I posted NCAA players - Top Hobey Baker candidates, top prospects, top first-years and more ...sort of my preview to NCAA hockey this year.

Thought folks in this thread might like. I have cut and pasted some of these lists below.

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My top-5 Hobey Baker Favorites going into season (listed alphabetically):

Alex Campbell (NSH)
Matt Coronato (CGY)
Luke Hughes (NJD)
Matthew Knies (TOR)
Scott Morrow (CAR)


My Hobey Baker darkhorses (listed alphabetically):

Jakub Dobes (MTL)
Dom Fensore (CAR)
Alex Lafrerriere (LAK)
Jake Livingstone (undrafted)
Wilmer Skoog (undrafted)


My Pre-Season All-Americans (1st team, listed by position):

F: Matt Coronato (CGY)
F: Alex Campbell (NSH)
F: Wilmer Skoog (undrafted)
D: Luke Hughes (NJD)
D: Jake Livingstone (undrafted)
G: Devon Levi (BUF)


My Pre-Season All-Americans (2nd team, listed by position):

F: Matthew Knies (TOR)
F: Riese Gaber (undrafted)
F: Ryan Tverberg (TOR)
D: Zach Metsa (undrafted)
D: Jacob Bengtsson (undrafted)
G: Erik Portillo (BUF)


Best NHL Prospects in NCAA (forwards, listed in order):

1. Logan Cooley (ARI)
2. Matt Coronato (CGY)
3. Matthew Knies (TOR)
4. Cutter Gauthier (PHI)
5. Frank Nazar (CHI)


Best NHL Prospects in NCAA (defense, listed in order):

1. Luke Hughes (NJD)
2. Brock Faber (MIN)
3. Scott Morrow (CAR)
4. Corson Ceulemans (CBJ)
5. Sean Behrens (COL)


Most UNDER-rated prospects in NCAA (forwards, listed alphabetically):

Blake Biondi (MTL)
Trevor Janicke (ANA)
Jay O'Brien (PHI)
Ryder Rolston (CHI)
Ty Smilanic (MTL)


Most UNDER-rated prospects in NCAA (defense, listed alphabetically):

Ethan Edwards (NJD)
Brent Johnson (WAS)
Mike Koster (TOR)
Luca Munzenberger (EDM)
Guillaume Richard (CBJ)


Most OVERRATED prospects in NCAA (listed alphabetically)

Tristan Broz (PIT)
Jack D. Hughes (LAK)
Mason Lohrei (BOS)
Robert Mastrosimone (DET)
Luke Tuch (MTL)


Best UNDRAFTED prospects in NCAA (listed in order)

1. Jake Livingstone, RD, Minnesota State
2. Yanev Perets, G, Quinnipiac
3. Wilmer Skoog, C, Boston University
4. Jacob Bengtsson, LD, Lake Superior State
5. Riese Gaber, RW, North Dakota
6. Zach Metsa, RD, Quinnipiac
7. Maxim Andreev, LW, Cornell
8. Parker Ford, LW, Providence
9. Spencer Meier, RD, St. Cloud State
10. Akito Hirose, RD, Minnesota State


Best DRAFTED prospects in NCAA who could elect free agency next Summer (listed in order)

1. Ryan Johnson, LD, Minnesota (BUF)
2. Henry Thurn, LD, Harvard (ANA)
3. Jackson LaCombe, LD, Minnesota (ANA)
4. Domenick Fensore, LD, Boston University (CAR)
5. John Farinacci, C, Harvard (ARI)
6. Aidan McDonough, C, Northeastern (VAN)
7. Nicky Leivermann, LHD, Notre Dame (COL)
8. Ben Brinkman, LHD, Minnesota (DAL)
9. Jay O'Brien, C, Boston University (PHI)
10. Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, LW, Northeastern (NSH)


Most Notable Transfers in NCAA (listed alphabetically)

Cole Brady (NJD) (Arizona State --> Massachusetts)
Tristan Broz (PIT) (Minnesota --> Denver)
Connor Kelley (CHI) (Minnesota Duluth --> Providence)
Artem Shlaine (NJD) (Connecticut --> Northern Michigan)
Ty Smilanic (MTL) (Quinnipiac --> Wisconsin)
Carter Berger (FLA) (Connecticut --> Western Michigan)


Guys who could improve their stock this year (listed alphabetically)

Shai Buium (DET)
Sam Colangelo (ANA)
Jack Devine (FLA)
Cooper Moore (EDM)
Keenan Rancier (undrafted)


Candidates for top first-year player (listed alphabetically)

Jackson Blake (CAR) (North Dakota)
Ryan Chesley (WAS) (Minnesota)
Logan Cooley (ARI) (Minnesota)
Sam Lipkin (ARI) (Quinnipiac)
Rutger McGroarty (WPG) (Michigan)
Frank Nazar (CHI) (Michigan)


Candidates for top first-year player (among 2023 draft class, listed alphabetically)

Zach Bookman (Merrimack) (overager)
Gavin Brindley (Michigan)
Adam Fantilli (Michigan)
Charlie Stramel (Wisconsin)
Jeremy Wilmer (Boston University) (overager)
Matthew Wood (Connecticut)


Most fun players to watch play (listed alphabetically)

Brett Berard (NYR)
Alex Campbell (NSH)
Logan Cooley (ARI)
Riese Gaber (undrafted)
Luke Hughes (NJD)

If this is true, we could potentially have a #1 defensemen in our pipelines

Given the depth and starpower in Buffalo’s system, this is a super underwhelming lineup lol

Owen Beck looks really good

Not as good as ALEX HOLTZ

Owen Beck looks really good

I soooooo wanted Beck to fall to the Leafs. Now I get to watch him in a Habs uni 😢

Beck looks good

Minten looks like hes gonna be an annoying physical 3rd liner

Holmberg has been so much fun and honestly I could see him in the NHL this coming season with Engvall and Jarnkrok

Petruzelli is a guy though im watching very closely

Petro has been good goalie for long time. Never understood the knock on him that he was “system goalie”. To me, that’s Dryden McKay. Will be interesting who ends up higher on depth chart.

Beck looks good

Minten looks like hes gonna be an annoying physical 3rd liner

Holmberg has been so much fun and honestly I could see him in the NHL this coming season with Engvall and Jarnkrok

Petruzelli is a guy though im watching very closely

I love the addition of Max Ellis, that was a nice pickup. Holmberg will definitely challenge for a roster spot but IMO will start with the Marlies. One of Peska or Petruzelli will be a Maple Leaf goalie.

I’ve only watched Minten for 5 periods of hockey, but I’ve seen nothing from him yet that warranted his drafting at 38th overall. I struggle to see what the Leafs saw in him.

Will try to watch as many Blazers games as I can. I don’t see an NHL player in him, yet.

Minten's been fine his physical presence and takeaways have been good. Problem is where they are positioning him. Yes hes on the top line but Robertson and Steeves are like Kane and Debrincat its chemistry with eachother and then whoever is the C. Put Minten with SDA and Abruzzese as their playmaking will benefit him. And Holmberg I feel will work better with Robertson and Steeves. To bad Knies couldnt join as he and Minten had good chemistry in camp

In general when you got the Marlies then some invites its hard to judge over a same age draft team

If this was a team with invites + Roni, Niemela, Knies, KHL boyz etc would be more intriguing for guys like Minten but there are rules and it sucks lul

I do agree playing with two shooters in Robertson and Steeves won’t bring out the best in his game. He’s steady, with very little panic in his game. He’d work well with Ellis or Voit. He certainly has the traits to be a competent bottom 6 player, my issue will always be with where he was selected.

You don’t take safe bottom 6 at 38th overall you draft someone that has a much higher ceiling.

I’m really happy with Gogolev also, I could see him having a big bounce back year

I mean if we look at the Leafs rn they got a funny issue

They are loaded with LW prospects now who can push top 6

Robertson
Amirov (when healthy)
Hirvonen
Knies....

Issue mainly rn is whose gonna be the future 2C (Once JT is up) as Minten to me probs 3rd C candidate for the future with Douglas maybe the 4c. So next draft priority should be find a 2c (As Matthews will be 1c for a long time) and maybe some RW's and a LD

So my priority for 2023 draft

1. 2C Candidate
2. A good 2-way LD (LD pool needs to get stronger as our RD pool is pretty good rn but maybe go get one more guy for that to)

Good thing 2023 draft is loaded with good LD and C prospects

As by 2024 I could see

Bunts-Matthews-Marner
Robertson-JT- Maybe WN dont know lets just throw Amirov as a maybe
Knies-Minten-Engvall
ZAR-Douglas-Kubel

Dcore

Rielly-Brodie (signs a cheap 2 year extension)
Sandin-Liligren
Vet LD-Niemela

If Minten reaches his ceiling I could see him being a solid fit on the fourth line putting up 20-35 points in his prime. He is fringe 4th liner whose value will come from his relentless forecheck and shoot-from-anywhere mentality.

Leafs have fixed the goaltending situation and have enough prospects that one of (Petruzelli, Peska, Hildeby, Akhtyamov, McKay) could become a 1B and hopefully best case a 1A.

Agreed, LW looks set with Robertson, Knies, Abruzese and Hirvonen all look promising to at least compete for a roster spot.

I knew nothing of Grebenkin but he looks intriguing as a RW. I still like Miettinen game but he had a sophomore slump last year needs to have a better year for St. Cloud. Size will always be a concern but I have high hopes for Voit as a RW.

Defence and Center prospects are very concerning. It looks like they are grooming Holmberg for that role, I could see him topping out as a Jarnkrok clone. SDA and Abramov need a big year with the Marlies to prove they can be NHL players. I actually like SDA more as a winger, liked his game in the first couple of games in Rookie tourney. I like Douglas a lot, he will be a great 4C. I have higher hopes of Tverberg reaching 3C than I do of Minten. Which make the Minten selection even more frustrating since they already have enough high energy bottom six guys.

After Sandin there are no LD prospects pushing for an NHL. That’s a major issue and why getting him signed is a big deal. The Leafs haven’t drafted a D prospect in the last two drafts. Kral and Kokkonen look interesting but hardly a sure thing. Niemela is at least two years away from competing for a role. Koster looks interesting but still a likely bottom pairing guy at best.

I will be shocked if they keep their 2023 1st round pick. They need to address the top 6 (they should have just signed Niederreiter instead of Engvall + Jarnkrok but oh well) I don’t foresee us drafting in the 1st round next year.

Most of the glaring issues can be fixed in free agency but until the cap really goes up, there are still some major holes in the prospect pool.

Saturday rant over lol

I think the Leafs keep their 1st this year. Obviously things can change on a dime, but it seems pretty apparent that top 6 LW is the biggest hole that needs filling (assuming one of Murray or Samsonov rise to the occasion). To me, either that role gets filled from within or one of the guys who has a hope of filling it (likely Robertson) is out the door for an immediate solution with a little term. 2023 is just not a good year to trade your 1st.

Edit: Like you mentioned though, that problem could've been solved in FA and it kind of pissed me off that the Leafs didn't capitalize on this class by trading Muzzin/Kerfoot/Holl...

If Minten reaches his ceiling I could see him being a solid fit on the fourth line putting up 20-35 points in his prime. He is fringe 4th liner whose value will come from his relentless forecheck and shoot-from-anywhere mentality.

Leafs have fixed the goaltending situation and have enough prospects that one of (Petruzelli, Peska, Hildeby, Akhtyamov, McKay) could become a 1B and hopefully best case a 1A.

Agreed, LW looks set with Robertson, Knies, Abruzese and Hirvonen all look promising to at least compete for a roster spot.

I knew nothing of Grebenkin but he looks intriguing as a RW. I still like Miettinen game but he had a sophomore slump last year needs to have a better year for St. Cloud. Size will always be a concern but I have high hopes for Voit as a RW.

Defence and Center prospects are very concerning. It looks like they are grooming Holmberg for that role, I could see him topping out as a Jarnkrok clone. SDA and Abramov need a big year with the Marlies to prove they can be NHL players. I actually like SDA more as a winger, liked his game in the first couple of games in Rookie tourney. I like Douglas a lot, he will be a great 4C. I have higher hopes of Tverberg reaching 3C than I do of Minten. Which make the Minten selection even more frustrating since they already have enough high energy bottom six guys.

After Sandin there are no LD prospects pushing for an NHL. That’s a major issue and why getting him signed is a big deal. The Leafs haven’t drafted a D prospect in the last two drafts. Kral and Kokkonen look interesting but hardly a sure thing. Niemela is at least two years away from competing for a role. Koster looks interesting but still a likely bottom pairing guy at best.

I will be shocked if they keep their 2023 1st round pick. They need to address the top 6 (they should have just signed Niederreiter instead of Engvall + Jarnkrok but oh well) I don’t foresee us drafting in the 1st round next year.

Most of the glaring issues can be fixed in free agency but until the cap really goes up, there are still some major holes in the prospect pool.

Saturday rant over lol

I think the Leafs keep their 1st this year. Obviously things can change on a dime, but it seems pretty apparent that top 6 LW is the biggest hole that needs filling (assuming one of Murray or Samsonov rise to the occasion). To me, either that role gets filled from within or one of the guys who has a hope of filling it (likely Robertson) is out the door for an immediate solution with a little term. 2023 is just not a good year to trade your 1st.

Edit: Like you mentioned though, that problem could've been solved in FA and it kind of pissed me off that the Leafs didn't capitalize on this class by trading Muzzin/Kerfoot/Holl...