Buium, Hutson and more: Scouting reports on your team’s newest prospects

Apr 14, 2025

Buium, Hutson and more: Scouting reports on your team’s newest prospects

With more and more teams ending their season in recent days – joyously or otherwise – we’ve seen an abundance of players signing their first NHL contracts.

A week ago, we looked at more than 20 notable players who turned pro out of the NCAA. With Western Michigan winning the national title over the weekend, expect even more to follow in their footsteps. But across all leagues – Europe, CHL, NCAA, you name it – we’ve seen plenty more realize their pro hockey dreams.

You already know all about Ivan Demidov and Alexander Nikishin, the two high-profile prospects out of SKA St. Petersburg. But what about the rest who signed NHL deals over the past week? It’s time to meet them:

Ian Moore, D (Anaheim Ducks)

At 6-foot-3, Moore, moves well for his size. He’s quick, athletic, and does a great job of taking space away. The Harvard University captain doesn’t have much offensive upside, but he’s tough to play against without being overly physical. He’s been great with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, and that led to the Ducks signing him to his entry-level contract after eight games of pro hockey. The Ducks have a congested blueline, but I could see Moore being a shutdown, bottom-pairing defender one day.

Carey Terrance, C (Anaheim Ducks)

Terrance has all the makings of a shutdown defender. A two-time World Junior gold medalist with USA, Terrance plays a smart, hard-working defensive game. He even showed more significant offensive flashes, too. The Erie Otters forward only had 39 points in the OHL in an injury-shortened campaign. But, more importantly, he showed an improved two-way game where he rarely lost a battle.

Arsenii Sergeev, G, (Calgary Flames)

Sergeev had to be excellent down the stretch to get Penn State as far as they did. He actually saved some of his best games of his collegiate career for last. He had to do a ton of heavy lifting over his three-year college tenure, so he knows how to deal with heavy expectations. But when Sergeev is in the zone, he’s dialed in. The Flames have their long-term No. 1 in Dustin Wolf, but Sergeev has good size, athleticism and mobility and should be considered for a backup role sometime down the line.

Carter King, LW (Calgary Flames)

King has received a ton of attention from NHL scouts the past few years due to his work ethic. He plays on both special teams while doing an especially good job as a penalty killer. King is a decent enough skater that can throw some solid hits for a 5-foot-10 forward. I can see him being a third or fourth-liner in the NHL who can feed off energy. King was one of the most exciting NCAA prospects this year, so I like this for the Flames.

Aidan Thompson, C (Chicago Blackhawks)

Maybe it’s because he’s a smaller center, but it has felt like Thompson has gone underrated for quite some time. The 5-foot-11 forward, Thompson might not be big, but his impact sure is. He’s one of the top forwards in the NCAA with 20 goals and 55 points in 44 games during his third year at Denver. He took on a more leading role after the national title last year, with this past year being his most impressive. He’s been playing some great hockey over the past two months, and his high hockey IQ and great shot should give the Hawks a nice boost moving forward. I don’t think he’s a top-sixer, but I can see him being a solid middle-six threat.

Ryan Greene, C (Chicago Blackhawks)

Greene had three remarkably consistent seasons at Boston University. He was captain this past year, registering a career-best 38 points in 40 games. The 21-year-old is a great puckhandler with an impressive work ethic. He’s not overly physical, but he’ll wear you down with his skating and how persistent he is. He’s a solid transitional forward who also defends significantly better than he did in his draft year in 2022. I could see the St. John’s, Newfoundland native having a long career as a bottom-six center.

Arno Tiefensee, G (Dallas Stars)

I thought the Stars made a smart move taking Tiefensee in the fifth round in 2023. His 6-foot-4 frame definitely didn’t hurt, but he also had plenty of pro experience at that point. He’s been a standout with Adler Mannheim over the past three years, establishing himself as one of the top young goalies in the German league. He’s competitive, athletic, and can absolutely steal games when he needs to. At 22, he’s a bit farther along in his development, and I expect him to be an important part of Texas’ crease.

Quinn Hutson, RW (Edmonton Oilers)

Quinn is actually the oldest brother of the prominent hockey family, who saw a fourth – Lars Hutson – make his junior hockey debut earlier this year as a 16-year-old. Quinn has had a long run, which included a two-game stretch with the U-18 USA Hockey National Team Development Program around his 20th birthday. He started as an older college player and was quite productive during his three years at BU. Hutson is coming off a 23-goal, 50-point junior campaign while upping his physical game, too. Hutson is the biggest of the brothers at 5-foot-11, and he plays with a ton of energy. He doesn’t possess the same skill as Lane or Cole and likely will be more of a depth player moving forward. At the very least, he’s one of Edmonton’s better prospects, but it’s a weak pool.

Samuel Jonsson, G (Edmonton Oilers)

A fifth-round pick in 2022, Jonsson has come a long way in recent years. The 21-year-old stands tall at 6-foot-5, and it feels like he really started to learn how to use his size to his advantage this year. He put up excellent numbers with BIK Karlskoga in the second Swedish league, which saw him register six shutouts in 24 games. He primarily backed up Norwegian veteran Lars Volden, but Jonsson often outplayed him this season. Oilers fans are excited about him due to his strong play at a young age, and I’m excited to see how he uses his quick footwork to his advantage on North American ice.

Nathaniel Day, G (Edmonton Oilers)

Day was a sixth-round pick in 2023, with the Oilers betting high on his 6-foot-4 frame. He played a boatload of hockey the past two years, starting a whopping 113 games for Flint. That’s the most of any NHL-affiliated goaltender, going 51-51-6 with two shutouts on a subpar Flint Firebirds. The consistent rubber set him up nicely to kick off his pro career, with Day registering two shutouts and just one goal allowed in three contests so far. He’s big, athletic and tracks pucks as well as anyone. Day might have a long way to go to prove he can be an NHL goaltender – it was hard to truly evaluate him on the Firebirds. But the Oilers have to love his development so far.

Atro Leppanen, D (Edmonton Oilers)

I like this one for the Oilers. The 26-year-old defender plays a high-risk, high-reward game. Leppanen is really skilled with the puck, more so than most. He had a tremendous season this year where he played of so much confidence. The big issue here, though, is that he does struggle in his own zone, which is not ideal for a defenseman. I don’t think he’s an everyday NHL player because there’s still too much refinement to do. But if you were going to head to sign someone with potential out of Europe, it was Leppanen.

Jack Devine, RW (Florida Panthers)

From a seventh-round pick in 2021 to a two-time NCAA champion, Devine has had quite the glow-up the past few years. He made his mark as one of the most productive players in college hockey, leaving nothing on table. The 21-year-old has a good shot, but he’s more dangerous as a playmaker. Devine is a speedy, energetic forward who just makes things happen. He won two national titles and nearly snagged another, having a big impact each time. We’ll see if those winning ways continue in the pro ranks.

Zeev Buium, D (Minnesota Wild)

Many consider Buium to be the best prospect in hockey right now. The results have been impressive: Since January 2024, Buium has won two World Junior Championships with USA, a national NCAA title with the University of Denver and another trip to the final. Buium has shined as a play-driving, all-around defender. He’s so effective at both ends of the ice, and he’s a truly remarkable skater. Buium isn’t particularly big or strong, but many scouts aren’t worried because his hockey IQ and pure skill are so high-end already. The Wild have one of the best young bluelines in hockey, with Brock Faber and David Jiricek leading the way. Adding Buium to the team for the playoffs is just icing on the cake.

Tyler Thorpe, RW (Montreal Canadiens)

It’s hard to miss Thorpe out there – he’s 6-foot-5. The towering winger was drafted as a re-entry player last year, where he had 44 points in 51 games. This year, he cracked 50 and had a nice 60 penalty minutes for a nice overall improvement. He’s a typical power forward. He hits everyone in sight, can skate well and brings energy every shift. I wouldn’t want to face a Canadiens’ fourth line with him and Florian Xhekaj coming your way.

Nathan Villeneuve, C (Seattle Kraken)

Villeneuve made waves when he was given a 15-game suspension for violating the OHL’s social media policy last year. It meant missing a significant portion of his draft year, but it didn’t stop him from becoming a solid second-round pick. That’s because he’s an absolute workhorse who will stop at nothing to come out on top. He had 34 goals, 70 points and a whopping 120 penalty minutes while making a name for himself as one of the toughest players in major junior. He can return to Sudbury next year, where I expect him to take on an even bigger role before becoming the next Zachary L’Heureux.

Andrei Loshko, RW (Seattle Kraken)

After three solid years in the QMJHL, Loshko jumped over to Niagara of the OHL, where he had a solid 34 goals and 70 points. He showed plenty of confidence as a shooter and loves controlling the puck. He’s strong, using his frame to cut through the middle to make lives miserable for defensemen. Loshko played some excellent hockey against Barrie in the first round of the playoffs but it wasn’t enough to prevent elimination. Loshko feels like more of a depth forward, but one I expect should be an analytical darling given how often he has the puck on his stick.

Blake Smith, D (Toronto Maple Leafs)

It’s easy to understand why Brad Treliving likes Smith. His size and physicality is exactly what the Leafs’ GM has been all over in recent years. Some scouts consider him to be one of the tougher players in the OHL. He had a lot to prove to earn a pro contract and made sure to leave nothing on the line from a physical angle. He hits hard and plays hard, and that’s going to make you a popular figure in this organization. I don’t think he’s more than an AHLer, but many who’ve watched him play closely consider him to be an absolute touch customer to crack.

Patrick Thomas, C (Washington Capitals)

The Brantford Bulldogs have been worth watching all season long, and Thomas is a massive reason why. The captain finished second in team scoring with 104 points, with his 77 assists putting him first in the OHL. He’s smart, crafty and very dangerous in open space. He’s one of the most intelligent centermen in the OHL and it allowed him to take a step forward in his offensive game this year.

Kieron Walton, C (Winnipeg Jets)

Walton has gotten plenty of mentions on Daily Faceoff this year, and for good reason. He’s a 6-foot-6 forward who finished shy of 100 points. He had 38 goals and 92 points to absolutely smoke his draft-year output of 43. A sixth-round pick in 2024, Walton has established himself as one of the most improved prospects. At the major junior level, he’s simply uncontainable. I can’t wait to watch how his game translates to the NHL. He had a quiet start to his pro career in Manitoba over the weekend, but you could still see just how dangerous he was on the attack.

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