📢 Announcement time 📢
@MitchLBrown
and I have teamed up to create the most in-depth and comprehesive prospects microstat database in hockey, combining his CHL/USHL/NCAA data with mine from European leagues.
You can subscribe and find the data here:
Two minutes of Ivan Demidov's best offensive highlights from this year but they keep getting more ridiculous after each play.
In terms of pure skill and creativity, this is the best European prospect I've ever had the pleasure of scouting.
#2024NHLDraft
This might be the most absurd stat of them all:
Connor Bedard single-handedly generated more 5v5 expected primary points than 26 out of 30 NHL team prospect pools represented at the World Juniors. Generational.
Ville Koivunen, moving to
#LetsGoPens
in the Guentzel trade, is having one of the best U21 seasons in Liiga history.
Koivunen's 55 points is the best mark by a player his age in almost 30 years. He leads the entire league in points since the start of December.
Highlights:
KETJU: Rasmus Ristolainen laitettiin Flyers-käskijä John Tortorellan toimesta tylysti katsomoon vain neljän pelatun ottelun jälkeen. Miksi?
Kävin läpi kaikki Ristolaisen vaihdot penkitystä edeltäneistä peleistä Rangersia ja Leafsia vastaan. Tässä muutamia mietteitä.
#NHLfi
KETJU: Waltteri Merelä on kuin onkin ottamassa paikan Tampa Bay Lightningin kokoonpanosta runkosarjan alkaessa.
Kävin läpi Merelän vaihdot harjoitusotteluista ja nostan tässä ketjussa esiin yksityiskohtia, joiden avulla suomalaislaituri vakuutti TBL-valmennuksen.
#NHLfi
KETJU: Aleksander Barkov on ollut hiljaisuudessa yksi NHL-alkukauden absoluuttisista kärkiyksilöistä.
Piste per peli -tahti on yksi juttu, mutta syvemmässä datassa on viitteitä vieläkin paremmasta.
Keräsin tähän muutamia datahavaintoja ja klippejä Barkovin alkukaudesta.
#NHLfi
David Jiricek (CBJ) is having an insane run at the World Juniors. Dominant offensively, defensively and in transition. The best defenceman in the tournament so far, at least based on our data.
#CBJ
Axel Sandin Pellikka (
#LGRW
) had the first three-point game of his SHL career on Nov 16th.
It was also a transition masterclass, showcasing why he's quickly becoming one of the best defensive prospects in the sport.
Highlights:
Seamus Casey (NJD) has arguably been the best blueliner in the NCAA in the first months of the season.
Literally off-the-charts playmaking and chance creation numbers. Strong overall offensive production, excellent in transition.
#NJDevils
🧵 KETJU: Jesse Puljujärvi pääsi vihdoin irti Hurricanes-paidassa muutama päivä sitten, ja ensimmäisten otteluiden perusteella kyseessä voi olla todellinen match made in heaven.
Käyn tässä ketjussa läpi muutamia havaintoja esimerkeillä höystettynä.
#NHLfi
Leo Carlsson (2023) scored his prettiest goal of the season so far in Sweden's 6-1 win over Finland's challenger team in today's U20 tournament action.
#2023NHLDraft
Lane Hutson (
#GoHabsGo
) put on a show in his first NCAA game of the season, including scoring the game-winner in OT.
At 5v5:
• 8 scoring chances, 2 scoring chance assists
• 6 controlled exits, 8 controlled entries
• 18 advantages created
Highlights:
KETJU: Patrik Laineen sentterikokeilua on nyt takana tämän kauden osalta kolme runkosarjaottelua.
En pysty näiden perusteella näkemään, että Laineella olisi pitkällä tähtäimellä tulevaisuutta keskikaistalla, edes Columbuksessa. Keräsin tähän ketjuun tärkeimmät syyt.
#NHLfi
Which NHL prospect pools had the most success (measured by Game Score) during the World Juniors group stage?
MTL stands above the rest with strong results from Mesar, Hutson, Roy, etc.
NJD also checks out very well with contributions from Hughes, Nemec, Vilen and Hauser.
Lenni Hämeenaho (
#NJDevils
) blasts his second goal of the game, bringing him to 8 goals in 9 games.
One of the hottest starts to the season from any 18-year-old in Liiga history.
Here's a bunch of notable plays Aron Kiviharju made during the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Immaculate puck-moving under pressure, consistent deception with the puck, high-end edgework, clean retrievals, and instinctual defending.
#2024NHLDraft
#HCTPS
KETJU: Predators-lupaus Juuso Pärssinen teki toissayönä odotetun NHL-debyyttinsä, ja keräsi heti suitsutusta valmennukselta ja medialta.
Kävin läpi Pärssisen vaihdot ja kirjasin alle muutamia muistiinpanoja.
#NHLfi
A little something for the
#Blackhawks
fans: two minutes of Ivan Demidov highlights from the MHL playoffs.
He led the entire league during post-season with 11 goals and 28 points in 17 games, setting a new record for draft-eligible skaters.
#2024NHLDraft
Oliver Kapanen (
#GoHabsGo
) just completed a hat-trick in his second career game at the
#MensWorlds
. All of the goals from the net-front.
Kapanen was already among the best forwards in the tournament opener versus Czechia.
His progress over the past 6 months has been massive.
After adding a goal and an assist in Kärpät's 10-1 win over JYP, Topi Niemelä (TOR) now leads the entire Liiga in points with five goals and 20 points in 22 games. Pretty special stuff from the 19-year-old defenceman.
#LeafsForever
Seamus Casey (NJD) remains at the top of the defencemen hierarchy in the NCAA, having the second-highest overall grade in the entire data set. The offence generation has been just nuts, a ton of individual scoring chances and also setting them up.
#NJDevils
Simon Nemec (
#NJDevils
) had the first four-point game of his AHL career on Nov 11th, including two goals and some strong additional plays in transition.
He's now up to six points in seven games to start the season.
Highlights:
KETJU: Roope Hintzin tuoreen jatkosopimuksen kunniaksi kävin läpi hänen kaikki vaihtonsa hiljattaisesta ottelusta Jetsiä vastaan (25.11.) ja keräsin tähän alle muutamia mietteitä.
Spoiler alert: 8,5 miljoonan cap hit Hintzin tasoisesta pelaajasta ei ole hinta eikä mikään.
#NHLfi
David Reinbacher's (
#GoHabsGo
) second game of the season in Switzerland featured plenty of high-end moments.
At 5v5:
• 3 scoring chances, 1 scoring chance assist
• 5 controlled exits, 1 controlled entry
• 4 entries prevented
• 8 advantages created
Highlights:
Frank Nazar (CHI) has seemingly bounced back after an injury-ridden freshman season.
One of the highest xG rates in the data set but also a well-rounded offensive profile. Excels in transition as the puck-carrier. Quality defensive results, too.
#BLACKHAWKS
Matthew Knies (TOR) is having another phenomenal season by the numbers. The second-highest overall grade among all forwards in the data set. Regularly takes over games offensively, a certified beast in transition. He could make TOR fans happy for a long time.
#LeafsForever
Lane Hutson (
#GoHabsGo
) scored the first hat-trick of his NCAA career on Nov 4th, but also made plenty of other high-end plays, too.
At 5v5:
• 5 shots, 0.67 xG
• 4 controlled exits, 4 controlled entries
• 67 % transition success rate
• 7 advantages created
Highlights:
Lane Hutson (
#GoHabsGo
) is leading all NCAA defencemen in scoring for the second season in a row.
• 32 games
• 12 goals
• 31 assists, 22 of them primary
• Opponents outscored 36-23 at even-strength
Season highlights:
KETJU: Waltteri Merelän NHL-debyytti ei tuonut pisteitä, mutta kokonaisvaltaisessa pelaamisessa oli nähtävillä paljon hyvää. Jääaikaa reilut 10 min, muutama AV-vaihto.
Kokosin tähän ketjuun muutamia tilanteita ja havaintoja Merelän otteista viime yöltä.
#NHLfi
This is it. Seamus Casey (NJD) not only has the highest grade for offence, but his overall mark is also the best in the entire dataset among defencemen. You can't find any weak points from this card.
#NJDevils
Two minutes of Michael Brandsegg-Nygård breaking up plays on the forecheck, hustling for loose pucks, winning body positioning, and running over grown men like it's nothing.
The best forechecker in the draft.
#2024NHLDraft
Sean Farrell (MTL) is the highest-rated forward in the entire data set, just squeezing ahead of Knies. He's obviously been insanely productive and dominant offensively, but also just super solid basically everywhere.
#GoHabsGo
🧵 KETJU: Artturi Lehkonen ja pudotuspelit alkavat olla jo varsin ikoninen duo.
WPG-sarjassa toistaiseksi 4 otteluun tehot 4+3. Lehkosen ollessa kentällä COL on hallinnut yli 61 prosenttia 5v5-maaliodottamasta, maaliero +3.
Alla muutamia klippejä edellisestä ottelusta.
#NHLfi
Seamus Casey (
#NJDevils
), NCAA's leading scorer among defencemen, had another flashy performance on Oct 13th.
At 5v5:
• 2 scoring chances, 4 scoring chance assists
• 3 controlled exits, 4 controlled entries
• 8 advantages created
Highlights:
Aatos Koivu, picked by MTL, is a traditional supportive centre but also has a very good release. A diverse shooter who bags a competent in-stride release and a very accurate one-timer.
Shooting highlights:
Leo Carlsson's NHL debut with the Ducks was a successful one. Aside from the goal, his line outscored the opposition 2-0 and controlled 64 % of the xG share at 5v5.
Here are his highlights and most notable plays from last night.
#FlyTogether
Matthew Knies (TOR) has remained a top NCAA player by every metric. His overall grade is the fourth-best among all forwards in the NCAA. He's also the second-best forward in transitions. Production has been heating up, too.
#Leafs
Knies has the third-highest overall grade among forwards in the entire data set. Offensively, he's way above-average in every category except shot assists. One of the absolute strongest transition profiles. Also attempts more dekes than almost anyone else.
#LeafsForever
Massive news just broke regarding how Liiga is structured.
Relegations between Liiga and Mestis will be returning (similar to SHL/HockeyAllsvenskan), starting in the spring of 2025.
It’s about time.
Aleksander Barkovilta todella vahva statement-tason esitys BOS-sarjan toiseen otteluun:
• 2 maalia, 2 ykkössyöttöä
• 84,08% maaliodottamasuhde tasakentällisin, tehdyt maalit 2-1
Alla yksityiskohtaisesti pilkottuna kaikki neljä pisteeseen johtanutta tilannetta 👇
#NHLfi
Kakko is going in sicko mode. Third goal and his first career Liiga hat-trick. Only 40 minutes played. He is something special.
#2019NHLDraft
#HCTPS
#NHLfi
One player who has so far exceeded my expectations at the U20 Worlds has been Joni Jurmo.
He's been the best Finnish D in transition with the puck, but has also shined at defending the rush. Reliability has been an issue for the past two seasons, but not here.
#Canucks
VAN picks Joni Jurmo at 82 overall.
Excellent skater for a six-foot-four defenceman. Probably one of the best puck-rushing blueliners in the entire draft class. Can handle at high speed, too. Defends well against the rush. High upside pick.
#Canucks
Gabe Perreault's (
#NYR
) 1.67 points-per-game ranks third amongst all NCAA skaters this season, and fifth amongst all U19 skaters over the past 10 years.
• 30 games
• 15 goals, 35 assists
• An ongoing 16-game point streak
• 19 multi-point games
Season highlights:
Sean Farrell (MTL) has the highest overall grade among forwards in the entire dataset. Just a super dominant start to the season in every measurable way, aside from the penalty differential.
#GoHabsGo
🚨 New video on
@eliteprospects
:
A quick breakdown of Lenni Hämeenaho's (
#NJDevils
) rapid rise into one of the top goal-scorers in Liiga. Narrated by the great
@Hockey_Robinson
.
Watch:
Ivan Demidov's (
#2024NHLDraft
) tracking profile is now finished, and the results are pretty crazy.
As expected, he becomes the best draft-eligible forward I've ever tracked at the junior level (MHL, J20, U20). Insane amounts of offence and advantages created.
Gavin McKenna (
#2026NHLDraft
) at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup:
• 5 games
• 3 goals, 3 assists
• 39 shot attempts (most on the team), 20 shots on goal
• Shot attempts 100-40 for his team while on the ice at EV
Two minutes of his offensive highlights:
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (
#2024NHLDraft
) scored all 4(!) goals for Norway in their 4-3 OT win over Denmark ahead of the men's World Championship.
This comes directly following his record-setting playoff run in the HockeyAllsvenskan.
He's peaking at the right time.
As reported by the club, Dalibor Dvorsky (
#stlblues
) is leaving IK Oskarhamn after just 10 SHL games and will be moving to play in North America.
Not a big surprise considering Dvorsky basically didn't see the ice in two of his last games.
Ryan Leonard (
#ALLCAPS
) tied for the NCAA lead in both goals and points in February, bringing him to 48 points in 33 games for the season.
• 8 games
• 10 goals
• 6 assists, 4 of them primary
• 36 shots on goal
• Opponents outscored 11-2(!) at even-strength
Highlights:
Luke Hughes (NJD) remains one of NCAA's finest defencemen, both offensively and in transition. A high goal-scoring rate is backed up by an equally high expected goals output. Also the premier puck-carrying D, both on exits and entries.
#NJDevils
Marco Kasper's (DET) progress in the SHL from his DY to his D+1.
Improved his play in transition, became a lot better at bringing pucks to the middle, killed more plays defensively while also making significant strides as a playmaker.
#LGRW
Juuso Välimäen alkukausi Arizona Coyotesissa on ollut vahva niin tilastollisesti kuin myös ihan silmätestin perusteella.
Kävin läpi Välimäen kaikki vaihdot viime viikon Stars-ottelusta (3.11.) ja kokosin tähän ketjuun muutamia huomioita ja klippejä hänen pelaamisesta.
#NHLfi
Mesar (MTL) had a strong tournament and it's pretty criminal he wasn't named a top-3 player on the team by his coaches. A top transition forward in the tournament, a lot of pucks to the middle, solid offensive profile.
#GoHabsGo
Roni Hirvonen (TOR) finishes his hat-trick with a one-timer from the point. Aatu Räty (NYI) with another primary assist. 4-3 for Finland.
#Leafs
#LeafsForever
#Isles
Lane Hutson (MTL) has been absolute dynamite to start the season, probably the best offensive defenceman in the NCAA. Literally off-the-charts level of output in many offensive categories. Also a monster in transition. The excitement is warranted.
#GoHabsGo
Two minutes of Konsta Helenius' best offensive plays and moments of the season.
Creating space for himself and his teammates, turning steals into chances, picking corners from mid-range, flashing manipulative playmaking, off-puck offence through intelligence, etc.
#2024NHLDraft
Oliver Moore (CHI) ranks near the top of the league in terms of offensive creation, with a well-balanced mix of individual chances and playmaking. One of the very best puck-carriers in transition, which is unsurprising considering his skating prowess.
#BLACKHAWKS
As a freshman, Lane Hutson (MTL) is already the top-ranked offensive defenceman in the entire data set. The elite production is backed up by both off-the-charts expected goals output and playmaking numbers. Dominant across the board in transition, too.
#GoHabsGo
Two minutes of Stian Solberg, EP's 20th-ranked prospect in the
#2024NHLDraft
, showcasing his biggest selling point: his elite physical game.
Crushing open-ice hits, stepping up at the right time against the rush, reverse hits before retrievals, etc.
Axel Sandin Pellikka (DET) was one of the most well-rounded defencemen at the tournament. As expected, he was very good in transition and at generating his own chances.
Also responsible for the second-most defensive plays among Swedish defencemen.
#LGRW
Two minutes of Michael Brandsegg-Nygård's (DET) best plays and moments from the pre-season match on August 16th.
He had a ridiculous one-timer goal in the third period, but also multiple other chances from the slot. Forechecking, physicality on display as always, too.
#LGRW
Aron Kiviharju still out there making massive blocks late in the third with his team down 9-4. Reminding everyone why he's the captain of this squad.
#U18Worlds
Felix Unger Sörum (CAR) has been one of the top forwards at the tournament.
Fabulous transition results, highlighted by the highest rate of cross-lane passes among all forwards. One of the best at getting the puck to the middle from the boards.
#Canes
This is the last one: David Jiricek ranked as the best defenceman in the tournament after the group stage, and he also does so after the medal round. Highest shot volume in the entire tournament, a monster defensively and also ranks in the 94th percentile in transition.
#CBJ