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United States Hockey League (USHL)

2023 NHL Draft: Thoughts On Top Prospects At U18 Five Nations

2023 NHL Draft: Thoughts On Top Prospects At U18 Five Nations

NHL Draft analyst Chris Peters breaks down some of the standouts and notable performances at the recent U18 Five Nations Tournament.

Nov 13, 2022 by Chris Peters
2023 NHL Draft: Thoughts On Top Prospects At U18 Five Nations

PLYMOUTH, Mich. – A lot of high-level NHL personnel including several general managers from across the league descended upon USA Hockey Arena over the past week to get a look at NHL Draft-eligible players from the countries competing in the 2022 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament. 

FloHockey was also on the scene to assess the players participating in this highly scouted event to give you the rundown of standout performers, emerging players and more.

The U.S. National Under-18 Team won the tournament with a perfect 4-0-0-0 record, closing out their home event with a 5-1 win over Sweden in a battle of previously unbeatens. The Swedes finished second, Finland finished third, Switzerland finished fourth and Czechia came in last, picking up just one point in the standings with an overtime loss in their final game against the Finns. 

The tournament featured eight players that were listed in FloHockey’s early-season NHL Draft rankings released earlier this month. Among them, six has standout performances and two underwhelmed. Let’s take a look at some of the players that made an impact 

Will Smith, C, Team USA

Listed at No. 8 in our early-season rankings, much was expected of Will Smith and if anything, he over-delivered in his Five Nations performance. Team USA’s leading scorer in all competitions this season, tied for the tournament lead with nine points including six goals, two of which came in the championship-clinching game against Sweden.

Smith is among the most dynamic players in this entire draft class and it showed here. He was a dominant performer. Smith is able to make high-level skill plays in all areas of the ice and is a continual threat every time he’s out there. His creativity and vision are off the charts, allowing him to make plays you constantly have to look at replays to figure out how he did what he did.

Having Smith eighth in my rankings felt aggressive at the time. Now I feel like he might be a few spots too low. In all competitions this year – which includes games against USHL, NCAA and international opponents – Smith is averaging 2.05 points per game. Only one player in the history of the National Team Development Program averaged two points per game over the course of the season – Jack Hughes, who averaged 2.24 points per game in his record-shattering U18 season before being picked first overall. Smith may not stay above two points per game all year, but the fact he’s producing like he has already, you can’t deny how special he's been.

Gabe Perreault, LW, Team USA

With two assists in the finale, Perreault finished the tournament with nine points to match his linemate Smith. Perreault had four goals and five assists while averaging four shots on goal per game. His vision and touch on the puck allowed him to make some incredibly special plays, including one goal that should be on his all-time highlight reel. 

Perreault has improved so many elements of his game over the last year, especially his skating which no longer looks like it’s going to be considered a weakness in his game. His ability to make plays in traffic and under pressure is going to carry him a long way.

The level that Perreault thinks the game at puts him in a class with some of this draft’s very best players. Thinking it is one thing, though, and executing it is another. He’s able to do both with remarkable consistency. Like Smith, he is having a historic-level season with his production. Averaging 1.89 points per game, Perreault currently ranks fifth in NTDP history in single-season points per game.

Ryan Leonard, RW, Team USA

A highlight-reel goal that ended up on SportsCenter’s Top 10 and a number of other big plays throughout the tournament allowed Leonard to make some significant noise at this U18 Five Nations. He had seven points over the four games, played a physical game and created some extra space for Smith and Perreault to operate. Leonard is the guy who can attract a lot of attention due to his physical strength and great shot. This goal was one of the better ones you’re going to see this season, though. And it was shorthanded.

Oliver Moore, C, Team USA

With four goals and two assists, Moore was the driving force of USA’s second line. His elite speed was too much for defenders in his own age group, allowing Moore to generate offense. One of the biggest noticeable differences in Moore’s game year over year is his physical strength. He always had the speed and skill, but put on a lot of muscle over the summer and it’s showing in how difficult he’s becoming to play against. The Minnesota commit has a lot of high-end attributes that are only getting better this season.

Otto Stenberg, LW, Sweden

Stenberg was one of the few players from the European countries that stacked up well with the U.S. team. His effort level was always high and he managed to make a lot of big plays. Stenberg is a high-end skater with a good motor. He didn’t necessarily have the offensive consistency you need to produce at a higher level, but there wasn’t much more he could do. He finished the tournament with four points, which included a game-winning goal in the final minute against Finland. He’s been one of the real stars of the 2005 birth year for Sweden and was at this tournament.

Jesse Kiiskinen, RW, Finland

With eight points, he finished third in the tournament in scoring. Kiiskinen was Finland’s most consistent player game-in, game-out. Both of his goals came off of impressive curl and drag shots that fooled goalies and defensemen alike. The thing that impressed me most about Kiiskinen was his work ethic. He’s not a big guy, but he was on pucks fast and put pressure on the opposition. I don’t think he has the size or speed to get himself into the first-round discussion, but he should be an early mid-round pick that a team is going to be very happy to get. He was Finland’s captain and certainly led by example on the ice, while also being Finland’s most impactful player game to game.

Aram Minnetian, D, Team USA

An eight-point performance made Minnetian the top-scoring defenseman in the Five Nations Tournament, while his seven assists led all players. Minnetian is a speedy defenseman who doesn’t try to do too much.  He jumps into plays well and does a nice job of finding the best outlets to get pucks up ice and to the middle for more dangerous scoring chances. His skating seemed to challenge opposing players throughout the tournament. In a weak year for defensemen in the draft, we’re still waiting for players to establish themselves, but Minnetian had a big week in front of a lot of scouts, which should help his cause.

Other prospects of note

Trey Augustine, G, Team USA: Each of USA’s three goalies got at least one start, but Augustine got two. He was sharp in his two appearances, including in the final game against Sweden during which he made 29 saves on 30 shots with the only goal deflecting off of his defenseman. The 6-foot-1 goalie is among the better goalies in a class that has a few good ones and he’s playing well enough at this point to potentially earn a spot on the U.S. National Junior Team for the World Juniors. He has a .921 save percentage in nine games this season.

Danny Nelson, LW/C, Team USA: Playing on USA’s second line and their second power play, Nelson had some very noticeable moments throughout the tournament. He’s a 6-foot-3, 200-pound forward with good hands. He’s still getting up to speed with this team a little after joining in the offseason, but his impressive attributes and upward trend has him making a case to be, at worst, an early Day 2 pick at the draft. He had five points (1-4) in the Five Nations Tournament.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka, D, Sweden: A brilliant skater who likes to get pucks up ice and get into the play, Sandin-Pellikka was 29th on my first draft rankings. Offensively, I’d probably like to see Sandin-Pellikka make a few more plays with the puck on his stick, but you can see the flashes that make him a higher-end prospect. The young defenseman has played seven SHL games this season Skelleftea, which was a big goal of his as he told me at the tournament. Now he’s got his sights set on being a more well-rounded defensemen by building strength and playing a little tougher in the defensive zone. I think he’s probably a fringe first-rounder in this draft class, but in a weak defense class, there’s plenty to like about him. 

Jesse Nurmi, LW, Finland: Currently the top scorer in Finland’s U20 league, I was very intrigued by Nurmi coming into the tournament. He had some especially noticeable moments, playing with good pace and showing some skill here and there, but I don’t think it was consistent enough. He’s not a big player and probably not quick enough to make as big an impact as he otherwise could. He’s been so good with his club this year, but getting a chance to compare and contrast him to top players on other teams, he didn't necessarily stack up. That's not to take away anything from what he's done this season because you can see the skill and the way he thinks the game.

Paul Fischer, D, USA: Fischer didn't have any points in the tournament, but played solid defense and showed how his mobility can be an asset. He's got good physical strength, plays solid in his own end and seems to defend in transition especially well. Despite the lack of points, he moves pucks fine and has been productive in other competitions throughout the season. We're still waiting for defensemen in this class to pop, but Fischer has been one that has trended up in recent weeks and certainly did not hurt himself with his performance in this tournament.

Anton Wahlberg, RW, Sweden: A 6-foot-3, 214-pound winger with some good hands, Wahlberg consistently popped in my viewings. He scored three goals in the tournament and made a lot of plays through the middle of the ice. His skating is below average, however, which will impact his projection, but big players with skill are often going to be given the benefit of the doubt and I think that will be true of him come draft time.

Tom Willander, D, Sweden: He had just one goal and five shots on net, but I liked the way Willander played throughout the event. He’s got good mobility and defends responsibly. I’m not sure there’s enough offense there for him to be anything more than a mid-round pick, but he has some tools.

Eric Schneller, D, Switzerland: The Swiss did not have a lot of players that really managed to jump on my radar significantly for the draft, but Schneller was noticeable in every game he played. I really liked the way he competes. He plays physical and is a good skater. I’ll be keeping an eye on him to see if he continues on this path, but he played like a player that deserves to be drafted in this tournament, finishing with three assists. That's just a four-game sample, though, but he's at least on the radar now.

Noah Dower Nilsson, LW, Sweden: There were glimpses from Dower Nilsson, but not enough to say he had an impactful tournament. A dominant scorer at the U20 level in Sweden, averaging better than a goal per game, Dower Nilsson scored two at the Five Nations. Playing primarily on Sweden’s second offensive line, he generated his share of chances, but didn’t show the finish he’s had back home. Dower Nilsson had 14 shots on goal, which ranked fourth in the tournament. You can see his skill level and he’s got some size to him, but I don’t think it was a memorable performance from him.

Emil Jarventie, LW, Finland: I had Jarventie ranked 28th on my first draft rankings and while I wouldn’t allow one event to sway my opinion so severely on a player, his performance at the Five Nations created a lot more questions. It was not a good week for the sometimes-flashy forward who had one goal and one assist and often disappeared in games. This tournament wasn’t so deep in talent that he should have been as unremarkable as he was. It’s kind of been on trend with his season, though. Jarventie is not scoring at a particularly high clip in Finland and to come here and struggle as he did was a bit of a red flag for me.  

Noel Nordh, RW, Sweden: Another first-round projected player on my rankings, I had Nordh 27th due to the skill I think he has to go along with his big frame. This tournament was not a good one for Nordh, who didn’t lack opportunity. He was on Sweden’s top line and had four points, showing some flashes of power forward capabilities. I just expected a bit more from a player who recently got some pro games in the SHL.

Jakub Stancl, LW, Czechia: It was very difficult for Czech players to stand out in this tournament, especially without their two best players at the U18 level in Michael Hrabal and Eduard Sale, who were not at the tournament. They lost all of their games and really didn't provide much of a push. There were some expectations on Stancl, however, as a player that's gotten into some top-level pro games while playing in Sweden. He's got size and you can see flashes of skill, but he didn't do much to separate himself. He'll still likely be drafted with the projectable tools he has, but this tournament likely doesn't end up on the end-of-season highlights for him.