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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Happy New Year and welcome back to this month's edition of my coverage into Mason Black's Rank King PNHLe chart and app. This week is a continuation from previous months of where I break down how PNHLe helps project a player's potential point production in the NHL and how it's a powerful tool for fantasy managers. In case you missed it, you can take a quick read here where we touched on UTe—a tool that works hand-in-hand with PNHLe, helping you spot those buy-low, sell-high opportunities by tracking career trends. Let's jump back in.

Gabe Perreault – LW – 83 PNHLE

New York Rangers

Perreault was drafted by the Rangers in the first round, 23rd overall, a steal for a highly touted prospect. Currently in his sophomore year in the NCAA at Boston College, Perreault is having a strong season and there may be a Hobey Baker award in his future. His collegiate career has been consistent with offensive production and his freshman season at Boston College, he made an immediate impact, posting 19 goals and 41 assists for an impressive 60 points in 36 games. Building on that impressive season, he is currently registering a point per game pace of seven goals and 16 assists for 23 points over 16 games.

Perrault also entered the 2025 World Junior Championship as a central figure for Team USA in their quest for the WJC. Last year Perreault registered seven goals and three assists for Team USA. This year he's among the top three American scorers throughout the tournament. Ryan Leonard and Perreault have been reunited on the top line for this World Juniors and they aren't disappointing at all. They now have a new linemate in James Hagens who has been outstanding this tournament, as he's leading Team USA in points.

Perreault's offensive production, vision, and passing ability has made him a key player for Boston College and an essential part of their success. The ongoing concern with Perreault has been his skating, particularly his acceleration from a stationary position, one of the factors that caused him to slide down draft boards. Addressing this aspect of his game will be although it's an area that can certainly be improved. In watching the 2024-2025 World Juniors, you can see Perreault has been working on that as looks stronger and faster. His trajectory toward the NHL is promising and one that has the potential to become a top-six forward for the Rangers.

It won't be long before Perreault is making a serious push for a roster spot. The question is how the Rangers plan to bring him along, especially with the way their season is shaping up. The Rangers haven't exactly nailed it with their top prospects in recent years, often leaving little room for growth higher in the lineup. That raises a fair concern: Will Perreault get a real chance to show what he can do on this roster? It's a valid question, given their track record of struggling to transition prospects into the NHL when opportunities at the top are so limited.

Jagger Firkus – 46 PNHLE

Seattle Kraken

I mentioned Firkus before the season as a potential dark horse for the Calder, but that didn't exactly materialize. I think it's worth revisiting his development since his days as a wrecking ball with the Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL. I'm still firmly of the opinion that Seattle drafted him as a good value pick at 35th overall. His point production in the WHL spoke for itself, 126 points in 63 games.

Now that he’s in the AHL, the reality check I mentioned in my previous article here is starting to hit. With the Coachella Valley Firebirds this year, he's off to a slower start with six goals and 11 assists in 29 games. I do still believe that he may see some in the NHL at some point this season, likely in a scenario where the Kraken need to fill injury holes on the squad. Seattle's management may want to see how he handles a full AHL campaign before making any decisions and maybe even another year of development to see how he adjusts to the AHL. A call-up this year is not guaranteed, but it’s never completely out of the question.

The one thing Firkus has going for him, though, is his exceptional hockey IQ, both on and off the puck. A big reason he lights the lamp so often is his vision and ability to find soft spots in the defense. He's a constant shadow off the puck, especially when the power play is in full swing. When he has the puck, he's incredibly aware of his teammates’ positioning, making quick, decisive passes without hesitation.

If everything clicks for Firkus, I could see him becoming a 30-goal scorer. While he may not be an elite scoring talent at the NHL level, he's developing nicely and could realistically become a very valuable top-six player. He won't be able to carry the load on his own, so Seattle will likely need to pair him with someone who can spearhead the line. Looking at the overall prospect pool, both Shane Wright and Eduard Sale haven't quite developed as expected as yet.  With Wright only entering the NHL this year, there's still hope he can find their rhythm. For a prospect pool that's only been around for a few years, it's progressing pretty well.

Fraser Minten – C – 44 PNHLE

Toronto Maple Leafs

Fraser Minten is quickly becoming an intriguing prospect for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The organization has been impressed by his physicality and enthusiasm, as well as his constant readiness to adapt to any situation. This season, with the Toronto Marlies, Minten has recorded four goals and two assists in 10 AHL games. Minten's season began with a setback when he suffered a high-ankle sprain in September, keeping him out of action for the first month. However, his chance to play with the Leafs in November to fill in for the injured David Kämpf. In 11 games, he scored two goals and added two assists and did well, proving he could compete at the NHL level.

Minten's game is built on strong fundamentals and smart decision-making. His quick and agile skating allows him to create space and evade defenders. He's calm under pressure, keeping his head up and using subtle cuts to create opportunities. While not a flashy player, he capitalizes on scoring chances and has demonstrated his ability to contribute to Toronto's bottom-six forward rotation, providing physicality when needed.

With the Marlies, Minten has also been known to be a vocal leader, effectively directing traffic and keeping his teammates engaged. The main question surrounding him is his offensive ceiling. His strong defensive game makes him a reliable NHL option, likely fitting a depth third-line role. On a weaker team, Minten might be capable of serving as a second-line center, contributing 60–65 points. For the Leafs, however, he projects as a steady third-liner with 40-point potential, similar to Phil Danault—a defense-first forward who can still contribute offensively. Regardless of his eventual role, Minten's two-way game and hockey sense make him a promising piece for the Leafs’ future.

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.