Prospect Info: 2024-25 Prospect Info (CHL, NCAA, Europe)

[The Merchant]

 

[Kshahdoo]

Gulyayev with 3 goals in the last 3 games...

 

[barriers]

 

[niwotsblessing]

That is an NHL shot, thanks for sharing the video.

 

[Muffin]

That is an NHL shot, thanks for sharing the video.

He'll make good trade bait at the deadline.

 

[Chiarelli]

Still think Gulyayev is a better prospect than Ritchie

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I hope if they don't trade him he comes to North America asap.

 

[RoyIsALegend]

I hope if they don't trade him he comes to North America asap.

In 2023, he signed an extension that runs until end of April 2026. So, he will be there for at least one more season after this one.

It would've been nice to have him and Nabokov come over together and acclimatize at the same time, might've made it easier for them.

At the end of the day, he's 19 and playing top 4 minutes + PP1 on a decent KHL team(3rd in their division), so he's certainly getting good minutes and an opportunity to develop.

 

[Perratrooper]

In 2023, he signed an extension that runs until end of April 2026. So, he will be there for at least one more season after this one.

It would've been nice to have him and Nabokov come over together and acclimatize at the same time, might've made it easier for them.

At the end of the day, he's 19 and playing top 4 minutes + PP1 on a decent KHL team(3rd in their division), so he's certainly getting good minutes and an opportunity to develop.

Where are you seeing he’d getting PP1 time? If I’m reading his stat line correctly (TIPP) he’s received 24 seconds of powerplay time in his last 7 games. It looks like he was getting more powerplay time early in the season and has since been taken off.

 

[McMetal]

With all the excitement around Nabokov coming over, I wonder if Ivan Yunin would want to make the jump, too. From what I can tell, it looks like he's blocked at both the MHL and VHL levels by older, more experienced goalies, so he's getting almost no playing time at either level, with only 10 games played this season total.

He's probably nothing special, based on the fact that the Avs drafted him, but you have to wonder if he could be persuaded to come play for the Grizzlies next season just with the promise of ice time. He's definitely not going to develop into anything without getting reps in. Even if he busts and goes back to Russia it would be good for his development and future career just to play while he's in these important years.

 

[Pokecheque]

Soooooo, not a good showing for Ritchie at the WJC?

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Soooooo, not a good showing for Ritchie at the WJC?

I’ll probably get grilled by saying this but is it possible that the quality of competition in the OHL is just really bad?

I don’t claim to watch a lot, but between Olausson and Ritchie combined I’d bet I’ve watched 2 dozen or so OHL games in the last few years and the quality of the league from the games I saw was just horrendous compared to what it used to be.

Ritchie looks like a pro when I watch him play. I don’t think he’s bad or anything. I’m just wondering if perhaps the “star” players coming from Canadian junior hockey aren’t quite as good as the “star” players playing college.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I’ll probably get grilled by saying this but is it possible that the quality of competition in the OHL is just really bad?

I don’t claim to watch a lot, but between Olausson and Ritchie combined I’d bet I’ve watched 2 dozen or so OHL games in the last few years and the quality of the league from the games I saw was just horrendous compared to what it used to be.

Ritchie looks like a pro when I watch him play. I don’t think he’s bad or anything. I’m just wondering if perhaps the “star” players coming from Canadian junior hockey aren’t quite as good as the “star” players playing college.

100% this is a big part of it. The CHL overall has weakened considerably over the last ~10 years or so. More and more players are going the College route. And this is also only going to get worse.


CHL needs to make some major changes to its structure and rules for players if it wants to compete and continue to be a league the very best players actually want to play in.

I'd say at this point it compares closer to the USHL then College.

 

[S E P H]

Ritchie was just average, but a lot of Canadians were average. The best players were Nadeau (CAR) and Catton (SEA). Cal was never going to be a catalyst in the show; he was a complementary piece, IMHO. That doesn't mean he's bad by any means, but he lacks the high-end talent, which is why he fell to us in the draft. He's still a solid prospect and this tournament means nothing in hindsight.

Cowan, omfg, he was one of the worst players I've seen at the WJC. I mentioned that in his prospect thread and a mod banned me for "supposedly" trolling, lol. Nah, he was clearly that bad. Horrible penalties in every game, a turnover machine, and a noticeable lack of effort. Not sure what Toronto saw with that pick.

 

[darthwispy]

Ritchie actually looked quite good in the third period of their last game when he got to play with McKenna and they were working the puck together.

I feel like him and Cowan should not have been played together the whole tournament and the fact they were never split up is just terrible coaching. Ritchie would pass him the puck then look to get open to create something and Cowan would just shoot it into some shin pads. The 3 London Knights players being together on the first powerplay unit also was a detriment because they seemed to always want to create little plays amongst themselves and turnover the puck every time.

Ritchie did a really good job on the defensive side of the puck though, and was quite good in faceoffs which are 2 things I think that a lot of people here were more interested in seeing anyway.

 

[PAZ]

Ritchie was just average, but a lot of Canadians were average. The best players were Nadeau (CAR) and Catton (SEA). Cal was never going to be a catalyst in the show; he was a complementary piece, IMHO. That doesn't mean he's bad by any means, but he lacks the high-end talent, which is why he fell to us in the draft. He's still a solid prospect and this tournament means nothing in hindsight.

Cowan, omfg, he was one of the worst players I've seen at the WJC. I mentioned that in his prospect thread and a mod banned me for "supposedly" trolling, lol. Nah, he was clearly that bad. Horrible penalties in every game, a turnover machine, and a noticeable lack of effort. Not sure what Toronto saw with that pick.

I didn't even think Catton or Nadeau were good. Nadeau scored some timely goals, but he was pretty invisible 5 v 5 and had as many turnovers as he did good plays. I also thought Catton was pretty pedestrian, he turned the puck over quite a bit as well. At least the play didn't die on Ritchie's stick like it did with the rest of the team.

The only player I liked was McKenna, who obviously had some size and strength issues but he made things happen. Agreed on Cowan, the dude was terrible.

 

[AvsFan4]

Looks like Christian Humphreys has left U of M to play for Kitchener of OHL.

 

[McMetal]

Looks like Christian Humphreys has left U of M to play for Kitchener of OHL.

I guess maybe he's hoping for better opportunities there. It is tough to get quality ice time as a freshman at a top tier school like Michigan, although you would still hope for a little better than 1 assist in 10 games. I guess we'll see if this opens any doors for him.

 

[Foppa2118]

Ritchie actually looked quite good in the third period of their last game when he got to play with McKenna and they were working the puck together.

I feel like him and Cowan should not have been played together the whole tournament and the fact they were never split up is just terrible coaching. Ritchie would pass him the puck then look to get open to create something and Cowan would just shoot it into some shin pads. The 3 London Knights players being together on the first powerplay unit also was a detriment because they seemed to always want to create little plays amongst themselves and turnover the puck every time.

Ritchie did a really good job on the defensive side of the puck though, and was quite good in faceoffs which are 2 things I think that a lot of people here were more interested in seeing anyway.

This is a good counter perspective to what we had been hearing. I like hearing that he played well defensively too. That's the area he needed to work on.

I didn't watch the tourney so thanks for sharing this.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

 

[Chiarelli]

Wish Nabokov was in the ahl this year it seems there’s not much left for him in the khl

 

[BobRossColton]

Still trying to stay even keel on him, but the season he is having is making it difficult.

 

[Bill Peckerskull]

Still trying to stay even keel on him, but the season he is having is making it difficult.

Hard to see him being on the Avs next year, with Blackwood re-signed and Wedgie having another left on his deal. Unless he comes over, impresses in camp, and forces the Avs to trade Wedgewood. We already know he doesn't want to play in the AHL.

 

[BobRossColton]

Hard to see him being on the Avs next year, with Blackwood re-signed and Wedgie having another left on his deal. Unless he comes over, impresses in camp, and forces the Avs to trade Wedgewood. We already know he doesn't want to play in the AHL.

Very true, it's just exciting to potentially have a great goaltending prospect

 

[lionsDen]

Still trying to stay even keel on him, but the season he is having is making it difficult.

Had a good season last year as well..