Normally, the Utah Hockey Club monthly prospect report focuses on a handful of players in order to go a little more in depth on their development. But the playoffs are not a normal time of year.
With the postseason in full flower in the NCAA Tournament, the CHL’s three leagues, and all across Europe, Utah director of player development Lee Stempniak and the team wanted to give you a different look this month. Instead of diving deep on three or four players, we created capsules on every player who is competing or who recently competed in the aforementioned postseasons.
Stempniak and the Utah development staff provided the scouting synopses.
“I had the [development] coach that works most closely with them write the capsule and then I added/edited them with my own thoughts,” Stempniak said. “I thought it would be interesting for you to get a slightly different voice on it.”
Some of the players’ mentioned below have concluded their seasons, but we included everyone who made the postseason in these capsules.
Utah prospect playoff capsules
Forwards
Daniil But
Team (League): Yaroslav Lokomotiv (Kontinental Hockey League [KHL], Russia)
Current postseason situation: Lokomotiv was the No.1 overall seed after winning the Tarasov Division with 102 points in 68 games. Lokomotiv leads Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 2-0 in the conference quarterfinals.
Stats (regular season): 54 games, nine goals, 28 points.Draft year (overall pick number): 2023 (No. 12)Age: 20
Scouting synopsis: “Daniil’s play has progressed, having set personal bests in goals, assists and points. He is learning how to use his big frame more effectively and showing more confidence and poise with the puck.” — Stempniak and development coach Jeff Shantz
Noel Nordh
Team (League): Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario Hockey League [OHL], Canada)
Current postseason situation: The Soo trail Windsor 2-0 in the first round.
Stats (regular season): 21 goals, 52 points, 47 games.Draft year (overall pick number): 2023 (No. 72)Age: 20
Scouting synopsis: “Noel is a big reason his team made the playoffs during the final stretch. He had seven goals in the last two weeks of the season to help the Soo sneak into seventh place by a few points. He has been playing more direct, getting to the net and middle of the ice to generate more offensive opportunities.” — Stempniak and Shantz
Samu Bau
Team (League): Tampereen Ilves (Liiga, Finland)
Current postseason situation: Ilves leads Tappara, 2-0, in the quarterfinals
Stats (regular season): Eight goals, 22 points, 51 gamesDraft year (overall pick number): 2023 (No. 162)Age: 20
Scouting synopsis: “Samu’s last few weeks of the regular season were the best he’s played offensively this year. He has always been a good defensive player but lately has shown more poise with the puck and the ability to generate more offensive opportunities.” — Stempniak and Shantz
Vojtěch Hradec
Team (League): BK Mladá Boleslav (Extraliga, Czechia)
Current postseason situation: Mladá Boleslav lost to Mountfield HK in the quarterfinals, 4-3.
Stats (regular season): 37 games, four goals, 12 points
Draft year (overall pick number): 2024 (No. 167)
Age: 19
Scouting synopsis: “Vojtech has shown all season that he is a good defensive player with a strong work ethic. He slowly is getting better with the puck – making more plays and helping to generate more offense.” — Stempniak and Shantz
Vadim Moroz
Team (League): Dinamo Minsk (KHL)
Current postseason situation: Dinamo leads CSKA Moscow, 2-1, in the quarterfinals.
Stats (regular season): 66 games, 26 goals, 44 pointsDraft year (overall pick number): 2023 (No. 88)
Age: 21
Scouting synopsis: “Vadim doubled his point total this season. He’s created more opportunities from the inside and found ways to maximize possessions with improved puck protection. This growth, combined with his playmaking and ability to play a two-way game, has allowed him to take a big step with a breakout year.” — Stempniak and development coach Nathaniel Brooks
Jonathan Castagna
Team (League): Cornell (Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference [ECAC], NCAA)
Current postseason situation: Cornell upset No. 2 overall seed Michigan State in the first round but lost in OT to Boston University in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
Stats (regular season): 31 games, five goals, 15 points
Draft year (overall pick number): 2023 (No. 70)
Age: 19
Scouting synopsis: “Jonathan had a below-average season offensively but played against the opponents’ top lines and in all key situations. His game in the playoffs has been strong as he’s making a big impact on both sides of the puck. His play away from the puck and his efficiency in the faceoff circle took major steps.” — Stempniak and Brooks
Owen Allard
Team (League): Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
Current postseason situation: The Soo trail Windsor 2-0 in the first round with Game 2 scheduled for Saturday.
Stats: (regular season): 31 games, 14 goals, 28 points
Draft year (overall pick number): 2024 (No. 135)Age: 21
Scouting synopsis: “Owen’s season was slowed down at times by unfortunate injuries, but when he was in the lineup, he was nearly a point- per-game player. He has found ways to utilize his speed more effectively. It’s evident when jumping into open space, closing on opponents, and winning races. His speed and explosiveness are exceptional.” — Stempniak and Brooks
Gabe Smith
Team (League): Moncton (Québec Major Junior Hockey League [QMJHL], Canada)
Current postseason situation: Moncton, the No. 1 overall seed, leads Québec, 2-0 in the first round.
Stats (regular season): 52 games, 20 goals, 39 points
Draft year (overall pick number): 2024 (No. 103)Age: 18
Scouting synopsis: “Gabe possesses a unique combination of size, sense, skill, and has identified the foundation of his game this season through simplicity. There has been improvement in his puck touches and decision making, along with his play away from the puck. He will be a big piece of Moncton’s upcoming playoff run.” — Stempniak and Brooks
Cole Beaudoin
Team (League): Barrie (OHL)
Current postseason situation: Barrie, the No. 2 seed from the Eastern Conference, leads Niagara 1-0 in the first round.
Stats (regular season): 52 games, 22 goals, 51 points
Draft year (overall pick number): 2024 (No. 24)
Age: 18
Scouting synopsis: “Cole is a high-effort, competitive player that plays a complete game. He’s generating higher danger chances for himself this season by improving his ability to get off the boards and attack the inside of the ice. He continues to improve in these areas while not compromising the small details and playing a dependable two-way game.” — Stempniak and Brooks
Tanner Ludtke
Team (League): Omaha (National Collegiate Hockey Conference [NCHC], NCAA)
Current postseason situation: Omaha lost to North Dakota in the first round of the NCHC playoffs and did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
Stats (regular season): Eight games, one goal, two points
Draft year (overall pick number): 2023 (No. 81)
Age: 20
Scouting synopsis: “Tanner had a tough start to his season. He re-injured his shoulder and had to have surgery. He spent the time off both rehabbing and working on his skating and strength (and having lasik surgery) as he was back on the ice for a month before he was able to use a stick. He came back and played a few games at the end of the season for Omaha and looked both stronger and faster on the ice, so the time was well spent.” — StempniakDefensemen
Tomas Lavoie
Team (League): Cape Breton (QMJHL)
Current postseason situation: Cape Breton trails Baie-Comeau Drakkar, 2-0 in the first round.
Stats (regular season): 60 games, 15 goals, 55 pointsDraft year (overall pick number): 2024 (No. 89)Age: 18
Scouting synopsis: “Tomas had a very strong year in Cape Breton playing big minutes in every situation as the No. 1 D. We saw growth in his play with the puck — holding onto it and then using his feet to connect the next play. Tomas also played much more physically and was harder to play against. It is impressive, his level of professionalism for a junior player.” — Stempniak and defenseman development coach Kurtis Foster
Veeti Väisänen
Team (League): Medicine Hat (Western Hockey League [WHL], Canada)
Current postseason situation: Medicine Hat, the Eastern Conference champ, leads Swift Current 2-0 in the first round.
Stats (regular season): 58 games, four goals, 24 pointsDraft year (overall pick number): 2024 (No. 96)Age: 19
Scouting synopsis: “Veeti went into a new league, a new country with new teammates and it took time for him to get comfortable. In the second half of the season after his return from World Juniors, his game has flourished. He is playing on the top pair and playing in every defensive situation. He’s improving his puck play; showing more poise when under pressure.” — Stempniak and Foster
Justin Kipkie
Team (League): Victoria (WHL)
Current postseason situation: Victoria, the No. 2 seed from the Western Conference, leads Tri-City, 2-0, in the first round.
Stats (regular season): 64 games, 12 goals, 62 pointsDraft year (overall pick number): 2023 (No. 160)Age: 19
Scouting synopsis: “Justin captained his Victoria team to a No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. He played a vital role, being the No. 1 D, playing big minutes in all situations. We saw growth in his game without the puck this season — closing space quickly, playing with tight gaps through the neutral zone and defending with his length to go along with an active stick.” — Stempniak and Foster
Terrell Goldsmith
Team (League): Tri-City (WHL)
Current postseason situation: Tri-City trails Victoria, 2-0, in the first round.
Stats (regular season): 56 games, four goals, 16 points
Draft year (overall pick number): 2023 (No. 102)Age: 19
Scouting synopsis: “Terrell went into a new situation in Tri-City after the trade from Prince Albert and found himself playing all key defensive minutes, with an increased opportunity at times in offensive situations. He was an assistant captain in his first year with the team which showed the respect he garnered throughout the league. He continued to play to his identity, physical and hard to play against. He played his offside all season and saw big improvement in his play and confidence with the puck.” — Stempniak and Foster
Cal Thomas
Team (League): Minnesota (Big Ten, NCAA)
Current postseason situation: Minnesota was upset by Massachusetts in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Stats (regular season): 27 games, one goal, nine pointsDraft year (overall pick number): 2021 (No. 171)Age: 21
Scouting synopsis: “Cal had another solid season playing for a top NCAA program. Cal was used on the top pair, playing against the opposing teams’ top line consistently. He was a mainstay in all defensive situations, especially on the penalty kill. His assertiveness to join the rush or activate in the offensive zone are the key improvements we saw in his play on the offensive side of the game.” — Stempniak and Foster
Matthew Morden
Team (League): Harvard (ECAC, NCAA)
Current postseason situation: Harvard lost to Clarkson in the quarterfinals of the ECAC Tournament and did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
Stats (regular season): 31 games, one goal, six points
Draft year (overall pick number): 2022 (No. 131)Age: 20
Scouting synopsis: “Matthew saw an increased role this season at Harvard. In the second half of the season, his play took off. He played on the top pair, with the responsibility of shutting down the opposing teams’ best players. We saw vast improvement in his physical play, using his length and size to kill plays through the neutral zone, and along walls in the defensive zone. His offensive play was much more composed, and he saw an improvement in his offensive playmaking abilities.” — Stempniak and Foster
Will Skahan
Team (League): Boston College (Hockey East, NCAA)
Current postseason situation: No. 1 overall seed Boston College beat Bentley, 3-1 in the first round but lost to defending national champion Denver in the quarterfinals on Sunday.
Stats (regular season): 29 games, two goals, seven points
Draft year (overall pick number): 2024 (No. 65)
Age: 18
Scouting synopsis: “Will had a successful freshman season playing on a top NCAA team at Boston College. He played consistently in the top six with some opportunities on the penalty kill. We saw an improvement in his puck decisions and he showed more composure on the offensive blue line than expected. His defensive game has grown as well, being harder to play against in his battles, to go along with a great stick.”
— Stempniak and Foster
Dmitri Simashev
Team (League): Yaroslavl Lokomotiv (KHL)
Current postseason situation: Lokomotiv was the No.1 overall seed after winning the Tarasov Division with 102 points in 68 games. Lokomotiv leads Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 2-0 in the conference quarterfinals.
Stats (regular season): 56 games, one goal, six pointsDraft year (overall pick number): 2023 (No. 6)
Age: 20
Scouting synopsis: “Dmitri had another solid season playing for a strong Lokomotiv team. He has consistently played in the top six, with a role on the penalty kill. His size, stick and elite skating ability make him hard to play against, playing tight through the neutral zone or closing space quickly in the defensive zone. He showed improvement in his puck play in all three zones, especially when under pressure.” — Stempniak and Foster
Ludvig Lafton
Team (League): Färjestad (J20, Sweden)
Current postseason situation: Färjestad lost its first-round J20 series, 2-0, to Mora.
Stats (regular season): 42 games, four goals, 19 points
Draft year (overall pick number): 2024 (No. 190)Age: 19
Scouting synopsis: “Ludvig had a solid season playing for the Färjestad U20 team. It took some time to work his way back from his injury in the summer, but he started to find his game before Christmas. He’s a kid who competes and is efficient with the puck. He saw significant opportunity on the power play and was used in key offensive situations. We saw improvement in his defensive play, especially in his physical play.” — Stempniak and Foster
Gregor Biber
Team (League): Rögle (J20, SHL, Sweden)
Current postseason situation: Rögle lost to Malmö in the second round of the J20 playoffs
Stats (regular season): 50 games, two goals, three points
Draft year (overall pick number): 2024 (No. 98)Age: 18
Scouting synopsis: “Gregor had a very strong season as he made the jump at the beginning of season from the Rogle U20 team to the Rogle professional team (but returned to J20 for the playoffs). He was also able to spend time with the Austrian National Team in a few tournaments which helped his confidence immensely. Gregor plays to his identity consistently — strong defensively with an edge physically. His puck play when under pressure on retrievals and through transition is an area he improved throughout the season.” — Stempniak and Foster
Aleš Čech
Team (League): BK Mladá Boleslav (Extraliga)
Current postseason situation: Mladá Boleslav lost to Mountfield HK in the quarterfinals, 4-3.
Stats (regular season): 32 games, no goals, two pointsDraft year (overall pick number): 2024 (No. 153)
Age: 20
Scouting synopsis: “Aleš had a solid season playing for Mladá Boleslav. He was able to find a consistent role in the top four at even strength and on the penalty kill. He is a heavy player who skates very well and is hard to play against defensively. His poise and composure under pressure with the puck are also impressive for a young player at the pro level.” — Stempniak and Foster
Goalies
Michael Hrabal
Team (League): Massachusetts (Hockey East)
Current postseason situation: Massachusetts upset Minnesota in the first round of the NCAA Tournament but lost to No. 4 overall seed Western Michigan in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
Stats (regular season): 35 games, 2.38 GAA, .924 SPDraft year (overall pick number): 2023 (No. 38)
Age: 20
Scouting synopsis: “Michael improved his consistency throughout the second half of this season. In 18 of his last 19 games, he had a save percentage above .903. This earned him a record of 13-4-3 to propel UMass into the NCAA Tournament.” — Stempniak and goalie development coach Clay Adams
Melker Thelin
Team (League): Björklöven (Allsvenskan, Sweden)
Current postseason situation: Björklöven lost to AIK in overtime of Game 7 of their quarterfinal series, to fall, 4-3.
Stats (regular season): 23 games, 2.56 GAA, .908 SP
Draft year (overall pick number): 2023 (No. 134)Age: 19
Scouting synopsis: “Melker’s ability to elevate his performance and bounce back after losses in the second half helped him win the starting job for the No. 4 seed Björklöven heading into the playoffs. He has gone 10-5-1 in the second pro league in Sweden, going 3-1 to date in the playoffs as his team looks to be promoted to the SHL (top Swedish pro league).” — Stempniak and Adams
Carsen Musser
Team (League): Colorado College (NCHC)
Current postseason situation: Colorado College lost to Denver in the first round of the NCHC playoffs and did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
Stats (regular season): Nine games, 3.94 GAA, .879 SP
Draft year (overall pick number): 2023 (No. 166)Age: 19
Scouting synopsis: “Despite only appearing in nine games this season, Carsen was able to make the transition to NCAA hockey and play meaningful games in the second half. We saw continued effort throughout the season to improve the little details of his game to ready himself to carry a heavier workload next year.” — Adams
Rasmus Korhonen
Team (League): Västerås IK (Allsvenskan)
Current postseason situation: Västerås lost a play-in game to Mora.
Stats (regular season): 44 games, 2.90 GAA, .900 SP
Draft year (overall pick number): 2021 (No. 122)
Age: 22
Scouting synopsis: “Rasmus played 46 games for Vasteras as the starter, leading them into the playoffs on the last day of the regular season. We were happy with the growth of his game this season, especially with the last month and his ability to win important games for his club down the stretch.” — Adams
