Top 10 most improved NHL prospects from 2023-24

It’s been a few months since the end of the 2023-24 season, and with the new campaign creeping up on us, it felt like a good time to reflect.

Every fanbase has a deep devotion to their prospects. You want them all to do well. Some turn out to be cornerstone pieces; others fall flat and disappear. But for the most part, everyone just wants their prospects to prosper and take their game to a new level.

Sometimes, improving could mean battling past flaws to produce at a higher level. Other times, developing new skills or traits makes you better than many believed. In other cases, it’s simply just a boost in overall production.

Which prospects went above and beyond this past year, helping to establish their stock high on their team’s respective depth charts? Here’s a look at 10 of the most improved prospects you need to know:

Joshua Roy, LW (Montreal Canadiens)

The biggest thing about Mailloux was seeing how his game translated to the pros after dominating the junior ranks. He’s not big, and he was a one-dimensional player throughout the first half of his QMJHL tenure. But there haven’t been many AHL rookies that impressed early in a season in recent memory like Roy did, challenging for the scoring lead early on while also getting some significant opportunities with the big club. Roy had 32 points in 41 games in the AHL and another nine points in 23 NHL games. Roy was a high-end producer in the QMJHL, so it’s good to see him carry it over to the big leagues. His skating was a concern early on, but his talent trumps his flaws here. And that’s good, because success in major junior doesn’t mean pro success. For Roy, he never looked out of place against older, tougher competition. Look for the winger to make a serious push to make the Canadiens out of camp this year.

Easton Cowan, C (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Just about everyone was shocked to see the Leafs take Cowan at No. 28, only to watch him take home both the OHL regular season and playoff MVP titles. Cowan had an OHL-record 42-game point streak, and capped the year off an incredible 15 points in just four championship series games. Between his OHL results, which was highlighted by a league title, and a spot on Canada’s World Junior team, Cowan has shown why the Leafs made the right call taking him when they did. He looks stronger, smarter, and more engaged at both ends, to the point where I think he’ll make a real argument to start the season with the Maple Leafs.

Noah Chadwick, D (Toronto Maple Leafs)

It’s extremely rare to see a sixth-round pick sign an NHL contract six months after getting drafted, but that’s exactly what happened to Chadwick. And it’s understandable – it’s early, but he’s looking like a legitimate steal. Chadwick had 20 points as a rookie but blasted to 44 assists and 56 points in 66 games this past year, showing value as a puck-moving blueliner with good hockey IQ. He’s also 6-foot-4, and while he needs to move his feed more frequently, I think he’s got the raw talent to be a serious contender to make the team one day. Chadwick should be in the hunt to make Canada’s World Junior Championship roster, which had to have been a pipedream just 12 months ago for the young defender. Lots of people in the game believe in Chadwick.

Gabe Perreault, LW (New York Rangers)

Everyone knew Perreault was damn good – he set a new USA Hockey National Team Development Program scoring record in 2023-24. But the perception, especially in the first 70 percent of the season, was that he was more of a finisher than a playdriver and that he needed his linemates to get a lot of the work done, especially with Perreault’s skating being average at best. But this past year at Boston College, Perreault was the one making many of the plays happen on a given night and made many scouts believe he’s truly a top-line caliber player at the next level. And, heck, even his skating is better. If the recent World Junior Summer Showcase is anything to go by, he already looks more explosive.

Theo Lindstein, D (St. Louis Blues)

What a year it was for Lindstein, someone I wasn’t completely sold on in his draft year in 2023. At the 2024 World Junior Championship, Lindstein went from being a late addition to becoming one of the best defensemen in the tournament in almost every facet. He was one of the best puck-movers, he scored and shut guys down defensively. I’d say he started better than he finished, but Lindstein proved he should have been on this team from the get-go. Then, at the most recent World Junior Summer Showcase, I thought Lindstein was easily one of the most consistent players throughout the tournament. Mix in a great year in Sweden, and what I expect to be an even better year as a 19-year-old, and Lindstein could end up being a top-four threat for the Blues in a few years.

Ethan Del Mastro, D (Chicago Blackhawks)

Del Mastro performed better than I expected in his rookie season, and even got into two NHL games with the Blackhawks. He showed improved offensive chops, especially as a distributor. Del Mastro could always put points on the board, but he looked quicker and smarter with the puck, and his 6-foot-4 frame is a plus. He likes to lay the body and can bully players, which you always love to see. Del Mastro feels like a guy with enough skill to be put in many different situations in a game and come out on top, and should be an important piece of Chicago’s blueline moving forward.

Josh Doan, RW (Utah HC)

Taken 37th overall in 2021, Doan’s selection felt a little high in a draft lacking true superstar talent. But with his dad’s connection to the Arizona Coyotes, many saw it and looked past it. But Doan now looks to be a decent part of the team’s middle six after leaving Arizona State following his sophomore campaign. Doan made a fantastic impression in his first NHL action, scoring five goals and nine points in 11 games to close out the 2024-25 season. It came after an excellent rookie season with Tuscon, scoring 26 goals and 46 points. His late-season NHL performance could end up being a bit of a mirage compared to what he’s actually going to produce in the long run, but there’s definitely something there.

Carson Rehkopf, C (Seattle Kraken)

What a season. Rehkopf was one of the best players in the OHL this past season, scoring 52 goals and 95 points for the Kitchener Rangers. He also had four points with Canada’s World Junior team as a power-play specialist, giving the team some nice scoring depth deeper down when they needed it. Now he’s off to play for Brampton, which is set to be a serious contender this coming year. Could Rehkopf finish with 60 goals while playing alongside top 2025 NHL Draft prospect Porter Martone? He should also make Canada’s roster again on home ice in December, so it’s shaping up to be a potentially huge season for the scoring forward. Rehkopf has good speed and loves to attack the puck, but many believe he still needs to add more defensive awareness if he’s going to make himself fully useful at the next level.

Jani Nyman, RW (Seattle Kraken)

After a fantastic season that saw him finish just shy of a point-per-game with Ilves in Finland, Nyman is set to challenge for a top-six role in the AHL. Nyman was tremendously productive throughout the year, and while he had just one assist in nine AHL playoff games, I thought he got progressively better as he adapted to the smaller ice. You don’t find a ton of 6-foot-4 wingers with his skill and I don’t think he’s not too far away from making the jump to the NHL. I think it’ll be interesting to see if Nyman and keep the scoring pace up while he adjusts to the speed and physicality of the AHL but I think Nyman could end up becoming one heck of a pickup in what was a stacked second round for the Kraken in 2022.

Ville Koivunen, LW (Pittsburgh Penguins)

When the Penguins traded Jake Guentzel to Carolina ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline, Koivunen was the key prospect in the deal. He finished sixth in Liiga scoring with 22 goals and 56 points. No other U-22 player had at least 50 points, so that shows you how impressive his season was. Koivunen then impressed with points in both of the playoff games he skated in with Wilkes-Barre and made his senior international debut with Finland, too. I think we’ll see Koivunen get a call-up to the NHL at some point this coming season because Pittsburgh could use his skill, but we’ll see if he develops like many believe he can. Right now, though, his huge season against men in Finland should give Penguins fans a reason to be excited.