Scout’s Analysis: Four intriguing prospects making an impression

With a week to go before NHL teams have to submit their opening night rosters ahead of the 2025-26 season, several rookies around the league are having steady training camps and making their teams think about what to do with them from here.

Teams who find themselves tight against the salary cap might prioritize having a youngster on the roster to grow their game and financially fit the structure of the group. Other teams may have a veteran who is being marginally outplayed by a prospect, but choose to hang on to the older player because they’d otherwise have to expose them to waivers.

The final week of NHL training camps is going to lay bare team strategies and open opportunities for rookies and veterans alike.

Hereâ€s a look at some of the prospects Iâ€m tracking closely before next Mondayâ€s NHL roster announcements:

Parekh is a unicorn prospect for the Calgary Flames, a transitional defenceman who can almost be described as a rover. Heâ€s equal parts fourth forward as he is offensive defenceman. Parekh produced 97G-172A in 206 combined regular season and playoff games with the Saginaw Spirit (OHL) before making his Flames debut last spring. He was also an impressive plus-84 with the Spirit.

Iâ€ve liked a lot of Parekhâ€s game at Flames training camp. Heâ€s playing to his identity with his offensive approach, while learning what itâ€s going to take to defend at the NHL level. It will take some time, and there will be growing pains, but Calgary doesnâ€t have a defenceman like Parekh on their roster. He looks like he can quarterback one of their power play units and heâ€s been active off the puck joining the rush as an extra layer.

Here are some examples of what Iâ€ve noticed from Parekh in the pre-season.

The first clip demonstrates Parekhâ€s vision, agility, and quick release getting pucks to the net. His ability to find open space to create offence is elite. Heâ€s in motion looking for the best possible shooting or passing angle and covers a wide area of the offensive zone in the process, making him hard to front and defend.

Opposing teams will need to be aware of Parekhâ€s ability to join the rush as an extra attacker. When he identifies an opportunity to explode up ice off the puck, heâ€s aggressive trying to create odd-man rushes for his group.

Now on to the growing pains portion of Parekhâ€s game that will need to evolve as he gains more traction at the pro level.

In the following clip Parekh and his partner, Kevin Bahl, are in relatively good shape defending the neutral zone, but once the play enters Parekhâ€s side of the ice he gives up far too much gap. Parekh does well to block the initial shot but then breaks down in his recovery. He initially chases the play to the corner where Jonathan Huberdeau has engaged his check, then ends up late to the crease as Seattle capitalizes on the small area breakdown.

I see a path for Parekh to break camp with the Flames, but I also envision him skating in sheltered minutes at even strength in Calgaryâ€s bottom pairing. His element offensively should land him a role on one of Calgaryâ€s power play units.

Schaefer is one of my favourite prospects and the most endearing young person I have scouted in my career. Heâ€s going to have a long career in the NHL as a top pairing defenceman who is deployed in all situations.

Schaefer made headlines last week with his superior effort against the Philadelphia Flyers when he tracked down Matvei Michkov in overtime to kill a breakaway scoring opportunity and turned up ice to rip a puck from a high danger area. His 200-foot effort is infectious and speaks to his overall competitiveness.

The NHL is a hard league and the games get more difficult as training camp goes on. Schaefer continues to evolve. Heâ€s being deployed in all situations for the Islanders, but heâ€s learning some things along the way.

An example is the following clip of a goal against versus New Jersey. Schaefer doesnâ€t fully engage on the Islanders’ blue line. He will look back at this play and recognize he needed more urgency to kill it before it became a scoring chance, and ultimately a goal against:

I want to end Schaeferâ€s breakdown on a positive. Hereâ€s an example of what sets certain players apart early in their NHL development. In the following sequence Schaefer keeps the puck in on the offensive blue line and, with his head up, directs a “shot/pass†to Anthony Duclair. Duclair corrals the disc and deposits it in the Devils’ net.

Schaeferâ€s hockey sense and vision are elite. He will make difficult puck plays look more simple than they actually are.

Schaefer is going to be an NHL defenceman this season. He will break camp with the Islanders, but he might start the season skating in the bottom pairing at even strength alongside a veteran like Scott Mayfield. Mayfieldâ€s style is different than Schaeferâ€s and should allow the youngster to take some risks knowing Mayfield has his back in the defensive zone when things occasionally break down.

Ike Howard, W, Edmonton Oilers

I would describe Howardâ€s training camp as “mixed results†thus far in Edmonton. Heâ€s played with solid pace up ice, tracking opponents as F1 on the forecheck, and using his speed to disrupt puck plays and create some turnovers. Heâ€s also deposited the puck in the back of the net working the weak side flank on the power play. But there have been some instances where Howard has been caught puck watching or not moving his feet in the defensive zone that have led to scoring chances and goals against.

Here’s an example of what the Oilers can expect from Howard on the power play. In the sequence he actually breaks his stick on his first shot attempt, only to return to the scene with a new twig and different approach to directing the puck on goal. His quick release snap shot ends up in the back of the Winnipeg Jets net:

The puck moves quickly in the NHL and players have to be “on time†defensively so they can help keep plays out of high danger areas and the back of their net. In the following clip Howard gets caught anticipating the puck will be exiting his zone. When it doesnâ€t, he struggles to take the proper route and engage along the half-wall to win back the puck. Itâ€s a hectic sequence that exposes Howard chasing the play in his zone before the Jets end up scoring.

I appreciate the speed Howard provides tracking up and down the ice, especially off the rush offensively, and he has the kind of release that can beat NHL goalies clean from a variety of spots in the offensive zone. Ultimately his ‘B’ game will have to evolve in order for Howard to stick in the NHL this season, but I believe he has the hockey sense and competitiveness to adjust and pay close attention to his defensive responsibilities when heâ€s not scoring.

The Ducks are a team on the rise and Sennecke is a hulking (6-foot-3, 206 pounds) skill forward who will eventually play a big role for them as they trend towards being a playoff team and potential contender in the coming years. He produced 36G-50A in the regular season with the Oshawa Generals last year and followed it up with 14G-18A in 18 playoff games. His combination of length, power and puck touch make him very difficult to defend.

Sennecke has caught my eye at training camp with a couple of plays that speak exactly to his identity as a player.

In the first clip he regroups in the neutral zone before powering to the net for a tuck.

Not every play will result in a goal or an assist, but can still be classified as unique and perhaps elite. Hereâ€s an example of Sennecke creating a scoring chance following an inaccurate pass that was in his feet. He barely breaks stride corralling the puck and motioning it on to his stick off his back foot. It speaks to his coordination and sneaky ability to make something out of nothing.

The Ducks have a big decision to make with Sennecke. They might keep him around for a nine-game NHL audition this fall to see if he can earn a full year in the league. Otherwise, Anaheim will be forced to send Sennecke back to Oshawa for one more year since the new rule regarding clubs being allowed to place one 19-year-old prospect in the AHL instead of junior doesnâ€t kick in until next season.

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