The NHL only functions because of the NHL prospects that are added into the system every year. However, some teams have a better roster of prospects than others, which will help to insure them a better future in the league. While it can only be expected that worse-performing teams currently would have better prospect systems thanks to their draft rankings, what they do with those prospects is what will rank them on this list of the NHL Prospect Rankings.
2022 NHL Prospect Rankings: Top 5 Teams
1. Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings organization has cultivated a rich prospect pool full of potential players that is absolutely one of the best in the league. From forwards to goalies this team is firing on all cylinders. Goalie prospect Sebastian Cossa is a particular prospect that is expected to come into the league in a big way, after stellar performances in the WHL and the World Junior Championships which had many teams trying to make a deal for the player. Other prospects in the organization that are expected to have a large impact include Marco Kasper, Simon Edvinsson, and Donovan Sebrango. With the deep prospect pool, the Red Wings have, their future looks fairly bright.
2. New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils have such a high Prospect Ranking due to the sheer youth of their team, and the depth of their prospect pool. When looking at the Devils’ prospects, there are some big names such as forwards Alexander Holtz and Nolan Foote, and goalie Nico Daws. While the Devils’ organization may need to have a closely guided hand in terms of how they train these players to get ready for the NHL, and it may result in their performances suffering for a while to come, the team certainly has a bright future ahead of them if they can hold on to all their young prospect players.
3. Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres organization has struggled in recent seasons, however, because of this, they have landed a number of high-ranking first-round draft picks, resulting in a prospect pool that could really make an impact on the team. The superstar of these prospects is currently 2021 NHL Entry Draft first overall pick, Owen Power. On top of this, the team has the likes of Jack Quinn, Dylan Cozens, Peyton Krebs, Matthew Savoie, and many other young elite forward prospects that could make an impact for the team once they are ready to enter the NHL. Because of this, the Buffalo Sabres round out the top three teams in the NHL Prospect Rankings.
4. Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a serious playoff contender and are seemingly the exception to the rule that only poor-performing teams have deep prospect pools. This is because the Hurricanes organization has one of the best prospect training programs in the league, continually bringing out the best in the prospects they select. On top of this, the Hurricanes organization has some already solid players in the system that are almost ready to take on some NHL ice time, such as Ryan Suzuki, Pyotr Kotchetkov, and Anttoni Honka. This is why the Carolina Hurricanes organization landed itself in the top five of the NHL Prospect Rankings ahead of the 2022-23 NHL season.
5. Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks prospects are starting to look more like everyday NHL players after seeing how Mason McTavish performed at the World Junior Championships for Team Canada. On top of McTavish, the team also has Jamie Drysdale, Jacob Perreault, and a number of other top prospects that make their system the envy of a majority of the league. These prospects look rather strong, and because of this, their system can be expected to churn out some elite-level players, which places them rounding out the top five for the NHL Prospect Rankings.
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