Tugg Hockey League - Loui Karlsson

Blain Potvin - Draft Prospects Hockey2025-11-14

Standout Prospects at the 2025 U17 World Hockey Challenge

Loui Karlsson – Left Wing/Centre

Loui Karlsson brings clear offensive upside, especially with his shot execution. The 5-foot-9, 168-pound forward was the offensive lynchpin for the Swedish team, scoring six goals, tied for first at the tournament with Joseph and Schultz, and eight points in 4 games.

Offensively:

This is the strength of his game; he provides his club with an offensive weapon, especially on the PP. His shot can be lethal; if he finds any space in the offensive zone, his release is quick and accurate. Despite his size, he generates surprising power on his wrist shot and one-timer. He’s especially dangerous in high-tempo, quick-transition plays. His offensive hockey IQ is high; he has the ability to find soft ice in the offensive zone, reading plays quickly and positioning himself to capitalize on rebounds or passing lanes.

Unfortunately, he can be physically outmatched along the boards or net-front against larger defenders. While his best attribute is as a shooter, his playmaking skills are also advanced; however, he doesn’t utilize them as often, making it easier for defenders to anticipate his next move.

Defensively:

Karlsson can play a two-way game, staying on the right side of the puck and tracking back quickly after turnovers, but it is still inconsistent. His size is an issue as he can be outmuscled in front of the net and along the boards, especially in the defensive zone. Despite his size, he’s willing to battle in his own zone. He is able to use quick reads to disrupt passes and force turnovers. When he does, he turns them into counterattacks. If he misses, it provides his opponent with a more advantageous scoring position. He will need to become better at his positioning to avoid this happening. For long-term success, being reliable without the puck (back checking, positioning, defensive reads) will matter, especially in his draft year.

Dan Stewart - Draft Prospects Hockey2024-06-14

DRAFTPRO – 2024 7-ROUND CONTRIBUTOR MOCK DRAFT

SUMMARY: Utah’s prospect pool is full of big, physical guys. Although Parekh doesn’t fit that bill, he’ll certainly have the protection he needs to be able to do what he does best: Move the puck. Parekh is an excellent two-way defender, scoring the 12th-most goals by a defenseman in OHL history this year. Many have compared him to Erik Karlsson, although his play in the defensive zone is leaps and bounds ahead of EK65. Parekh ended his OHL days on the best note possible: winning the Memorial Cup with the Saginaw Spirit. Now he moves on to the NHL. – Brogan Houston

Dan Stewart - Draft Prospects Hockey2024-01-05

2024 NHL DRAFT JANUARY RANKINGS

“A big riser thus far is Saginaw Spirit defenseman Parekh. He is an offensive defenseman with breathtaking skating and puck skills. He looks like he is walking on water he is so fluid. He ranks second amongst all OHL draft-eligible players in points this season. His high-end player comparable is Erik Karlsson. He will have ample opportunity to continue increasing his stock with a guaranteed appearance in the Memorial Cup as the Saginaw Spirit hosts the event.” – Andreus Kostopoulos

Dan Stewart - Draft Prospects Hockey2023-06-26

DRAFTPRO – CONTRIBUTOR MOCK DRAFT

SAN JOSE – RW MATVEI MICHKOV, HK SOCHI (KHL)The Sharks have a mix of young players and older skilled ones like Karlsson and Couture who Michkov can learn from. He brings an elite skill set to the team that is not typically available at the number four pick. He has an incredible shot that is very accurate and could put the puck in the net consistently like they haven’t seen since Cheechoo. He can work with the development team and grow the younger players. – Andy Miller

MONTREAL – C WILL SMITH, U18 TEAM (NTDP)The Montreal Canadiens have been in a rebuild for the past 2 year and are seeking goal scoring and game breakers. I also believe that Will Smith is the best player available at the moment. Canadiens just locked up there all-star elite goal scoring winger in Cole Caufield who came out of the same program where Smith is in at the moment. Smith is a very dynamic player who sees the ice very well. His vision and passing ability is off the charts. Montreal has also built a very good development team over the past year in signing skills coach Adam Nicholas who I believe can help turn Smith into a star. If all goes well for Smith I see him potentially being a 1st or very high end 2nd line center with anywhere from 70-85 points per year. I also believe that Smith could have easily been the number 1 pick in many drafts with his production this season. – Jordan Greenberg

ARIZONA – C OLIVER MOORE, U18 TEAM (NTDP)The Coyotes are left with a lot of questions for their future. Both on and off the ice. But while a lot of negative attention is put on Arizona right now that does not diminish the bright and exciting future the Coyotes have. Specifically in their forward departments. Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther, Connor Geekie, and now, from the NTDP, Arizona can add the speedy and versatile centremen, Oliver Moore. With such a wide array of forwards in their system, Arizona’s offensive future is looking bright, with many niches being filled. – Isaiah Bouchard

PHILADELPHIA – D AXEL SANDIN PELLIKKA, SKELLEFTEA AIK (SHL)Flyers recently acquired Helge Grans and adding another RD in ASP will have Flyers brass rejoicing after having to deal with Tony DeAngelo and Ristolainen on the right side in 2023. Danny Briere begins his tenure by shoring up a defence that has been exceptionally bad the past couple seasons. ASP gives Philly a powerplay quarterback that can play top pairing minutes and help take some of the weight off whomever is net for the rebuilding Flyers. While ASP won’t be ready this year he can take over for the controversial Deangelo in 2024-2025 once his contract expires. ASP has an extremely high ceiling with his ability to create offence out of nothing and playmaking skill set. While he is not in the mold of a Broad Street Bully he still can play strong defence with his stick. ASP has a Dahlin level ceiling. – Tyler Karoway

WASHINGTON – C/W SAMUEL HONZEK, VANCOUVER (WHL)What might look like a reach will prove to be a huge add for the Capitals. The Capitals struggled immensely to score goals last year and the Anthony Mantha experience has been a massive failure ( what a shocker…) so the Caps need to add a top six goal scoring winger to take some of the pressure of The Great 8. Adding Ivan Miroschnichenko & Alex Suzdalev last year and now Honzek will give the Capitals an extremely volatile top six winger core once everyone reaches the NHL. Honzek’s laser shot and extreme speed give him are his biggest attributes but his underrated defensive skill will be huge as the Caps’ top six rarely gets much defensive effort from their top guys. Honzek’s upside is ridiculously high and could become one of the steals of the draft. – Tyler Karoway

DETROIT – C/W RYAN LEONARD, U18 TEAM (NTDP)Yzerman and company go back to the USA NTDP in the top round of the draft for the first time since selecting team captain Dylan Larkin almost ten years ago with the selection of winger Ryan Leonard. The Wings fell in love with the grit, compete, and goal scoring ability that Leonard brings and feel he will add a missing component to an organization that lacks in natural finishers, both on the current NHL roster and in the prospect pool. – Dan Stewart

ST. LOUIS – C BRAYDEN YAGER, MOOSE JAW (WHL)The blues unloaded some veteran forwards and huge parts of their Stanley Cup run in Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan O’ Reilly. GM Doug Armstrong opts to reload in that department and Yager is a strong two-way player with a lethal shot. He will be a great piece to add down the middle of the ice with speed. With a penalty kill that really struggled for the Blues, Yager can step in and play a role with a man short and give the Blues some depth at center with Brayden Schenn not getting any younger. Potential to be a consistent point producer (45-55 a season) and goal scorer in the NHL. – Jody Horak

VANCOUVER – D DAVID REINBACHER, EHC KLOTEN (NL)The Canucks made a big splash in landing right-handed shot Hronek at the deadline and now add another RH shot D-man in Reinbacher to shore up the defensive core. Canucks’ fans have had to suffer through poor defence and the nightmare pairing of Myers and OEL last year but there is finally a light at the end of the tunnel. Reinbacher is Myers replacement and should be ready to take over once Myers contract expires next year. He is the perfect fit for Quinn Hughes’ defensive partner and should form a formidable duo for years to come. A large two way defenceman to help aid Hughes on the back end but also capable of putting up some points as well. This is a slam dunk for the often-criticized Canucks front office. – Tyler Karoway

ARIZONA (from Ottawa) – LW ZACH BENSON, WINNIPEG (WHL)With the selection of Zach Benson at the 12th overall pick, Arizona hopes to secure their offensive future for years to come. Benson will be joining other top end talent such as Dylan Guenther, Logan Cooley, previously selected Oliver Moore, and Benson’s teammate on the Winnipeg Ice, Connor Geekie. Perhaps Benson’s greatest quality is his dynamic style of play that lets him fit into the mold of any line he plays with. Benson is going to add a good balance of playmaking, goal scoring, and two way play for Arizona. Bill Armstrong is dead set on rebuilding the Arizona Coyotes in more than just on-ice production, as he has stated on multiple occasions that the excuses are running out for management and the team. A proper step in the right direction will be to build trust and chemistry with the new generation of skaters. And secure a solid foundation for Arizona’s future. – Isaiah Bouchard

BUFFALO – C NATE DANIELSON, BRANDON (WHL)After one of the best Sabres season in recent memory, the Sabres management are looking to keep to the game plan and continue this upward trajectory. And with Nate Danielson’s careful, smart, and effective two-way play style, there should be no better glue to hold Buffalo’s future together. With DraftPro’s #1 ranked prospect pool, Buffalo has no need to make risky moves, as their big stars are already on the way. Owen Power, Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo’s future is stacked. Nate Danielson is the safe pick that comes with little risk, and the chance for a very versatile 2C in their future. – Isaiah Bouchard

PITTSBURGH – LW COLBY BARLOW, OWEN SOUND (OHL)New man in charge Kyle Dubas is looking to add some “now” talent if possible to his roster at the top end of the draft as he believes he has the horses in stars Crosby, Malkin, Letang, to still compete for a playoff run. The Pens like OHL sniper Colby Barlow’s maturity, intensity and obvious goal-scoring ability as someone who could possibly slip into the lineup either this fall or next and make an impact in a top six scoring role. – Dan Stewart

NASHVILLE – C CALUM RITCHIE, OSHAWA (NCAA)Incoming general manager Barry Trotz has made it known that he wants to bolster his top-nine with a high-end forward, coming off a year where his team scored the sixth-fewest goals in the league. Ritchie is a dynamic, elusive skater with incredible stick handling and intelligence. While he owns a great wrist shot himself, his high-end playmaking will fit well with the elite shooters Nashville has drafted on the wing. He can struggle with consistency at times, but Trotz has issued a clear directive to take high-upside swings and Ritchie has the potential to significantly boost Nashville’s offense while filling a hole up the middle. Will likely be ready to make the jump to the NHL in a year or two, fitting with Nashville’s desired timeline. – Jonah Fleisher

CALGARY – RW MATTHEW WOOD, U. OF CONNECTICUT (NCAA)Calgary snags a player who has the talent of a top 10 prospect and is mid-late first round projected pick only because of his skating concerns. Though his footspeed and sluggish first few steps are major concerns, Matthew Wood could learn from Tyler Toffoli on how to still be productive despite being an ugly skater. Calgary needs to bolster their winger depth after losing Tkachuk and Gaudreau and Wood may only be a few years away from the NHL considering he fast tracked to the College level this season. – Jared Brown

DETROIT (from NYI) – C DALIBOR DVORSKY, AIK (HOCKEYALLSVENSKAN)Yzerman, Draper and the Wings scouting department were hopeful to add a natural center with one of their two first round picks in this draft as it has long been an area of need for the rebuild and they are more than excited to do so here as they continue to add top of the lineup talent with the selection of skilled two-way AIK center Dalibor Dvorsky. With their first two selections (Leonard and Dvorsky) they are hopefully adding a two-thirds of a top six line for the not-too-distant NHL future. – Dan Stewart

WINNIPEG -LW GABRIEL PERREAULT, U18 TEAM (NTDP)The Jets are an organization that has successfully developed players such as Laine, Hellebuyck and Ehjlers plus developing acquired young player like Pionk. The Jets are in a potential transition this summer and a player like Gabriel Perreault can help that process. He has developed this season into a player that would typically be selected in the top 10 of a draft. Perreault clearly inherited some of his father’s hockey IQ. He is a better skater than his father but likely knows what it means to be a pro. The Jets development will be able to help him improve his play away from the puck. He could reach the NHL in as few as 2 years but may take 4, while hopefully bulking up and improving his strength at Boston College. Perreault could pot 50-65 points in a season. His skating skills make him a bear lock to be a middle six forward. – Andy Miller

CHICAGO (from Tampa) – LW EDUARD SALE, HC KOMETA BRNO (CZECHIA)The Blackhawks are adding another dynamic player with scoring ability and an endless motor. Sale is well rounded when it comes to the offensive zone, being able to distribute with precision or snap home shots with a quick flick of the wrists. While he currently may not be a physical player standing 6’2″, he will have to add that component as well as some strength to his game to be a factor in the NHL. Adding Sale will ensure the Blackhawks scoring depth for years to come and potentially help Bedard reach amazing heights. – Matt Hnatiuk

SEATTLE – D TOM WILLANDER, ROGLE BK J20 (J20 NATIONELL)GM Ron Francis and the Kraken scouting department will be looking to add the best available here with this pick as they continue to add talent to an immature prospect pool. But in a perfect world a top defensive prospect or high-end goaltending prospect would be in the cards at this spot. Just so happens they love the mature two-way game and high-end skating ability that Rogle BK defender Tom Willander has shown this season. They see a potential top four, all-situations, right-handed future Kraken but understand he will need a year or two first. – Dan Stewart

MINNESOTA – C OTTO STENBERG, FROLUNDA HC J20 (J20 NATIONELL)This shoot first center has a great IQ in the offensive zone and can strike with little warning. A player who is opportunistic in his creation of plays, and has the ability to set up some amazing scoring chances. While he will need to work on his defensive play as well as add some physicality to his play once he moves over to North America, the Wild can mold this player into a potential top six scoring forward. – Matt Hnatiuk

COLUMBUS (from LA)– C RILEY HEIDT, PRINCE GEORGE (WHL)Danny Briere swings for the fences on a player that oozes offensive potential but struggles with having a consistent work ethic. Having a coach like John Tortorella could be the perfect fit for Heidt if Torts can push the right buttons to keep Heidt on his game for the full 60. With Kevin Hayes most likely getting moved this off season, Couturier on and off the injury reserve and Morgan Frost being an RFA this year, Heidt could slide into a top six roll quite quickly. This the definition of a boom or bust pick for the Flyers. – Jared Brown

NY RANGERS – D DMITRY SIMASHEV, LOKOMOTIV YAROSLAVL (KHL)The Rangers have a strong core of young players and veterans. The organization has had a good history of development, will leave Lafrieniere out, particularly with Europeans. They could use a bit more young depth at the back end. Fox, Trouba and Miller are the core of Defense and may need support in a year or two. Simashev will bolster the blue line in the near future. He will not likely be a PP QB, but is consistent defensively and moves the puck up the ice well. He is a versatile player who can play in all situations. He will fit nicely in the NHL in one to two years and should develop into a top four Dman. – Andy Miller

NASHVILLE (from Edmonton) – D MIKHAIL GULYAYEV, AVANGARD OMSK (KHL)One of the NHL’s best teams at drafting and developing defenseman, Nashville selects Gulyayev as a high-risk, high-reward option. After bolstering their forward group with more of a sure bet in Calum Ritchie, Barry Trotz wants to take a swing to increase the ceiling and scoring potential of his team. While he could use some work on his shot, gap control, and physicality, Gulyayev is an incredibly skilled skater with excellent playmaking ability and hockey sense. Nashville has not shied away from drafting Russians in the past few years, having recently selected Yaroslav Askarov and Fyodor Svechkov and bringing the former over to North America. Gulyayev is still three to four years away from cracking the NHL, but the Predators are set at LD with Josi and McDonagh on that side for the next three years, after which Gulyayev can step into their top-four as a puck-moving, offensive defenseman. – Jonah Fleisher

ST. LOUIS (from Toronto) – D LUKAS DRAGICEVIC, TRI-CITY (WHL)With rumors swirling among the Blues organization trying to potentially trade top defenseman Colton Parayko, Torey Krug or Nick Leddy to open up some cap space, they go with a developmental, offensively gifted D man in Dragicevic. He has the tools to be a John Carlson type defenseman and give them some depth at the defensive position. With his vision and ability to move the puck, he can be a top four defenseman at the NHL level in a few years. The Blues continue to say they are re-tooling and not necessarily in rebuilding stage and Dragicevic along with Scott Perunovich give them a nice future at the defensive position. – Jody Horak

SAN JOSE (from New Jersey) – RW ETHAN GAUTHIER, SHERBROOKE (QMJHL)Gauthier will nicely compliment fourth overall pick Michkov. He is a physical forward with an offensive upside. Gauthier is a versatile player who can be effective on the PP, PK or even strength. He is a strong skater and this attribute will assist him in accelerating his D overall development. In this organization he can learn under the tutelage of players like Couture and Hertl. Gauthier will return to the Q next season and will have more responsibility and likely be a key part of the WJC team for Canada. The Sharks should plan for his arrival in the next two to three years. – Andy Miller

COLORADO – LW ANDREW CRISTALL, KELOWNA (WHL)No stranger to drafting Canadian players, GM Joe Sakic takes a risk on a boom or bust prospect in Cristall. He has the tools to be a game changer and an elite playmaker which bodes well for a team whose future with leader Gabriel Landeskog is up in the air. Injuries hampered the defending champions all year long but they continue to build the team around stars Nathan Mackinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Cale Makar. Cristall will be able to develop quicker with guys like that in the organization to learn from. He goes to a team where his skilled hands, vision and playmaking ability will fit in and be a huge asset when he’s ready to jump to the NHL. With depth at the forward position and good prospects in the pipeline, it’s not a make or break situation taking Cristall. – Jody Horak

TORONTO (from Boston) – D OLIVER BONK, LONDON (OHL)Toronto looks to add a Dman with size, strong defensive qualities, and physical abrasiveness. New GM Brad Treliving prioritizes building a strong defence core as shown through his years in Calgary, and the Maple Leafs are currently missing a defence prospect like Bonk in their system. Bonk has the defensive intelligence and competitiveness to play important shutdown minutes. He makes smart reads to break up the cycle and is terrific at separating his man from the puck along the boards. He could turn into a very solid partner for Morgan Rielly down the road in Toronto. – Jared Brown

ST. LOUIS (from Dallas) – C DANNY NELSON, U18 TEAM (NTDP)With selecting a prospect who can produce points in Yager with their first pick, the Blues go with a physical, power forward in Nelson. He brings size and offensive ability to consistently produce 30-40 points a season when he reaches the NHL. He has a powerful shot and can play strong and tough in front of the net offensively, like a David Backes who was the leader and heart of the Blues organization for years. Doug Armstrong will be bringing in a player who is versatile to play wing or center and can provide depth scoring as a second or third line forward. – Jody Horak

CAROLINA – LW QUENTIN MUSTY, SUDBURY (OHL)GM Don Waddell addressed the need to get heavier after their playoff exit in the Eastern Conference Final. Musty not only will bring size to the wing for the Canes but he also has that game-breaking skill and creativity, something Carolina’s forward group currently lacks. Carolina has shown in previous drafts that they aren’t afraid to swing on prospects with high upsides and Musty’s makeup of an elite skilled power forward is too much for them to pass up on. They have the potential to get a late first round steal here in Musty, but there are some holes and consistency issues in his game which makes him a risky pick. – Jared Brown

MONTREAL (from Florida) – W/C JAYDEN PERRON, CHICAGO (WHL)Canadiens are trying to add scoring forwards to add to their young core of Slafkosvky, Caufield, Suzuki and Dach. Perron is on the smaller side of players but works extremely hard and is in the mix of everything. Perron has lots of speed and has great hockey IQ. He also is someone who is very strong along the boards and battles very hard. I believe he can turn into a top 6 winger one day and will fit very well in the Canadiens organization. People around the league like to compare Perrons play style to Toronto Maple Leafs all-star Mitchell Marner. I believe that Perron has lots of upside and can become a steal at 31. – Jordan Greenberg

VEGAS – LW DANIIL BUT, LOKO YAROSLAVL (MHL)The Knights will look to add to a depleted prospect pool after trades to continue their recent on-ice success have seen some highly regarded prospects and draft picks leave for the sake of adding veteran NHL talent. They take a big homerun swing here with the selection of massive offensively gifted Russian winger Daniil But from Loko Yaroslavl in the MHL. While there are safer prospects on the board, they like the potential top line upside with this pick. – Dan Stewart

ANAHEIM – C GRACYN SAWCHYN, SEATTLE (WHL)With strong prospect depth in the pipeline at the defensive position (Mintyukov, Zellweger, Luneau, Lacombe), Pat Verbeek elects to continue to build up prospects at the forward position. With Sawchyn, although they are getting a potential developmental player, he also has the attributes to develop a lot of chemistry playing alongside a Zegras or Fantilli. He could be a huge steal in this draft and with the right organization and players around him (which I believe Anaheim has) he could be playing in the NHL sooner than we think. His work ethic, compete level, vision and playmaking ability fit in well with the team and improve the chances of seeing high octane offense like the Selanne/Kariya days of old in Anaheim. – Jody Horak

COLUMBUS – G MICHAEL HRABAL, OMAHA (USHL)The Blue Jackets take the first goalie of the draft and they take the towering Czechia netminder. Hrabal’s upside may be the highest of any goaltenders in the draft due to him measuring in at almost 6’7″. He’s raw in his technical play but Columbus can be patient with developing him considering they have Merzlikins locked up for four more years and 25-year-old Tarasov for two more years. But the question remains on if one of those two netminders can be the Blue Jackets #1? Having a potential star-studded goalie prospect in their system would be a smart move for Jarmo Kekalainen. – Jared Brown

CHICAGO – D TANNER MOLENDYK, SASKATOON (WHL)Tanner joins a group of young, mobile defensive prospects and brings a smooth skating ability and an excellent two way game. He has high end puck control, passing, a strong shot and the ability to QB a PP if needed. He brings a strong awareness to the game at both ends of the ice and reads plays well both offensively and defensively. Still needing to add some muscle to his frame, Molendyk can hone his game for a few more seasons before making the jump. When he does, look for the Blackhawks to have one of the most offensive two-way defense cores in the league. – Matt Hnatiuk

SAN JOSE – D HUNTER BRZUSTEWICZ, KITCHENER (OHL)With Mike Grier selecting for the third time inside the top 40 the Sharks are looking for a more defensive area of the game in this selection after selecting two forwards with their prior choices. They are looking for a capable defenseman who can follow in the footsteps of the likes of Burns, Karlsson and Vlasic and be mentored by two of them that remain with the organization. Brzustewicz is a smooth skating defender who excels with the puck on his stick. He will develop into a solid puck moving defenseman who can quarterback a power play with ease. He is a player you would want on the ice when you are down by one late in the contest. Brzustewicz is very confident with the puck on his stick and can move the puck from the defensive zone to the offensive zone quickly with accurate passes that are easy for his teammates to receive. He can spend the next two years working on improving his defensive side of the game and his physicality. Brzustewicz will need to utilize his hockey more effectively when the puck is not on his stick and make the safe play a little more frequently. The Sharks have been able to select some high end talent in the top 40 of this draft and are on the way up the standings in a few years. – Andy Miller

Dan Stewart - Draft Prospects Hockey2023-06-24

DRAFTPRO – DRAFT DAY HISTORY – OTTAWA SENATORS

Finishing off some of the best, we will look at the 2008 draft where the Senators held the 15th pick and went on to choose one of the best defenseman of the 21st century Erik Karlsson. Karlsson would play for the Senators from 2009-2018 and in that time he would cement himself as one of the top defenseman in the league. He won two Norris trophies during his time in Ottawa in 2012 and 2015 and went into five all star games and was a four time first all team player during his time in Ottawa.

Dan Stewart - Draft Prospects Hockey2023-06-23

DRAFTPRO – DRAFT DAY HISTORY – NEW YORK RANGERS

To start it off we will talk about a few good picks they did make during their history. In 1986 the Rangers made one of their most prolific picks in their history. With the ninth selection in the 1986 draft the Rangers chose Franchise defenseman Brian Leetch. Leetch was an offensive dynamo for the Rangers during his day, he was the last defenseman, until Erik Karlsson this season, to hit the 100 point mark, Leetch won two Norris trophies with the Rangers in 1992 and 1997 and was the Conn Smythe winner in 1994 for the Rangers’ one and only cup win, Leetch had 34 points in 23 games played in that run. He was captain of the New York Rangers between 1997-2000 and when Leetch retired, the New York Rangers retired his number two at MSG on January 28th 2008.

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