Young Stars shine brightest in TSN’s Core 4 U-24 ranking
Published
Dallas is living up to its team name with a constellation of young Stars that stands as best in the NHL.
TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button ranks Dallas’ players as the league’s premier group in our annual Core 4 U-24 ranking.
“Everything is bigger in Texas, and the Dallas pool of young players is bigger than anyone’s in the NHL,” said Button.
Led by 23-year-olds Jason Robertson, Jake Oettinger and Miro Heiskanen, the Stars have a core brimming with high-end talent.
“The Stars have one of the very best goal-scorers in the NHL, a standout goaltender and a difference-making defenceman, who collectively fit the definition of core and are essential to success,” said Button.
Button and FloSports Senior NHL Draft and Prospects analyst Chris Peters assessed all 32 NHL teams’ assets 23 or younger as of the start of the 2022-23 regular season.
Players were graded as AAA (superstar), AA (elite), A (starting goalie, top-pair defenceman, first-line forward), B (tandem goalie, top-four defenceman, top-six forward) or C (backup goalie, depth defenceman, bottom-six forward).
As in the past, the four top young players in each organization are highlighted in our listing, regardless of individual grade.
New this year is expanding team lists to include all A and B players/prospects to reflect the depth or lack of depth each team has in players aged 23 and under: hence the Core 4 U-24 Plus More tag.
Top-ranked Dallas has 10 players rated or projected as A or B NHLers.
No. 2-ranked Detroit is not only special because of its high standing but because of its uniqueness.
The Red Wings have only five A or B players/prospects – not a lot for a team that ranks so high – but they are all A level, with two AA’s (Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond) and three A’s (Simon Edvinsson, Sebastian Cossa and Marco Kasper). They are the only team with no B-level players listed.
No. 3-ranked Buffalo has a league-high 11 players rated or projected as A or B NHLers.
The Sabres also lead in team points by U-24 players this year, 133 – including 42 goals (five behind NHL-leading New Jersey’s 47).
Next up in the league-wide ranking are a pair of Canadian teams: No. 4 Montreal and No. 5 Ottawa.
The Canadiens have six U-24 players on their current roster, headlined by AA forwards Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. Importantly, Montreal has four defencemen, including 2022-23 team members Kaiden Guhle, an A player, and Arber Xhekaj, a B. The only missing ingredient for the Canadiens is a prospective successor to Carey Price in goal.
Montreal ranks second in U-24 goals (45) and points (113), led by Suzuki (14-16-30) and Caufield (16-9-25).
The Senators are chock full of forwards, led by AA’s Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle, plus A-level Josh Norris. They have one A defenceman (Jake Sanderson). Among the B forwards are Aug. 8, 2002, birthday twins Ridley Greig and Roby Jarventie.
Ottawa ranks fifth in both goals (38) and points (97) by U-24 players.
As for the Stars, their rise to the top of Core 4 U-24 can be traced directly to the 2017 draft when they selected Heiskanen third overall, Oettinger, 26th, and Robertson, 39th with their first three picks.
“It’s one of the greatest team drafts in NHL history,” said Button.
Left winger Robertson joins Colorado defenceman Cale Makar and New Jersey centre Jack Hughes as the only AAA players in the TSN U-24 ranking. Oettinger and Heiskanen are both AA players.
“I don’t want to say [the 2017 draft] saved the franchise, but it stopped us from maybe taking a big dip,” said Stars’ GM Jim Nill.
The GM credits director of amateur scouting Joe McDonnell and his staff with replenishing the prospect cupboard.
“Joe is the leader of that group and done a great job for us,” said Nill. “The heartbeat of your team is the scouting staff. It’s about players. It’s a bigger picture than that, but you need to have the players first.”
Whereas No. 1-ranked Dallas has double-digit players earning A or B grades, No. 32-ranked Tampa Bay has just one B-level prospect (Isaac Howard) to go along with three C’s.
The Lightning have just one goal from a U-24 player this year.
There is a ready-made explanation for Tampa’s low standing. They have traded away five first- round picks in the past five years along the way to winning two Stanley Cups and reaching a third final.
That might be the Lightning’s ultimate trade – swapping a future foundation for championships in the present. There isn’t a team in the league that wouldn’t make that trade-off.
Here is a look at the remaining Canadian teams:
No. 9 Vancouver: The Canucks are headlined by AA’s Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, a pair of authentic prime-time players. But both will age out next year and they are currently backed up only by A prospect, Jonathan Lekkerimaki, and C player Vasily Podkolzin.
No. 15 Edmonton: The Oilers have six A or B players in the organization – first among them A-level goalie Stuart Skinner. Skinner has 16 career wins and showing signs of becoming just the fourth drafted goalie in team history to reach 50, following Grant Fuhr (226), Andy Moog (143) and Devan Dubnyk (61).
No. 22 Toronto: The Leafs are another team without an A prospect, not surprising since they are in a win-now window and have traded away first-round picks three of the past four years. Rodion Amirov, the Leafs No. 15 overall pick in 2020, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2022 and is undergoing treatment. Toronto’s list is headed up by B player Rasmus Sandin.
No. 23 Winnipeg: The Jets have a past record of drafting and developing few teams can match, but premier picks from 2011 through 2016 still with the team – Mark Scheifele, Connor Hellebuyck, Josh Morrissey, Nikolaj Ehlers and Kyle Connor – have all aged out of Core 4 U-24 status. Cole Perfetti is an A-level player and in the Calder Trophy conversation.
No. 28 Calgary: The Flames are the only Canadian team whose list is headed up by a goalie: Calgary Wranglers’ netminder and 2020 Canadian Hockey League goalie of the year Dustin Wolf, a B-level prospect. Adam Ruzicka, 23, is the only U-24 player Calgary has used this season.
Legend
'AAA' Player Superstar
'AA' Player Elite
'A' Player kchow No. 1 goalie, top-pair defenceman, 1st line forward
'B' Player kchow Tandem goalie, top-four defenceman, top-six forward
'C' Player kchow Backup goalie, depth defenceman, bottom-six forward
1. Dallas Stars
kchow
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Jason Robertson | Dallas | LW | 23 | 'AAA' Player |
| 2. Jake Oettinger | Dallas | G | 23 | 'AA' Player |
| 3. Miro Heiskanen | Dallas | LD | 23 | 'AA' Player |
| 4. Wyatt Johnston | Dallas | RW | 19 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 5. Logan Stankoven | Kamloops (WHL) | C | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 6. Nils Lundqvist | Dallas | RD | 22 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 7. Thomas Harley | Texas (AHL) | LD | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 8. Mavrik Bourque | Texas (AHL) | C | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 9. Lian Bichsel | Leksands (SHL) | LD | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 10. Christian Kyrou | Erie (OHL) | RD | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
2. Detroit Red Wings
kchow
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Moritz Seider | Detroit | RD | 21 | 'AA' Player |
| 2. Lucas Raymond | Detroit | LW | 20 | 'AA' Player |
| 3. Simon Edvinsson | Grand Rapids (AHL) | LD | 19 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 4. Sebastian Cossa | Grand Rapids (AHL) | G | 20 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 5. Marco Kasper | Rogle (SHL) | LW | 18 | 'A' Player kchow |
3. Buffalo Sabres
kchow
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Rasmus Dahlin | Buffalo | LD | 22 | 'AA' Player |
| 2. Owen Power | Buffalo | LD | 20 | 'AA' Player |
| 3. Dylan Cozens | Buffalo | C | 21 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 4. JJ Peterka | Buffalo | LW | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 5. Jack Quinn | Buffalo | RW | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 6. Mattias Samuelsson | Buffalo | LD | 22 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 7. Matt Savoie | Winnipeg (WHL) | C | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 8. Devon Levi | Northeastern (NCAA) | G | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 9. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | Buffalo | G | 23 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 10. Noah Ostlund | Djurdarden (Allsvenskan) | C | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 11. Jiri Kulich | Rochester (AHL) | LW | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
4. Montreal Canadiens
kchow
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Nick Suzuki | Montreal | C | 23 | 'AA' Player |
| 2. Cole Caufield | Montreal | LW | 21 | 'AA' Player |
| 3. Kaiden Guhle | Montreal | LD | 21 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 4. Juraj Slafkovsky | Montreal | LW | 18 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 5. Kirby Dach | Montreal | C/RW | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 6. Arber Xhekaj | Montreal | LD | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 7. Filip Mesar | Kitchener (OHL) | RW | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 8. Lane Hutson | Boston U (NCAA) | LD | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 9. Logan Mailloux | London (OHL) | RD | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
5. Ottawa Senators
kchow
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Brady Tkachuk | Ottawa | LW | 23 | 'AA' Player |
| 2. Tim Stutzle | Ottawa | C | 20 | 'AA' Player |
| 3. Jake Sanderson | Ottawa | LD | 20 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 4. Josh Norris | Ottawa | C | 23 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 5. Shane Pinto | Ottawa | C | 22 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 6. Ridly Greig | Belleville (AHL) | C | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 7. Roby Jarventie | Belleville (AHL) | LW | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 8. Mads Sogaard | Belleville (AHL) | G | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
6. New Jersey Devils
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Jack Hughes | New Jersey | C | 21 | 'AAA' Player |
| 2. Nico Hischier | New Jersey | C | 23 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 3. Luke Hughes | Michigan (NCAA) | LD | 19 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 4. Simon Nemec | Utica (AHL) | RD | 18 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 5. Dawson Mercer | New Jersey | RW | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 6. Alexander Holtz | Utica (AHL) | RW | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
7. Colorado Avalanche
Core 4
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cale Makar | Colorado | RD | 24 | 'AAA' Player |
| 2. Bowen Byram | Colorado | LD | 21 | 'AA' Player |
| 3. Alex Newhook | Colorado | C | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Justus Anunen | Colorado (AHL) | G | 22 | 'B' Player kchow |
8. Anaheim Ducks
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Trevor Zegras | Anaheim | C | 21 | 'AA' Player |
| 2. Jamie Drysdale | Anaheim | RD | 20 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 3. Mason McTavish | Anaheim | C | 19 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 4. Pavel Mintyukov | Saginaw (OHL) | LD | 19 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 5. Olen Zellweger | Moose Jaw (WHL) | LD | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 6. Nathan Gaucher | Quebec (QMJHL) | C | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 7. Lukas Dostal | San Diego (AHL) | G | 22 | 'B' Player kchow |
9. Vancouver Canucks
kchow
Core 4
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Elias Pettersson | Vancouver | C | 24 | 'AA' Player |
| 2. Quinn Hughes | Vancouver | LD | 23 | 'AA' Player |
| 3. Jonathan Lekkerimaki | Djurgarden (Allsvenskan) | RW | 18 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 4. Vasily Podkolzin | Abbotsford (AHL) | RW | 21 | 'C' Player kchow |
10. Carolina Hurricanes
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Andrei Svechnikov | Carolina | RW | 22 | 'AA' Player |
| 2. Martin Necas | Carolina | C | 23 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 3. Seth Jarvis | Carolina | RW | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Pyotr Kochetkov | Carolina | G | 23 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 5. Alexander Nikishin | St. Petersburg (KHL) | LD | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
11. St. Louis Blues
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Robert Thomas | St. Louis | C | 23 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. Zach Bolduc | Quebec (QMJHL) | C | 19 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 3. Jimmy Snuggerud | Minnesota (NCAA) | RW | 18 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 4. Joel Hofer | Springfield (AHL) | G | 22 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 5. Jake Neighbours | Springfield (AHL) | LW | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
12. Minnesota Wild
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Matt Boldy | Minnesota | LW | 21 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. Jesper Wallstedt | Iowa (AHL) | G | 20 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 3. Brock Faber | Minnesota (NCAA) | RD | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Liam Ohgren | Djurgarden (Allsvenskan) | LW | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 5. Marco Rossi | Iowa (AHL) | C | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 6. Danila Yurov | Magnitogorsk (KHL) | RW | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 7. Carson Lambos | Winnipeg (WHL) | LD | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
13. Columbus Blue Jackets
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Kent Johnson | Columbus | LW | 20 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. David Jiricek | Cleveland (AHL) | RD | 18 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 3. Cole Sillinger | Columbus | C | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Denton Mateychuk | Moose Jaw (WHL) | LD | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 5. Yegor Chinakov | Columbus | RW | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 6. Jordan Dumais | Halifax (QMJHL) | RW | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 7. Kirill Marchenko | Columbus | RW | 22 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 8. Corson Ceulemans | Wisconsin (NCAA) | RD | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
14. Seattle Kraken
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Matty Beniers | Seattle | C | 20 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. Shane Wright | Seattle | C | 18 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 3. Ryker Evans | Coachella Valley (AHL) | LD | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Jagger Firkus | Moose Jaw (WHL) | RW | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 5. Ryan Winterton | Hamilton (OHL) | RW | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 6. David Goyette | Sudbury (OHL) | C | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 7. Ty Nelson | North Bay (OHL) | RD | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
15. Edmonton Oilers
kchow
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Stuart Skinner | Edmonton | G | 24 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. Evan Bouchard | Edmonton | RD | 23 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 3. Dylan Holloway | Edmonton | LW | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Xavier Bourgault | Bakersfield (AHL) | C | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 5. Reid Schaefer | Seattle (WHL) | LW | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 6. Philip Broberg | Edmonton | LD | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
16. Arizona Coyotes
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Dylan Guenther | Arizona | RW | 19 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. Logan Cooley | Minnesota (NCAA) | C | 18 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 3. Conor Geekie | Winnipeg (WHL) | C | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Matias Maccelli | Arizona | LW | 22 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 5. Maveric Lamoureux | Drummondville (QMJHL) | RD | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
17. Los Angeles Kings
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Brandt Clarke | Los Angeles | RD | 19 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. Gabe Villardi | Los Angeles | RW | 23 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 3. Arthur Kaliyev | Los Angeles | RW | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Sean Durzi | Los Angeles | RD | 24 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 5. Quinton Byfield | Ontario (AHL) | RW | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
18. Nashville Predators
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Yaroslav Askarov | Milwaukee (AHL) | G | 20 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. Joakim Kemell | JyP (SM Liiga) | RW | 18 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 3. Luke Evangelista | Milwaukee (AHL) | RW | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Fedor Svechkov | St. Petersburg (KHL) | C | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 5. Philip Tomasino | Milwaukee (AHL) | LW | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 6. Zachary L'Heureux | Halifax (QMJHL) | LW | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
19. Florida Panthers
Core 4
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Spencer Knight | Florida | G | 21 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. Anton Lundell | Florida | C | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 3. Mackie Samoskevich | Michigan (NCAA) | RW | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Evan Nause | Quebec (QMJHL) | LD | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
20. New York Islanders
Core 4
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Noah Dobson | NY Islanders | RD | 22 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. Alexander Romanov | NY Islanders | LD | 22 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 3. Aatu Raty | Bridgeport (AHL) | C | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. William Dufour | Bridgeport (AHL) | RW | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
21. Philadelphia Flyers
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cutter Gauthier | Boston College (NCAA) | LW | 18 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. Joel Farabee | Philadelphia | LW | 22 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 3. Cam York | Philadelphia | LD | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Tyson Foerster | Lehigh Valley (AHL) | RW | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 5. Emil Andrea | HV 71 (SHL) | LD | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
22. Toronto Maple Leafs
kchow
Core 4
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Rasmus Sandin | Toronto | LD | 22 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 2. Matt Knies | Minnesota (NCAA) | LW | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 3. Topi Niemela | Karpat (SM Liiga) | RD | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Timothy Liljegren | Toronto | RD | 23 | 'C' Player kchow |
23. Winnipeg Jets
kchow
Core Four Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cole Perfetti | Winnipeg | LW | 20 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. Rutger McGroarty | Michigan (NCAA) | LW | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 3. Ville Heinola | Manitoba (AHL) | LD | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Brad Lambert | Manitoba (AHL) | C | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 5. Chaz Lucius | Manitoba (AHL) | C | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
24. Washington Capitals
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Ivan Miroshnichenko | Omsk (KHL) | LW | 18 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. Martin Fehervary | Washington | LD | 23 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 3. Connor McMichael | Hershey (AHL) | C | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Hendrix Lapierre | Hershey (AHL) | C | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 5. Ryan Chesley | Minnesota (NCAA) | RD | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
25. Chicago Blackhawks
Core 4 Plus More
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Kevin Korchinski | Seattle (WHL) | LD | 18 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. Lukas Reichel | Rockford (AHL) | LW | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 3. Frank Nazar | Michigan (NCAA) | C | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Ethan Del Mastro | Mississauga (OHL) | LD | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 5. Drew Commesso | Boston U (NCAA) | G | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
26. New York Rangers
Core 4
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. K'Andre Miller | NY Rangers | LD | 22 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 2. Brennan Othmann | Peterborough (OHL) | LW | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 3. Alex Lafreniere | NY Rangers | LW | 21 | 'C' Player kchow |
| 4. Filip Chytil | NY Rangers | C | 23 | 'C' Player kchow |
27. San Jose Sharks
Core 4
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. William Eklund | San Jose (AHL) | C | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 2. Thomas Bordeleau | San Jose (AHL) | C | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 3. Filip Bystedt | Linkoping (SHL) | C | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Mattias Havelid | Linkoping (SHL) | RD | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
28. Calgary Flames
kchow
Core 4
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Dustin Wolf | Calgary (AHL) | G | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 2. Matt Coronato | Harvard | RW | 20 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 3. Connor Zary | Calgary (AHL) | C | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Adam Ruzicka | Calgary | LW | 23 | 'B' Player kchow |
29. Boston Bruins
Core 4
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Jeremy Swayman | Boston | G | 24 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 2. Fabian Lysell | Providence (AHL) | RW | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 3. Mason Lohrei | Ohio State (NCAA) | LD | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. John Beecher | Providence (AHL) | C | 21 | 'C' Player kchow |
30. Vegas Golden Knights
Core 4
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Brendan Brisson | Henderson (AHL) | C | 21 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 2. Zach Dean | Gatineau (QMJHL) | C | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 3. Cameron Whitehead | Lincoln (USHL) | G | 19 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 4. Nic Hague | Vegas | LD | 23 | 'C' Player kchow |
31. Pittsburgh Penguins
Core 4
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Owen Pickering | Swift Current (WHL) | LD | 18 | 'A' Player kchow |
| 2. Pierre-Olivier Joseph | Pittsburgh | LD | 23 | 'C' Player kchow |
| 3. Sam Poulin | Wilkes-Barre (AHL) | RW | 21 | 'C' Player kchow |
| 4. Filip Hallander | Wilkes-Barre (AHL) | C | 22 | 'C' Player kchow |
32. Tampa Bay Lightning
Core 4
| Player | Team | Pos. | Age | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Issac Howard | Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA) | LW | 18 | 'B' Player kchow |
| 2. Jack Thompson | Syracuse (AHL) | RD | 20 | 'C' Player kchow |
| 3. Jack Finley | Syracuse (AHL) | C | 20 | 'C' Player kchow |
| 4. Gage Goncalves | Syracuse (AHL) | C | 21 | 'C' Player kchow |