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

With most of the top free agents now off the board, we are finally getting a clearer picture of what NHL lineups could look like heading into the season. Free agency always reshapes opportunity. Some players gain traction, while others get boxed out. For a handful of younger guys, this offseason has made the path to NHL minutes even tougher. Whether it is a new signing in front of them, a more crowded depth chart, or just a lack of momentum in their development, they have moved from "next up" to "wait and see."

These are not failed prospects, but some could be stuck in limbo. Even strong AHL runs or impressive camps might not be enough to crack the lineup without injuries or roster shakeups. Last week I looked at players whose value jumped post-free agency. This week, I am flipping the lens to cover those who have taken a hit.

Enjoy!

Mackie Samoskevich – Florida Panthers

Samoskevich entered the NHL with speed, skill, and polish. His vision and transition instincts stood out early, and his ability to step up during key injuries to Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov gave reason for optimism. I had high hopes after that stretch, however, with Bill Zito re-signing key veterans like Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad, Samoskevich's path to consistent NHL minutes has narrowed.

Florida used the offseason to reinforce its forward depth, especially in the middle six. Veterans with size, experience, and defensive reliability now block his clearest routes to promotion. The organization clearly values structure and has the luxury of not rushing young talent into bigger roles.

From a fantasy standpoint, this shifts Samoskevich from potential breakout to depth flyer. His skill set still projects as top-six quality with two-way upside, but the opportunity is limited. The only realistic openings would come through injuries or a leap past someone like Eetu Luostarinen or Evan Rodrigues. It is not out of the question, as he capitalized once already, but it is no longer something to count on.

Samoskevich still has the tools to thrive in a scoring role down the line but for the upcoming season, he will likely start in the bottom-six. Without top-nine deployment or for that matter meaningful power-play usage, his fantasy relevance is situational at best. Keep an eye on him in keeper formats, but in redraft leagues, there are better options.

Beckett Sennecke – Anaheim Ducks

Sennecke had a strong showing in Oshawa with 86 points in 56 games played while also adding 32 points in 28 playoff games. As the year went on, Sennecke showed more control and improved decision-making in his overall game. The big question now is whether there is room for him in Anaheim. The additions of Mikael Granlund and Chris Kreider add experience and depth to the middle six, while Alex Killorn and Troy Terry remain in the mix on the right side. Terry could shift between lines depending on how the season unfolds, but none of it creates a clear path for Sennecke.

Senenecke is however, one of the few internal options with the skill to slot into a top-six right wing role, yet it is far from guaranteed he gets that opportunity. A nine-game trial to start the season feels like the most realistic outcome, with a return to junior hockey the likely follow-up. Still, if he shows pace and poise early, he could force Anaheim to keep him longer.

From a fantasy lens, his value is tied entirely to deployment. If he earns solid NHL minutes or power-play time, he could become fantasy-relevant in deeper or keeper formats right away, unless roster moves or early injuries open up space. There is a lot that has to go his way, it is more likely he becomes a longer-term hold with upside. The ceiling is real, but the timing may not be.

Fabian Lysell – Boston Bruins

Lysell enters the season facing an uphill climb in Boston's lineup. After a disappointing AHL campaign, he is been pushed even further down the depth chart following offseason additions like Viktor Arvidsson, Tanner Jeannot, Matej Blumel, and Michael Eyssimont. With Matthew Poitras expected to stick with the NHL roster and 12 forwards already locked into one-way deals, it's hard to see a scenario where Lysell breaks camp with the Bruins.

Lysell's straight-line speed can still catch defenders off guard. However, that pace can be a double-edged sword as he plays too fast for his own structure and his game loses impact. He needs to find that extra layer of poise and timing if he's going to take the next step. All signs point to him starting the year in Providence for another year of development.

Boston has not exactly embraced a youth movement. Despite having a thin pipeline, they continue to approach prospect development conservatively. Someone like Fraser Minten (albeit a center) likely has a clearer NHL path right now. At one point, Lysell was viewed as a future top-six option but that seems to have changed.

That said, Lysell's talent has not vanished. Aside from freshly drafted James Hagens, he is still one of the more skilled forwards in the system. But declining AHL production and new faces ahead of him make the road to a regular NHL role tougher.

Brendan Brisson – New York Rangers

Brisson finds himself at a crossroads. Once a highly regarded first-round pick by Vegas, he never really got a fair shot to show what he could do at the NHL level. The Golden Knights, in forever classic win-now mode, have made a habit of flipping prospects for proven talent, and Brisson became one of the casualties of that approach. While his finishing touch remains his calling card, he has a quick release and good hands in tight, however, has struggled to round out the rest of his game and consistently separated himself in the AHL.

Now with the Rangers following a trade out of Las Vegas, the opportunity still is not exactly wide open. This is a roster full of established forwards and big contracts, and even though the team has not quite figured out how to turn all that talent into postseason success, they do not seem in a rush to inject youth into the lineup either, at least not a lot of it. A couple of weeks back, I highlighted Gabe Perreault as the most likely rookie to earn a look. Brisson, by contrast, feels like a long shot at best. The runway is short, and if he does not stand out at camp or dominate in the AHL early on, his NHL window might shut before it really opens. This is more of a prove-it year for Brisson, and the clock is ticking.

Devon Levi – Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres still hope that Devon Levi remains a key piece in their long-term plans, hence the 2-year $1.625M deal, but the path to a full-time NHL job is not quite open just yet. With UPL expected to take the starter's crease and Alex Lyon slated as a backup, Levi likely enters the season as the Sabres' No. 3 option.

He was solid in the AHL last season, posting a .919 SV%, 2.20 GAA, and a 25-13-4 record across 44 games with Rochester. He showed he can handle a consistent workload and keep his team competitive, even behind a defense that was not always sharp. With that said, the NHL is a different beast. His showings at the top level lacked consistency, partly because he was not fully ready and Buffalo threw him straight into the fire. The team's loose defensive structure did not do him any favours either, but even at this stage, his overall game still needs refining.

Ther is clear upside to another AHL stint for Levi and with a revamped Sabres blue line and a more structured system on paper, the defensive outlook should be more stable this year. Rather than rush him back in, letting him play out a full season in Rochester with a few callups throughout the season gives him the runway to sharpen his game without the pressure of full time NHL expectations. Unless injuries or breakout play force the issue, his NHL reps will likely be limited to spot starts for now.

Thanks for reading and see you next week! Follow me on X  @Punters_hockey for more content and fantasy hockey analysis.