Prospect Info: '24-'25 Prospects Thread: Generation Z

[Empoleon8771]

Obviously its way too early to judge but the returns from the 2024 draft class are looking really good. Harding, Brunicke and Pietila are having big production jumps while Swanson is having a really nice start to his college career. Hopefully Howe can get traded to a contender at some point and start putting up points.

Lol oops I just made a post about exactly this because I didn't read your post from a few days ago. My bad

But yes, you're right. I don't want to get too crazy about a 7th round overager like Harding, but what he's producing combined with his size and defensive game (or what I've read about his defensive game) is very impressive. Even as overagers, you don't usually see self described defense-first defensemen putting up PPG numbers in juniors.

Just for a point of comparison, Scott Harrington is the first guy that jumps to my mind as a "defense first defensemen" the Penguins drafted out of the CHL and his final junior season had him with 19 points in 50 games.

Another defenseman prospect I think is worth noting: Pieniniemi is also having a really good year in the OHL this year. 20 points in 19 games as a defenseman, very good production.