Welcome back to The Journey, where we track the development of prospects as they excel in junior, make the NHL, and push towards stardom.

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Having a multi-category player is a game-changer, and while this skill set can evolve over a player’s career, stumbling upon a true multi-cat unicorn who fills up the stats sheet straight into the NHL and finds the back of the net is something special—definitely a player you don't want to let go. Look no further than guys like Brady and Matthew Tkachuk or J.T. Miller; they're not your typical NHL talents. This week, I'll be highlighting NHL prospects who are already making their mark and showing promise of earning that multi-cat status. This is Part 1 of my series, with the next installment focusing on players in the minors who have yet to reach the NHL but have already built a reputation as multi-category contributors.

Jake Sanderson – D – Ottawa Senators

2024: 18 SOG / 25 Blocks – 10 games

2023: 158 SOG / 49 Hits / 139 Blocks

Sanderson blew past rookie expectations last season, racking up four goals and 32 points in 77 games. Defensively, he carved out his role early on, earning increased responsibilities as the season went on. He's taken over as the top power-play quarterback, bumping Thomas Chabot to the second unit. In his last five games, Sanderson's been on fire with five points, including a three-assist night against the Lightning. With the confidence and skill, he’s showing, a 50-point season—with solid peripherals—is well within reach.

Paul Cotter – C – New Jersey Devils

2024: 22 SOG / 36 Hits / 4 Blocks – 13 games

2023: 100 SOG / 233 Hits / 30 Blocks – 76 games

It looks like the Devils may have snagged the better end of their trade with Vegas, at least for now. Cotter was brought in to be a key depth player but he's not only brought that he's also brought a spark to this team with adding a scoring touch and helping with Devils to their early season success.  His shooting percentage is unsustainable at 26% but the energy he brings to the team and his physicality is what the Devils need.  He's sitting at 33 hits which puts him on pace for a whopping 246 by the end of the year, add that to his SOG which will normalize, you've definitely got something here.

Jake Neighbours – RW – St. Louis Blues

23 SOG / 31 Hits / 4 Blocks – 11 games

I touched on Jake Neighbours earlier in the summer on his chances of making an impact on this team so I will keep it brief however I didn't expect Robert Thomas to be out for an extended period of time. Nonetheless, Neighbours has fit in well into a top six role and signed an extension last week at $3.75 million.

Fabian Zetterlund – San Jose Sharks – LW/RW

2024: 28 SOG / 29 Hits / 9 Blocks – 12 games

2023: 204 SOG / 120 Hits / 81 Blocks – 82 games

Zetterlund is set to hit his 200-game breakout threshold this season, and while most eyes are on Mikael Granlund (deservedly so), Zetterlund is quietly putting up solid numbers on this struggling Sharks squad. His stats may not jump off the page, but here's the key: he's top five in shots, logging second-line minutes with top power-play deployment on a Sharks team that’s up to 2.45 goals per game (an improvement from last year's 1.98). His six goals in 11 games hint at even more potential once this offense starts clicking.

Bowen Byram – D – Buffalo Sabres

2024: 12 SOG / 10 Hit / 11 Blocks – 11 games

2023: 84 SOG / 94 Hits / 104 Blocks – 73 games

As expected, Rasmus Dahlin is taking on first-unit responsibilities, but the two-defensemen setup on the second unit with Byram and Power is particularly interesting. Byram's ice time should remain consistent with how he was used post-trade, but if he sees increased power-play opportunities, his overall category production could get a nice bump. Last season was Byran’s first full year in the NHL, and if he can stay healthy this time around, we should see an uptick in both his production and ice time. His shooting percentage is slightly below his three-year average, but he could still reach 100 shots on goal, along with solid hit and block numbers, while adding some scoring. Given his talent and skill, it's tough to see his stats not improving.

Martin Pospisil – C – Calgary Flames

2024 – 16 SOG / 31 Hits / 5 Blocks – 9 games

2023 – 117 SOG / 237 Hits / 32 Blocks – 63 games

In final 20 games of last season, Pospisil tallied 9 points, putting him on a 37-point pace over a full season and he has the potential to push that up to a solid 40–50 points this year. Over 63 games, he was a wrecking ball, ranking fifth among NHL forwards in hits per 60 at 5-on-5 and seventh in total 5-on-5 hits. Currently slotted into a top-six role alongside Nazem Kadri and Connor Zary, Pospisil still isn't getting any power-play time, and his ice time has only ticked up by about 20 seconds. If his usage climbs further, expect his value to surge—especially with his consistency in shots and hits.

Ryker Evans – D – Seattle Kraken

2024: 17 SOG / 20 Hits / 19 Blocks – 11 games

2023: 20 SOG / 62 Hits / 38 Blocks – 36 games

Evans' value really depends on your league's depth and settings. With Vince Dunn out for some time, Evans is slotting up the depth chart, right behind Brandon Montour. We've seen him in this role before—last season, he stepped up when Dunn was sidelined, so he's no stranger to the added minutes. Now, Evans is riding a hot hand with a shooting percentage near 19%, which is bound to level off. But if you're looking for reliable peripherals, his hits and blocks are pacing toward 100 apiece at minimum, which is impressive for a sophomore season. After playing just 36 games last year, a full season could give us a real glimpse into what Evans can bring to the table.

Honourable mentions:

Alex Laferriere – RW – Los Angeles Kings

26 SOG / 21 Hits / 6 Blocks – 10 games

Simon Edvinsson – D – Detroit Red Wings

12 SOG / 13 Hits / 24 Blocks – 10 games

Jake Walman – D – San Jose Sharks

32 SOG / 13 Hits / 20 Blocks – 12 games

Matthew Knies – LW – Toronto Maple Leafs

25 SOG / 26 Hits / 2 Block – 11 games

Thanks for reading! See you next week. For more content/fantasy hockey analysis, or if there’s a prospect, you’d like me to cover, follow and message me on X @Punters_hockey.