Liam Pettersson – Vaxjo Lakers – U20 Nationell
The U20 Nationell season kicked off Saturday with Vaxjo making a strong statement in their opener, cruising past the Malmo Redhawks with a 4–1 win. Pettersson—arguably the most overlooked name from June’s draft—got things rolling midway through the first period, giving Vaxjo an early 1–0 edge. The second frame saw Vaxjo take full control, netting two more goals to stretch the lead to 3–0 before Malmo managed to respond with one of their own. In the final period, Vaxjo tightened the screws defensively, limiting Malmo to just 15 shots on goal in the game. Pettersson anchored the top defensive pairing, logged four shots on goal, and finished the night with a solid plus-1 rating.
Sunday’s matchup was nothing short of a rout. Rogle BK steamrolled Vaxjo with a commanding 7–0 win. Pettersson, meanwhile, had a rough outing—no points on the board, a minus-2 rating, and four penalty minutes stemming from a single sequence involving cross-checking and roughing where he defended himself. Despite the lopsided score, Pettersson showed flashes of impact. Anchoring the top defensive pair, he led his team with four shots on goal and currently tops the roster in that category through two games. It’s early days, but he’s emerging as a consistent shot-producing presence from the blue line.
Vashek Blanar – HV71 – J20 Nationell
Blanar’s season also opened Saturday as HV71 squared off against Sodertalje SK, but it was a tough start as they fell 4–1. Skating on HV71’s top defensive pairing, Blanar wasn’t involved in the team’s lone goal and had a moment he’d likely want back—taking a tripping penalty early in the third that led to Sodertalje’s fourth goal, effectively sealing the game. He wrapped up the night with a minus-1 rating and one shot on goal. Still, flashes of his raw talent were evident throughout the contest. Blanar’s journey promises to be a long and compelling one, with plenty of room for growth and refinement ahead.
HV71 handed Vasteras IK a resounding 8–2 defeat on Sunday, and Blanar was front and center in the onslaught. He lit the lamp twice, chipped in with an assist, and despite picking up two minor penalties—one for boarding—he still managed to dominate. His first goal was pure artistry: collecting a pass at the left point, slicing through the slot, and lifting a wicked backhand over the goalie from the right side of the crease. He wrapped up the night with a stellar plus-5 rating.
Kirill Yemelyanov – Loko Yaroslav – MHL
The MHL regular season kicked off Monday for Yemelyanov and his Loco Yaroslavl squad, who opened with a dominant 7–1 win over Mikhailov Academy. Trailing 1–0, Yemelyanov made his mark just five minutes after returning from a minor penalty. On the power play, he took a feed on the right side of the net, dropped to one knee, and hammered home a one-timer to tie the game. From there, Loco took full control and never looked back. Yemelyanov finished the night with one point and logged 18:12 of ice time. He finished at 70% on the dot, 5 SOG on 6 attempts and a blocked shot.
In Tuesday’s rematch, Loco Yaroslavl edged past Mikhailov Academy in a tightly contested 2–1 overtime victory. With the game knotted at 1–1, Yemelyanov delivered the winner just 1:23 into the extra frame—his second power-play goal in as many games. Positioned once again to the right of the net, he received a crisp pass and snapped a lightning-quick wrist shot under the goalie’s glove. He finished the game with a minus-1 rating and logged 19:34 of ice time. He went 65% on the dot, had 4 SOG on 7 attempts and 1 blocked shot.
Loko stays perfect to open the season, cruising to a 6–1 victory over Dynamo on Friday to notch their third straight win. Yemelyanov was once again a standout, racking up a goal and two assists in the dominant performance. He got things rolling on the powerplay, contributing a secondary assist on the opening tally. Then, late in the second period, he found the back of the net at even strength—taking a crisp pass in the slot and ripping it over the goalie’s shoulder to make it 4–0. Just 35 seconds into the third, he added another secondary assist to cap off his productive night. He finished with 17:35 TOI, was 67% on the dot, 4 SOG on 6 attempts and 2 blocked shots.
Loko suffered their first loss this season with a tough 2-1 overtime loss to Dynamo on Saturday. Yemelyanov was held off the scoresheet, finishing with a minus-1 rating, one shot on goal, and 19:35 of ice time. In the faceoff circle, he went 5-for-11 (45%) and recorded one blocked shot. It’s only been four games, but I am certainly impressed this early on. It’s going to be fun watching him develop and see how far he can go.
Prospects Challenge
Pittsburgh 2 – Boston 1
The Bruins prospects stumbled out of the gate at this year’s Prospect Challenge in Buffalo, falling 2-1 to the Penguins’ young guns. Boston struggled to find rhythm through the first two periods, delivering a lukewarm performance. But things shifted in the third, as they ramped up their activation of the defense and began generating more pressure. Unfortunately, that late surge came at a price—an untimely breakdown with just 26 seconds left sealed their fate.
Simon Zajicek stole the spotlight in net, turning aside 30 of 32 shots—many of which came from prime scoring areas. In his debut on the smaller ice surface, Zajicek showed impressive adaptability, reading his angles with well and reacting with lightning-fast reflexes. His low-post strength was evident, and he flashed a sharp glove and blocker throughout the game, tracking the puck with confidence. While his overall performance was stellar, one minor hiccup stood out: some difficulty executing the RVH. Still, with a bit of time under the guidance of Mike Dunham, that wrinkle should smooth out quickly.
Fraser Minten, Brett Harrison, and Riley Duran led the charge up front, each making a strong impression. Invitee Mavrick Lachance, despite his 5’8″ frame, was relentless on the puck and brought surprising physicality to the ice—including dropping the gloves in a tilt.
Minten showcased his two-way game, locking things down defensively while generating a slew of offensive chances that didn’t quite make it onto the scoresheet. Harrison came close to lighting the lamp with several prime opportunities, including a blistering one-timer that rang off the post. As for Duran, his reputation as a fearless forechecker was on full display Friday, as he battled hard in the trenches and consistently drove play into the tough areas.
On the back end, Dylan MacKinnon delivered exactly what was expected—a steady, defense-first presence. While his offensive ceiling remains limited, his reliability in his own zone was evident throughout the night. Jackson Edward made his physical presence felt, consistently disrupting opposing forwards. When the Bruins began pushing their blueliners into the play more aggressively in the third, it was Edward who spearheaded that shift, showing confidence and assertiveness. Loke Johansson had a solid outing overall, but a misread in the offensive zone late in the game proved costly, leaving him out of position on the eventual game-winner.
Boston 6 – New Jersey 4
It was a different story on Sunday as the prospects defeated the Devils prospects 6-4. But it didn’t come easy as they gave up 1-0 and 2-1 leads very quickly after gaining them. They did manage to take a 4-2 but gave that up as well before securing the victory.
Minten once again proved to be the standout performer on the ice, excelling at both ends. His defensive presence was particularly impressive, and he complemented it with a goal, an assist, and several sharp offensive contributions. Harrison chipped in with two assists and generated a few solid scoring chances, though he couldn’t capitalize. He showed flashes of strong play when engaged, but lacked consistency throughout the game. Dans Locmelis also recorded a goal and an assist, and was generally reliable defensively. It’s clear he possesses the skill set to become an NHL-caliber player, though some development time in Providence would serve him well.
Duran continued to make his mark with relentless hustle, aggressive forechecking, and dependable penalty killing. Though Cooper Simpson didn’t appear on the scoresheet, his awareness and drive were evident throughout. He’s still a work in progress, but the raw talent and foundational skills are clearly in place. It’s just a matter of time and patience.
On the blueline, Edward delivered another solid performance, showcasing his reliability in puck retrieval, offensive activation, and physical play. While his hits weren’t punishing, his ability to contain opponents along the boards and steer them to the outside was consistently effective. He also netted the game-winning goal, adding a clutch moment to his outing. However, two questionable tripping penalties marred an otherwise strong showing—an area he’ll need to clean up.
Johansson and Ty Gallagher were similarly effective, both contributing with smart puck retrievals and timely offensive zone activation. Gallagher made his presence felt with a well-placed goal from the point, highlighting his shooting ability. MacKinnon stood out defensively, blocking shots and playing with a physical edge. He also stepped up for a teammate, dropping the gloves after a clean hit behind the Boston net—an act that underscored his leadership and willingness to stand up for his team.
Goaltender Ben Hrebik started strong, holding his own through the first and even the second period. But that early third-period powerplay goal by New Jersey—the one that tied the game—was a letdown. Frankly, he should’ve stopped it, and it left me a bit disappointed.
Coming up this week:
Around the Internet
Jackson Edward’s rookie season with Providence was anything but smooth. During a conversation with Mark Divver at the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo on Saturday, the young defenseman candidly reflected on the personal challenges he faced, including family issues that weighed heavily throughout the year. You can read the full story here.
Dom - Hockey 