I thought we could check in on some of the young prospects who are in the AHL and see how they are doing and what progression/regression that they might be showing.

I'm not going to include players who are currently in the NHL or players over the age of 25.

Abbotsford Canucks (Vancouver)

Kirill Kudryavtsev (20.8 years of age) (D) (12GP-1G-3A-4Pts) 7th round pick in 2022

Elias Pettersson (20.8) (D) (15-0-4-4) 3rd round in 2022

Danila Klimovich (21.9) (F) (13-4-4-8) 2nd round in 2021

Ty Mueller (21.9) (F) (15-2-2-4) 4th round in 2023

Now that Jonathan Lekkerimaki has been called up during the injury to Brock Boeser, and Aatu Raty and Arshdeep Bains have been up with the Canucks as well, that leaves very few prospects in the AHL for Vancouver.

Kudryavtsev has been a pleasant surprise in making the AHL roster on a regular basis and Pettersson has shown shutdown promise on the blueline.

It is hard to believe that Klimovich is only 21, as he has been in the AHL since he was 18. He's had a good start to the year but will need to maintain this level for 30 or more games. He was picked as a project and remains that still.

Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton)

Matt Savoie (20.9) (F) (13-4-5-9) 1st round (9th overall) in 2022

Matvey Petrov (21.7) (F) (12-2-3-5) 6th round in 2021

Roby Jarventie (22.3) (F) (2-0-2-2) 2nd round in 2020

Olivier Rodrigue (24.4) (G) (4W-1L-1OT) (92.9 Save %) 2nd round in 2018

Savoie has had a decent start to what is his rookie AHL campaign. A full season in the AHL is what he needs.

Jarventie has had nothing but injury problems since he came to North America at the end of 2020-21. He needs to get healthy and stay healthy to get some more NHL games.

After two 90-point seasons in the OHL, Petrov is in his second year in the AHL. He will need to produce to make it to the next level.

Rodrigue has not had a save percentage under 91.2 since 2021-22 at the AHL level, but has still not received an NHL game from the Oilers. He's too good to not get some NHL games sooner than later. 

Calgary Wranglers (Calgary)

Hunter Brzustewicz (20.0) (D) (15-0-2-2) 3rd round in 2023

William Stromgren (21.4) (F) (15-2-8-10) 2nd round in 2021

Artem Grushnikov (21.7) (D) (14-0-0-0) 2nd round in 2021

Rory Kerins (22.6) (F) (15-11-4-15) 6th round in 2020

Yan Kuznetsov (22.7) (D) (15-1-4-5) 2nd round in 2020

Jakub Pelletier (23.7) (F) (15-2-13-15) 1st round (26th) in 2019

Ilya Solovyov (24.3) (D) (11-3-5-8) 7th round in 2020

Solovyov played 10 games and Kuznetsov one game with Calgary in 2023-24 and one would think either would be the first defender called up at the moment.

Brzustewicz and Grushnikov need full seasons in the AHL.

Kerins or Pelletier would be first of the prospects called up, but there are some veteran forwards ahead of them that might get preference.

Stromgren is in his second year in the AHL and has increased his production from 27 points in 68 games to 10 in 15 so far.

Coachella Valley Firebirds (Seattle)

Eduard Sale (19.7) (F) (10-3-6-9) 1st round (20th) in 2023

Jani Nyman (20.3) (F) (12-3-1-4) 2nd round in 2022

Jagger Firkus (20.6) (F) (12-3-6-9) 2nd round in 2022

Ty Nelson (20.6) (D) (13-1-5-6) 3rd round in 2022

Ryan Winterton (21.2) (F) (12-5-5-10) 3rd round in 2021

Ville Ottavainen (22.3) (D) (13-2-1-3) 4th round in 2021

Nikke Kokko (20.7) (G) (5-0-0 89.3) 2nd round in 2022

Winterton, Sale and Firkus are leading the Firebirds in scoring after 12 games, and Winterton has already been called up to Seattle once.

Sale, Firkus, Nyman and Nelson need full seasons in the AHL, while Ottavainen and Winterton could be options for the Kraken. Sale and Firkus will need to produce to stay in the NHL, while Nyman, Nelson, Ottavainen and Winterton could become role players.

Young Finnish goaltender Kokko is making his North American pro debut in 2024-25 and started with a perfect five wins in a row. He has been more lucky than good (89.3%) but keep an eye on him. I added him to one of my deeper pools.

Colorado Eagles (Colorado)

Nikita Prishchepov (20.7) (F) (8-1-4-5) 7th round in 2024

Oskar Olausson (22.0) (F) (14-3-2-5) 1st round (28th) in 2021

Trent Miner (22.8) (G) (3-2-1 90.5) 7th round in 2019

The Avalanche's AHL team is a veteran laden roster and represents the lack of prospects in their system.

Prishchepov started the year with the Avalanche (7-0-0-0) when they were very shorthanded. For a first-year pro, he has started well with the Eagles.

Olausson seems to be regressing in his third AHL season. He might not get another NHL opportunity with the Avalanche.

Miner got the call up for part of one NHL game but is back with the Eagles in the AHL. With the injury to Georgiev, Miner has a chance to get back up there.

Henderson Silver Knights (Vegas)

Matyas Sapovaliv (20.8) (F) (12-3-2-5) 2nd round in 2022

Brendan Brisson (23.4) (F) (6-1-2-3) 1st round (29th) in 2020

Gregori Denisenko (24.4) (F) (12-3-7-10) 1st round (15th) in 2018

The Golden Knights are much like the Colorado Avalanche in that their recent successes have cost them a healthy prospect pool.

Sapovaliv played three years in the OHL and 2024-25 is his rookie campaign for pro hockey.

Brisson started 2024-25 on the Golden Knights roster (7-0-0-0) but will need to get back on track in the AHL to get another call back. He is more than likely competing with Denisenko for call ups in the short term.

Iowa Wild (Minnesota)

Hunter Haight (20.6) (F) (14-6-3-9) 2nd round in 2022

Michael Milne (22.2) (F) (10-4-4-8) 3rd round in 2022

David Spacek (21.7) (D) (14-1-5-6) 5th round in 2022

Carson Lambos (21.8) (D) (12-0-3-3) 1st round (26th) in 2021

Graeme Clarke (23.6) (F) (6-1-2-3) 3rd round in 2019

Jesper Wallstedt (22.0) (G) (3-5-1 86.4) 1st round (20th) in 2021

Haight is in his first pro campaign after he played three years in the OHL. He's had a great start.

Milne got called up to the Wild for one game in 2024-25 and is in his third AHL season.

Spacek is the son of Jaroslav who played 880 NHL games. He is in his second AHL season and struggled a little as a rookie which included a short stint in the ECHL. Spacek will hope to progress in Iowa and move up the depth chart in Minnesota.

Lambos was a bit of an offensive defender in junior hockey with 95 points in his last 112 games in the WHL. The offense has been a little more difficult to come by in the AHL with just 14 points in 69 games in 2023-24 and three in 12 games so far in 2024-25. He will more than likely need to re-define his game as a defenseman to make it to the Wild.

Clarke had an excellent pre-season and was close to making the NHL roster of the Wild. He picked up an injury which cost him a month and has now played just six games in the AHL. He's had 25 goals in the AHL twice in a row and will need to dig deep to do it a third time to keep his NHL dream alive.

Wallstedt is trying to hold steady in the AHL until Marc-Andre Fleury retires (which doesn't seem to be happening as quickly as Wallstedt would have liked). He's had two very good back-to-back seasons in the AHL and his slow start should come around.

Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg)

Elias Salomonsson (20.2) (D) (12-3-6-9) 2nd round in 2022

Brad Lambert (20.9) (F) (12-1-6-7) 1st round in 2022

Nikita Chibrikov (21.8) (F) (13-3-8-11) 2nd round in 2021

Chaz Lucius (21.5) (F) (3-0-2-2) 1st round (18th) in 2021

The Jets might have a good one with Salomonsson in Manitoba. He's played 56 regular season games in the Swedish Elite League over the past two seasons along with 33 playoff games in which his team (Skelleftea AIK) won in 2023-24. He's had an excellent start to his North American pro career. Both players will need to duplicate their rookie output if not improve upon it.

Lambert and Chibrikov are both veterans of the AHL scene. Lambert has 62 points in 76 AHL games while Chibrikov has 58 points in 83 games.

Lucius has been smitten with the injury bug since he has turned pro in 2022-23. He's managed just 32 games since and put up 20 points at the AHL level. He needs to play 60 games with the Moose and remain healthy.

Next week, we will continue with the other eight teams in the West.

Thank you very much for reading and if you have any comments, please leave them below or follow me on Twitter @gampbler15