Unpredictability was the main theme at this year`s NHL scouting combine concerning the upcoming draft. As 90 potential future NHL players underwent interviews, dinners, and physical testing, scouts and executives expressed amazement at the potential for an unpredictable first round when teams make their selections on June 27 and 28.
“There are maybe 16 or 18 players I could see going in the top 10,” one scout noted. “It`s one of those classes. Deep. Great character guys. Lots of these players have unique skill sets. Teams will have tough decisions to make.”
Another executive highlighted the “embarrassment of riches” among forward prospects available to teams with high picks. So, while Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer might seem like a consensus top pick for the New York Islanders, what happens after that remains a mystery?
The uncertainty creates excitement, leading to intense internal discussions among teams, which one executive jokingly described as “heated.”
Carter Bear was frequently mentioned as a potential “wild card” prospect.
The Everett Silvertips forward did not participate in the combine`s fitness testing after suffering an Achilles tendon injury in March, but he anticipates being fully healthy for NHL training camps in the fall. Bear tied for seventh in WHL scoring last season with 40 goals and 82 points in 65 games. He ranks 10th on NHL Central Scouting`s final list of North American skaters and 13th overall on ESPN analyst Rachel Doerrie`s latest big board.
If there were to be a player who significantly climbs the draft board, Bear might be the one. Despite not fully participating in the combine process, his performance on the ice throughout the season has clearly attracted considerable attention from numerous clubs.
Previous drafts, such as Montreal selecting Juraj Slafkovsky first overall in 2022, demonstrate that teams can make surprising choices in the first round, and we might see another unexpected draft unfold in June. Until then, here are some notes from combine week.
Eklund, Frondell the Best of (Competitive) Friends
Victor Eklund was persistent.
He was determined to play on a line with his teammate Anton Frondell, and their coach, Robert Kimby at Djurgardens IF, wouldn`t get any peace until it happened.
“I think I told him like 10 times,” Eklund recalled. “He was like, `yeah, yeah, yeah.` But then finally, we did get to [play together].”
The pairing of two top prospects in the upcoming NHL draft had been years in the making. Eklund, who scored 19 goals and 31 points in 42 games last season, and Frondell, with 11 goals and 25 points in 29 games, first played against each other as children in their native Sweden. That`s when Eklund first witnessed Frondell`s talent with the puck.
“When we were 10 years old, I remember playing him, and he actually made a move on me,” Eklund said. “[He put] the puck between my legs, and I just can`t forget that. He says he doesn`t remember that, but I kind of know. But we`ve been playing against each other, but we really got to know each other when both of us started playing for [our team].”
Frondell confessed that he did remember deking Eklund years ago (“it was really good,” he laughed) and shared what he most valued about playing on the same line.
“Victor is easy to play with. I don`t think I`ve played with someone with so much energy,” Frondell commented. “He wins every battle, even when we play against men. Victor wins all the puck battles, and it`s just easy for me finding him in an open spot, and most of the times I get the puck right on the tape. So it`s easy for me too, and we like playing with each other.”
Eklund was highly complimentary of Frondell when explaining why he kept asking their coach about pairing them up in January.
“Anton, he`s a tank on the ice,” Eklund stated. “He has a shot like a missile. He`s just a really great, great player. I just knew from the beginning that if we get the opportunity, we`ll take it and we`ll be the best and I think we did pretty good.”
He added, “And, yeah, the coach probably got sick of me asking so they [had to] finally put us together.”
Michael Misa Staying Put
Michael Misa learned the importance of patience the hard way.
The Saginaw Spirit forward expected to primarily play center in the OHL. However, the Spirit had significant depth at center when he joined the league two years ago, resulting in Misa being placed on the wing. He performed well in that role, which helped establish a strong foundation for his current position as a potential top-two draft selection.
But Misa was essentially waiting for the opportunity to return to the center position.
That chance finally arrived for Misa`s draft year, and he capitalized by scoring 62 goals and 134 points in 65 games, leading the OHL in scoring. Saginaw`s Michael Misa is confident he can help an NHL team as soon as the 2025-26 season.
Needless to say, Misa is not eager to change positions again anytime soon.
“Growing up in minor hockey, I was always primarily a center,” Misa explained. “My first two years [in the OHL], we had a number of good centers who were a lot older. So I had to make that jump to wing. But coming back to this year, it`s what I planned to do for my draft year was go back to center and ultimately, I just feel a lot more confident down the middle. That`s primarily where my roots are at.”
Dominating from the center position has boosted Misa`s confidence heading into the draft, where he is projected to be among the first players selected. Whoever drafts Misa will be getting a player who feels prepared to step into the NHL immediately.
“I feel like I am ready to make that jump next year,” Misa stated. “That`s ultimately my goal, to make the NHL next year. I think gaining that center experience that I had this year definitely helped my game. And I`m just trying to become that more reliable 200-foot player defensively as well. So overall, I am ready.”
Misa believes playing center allows him to be more “involved” in the game, both offensively and defensively. “It`s not just offensively, but defensively, being reliable,” he said. “It`s been good for me… got a lot more puck touches, just carrying the play on my stick.”
Will Horcoff Sets Scouting Combine Record
When an NHL team asked Michigan forward Will Horcoff which animal he would be off the ice, he responded with a silverback gorilla.
Based on his performance in the horizontal jump at the combine, Horcoff might be better compared to an impala. Like the antelope, Horcoff can cover remarkable distances in a single leap – his jump of 124.75 inches set a new combine record, an achievement he trained hard to reach. William Horcoff set a new combine record in the horizontal jump.
“I knew I had a chance to do it coming in,” said Horcoff, whose previous personal best was 122 inches. “It was just whether I executed it. And I did. I`m happy about it.”
Horcoff, the son of former NHL player Shawn Horcoff, focused on his horizontal leaping but also aimed for a strong performance in the vertical jump. However, his approach had to change.
“It was a little weird; I jumped higher with my hands on my hips than I did with my arms,” Horcoff noted. “I don`t know, at U-18 Worlds, I jumped 4½ inches higher than I did here. So I don`t know what happened there.”
The 6-foot-4, 181-pound center added, perhaps unnecessarily, that “I`m a competitive guy,” making the discrepancy in his vertical jump figures puzzling. Nevertheless, Horcoff was pleased overall with how his preparation paid off in front of NHL scouts and executives from the 31 teams he interviewed with throughout the combine week.
“I think I could be a skilled power forward in the NHL,” Horcoff said confidently. “I`d love to play like [Ottawa Senators forward] Brady Tkachuk. That [mean streak] is something I`ve added this season, and I think I`m going to continue doing it more consistently next season.”
And as for the gorilla choice?
“He`s a leader,” Horcoff explained. “And he protects his family.”
Players Forced to Confront Their Mistakes
The purpose of a combine is for prospects to showcase their best attributes.
However, that doesn`t mean past errors don`t resurface.
This was evident in certain team interviews, where executives asked prospects to analyze video footage of themselves from the season. And the clips shown were not always positive highlights.
“Pittsburgh did that,” said Moose Jaw Warriors forward Lynden Lakovic. “They didn`t show my highlights; they probably showed my lowlights, but asked me to break that down. It was good. I thought I handled it well. They weren`t my greatest clips, but I`m aware of that, and I thought I broke it down pretty well.”
Prospects like Moose Jaw`s Lynden Lakovic were shown some not-so-great game tape, and asked to break it down for NHL team execs.
Carlos Handel had a similar experience, being surprised to see his less-than-ideal plays highlighted during team meetings.
“Carolina did that,” the Halifax Mooseheads defenseman recalled. “They showed me some bad clips, and wanted, for example, how I react [to it], but also they wanted to know how my coach, for example, wants me to attack there and what my opinion about that [play] was.”
If nothing else, these interview tactics kept the prospects sharp and responsive throughout the week.
“Most of the [talks] were fun,” Lakovic commented. “But there were a couple ones that were a little bit more intimidating.”
Can Nashville Do It All?
The Nashville Predators did not anticipate being a lottery team heading into the season. But even the best-laid plans can sometimes go awry.
Nashville ultimately finished the season with a 30-44-8 record. However, the draft lottery delivered them the No. 5 overall pick, which is just one of three selections they hold in the first round. There is significant talent available that could potentially provide immediate help to the Predators.
Boston College`s James Hagens, Frondell, or Brantford`s Jake O`Brien could all be available at the fifth pick to strengthen Nashville down the middle, and each possesses the potential to join an NHL lineup sooner rather than later. Brampton winger Porter Martone would also be a solid fit for Nashville.
The Predators signed Steven Stamkos in free agency last summer, and he would serve as an excellent mentor to any young player entering the league.
Speaking of Stamkos, the Predators didn`t acquire him with a rebuild in mind. They aim to be back in the playoff picture next season. How they ultimately use their 23rd overall pick (acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning) and the 26th pick (from the Vegas Golden Knights) will offer significant insight into Nashville`s strategy for the upcoming season.
Gareth Tenby