With the NHL being on a two week break and the Four Nations halfway finished, we can focus on some prospects.

I might have been completely mistaken about the intensity levels of the Four Nations when I thought it might be an All-Star type competition. I'm happy to have been wrong as the hockey has been excellent.

We last checked in with AHL prospects for Western teams in mid-November. I'm in a few pools where almost every prospect in this article will have been taken. By doing this exercise, it allows me to possibly give up on a few, while replacing them with others listed here.

We're not going to include players over the age of 26.

Abbotsford Canucks (Vancouver)

Kirill Kudryavtsev (21.0 years of age) (D) (41GP-3G-18A-21Pts) 7th round pick in 2022

Elias Pettersson (21.0) (D) (38-1-12-13) 3rd round in 2022

Aatu Raty (22.3) (F) (29-12-17-29) 2nd round in 2021

Jonathan Lekkerimaki (20.7) (F) (28-17-8-25) 1st round 15th overall in 2022

Nils Aman (25.0) (F) (35-7-23-30) 6th round in 2020

Linus Karlsson (25.3) (20-15-8-23) 3rd round in 2018

Arshdeep Bains (24.1) (F) (31-7-19-26) undrafted

Victor Mancini (22.8) (D) (26-3-8-11) 5th round in 2022

Max Sasson (24.5) (F) (23-6-7-13) undrafted

Lekkerimaki played 11 NHL games with the Canucks and managed two goals and an assist. His 17 goals in 28 AHL games has proven his ability to score in North America. He needs to round out his game to stick permanently in the NHL, but he's very close. He makes the Brock Boeser re-signing more interesting.

Raty has played 21 games with Vancouver and produced two goals and two assists. He's a little in between the AHL and NHL right now, but should eventually stick in the NHL as a third or fourth line center.

Aman has played 67 AHL games in three years with 19 goals and 35 assists. In that same span he has played 118 NHL games with just seven goals and 18 assists. His NHL time seems to be diminishing each year with just seven games in 2024-25 to this point.

Karlsson has played nine games with the Canucks and scored his first NHL goal after 13 games overall. In his past 80 AHL games he has produced 38 goals and 45 assists. He's played well at the NHL level.

Kudryavtsev had played 29 games and produced two goals and fifteen assists since mid-November. That is good for a 0.59 points per game pace. He has become a legitimate prospect for Vancouver who could see some NHL games in the next year or two.

Bains played 11 games with Vancouver after making the team out of training camp. He produced his first NHL goal but that is his only point in 19 NHL games. He might be behind Lekkerimaki, Raty, Karlsson, Sasson and Aman in terms of getting called up again. 

Pettersson was called up to Vancouver and played six games with an assist. His play at the NHL level has turned some heads and he could be a regular from here on if not by 2025-26.

Mancini was part of the return from the NY Rangers for J.T. Miller. He had played 15 NHL games with New York and had a goal and four assists. He has played three games for Abbotsford and has one assist. I'm sure the Canucks will get him some NHL games in 2024-25.

Sasson impressed the Canucks in training camp and when they called him up to the NHL he stuck for 24 games (a few different callups) and had two goals and four assists. He skates well and can keep up at the NHL level, but he doesn't move the needle enough. I'm sure if there are some injuries, he might get called up again as he plays a fairly solid defensive game and won't hurt you.

The Canucks have a pretty good prospect pool in the AHL at the moment.

Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton)

Matt Savoie (21.1) (F) (44-13-23-36) 1st round (9th overall) in 2022

Matvey Petrov (21.9) (F) (34-8-6-14) 6th round in 2021

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

Olivier Rodrigue (24.4) (G) (14W-10L-4OT) (90.6 Save %) 2nd round in 2018

James Hamblin (25.8) (F) (23-9-12-21) undrafted

Savoie had nine goals and 18 assists in the 31 games since mid-November, good for 0.87 points per game. He should be one of the first call ups to the NHL if the Oilers lose a top-six forward to injury.

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. He has played just two AHL games in 2024-25.

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. He matched his 2023-24 AHL production of 14 points in 19 fewer games in 2024-25.

Rodrigue has his lowest save percentage (90.6) in the AHL since 2021-22. Unless there is an injury to Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard, he might not get an NHL game in 2024-25.

Hamblin played 31 games in the NHL for Edmonton in 2023-24 but has yet to play one game in 2024-25. He should be one of the first options if they need someone in the bottom six.

Calgary Wranglers (Calgary)

Hunter Brzustewicz (20.3) (D) (47-3-15-18) 3rd round in 2023

William Stromgren (21.7) (F) (46-12-26-38) 2nd round in 2021

Artem Grushnikov (22.0) (D) (40-1-4-5) 2nd round in 2021

Rory Kerins (22.9) (F) (39-22-15-37) 6th round in 2020

Yan Kuznetsov (23.0) (D) (48-3-11-14) 2nd round in 2020

Ilya Solovyov (24.6) (D) (42-6-15-21) 7th round in 2020

Adam Klapka (24.5) (F) (30-13-12-25) undrafted

Samuel Honzek (20.3) (F) (37-7-11-18) 1st round 16th overall in 2023

Solovyov played 10 games and Kuznetsov one game with Calgary in 2023-24. Solovyov was called up for one game in 2024-25, but has raised his AHL game to 0.5 points per game and is a plus 17.

Kuznetsov looks like he has been solid in the AHL with 14 points and a plus 21 in 48 games.

Brzustewicz had three goals and 13 assists in his past 32 games which is 0.5 points per game, after just two assists in his first 15 AHL games. He's starting to produce.

Kerins has raised his stock considerably in 2024-25. He was called up to the NHL for the first time in his career and impressed with four assists in five games, before being sent back down to the AHL. He should get another look sooner than later.

Stromgren is in his second year in the AHL and has increased his production from 27 points in 68 games in 2023-24 to 38 in 46 games so far. In his past 31 games he has had 10 goals and 18 assists (0.9/g).

Grushnikov should be considered a very defensive defenseman. It's difficult to tell where his progress is at from a page, having not seen him play to this point. I would put him behind Solovyov and Kuznetsov for 2024-25 but he's a different defender than Brzustewicz for 2025-26 and beyond so could get some looks depending on what the Flames need at that point.

Klapka has played 12 games in the NHL with the Flames and has one goal. He has raised his game in the AHL to 0.83 points per game. He's a future fourth-liner in the NHL.

Honzek made the Flames lineup out of pre-season and played five games in the NHL but was pointless. He's been up and down in the AHL and has close to 0.5 points per game after 37 in 2024-25.

Coachella Valley Firebirds (Seattle)

Eduard Sale (19.9) (F) (33-5-11-16) 1st round (20th) in 2023

Jani Nyman (20.6) (F) (12-3-1-4) 2nd round in 2022

Logan Morrison (22.7) (F) (48-10-18-28) undrafted

Jagger Firkus (20.9) (F) (47-10-15-25) 2nd round in 2022

Ty Nelson (20.9) (D) (48-4-16-20) 3rd round in 2022

Ryan Winterton (21.5) (F) (38-12-15-27) 3rd round in 2021

Ville Ottavainen (22.6) (D) (44-2-8-10) 4th round in 2021

Nikke Kokko (20.9) (G) (14-4-1 90.8) 2nd round in 2022

Sale started out the 2024-25 season with nine points in his first 10 AHL games but had just two goals and five assists in the 23 games that followed.

Nyman has impressed with 19 goals and 13 assists in 47 games in his first North American pro season. He started out slow, but has 16 goals and 12 assists in his past 35 games (0.8/g). He is big at 6-4 and 217 lbs and might be physically able to withstand the NHL sooner than most prospects.

Morrison went undrafted but had an impressive rookie pro 2023-24, where he finished with 16 goals and 41 points in 65 AHL games. It earned him a four-game look with the Kraken at the end of that year. He's on pace for a similar production in 2024-25 but we will see if that gets him a call up or not, as he might have been passed by Winterton and Nyman.

Winterton has had eight games with the Kraken in 2024-25 and got his first NHL point, but he was minus seven in those games. He should get another look sooner than later.

Ottavainen played well in the pre-season and I'm surprised that he hasn't got a callup yet to the Kraken. He's a big (6-5, 225lbs) defensive defenseman who I thought might fill the Will Borgen hole.

Young Finnish goaltender Kokko has played well in the AHL with a 14-4-1 record and a save percentage of 90.8. With Philipp Grubauer being sent to the AHL, anything is possible for Kokko moving up to the Kraken for a look.

Firkus has cooled off in his rookie AHL campaign after putting up nine points in his first 10 games. He has produced seven goals and nine assists in his past 35 games.

Colorado Eagles (Colorado)

Nikita Prishchepov (21.0) (F) (35-8-11-19) 7th round in 2024

Jake Wise (24.9) (F) (40-13-14-27) 3rd round in 2018

Oskar Olausson (22.3) (F) (44-9-9-185) 1st round (28th) in 2021

Ivan Ivan (22.6) (F) (12-1-4-5) undrafted

Trent Miner (23.1) (G) (10-5-5 90.6) 7th round in 2019

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

Prishchepov has played 10 games in the NHL for the Avalanche and has yet to gain a point. He's been decent in the AHL in his first pro campaign.

Wise appears to have found a home in Colorado of the AHL, with his best production (0.54/g) in his career. He might be a long-shot to get some games with the Avalanche, but they don't have much in the way of prospects above him.

Olausson had two games with the Avalanche in 2024-25 but he has struggled to produce in 146 AHL games, with just 58 points to date. His time in North America might be coming to an end.

Ivan had 40 NHL games with the Avalanche, where he had five goals and three assists before he was sent back to the AHL. With the lack of depth in this system, it's likely he's called up again sooner than later.

Miner has seen action in two NHL games with the Avalanche in 2024-25. He likely is the fourth goalie on the Avalanche depth chart at the moment.

Henderson Silver Knights (Vegas)

Matyas Sapovaliv (21.0) (F) (47-8-8-16) 2nd round in 2022

Calen Addison (24.8) (D) (42-3-23-26) 2nd round in 2018

Brendan Brisson (23.7) (F) (38-5-10-15) 1st round (29th) in 2020

Gregori Denisenko (24.7) (F) (42-10-14-24) 1st round (15th) in 2018

Raphael Lavoie (24.4) (F) (30-10-8-18) 2nd round in 2019

Carl Lindbom (21.9) (G) (10-9-1, 91.4) 7th round in 2021

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

Addison had been a regular in the NHL with Minnesota and San Jose over the past two seasons, but his defense played him out of his role with both teams. He's now with Vegas and has produced 26 points in 42 games but is a minus 20 as well.

Sapovaliv played three years in the OHL and 2024-25 is his rookie campaign for pro hockey. He's on pace for about 15 goals and 15 assists. He might need another year or two in the AHL to get some NHL callup games from Vegas.

Brisson started 2024-25 on the Golden Knights roster (9-0-0-0). He has struggled with just 15 points in 38 AHL games and might have regressed from 2023-24. I thought he was set for a regular role in the NHL this year, but he might have played himself out of it to this point.

Denisenko was called up for one game with Vegas and was held pointless. He has gone backwards in the AHL from 2023-24 when he had 20 goals and 56 points in 65 games, compared to just 10 goals and 24 points in 42 games this year.

Lavoie is a player who could get an opportunity in Vegas. He has already played four NHL games for Vegas in 2024-25 but could see some more. He has played 11 NHL games in total with no points.

Lindbom is in his first North American pro campaign and might have won the starter's role over Akira Schmid in Henderson. He could get a start or two in Vegas towards the end of the year, if he maintains his current play.

Iowa Wild (Minnesota)

Hunter Haight (20.9) (F) (44-12-10-22) 2nd round in 2022

Liam Ohgren (21.1) (F) (25-12-11-23) 1st round 19th overall in 2022

Michael Milne (22.5) (F) (43-7-9-16) 3rd round in 2022

David Spacek (22.0) (D) (47-4-18-22) 5th round in 2022

Caedan Bankier (22.0) (F) (47-10-11-21) 3rd round in 2021

Carson Lambos (22.1) (D) (43-4-6-10) 1st round (26th) in 2021

Graeme Clarke (23.9) (F) (39-9-8-17) 3rd round in 2019

David Jiricek (21.2) (D) (20-0-5-5) 1st round 6th overall in 2022

Jesper Wallstedt (22.3) (G) (6-9-2 87.6) 1st round (20th) in 2021

Haight is in his first pro campaign after he played three years in the OHL. He had a great start to his pro career with six goals and nine points in his first 11 AHL games, but since then he's cooled down with just six goals and seven assists in his next 30 games.

Ohgren has split the year between Minnesota (19-1-3-4) and Iowa (25-12-11-23). I'd expect that to continue for much of 2024-25 and then a regular role in the NHL in 2025-26.

Milne got called up to the Wild for one game in 2024-25 after eight points in his first 10 AHL games. Since returning to the AHL, he has a disappointing three goals and four assists in his past 33 games. He will need to work hard to get another call up.

Spacek is the son of Jaroslav who played 880 NHL games. He has increased his offense a little from 2023-24 but he will need to improve his play without the puck to see any time in the NHL.

Bankier is in his second AHL campaign and has shown very little progression other than improving his plus minus from minus 27 in 51 games to minus 15 in 47 games.

Lambos was a bit of an offensive defender in junior hockey with 95 points in his last 112 games in the WHL. I'm not sure this is the player that the Wild drafted 26th overall in 2021. His offense has disappeared completely with just 24 points in 112 AHL games to date. He did get a call up in 2024-25 but didn't dress, so the Wild must be willing to give him a look in the NHL sooner than later.

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 at the start and he hasn't really recovered from the experience. He has a disappointing nine goals and eight assists in 39 games and is a minus 14. Injuries can come at the most inopportune times for players looking to realize their dreams.

The Wild traded for the 6th overall pick in 2022, David Jiricek, who had apparently become frustrated with his treatment in Columbus. Jiricek has played six NHL games for Columbus and six games for Minnesota in 2024-25 with a goal and two assists to show for it. He has played 24 AHL games with two goals and six assists. His offense has dried up in Iowa with just five assists in 20 games. I'd expect him on the Wild in a regular role by the end of 2024-25.

Wallstedt had two good AHL seasons back to back but has struggled in 2024-25, in what should be Marc-Andre Fleury's last year. The spot is pretty much Wallstedt's for the taking but his struggles might put a wrinkle in those plans if he doesn't turn things around.

Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg)

Elias Salomonsson (20.5) (D) (24-3-12-15) 2nd round in 2022

Brad Lambert (21.1) (F) (34-3-16-19) 1st round in 2022

Nikita Chibrikov (22.0) (F) (30-7-11-18) 2nd round in 2021

Chaz Lucius (21.8) (F) (25-3-6-9) 1st round (18th) in 2021

Parker Ford (24.7) (F) (40-13-7-20) undrafted

Isaak Phillips (23.5) (D) (39-1-10-11) 5th round in 2020

Salomonsson has missed over 20 games with injuries in his first pro North American campaign. He's still managed 15 points in 24 games (0.62/g) which is a 51-point pace. 

Lambert was looking to build on his 55 points in 64 AHL games from 2023-24, but his production has dipped to just three goals and 19 points in 34 games. He has played five games with the Jets in 2024-25 and produced an assist.

Much like Lambert, Chibrikov was looking to build on his 47 points in 70 AHL games in 2023-24. He's had just 18 points in 30 games, but has played four games with the Jets and has two goals and an assist. He now has three goals in five career NHL games.

The good news for Lucius is that he has played the most games (25) in a season at any level since he played 32 games in 2018-19. The bad news is that he has struggled a little to produce points with just three goals and six assists in those 25 games. In 54 career AHL games, Lucius now has seven goals and 20 assists.

Parker Ford leads the Manitoba Moose in scoring with 13 goals and 20 points after 43 games. It earned him three games with the Jets where he scored his first NHL goal.

Phillips has played 56 NHL games with Chicago spread over the past four seasons. He is now with the Jets and has played 11 AHL games with three assists. He could be the seventh or eighth defender for the Jets in 2024-25.

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

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