The 24-25 season has played host to a number of European draft picks making some real noise in leagues across the continent. Whereas the top five draft picks on the European side of the pond was a relatively clear story in recent years, a good dozen players threw their names in the hat to claim a spot in the following list this season. In addition, some of our honorable mentions here not only would have been on those recent lists, but a couple actually were also (we’re looking at you, messers Nikishin and Sandin-Pellikka)!
Long story short, the NHL teams who own these players’ rights have a whole lot to look forward to.
Of course, as nice a season as the following players have had, it’s up to them to take the next step!
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Ivan Demidov - RW/C - KHL - Montreal Canadians 1st rounder in 2024
Sure, there was plenty of fanfare about Demidov at last summer’s draft and the seemingly typical unknowns with respect to his status as a Russian prospect moving forward. In Demidov’s case, his draft year was basically spent in the MHL junior circuit and as dominating as his stats there were, such a measuring stick is laden with uncertainty. A Montreal organization that has done plenty of drafting over the past half decade had no qualms in selecting him fifth overall and welp, it looks like they’ve got a player who may one day end up being among the top three to come out of this draft. He’s only proceeded to spend the entire 24-25 season playing for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL and it’s been beautiful. 49 points and a +17 in 63 regular season games has been absolutely outstanding for any player at the age of 18/19 in his rookie pro season, but it’s been accompanied by no lack of highlights and flashes of brilliance along the way. His current KHL contract ends this spring once the playoffs have concluded, so the expectation is that we’ll see him in North America next fall. The leaguewide excitement is warranted and considerable, to say the least.
He (91) can rip it!
He can dish it off!
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Dmitri Buchelnikov - LW - KHL - Detroit Red Wings 2nd rounder in 2022
When Buchelnikov was drafted, he was one of those picks that was very intriguing but clouded by uncertainty among world events and in light of his incredible draft year stats coming entirely in the Russian MHL. Where have we heard that before? Well, Buchelnikov followed his strong draft year with a noticeable VHL season before becoming a KHL regular on loan last season, putting up 29 points in the process. That strong step has turned into a monster 24-25 season in which the 21-year-old has accumulated 51 points in 62 KHL games, mostly on the strength of 36 assists, becoming a key powerplay quarterback in the process. Shifty and slick with the puck, Buchelnikov has the kind of game-reading smarts that rarely see him make a poor decision with the puck while also being able to make timely passes and throw absolute darts on goal at any given time. Detroit will need to wait another year, but the Red Wings could have another ready-made youngster coming into the fray as of the summer of 2026.
He (72) can rip it!
He can dish it off!
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Lenni Hämeenaho - RW - Liiga - New Jersey Devils 2nd rounder in 2023
Hämeenaho has been one of these players who just continues to produce wherever he plays and in whatever environment. He’s been ready-made for a power play role at every step of his development in the last half dozen years and neither his size nor tools have ever really been brought into question with respect to their projectability. He was a regular Liiga player in his draft year and now he’s one of the guys at the top of his team’s scoring list. He’s just continued to produce throughout the season, now at 20-31-51 in 58 games, even turning things up a notch with nine points in his final 10 regular season games. Little stands in the way of him signing his ELC this summer and joining a New Jersey Devils team that can realistically hope that it has another Jesper Bratt style impact player on its hands.
He (29) can rip it!
He can dish it off!
He can even run with it…
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Jesse Kiiskinen - C - Liiga - Detroit Red Wings (by trade) 3rd rounder in 2023
Another Red Wings prospect, albeit a Nashville pick from 2023 that Steve Yzerman traded for, Kiiskinen has absolutely exploded this season, becoming his team’s top scorer. Eyebrows were raised with 10 Liiga points in his DY+1, but nobody would have seen him putting up 14-30-44 and +6 numbers in his DY+2. But that’s exactly what he did! The crafty righty shot whose game just keeps getting slicker might have had even better numbers if he hadn’t been a key component for an upstart silver medal WJC squad for which he went 6-1-7 in 7 contests. In short, it’s been a phenomenal season and word is, he’s even getting consideration for the men’s WC this spring. As always, Finland has plenty of players to pick from but what doesn’t seem to be in question is Kiiskinen’s near future. An ELC is all but in the bag and even if he’s given another year in Europe, he clearly looks like he has the offensive skills and wherewithal to put his name on the NHL map within the next three seasons.
He can rip it!
He (38) can dish it off!
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Oliver Kapanen - C - SHL - Montreal Canadiens 2nd rounder in 2021
Kapanen spent a whole lot of time with the Canadiens last fall, even suiting up for 12 games (2 assists) before being loaned out to the Olli Jokinen-coached Timra squad in the Swedish SHL, where he then proceeded to take the league by storm. To be clear, his 27- and then 34-point seasons in Liiga play the previous two years where strong indicators about where things were headed for this 21-year-old, but finishing this season with 15 goals and 35 points in 36 games, including five points in the final two games of the season was nothing short of an attest to where he’s at and how close he is to contributing at the NHL level. Strong on the face-off and opportunistic throughout the offensive zone, it’s hard to imagine Kapanen outside of North America next season. There are NHL teams for whom Kapanen could easily be seen as the top prospect at this very moment.
He (89) can snipe it!
He can dish it off!
He’s got face-off game…
Honorable mention:
Nikita Artamanov - RW - KHL - Carolina Hurricanes 2nd rounder in 2024
We all knew he was good last season, putting up 23 points in 54 KHL games as an 18-year-old. Impressive! That wasn’t sexy enough to make him a first-round pick but seeing him jump from seven to 22 goals (38 points thus far) this season sure makes him feel like a first rounder now.
Semyon Chistyakov - D - KHL - Nashville Predators 4th rounder in 2019
The Predators have always been able to find defensive gems in the draft and after next season, Chistyakov will likely count as yet another. We’ve liked him for years now, but his career high 17 goals, 38 points, and +28 have put him in a whole new light at this point.
Simon Forsmark - D - SHL - Carolina Hurricanes 4th rounder in 2022
Goodness, Carolina sure knows how to pick them. Good-sized defenseman increased his output with even more responsibility this season. Just the type of player you hope to hit on in the middle rounds.
Artyom Galimov - LW - KHL - Anaheim Ducks 5th rounder in 2020
Some might say he’s the top draftee in all of Europe. After all, he’s got 35-24-59 and +30 in 65 KHL games this season. That puts him way up there in league scoring. However, he is already 25 and only really exploded this season, even if in a big way. What comes next?
Marcus Gidlöf - G - SHL - New York Islanders 5th rounder in 2024
We liked him a lot as a midrounder with strong upside last summer. Alas, even we didn’t see him turning into a late-season SHL starter and putting up some of the most solid numbers in the league. Throw in Gamzin (KHL) and the Islanders suddenly have some interesting goaltending options.
Samuel Jonsson - G - HockeyAllsvenskan - Edmonton Oilers 5th rounder in 2022
Just 21, the 6-foot-5 netminder is killing it for HA contender Karlskoga, (somewhat) coming out of nowhere with a 17-6 record and 1.88 GAA. Now we’ll see if he becomes the go-to guy in the playoffs.
Vitali Kravtsov - RW/LW - KHL - Vancouver Canuck (Rangers) 1st rounder in 2018
It’s taken a good long while, but Kravtsov has finally put in a season that has him firmly entrenched as a “scorer”, albeit in the KHL. 27 goals, 55 points, and a +28 are all career highs. So, uh, is he heading back to North America? His KHL contract is up...
Viljami Marjala - C/LW - Liiga - Buffalo Sabres 5th rounder in 2021
Several decent, but unspectacular seasons in the QMJHL have turned into two straight solid Liiga seasons and he’s just 22 now. Only eight goals this year, but 51 points! A top Liiga playmaker.
Vadim Moroz - LW/RW - KHL - Utah HC 3rd rounder in 2023
The good-sized Belarussian winger had two decent KHL seasons as an uncertain lower line player for a struggling Dinamo Minsk. Now he’s tearing things apart with 25 goals and 42 points. The +17 looks good too. And he’s just 21. Nice!
Ilya Nabokov - G - KHL - Colorado Avalanche 2nd rounder in 2024
Already an overage sensation last summer, Nabokov has done nothing other than double down on his potential with a 23-16 season featuring a 2.16 GAA and .925 SV%. Granted, those are fairly “pedestrian” technical stats in the KHL, but he’s a gamer and a winner.
Alexander Nikishin - D - KHL - Carolina Hurricanes 3rd rounder in 2020
It’s basically groundhog day again this year, even if Nikishin’s numbers are a wee bit lower than in seasons before. Of course, he’s second in KHL scoring among defensemen and his 17 goals are tied for first, so there’s that. The SKA Saint Pete’s captain is as NHL-ready as they come.
Joel Nyström - D - SHL - Carolina Hurricanes 7th rounder in 2021
Has arrived as a full-fledged SHL defenseman for a contender this season, putting up six goals and 27 points in the regular season. Hardly surprising that another Carolina pick is establishing himself as a possible NHL defenseman despite being a seventh round pick.
Axel Sandin-Pellikka - D - SHL - Detroit Red Wings 1st rounder in 2023
Kicked off the season with one highlight reel after another. 12 goals and 29 points is some solid blueline work for an SHL teenager. Had bouts with consistency and was good, but not overly dominant at the WJC. Still a dreamy prospect with a possibly special NHL future.
Arno Tiefensee - G - DEL - Dallas Stars 5th rounder in 2023
In a bad season for DEL goalie stats, Tiefensee is near the top across the board in most categories and the clear #1 for his Mannheim team. Brutally strong numbers and six wins in his final 10 starts to the season have folks excited in Mannheim now that it’s playoff time!
Zemyon Vyazoyov - G - KHL - Seattle Kraken 6th rounder in 2021
Second in the KHL with a 1.86 GAA and second overall with a .936 SV%. He’s taken a big step this year with a winning record, even if he’s still just a 1b for his team.
Yegor Zavragin - G - KHL - Philadelphia Flyers 3rd rounder in 2023
Zavragin is just 19 and already a full-fledged starter at the KHL - for a winner, no less. Looks like good things are ahead for the growing goaltender.
Other notables:
Zakhar Bardakov (COL, KHL), Maxim Berezkin (EDM, KHL), Henrik Borgström (WAS, SHL), Alex Chmelevski (SJS, KHL), Liam Dower-Nilsson (DET, HockeyAllsvenskan), Noel Fransen (CAR, HockeyAllsvenskan), Hugo Gabrielson (VAN, HockeyAllsvenskan), Kirill Gerasimyuk (FLA, VHL), Olaf Glifford (FLA, SHL), Vasili Glotov (BUF, KHL), Arseni Gritsyuk (NJD, KHL), Filip Hallander (PIT, SHL), Juha Jatkola (NAS, Liiga), Roman Kantserov (CHI, KHL), Oiva Keskinen (CBJ, Liiga), Bogdan Konyushkov (MTL, KHL), Josef Korenar (UHC, CZE), Rasmus Korhonen (UHC, HockeyAllsvenskan), Yaroslav Korostelyov (SJS, MHL), Matvei Korotky (STL, MHL), Topias Leiponen (BUF, HockeyAllsvenskan), Jakob Malek (NJD, Liiga), Ivan Morozov (VGK, KHL), Felix Nilsson (NAS, SHL), Victor Nörringer (NAS, SWE U20), Ilya Pautov (PHI, MHL), Prokhor Poltapov (BUF, KHL), Daniil Pylenkov (TBL, KHL), Dmitri Rashevsky (WIN, KHL), Vinzenz Rohrer (MTL, NL), Otto Salin (LAK, Liiga), Daniil Savunov (UHC, VHL), Melker Thelin (UHC, HockeyAllsvenskan), Lassi Thomson (OTT, SHL), Victor Söderström (CHI, SHL), Danila Yurov (MIN, KHL)