While NHL teams are battling towards the playoffs, many high-potential hockey players in other leagues have already begun their playoff journey.
In major junior hockey, leagues are embarking on a two-month playoff stretch, culminating in the Memorial Cup starting May 22, hosted by Rimouski Oceanic. In the NCAA, 16 teams are competing for a spot in the Frozen Four final on April 12 in St. Louis.
Playoffs are also underway in professional European leagues.
For NHL teams out of playoff contention, fans are eager to see which prospects could join the team next season to improve their performance. Even Stanley Cup contenders rely on a strong prospect pool, as entry-level contracts offer significant value.
With playoffs intensifying globally, this week`s power rankings will assess notable prospects for all 32 NHL teams.
1. Washington Capitals (47-15-9) Ryan Leonard is seen as a prospect who can immediately contribute to an NHL team post-college. Leonard, the 8th pick in 2023, is competing for a national title with Boston College. His size and strength could boost the Capitals` lineup. Ilya Protas, younger brother of Aliaksei Protas, excelled in his OHL debut season with Windsor Spitfires, ranking second in league scoring with 124 points. Washington drafted Ilya in the third round last year, mirroring their selection of Aliaksei in 2019. Additionally, Andrew Cristall (40th overall, 2023) led the WHL in scoring with 132 points, and Cole Hutson (43rd overall, 2024) became the first defenseman in almost two decades to lead the World Junior Championship in scoring. The Capitals` prospect system is thriving.
2. Winnipeg Jets (49-19-4) Elias Salomonsson, a 2022 second-round pick, debuted professionally in North America with the AHL`s Manitoba Moose, with excellent results. The right-handed defenseman, turning 21 this summer, could contend for a NHL roster spot next season.
3. Dallas Stars (46-21-4) Emil Hemming, the 29th overall pick in 2023, joined the OHL`s Barrie Colts from Finland this season. The winger finished strongly, scoring eight points in his last eight games, on a strong Colts team with playoff aspirations.
4. Los Angeles Kings (40-21-9) Big winger Liam Greentree, the 26th pick in 2024, showed significant progress in his post-draft season. He finished third in OHL scoring with 119 points, behind Michael Misa and Ilya Protas of Windsor.
5. Vegas Golden Knights (43-20-8) 2024 first-rounder Trevor Connelly won gold with Team USA at the WJC but faced an injury-affected freshman season at Providence College. He aims to improve in his sophomore year.
6. Colorado Avalanche (44-25-3) Ilya Nabokov, 22, has been a top KHL goalie for two seasons. While the timing of Russian players moving to North America is uncertain, Nabokov, a second-round pick last summer, might make the jump next fall.
7. Carolina Hurricanes (43-24-4) Bradly Nadeau leads AHL rookies in goals with 27, a strong performance for the 19-year-old, drafted 30th overall in 2023. Defenseman Scott Morrow, a 2021 second-rounder, also had a standout AHL rookie season and earned an NHL call-up in March.
8. Florida Panthers (43-25-3) Jack Devine, a 2022 seventh-rounder, is aiming for a second consecutive NCAA title with Denver in his senior season. The tenacious winger is expected to continue his NHL pursuit in the AHL next year.
9. Toronto Maple Leafs (43-25-3) Easton Cowan (28th overall in 2023) was a key prospect the Leafs retained at the trade deadline. Projected as a top-six forward, he aims to lead London to a Memorial Cup victory in 2025 after their finals loss last year.
10. St. Louis Blues (38-28-7) As the Blues push for a playoff spot, Jimmy Snuggerud could join them. The University of Minnesota junior, selected 23rd overall in 2022, led the Golden Gophers in goals (22) and assists (27) this season.
11. Tampa Bay Lighting (41-25-5) Isaac Howard, the 31st pick in 2022, significantly improved offensively in his NCAA junior year. Leading Michigan State with 26 goals, he`ll be crucial as the Spartans aim for the Frozen Four.
12. Edmonton Oilers (41-25-5) Matthew Savoie, drafted 9th overall by Buffalo in 2022 and traded to Edmonton, has shown offensive potential as an AHL rookie. With 14 points in 12 games for Bakersfield between late January and early March, he`s cooled down recently.
13. Calgary Flames (34-25-11) Zayne Parekh is a top offensive defenseman prospect. The 9th overall pick in 2024 recorded his second straight 33-goal season with Saginaw, and his 107 points made him only the 10th OHL defenseman to reach 100 points, the first since Ryan Ellis in 2010-11.
14. Minnesota Wild (40-27-5) The top prospect conversation likely includes a Montreal-affiliated Russian forward and Minnesota`s Zeev Buium. Buium, surprisingly available at 12th overall last June, is expected to follow Brock Faber`s path to NHL impact after college.
15. Vancouver Canucks (34-26-12) Jonathan Lekkerimaki, the 15th pick in 2022, is now with the Canucks and scored a key goal against New Jersey. His 19 AHL goals in 32 games highlight his adaptation to North America as a smaller, scoring winger.
16. New Jersey Devils (38-28-7) The Devils` future blueline is intriguing with right-handed Simon Nemec (2nd overall, 2022), Seamus Casey (2nd round, 2022), and the towering Anton Silayev (10th overall, 2023). Silayev`s skating ability is remarkable for his size. It remains to be seen if all will be Devils in the coming years.
