This week, I will go through Minnesota to Winnipeg in the West and look at some players who spent at least 30 games in the AHL and who we could see get some playing time the rest of the year or next season in the NHL.

I will only consider players who are 25 years old or younger. The focus is on younger players in the AHL who have seen progress in their game this season.

Minnesota Wild – Iowa Wild

Carson Lambos – D – (21): 58-3-9-12 (AHL)

Lambos was the 26th overall pick in 2021. He played one game in the WJC in 2022, played 171 WHL games and posted 127 points. His offensive game has not translated to the pro circuit and his future role in the NHL will be as more of a defensive defender, who can chip in the odd point. He is in a queue of young defenders for the Wild which includes Daemon Hunt, Ryan O'Rourke and David Spacek. All are vying to become regulars in the NHL.

Daemon Hunt – D – (21): 41-2-19-21

Hunt was a 3rd round pick in 2020 and is in his second professional season in the AHL. He has seen his point production go from 0.19/g to 0.51 in Iowa, which earned him a few different promotions to the NHL. He has played 12 NHL games, posting one point, eight hits and 17 blocks while averaging just 11:30 per game. Hunt appears to be ahead of Lambos, O'Rourke and Spacek at this point.

Caedan Bankier – F – (21): 40-10-8-18

Bankier was drafted in the 3rd round in 2021 and is playing his pro rookie campaign in the AHL. He was injured for the first two months of the season and has shown some offensive capabilities but has struggled defensively. He needs more time in the AHL to figure out his play away from the puck but is someone to watch.

Jesper Wallstedt – G – (21): 20-17-2, 91.0 save%

Wallstedt was the 20th overall pick in the 2021 draft and is in his second AHL season. He played 38 games in 2022-2023, winning 18 while posting a save percentage of 90.8. He maintained that level in 37 games in 2023-2024 and got his first start in the NHL. Unfortunately, he got a bit roasted, giving up seven goals on 34 SOG. He is the goalie of the future in Minnesota and could see more action with the club in 2024-2025, at least as a backup.

Nashville Predators – Milwaukee Admirals

Egor Afanasyev – F – (23): 47-23-24-47

Afanasyev was a second-round pick in 2019 and is in his third AHL season. He has seen his points per game go from 0.45, to 0.46, to 1.00. He's big (6-4, 211 lbs), shoots the puck a lot (3.4/g in 47 AHL games) and uses his body. In two games with Nashville, he looked a little more NHL-ready than he did in the 17 games he played with them in 2022-2023. He could battle for a roster spot in 2024-2025.

Zach L'Heureux – F – (20): 55-15-26-41

L'Hereux was selected 26th overall in the 2021 draft and is a rookie in the AHL. He hadn't played more than 55 games in a season over four campaigns in the QMJHL, but has been relatively healthy in 2023-2024 and it's allowed him to progress. He is currently second in the AHL in penalty minutes with 158. He plays on the edge and has been suspended several times in the QMJHL and once in the AHL. 

Joakim Kemell – F – (19): 54-15-19-34

Kemell was the 17th overall pick in 2022 and left the Finnish Liiga at the end of 2022-2023 to play in North America. He's played 67 career AHL games and has 21 goals and 26 assists. I think he will need another year in the AHL but should start to get some call-up opportunities by next season.

Fedor Svechkov – F – (20): 45-13-20-33

Svechkov was the 19th overall pick in 2021 and is one of four first-rounders currently playing in Milwaukee. The Predators have a fairly stacked young nucleus in the AHL. Svechkov is in his first North American pro experience and has transitioned well with production at 0.73 points per game. The Predators are going to have to move some of these young AHLers or some current NHL roster players to make room sooner rather than later.

Marc Del Gaizo – D – (24): 51-8-24-32

Del Gaizo has increased his production in the AHL from 0.28/g, to 0.44/g, to 0.63/g over the past three years. He's played eight games with Nashville and has three assists, 18 hits and nine blocks while averaging 16:38 per game. He's made the most of his opportunity and could be moving up the depth chart to six or seven with the possible departures of Tyson Barrie and Alexandre Carrier after this season.

Yaroslav Askarov – G – (21): 23-12-1; 91.2

When Juuse Saros signed his extension with Nashville until the end of 2024-2025, I figured that would be about the time that the Predators were ready for Askarov to be in the NHL even though he is still only 21. He's been steady in 83 AHL games where he has 48 wins and a save percentage of 91.1. Kevin Lankinen is unrestricted at the end of 2023-2024, so Askarov should be a lock for Nashville in 2024-2025 as the backup.

San Jose Sharks – San Jose Barracuda

Shakir Mukhamadullin – D – (22): 51-7-23-30

Mukhamadullin was part of the package received from New Jersey in the Timo Meier deal and was the 20th overall pick in 2020. After three seasons in the KHL, he came over to San Jose at the end of 2022-2023 and played in 12 games in the AHL. In 62 AHL games, he has 40 points and earned a three-game call-up with the Sharks where he averaged over 21 minutes per night and had one point, five hits and 11 blocks. I would be surprised if he doesn't see some more games in 2023-2024 in the NHL.

Daniil Gushchin – F – (22): 46-14-26-40

Gushchin was drafted in the 3rd round in 2020 and played three years in the USHL, which is rare for a Russian kid. In 115 AHL games, he has 36 goals and 48 assists on 372 SOG and saw his points per game increase from 0.67 to 0.87. In four NHL games, he has three points on 11 SOG. He shoots the puck at any level. I think he will challenge for a spot in the NHL in 2024-2025 and could see some games down the stretch.

Jack Thompson – D – (22): 51-5-30-35

Thompson was acquired from Tampa Bay in the trade that saw Anthony Duclair go the other way. Thompson was a 3rd round pick from 2020 who has seen his point production in the AHL go from 0.32 to 0.67 in two years. With the lack of defensive depth on San Jose's roster, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Thompson get an opportunity sooner than later.

Thomas Bordeleau – F – (22): 35-11-14-25

Bordeleau caught my eye after he turned pro at the end of 2021-2022 and played eight games for the Sharks, tallying five assists and getting some power play time. I was expecting him to challenge for an NHL roster spot in 2022-2023 but he was sent to the AHL and played 65 games, with 22 goals and 19 assists. He got eight games with the Sharks, where he posted two assists. He looked like he had taken a step back. In 2023-2024, he started the year in the NHL with the Sharks and played six games, where he had two points. He was then sent to the AHL and played 35 games with 25 points – which was an increase from 0.63 to 0.71 pts/game. He has now played nine games for the Sharks since March 7th and has five goals and an assist, albeit he was also a minus-ten. He has a long audition for 2024-2025.

St. Louis Blues – Springfield Thunderbirds

Adam Gaudette – F – (27): 56-37-20-57

I realize that Gaudette is too old for this thread, but he can score goals in the AHL despite struggling when given an opportunity in the NHL (which are becoming rarer). In 136 AHL games, he's had 70 goals and 50 assists. In contrast, through 220 NHL games, he's had 27 goals and 43 assists. His offense isn't enough to break into the top-six and his defense isn't good enough to be a bottom-six forward at the NHL level consistently. I cheer for a player who put up 33 points in 59 games with the Canucks in 2019-2020.

Zachary Bolduc – F – (21): 48-8-15-23

Bolduc was the 17th overall pick in the 2021 draft and is in his first pro season. He has been up with St. Louis since February 22nd and has played 16 games, posting one goal and two assists while averaging 10:28 per night. Here is a player who had 105 goals and 209 points in his last 126 QMJHL games, who is now being thrust into a bottom-six role with the Blues as they fight for a playoff berth. He played 5:53 in the game on Saturday night. I think Dallas and Nashville have this development thing down as they tend to put their young players in positions to succeed in both the AHL and NHL.

Vadim Zherenko – G – (23): 12-10-1, 91.3

Zherenko is a 7th-round pick from 2019 who has played three pro seasons in Russia at the VHL/MHL levels, and one year in Finland in Liiga, where he dressed for 30 games and had a 90.2 save percentage. This is his second year in the AHL, a league where he has won 22 of 49 games, with a save percentage of 91.3 over that span. He's playing ahead of St. Louis' 3rd round pick from the same draft, Colten Ellis.

Colten Ellis – G – (23): 5-5-0, 92.8

Ellis seemed stuck in the ECHL since he left junior hockey after going 23-1-0 with Charlottetown of the QMJHL and registering a 92.6 save percentage. He had played just six AHL games and 82 ECHL games before being recalled to the AHL and playing very well in the past 10 games. He has gotten back into the fight for third on the St. Louis' goalie depth chart.

Seattle Kraken – Coachella Valley Firebirds

Kole Lind – F – (25): 58-14-41-55

Lind was the 33rd overall pick in 2017 and has played 31 NHL games spread over three seasons with Seattle and Vancouver. He has played 301 AHL games and has 85 goals and 136 assists for 221 points. He has a career-high 0.95 points per game in 2023-2024 but played just one game for the Kraken, where he saw just 5:59 (seems to be a recurring theme). By my count, eight players are currently in the AHL who have played at least one game for Seattle in 2023-2024 and not one of them has averaged more than 10 minutes per game in the 35 games they have played collectively.

Shane Wright – F – (20): 53-19-22-41

Many people thought that Wright who ended up going 4th overall in 2022 would be the consensus top pick the year or two before. While it still appears that the Kraken were gifted Wright with their pick, he hasn't taken the fast track to the NHL, and it is starting to appear that he might have a lower ceiling on his offensive talents than was thought (think 55-65 points). In 60 career AHL games, he now has 23 goals and 23 assists, which is fairly impressive for a 20-year-old.

Logan Morrison – F – (21): 60-15-25-40

Morrison was undrafted out of the OHL after 2022-2023. He put up 100 points as a 19-year-old and 94 points in 56 games as a 20-year-old. The Kraken signed him as a free agent, and he has had an impressive first pro year in the AHL. 

Ville Ottavainen – D – (21): 58-6-23-29

Ottavainen was a 4th-round pick in 2021 out of Finland. He has played 120 Liiga games with JYP and had 12 goals and 21 assists. He has good size (6-5, 210 lbs) and projects as more of a defensive defender. He fits the mould of what the Kraken like on defense, so expect to see him get a few games sooner than later.

Ryan Winterton – F – (20): 55-21-12-33

Winterton was a 3rd round pick in 2021 out of the OHL and has 21 goals in his first 55 AHL games. He was rewarded with three games in Seattle, where he averaged 8:12 per game and was pointless. It's good to see Winterton healthy as he managed just 71 games in his last two OHL seasons.

Vancouver Canucks – Abbotsford Canucks

Arshdeep Bains – F – (23): 52-13-35-48

Bains was a free-agent signing after his last year of WHL in 2021-2022, where he had 112 points in 68 games as a 20-year-old. He has played 117 AHL games, posting 26 goals and 60 assists, and seeing his production go from 0.58 to 0.94 pts/game. He saw five games with the Canucks where he averaged 12:57 per game. He got an opportunity to play in the top six and while he didn't produce, he showed some flashes that should see him get another opportunity.

Linus Karlsson – F – (24): 49-16-32-48

Karlsson had 26 goals in the SHL in 52 games. He was a 22-year-old in 2021-2022 and came over to North America in 2022-2023. He has played 120 AHL games since and has 39 goals and 57 assists, seeing his production go from 0.68 to 0.98 points/game. He played four games with Vancouver and went pointless while averaging 10:09 per game.

Aatu Raty – F – (21): 61-15-27-42

The development of Raty has been inconsistent but incremental. He has seen his production go from 0.52 to 0.68 points per game. He was part of the package from the NY Islanders for Bo Horvat in 2022-2023. The 2nd round pick from 2021 had 40 points in 41 Liiga games in 2021-2022. There might be a bottom-six spot for him with the Canucks in 2024-2025.

Max Sasson – F – (23): 45-16-18-34

Sasson was signed by the Canucks after leaving Western Michigan University following the 2022-2023 campaign. He has put himself on the radar for the NHL after posting 0.75 points per game with Abbotsford.

Arturs Silovs – G – (22): 15-11-6, 90.7

With Thatcher Demko out for at least two or three more weeks, Silovs was called up to the Canucks to back up Casey DeSmith. There is a chance Silovs could see a start or two after looking decent in five games with Vancouver in 2022-2023. He's had an inconsistent 2023-2024 in the AHL and hasn't progressed as much as was hoped after his heroic World Championships in 2023.

Nikita Tolopilo – G – (23): 16-13-0, 90.2

Tolopilo has come out of nowhere for me and is currently the fourth Vancouver goaltender on the depth chart. He played 45 games in the HockeyAllsvenskan and posted a 92.4 save percentage in 2022-2023, so he was signed as a free agent by the Canucks. The 6-6 Belarusian has played more than was forecast in the AHL and has been decent.

Vegas Golden Knights – Henderson Silver Knights

Grigori Denisenko – F – (23): 55-17-30-47

Denisenko was the 15th overall pick in 2018 by the Florida Panthers. He is currently in his fourth season in North America in the AHL and has seen his production go from 0.6, to 0.6, to 0.64, and 0.85. He has played 32 games in the NHL between Vegas and Florida and still hasn't had a goal, but does have seven assists and 50 hits. In 156 AHL games, he has 42 goals and 67 assists. He is signed until the end of 2024-2025 so he might have one more kick at the NHL can.

Brendan Brisson – F – (22): 46-15-19-34

Brisson was the 29th overall pick in the 2020 draft and is in his second professional year after leaving the University of Michigan after 2021-2022. In 121 AHL games, he has 36 goals and 43 assists, seeing his production increase from 0.64 to 0.73 points per game. Because of injuries to Vegas's lineup, Brisson was called up two times and managed 13 games, where he had two goals and seven points, while averaging 12:25 per game. I think he's ready for 2024-2025.

Winnipeg Jets – Manitoba Moose

Brad Lambert – F – (20): 54-19-28-47

Lambert was the 30th overall pick in 2022, which was a bit of a slide for a player who was considered a top-five pick a year or two before the draft. His 54 games with Manitoba in the AHL are the most he has played for one organization. Since Lambert was 13 years old, he has been playing at so many different levels and different clubs that it's nice to see him flourishing in one spot. I believe he will battle for a spot on the NHL roster in 2024-2025.

Nikita Chibrikov – F – (21): 59-16-24-40

Chibrikov was a 2nd round pick in 2021 and is playing his first professional season outside of Russia. Most young players struggle a little in their first year in North America, but Chibrikov has played well. He's slowed down a little, but 59 games would be the most he had ever played in a season before. He might need another year in the AHL in 2024-25 but should get some call-ups.

Parker Ford – F – (23): 60-14-18-32

Ford was signed as a free agent after leaving Providence College at the end of 2022-2023. He surprised a lot of people in training camp with Winnipeg and has put together a very good first pro year. He's an energy player who will see some games in the NHL at some point if healthy.

Thomas Milic – G- (20): 13-6-1; 90.6

Milic was a 5th-round pick in 2023 out of the WHL. In his last year with the Seattle Thunderbirds, he went 27-3-1 with a save percentage of 92.8. He started 2023-2024 in the ECHL but has settled into a role in the AHL at the young age of 20. He has won wherever he has played.

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