Scout’s Analysis: 4 intriguing prospects making an impression

With per week to go earlier than NHL groups need to submit their opening evening rosters forward of the 2025-26 season, a number of rookies across the league are having regular coaching camps and making their groups take into consideration what to do with them from right here.

Teams who discover themselves tight in opposition to the wage cap may prioritize having a teen on the roster to develop their sport and financially match the construction of the group. Other groups might have a veteran who’s being marginally outplayed by a prospect, however select to hold on to the older participant as a result of they’d in any other case have to show them to waivers.

The last week of NHL coaching camps goes to put naked staff methods and open alternatives for rookies and veterans alike.

Here’s a have a look at a few of the prospects I’m monitoring intently earlier than subsequent Monday’s NHL roster bulletins:

Parekh is a unicorn prospect for the Calgary Flames, a transitional defenceman who can nearly be described as a rover. He’s equal components fourth ahead as he’s offensive defenceman. Parekh produced 97G-172A in 206 mixed common season and playoff video games with the Saginaw Spirit (OHL) earlier than making his Flames debut final spring. He was additionally a powerful plus-84 with the Spirit.

I’ve preferred loads of Parekh’s sport at Flames coaching camp. He’s taking part in to his identification together with his offensive method, whereas studying what it’s going to take to defend on the NHL degree. It will take a while, and there shall be rising pains, however Calgary doesn’t have a defenceman like Parekh on their roster. He seems to be like he can quarterback considered one of their energy play models and he’s been lively off the puck becoming a member of the frenzy as an additional layer.

Here are some examples of what I’ve seen from Parekh within the pre-season.

The first clip demonstrates Parekh’s imaginative and prescient, agility, and fast launch getting pucks to the online. His capability to seek out open area to create offence is elite. He’s in movement in search of the absolute best capturing or passing angle and covers a large space of the offensive zone within the course of, making him laborious to entrance and defend.

Opposing groups will want to pay attention to Parekh’s capability to hitch the frenzy as an additional attacker. When he identifies a possibility to blow up up ice off the puck, he’s aggressive making an attempt to create odd-man rushes for his group.

Now on to the rising pains portion of Parekh’s sport that might want to evolve as he features extra traction on the professional degree.

In the next clip Parekh and his companion, Kevin Bahl, are in comparatively fine condition defending the impartial zone, however as soon as the play enters Parekh’s facet of the ice he provides up far an excessive amount of hole. Parekh does properly to dam the preliminary shot however then breaks down in his restoration. He initially chases the play to the nook the place Jonathan Huberdeau has engaged his test, then finally ends up late to the crease as Seattle capitalizes on the small space breakdown.

I see a path for Parekh to interrupt camp with the Flames, however I additionally envision him skating in sheltered minutes at even power in Calgary’s backside pairing. His ingredient offensively ought to land him a task on considered one of Calgary’s energy play models.

Schaefer is considered one of my favorite prospects and essentially the most endearing younger individual I’ve scouted in my profession. He’s going to have a protracted profession within the NHL as a prime pairing defenceman who’s deployed in all conditions.

Schaefer made headlines final week together with his superior effort in opposition to the Philadelphia Flyers when he tracked down Matvei Michkov in additional time to kill a breakaway scoring alternative and turned up ice to tear a puck from a excessive hazard space. His 200-foot effort is infectious and speaks to his total competitiveness.

The NHL is a tough league and the video games get tougher as coaching camp goes on. Schaefer continues to evolve. He’s being deployed in all conditions for the Islanders, however he’s studying some issues alongside the way in which.

An instance is the next clip of a purpose in opposition to versus New Jersey. Schaefer doesn’t absolutely have interaction on the Islanders’ blue line. He will look again at this play and acknowledge he wanted extra urgency to kill it earlier than it turned a scoring probability, and in the end a purpose in opposition to:

I need to finish Schaefer’s breakdown on a constructive. Here’s an instance of what units sure gamers aside early of their NHL growth. In the next sequence Schaefer retains the puck in on the offensive blue line and, together with his head up, directs a “shot/pass” to Anthony Duclair. Duclair corrals the disc and deposits it within the Devils’ internet.

Schaefer’s hockey sense and imaginative and prescient are elite. He will make troublesome puck performs look extra easy than they really are.

Schaefer goes to be an NHL defenceman this season. He will break camp with the Islanders, however he may begin the season skating within the backside pairing at even power alongside a veteran like Scott Mayfield. Mayfield’s fashion is totally different than Schaefer’s and may permit the teen to take some dangers realizing Mayfield has his again within the defensive zone when issues sometimes break down.

Ike Howard, W, Edmonton Oilers

I’d describe Howard’s coaching camp as “mixed results” up to now in Edmonton. He’s performed with strong tempo up ice, monitoring opponents as F1 on the forecheck, and utilizing his velocity to disrupt puck performs and create some turnovers. He’s additionally deposited the puck behind the online working the weak facet flank on the ability play. But there have been some situations the place Howard has been caught puck watching or not shifting his ft within the defensive zone which have led to scoring possibilities and targets in opposition to.

Here’s an instance of what the Oilers can count on from Howard on the ability play. In the sequence he truly breaks his stick on his first shot try, solely to return to the scene with a brand new twig and totally different method to directing the puck on purpose. His fast launch snap shot finally ends up behind the Winnipeg Jets internet:

The puck strikes rapidly within the NHL and gamers need to be “on time” defensively to allow them to assist preserve performs out of excessive hazard areas and the again of their internet. In the next clip Howard will get caught anticipating the puck shall be exiting his zone. When it doesn’t, he struggles to take the correct route and interact alongside the half-wall to win again the puck. It’s a busy sequence that exposes Howard chasing the play in his zone earlier than the Jets find yourself scoring.

I admire the velocity Howard supplies monitoring up and down the ice, particularly off the frenzy offensively, and he has the type of launch that may beat NHL goalies clear from a wide range of spots within the offensive zone. Ultimately his ‘B’ sport must evolve to ensure that Howard to stay within the NHL this season, however I imagine he has the hockey sense and competitiveness to regulate and pay shut consideration to his defensive duties when he’s not scoring.

The Ducks are a staff on the rise and Sennecke is a hulking (6-foot-3, 206 kilos) talent ahead who will ultimately play a giant function for them as they pattern in the direction of being a playoff staff and potential contender within the coming years. He produced 36G-50A within the common season with the Oshawa Generals final yr and adopted it up with 14G-18A in 18 playoff video games. His mixture of size, energy and puck contact make him very troublesome to defend.

Sennecke has caught my eye at coaching camp with a few performs that talk precisely to his identification as a participant.

In the primary clip he regroups within the impartial zone earlier than powering to the online for a tuck.

Not each play will end in a purpose or an help, however can nonetheless be labeled as distinctive and maybe elite. Here’s an instance of Sennecke making a scoring probability following an inaccurate move that was in his ft. He barely breaks stride corralling the puck and motioning it on to his stick off his again foot. It speaks to his coordination and sneaky capability to make one thing out of nothing.

The Ducks have a giant choice to make with Sennecke. They may preserve him round for a nine-game NHL audition this fall to see if he can earn a full yr within the league. Otherwise, Anaheim shall be compelled to ship Sennecke again to Oshawa for yet another yr because the new rule concerning golf equipment being allowed to put one 19-year-old prospect within the AHL as a substitute of junior doesn’t kick in till subsequent season.