Here is a potential candidates list.
My criteria is basically:
- has not conclusively made the NHL yet (therefore still includes Tomasino, Parssinen, Stastney)
- is still a prospect who in theory could yet make the NHL (i.e. all our other draft picks and non-veteran AHL players)
I don't think an age limit makes sense, because a guy like Del Gaizo is considered one candidate to actually make the team next season, as is Stastney, despite them being 24-turning-25 already
I could buy the NHL experience limit for Tomasino and Parssinen. However, they were dispatched to finish the year in the AHL, and are just now coming off ELCs/waiver exemption, so I think would otherwise be considered prospects were it not for some earlier games logged in previous years in the NHL. I think they are still "prospects". Whereas Evangelista went the whole season in the NHL, and is considered a lineup lock now, so he's no longer just a candidate to win a spot.
So there's over 50 guys listed below. I think there are really only about 30 who are legitimate candidates for a top-20 list.
PLAYER | TEAM | LEAGUE | ACQ | YOB | GP | G | A | TP/W | PIM/L | +/- OTL |
Yegor Surin (C) | Yaroslavl Loko Jr. | MHL | 22/2024 | 2006 | 42 | 22 | 30 | 52 | 108 | 35 |
| Yaroslavl | KHL | | | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
Teddy Stiga (C) | USNDT | USHL | 55/2024 | 2006 | 27 | 18 | 20 | 38 | 18 | 20 |
| USN U18 | NTDP | | | 61 | 36 | 43 | 79 | 42 | - |
| USA WJC-18 | | | | 7 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 6 | - |
Viggo Gustaffsson (LD) | HV71 Jr | Swe-Jr | 77/2024 | 2006 | 41 | 3 | 16 | 19 | 44 | 15 |
| SWE WJC-18 | | | | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |
Miguel Marques (RW) | Lethbridge | WHL | 87/2024 | 2006 | 67 | 28 | 46 | 74 | 57 | 13 |
| playoffs | | | | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | |
Hiroki Gojsic (RW) | Kelowna | WHL | 94/2024 | 2006 | 68 | 21 | 29 | 50 | 51 | 5 |
| playoffs | | | | 11 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 13 | |
Jakub Milota (G) | Cape Breton | QMJHL | 99/2024 | 2006 | 33 | 2.82 | .905 | 18 | 11 | 1 |
| Czech WJC-18 | | | | 5 | 3.05 | .882 | | | |
Viktor Norringer (LW) | Vastra Frolunda Jr. | Swe-Jr J20 | 127/2024 | 2006 | 25 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 18 | 4 |
| playoffs | | | | 7 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | |
| Vastra Frolunda Jr. | Swe-Jr J18 | | | 6 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 10 | |
| playoffs | | | | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | |
Erik Pahlsson (C) | Dubuque | USHL | 213/2024 | 2004 | 57 | 28 | 44 | 72 | 16 | 23 |
| playoffs | | | | 11 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | |
Matthew Wood (RW/C) | U.Connecticut | H-East | 15/2023 | 2005 | 35 | 16 | 12 | 28 | 43 | -1 |
| Canada WJC-20 | | | | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
Tanner Molendyk (LD) | Saskatoon | WHL | 24/2023 | 2005 | 50 | 10 | 46 | 56 | 18 | 40 |
| playoffs | | | | 16 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 12 |
Andrew Gibson (RD) | SSMarie | OHL | 42/2023 | 2005 | 68 | 12 | 32 | 44 | 58 | 36 |
| playoffs | | | | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
Felix Nilsson (LW) | Rogle BK | SWE-JR | 43/2023 | 2005 | 22 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 10 | 19 |
| playoffs | | | | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Rogle BK Angelholm | SWE | | | 41 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | -5 |
| playoffs | | | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kalan Lind (LW/C) | Red Deer | WHL | 46/2023 | 2005 | 46 | 16 | 29 | 45 | 73 | -11 |
| playoffs | | | | 9 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 8 | -4 |
Dylan MacKinnon (RD) | Halifax | QMJHL | 83/2023 | 2005 | 64 | 3 | 13 | 16 | 48 | 1 |
| playoffs | | | | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 |
Joey Willis (C) | Saginaw | OHL | 111/2023 | 2005 | 66 | 14 | 36 | 50 | 15 | 25 |
| playoffs | | | | 17 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 4 |
Juha Jatkola (G) | KalPa | SM-Liiga | 121/2023 | 2002 | 34 | 2.69 | .875 | 12 | 16 | 5 |
Sutter Muzzatti (LW) | R.P.I. | ECAC | 143/2023 | 2003 | 33 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 79 | -15 |
Austin Roest (C) | Everett | WHL | 175/2023 | 2004 | 61 | 38 | 33 | 71 | 53 | 20 |
| playoffs | | | | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 2 |
Aiden Fink (RW) | Penn St. U | Big-10 | 218/2023 | 2004 | 34 | 15 | 19 | 34 | 27 | -3 |
Joakim Kemell (RW) | Milwaukee | AHL | 17/2022 | 2004 | 67 | 16 | 25 | 41 | 23 | -2 |
| playoffs | | | | 15 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 6 | |
Reid Schaefer (LW) | Milwaukee | AHL | 32/2022 | 2003 | 63 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 39 | 1 |
| playoffs | | | | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 35 | |
Adam Ingram (C) | St. Cloud State | NCHC | 82/2022 | 2003 | 38 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 18 | 9 |
Kasper Kulonummi (RD) | Tappara Tampere | SM-Liiga | 84/2022 | 2004 | 40 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| playoffs | | | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tappara U-20 | SM-Sarja | | | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 3 |
| Finland WJC-20 | | | | 7 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | -1 |
Cole O'Hara (RW) | UMass-Amherst | H-East | 114/2022 | 2002 | 37 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 18 | -1 |
Ben Strinden (RW) | U. North Dakota | NCHC | 210/2022 | 2002 | 39 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 6 |
Fedor Svechkov (C) | Milwaukee | AHL | 19/2021 | 2003 | 57 | 16 | 23 | 39 | 18 | 12 |
| playoffs | | | | 15 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 4 | |
Zachary L'Heureux (LW) | Milwaukee | AHL | 27/2021 | 2003 | 66 | 19 | 29 | 48 | 197 | 10 |
| | | | | 15 | 10 | 5 | 15 | 62 | |
Anton Olsson (LD) | Skelleftea AIK | SweHL | 72/2021 | 2003 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -4 |
| playoffs | | | | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -2 |
| Jukurit | SM-Liiga | | | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 29 | 1 |
| AIK | Allsven. | | | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| playoffs | | | | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -1 |
Ryan Ufko (RD) | UMass-Amherst | H-East | 115/2021 | 2003 | 37 | 10 | 16 | 26 | 14 | 4 |
| Milwaukee | AHL | | | 9 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | -2 |
| playoffs | | | | 15 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 6 | |
Jack Matier (RD) | Atlanta | ECHL | 124/2021 | 2003 | 52 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 26 | -4 |
| Milwaukee | AHL | | | 16 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -6 |
Simon Knak (LW) | Davos HC | Swiss-A | 179/2021 | 2002 | 32 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 8 | 6 |
Yaroslav Askarov (G) | Milwaukee | AHL | 11/2020 | 2002 | 44 | 2.39 | .911 | 30 | 13 | 1 |
| playoffs | | | | 5 | 3.25 | .882 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| Nashville | NHL | | | 2 | 1.47 | .943 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Luke Prokop (RD) | Atlanta | ECHL | 73/2020 | 2002 | 55 | 5 | 23 | 28 | 16 | -17 |
| Milwaukee | AHL | | | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -7 |
Adam Wilsby (LD) | Milwaukee | AHL | 101/2020 | 2000 | 61 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 20 | 17 |
| playoffs | | | | 15 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | |
**Luke Reid (RD) | U. New Hampshire | H-East | 166/2020 | 2001 | 36 | 1 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 5 |
**Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (LW) | Northeastern U. | H-East | 202/2020 | 2000 | 36 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 6 | -2 |
**Chase McLane (C) | Penn State U. | Big-10 | 209/2020 | 2000 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 11 | -11 |
Philip Tomasino (RW) | Nashville | NHL | 24/2019 | 2001 | 41 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 25 | -6 |
| Milwaukee | AHL | | | 22 | 11 | 7 | 18 | 11 | -3 |
| playoffs | | | | 15 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 4 | |
**Alexander Campbell (LW) | Northeastern U. | H-East | 65/2019 | 2001 | 36 | 22 | 20 | 42 | 6 | 13 |
| Milwaukee | AHL | | | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -1 |
| playoffs | | | | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Marc Del Gaizo (LD) | Milwaukee | AHL | 109/2019 | 1999 | 60 | 8 | 26 | 34 | 34 | 18 |
| playoffs | | | | 15 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 14 | |
| Nashville | NHL | | | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Semyon Chistyakov (LD) | Avangard Omsk | KHL | 117/2019 | 2001 | 59 | 4 | 20 | 24 | 16 | 15 |
| playoffs | | | | 12 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 3 |
**Ethan Haider (G) | U.Connecticut | H-East | 148/2019 | 2001 | 21 | 2.91 | .906 | 7 | 11 | 2 |
Isak Walther (RW) | U. Vermont | H-East | 179/2019 | 2001 | 24 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 6 | 10 |
Juuso Parssinen (C) | Nashville | NHL | 210/2019 | 2001 | 44 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 12 | -6 |
| playoffs | | | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Milwaukee | AHL | | | 36 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 18 | 12 |
| playoffs | | | | 14 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 0 | |
Spencer Stastney (LD) | Nashville | NHL | 131/2018 | 2000 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 9 |
| playoffs | | | | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Milwaukee | AHL | | | 44 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 2 | 27 |
| playoffs | | | | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
Vladislav Yeryomenko (RD) | Magnitogorsk | KHL | 151/2018 | 1999 | 31 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 11 |
| playoffs*** | | | | 21 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
Konstantin Volkov (G) | Dynamo Moskva | KHL | 168/2016 | 1997 | 10 | 3.60 | .889 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
Jeremy Hanzel (LD) | Seattle | WHL | 187/2023 | 2003 | 66 | 17 | 43 | 60 | 40 | -8 |
| Milwaukee | AHL | | | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| playoffs | | | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
Navrin Mutter (LW) | Milwaukee | AHL | FA | 2001 | 26 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 62 | -2 |
| playoffs | | | | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 18 | |
| Atlanta | ECHL | | | 33 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 63 | -14 |
Nolan Burke (C) | Atlanta | ECHL | FA | 2002 | 47 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 32 | -18 |
| Milwaukee | AHL | | | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
Ozzy Wiesblatt (C/RW) | San Jose | AHL | 31/2020 | 2002 | 34 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 33 | -9 |
| Milwaukee | AHL | | | 16 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 22 | 4 |
| playoffs | | | | 15 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 12 | |
Jake Livingstone (RD) | Milwaukee | AHL | FA | 1999 | 68 | 2 | 15 | 17 | 43 | 18 |
| playoffs | | | | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
** = rights expire August 15
Notes:
Matthew Wood transferring to U.Minnesota
G.Fontaine transferring to Ohio State
Chase McLane transferring to Colorado College
Teddy Stiga heading to Boston College
Erik Pahlsson heading to U.Minnesota