6th Pick – Columbus Blue Jackets
Matt Savoie (C)
5’9″, 179 lbs
General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen could use a home run in the draft after the Columbus Blue Jackets missed the playoffs. That should lead him to take a chance at a player with an enormous upside. Matt Savoie is an undersized center who can produce at a high rate. Teams have learned their lesson from passing on Alex DeBrincat based on size alone. The Blue Jackets don’t want to miss on a player who scored 35 goals and added 55 assists in just 65 games for the Winnipeg Ice in the WHL.
7th Pick – Ottawa Senators
Joakim Kemell (C, RW)
5’11”, 176 lbs
Joakim Kemell was one of the darlings of the draft at midterm. He was the top ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting. Scouts saw him as a potential future NHL All-Star. His stock has dropped in the second half of the season when his consistency waned. By the end of the season, playing for JYP in Liiga Finland, Kemell finished with 15 goals and 8 assists for 23 points in 39 games. His international play was even more productive, making him a legitimate top-10 prospect.
8th Pick – Detroit Red Wings
Brad Lambert (C)
6’0″, 179 lbs
Just like Kemell, Brad Lambert is another player who fell down some draft boards in the second half of the season. The pair happen to also be teammates. There’s still a lot to like about Lambert’s game including his high IQ play.
Interestingly, The Seattle Thunderbirds just traded for Lambert’s rights in the WHL on June 30. The Saskatoon Blades received a first, a fourth, and a sixth-round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft. They also picked up a second-round pick in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft for Kemell. It’s a big haul for a player with big potential.
9th Pick – Buffalo Sabres
Jonathan Lekkerimäki (C)
5’11”, 172 lbs
In Jonathan Lekkerimäki, the Buffalo Sabres would get a dynamic scorer. The center split his club playing time between the Djurgardens junior team in Sweden and their pro squad in the SHL. Lekkerimäki played 26 games for each group and fit in well with both. Though he’s slightly smaller than the Sabres would like, he is someone who has the ability to put the puck past opposing NHL goaltenders.
10th Pick – Anaheim Ducks
Frank Nazar III (C/RW)
5’10”, 174 lbs
Frank Nazar III shares a skill with Lekkerimäki. Both can score better than most. The Mount Clemens, Michigan native put together a 36 point campaign in 2021 thanks to 20 goals and 16 assists in just 31 games. This season, with the U.S. National U18 Team, he played 56 games and recorded 28 goals and 42 assists for a total of 70 points. With some seasoning, the Anaheim Ducks could be getting a top-six forward.