The Calder Cup Playoffs are the ultimate test for the NHL’s top prospects, some of whom will try to help Cleveland (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Milwaukee (Nashville Predators) fight off elimination Thursday.
In the Eastern Conference Finals against defending Calder Cup champion Hershey (Washington Capitals), Cleveland trails 3-0 in the best-of-7 series. Cleveland staged late comebacks in each of the first two games of the series at Hershey only to lose each in overtime. Cleveland hosts Game 4 and will face elimination for the first time this postseason.
Milwaukee is facing last season’s Calder Cup finalist, Coachella Valley (Seattle Kraken), in the Western Conference Finals. Milwaukee lost the first two games of the series on the road before a 5-2 defeat in Game 3 at home Tuesday. Milwaukee is 4-0 in the postseason when facing elimination.
Here is a look at top prospects each team will be counting on to help extend its respective series:
Jet Greaves, Cleveland
The 23-year-old undrafted goalie had a breakout season, going 30-12-5 with a 2.93 goals-against average, .910 save percentage and one shutout. Selected for the AHL All-Star Classic, he also played nine games for the Blue Jackets this season with a 3-6-0 record, 3.49 GAA and .908 save percentage.
He helped lead Cleveland to series wins against Belleville (Ottawa Senators) and Syracuse (Tampa Bay Lightning) and is 5-4 in nine playoff games with a 2.33 GAA, .920 save percentage and one shutout.
David Jiricek, Cleveland
Selected by Columbus with the No. 6 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Jiricek debuted last season with Cleveland as an 18-year-old defenseman and finished with 38 points (six goals, 32 assist) in 55 games. He also won a silver medal with Czechia at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship, with seven points (three goals, four assists) in seven games. He was named the tournament’s top defenseman and was also selected for its all-star team.
This season, he had 10 points (one goal, nine assists) in 43 games with the Blue Jackets and 19 points (seven goals, 12 assists) in 29 AHL games.
Jiricek had two assists and scored the goal that forced overtime in Game 1 against Hershey. He again forced overtime in Game 2, when he scored with 1:33 remaining in regulation. He has nine points (three goals, six assists) in 10 games this postseason.
Denton Mateychuk Cleveland
Cleveland also has another defenseman from the 2022 draft as a potential option Thursday.
The Blue Jackets reassigned the 19-year-old from Moose Jaw of the Western Hockey League to Cleveland before Game 3, but he did not dress. Selected by the Blue Jackets with the No. 12 pick in 2022, Mateychuk had 75 points (17 goals, 58 assists) in 52 WHL games and was named the league's top defenseman. He was also chosen to the Canadian Hockey League First All-Star Team. In the WHL playoffs, he had 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 20 games as Moose Jaw reached won the league championship and qualified for the Memorial Cup.
Zachary L'Heureux, Milwaukee
The 21-year-old forward leads all Calder Cup Playoff scorers with 14 points (nine goals, five assists) in 13 games; his goal total is tops in the postseason.
Selected by the Predators with the No. 27 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, L'Heureux's playoff production follows a strong regular season, when he tied for fifth among AHL rookies with 48 points (19 goals, 29 assists) in 66 games.
L’Heureux has a recent history of strong playoff performances; he had 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 20 games with Halifax of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season.
Fedor Svechkov, Milwaukee
The 21-year-old forward, selected by Nashville with the No. 19 pick in the 2021 draft, had 39 points (16 goals, 23 assists) in 57 games this season, his first in North America, following two seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League with SKA St. Petersburg and Spartak Moscow.
In 13 playoff games, he has eight points (four goals, four assists), including a goal in Game 3 against Coachella Valley.
