Kings U23 Player ranking

Kings boast deep prospect pool

The Kings inaugural season under GM Peterson may not have gone according to plan, and the next couple may be a bit rough, but the talent pool GM Peterson has been able to amass in his first season in charge is impressive, to say the least. As talented a group as this is, it lacks depth on defence and goaltending, and no true game-breaking/all-star-calibre talent (at least according to Corey Pronman's analysis, included below):

1-Beckett Sennecke, RW

Jan. 28, 2006 | 6-foot-4 | 194 pounds | Shoots right

Drafted: No. 3 in 2024

Tier: Top of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: High-end
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average

Analysis: Sennecke was a top-scoring winger in the OHL this season. His toolkit is very exciting from an NHL projection. He’s a tall winger who skates quite well for his size and has high-end skill. He’s a highly creative puck handler who beats players one-on-one often, and that he can make those difficult plays at full speed makes him highly intriguing for the NHL level. He sees the ice well and is creative as a passer, although not to the level of his one-on-one abilities. There have been times when I’ve questioned his compete and consistency, but that aspect has been better of late. Sennecke projects as a top-line winger.

2-James Hagens, C

November 3, 2006 | 5-foot-10 | 185 pounds | Shoots left

Drafted: No. 7 in 2025

Tier: Top of the lineup player

Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: High-end
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: NHL average

Analysis: Hagens played well for Boston College this season. His production wasn’t as elite as some would have hoped after a sterling U.S. NTDP career, but he was still an important player on a great team. Hagens was also a go-to player for Team USA as they won gold at the World Juniors. He has a dynamic combination of skating and skill reminiscent of American centers Logan Cooley and Jack Hughes. Hagens’ edge work is high-end, and he’s extremely elusive in open ice. He makes a ton of difficult plays on the move and is a high-end playmaker. Hagens isn’t that big or physical, and can stay on the outside too much, but he gives a decent effort, and coaches tend to lean on him. He has the potential to be a play-driving top-two-line center in the NHL.

3-Roger McQueen, C

Oct. 2, 2006 | 6-foot-5 | 192 pounds | Shoots right

Drafted: No. 10 in 2025

Tier: Top of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average

Analysis: McQueen got off to a great start to the season before a back injury sidelined him in the fall, returning for a handful of games toward the end of the year. He’s a 6-foot-5 center who, when healthy, can skate and has high-end offensive skills. His reach and hands can let him break shifts open, especially when he’s attacking with tempo. I wouldn’t call McQueen a truly high-end playmaker, but he sees the ice well, makes difficult plays and can create in the high percentage areas. McQueen is big, but what scouts love is that he uses his big frame. He has an edge in his play, and even after a near season-long injury, he returned and played with bite. He projects as a potential No. 1 center who can play big minutes in the NHL, presuming his health checks out.

4-Cayden Lindstrom, C

Feb. 3, 2006 | 6-foot-4 | 214 pounds | Shoots left

Drafted: No. 4 in 2024

Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player

Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: High-end
Shot: Above NHL average

Analysis: Lindstrom missed almost the entire season due to a back injury and corresponding surgery, but he came back right at the very end of Medicine Hat’s playoff run. When healthy, he’s an elite athlete. He has the quick-twitch feet of a smaller forward who could blow by NHL defenders. He’s a big, powerful center with a ton of physicality in his game. Lindstrom has good offensive skills and can score goals. His playmaking is something I’ve questioned at times, though. He projects as a highly likable top-two-line forward who can be a playoff-style player, even if he’s not a for-sure center in the NHL.

5-Brady Martin, C

March 16, 2007 | 6-feet | 187 pounds | Shoots right

Drafted: No. 5 in 2025

Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: High-end
Shot: Above NHL average

Analysis: Martin is a highly likable center who has been impressive in the OHL and for Team Canada this season. He’s a very skilled forward who has the one-on-one abilities to beat a lot of NHL defensemen. He’s creative as a puck handler, and his offensive IQ impressed as the season went along, even if not his calling card. His skill is appealing, but it’s the combination of his skill with his compete that gets evaluators excited. Martin has a true hardness in his game, attacking the high-percentage areas and is an extremely physical player. His skating has progressed into a strength to where he can clearly move at an NHL pace. He could be a matchup second-line center who makes life hellish on opponents.

6-Dalibor Dvorský, C

June 15, 2005 | 6-foot-1 | 205 pounds | Shoots left

Drafted: No. 10 in 2023

Tier: Middle of the lineup player

Skating: Below NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: High-end

Analysis: Dvorský had a successful season, being a top player for his AHL team in Springfield as a 19-year-old. Dvorský had previously had his struggles versus men in Sweden, so it was great to see his game develop. Dvorský is a very talented offensive player. He has a high skill level and is high-end at breaking down opponents one-on-one. He sees the ice well, and he has a clear NHL shot, making him a constant threat to score goals from the perimeter. He plays on the perimeter a bit too much, though, leaning on his shot. Dvorský competes well enough, but given his subpar skating stride, you would like to see his overall energy level be higher more consistently. He projects as a top-six forward due to his pure offensive tools, but I could see him being pushed to the wing unless he rounds out his game.

7-Pavel Mintyukov, D

Nov. 25, 2003 | 6-foot-1 | 201 pounds | Shoots left

Drafted: No. 10 in 2022

Tier: Middle of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average

Analysis: Mintyukov’s second NHL season had more bumps than his rookie campaign. There’s no doubting the pure talent level in his game. He’s an NHL-level skater and puck handler, and when he’s rushing the puck or activating off the point, he can be quite dangerous. It’s not completely clear what his role would be to a contending NHL team. He’s athletic, but he’s not overly physical or a great defender. He’s creative, but I wouldn’t call him a super smart playmaker who’s a prototypical PP1 type either. He’s so toolsy he will likely find a way to have a long and productive career, but there’s more uncertainty with Mintyukov than there was a year ago.

8-Colby Barlow, LW

Feb. 14, 2005 | 6-foot-1 | 194 pounds | Shoots left

Drafted: No. 18 in 2023

Tier: Middle of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: High-end

Analysis: Barlow’s start to the season went quite poorly, but his game picked up as the year went along, especially in the playoffs for Oshawa. Barlow isn’t the flashiest player by any means. He’s a good skater and puck handler, but he doesn’t project to break down NHL defensemen with his puck play. Barlow’s calling card is his shot. He has a bullet one-timer and was a constant threat throughout his OHL career to score from the dots. He’s a hard worker with a decent frame who will be able to win puck battles. His offensive inconsistency is a concern, and there’s a chance he can’t make enough plays to stick in an NHL lineup, but he’s such a gifted goal-scorer that if he scores 15-20 annually, he could be a middle-six winger.

9-Mikhail Gulyayev, D

April 26, 2005 | 5-foot-10 | 183 pounds | Shoots left

Drafted: No. 31 in 2023

Tier: Middle of the lineup player

Skating: Above NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average

Analysis: Gulyayev was a regular defenseman for Avangard Omsk, although his game didn’t show a ton of progression from the prior season. He still recorded seven goals and 15 points with next to no power-play time. He’s a very good skater who can transition pucks up ice like a pro. He has excellent hands and vision, showing the ability to create chances off the rush and from the blue line. With his touch and shot, he can run a power play and projects to have significant offense as a pro, but his 5-foot-10 frame is a question for the NHL. He’s not highly physical, and he will need to be high-end with the puck to carve out a regular NHL role as he will likely be a below-average defender. I think he projects right on the bubble of that.

10-Jack Nesbitt, C

Jan. 12, 2007 | 6-foot-4 | 183 pounds | Shoots left

Drafted: No. 12 in 2025

Tier: Bubble top and middle of the lineup player

Skating: Poor
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average

Analysis: Nesbitt trended up significantly this season, becoming an important player on a deep Windsor team. Nesbitt is a very skilled center with great size. He can beat players one-on-one at a high rate off the rush and shows a lot of offensive creativity inside the offensive zone. He’s smart and makes a lot of intelligent plays, showing the vision to score in the NHL. He’s a big man who plays heavy and is a reliable 200-foot player that Windsor kept playing more as the season went on and leaned on during important games. His skating stride is heavy, though, and he will struggle to get by NHL defensemen with his foot speed. The hope is that the rest of his game is so good it won’t be a major issue. He has top-six forward potential and could be a second-line center.