In a recent article for The Athletic, Corey Pronman ranked the top NHL players and prospects who are under 23 years old. With the Philadelphia Flyers having a good amount of exciting youngsters, multiple of their players made the list.
Flyers youngsters Matvei Michkov (No. 20), Porter Martone (No. 31), Jack Nesbitt (No. 96), Oliver Bonk (No. 101), Yegor Zavragin (No. 112), Jett Luchanko (No. 125), and Jack Berglund (No. 126) all made Pronman's list.
Michkov and Martone are certainly the two Flyers youngsters from this group of players with the highest upside. While this is the case, Nesbitt, Bonk, Zavragin, Luchanko, and Berglund all have the potential to blossom into impactful NHL players themselves for the Flyers in the future.
With the Flyers being a team on the rise, they are hoping that this group of youngsters will be big parts of their roster in the future as they look to become true contenders. Michkov is already a key part of the Flyers' roster, and it will be fascinating to see how the rest of this group continues to develop before they make the jump to the NHL.
Nevertheless, there is no question that the Flyers have some promising young players in their system to watch.
Ja Morant — in Berlin, a comfortable 4,800 miles away from Memphis, where rumors of his imminent trade from the Grizzlies are swirling — addressed those rumors for the first time, mainly with a series of short answers.
Asked his reaction to the reports that Memphis is listening to calls to trade him before the Feb. 5 deadline, Morant said he would have to "live with it," reports Joe Varden of The Athletic, who was in Berlin (where the Grizzlies will face the Magic on Thursday). Here are a couple of other highlights from the press conference, as reported by Varden.
Asked if he expected to be with the Grizzlies beyond the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 5, Morant quipped: "I'm the only one you asked that question to?"
...the NBA universe would like to know his reaction to potentially being traded, and asked him to compare the situation to the other challenges he's faced during his career, Morant called it "different."
Then there were questions about Morant's cryptic social media posts.
when dat smoke clear over only ones who love you gon be round
Asked about his cryptic social media posts in the wake of the reports about his future in Memphis, and the online criticisms of his posts (he's been called "Emo Ja," and he made the reference himself as part of his answer), Morant said: "Yeah, I see it. It's cool. Funny."
Morant has already been ruled out of Thursday's game against the Magic in Berlin due to a calf contusion, although he said in the press conference that he feels good. It is possible that Morant will play in the second game of the European series in London over the weekend.
Memphis is reportedly listening to trade offers for the 26-year-old two-time All-Star, although the market for him is limited due to concerns about availability (he has not played in six consecutive games since 2023), his ego and baggage, the $87 million he is owed for the two seasons after this one, and whether he still can consistently be the explosive driver and scorer that made him the most dynamic player in the league four or five years ago. There are teams willing to take a chance on him — the Heat and Raptors are the most mentioned, with reports he would like to go to Miami — but the return for Memphis will not be much more than the expiring contracts Atlanta got back recently for Trae Young.
Whenever that trade goes down, it likely won't happen until the Grizzlies get back from their European adventure, at least. And it may well drag out closer to the deadline.
In a recent article for The Athletic, Corey Pronman ranked the best NHL players and prospects who are younger than 23 years old.
The Chicago Blackhawks were certainly featured often in Pronman's rankings, as 11 of their youngsters made the cut: Connor Bedard (No. 2), Frank Nazar (No. 22), Roman Kantserov (No. 23), Artyom Levshunov (No. 35), Anton Frondell (No. 44), Colton Dach (No. 71), Sam Rinzel (No. 72), Oliver Moore (No. 82), Sacha Boisvert (No. 95), Vaclav Nestrasil (No. 104), and Mason West (No. 107).
Seeing so many Blackhawks included on these rankings is not surprising in the slightest. It is no secret that the Blackhawks have several promising youngsters in their system, and this list only proves that.
What's also so encouraging about this list of Blackhawks players is that it is a nice mix of NHL-ready talent and exciting prospects. This demonstrates that the Blackhawks still have plenty of exciting youngsters waiting in the wings who will have the potential to strengthen their roster in the future. With this, it is hard not to feel optimistic about the Blackhawks' future as they continue to trend in the right direction.
There have been only a few blemishes for the Buffalo Sabres recently, and in an extremely tight and competitive race in the Eastern Conference, the Sabres will have to bounce back from the 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers on Monday against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first of back-to-back games at KeyBank Center on Wednesday.
The Sabres find themselves outside of the top-eight in the conference, in spite of going 13-2 in the last 15 games, but could move back into a wildcard spot with a win over the Flyers, who they are tied in the standing with at 52 points.
Buffalo held an optional skate at KeyBank Center on Wednesday, and head coach Lindy Ruff spoke to the media to provide an update on the roster:
The club sent down defenseman Zac Jones, how does that reflect on the injury status of Michael Kesselring?
(Kesselring) is available, but won't play. Rochester is playing tonight. In an emergency basis, Kesselring could play, and we'll evaluate him for tomorrow.
Is there an update on Josh Dunne?
He's gonna be off for a period of time. Right now the indications are maybe four-to-six weeks. (Ruff indicated on Tuesday that the injury was mid-body, and said on Wednesday that he will not require surgery).
What are you expecting in your third matchup with the Flyers?
They've got some great speed up front. We've had two hard games against them. They got us in their building, we got them in ours. (We) just anticipate, in Eastern Conference games, teams that you're right there with, every game is an important game. It's just going to come down to, compete and execution, and try to make them pay for their mistakes. But make sure we're taking care of the puck at the same time.
Have you instructed the players to not concentrate on the standings?
We haven't talked about the standings. We just talked about the importance of one game. I think we've been pretty good at trying to just stay in the moment, rebounding after the previous game, where you're right there in that game, to win it, or at least get points out of it. (You) spend more time on that, getting ready for this game than you do on the overall standings.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have made a roster move, as they have announced that they have assigned forward Tristan Broz to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Broz being sent down to the AHL comes just one day after the Penguins called him up to their NHL roster. The promising forward prospect did not make an appearance during his latest brief call-up to Pittsburgh's roster.
Broz did make his NHL debut earlier this season for the Penguins though during their Nov. 26 contest against the Buffalo Sabres. The 6-foot forward had a minus-1 rating and two shots during the Penguins' matchup against the Sabres.
Now, after being sent back down to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's roster, Broz will be aiming to impress with the AHL club. The 2021 second-round pick has played in 33 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this campaign, where he has posted 11 goals, 13 assists, and 24 points.
The Montreal Canadiens’ power play currently ranks 11th in the NHL with a 22.4% success rate. In 47 games, they’ve had 134 power play opportunities and have scored 30 goals. Of that number, 27 came from five-on-four opportunities, one from a four-on-three chance and only two from a five-on-three opportunity.
In Tuesday night’s game against the Washington Capitals, the Canadiens had over a minute of a two-man advantage, and they could only muster one shot on it. The double advantage could have been longer if the Habs had given the puck over to the Capitals as soon as the referee’s arm went up instead of cycling the puck and taking a non-threatening shot…Speaking after the game, Martin St-Louis said of the five-on-three:
I hoped to see a goal. We have good players on the ice. If you don’t score when you’re playing five-on-three, it’s rare that you’re going to win the game.
- Martin St-Louis after the game against the Capitals
So far this season, the Canadiens have spent 10 minutes on the five-on-three, and they have only two goals to show for it. That’s much more time than any other team; the San Jose Sharks are second with 7:44 (during which they’ve scored four goals), and the Dallas Stars are third with 5:32 (during which they’ve scored two goals). Why do the other teams have less time at five-on-three? Because they convert on their opportunity. As simple as that.
The Columbus Blue Jackets lead the league in goals at five-on-three with four (with the above-mentioned Sharks), and they’ve only spent 3:25 skating with a two-man advantage. The Calgary Flames have scored three goals in 4:24, while the Los Angeles Kings have three goals in just 3:03.
Whichever way you look at it, the Canadiens’ two goals in over 10 minutes just isn’t enough. I can understand using Noah Dobson at the point to get that big slap shot. Still, given how few shots the unit generates, it would make more sense to have Hutson’s mobility and creativity to find the wingers who are playing nearer to the net.
With the standings being as tight as they are and the Canadiens having so few regulation wins, St-Louis’ men cannot afford to squander such prime scoring opportunities.
Bucks fans had every right to boo their team Tuesday night. The Bucks were blown out at home by a Timberwolves team without Anthony Edwards (foot issue maintenance) and Rudy Gobert (suspension). The Bucks turned the ball over 20 times, were down 31 at the half and had no answer for Bones Hyland, who finished with 23 points.
Antetokounmpo's postgame explanation was pretty straightforward, via Jamal Collier of ESPN.
"Whenever I get booed, I boo back...
"I play basketball for my teammates. I play basketball for myself and my family. When people don't believe in me, I don't tend to be with them. I tend to do what I'm here to do, what I'm good at. ... It won't change home or away. But yeah, I've never been a part of something like that before and I don't think it's fair. I don't. But everybody has their opinion to do what they want to do.
"I'm not going to tell them what to do and how they should act when we don't play hard. Or when we lose games, or when we're not where we're supposed to be. I don't think anybody has the right to tell me how I should act on [a] basketball court after I've been here 13 years. And I'm basically the all-time leader in everything."
Antetokounmpo was understandably frustrated during the loss, but his actions will only add fuel to the trade speculation fires around him. However, it doesn't change where things stand: The Bucks arent going to trade him in-season unless he asks to be traded, he has said he would never do that, Milwaukee is trying to add talent not trade him away, and with his salary (and the fact he only would want to go to specific places) it's next to impossible to trade him in-season anyway.
Still, from the outside, the relationship feels a little more strained today than it was yesterday.
Shaun Wane has left his position as England head coach with immediate effect, leaving the national team on the hunt for a replacement for the Rugby League World Cup later this year.
“It has been the honour of my life to coach England Rugby League over the last six years, but after careful reflection I believe the time is right to step aside and allow the programme to move forward into its next chapter,” Wane said in an RFL statement.
Lakers forward LeBron James, left, dribbles as guard Marcus Smart follows during Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Weary and downtrodden from a losing streak that stretched to three games after a loss to the Sacramento Kings on Monday, the Lakers entered Tuesday’s game against the Atlanta Hawks with Luka Doncic and LeBron James both listed as “questionable.” It looked like an inevitable loss would be coming.
That is, until James collected a full-court baseball pass from Marcus Smart in the first quarter and slammed it down with one hand. The superstar still had his bounce Tuesday.
Doncic and James led the way as the Lakers (24-14) avoided their season-long losing streak. Doncic, who was dealing with groin soreness from Monday’s loss, had 27 points and 12 assists while James, playing on back-to-back nights for the first time this season, had 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
“It's remarkable,” coach JJ Redick said of James. “His competitive stamina is off the charts.”
Redick said he didn’t expect James to play Tuesday. He had not played in two games in as many days all season, and, at 41 years old, James said his status for all back-to-backs going forward should be “to be determined.”
Then James dominated with his third 30-point game of the month and his 61st 30-point double-double as a Laker, passing Kobe Bryant for seventh most in franchise history.
“I don't take for granted the LeBron stuff,” Redick said. “It's unfortunate actually — not to go on a little tangent here — but it's actually unfortunate how much this guy puts into it and how much he cares and the way certain people talk about him. It's crazy. Come be around him every day and see how much this guy cares. It's off the charts.”
Redick then followed the tangent when asked why it was “unfortunate.”
“That's the nature of envy,” the coach lamented. “It's the nature of envy. You're not going to get a click, you're not going to get a response, by saying something nice about somebody, by acknowledging someone's greatness, by acknowledging how much they care and how much they work and how much they've accomplished and continue to accomplish and continue to go after something. I mean, you got to say something bad about him. You got to go on TV and knock him. You got to go read into, ‘Oh, he did this pregame and he did this.’ It's all just nuts. Be around him every day. He's unbelievable.”
Teammates have tried futilely to beat James to the arena or the practice facility in the morning and can never seem to arrive early enough. His extensive pregame routine Tuesday, only hours after he played 33 minutes and 13 seconds on Monday in Sacramento, included an ice bath in a hyperbaric chamber before arriving at the arena then hours of activation, treatment, stretching and lifting before the game.
“For me, he’s one of a kind,” Doncic said. “To be in his 23rd season, to play back-to-back, it costs everybody. But for him it’s probably even more difficult. It shows how much he cares.”
Despite owning nearly every record and accolade, James said he still has no choice but to keep his standard high.
“I would never disrespect the basketball gods,” James said. “I understand that it's a real thing. … Every time I hit the floor or I'm at a practice, whatever the case may be, trying to set an example for my teammates and the younger generation that's watching me or watching throughout my career. I mean, shoot, my son is right over there.”
With three minutes and 43 seconds left, James was just one rebound shy of his first triple-double since Feb. 1, 2025, but didn't chase the significant stat. After hitting a free throw, he quickly committed a take foul to stop the clock so he could leave the blowout.
He subbed out for son Bronny.
Rui Hachimura returns off the bench
Rui Hachimura made his return from a right calf strain that kept him out for two weeks, scoring seven points on three-for-seven shooting with two rebounds. He was on an 18-minute restriction, which kept him on the bench at the beginning of the game. Hachimura was the Lakers’ first sub, coming in for James with six minutes and 30 seconds left in the first quarter.
“He's our best catch-and-shoot guy,” Redick said of Hachimura before the game, “so looking forward to [having him back].”
Hachimura was one of three from three-point range Tuesday as the Lakers shot 55.9% from three, a season high. The shooting spree came less than 24 hours after the Lakers, who rank 24th in three-point shooting percentage, were a frigid eight for 36 from deep against Sacramento. Hachimura is shooting a team-high 44.5% from three-point range this season.
Deandre Ayton shoulders the load
With Jaxson Hayes sidelined because of left hamstring soreness, Deandre Ayton had a second consecutive double-double with 17 points and a season-high 18 rebounds.
Ayton’s energy has appeared to fluctuate in recent games, including two games in which he did not finish the fourth quarter on the court. Ayton promised to be a defensive anchor for the team that picked him up in free agency after he flamed out with Portland last season, and the 7-footer has been good, Redick said, “when he’s engaged.”
“It just, you know, just more consistency," Redick said. "He's shown he can do it … Deandre's told on himself: he can be a really good defender.”
Hayes’ defensive struggles got him benched late last season, but Redick has commended the center’s improvement on that end of the court. Hayes has delivered what Redick called several “teach tape verticalities” this year to protect the rim. His progress on defense and electric dunks on offense helped Hayes earn closing minutes in clutch games against the Memphis Grizzlies on Jan. 2 and the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 9.
But Hayes felt the hamstring injury late in the game against Sacramento and couldn’t return, Redick said. The team got imaging on the injury and will soon know more. Without his frontcourt running mate, Ayton said he wanted to bring the same mindset he’s had all season to help the Lakers bounce back from Monday’s disappointing loss.
“You can say one thing about these back-to-backs,” Ayton said, “but being in the NBA, having games that you lose or you didn't play so well in as a team, you get another opportunity like tonight to redeem.”
The 30-year-old left-hander spent his first eight MLB seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and made an All-Star team in 2024. He posted a 3.20 ERA and 1.22 WHIP last season with a 12-8 record and 151 strikeouts in 157.1 innings and also boasts an impressive postseason track record, with a 1.48 ERA over 42.2 playoff innings.
The addition of Suarez gives the Red Sox a very competitive projected starting rotation for 2026 that should feature three new additions:
Young hurlers Payton Tolle, Connelly Early and Kyle Harrison could be in the mix for that fifth rotation spot, as well.
The Red Sox still could use another starting-caliber infielder after missing out on Bregman, but Suarez is a significant addition to the rotation that should make fans feel slightly better about the offseason.
Ranger Suárez is reportedly signing with the Red Sox in free agency, leaving the organization he first joined as a teenager. Jon Heyman of the New York Post was the first to break the news.
The five-year deal is worth $130 million, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The deal has no opt-outs or deferrals.
In 2025, Suárez posted an 11-6 record with a 3.20 ERA and 151 strikeouts, marking his fourth season in the last five with an ERA under 4.00.
His consistency made him an anchor in multiple roles — long reliever, swingman, rotation mainstay, and, most notably, a postseason go-to.
Through 11 postseason appearances (eight starts), Suárez owns a 1.48 ERA, one of the lowest in MLB history for pitchers with more than 40 playoff innings.
Since joining the Phillies rotation full-time back in 2022, though, he failed to make 30 starts in a season once. Durability is not his strong suit.
Dave Dombrowski acknowledged the financial reality at the season’s end when discussing the club’s free agents, noting the Phillies “don’t have unlimited [funds]” with large contracts already committed to Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Taijuan Walker. The club has also expressed interest in an extension with Jesús Luzardo.
The Red Sox, on the other hand, were rumored to pursue Bo Bichette in free agency after they failed to re-sign Alex Bregman. With Suárez’s deal, Boston may not push their payroll as aggressively for Bichette, improving the Phils’ chances of signing the infielder.
All in all, Suárez leaves having become one of the most trusted pitchers on the staff, never phased by the moment or stage.
Philadelphia now turns to internal options — including top prospect Andrew Painter and the veteran Walker — as it rounds out the backend of the rotation heading into 2026.
The Phillies will receive a fourth-round pick in the 2026 Draft as compensation after tendering the qualifying offer to the lefty.
The NBA trade deadline is nearing, and the league already blessed us with a Trae Young deal as an appetizer. Now the main course is coming, and with the Eastern Conference wide open and the West closer to that than imagined, you can expect a buffet of transactions.
Here’s your primer for the incoming trade season, looking at the league’s big players, and how the Knicks might be approaching the deadline...
Biggest names
The domino many are waiting to fall is Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo formally requesting a trade from the Bucks. We’ve seen flip-flopping quotes and buzz, but nothing definitive to put him on the market. In fact, signs point to the Bucks being buyers in a last ditch effort to keep him aboard.
Ultimately that’s likely how this ends, with an inevitable Giannis deal in the offseason when it’s much easier to pull off. This would also give the Knicks a shot to win with this roster under a new head coach -- something they likely want to see before blowing it up again.
The two next biggest names are Anthony Davis and Ja Morant, two unlikely Knicks targets for differing reasons. Davis will have surgery and likely miss the rest of the regular season, which he’s already been in and out of, while Morant plays the same position as Jalen Brunson and is a big question mark off the court.
Other rumored names are Lauri Markkanen, Domantas Sabonis, and Zach LaVine. Two high-level guys in Michael Porter Jr. and Jonathan Kuminga look certain to be dealt.
Leon Rose / Getty Images/SNY Treated Image
Biggest movers
The Knicks aren’t expected to chase a big fish, or even be one of the more active teams. They’re one of the surest contenders in the East with only slight holes to fill when fully healthy.
Who might stir the pot big time in early February is the aforementioned Bucks, desperate to build something of a winner around Giannis. Another big buyer could be the Hawks, fresh off the Young trade with assets and young talent in tow.
If they decide to go all-in on a run this year, the Pistons could get active with Tobias Harris' salary and draft capital around their dangerous core. The Timberwolves and Rockets should be cornering the guard market, with the Heat and Raptors window shopping, while the Clippers only have incentive to buy so long as they don’t give up future assets.
On the selling side, the Knicks can target tanking teams like the Nets, Wizards, and Jazz for some marginal talent at cheaper costs. Also, watch out for the Celtics potentially trying to cash in on this surprising season and lower their tax bill.
What do the Knicks do?
While we may be in for a wilder trade season than usual, it won’t be because of New York, unless Leon Rose pulls the trigger on some massive surprise trade. They’re a bit restricted under their current cap and asset situation, don’t want to mess with a winning core, and don’t have viable targets out there to even consider doing so.
The probable outcome is a small deal around Guerschon Yabusele’s salary for a depth upgrade. That may not inspire awe for fans, but it’s what the team needs most -- not another blockbuster deal.
The deadline brings out the league’s most desperate teams in hopes of reshaping their roster for the home stretch. If it’s any indication of how their season is going, the Knicks largely being absent from the festivities is a good sign.
The world of soccer throws up no shortage of questions. In today’s column, we endeavor to answer three of them
As damaging as Sunday’s Spanish Super Cup defeat to Barcelona was for Xabi Alonso’s credibility as Real Madrid manager, the scenes after the game ultimately finished him off. The sight of Kylian Mbappé overriding Alonso, insisting his teammates leave the pitch as the manager requested in vain that they give Barça a guard of honour, summed up an untenable situation.
The world No 7 on his teenage trip to west Africa, his fundraising efforts and finding his form ahead of the Australian Open
“Well, imagine you’re 13,” Félix Auger-Aliassime says, smiling. “I had been to Europe. I had been to America. I live in Canada. And then you go to Togo; it’s a little different, you know?”
Auger-Aliassime, the seventh best tennis player in the world, was describing the homecoming he enjoyed 12 years ago as he first caught a glimpse of Togo, the country his father, Sam, was born in and emigrated from to Canada before his son’s birth. It was a significant moment in his life.
Yesterday, The Athletic’s Corey Pronman released the midseason update of the under-23 NHL players and prospects rankings. When he released the September edition, seven Montreal Canadiens were on the list. Fast forward four months, and there are now eight members of the Habs organization on the 137-player rankings: Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, Alexander Zharovsky, Michael Hage, David Reinbacher, Zack Bolduc, and Oliver Kapanen. The 2025 second-round pick Zharovsky is the only new entry to the list.
Pronman’s rankings are divided into six tiers; the first one is for elite NHL players, tier two for NHL All-Stars, tier three for bubble NHL All-Stars and top of the lineup players, tier four for Top of the lineup players, tier five for bubble top and middle of the lineup players, and tier six for middle of the lineup players. Let’s review where each Hab stands.
Slafkovsky is the first player on the list and gets the seventh spot just like he did in September, but Pronman now has him in Tier three rather than Tier two, which is highly surprising given how much the big Slovak has improved in the first half of the season. What we’ve seen from him this season is a more complete and consistent player who now takes responsibility on his new line and is one of its driving forces, rather than a complement to his linemates. Perhaps the drop is due to his no longer being on the first line, but that would be a faulty conclusion, as his role is now larger.
Demidov is also in Tier two, just behind Slafkovsky in eighth place, a two-spot increase. Just like Slafkovsky, he’s dropped from Tier two to Tier three. Pronman still considers his skating below average despite the work the young Russian put in last summer and the change in his style, which is now much more fluid and efficient. He doesn’t have what the writer called an “awkward/knock-kneed skating stride” back in September. Given that the young Russian currently leads the rookie scoring race and just how spectacular his play has been, it’s surprising to see him go down a tier.
On any given night, the Juraj Slafkovsky - Oliver Kapanen - Ivan Demidov trio can look like the Habs 1st line
Hutson is the third player in the ranking, and he went from number 34 in September to number 14 in this edition, but he remains in Tier Four as a bubble NHL All-Star and top of the lineup player. While Pronman praises his offensive skills, he believes his defensive game holds him back in the rankings. Saying Hutson is small and will struggle for that reason is the easy way out. Anyone who has watched him play more than a game here and there can tell you that his defensive game has improved significantly. While the plus/minus is not the best stat around, the fact that he went from minus-two last season to plus-16 at this stage of his sophomore season should tell him something.
Newcomer Zharovsky is Montreal’s fourth player in the list in 39th place and lands in Tier Six as a bubble top and middle of the lineup player. Pronman rates his skating and compete as average, while calling his puck skills and hockey sense above average. He sees him as a slick winger with the hands, creativity, and offensive IQ of a legitimate NHL scoring forward. It’s hard to comment on this one, as we’ve seen very little of his game aside from highlights, but his KHL numbers are both impressive and intriguing.
Hage is fifth and rose from 131 to 51, a significant increase which is well deserved. Pronman notes a history of inconsistent efforts but says he has improved in that regard recently. Anyone who saw him play in the World Junior Championship will agree that the effort was always there and that he’s very creative going up the ice. While success in that tournament doesn’t necessarily mean big success in the NHL, it’s hard not to be excited by what he showed in Minnesota.
Defenseman Reinbacher ranks sixth among the Habs and fell from 44 to 85. His hockey sense rating has gone from above average to just average, and he hasn’t written a profile for the 21-year-old. In 27 games with the Rocket this season, the right-shot defenseman has put up 12 points, and he’s the fourth defenseman on the AHL team’s scoring ranking behind Adam Engstrom, William Trudeau and Marc Del Gaizo. The right-shot defenseman’s development has no doubt been hurt by all the injuries he’s suffered in the last couple of years, but that’s hopefully behind him now.
Winger Bolduc is now in 90th place, 10 ranks up from his September ranking. While his skating, puck skills, hockey sense, and compete are all listed as average, Pronman has his shot as elite. After the first half of the season, it feels like we’ve not seen enough from Bolduc, like there’s an unexplored level to his game that the Canadiens have not yet found a way to unlock.
Kapanen is the eighth Hab on the list, ranked 118, up from 139. Pronman has above-average puck skills, compete, and shot, with his hockey sense average and his skating below average. The Finn is currently fifth in rookie scoring this season with 27 points in 47 games, but he leads them all in goals with 16, an imposing number. Kapanen has excellent instincts on the ice and always seems to be in the right place to have scoring chances. He may not bury all his opportunities, but he still has an insane 18.3% shooting percentage, which, while really impressive, seems unsustainable. Still, I think Kapanen is just not getting enough respect for what he’s doing on the ice this season.
