The 2024 American Hockey League All-Star Classic in San Jose on Feb. 4-5 will feature some of the NHL’s top young prospects.
The event includes a skills competition on Feb. 4, with a 3-on-3 round-robin tournament among teams representing the AHL’s four divisions Feb. 5. This season will feature 14 NHL first-round picks among the 48 players selected for the event. Another 10 players are second-round picks.
From the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic, 13 players already are in the NHL on a full-time basis. That list features goalies Lukas Dostal (Anaheim Ducks), Joel Hofer (St. Louis Blues) and Joseph Woll (Toronto Maple Leafs); defensemen Thomas Harley (Dallas Stars), Zac Jones (New York Rangers), Brayden Pachal (Vegas Golden Knights) and Darren Raddysh (Tampa Bay Lightning); and forwards Alex Barre-Boulet (Lightning), Michael Carcone (Arizona Coyotes), Luke Evangelista (Nashville Predators), Tyson Foerster (Philadelphia Flyers), Matthew Phillips (Washington Capitals) and Lukas Reichel (Chicago Blackhawks).
Here is a look at some of the top All-Star prospects who will represent the Atlantic and North Divisions. A look at the Central and Pacific Division All-Stars will follow in two weeks:
Jake Christiansen, Cleveland (Columbus Blue Jackets)
The 24-year-old is part of a contingent, along with coach Trent Vogelhuber, goalie Jet Greaves, and forward Troy Fix-Wolansky, that will represent Cleveland, the North Division leader.
The undrafted defenseman signed with Columbus on March 5, 2020. Last season he stuck with the Blue Jackets for 24 games and had four assists. He played three NHL games with his first League goal this season. Christiansen is tied for eighth among AHL defensemen with 24 points (six goals, 18 assists) in 31 games.
Dennis Hildeby, Toronto (Toronto Maple Leafs)
The 22-year-old goalie is trying to follow the path of Woll, his Maple Leafs counterpart who also came up through the AHL and represented Toronto at the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic.
Selected by the Maple Leafs in the fourth round (No. 122) of the 2022 NHL Draft, Hildeby is in his first full season in North America. He has gone 8-6-3 with a 2.22 goals-against average (fifth in the AHL), .918 save percentage and three shutouts in 17 AHL games, also earning recall time in the NHL.
Jiri Kulich, Rochester (Buffalo Sabres)
Despite missing seven games representing Czechia at the IIHF World Junior Championship, Kulich is tied for sixth in the AHL with 16 goals in 26 games. The 19-year-old forward is trying to build on a strong AHL rookie season in 2022-23, when he had 24 goals in 62 games and was named to the AHL Top Prospects Team.
Kulich was chosen by the Sabres with the No. 28 pick in the 2022 draft.
Logan Mailloux, Laval (Montreal Canadiens)
Mailloux, selected by the Canadiens with the No. 31 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, is in his first AHL season.
The 20-year-old defenseman's eight goals in 35 games tie him for fourth among AHL defensemen; he also has 14 assists for 22 points. Last season he was a Second Team All-Star with London of the Ontario Hockey League, where he led the league at the postion with 25 goals in 59 games.
Georgii Merkulov, Providence (Boston Bruins)
The undrafted forward has had a quick rise through the Boston organization.
After one season at Ohio State, Boston signed the 23-year-old as a free agent April 9, 2022. Last season as a rookie, he had a team-leading 55 points (24 goals, 31 assists) in 67 games to earn a spot on the AHL All-Rookie Team.
With 34 points (15 goals, 19 assists) in 34 games this season, Merkulov is tied for sixth in AHL scoring. He made his NHL debut with Boston on Dec. 30 and has played four games.
Samu Tuomaala, Lehigh Valley (Philadelphia Flyers)
Tuomaala, who turned 21 on Jan. 8, was selected by the Flyers in the second round (No. 46) of the 2021 draft.
The forward has 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists) in 36 games, which ranks him second in team scoring and tied for fourth among AHL rookies. Last season, in Finland’s second division, he had 48 points (27 goals, 21 assists) with Pelitat and Kettera.
