Blackhawks 2025 Development Camp Wrap-Up: The Youth Movement Is Here
This is the third year in a row the Chicago Blackhawks have held their development camp off ice. As a rebuilding team, the idea is to have the plethora of…
Monthly Archives: July 2025
NHL Prospect Pool Overview ’25-26: Anaheim Ducks Have No Glaring Weaknesses
The NHL off-season is in full swing, giving us the perfect opportunity to look at each team’s prospect pools. The Anaheim Ducks are up first.
In this prospect pool overview series, a player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer considered a prospect for these exercises. In this series, Tony Ferrari will dig into each team’s strengths and weaknesses, a quick overview of their latest draft class, where each team's positional depth chart stands and who could be next in line for an NHL chance.
Initial Thoughts
The Ducks are on the rise, building with an emphasis on skill and pugnacity over pure skill and finesse. That’s not to say that they don’t possess skilled players, because they certainly do.
Olen Zellweger is one of their most promising blueliners, and he stands just 5-foot-10. He is just one of two players who come in under six-feet that are projected to be on the roster come October. The trade of Trevor Zegras just further cemented the Ducks' philosophy of building with hard, heavy skill.
One player who brings the size that they love while bringing a level of finesse and pure skill is last year’s third overall pick, Beckett Sennecke. The 6-foot-4 right winger has the ability to absolutely dance defenders with the puck on his stick en route to the net. He draws pressure and makes plays out of it. He doesn’t have much to prove at the OHL level, even though he has one more year of eligibility, so there’s a possibility we see him in the NHL to start the season.
After starting this past season in the ECHL, Sasha Pastujov earned his way back onto the AHL roster, and he produced at over a point per game in 43 games with 17 goals and 28 assists. Pastujov is a tactician who slows the game down and tries to play within the pockets of space. He is going to have to find a way to increase his pace if he wants to play at the NHL level but his offensive tools are NHL caliber.
Roger McQueen, drafted 10th overall in the 2025 NHL draft, immediately becomes one of the Ducks’ top prospects. The shooting talent and puckhandling that comes in a 6-foot-6 frame is insane to think about. He isn’t the fleetest of foot, but with his length and reach, McQueen can weave his way through the neutral zone and find his spot in the offensive zone.
On the back end, the Ducks have some really nice prospects to go along with Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov, who are already on the NHL roster.
Tristan Luneau has developed and grown so much since being drafted. Healthy once again after a tough year the season before, Luneau played most of the year in the AHL and put up 52 points in 59 games. He should get a longer look with the big club in the fall. The question will be whether he has the room to flourish, as Mintyukov and Zellweger have the offensive capability to run the power play.
Stian Solberg joined the San Diego Gulls at the tail end of this past season and looked quite good in the AHL. His physicality has always been the calling card, but Solberg has become more confident with the puck. He’s coming off a fantastic World Championship for Norway, and he could parlay that into a fantastic first full North American season.
Rounding out the top names still in the pipeline, Tarin Smith plays a very solid two-way game. He was more comfortable dictating play and driving into the zone with the puck, which allowed him to use his solid shot more often. Defensively, he was reading play more effectively and using his mobility and size to kill play. He will likely be in the WHL for another year, but he should make his AHL debut after his season in Everett ends.
Key U-23 Players Likely To Play NHL Games This Season
Leo Carlsson (C), Mason McTavish (C), Cutter Gauthier (LW), Beckett Sennecke (RW), Olen Zellweger (D), Pavel Mintyukov (D), Tristan Luneau (D)
2025 NHL Draft Class
Round 1, 10th overall - Roger McQueen, C, Brandon (WHL)
Round 2, 45th overall - Eric Nilson, C, Djurgarden Jr. (Swe.)
Round 2, 60th overall - Lasse Boelius, D, Assat Jr. (Fin.)
Round 3, 72nd overall - Noah Read, C, London (OHL)
Round 4, 101st overall - Drew Schock, D, U.S. NTDP (USHL)
Round 4, 104th overall - Elijah Neuenschwander, G, Fribourg Jr. (Sui.)
Round 5, 136th overall - Alexis Mathieu, D, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)
Round 5, 159th overall - Emile Guite, LW, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
Round 6, 168th overall - Anthony Allain-Samake, D, Sioux City (USHL)
Round 7, 200th overall - Brady Turko, RW, Brandon (WHL)
One of the biggest questions heading into the 2025 NHL draft was where McQueen would land after playing in just 20 games because of a back injury. His puck skill and shooting talent are undoubtedly impressive. He must improve his pace and skating, and the injury is a major concern. Big, physical players who have back injuries this early in their careers are always scary. The upside is almost as massive as McQueen is, but so is the risk.
Anaheim’s pick of Eric Nilson in the second round was one of my personal favorites at the draft. Nilson is a highly intelligent center who connects play and drives the puck positively. He plays an excellent two-way game as well, reading and cutting off play in his own zone as well as almost anyone in the draft. Nilson must bulk up and fill out his frame, but the skill, 200-foot prowess and playmaking are all evident when you watch the Swede play.
Lasse Boelius was one of the more underrated defenders in the draft. He has decent size and high-level mobility. The base of his game comes from his skating, where he can win puck races and escape forecheckers in his own end. He shadows well, and as his reads improve, his defensive game should round out. Offensively, Boelius is more of a facilitator than a playmaker, but he isn’t a dead zone as some defenders are. His growth and development will be one of the more interesting storylines to follow among the Ducks’ draft class.
The Ducks are banking on Noah Read to explode this upcoming season with an expanded role after playing on a loaded London squad that won the Memorial Cup. He’s a high-energy player who brings a bit of physicality. He has a good release, and the hope is he can show it off more now that London will need him to step up.
The Ducks drafted the USA Hockey National Team Development Program’s top-scoring defender this past season, Drew Schock. Despite it being a down year for the program, Schock showed some impressive flashes of puck-moving ability on the breakout and at the offensive blueline. He must refine his defensive game and leverage his skating a bit better, but Schock is a solid project pick in the fourth round.
Big Swiss goaltender Elijah Neuenschwander split this past season between the junior and second-level men’s leagues in Switzerland. He has excellent size, and he moves fairly well. He must refine some technical aspects, but he has the building blocks of a potential NHL netminder. Anaheim has a fairly good track record of developing netminders, so Neuenschwander could be the next in line.
Drafting Alexis Mathieu is a bet on a mean streak that can be reined in when needed. He won’t be mistaken for a puck-mover, but his defensive game is what the Ducks hope he can build on. Mathieu’s tendency to try to put his opponents through the boards is what clearly attracted Anaheim here. Improved reads and tracking will be a necessity.
A disappointing season in the QMJHL saw Emile Guite’s point totals cut nearly in half from 57 as a rookie to just 30 this past year. Guite is a very good spot-up shooter who can find his pockets and unleash his shot, but this past year, he just didn’t have the help around him to get him the puck consistently, and he was asked to play a bigger role than his skill set would allow. Anaheim is hoping to see a return to form, and a fifth-round bet isn’t a bad time to take a risk.
Anthony Allain-Samake is one of the youngest players in the draft, and his toolset is raw but incredibly promising. He’s got a good frame that he will need to fill out, and his mobility is quite impressive, which gives him an incredibly solid base to build from. He shows flashes of high-end play at both ends of the ice, and his upside is as high as any mid-late round pick in this draft. Allain-Samake might have been the Ducks' best value pick of the draft.
The Ducks went young with another late pick, selecting Brady Turko from the Wheat Kings in the WHL. After playing U-18 AAA hockey, he made the jump to the WHL and put up 26 points in a depth role this past season. Turko has some skill and some nice off-puck habits, and there is ample room for growth.
Strengths
Anaheim’s prospect pipeline has quickly become one of the best in the NHL. They have depth all over and a good variety of skill sets in nearly every position.
Their defenders range from big, physical presences to skilled puck-movers. The forward group has depth down the middle with size and skill. They have wingers who bring playmaking ability and others with great goal-scoring habits. They even have a few interesting goalies in the system.
The strength of Anaheim’s system is that it has depth throughout with players who can play up and down the lineup.
Weaknesses
Although this is just the first installment of our summer NHL prospect pool overview series, the Ducks will be one of the few teams deemed to have no true major weakness in their pipeline.
You could nitpick and point out the left wing is a bit weak with no surefire studs, but with their depth of centers in the pipeline and on the roster, there will likely be a couple of them who move to the wing. The Ducks are building a very solid foundation of high-quality talent. Developing them and ensuring they are in a position to succeed is the next step.
Hidden Gem: Herman Traff, RW
The Ducks acquired Traff in a trade with the New Jersey Devils in exchange for defenseman Brian Dumoulin at this past trade deadline. Traff is exactly the type of intense, physical forward the Ducks seem to want in their bottom six.
Traff played most of this past season at the top men’s level in Sweden, and his offensive game was limited there, but he showed he was much more capable of using his offensive tools at the second level. The 19-year-old has plenty of runway, and he shows power-forward flashes and excellent off-puck instincts at both ends of the ice. Traff could play an important role on the third line in a couple of years.
Next Man Up: Beckett Sennecke, RW
We could have gone with Luneau here, and he may very well be an NHL player when the season opens. But with the addition of Jacob Trouba and a fairly strong defense group, it may be difficult for Luneau to gain a steady footing unless he unseats a player like Drew Helleson. As for Sennecke, there is a possibility the Ducks' top prospect joins the NHL club to start the season.
His OHL numbers have been fantastic, putting up 86 points in 56 regular-season games, followed by 32 in 28 playoff games. Sennecke’s Oshawa Generals may take a slight step back from contender status, and the Ducks could use an infusion of the skill and pace that Sennecke brings.
Although the Ducks just signed Mikael Granlund, they could still look to add a top-six right winger. Alex Killorn is aging and hasn’t hit the 40-point mark in a few years, while Troy Terry seems destined for a third-line role or even a possible trade. Sennecke could bring the skill element the Ducks sorely need after trading Zegras. Even if he heads back to junior after a quick nine-game stint, don’t be surprised to see Sennecke on the NHL roster to open the season.
Prospect Depth Chart Notables
LW: Sasha Pastujov, Alexandre Blais, Lucas Pettersson, Nico Myatovic, Emile Guite
C: Roger McQueen, Eric Nilson, Nathan Gaucher, Noah Reed, Jan Mysak
RW: Beckett Sennecke, Herman Traff, Yegor Sidorov, Austin Burnevik, Brady Turko
LD: Stian Solberg, Tarin Smith, Anthony Allain-Samake, Tyson Hinds, Darels Uljanskis
RD: Tristan Luneau, Noah Warren, Ian Moore
G: Tomas Suchanek, Elijah Neuenshwander, Damian Clara
For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of The Hockey News in print.
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'I Saw My Name And I Was Going Crazy': Maple Leafs Prospect Rylan Fellinger Describes Getting Drafted Into The NHL While Attending Prom
Rylan Fellinger, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ sixth-round selection (185th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft, had a quite unique draft experience: he wasn't at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles when his name was called. Instead, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound defenseman was in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, attending his high school prom.
Fellinger recounted how he learned of his selection. He had tried not to pay attention to the draft, but his teammate and friend from their Sault Ste. Marie AAA U18 days, Hudson Chitaroni, was streaming it.
“I just wanted to clear my mind a little bit, and he was just watching it,” Fellinger recalled. “Then the Leafs were up with the next pick, and I saw my name, and I was going crazy. I couldn't even believe it. I was just running around. People, I think, might have thought I was crazy or something, but yeah, it was awesome.”
Fellinger was the first defenseman chosen by the Leafs in the 2025 NHL Draft, after Toronto made four consecutive selections at the forward spot.
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Maple Leafs’ Director of Amateur Scouting Mark Leach described Fellinger as a big, “rangy” defenseman who uses his size to box out opponents. Leach also admitted that Fellinger will have to work on his game.
Fellinger described the rest of the day with reporters after the first day of on-ice sessions at Maple Leafs development camp at Ford Performance Centre on Thursday. He also described what it was like working with former Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin, who is coaching some of the defensive prospects.
Q: What was the rest of the night like?
Fellinger: Oh, it was just like, I couldn't even describe it. It was, I didn't even know what to think at that point. I was just so out of it. I was so excited. So many emotions going through my mind. I could see my family out here as well, and it was an awesome experience.
Q Did you have a date?
Fellinger: Yeah.
Q: What was her reaction?
Fellinger: Oh, I think she was crazier than me. She was going crazy. She was so happy for me and it was awesome.
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Q: When you found out that the draft and prom would coincide, were you always going to attend prom anyway?
Fellinger: Yeah, I was if, but like, I still wanted to see all my childhood friends. They've been with me since the start. They've always had my back. I really wanted to spend the day with them. They're always there for me and to celebrate with them was just an unreal experience.
Q: What's the name of the school?
Fellinger: Cora Collegiate. In the Soo.
Q: Did someone make an announcement at the prom that you'd been drafted?
Fellinger: They wanted to, but I didn't want to ruin the whole night. I didn't want to make it all about me.
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Q: What was the phone call like from Brad(Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving)? He said he could hear music on in the background. Like what was that like?
Fellinger: Yeah, I tried to get away from everyone 'cause everyone was screaming and everything and uh I was I was trying to keep the calm and but people were just going crazy and I couldn't help it.
Q: Have you had a 'Welcome to the Leafs' moment yet?
Fellinger: Well, everyone has been welcoming here. Like, even my teammates, I haven't even met them, but they all feel like brothers to me. It's so unreal here. It's amazing.
Q: Who did you cheer for growing up, were you a Leafs fan
Fellinger: Yeah, I was always a Leads fan with my dad and my grandpa, obviously. We were always cheering for them. But I was a really big big Sidney Crosby fan. I always loved to see his journey and I was definitely a big Leafs fan.
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Q: What did your dad think?
Fellinger: “He was going crazy. I haven't seen tears from that guy in so long. And just seeing that, it was such a surreal experience.
Q: And now you're here. What stood out about the first on-ice session?
Fellinger: “it's just a lot to take in. It's about learning new experiences, learning all the new coaching staff, and just the new drills that we get to see, seeing where I can improve on, and just start from there.
Q: What's it like getting tips from Jake Muzzin?
Fellinger: Ah, it's awesome. Yeah, I love that. Anything that comes from him is always is always a great experience. I love taking things from him.
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Q: What were you guys working on there at the end (of the session?
Fellinger: We were just working on boxing out guys. I think I just need to hit the hips more instead of hitting higher because it's a lot easier to just bring them onto the boards and yeah.
Q: How far back did your grandfather go as a Leaf fan? Do you know what era?
I'm not sure. Yeah, I'm not really too sure about that. Probably a long time ago, for sure.
(Photo Credit: Toronto Maple Leafs on YouTube)
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No New Contract From Maple Leafs Was ‘Tough,’ Says Pontus HolmbergPontus Holmberg spoke to the media on Wednesday for the first time since signing a new two-year contract worth $1.55 million per season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Although he seemed happy to be getting a raise with his new NHL team, he did describe the emotions of the past few days that saw his former club not tender him a qualifying offer.
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Skinner Still Unsigned In Opening Week Of Free Agency
NHL clubs did not hesitate in going wild in the opening week of free agency, with a number of signings that were the product of an increasing salary cap and a pool of unrestricted free agents thin on centers, top-four defensemen, and scoring forwards. One of the more prominent names still unsigned after four days is former Buffalo Sabre Jeff Skinner.
The 33-year-old was bought out of the final three years of his eight-year, $72 million contract last June and quickly signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Edmonton Oilers. Skinner was thought to be an option for the Oilers in their top-six playing alongside either Leon Draisaitl or Connor McDavid with another former Sabre Evander Kane expected out for the entire regular season.
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That opportunity did not come to fruition with the Oilers, as the former 40-goal scorer played mostly a secondary role in the bottom-six, and dropping from 24 goals in Buffalo to 16 with the Oilers. After playing the first postseason game of his 15-year career against Los Angeles in the first round, Skinner was replaced by Kane in the lineup and did not get back into the Edmonton lineup until the Western Conference Final against Dallas, when replaced the injured Zach Hyman.
Skinner scored his first playoff goal in the clinching game against the Stars and three of the six games in the loss to Florida in the Stanley Cup Final. There has been no indication whether the Oilers will re-sign the veteran winger, but after re-signing Trent Frederic, Kasperi Kapanen, and adding Andrew Mangiapane and Curtis Lazar as UFA’s earlier this week, Edmonton has less than $200,000 in cap space and may have closed the door on a return to Alberta.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo
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The Wraparound: Where Does Marner Fit In The Golden Knights' Lineup?
The Wraparound has some more rapid-fire looks at NHL free agency, international and women’s hockey news and more.
Where Does Marner Fit In The Golden Knights' Lineup? by The WraparoundundefinedHere’s what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Willie Ramirez discussed in this episode:
1:15: Do the Winnipeg Jets have the weapons to replace Nikolaj Ehlers?
3:36: Which NHL teams must look at next steps after missing out on Ehlers?
7:00: Where does Mitch Marner fit in the Vegas Golden Knights’ forward lineup?
11:50: Will the Washington Capitals insert more rising prospects into the lineup next season after losing players in free agency?
14:04: What do you think about what the Capitals have or haven’t done so far in the off-season?
16:30: The Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner wants Hockey Canada to push for a fighting ban across all junior leagues. Agree or disagree?
22:10: Reacting to women's hockey in North America hitting record numbers: is this growth a result of the PWHL’s visibility?
24:18: Can these rising numbers be attributed to something other than the PWHL?
28:00: The NHL, NHLPA and IIHF reach an official agreement for NHL player participation in the 2026 Olympics. Does the USA now have an edge, thanks to the 4 Nations experience and the IIHF World Championship victory (its first since 1933)?
29:46: What will this rivalry between the USA and Canada look like at the Olympics next year?
32:30: The Anaheim Ducks signed Mikael Granlund to three-year, $21-million contract. They had the cap space to do it, but is this an overpay for a middle-six center?
34:16: How is Granlund going to impact the Ducks roster, and what kind of noise will the team make this year?
See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.
Promo image credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
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