The second half of the 2023-24 campaign has begun, which means it’s crunch time for several Preds prospects playing for entry-level contracts and more. Here’s a look at who in the Nashville pipeline stood out in December.
Graham Sward
Ahead of the WHL trade deadline on Thursday, Graham Sward continues his hot season for the Wenatchee Wild. Since the start of December, Sward has scored 18 points in 13 games, including a three-assist night on Saturday when he became the first WHL defender to hit 50 points on the year.
Sward is 13th among all WHL skaters in scoring with nine goals and 52 points in 38 games. The Wild appear to be sellers this year, shipping NHL prospects Conor Geekie and Matt Savoie off to Swift Current and Moose Jaw, respectively. As of today, I don’t have any indication Sward will be moved as well, but a Memorial Cup contender could step up sometime this week. A long playoff run could benefit the 2022 fifth-round pick, who needs a deal from Nashville this summer, or else he becomes a free agent.
Luke Reid
Luke Reid is making progress in his senior year at the University of New Hampshire. The 2020 sixth-round draft pick has notched a career-high ten points in just 17 games this year; he scored 21 points in his first three seasons combined.
Much of the defender’s value comes on the power play, and right now, he’s playing for an entry-level deal from Nashville next summer (something I’m not sure he’ll get).
Juha Jatkola
Over the weekend, Preds goalie prospect Juha Jatkola did the improbable, scoring a goal to ice KalPa’s 5-1 win. On top of that, Jatkola picked up an assist in the victory, bringing his points total this season to five (one goal, four assists)—an astonishing number for a goalie who’s played 19 games.
Jatkola, a 2023 draft pick, got off to a horrendous start this season, losing his starting job amidst several sub-0.900 outings. But he’s rebounded lately, stopping 62 of 64 shots in his last three Liiga starts and slowly rebuilding his season save percentage. One trend that you hope we’ll change: Jatkola is facing just more than 21 shots per night.
Jesse Kiiskinen
In a surprise move, Jesse Kiiskinen was the last cut from Team Finland’s World Junior Championship (WJC) camp last month; at the U18 WJC last season, Kiiskinen notched three goals and five points in five games.
But since returning to his Liiga club, the Pelicans, Kiiskinen has scored twice in four games, bringing his season total to three goals and seven points in 31 games; that puts him tied for eighth among U20 skaters league-wide. Five of those points were primary ones scored at even strength, and Kiiskinen’s average ice time has increased to the 12 to 13-minute range. Despite a setback or two, I think he’s putting together a solid post-draft campaign.
Kalan Lind
Kalan Lind has had a rough go of things lately. The 2023 second-round pick missed a ton of time with injury in his draft year, and that continues for the Red Deer Rebels’ winger this season. He’s missed 19 games with injury and illness but has scored five goals and 18 points in the 19 games he has played, keeping him on course for a career-best season.
Unlike Graham Sward’s Wenatchee Wild, the Rebels look to be staying quiet at the WHL trade deadline, but they remain firmly in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.
Sutter Muzzatti
In what continues to be a dismal season for 6-12-1 RPI, Sutter Muzzatti has been a bit of a bright spot for the Engineers. He’s scored five goals and 12 points in 19 games, including six primary points at even strength. However, the 6’5″ fifth-round pick has cooled off lately with just three points in his last ten games.
Cole O’Hara
Cole O’Hara has picked up his play in the past month, recording five points in six games since Thanksgiving. The 2022 fourth-round pick has scored two goals and seven points in 19 games this year, playing middle-six minutes with some power-play time.
O’Hara’s line has been decently effective for UMass as he’s sporting a 3.35 percent relative goals-for rate at even strength. But O’Hara is looking to increase his scoring pace in the second half of the year and move beyond his 5.88 percent shooting rate.
Austin Roest
Halfway through December, Austin Roest took a big (dirty) hit that knocked him out of the Everett Silvertips’ lineup for a couple of weeks. But the 2023 sixth-round pick is back on the ice and has scored four points in his last five games. The Silvertips’ captain is first on his team in goals with 20 and fourth in scoring with 37 points in 35 games.
Isak Walther
Out of the lineup since early November, Isak Walther suited up for just his seventh game of the season on Saturday in a loss for the Vermont Catamounts. Walther scored his 3rd goal and fourth point of the year, continuing his impressive production rate of 1.88 goals per 60 minutes.
