Ryan Suzuki has a brother to thank for helping push him to this point.

But as far as the comparisons go?

In his mind, they don't even apply.

"I definitely get asked a lot about my brother," Ryan said of his older bro Nick, was drafted 13th overall by the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, and is currently a prospect of the Montreal Canadiens. "Basically, the same questions.

"Ever I got drafted into the OHL, it's always been a comparison. It's the easiest one to make. We're both brothers and a lot of people want to know what's going on between us and how I compare to him.

"But I think we're two different players, [albeit] with a similar (foundation). We both rely on our hockey sense and that kind of gets us around."

Mark Giordano and Sean Monahan are set to walk the red carpet at the 2019 NHL Awards this Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Giordano, the odds-on favourite after a stellar 2018-19 season, is nominated for both the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenceman, as well as the Mark Messier Leadership Award, which is given to the "player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, and plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey."

With a name like that, the rugged, stay-at-home sort immediately comes to mind.

That type tends to run in the family.

"Never played D," Nolan Foote, the No. 37-ranked North-American skater, laughed of the family bloodlines.

"Nah.

"I always wanted to score goals."

Mark Giordano and Sean Monahan are set to walk the red carpet at the 2019 NHL Awards this Wednesday in Las Vegas.

Giordano, the odds-on favourite after a stellar 2018-19 season, is nominated for both the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenceman, as well as the Mark Messier Leadership Award, which is given to the "player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice, and plays a leading role in his community growing the game of hockey."

You play the way you practice.

If the legendary Pop Warner could see his words in action with the U.S. National Team Development Program more than a century later, he'd certainly be proud.

Calgary, AB - The Calgary Flames announced today that they have signed forward Eetu Tuulola to a three-year, two-way entry level contract.

A player's draft year is often a story of rapid ascension.

Some, more than others, just happen make noise along the way.

But when you break out like this - and this fast - turning the tools into real-life acclaim, the proverbial glass ceiling doesn't stand a chance.

Thomas Harley is evidence of that.

What do you remember most from your draft journey?

It was a special day. I didn't know what was going to happen and that's was a fun part of the draft, not knowing where I was going to end up and what city I was going to call home. It was a fun experience overall, there were a lot of nerves going through as I sat there with my family and I'll always remember sharing that moment with them because it was a big day for them too.

Standing out on that team was no small feat.

There was Jack Hughes and Alex Turcotte.

Trevor Zegras and Matthew Boldy.

Cameron York and more.

And yet, on this - a 'generational' version of the U.S. National Team Development Program - Cole Caufield did something no one else in that star-spangled crew can lay claim to.

He stormed out of the gate, surprised many and never looked back.

Even by his normally lofty standards, Victor Soderstrom arrived at the Scouting Combine still abuzz over that whirlwind campaign.

"My goal was to be a leader on the junior team, and then maybe get a couple of practices and a couple of games in the (Swedish Hockey League)," Soderstrom, the third-ranked European skater for next week's NHL Draft, said of his 'dream' season.

"For it to turn out the way it did, I didn't really expect that."