The Hockey News

In this year's edition of our annual Prospects Unlimited issue, we count down the top 100 21-and-under players in the world and focus in on each NHL team's youth with profiles, grades and a full listing of every player in the organization.

A LIST OF A DIFFERENT FEATHER

MASTHEAD

THE GREAT ONE SCORES AGAIN

REACHED THE TIPPING POINT? • Shane Wright was given an incredibly rare exemption to play in the AHL as an underager, which has re-opened the debate on whether more prospects in his position should receive the same opportunity

BEHIND THE MASK

JERSEY HOUND

SWING AND MISS-O-METER • Hoarding draft picks is seen as a surefire strategy for rebuilding clubs, but there are teams who’ve done less with more. From 2003 to 2018, as measured by average games played per pick, here are the worst-performing draft-class hauls by clubs that had at least 10 darts to throw at the board

PUCK CULTURE • Sure, we got Blades of Steel here, but not every hockey game made its way from Japan to North America. Here are five interesting examples

THE COUNTDOWN • Bedard is off the board, so let the Year of Celebrini – or maybe Eiserman – begin. It may be eight months away, but it’s never too soon for a mock draft, right?

CHRIS SNOW: 1981-2023 • He never let his incurable disease faze him. And as he battled ALS while continuing his work with aplomb, he became an inspiration to thousands

A NEW ERA OF ORANGE • A REVAMPED MANAGEMENT TEAM WITH A DIRECT PHILOSOPHY COUPLED WITH A PROSPECT POOL THAT’S GETTING DEEPER HAS THE PHILADELPHIA FLYERS’ FUTURE AIMED SKYWARD

Q&A WITH DANIEL BRIERE • THE FLYERS GM TALKS ABOUT HIS EXPECTATIONS FOR THIS SEASON, THE IMPORTANCE OF BLENDING YOUTH WITH NHL VETERANS, ANDWHAT IT WAS LIKE HEADING UP HIS FIRST DRAFT

Q&A WITH BRENT FLAHR • THE FLYERS ASSISTANT GM DISCUSSES HIS TEAM’S APPROACH TO THE DRAFT, WHY THEY WERE COMFORTABLE PICKING MICHKOV AND WHAT HE’S LEARNED DURING HIS TIME IN THE NHL

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 1-5 • WHO ARE THE WORLD’S BEST YOUNGSTERS? The Hockey News’ editor in chief, Ryan Kennedy, started with our Future Watch order and then blended his own insight and analytics to create THN’s ultimate list of the top 100 players born since 2002. In this ranking, which is based on each player’s prime potential, you’ll find established NHLers as well as prospects who are years away from being drafted. Kennedy wrote the bios for non-NHL players, while Jared Clinton penned the NHLers. Ages as of Oct. 1.

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 6-11

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 12. SIMON NEMEC • The Devils have the luxury of playing it slow with Simon Nemec. But if the way he took to the North American game last season is any indication, he’ll soon force their hand

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 13-18

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 19-24

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 25. WYATT JOHNSTON • Wyatt Johnston took the league by surprise last year, but how will he fare in his sophomore season with the Dallas Stars now that the spotlight is on him?

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 26-30

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 31-35

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 36. JURAJ SLAFKOVSKY • Juraj Slafkovsky, 2022’s top pick, has plenty of confidence away from the rink. Now, he just needs to find it on the ice. The Habs believe they have a plan to do just that

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 37-42

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 43-48

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 49-54

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 55-60

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 61. RYAN LEONARD • Ryan Leonard brings a package of size, strength and skating. It’s a combo so tantalizing, the Capitals were worried he’d be off the board by the time it was their turn at the draft

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 62-69

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 70-77

TOP 100 21 AND UNDER: 78-85

TOP 100...