2024-25 Michigan Hockey Season Preview Part 4: Opponents, Predictions, and Wrap

Mavrik Bourque’s speed, IQ and decision-making remain his greatest strengths every time he’s out on the ice. He was an essential piece for the Shawinigan Cataractes as he helped lead them to a QMJHL Championship two seasons ago, and he has proven himself equally as important as a pro. Bourque had a great rookie season in the AHL here he established himself as a great pro player with a 47 point rookie year which included 20 goals. However, he took a significant step forward again last season, with his 77 points leading the AHL. Logan Mailloux’s game has improved consistently since being drafted back in the 2021 Draft.

Prospects #80-71

He has some work to do filling out his rather skinny 6-foot-3 frame, but there is some real promise in his offensive game. Guys his size don’t usually move through opponents like he does, casually dodging between checks to find space. Since being selected 23rd overall in the 2022 Draft, Jimmy Snuggerud has proven to be an excellent choice for the St. Louis Blues. He has smooth hands but doesn’t make a ton of plays as a distributor, though his finishing ability typically makes up for that.

• He has the size, skating, and strength to be a meaningful NHL defender, and his offensive skills are quite good, as showcased by his impressive point total in the AHL last season.
• He’s the No. 1 defenseman any contender needs, providing an offensive option as a right-handed blue liner.
• On a middle-of-the-pack team like the Blues, Thomas has been one of, if not the single brightest spot on the team and general manager Doug Armstrong is going to build around him on the forward group for a long time.
• With a 60-goal season under his belt, he has shown that he can be among the best in the league.
• Dickinson skates well for his size which bodes well for his NHL projection, though he will need to put in some work for his offensive game to be worthy of power play minutes in the NHL someday.

Aleksander Barkov, C, Panthers

On top of that, he has a Norris Trophy, Conn Smythe Trophy, and has been a Norris Trophy finalist in each of the past four seasons. Sidney Crosby is without a doubt one of the greatest players in NHL history, and even at 37 years old, he is a top 10 player in the league. He has been consistently in the conversation for the Hart Trophy, Selke Strophy, and many other awards. His offense has barely fallen off over the past decade, and his defensive game has arguably gotten better. There is certainly an argument for him to be even higher on this list than number 10.

Roope Hintz, C, Dallas Stars

He finished last season third in hits, fourth in shots, and second in penalty minutes. TJ Hughes’ point totals may take a step back because Michigan’s PP likely won’t be the most efficient PP in modern NCAA history, but you scan this lineup and see a lot of guys with the potential to give you 8-12 goals. Moldenhauer, Hallum, Eernisse, Werner, Humphreys could all reasonably chip in something https://gambibet.org/ in that range and then you’re hoping to get from Hughes and Schifsky based on their production last season. The two X-Factors are Michael Hage and William Whitelaw, two guys who could easily score 8-10 goals or could hit 20 on the high side. If they can each meet somewhere in the middle, given the rest of the scoring depth, you’re really not in bad shape as a robust offense.

Matthew Savoie, C, Edmonton Oilers

Hage doesn’t have the most dangerous shot but it’s not a weakness by any means, and he competes well on defense and through traffic in the offensive zone. Ultimately, a lack of elite traits holds him back a little but Hage certainly has a chance to be a top-six forward in the NHL. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård is a Norwegian winger who is known for his high work ethic and his shot. He isn’t going to produce a ton of highlight reel plays with his skill, but he’s got enough skill with the puck to compete in the NHL, and he works hard all over the ice.

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He missed the World Juniors with an injury but will be eligible to join Canada there again next year where he should be a massive factor for them. Molendyk scored a ton this year in the WHL, seriously improving on his point totals from the season before. His transition game, defensive play, and wicked wrist shot make him an all around threat at the junior level already.

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Frank Nazar is a great center prospect who was drafted 13th overall in the 2022 NHL Draft despite being 5-foot-9. Typically, NHL general managers are wary of selecting players of Nazar’s size so early in the draft, but his playmaking vision and dynamic skating were enticing enough that the Blackhawks were willing to take the risk. He will likely provide a ton of value off the rush in the NHL someday as his speed and ability to make smart passes while manipulating defenders’ skates allows him to create tons of scoring chances.

Goals Against Average

Edstrom didn’t have the strongest showing at last year’s World Juniors but he’s eligible to return next year where I expect him to be one of the better players in the whole tourney. After being sent to Nasvhille in the Yaroslav Askarov trade, I think Edstrom can realistically project into the Pred’s third-line center slot in due time. Gabe Perrault looks like someone who could be a power play specialist at the next level with great skill and smarts in the offensive zone.

Owen Power, D, Buffalo Sabres

Oliver Bonk is a strong two-way defender who has the size and skating NHL teams look for, and the hockey sense to be a meaningful contributor in the modern NHL. He anticipates play really well, and is vocal with his teammates, coordinating play at both ends of the ice. Bonk isn’t a highly skilled defender so I don’t think he’ll be fighting for lots of power play minutes with Jamie Drysdale, but I expect he’ll be a strong second pairing defender who can tilt the ice in Philly’s favor. He has the size that NHL general managers dream of, and he has great puck skills and shooting mechanics for a player of his size. His skating has grown on me over the past two seasons, with enough speed and agility to really use his size to his advantage, powering through defenders and protecting the puck well. It may be a little while before we see him playing in the NHL, but I’m sure Utah is more than willing to wait as they look to establish themselves in the league.

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The top of the Oilers’ lineup, headlined by Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, is as loaded as they come. Edmonton has no problem lighting up the scoreboard with so much high-end skill on the ice, but players like Mattias Ekholm give the lineup some balance on the back end too. Bobrovsky was a large reason why the Panthers made its Stanley Cup Final run last season, but, like the team, he ran out of gas against the Golden Knights. The Panthers have limited opponents to 24.4 shots per game, but the Oilers average 28.8. The Panthers are known for their structured systems that make scoring a pain, but at the end of the day, you need an elite goaltender as the last line of defense. Florida’s netminder is 12-5 this postseason with a 2.20 goals-against average, a .908 save percentage, and one shutout.

• The main reasons he has been so successful against larger and stronger competition are his phenomenal skating and his ability to make good decisions at a very high speed.
• He hasn’t had a true long-term partner for the majority of his career, and having an anchor on his pair could help propel his game even further.
• He will need to keep putting work into his ability to play at a fast pace but his length and skill combo should make him an effective middle-six player for Tampa Bay regardless.
• The Stars center can flat-out fly up and down the ice, making him one of the most exciting players to watch.
• On the third one, Barczewski did seize the starting job by November but came painfully close to posting a SV% better than Portillo’s final season.
• Not just the best forwards or defenders, not just the best offensive-minded phenoms or shutdown talents, but the best — full-stop.

Add to that his smooth skating, strong work ethic, and strong stick-work defensively and there’s a real chance for him to become an important defenseman for the Blackhawks down the line. There are still several things that need to be addressed before he reaches that level, mainly his hockey sense and decision making, but he’s already come a long way and I expect he’ll make it. Ever since scoring 30 goals as a rookie in the OHL, Colby Barlow has been on my radar as a pro-sized winger with a legit NHL-caliber shot.

On top of scoring goals and an impressive point total, he is a solid two-way player who can take on additional responsibilities. Bo Horvat has turned into a dependable 30-goal, 70-point two-way center that the New York Islanders can rely on in any situation. With Selke Trophy votes in two of the last three years, his defensive play has been on notice, and that is part of what makes him so valuable to the strong defensive team, the Islanders.

Prospects #50-41

A hockey association was formed in the country in 1875, but dissolved after seven years; in 1886 the Hockey Association was created in England and worked to establish the first set of rules for the game. The content on this site is for entertainment purposes only and CBS Sports makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. This site contains commercial content and CBS Sports may be compensated for the links provided on this site. The Toronto Maple Leafs surprised the hockey world when they selected Easton Cowan with the 28th pick in the 2023 Draft. He wasn’t seen as a first round candidate by many people, but he has already paid back the Leafs for their belief in him.

Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, RW, Detroit Red Wings

He didn’t last very long and didn’t leave the biggest impact, but he’s still just 19 so every bit of pro experience and guidance he soaked up in those weeks was time well spent. Your votes will help highlight the athletes who are making the biggest impact this season, showcasing the talent and dedication of the best players in the league. Join us in recognizing the exceptional performances of these hockey heroes and contributing to the ongoing excitement of the NHL. Last season, Makar became the second-fastest defenseman to reach 300 career points, and he did so in just 280 games.

On the third one, Barczewski did seize the starting job by November but came painfully close to posting a SV% better than Portillo’s final season. I’ll give myself 0.67 points for that, a half-point for nailing the first half and a bit for coming painfully close on the second part. In the end I come out with 2.42 points out of 5, a little bit worse than previous years but still not bad. This sort of feels like a classic late-stage-coach season where Notre Dame will mostly struggle and everyone is counting down the days until there is fresh blood taking over who can inject new life into the program.

There is no denying that the Wild have become immensely more fun to watch since Kaprizov came over from Russia. The slippery winger dealt with injuries last year that kept him out of 15 games, but he still managed to record 40 goals and 75 points. Kaprizov has incredible vision and hands, and he has been the engine behind the Wild offense. There is very little that separates the three, so Isles fans, don’t read into it too much. Some will argue that Sorokin deserved the Vezina last year over Linus Ullmark, but it’s only a matter of when, not if, the New York goaltender earns the honor.

• However, his offensive production has left much to be desired, leaving many questions about if he will have much offense to provide in the NHL someday.
• What a shock it is to see the best hockey player in the world at the top of this list.
• According to Money Puck, Bobrovsky has registered a .960 save percentage when facing unblocked shots throughout the postseason.
• He’s a center with a June birthday, meaning he’s one of the youngest players from the 2024 draft class, and will be just 18 years old for his entire rookie season in the NHL.

However, he potted 36 goals yet again, marking the fourth time in the last five years the Hurricanes center posted at least 30 goals. His knack for finding the back of the net is paired with a solid defensive presence, making the Finn one of the league’s top centers. He posted 66 points in 67 games in the regular season before contributing 26 points in 20 games in his first playoff run, culminating in a Stanley Cup win. He looked like the franchise star the Golden Knights were expecting him to be when they traded for him two years ago. Similar to Heiskanen, McAvoy has always provided the Bruins with strong, two-way play on the blue line.

In a year where seemingly every star for the Avalanche was hurt at some point, Rantanen played a major role in keeping the team afloat. The Finnish power forward had his first 50-goal, 100-point season, leading Colorado with 55 goals and 105 points. Rantanen finished sixth in MVP voting — and I don’t think that did his performance enough justice. In the age of up-and-coming stars taking over the league, the 36-year-old Penguins captain remains one of the most consistent performers at both ends of the ice. After missing the playoffs for his first time since his rookie season, expect a motivated Pittsburgh star center this year.

Like the other elite, young blue-liners who’ve lit up the league over the past few seasons, it took only one night under the bright lights of the NHL for the hockey world to see that Makar was something special. He was quick and rangy and daring right from the start, scoring his first goal in his first game, in the post-season no less. In the half-decade since, he’s collected the second-most points in the league from the blue line, Roman Josi earning a pair more, albeit in far more games. On paper, it may be difficult to pull apart why exactly Makar stands out from the other new-school rovers in the league, the Hugheses and the Foxes.

Gavin Brindley is a 5-foot-9 forward who was excellent in the NCAA as an 18-year-old freshman in his draft year. Brindley’s combination of speed and effort will make him a very flexible player who can fill in whatever role is needed of him, which has earned him lots of ice time. He is a coach’s dream as a player with great skills on both sides of the puck and a never-quit mentality. Brindley was phenomenal at the 2024 World Juniors where he was often one of the best and hardest working American players each and every game. It’s impressive to see teenaged players competing at the professional level against grown men, even just for a couple of games.

If it hadn’t been for McDavid’s outrageous scoring pace, Barkov would have won the Conn Smythe Trophy as he received second-place votes on 15 out of the 17 ballots. A huge breakout year for Sam Reinhart propelled him up this list, and if he can replicate this kind of season and prove it isn’t a one-and-done kind of year, he will continue to shoot up the list. Scoring 57 goals has only been done by a handful of players currently active, and while many were on the powerplay, they all count the same.

Rutger McGroarty is in an exciting position after being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. After clearly wanting out of Winnipeg, he becomes the best prospect and rookie for the Penguins by a mile. But there will be a lot of high expectations on a young player who is expected to slot into the Penguins’ top six. He shines in the offensive zone with his goal-scoring and playmaking ability, being able to handle the puck with the likes of his elite teammates. Look for him to have a lot of opportunities this season, as Pittsburgh will be in an interesting position not only this season but for years to come.

I do think he’s a solid defender when he’s properly engaged, cutting off passes and angling opponents toward the boards. Parekh is a remarkable talent, with Quinn Hughes-like offensive upside if things go well, but the defensive end is in need of some real work. He’s talented enough and looked strong enough defensively in the Memorial Cup  that I think he’ll figure it out in the NHL though, if given enough time. Shane Wright’s biggest obstacle since being drafted has been the NHL/CHL agreement but he was granted an exception last year so he could compete in the AHL despite not being officially eligible.

The No. 1 pick from 2019 is living up to expectations in New Jersey, finishing a point shy of 100 last season to lead the Devils to a surprise second-place finish in the Metro. His poise, hands and superb skating ability make him an offensive dynamo, and he’s only 22 years old. He is a very complete prospect who is a natural leader, shoots well, and does just about everything else you could hope for from a first-round pick. McGroarty won’t lead your team in scoring, but he’ll do a whole lot of other things at a very high level. The Penguins did well to land him in exchange for Yager, netting the better of the two prospects, though the gap isnt massive. David Reinbacher is a 6-foot-2 defender with a right-handed shot and great mobility who played lots of minutes in the National League (NL), Switzerland’s top professional men’s league, during his draft year.