans very thoroughly when the play goes behind the net. He is also quite athletic, with sharply-honed reflexes and uncommon flexibility, and speed in going post-to-post; some say that he needs work on his edges, though. He manages rebounds well, and seems to be able to corral the pucks he doesn't initially swallow up, which means he doesn't have to scramble as much as other goalies, or make as many desperation saves. Poletin seals off the bottom of the net proficiently, and flashes the pads quickly, but some think he has a bit of trouble with high shots, and his glove hand has been criticized. There is plenty of runway here though, as he's one of the youngest players available in this draft class, with a September 13, 2008 birthday. He is #5 for EU Goalies on Central Scouting's Mid-Term List.

Mar.23rd: Russian netminder, left-catching Dmitri Borichev (6'2",194lbs), has rocketed up the charts to having the honor of being selected as the #1 EU Goalie in Central Scouting's Mid-Terms, after starting the season listed him as a "W", or a player to watch for later rounds. He plays for Loko-76 Yaroslavl of the MHL, but many don't realize that it's a feeder team for Loko Yaroslavl of the same league- the team names are almost identical, but the quality of competition and ages of the "76" team are lower, because they play in what is basically a relegation division. That means that Borichev might face opponents of slightly lower quality than he would if he were on the main Loko squad. His stats are still pretty impressive for a kid born on June 19th, 2008, going 12-8-0, with a 2.25 GAA (26th), and a .929 SV% (T-15th). Those who watch him on a regular basis usually seem to have glowing reviews, and there are some who insist that he's taller than the 6'2" that he's usually listed at. While his glove hand and it's placement have been questioned, the rest of his game seems to be quite polished, with rapid (yet efficient) movement side-to-side, as well as forwards and backwards when challenging shooters, and up and down to butterfly position. He explodes off of his posts laterally, and seals them off like a brick wall. Mentally, he is always calm and poised, and has the same effect for the team in front of him; he wields solid technical skill and angling, but also owns the athleticism to scramble when the defense breaks down. There is a need to refine how he plays through screens, though. I would prefer to see what happens when he goes up against competition in higher leagues before getting too excited about this young netminder, but don't be surprised if he's picked in the top-64.

Mar.23rd: As a 17 year-old in his D-Minus-1 year, "B"-rated RG Tobias Trejbal (6'3.75",188lbs) played the 3rd-most minutes between the pipes in Czechia's U20 league (2239 in 38 games), faced the third-most shots (1151), and owned the 5th-best SV% (.930%). Though he only saw 4 games of action in their playoffs, his SV% stood up as 5th-best overall (.920%). He was drafted in the 5th-round (72nd-overall) by the Youngstown Phantoms in the 2025 USHL Entry Draft, and he has repaid them this season by posting the third-highest SV% (.915), with the best GAA (2.09), in the third-highest TOI (2396 minutes over 40 games), with a commitment to play for UMass in the 2027-28 season. Trejbal is a little older by draft standards, born on November 9th, 2007. While he already covers a ton of net, moves very quickly, and angles well, he tends to stay a little deeper in his net than he should, and doesn't come out to the top of his crease enough to challenge shooters. His post play is elite for his age group, as he seals off the net well from peripheral shots, and uses them well to explode laterally; however, his edges need work as his pushes lack the proper control, and force him to make too many micro-adjustments on the fly. Trejbal is athletic and flexible, with good tracking ability and superb anticipation, but along with how deep he stays in his net, his glove hand (and it's placement in set position) has come into question. There's enough to work on here to suggest that Trejbal will be a bit of a project, but he is mentally strong, and will have some suitors on Draft day; he is the third-ranked NA Goalie, according to Central Scouting's Mid-Term Rankings.

Mar.23rd: In 2024-25 a young goalie who had played the bulk of the season in Minnesota's High School circuit (10-9-1, with a 2.72 GAA, and a .912 SV%) by the name of Carter Casey, stole the Waterloo Blackhawks' net for the playoffs, and led them to the USHL finals, going 10-3-2, with a 2.53 GAA, and a .918 SV%. He played the most minutes by far in the post-season, with his 949 minutes towering over the next highest mark of 593; and for goalies with 2 games or more, his SV% was 3rd-best. His play earned him a "C"-rating from Central Scouting, meaning that in their eyes, the 6'2",181lb left-catching Casey could go in the third, or fourth-round. The problem with that is the fact that he's still very raw, and still relies too much on his athleticism and reflexes over positioning and technique. This season in the WHL with the Medicine Hat Tigers, he has gone 19-3-4, with a 3.02 GAA, and an .882 SV%, although overage starter Jordan Switzer hasn't fared much better (30-7-4-2, with a 2.85 GAA, and an .889 SV%). Casey moves with lightning-quickness in his crease, owns sharp reflexes, solid athleticism, and excellent flexibility- he isn't afraid to play the puck either, and generally does it well. He tracks the play well, but his stance and his anticipation are still both a work in progress. He seals off the bottom of the net proficiently, and does more of the same with his posts, but he needs better rebound control, and less over-committing in his movements. There are also concerns with his mental makeup; though his competitiveness is a good thing, he can lose composure in net-front scrambles. Fans love him because of his highlight-reel saves, but scouts would probably like to see more of a calm and composed game, with improved technique and anticipation. He is #12 for NA Goalies in Central Scouting's Mid-Term Rankings.

Mar.23rd: "C"-rated LG Parker Snell (6'2",176lbs) has been blessed with backstopping the 3rd-best team in the WHL, the Edmonton Oil Kings, going 21-9-1, with a 2.74 GAA, and an .895 SV%, while splitting duties with 19 year-old Ethan Simcoe. In 2024-25, Snell only played in 2 contests for the Oil Kings, but both were shutouts; the rest of the season was played in the CSSHL (a U-18 prep league), so he's taken a huge step up this year in competition. Snell's mental game is among the best in this class, with his play-tracking, scanning, anticipation, and poise all getting top grades- he has excellent hockey sense, and seems to be always ahead of the play, and positionally sound. He is also a good skater with strong edges, and moves around the crease with explosiveness, as well as control- he doesn't seem to over-commit much, or lose his net when sliding. Furthermore, he stays square to the shooter with deft micro-adjustments, but has enough athleticism to make a scrambling save when needed. Snell's elite anticipation helps him with his rebound-control, as he either directs shots to the corner, swallows them up in his chest, or pounces on them before they become dangerous. There are things to work on though, and one of his main issues is his struggles against the rush, but he has plenty of problems with consistency as well- he isn't always as dialed-in as he should be. He uses a wide stance to cover more net, and while it's usually not a big detriment to his ability to push laterally, it gives him a wide and vulnerable five-hole. He also tends to have problems scanning with heavy traffic in front of him. There's a good base here, and he's still young- with an April 21st, 2008 birthday. Snell is #21 For NA Goalies in Central Scouting's Mid-Term Rankings.

Mar.23rd: The Rimouski Oceanic finished the season as the 13th-place team in the QMJHL out of 18 teams, with only two of those clubs scoring less than their 154 goals through 64 contests. Those numbers show just how impressive their #1 goalie, "C"-rated LG William Lacelle, had to be on a nightly basis- going 14-8-1, with a 2.82 GAA, and a .919 SV%. Fortunately for him, a pre-deadline deal sent him to the 4th-place Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, where he posted a 13-7-1 record, with a 2.11 GAA, and a .915 SV%. It was more of the same stellar play in the 2024-25 season; with Lacelle starting the campaign as a 16 year-old, he went 27-5-3, with a 2.38 GAA (4th), and a .909 SV% (11th), for the second-place Oceanic, before losing his net to Mathis Langevin in their run to the Memorial Cup. Lacelle doesn't have ideal size for a goalie (he was measured to be 6'0.5",176lbs by CS), but his feet are elite for his age group; he moves with explosiveness around his crease, but is always in firm control, with excellent agility on his edges to make little micro-adjustments to stay square to the puck. He is a solid technical goalie, but has the foot speed and athleticism to compensate when he has to abandon technique for a desperation save. Furthermore, his ability to recover is another big asset of his, as he can pop up from being down in the butterfly better than most young netminders. Lacelle is flexible, and flashes the pads with lightning speed, giving him the ability to seal off the bottom of the net effectively. His mental make-up gets good grades, as he stays composed and calm under pressure, but he's also seemingly always ahead of the play with his ability to track the puck through traffic, and his anticipation- he is usually in good position to make the save. He competes hard, and seems to be consistent in never taking a night off. Lacelle needs plenty of work on his rebound control, and also his performance in net-front scrambles. Some young goalies rely too much on technique, but he seems to rely too much on his reflexes and athleticism. Without ideal size, it will be interesting to see where he is picked in the 2026 draft. Central Scouting puts him as the #6-ranked North American Goalie in their Mid-Terms.

Mar.23rd: Central Scouting didn't even give "W"-rated LG Ryder Fetterolf (5'11.5",184lbs) the respect enough to give him a "C" in their Preliminary Rankings. In their Mid-Term assessments, CS puts him as #16 for NA Goalies. Though not in possession of ideal size, he is killing it in the OHL with the Ottawa 67's in his rookie year, going an incredible 29-9-3, with a 2.07 GAA (1st in the league), and a .923 SV% (1st in the league), helping his team to 3rd-place in the standings. Fetterolf is no stranger to dominance, as he went 49-0 (you read that right!) in the USHS-Prep circuit in 2024-25, with a 1.64 GAA, and a .940 SV%. Other than a one-game audition in the USHL last season where he let in 6 goals, he has put up solid numbers wherever he's been- and fans of the 67's will tell you that he's won games this season all by himself. He will need work on his propensity to stay deep in his net, and he can lose the proper angles at times, but most of his attributes are pretty solid. His concentration and compete are high-end; he is always dialed-in, works hard in net-front scrambles, and never gives up on a play- he battles hard to make second, and third stops, and fights through traffic to keep eyes on the puck. Like most smaller goalies, his tracking and scanning are huge assets, but his anticipation and hockey sense are high-end- giving him proactive positioning that he facilitates with quick shuffles to micro-adjust. His feet are extremely quick, his edges are strong and agile, and his movements are controlled and deliberate- both side-to-side, as well as up-and-down in butterfly position. His superb athleticism often bails him out when technique fails, and he wields the flexibility and quick pads to cover the bottom of the net, and to seal off his posts. True weaknesses are few, but he's going to need plenty of work on his rebound-control. Fetterolf's stop in the OHL will be a short one, as he's committed to Penn State for next season.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Mar.24th: Central Scouting gave RG Jacoby Weiner (6'4",227lbs) a "B"-rating at the beginning of the current campaign, but it's been a bit of a disaster for him this year. The Connecticut-native is in his rookie season with the QMJHL's Moncton Wildcats, who are once again a contender- finishing the regular season in 1st-place. Their starter, Detroit Red Wings' draftee Rudy Guimond, is the league's best Goaltender, sporting a 40-7-3-3 record, with a 2.27 GAA (2nd-overall), and a .922 SV% (2nd-overall). How is it then that Weiner, his backup, holds a record of 10-3-1, with a 2.85 GAA, and a .890 SV%? He put together a few good games, with wins against Victoriaville (the 4th-worst team in the Q) on Nov.28th (.920 SV%), and Saint John (the 2nd-worst team in the Q) on Dec.7th (.913 SV%), before being pulled on Dec.18th at the 27:32 mark, after letting in 3 goals on 14 shots against Cape Breton (7th-best team in the Q). Since then, he has only made 9 appearances in the Wildcats' net against mostly bottom feeders, which has padded his stats somewhat; he was pulled in one of those games after giving up 2 goals on 4 shots, and only played 4:52 of another, making 1 save on 1 shot. Simply put, his game is a mess, and he is much more raw than most. First of all, he's a huge goalie, but looks much smaller in his net due to his hunched-over stance, and how deep he tends to stay in his net, which also affects the placement of his glove-hand, that sits too low and fails to cover the top corner of his net; he has been working to improve this issue, though. While he he is superbly athletic, and is blessed with acute reflexes, his lack of hockey-sense and anticipation lets him down by forcing him to be much more reactive than proactive- and his poor posture leaves holes open. While he's quite mobile in his crease, owns solid edges, pops up-and-down in the butterfly with ease, and displays the ability to explode laterally, he has problems micro-adjusting to stay square to the puck. There's too much relying on athleticism, and not nearly enough attention being given to technique, tracking, and positioning- which negatively affects his rebound-control. Scouts keep screaming about his potential, and cite the need for patience, as he will surely be a long-term project. Central Scouting puts him #37 for North American Goalies in their Mid-Term Rankings.

Mar.24th: Finnish LG William Gammals (6'0.25",191lbs) was given a "C" by Central Scouting at the beginning of the season, and it might be because of his performance in the summer's Hlinka-Gretzky Cup- where he played all 5 games for the 4th-place Team Finland, posting a 2.99 GAA, and a .907 SV% (8th in the tournament), while putting in the 2nd-most minutes (241), and making the most saves (117) on the most shots-against (129). In league play this season with Tappara U20 (who are 6th in the standings, out of 18 teams), he is 12-11-0, with a 2.80 GAA (20th), and an .900 SV% (17th) in the 7th-most minutes played (1651). Gammals doesn't possess the kind of size scouts look for in a goalie, but he makes up for it somewhat with his hockey sense and anticipation, aided by his acute puck-tracking skills- helping him to be ready and set proactively. Like most successful netminders of his size, he possesses sharply-honed reflexes, lightning-quick limbs, and the ability to nimbly zip around the crease in all directions. He seals off the bottom of the net well with his flexibility and fast pads, and his positioning is sound to always be square to the shooter, as well as to cut down the angles. His rebound-control is ideal, as he can direct the puck out of danger with both his blocker as well as his pads, but battles hard to make second, and third-saves. He also does well in handling the puck when needed- even aiding in breakouts. Going forward, he will need to add leg strength in order to be a bit more explosive off his posts, add more flexibility, and work on sealing off the top of his net better- he also sometimes goes down in the butterfly a bit early. Gammals is #11 for EU Goalies in Central Scouting's Mid-Terms.

Mar.24th: Another European netminder who may have earned his "C"-rating because of his Hlinka performance is LG Douglas Nilsson (6'3.75",178lbs), who seems to get a lot of love from scouts. In the Hlinka, he only played in 1 game for Team Sweden, a 5-3 victory over the eventual Championship-winning US team, where he stopped 41 out of 44 shots (.932 SV%), and received glowing reviews for his play. Team Sweden lost in the final to the Americans, with starter Milo Tjarnlund in net (who started the other 4 games in the tournament), by a score of 5-3. In league play so far this season, Nilsson has played 14 games for Farjestad U20, with starter Mans Goos (Dallas, 5th-round, #158) playing the other 23, but his numbers are a bit disappointing, going 7-7-0, with a 3.16 GAA, and an .889 SV%. Farjestad is not a bad team, finishing the regular-season in a tie for 3rd-place in the Sodra Division, and tied for 4th-overall in the 20-team league. Nilsson has also played 6 games with Farjestad's U18 Region squad, posting a 5-1-0 record, with a 0.99 GAA, and a .958 SV%, with another 9 games in the higher U18 Nationell, with a 5-4-0 record on a 2.56 GAA, and a .910 SV%. Nilsson fills the desired profile of the kind of goalie that scouts like, with size, athleticism, and an uncommonly poised and calm demeanor- and he's ahead of most goalies in his age group when it comes to technique. He always seems to be in perfect position, and in the ideal upright stance, while maintaining squareness to the puck with micro-adjustments, and controlled movements. He could use more leg-strength in order be a little more explosive in his movements, and a bit quicker going up-and-down into butterfly position, but his technical skill is his savior. His rebound-control gets mixed reviews; he often seems to be adept at deflecting the shots he can't immediately swallow up to the corner using his blocker or pads, but it looks like a weakness in some games. His glove is well-positioned in his default stance to cover more net, but he has a tendency to stay deeper in his net than he should- although he is not afraid to challenge shooters one-on-one. Some say his puck-tracking through traffic needs work, as well, but he has plenty of fans in the scouting world. Nilsson is #3 for EU Goalies on Central Scouting's Mid-Term List.

Mar.24th: "C"-rated LG Rafael Courchesne (6'2.25",190lbs) is in his rookie season in the QMJHL, but unfortunately for him, he has the unenviable task of backstopping the 14th-place (out of 18 teams) Saint John Sea Dogs, posting a 12-19-2 record, with a 3.92 GAA (22nd), and an .880 SV% (33rd), with the 17th-most TOI (1897 minutes), and the 16th-most saves (908). This is the type of goalie that reminds me a bit of those who came out of the Q in the 90's, and early 2000's, with his size in the net, how technically sound he is, and his athleticism. He has plenty to work on, but is already fairly refined in all areas for a young netminder- who happens to be one of the youngest players available in the upcoming draft, with an August 21st birthdate. His positioning and stance are well-developed, but he is sometimes too deep in his net, and can lose the top of his net when he goes down in the butterfly, as he keeps his hands too low. He is quick in his crease, displays good edgework in staying square to the puck, and is quite flexible in sealing off the bottom of the net- but he could use more leg strength to be more explosive in his lateral movements. While he uses a rigid RVH to seal off his posts, some say he still lets pucks squeak through at times, and he has been criticized for going down in the butterfly too early. He seems to have good hockey sense and anticipation, but has problems seeing the puck through traffic, and after giving up a rebound. While he may be a bit of a project, he has a fairly good technical base. Courchesne is (perhaps unfairly) the #27 North American netminder on Central Scouting's Mid-Term List.

Mar.24th: In the 2024-25 season, "C"-rated LG Samuel Hrenak (6'3",190lbs) had an excellent season for the 4th-place HK Dukla Trencin U20 squad in Slovakia, going 10-5-0, with a 1.86 GAA, and a .945 SV%, making him the top netminder in that circuit. This season, his .913 SV% in the U20 league split between the U-18 Team Slovakia (.907%), and HK Dukla Trencin (.918%) put him in 14th-place for that stat. He didn't fare nearly as well at the U-18 Worlds (0-1-0, with a 6.00 GAA, and an .833 SV%), or the Hlinka (0-2, with a 5.49 GAA, and an .852 SV%). The Slovakian U-18 Team plays games in the second-tier men's league, and reviews say that he manages to hold his own, despite facing an average of almost 50 shots per contest, many of the difficult variety (0-16-0, with a 5.51 GAA, and an .888 SV%). This proves his ability to stay even-keel under pressure, and shows his durability under a heavy workload. In mid-February, he left his homeland to join the Fargo Force (USHL), and he has aquitted himself well, going 5-0-1, with a 1.97 GAA, and a .926 SV%. Hrenak is a hybrid goalie, with size, athleticism, and a solid technical base, who tracks the puck well, and reads the play in front of him with acuity to get set proactively. He moves very quickly around the crease, giving him the ability to make desperation saves when his technique fails him, and he can flash the pads with lightning-speed to rob chances at the bottom of the net. His glove hand gets high marks, as well. In his stance, he stays low to find pucks through traffic, but also to be able to snap down into the butterfly to slam his five-hole shut; however, this affects his explosiveness when moving laterally. Hrenak is composed and calm, but he's a competitor, and will battle through second, and third-chances. There needs to be more attention to technique in his game, and less dependency in his athleticism and quickness, as he can sometimes be out of position, and without the proper angling. He could be a longer-term project, but worth taking a chance on in the mid-to-late rounds. Central Scouting has him as the #10 EU Goalie in their Mid-Term Rankings, but he's going to be a riser.

Mar.24th: On a deep and talented Brantford Bulldogs team, having their goaltending situation already set with Ryerson Leenders and David Egorov splitting the netminding duties, "C"-rated LG Maksim "Maks" Corovic (6'1.75",195lbs) is stuck in the OJHL with the Collingwood Blues for the forseeable future. He played a game with the Bulldogs at the start of the season with Leenders away at the Buffalo Sabres' camp, and earned some praise, despite posting a 3.95 GAA, and an .867 SV% in a 4-3 OT loss- facing a total of 30 shots. He got another start with Brantford on March 22nd, but was beaten 6 times on 28 shots. He is arguably the best goalie in the OJHL this year, sporting a 14-3-3 record, with a 1.66 GAA, and a league-leading .942 SV%. In the World Junior A Challenge in early December, scouts were undoubtedly hoping to see more of him than just the one game he played (the other 4 were backstopped by Kale Osipenko), but he looked good in a 42-save shootout win for Canada East, over Canada West. In the 2024-25 season, he led Cushing Academy to a New England Prep School Championship. Though he can often lose sight of the puck in traffic, Corovic possesses keen hockey sense and anticipation to stay well-positioned, and square to the shooter, with the edges to stay in control of his movements, and to micro-adjust on the fly. He is quick and athletic, but could use more muscle in his lower-body to get stronger pushes in his lateral mobility. Many outlets list him as being 6'3", but he was measured as a hair under 6'2" by Central Scouting, and he doesn't always make himself look bigger in his net, as he tends to retreat deeper into his crease when traffic arrives. Mentally, he gets good grades for his poise and focus, and doesn't seem to crumple under a heavy workload. His hands are quick, but they drop when he goes down in the butterfly, and his rebound-control could use a bit of work. Maks is very much an unfinished product, and the fact that he plays in a lower-level of hockey might mean that he doesn't get drafted, but he has some nice tools. He is #24 for NA Goalies, according to Central Scouting's Mid-Term Rankings.

Mar.24th: The Seattle Thunderbirds sit 13th in the 23-team WHL, with a .529 win %, on a 31-27-6-4 record, and yet their young netminder, "C"-rated LG Marek Sklenicka (6'4",170lbs) shows a record of 20-12-6, with a 3.21 GAA (24th), and an .902 SV% (T-14th). It won't come as a big surprise to scouts though, as Sklenicka posted the 5th-best GAA (2.18), and the 7th-best SV% in the Czech U20 (.928 %) as a 16 year-old in 2024-25, which enticed the Thunderbirds enough to take him with the 22nd-overall pick in the 2025 CHL Import Draft. The young Czech has top-tier hockey sense, and good tracking skills, with speed and athleticism in his crease. He stays poised and focused, and is a calming presence for his team, but he is known as a battler who will dive and sprawl out to make first, and second desperation saves when his technique fails him, or when he loses sight of the puck. He battles through screens, and fights through bodies in his crease, but has some issues with depth-control, as he is sometimes too deep in the blue paint, and can leave the top of the net unprotected at times. Most often though, he is a rather staunch butterfly goalie who stays well-positioned and square to the puck, with good posture, and an ability to cover a lot of net with perfectly executed technique- he takes away the bottom of the net proficiently, and seals off his posts tightly. Sklenicka is flexible, and owns good edges to make quick adjustments, while staying in control, and doesn't seem to lose his net when sliding on his pads. While he is quick in his movements, he needs to work on his lateral explosiveness, and his up-and-down mobility. He is #8 for NA Goalies on Central Scouting's Mid-Term List, and is one of the younger player available in this draft, with an August 27th, 2008 birthday.

Mar.24th: "C"-rated RG Yegor Rybkin may just have his foot in the door as a top-64 pick in the 2026 Draft, based on his size (6'7",207lbs) and supreme athleticism alone- but scouts seem to find it hard to get a proper read on this one. He is currently plying his trade with Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL), backing up starter Marat Sabitov, while posting a 5-2-0 record, with a 2.56 GAA, and a .915 SV% (T-29th for players 18-and-under). Unfortunately, he has been out of action since late-November. I wouldn't want to have to be the one trying to put a puck past this kid, as he already covers the entire net with his immense build, even when down on his knees. Any scouting report you read on Rybkin will undoubtedly make reference to his "high-end" athleticism, as he moves incredibly fast in the blue paint, and has the flexibility to seal off the entire bottom of his net with his pads. His RVH is also seemingly more impenetrable than most other netminders, and completely shuts the door to his posts, but he is too quick in moving off of them. His movements are incredibly fluid and controlled, as he skates well and owns smooth edges, and his up-and-down mobility is lightning-quick; he does however, tend to go down prematurely, and scouts say he bites on a lot of fakes. To me, he looks like his stance is too low when tracking the puck, meaning that he drops his hands too much and loses the top of his net- however, scouts claim that it's more difficult to beat him him high than low, despite his enormous five-hole. His glove-hand looks good, but he can beaten blocker-side, and his hockey-sense isn't as good as one would hope. Like most goalies his age, he stays too deep in his crease, and could use greater leg-strength for a more explosive push off of his posts. Rybkin has the calm demeanor, as well as the poise that is needed to play in the big leagues, and he possesses a competitive nature. Despite not playing much this year, he is #2 for EU Goalies on Central Scouting's mid-Term List.

Mar.24th: Despite having the unenviable task of backstopping the 16th-place (out of 18 teams) Gatineau Olympiques in his D+1 season, "C"-rated LG Danai Shaiikov (6'2",192lbs) has put up an 18-26-2 record, with a respectable 2.78 GAA (12th), and a .903 SV% (T-13th). Shaiikov was Gatineau's 2nd-round draft choice, 64th-overall, in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, after a 2024-25 season that saw him post a 4-0 record, on a 1.62 GAA, and a .921 SV% in just 5 MHL games with Omskie Yastreby in his draft season (he spent the majority of the year in the U18 league). He was touted as the Olympiques' new backup, but he wrestled the starters' job away from last year's #1, Nathan St.Pierre. While he has a solid technical foundation, Shaiikov tends to be quite aggressive in his net, and relies alot on his speed and athleticism. Unlike most netminders of his age, he comes out to challenge a lot- sometimes, to his detriment, as he lacks the explosiveness and flexibilty to retreat back laterally, or to stop back-door chances. Despite this, he shows a good battle level in stopping second, and third-chances, and he doesn't get rattled in scrambles. His edges are strong, and he can micro-adjust to cut down angles quickly, and his movements are efficient and controlled. He resets faster than most from butterfly position, but looks hunched-over and small when he's down on the ice, and while his arms are fast and active, he gives up a lot at the top of his net- he can also over-slide on his pads at times. Shaiikov scans well, and has solid tracking skill, but his hockey sense and anticipation might be his best assets. Despite being a draft re-entry, with an April 13th, 2007 birthday, he might be one to watch, as he has single-handedly won plenty of games this season for Gatineau. Impressively, he is #9 for NA Goalies, according to Central Scouting in their Mid-Term Rankings.

Mar.24th: "C"-rated RG Tobias Tvrznik (6'3",180lbs) has a lot of parallels to fellow netminder Danaii Shaiikov, in that he's a draft re-entry (July 29th, 2007), playing on a very poor CHL team, and getting positive results. The current 20th-place (out of 23 teams) Wenatchee Wild selected Tvrznik with the 10th-overall pick in the 2025 CHL Import Draft, and he has certainly paid dividends for them, with a 3.10 GAA (21st), and a .913 SV% (4th). Last season, in his draft year, he put up a 17-7-0 record, on a 2.59 GAA (13th), and a .926 SV% (9th) in Czechia's U20 league for HC Sparta Praha. In his first WHL game of the regular season, he set a franchise record with 60 saves in a 4-3 SO loss to the high-powered Everett Silvertips. Tvrznik has solid technique, but leans a lot into his speed, reflexes, and athleticism. He shows good body language that suggests that he's calm and composed, and he resets well after a goal; he comes back strong after a bad period, or a bad game. Though he seems poised at all times, he's also a battler, and has to be on the Wild- he fights hard in scrambles and stays focused, and is solid in making saves on 2nd, and 3rd-chances. Though he's not perfect, his rebound-control is considered a strength, as he is able to direct the pucks out of danger that he can't immediately swallow up in his chest. He exhibits solid scanning habits, tracks well, and owns top-notch hockey sense to be proactively set for the shot, with the right save-selection, and his angling is a strength. His positioning is also a strength, and he has the edgework to micro-adjust to stay square, and the speed to move well side-to-side, as well as up-and-down. Going forward, he might need to incorporate more technique into his game, so that making reactive, desperation stops becomes less necessary. Like Shaiikov, he needs to increase leg-strength, in order to get faster in his lateral pushes. Central Scouting regards him as the #5 NA Goalie in their Mid-Terms.

Mar.24th: Omskie Yastreby is the top team in Russia's MHL league, while being backstopped by their #1 Goalie, Colorado Avalanche-prospect Ivan Yunin. Their back-up, 17 year-old LG Dmitri Ivchenko, is one of two highly-touted netminders coming out of Russia this year for the draft next summer, the other being Yegor Rybkin. Ivchenko, born on June 29th, 2008, is a 6'3",179lb lefty, who sports a 11-5-0 record, with a 1.91 GAA, and a .922 SV%. Ivchenko moves around the blue paint with quickness, and uncommon fluidity in all directions, and also goes up-and-down with lightning-speed. When he slides on his pads, he doesn't overcommit, showing efficiency and control in his movements. His acute tracking acts as a facilitator for his high-end anticipation, giving him the ability to be ready and set for the shot proactively; he reads the play well, and knows the right time to come out to the top of the crease to challenge, and when to stay deeper in net. He angles proficiently, and is most-often well positioned, but makes small adjustments with skillfulness and acuity on his strong edges to stay square to the puck.. His wide stance helps him to seal off the bottom the net, and gives him an advantage in shutting down his posts quickly, as well as in stopping back-door chances, but may hurt his lateral explosiveness. He scans well, but needs plenty of work in his tracking through heavy traffic, and needs to improve how he deals with screens. His rebound control is another area of improvement, and affects both his hands, as well as his pads. Ivchenko has an excellent base to work with, and plenty of potential, and is ranked #8 for EU Goalies by Central Scouting in their Mid-Terms.

Mar.24th: While he was given a "W" as a player to watch by Central Scouting, LG Martin Psohlavec (6'5",185lbs) has stats that are hard to ignore, and definitely stands out with his physical attributes. With HC Energie Karlovy Vary U20 this season, he is 31-11-0, with a 1.92 GAA (2nd-overall), and a .928 SV% (5th-overall)- impressive, considering that he doesn't turn 18 until May. Psohlavec is a hybrid goalie who seems to have a bit of everything, but isn't at an elite level in any one area yet. He is huge, and covers a ton of net, showing the ability to make quick, calculated, and efficient movements around his crease with reasonably good control, but there are some who would like him to be a little more explosive, and a lot more fluid. There is room to improve when it comes to his skating, and his edgework, plus- he can lose his net when sliding on his pads. He has a good grasp of when to move up to the edge of the crease to challenge shooters, and when to stay deeper in his net, and he does a good job of controlling the angles, and shuffling his feet to stay square to the puck. He displays the knack most of the time in seeing around, through, and over traffic, and owns solid hockey-sense and anticipation, but also does well in scrambles by staying even-keel, while stretching out to corral loose pucks. His legs are long as well, which enables him to cover the entire length of the net while down in the splits, and his hands look well-placed and active. There are issues with his ability to swallow shots up in his chest, and his rebound-control is an issue, but he looks rather proficient and confident in handling the puck, and making the odd pass. Psohlavec is #17 for EU Goalies in Central Scouting's Mid-Term Rankings.

Mar.24th: "W"-rated LG Vladimir Selivanov (6'1",187lbs) won't turn 18 until July 25th, but he has already played in 2 KHL games (4.63 GAA, .889 SV%). Dynamo Moskva had injuries to their backup, so Selivanov was called up to presumably sit on the bench for a few games, but he was tapped on the shoulder in his 4th game in a backup role to relieve the starter, who had given up 6 goals in the first 43 minutes. Selivanov stopped all 11 shots he faced in 17:18 TOI. His second game between the pipes didn't go as smoothly, as he gave up 2 goals on 7 shots in 8:37 TOI. For Dynamo Moskva's MHL team this season, he is 12-3-0, with a 2.73 GAA, and a .903 SV%. Selivanov is a little raw, and perhaps relies too much on his athleticism over technique, but he exhibits sharp reflexes, excellent flexibility, and quick feet; he is a good skater, and displays strong edges. His pushes are strong, and give him the ability to move well laterally, and he does so with control and efficiency; he shuffles in order to stay in position, and doesn't over-commit, or over-slide on his pads. His hands are quick and active, and his positioning is ideal; his footwork is fluid, but he is often too deep in his net, and his rebound-control needs a bit of work. Selivanov's mental make-up has been questioned, as he seems to lose his composure at times, looks a bit uncontrolled and erratic in scrambles, and his focus wanes when the puck is the defensive zone for longer sequences; his consistency is another area of area of concern. Selivanov owns well-developed puck-tracking, and beats the puck with proactive positioning, and explosive lateral mobility. He uses his posts well, and seals them off with acuity. There's an excellent toolbox here, that only needs a bit of refinement. Central Scouting has him as the #12 European netminder in their Mid-Term Rankings.

[icarus]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Mar.24th: On a deep and talented Brantford Bulldogs team, having their goaltending situation already set with Ryerson Leenders and David Egorov splitting the netminding duties, "C"-rated LG Maksim "Maks" Corovic (6'1.75",195lbs) is stuck in the OJHL with the Collingwood Blues for the forseeable future. He played a game with the Bulldogs at the start of the season with Leenders away at the Buffalo Sabres' camp, and earned some praise, despite posting a 3.95 GAA, and an .867 SV% in a 4-3 OT loss- facing a total of 30 shots. He got another start with Brantford on March 22nd, but was beaten 6 times on 28 shots. He is arguably the best goalie in the OJHL this year, sporting a 14-3-3 record, with a 1.66 GAA, and a league-leading .942 SV%...

Thanks for the update! I mentioned earlier in the thread that Max Corovic is a relative of mine and that the Flames are one of the teams that have been out to see him this year.
My cousins went to watch him the other day in his OHL callup, and said that with the Bulldogs clinching first place they rested their main players and played a bunch of rookies, so they were underwater the whole game. He should be a starter for OHL Bulldogs next year although it's too bad Caleb Malhotra will be off to BU by then.
Brock Otten from McKeen's recently pointed out Max's .942% is the highest in the OJHL this millennium, so we're all hoping for him to get drafted in June (obviously I'm hoping for Calgary, everyone else in the family is hoping it's closer to home in Toronto or Buffalo).

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by icarus

Thanks for the update! I mentioned earlier in the thread that Max Corovic is a relative of mine and that the Flames are one of the teams that have been out to see him this year.
My cousins went to watch him the other day in his OHL callup, and said that with the Bulldogs clinching first place they rested their main players and played a bunch of rookies, so they were underwater the whole game. He should be a starter for OHL Bulldogs next year although it's too bad Caleb Malhotra will be off to BU by then.
Brock Otten from McKeen's recently pointed out Max's .942% is the highest in the OJHL this millennium, so we're all hoping for him to get drafted in June (obviously I'm hoping for Calgary, everyone else in the family is hoping it's closer to home in Toronto or Buffalo).

Please wish him luck, he seems to be getting the short-end of the stick.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Mar.24th: C/LW Malcom Gastrin, brother of Washington Capitals second-rounder (2025) Milton Gastrin, has come a long way this season. In 2024-25, he spent most of his time toiling in the J18 Region (25 points in 22 games for MoDo), which is actually a step-down from the J18 Nationell (he had 12 points in 18 games), with both leagues feeding the J20 (only 1 goal in 4 games). The younger Gastrin has seen plenty of time in both lower leagues in the current season as well, with 15 games in the re-named U18 Region (23 points), and 4 games in the U18 Nationell (7 points), but he has aquitted himself very well in his time in the U20 League, posting 9 goals and 25 points in 24 games, which has earned him the attention of scouts. He has also been called up to MoDo's team in the Allsvenskan, replacing his injured older brother in at least a few of the 4 contests he has taken part in, with no points in 4 tilts. Gastrin has not been selected for any of Sweden's International teams, but it should be noted that he's one of the youngest players in this draft-class, with an August 19th birthdate. Central Scouting has him as #65 for EU Skaters in their Mid-Term Rankings.

Gastrin is lacking in size, measuring 6'0" tall, and only 163lbs, but he is remarkably strong on the puck, difficult to knock off of his feet. and capable of winning more than his fair-share of puck-battles. He plays a surprisingly gritty game, showing remarkable contact skill, an ability to make plays under physical pressure, and strong puck-protection; he can bounce through congested areas like a pinball, while maintaining possession. Gastrin is a hard-worker in all areas of the ice with a high-end motor, and like his older brother, he is trusted to play in all situations. Perhaps his finest asset is his speed and agility, with a smooth and powerful stride that enables him to win races to loose pucks, disturb puck-carriers on the forecheck, and leave pursuers in the dust. He owns an explosive burst in short-distances that keeps opponents on their toes, and a separation gear in transition that pushes defenders back on their heels. On his edges, he can spin off checks, make sharp lateral cuts across the ice, and change direction instantaneously to fool his adversaries. A pass-first playmaker, he is blessed with finely-tuned puck-skill, high IQ, and acute vision that allows him to make smart plays under pressure, with glimpses of higher-end advantage-creation and play-driving capability. He controls space well, and is well-versed in deception tactics to manipulate defenders. Gastrin is a hard-nosed net-front competitor, and has good finishing skills in-tight, and while his shot is fairly deceptive and well-placed, he doesn't seem to be much of a scoring threat from distance. Extremely intelligent off-puck, his superb awareness on the backcheck and in the defensive zone gives him a fairly high NHL-floor as a potential checker, where his offensive game is a bit more uncertain. He is a detailed checker with pro-style habits, and intensity in his own-zone that makes him a difference-maker. Look for him in the third, or fourth-round.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Mar.25th: The Val D'Or Foreurs clinched a playoff spot in the QMJHL Playoffs, despite finishing 13th, out of 18 teams, with a 0.461 win %, and they will face the Drummondville Voltigeurs in Round #1. With a fairly deep and experienced blueline in Val D'Or, LD Alexis Fortin (6'4",220lbs) was relegated to mostly third-pairing duty earlier in the season, but he has steadily worked his way into the top-4, and is tasked with shutting down the opposing team's top players on a nightly basis. With only 7 points in 53 games over the 2024-25 season, and only 9 points in 63 games this year, he doesn't look to have much potential on the offensive side of the puck. He was drafted by the Foreurs in the 2nd-round of the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft, with the 23rd-overall pick, but one of his main knocks is his Oct.4th, 2007 birthday, which makes him a senior citizen by draft standards. Central Scouting has him as #153 on their list of North American Skaters in their Mid-Term Rankings.

Scouts rave about Fortin's potential as an NHL shutdown defenseman, and his pro-style game. Fortin is a behemoth, but skates very well on a fluid stride, and though he could perhaps use a bit of refinement in his agility, his four-directional mobility, coupled with his enormous reach, gives him the kind of range that makes him very difficult to go up against. He is a rush-killer with his proficiency in angling attackers to the outside, timing his poke-checks to separate man from from puck, and often finishing with a bone-crushing hit. With his size and strength, he wins battles along the walls, and defends his net with ferocity; in his own-zone, he is highly dependable and exhibits good details. He doesn't always choose violence though, as he somewhat lacks a mean streak, and can pass up bodychecks in favour of stickwork; his rather measly 28 PIM in 63 games attests to that. Fortin completes virtually seamless retrievals, making his escapes from pressure look easy, and exerts poise and patience in his crisp, accurate exit feeds- he is constantly skating with his head up to map out his surroundings, and is usually a step or two ahead of the play. Fortin shows good potential as a puck-mover, but for right now, he makes short, simple plays in transition, on quick touches, working a straightforward style. He also shows some potential in the offensive zone too, as he is quite active in joining the rush as an extra forward, pinching up the boards to keep the play alive, and sneaking in on the weak side to the net. Fortin has a powerful shot, but most of his best playmaking ideas fail to work out because of his lack of high-end puck-skill; he displays solid IQ and awareness though. Look for him in the later rounds, with a chance at being a bottom-pairing shut-down option with a developing puck-movement game.