Forwards
Fyodor Avramov: Already 6-foot-3, 190 lbs., Avramov's game looks smooth. There's no wasted movement there, and he's got a beautiful release. It was our first chance to see him in person after he was selected in the 2024 draft, and following his KHL debut this past season, there is hope that he'll see even more action in that league this fall.
Blake Biondi: Originally drafted by Montreal but unsigned, the now 23-year-old started his pro career on a tryout with Chicago (AHL) this spring. Getting in seven games following the conclusion of his season with Notre Dame (NCAA), he earned a one-year contract with the Wolves for the 2025-26 season. He was the oldest player at this week's event, and it will be interesting to see if he can carve out a role for himself with the Canes' AHL affiliate.
Charlie Cerrato: The Penn State product is a really fun player to watch. He's got some spunk to him, notably getting into it with fellow prospect Alexander Rykov during the small scrimmage portion of things. Putting up 42 points as a freshman last season is beyond impressive. Now, how will he follow that up this fall? Given that he's 20 years old, he may not be too many years away from pro hockey here in North America.
Fikip Ekberg: Yes, he's small. Yes, he's skilled. Ekberg's talent is very clear, and he told reporters his favorite NHL player to model his game after is Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov because "something happens every time the puck is on his stick." How his game progresses over the next few years will be exciting to monitor.
Michael Emerson: Emerson's third development camp comes after he started his second NCAA stint at Merrimack last fall. He has a real sense of maturity to his game. There's a lot of time left to figure out what kind of player he's going to become, but one element of his arsenal that's never going to be in question is his shot.
Nils Juntorp: A prospect acquired in the three-team trade that brought Taylor Hall and Mikko Rantanen to Raleigh in January, Juntorp was initially selected by Chicago in the sixth round of the 2022 draft. The right-handed forward's entire career has been in Sweden thus far, except for one USHL season (2022-23). Hopefully, we can see him back at this event again next year.
Josh Nadeau: Invited back for a third consecutive camp, Nadeau, who returned to the Univ. of Maine last year as his brother, Bradly, turned pro, is now up to 74 points in 74 NCAA games. Stature-wise, he's a little smaller than Carolina's 2023 first-round pick, but he certainly possesses similar skills, especially on the offensive side, that should allow him to be a pro hockey player at some point in the next few years.
Viggo Nordlund: Listed at 5-foot-9, 168 lbs., Nordlund knows he stands on the smaller side of things. Earlier this week, when he was asked if there was an NHL player he liked to watch or model his game after, his answer was another player might have lacked size, but was still exceptional with his skill - Johnny Gaudreau. It's worth noting that he is under contract in Sweden until 2028.
Jayden Perron: Continuing to be one of the nicest young men on the planet, Perron is going to embark on a new journey this fall as he shifts from the University of North Dakota to the University of Michigan. It will be his third NCAA season, and he'll be on a roster stacked with at least six NHL-drafted prospects. We'd be remiss if we didn't mention his work ethic. Long after his group was done on the ice on the first day of camp, he remained out there shooting pucks. That sort of stuff doesn't go unnoticed.
Justin Poirier: Taking advantage of the new CHL to NCAA path, Poirier, who had 210 points in 181 QMJHL games over three seasons, is onto a new challenge this fall. Set to skate at the University of Maine with Josh Nadeau, Poirier hopes that playing against bigger and older competition will help him round out his game. It's clear that the offensive side of his toolbox is already elite; now, he'll work at getting other areas of his game to follow suit.
Ivan Ryabkin: Last weekend, there was so much buzz about why Ryabkin was drafted where he was. This time last year, it was a real possibility that he would go inside the top ten, but the Canes were able to get him at the end of the second round. Seeing him on the ice, it's very clear that talent is no issue. How does he move forward? How he answers that and where he plays this fall are worth monitoring. He was taken in the CHL Import Draft this week, but that doesn't mean he'll for sure be playing for Charlottetown. There are options on the table, and in conjunction with the Canes, they'll try and make sure where he lands next is best for his development.
Alexander Rykov: After a really solid season where he battled injuries and still found himself playing 12 KHL playoff games as a teenager, there's a lot to like here. For a forward group that's certainly not the biggest in the league, Rykov is already right at the six-foot mark and looks like he has more room to fill out as well. Signed with Traktor (KHL) again for next season, should his game continue trending in the right direction, he's one of the brightest spots of the entire prospect pool.
Oskar Vuollet: It's easy to see that the Swede is a quick thinker. Part of the reason he spent the majority of last season playing at the highest level in his home country, he's also incredibly smart when it comes to making those decisions. The hope is that he'll be able to add a little more production during the 2025-26 season and be back again next summer.
Stanislav Yarovoi: With 130 games of KHL experience under his belt already, Yarovoi has long been rumored to be on the cusp of signing an entry-level contract with the Canes. Adding fuel to that fire, his KHL club recently announced that it would not take part in the 2025-26 campaign. Should he play in North America, Carolina's fourth-round pick in 2023, he would instantly become one of the most fascinating prospects to watch this season.
