Five Worst Prospect Systems in the NHL

What organizations have the worst prospect systems in the NHL?

Jacob Punturi | Jul 7, 2024

Jun 28, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Cole Eiserman is selected by the New York Islanders with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The NHL is loaded with intriguing prospects. The league adds exciting youngsters every season, and it's always entertaining to see which players can seamlessly transition to the NHL level.

Some organizations aren't as excited about their development systems and won't expect any impact from their rookies in 2024. Let's take a look at the five organizations with the weakest prospect systems in the NHL.

5. Edmonton Oilers

When you have the greatest player in the NHL and the world, maintaining a quality prospect system isn't a priority. That's understandable for the Oilers, as they are clearly in win-now mode and will remain there with Connor McDavid on their roster.

They would be ranked lower on this list if they hadn't just acquired one of the most NHL-ready prospects in forward Matt Savoie. The move took them from the bottom-three to the bottom-five, a huge improvement for the Oilers.

After Savoie, it's tough going in the Edmonton system. 2024 first-rounder Sam O'Reilly looks like a shutdown center in the making, but he's a few years from the NHL. 2021 first-rounder Xavier Bourgeault plateaued, leaving it unclear if he can make the jump from the AHL. Ralph Lavoie tore up the AHL, but was pointless in seven NHL games in 2023.

Beyond those players, the rest of the group is underwhelming. There are some players with potential, sure, but they are largely a group of fringe players and future AHL leaders.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning

Winning Stanley Cups and pursuing them comes with a heavy toll. The Lightning are paying for this now, with one of the poorest prospect systems in the league. Years worth of trading away any prospects of note and first-round picks can do that to your system.

The top of their list is forward Isaac Howard. He transferred to Michigan State University for his sophomore year and exploded offensively. He recorded 36 points in 36 games, a 19-point increase from his freshman campaign. He projects to be a second-line winger at the NHL level. After that, Ethan Gauthier is promising and Dylan Duke is emerging as a potential bottom-six option for the Lightning.

One player flying under the radar is forward Niko Huuhtanen. He was a seventh-round selection in 2021 and played the last few seasons with Jokerit in the top Finnish professional league. He just recorded 19 goals and 46 points in 52 games. He joined their AHL affiliate for the postseason, and he may be a player to watch in the near future.

3. Boston Bruins

Hemorrhaging the future to win now hasn't resulted in a Stanley Cup for the Bruins, but their prospect system continues to suffer. They had two prospects graduate in 2023, with John Beecher and Matthew Poitras both getting at least 30 games with the big club. They both have room to grow, but they are locks to make the roster in 2024.

Their top prospect currently is forward Fabian Lysell. He is a quick forward with incredibly smooth hands. He could be in the Bruins' lineup in 2024 if he impresses in training camp.

The list nearly ends after Lysell. 2024 first-rounder Dean Letourneau is exciting, but he will need several years of development to find his game professionally. The Bruins are still going for a championship, so they won't add to this system anytime soon. Because of this, they will remain one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL.

2. Ottawa Senators

The Senators have one of the weakest prospect pools for having one of the younger cores in the NHL. It makes sense, all of their recent high draft picks graduated to the NHL already. Still, there is little to be optimistic about the players on the way.

They added two prominent defenders in the 2024 NHL Draft, with Carter Yakemchuk instantly becoming the team's top prospect. Beyond that, you'd be hard-pressed to find more impact NHL prospects. The team is high on goaltender Mads Sogaard, but at 23 he's yet to assert himself at the top level. Similarly, the Sens love defenseman Tyler Kleven, but he looks like a bottom-pairing defender at the NHL level.

2021 first-round selection Tyler Boucher was an NHL hopeful, but various injuries have limited him to 83 games over the past three seasons. If he can stay healthy, he's most likely to become more than a fringe NHL player. The Senators must rely on their young core to take the next step, because they are getting no help from their prospect system in 2024.

1. New York Islanders

The Islanders are a great example of how important first-round picks are for a system's development. They had their first one in five years and selected Cole Eiserman from the United States National Team Development Program.

Eiserman instantly becomes the team's best prospect, which isn't saying much. Behind him is fellow USNTDP alum Danny Nelson, who enjoyed a quality freshman season at the University of Notre Dame. They also added a pair of intriguing players in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft. After that, the rest of their prospects are coin flips to make an NHL roster. There is a lack of both quantity and quality in their system, making them the worst one in the NHL.

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Published Jul 7, 2024

JACOB PUNTURI