Liam Pettersson – Djurgardens IF – SHL
Thursday saw Djurgardens lose 3-2 to Brynas IF in SHL action. While Pettersson dressed for Djurgardens, he did not play.
After a stint in the SHL, Pettersson returned to Djurgarden’s U20 Nationell squad on Saturday and helped the club earn a 3-2 victory over IF Bjorkloven. Skating on the top defensive pair, Pettersson recorded an assist on Djurgarden’s opening goal and finished the game with a plus-1 rating. While he was held without a point in eight SHL appearances, Pettersson is riding a four-game point streak in U20 Nationell play.
On Sunday, Pettersson turned in his best performance of the season, recording two goals and an assist to lead Djurgardens to a 6-3 victory over MoDo. He also fired a game-high four shots on goal. The three-point effort extended his point streak to five games and lifted him to a point-per-game pace in U20 play. Pettersson opened the scoring account for his season at even strength, carrying the puck down the left wing before cutting to the net and beating the goaltender over the shoulder on the short side. He added his second goal on the power play, burying a one-timer from the left circle. Both markers were his first goals of the season.
Kirill Yemelyanov, Matvei Kotkov – Loko Yaroslav – MHL
On Thursday, Lokomotiv entered the day looking to close the gap on first-place CSKA, while Severstal aimed to overtake Lokomotiv in the race for second. In a pivotal matchup between the two clubs, Severstal emerged with a convincing 5-2 victory. Despite the loss, both prospects contributed to Lokomotiv’s offense. Kotkov opened the scoring, racing down the left wing before snapping a wrist shot from the top of the circle to give Loko a 1-0 lead. Later, with the game tied 1-1, Yemelyanov’s strong backcheck disrupted Severstal’s breakout attempt and helped spark Lokomotiv’s go-ahead goal. However, that proved to be the extent of Loko’s attack as Severstal pulled away to secure the win.
Loko earned a 6-3 victory over HC Sochi on Saturday, but neither Bruins prospect made an impact on the scoresheet. Kotkov finished with no points and logged 11:35 of ice time. Yemelyanov’s evening was even quieter. He was credited with just one shift, which began in the penalty box after taking a minor penalty. Less than 30 seconds later, a teammate was assessed another minor, leaving Yemelyanov to help kill roughly 25 seconds of that penalty before spending the rest of his night on the bench.
I’ve been a fan of Kotkov’s offensive upside, but one of the concerns in his game II had was that he could be too one-dimensional and needed to develop a B game. That’s exactly what he’s doing in Russia’s top professional league, where he is being forced to round out his overall game and compete in a variety of situations. As for Yemelyanov, I’ve always appreciated his two-way ability. While his opportunities have been limited in the KHL, he has shown that he can play an effective, responsible game at both ends of the ice.
Nils Bartholdsson – Rogle BK – U20 Nationell
Bartholdsson was back with the senior squad on Tuesday as Rogle fell 5–1 to HK Nitra in Champions Hockey League play. He supplied Rogle’s lone goal, getting his stick on the puck for a deflection in front, and he led all skaters with eight shots on goal. Rögle sits 12th in the 24‑team field and has already punched its ticket to the playoffs, which get underway on November 12.
On Thursday, Bartholdsson was still with the big club in their 2-1 win over Bjorkloven. While Bartholdsson dressed, he did not see any action.
After spending the previous day with Rogle’s senior club, Bartholdsson returned to the U20 lineup on Saturday and played a key role in a 7-4 victory over Vaxjo Lakers. The forward opened the scoring just 1:13 into the game on the power play, working through traffic before capitalizing on a loose puck in the slot for his fifth goal of the season. He later picked up an assist on the eventual game-winning goal that gave Rögle a 4-3 lead, then put the finishing touches on the victory with an empty-net marker for his second goal of the night. With the three-point performance, Bartholdsson improved his season totals to six goals and five assists for 11 points in just four games.
On Saturday, he was back with the senior team as they defeated Orebro 2-1. However, Bartholdsson dressed but did not see the ice.
On Sunday, Bartholdsson scored once in Rogle’s 9-2 win over Tingsryds AIF. The goal extended his point streak in the U20 to five games on 7 goals and 5 assists.
As mentioned last week, Bartholdsson finds himself in a developmental gray area. He’s proven to be too advanced for the U20 level, but a permanent jump to the SHL still appears premature. With no obvious intermediate option available this season, finding the right environment for his continued growth becomes a significant challenge. Rogle does not have a HockeyEttan of Allsvenskan affiliate.
Oscar Olsson – Orebro HK – U20 Nationell
It was not a good outing for Orebro on Friday as they were defeated by Farjestad BK 7-2. Olson, who has been on a roll this season, did not play.
They bounced back on Saturday with a 6-1 win over BIK Karlskoga but Olsson also missed this game.
Vashek Blanar – HV71 – U20 Nationell
On Wednesday, HV71 dropped a 5-3 decision to Vaxjo Lakers in U20 Nationell action. Blanar’s 3 game point streak came to an end at 3 goals and 3 assists as he was held off the score sheet. Their record drops to 4-6-3.
HV71 fell 5-2 to Sodertalje SK on Saturday, with Blanar held off the scoresheet in consecutive games. Despite not recording a point, he remained heavily involved offensively, firing a game-high five shots on goal while finishing with a minus-1 rating. The scoreless outing did little to dent his strong start to the season, as Blanar continues to produce at a point-per-game pace.
On Sunday, they lost a heartbreaker to Linkoping HC by a score of 3-2. Blanar did not register a point and had a game high 4 SOG and finished a minus-2.
Cole Spicer – Western Michigan
Western Michigan continued its dominant start to the season on Friday, defeating Notre Dame 6-1 to improve to 3-0-0. Through the first three games of the campaign, the Broncos have outscored their opponents by a commanding 17-2 margin. Spicer played a key role in the victory, opening the scoring just 19 seconds into the game. The forward capitalized on a partial breakaway from the right circle, beating the goaltender inside the far post for his first goal of the season. He added an assist early in the second period, setting up a power-play marker that stood as the game-winning goal. The prospect was active throughout the contest, leading all skaters with five shots on goal while finishing plus-one. He also won 11 of his 17 faceoffs and logged 16:19 of ice time in another strong all-around performance.
On Saturday, Western Michigan completed the weekend sweep with a 4-0 blanking. Spicer did not register a point and had 3 SOG while going 9 for 14 on the dot.
Casper Nassen – Lake Superior State
Lake Superior dropped to 1-2 on the season following a 5-2 loss to Alaska-Anchorage. Nassen did not register a point and was a game worst minus-2 and without a shot on goal.
In the rematch on Saturday, Lake Superior pulled out a 4-2 victory. Nassen did not factor in the scoring, was a minus-2 and had 1 SOG in the win.
William Zellers, Cooper Simpson – University of North Dakota
On Tuesday, Will Zellers was named the NCHC Forward of the Week.
North Dakota won it’s third straight to begin the season with a 5-0 win over Bently on Friday. It was a pointless night for both prospects. Simpson had 4 SOG while Zellers had two.
In the second game of the back-to-back set, North Dakota recorded another dominant 5-0 victory, matching the score from the previous night. Zellers was again held off the scoresheet despite generating a game-high five shots on goal. Simpson did not dress for the contest, and no explanation was provided regarding whether his absence was injury-related or a coach’s decision.
Dean Letourneau, Kristian Kostadinski, Will Moore, Roberto Henriquez – Boston College
On Thursday, Boston College earned its first win of the season with a 4-0 shutout of St. Cloud State, improving to 1-1 on the year. Dean Letourneau capped the scoring with an empty-net goal at the 13:47 mark of the third period, effectively ending any hopes of a late Huskies comeback. One early takeaway from Letourneau’s game has been a noticeable improvement in his acceleration and first few strides, an encouraging development that could make him a more difficult matchup for opponents as the season progresses. He had a game high 5 SOG and was 9 for 21 on the dot.
Will Moore, who played in the season opener last week, did not dress and head coach Greg Brown said after the game that it “probably doesn’t look like he’s coming back too soon.” Moore, who attended Bruins’ development camp in the summer but could not participate because of injury, has been trying to work his way back.
Kristian Kostadinski did not register a point and was a plus-2 with 2 SOG. Kostadinski continues to make strides in his skating but it is still not at the level that you can say future NHL player. Leo Henriquez did not play.
On Saturday, BC came fell 5-3 to St Cloud. Letourneau led BC with a pair of assists and 9 shots on goal while going 9 for 10 on the dot and had 21:36 TOI. Kostadinski was a minus-1 with 22:45 TOI and was pointless. Henriquez allowed 5 goals on 20 shots in his first career NCAA game. Will Moore is out with an injury and will miss significant time.
Chris Pelosi, Elliott Groenewold – Quinnipiac University
On Thursday, Elliott Groenewold was named to the US Collegiate Selects that will take part in the 2026 Spengler Cup over the holidays. The complete roster is not yet set and there will be opportunities for other Bruins prospects, but not very likely.
Quinnipiac bounced back on Friday, defeating Penn State 6-3 to improve to 4-1-0 on the season. While Groenewold was held off the scoresheet, he finished with an even rating and recorded one shot on goal. Pelosi, meanwhile, helped drive the offensive attack with a pair of assists, including a helper on the game-winning goal. The two-point performance snapped a brief two-game pointless skid and highlighted his playmaking ability. He also registered four shots on goal but won just two of eight faceoffs in the victory.
Jonathan Morello – Boston University
Boston University suffered a tough 2-1 loss to Vermont on Friday, dropping a tightly contested game in heartbreaking fashion. Morello continued his search for his first point of the season, finishing the night without finding the scoresheet. He recorded one shot on goal, posted a minus-one rating, and won just one of his eight faceoffs in a challenging outing.
BU bounced back into the win column on Saturday, edging Vermont 2-1 in overtime in the rematch. Morello was held off the scoresheet and remains in search of his first point of the season. The forward registered two shots on goal and won five of his seven faceoffs.
Beckett Hendrickson – University of Minnesota
Minnesota’s difficult start to the season continued Friday night, as the Golden Gophers suffered a 7-1 defeat to Minnesota-Duluth, extending their losing streak to three games. In an otherwise disappointing outing, Hendrickson factored into Minnesota’s lone goal, recording an assist and providing one of the few offensive bright spots for his team.
The two clubs met again on Saturday, with the game officially ending in a 2-2 draw. Minnesota remains in search of its first victory of the season. Hendrickson was held off the scoresheet while logging 14:12 of ice time.
Ryan Walsh – Cornell University
Season begins October 30.
Cullen McCrate – Brantford Bulldogs – OHL
Brantford snapped its three-game losing streak on Friday with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Barrie. McCrate played a key role in the win, picking up the secondary assist on the game’s lone goal, which came on the power play in the opening period. He was active offensively, finishing tied for the game lead with three shots on goal, while also delivering a composed, mistake-free performance in his own zone. His strong two-way game was an important factor in preserving the shutout victory.
McCrate continued his strong run of form, scoring twice to power the Bulldogs to a 5-2 victory over the Soo Greyhounds on Sunday. The defenseman netted the game-winning goal in impressive fashion, collecting the puck at his own blue line before driving down the left wing and wiring a wrist shot from the top of the circle inside the far post. He added an empty-net marker from just outside his own zone to seal the win. McCrate finished the afternoon with two goals, four shots on goal, and a plus-2 rating.
McCrate’s NHL projection remains a work in progress as he prepares to join Michigan State University next season, but the qualities that made him an attractive draft choice for the Bruins are easy to identify.
Cole Chandler – Cape Breton – QMJHL
Cape Breton’s slide continued on Monday, dropping a 4–3 overtime decision to Sherbrooke in a Canadian Thanksgiving matchup. The loss pushed their record to 2‑3‑1‑3, leaving them ninth in the QMJHL’s Eastern Conference. Chandler was sidelined and did not dress due to injury.
Cape Breton returned to the win column on Saturday with a convincing 4-1 victory over the Saint John Sea Dogs. The Eagles, however, were once again without Chandler, who missed his second straight game.
Jacob Vandeven – London Knights – OHL
London needed extra time, but the Knights outlasted archrival Kitchener 4–3 in a shootout on Tuesday. Vandeven posted zeros across the board, yet here’s the number that jumps off the page through seven games: he hasn’t been on the ice for an even‑strength goal against all season.
On Friday, the Knights handed the Sudbury Wolves their first regulation loss of the season with a 4-1 victory. Vandeven is still looking for his first point of the season but he was solid where it counted in the defensive zone. He was a plus-3 and was instrumental in helping hold Sudbury to just 26 SOG. His plus-12 is second in the OHL on the season and tops among defenders.
On Saturday, Vandeven logged time on the top pairing as the Knights cruised to a 7-1 victory over the Erie Otters. While he was held off the scoresheet, the blueliner delivered another steady defensive performance and finished the night with a plus-3 rating. His plus-15 mark on the season is tied for the best in the OHL, underscoring his strong two-way impact.
I will admit I had some skepticism entering the season regarding Vandeven. With this being his first full OHL season and only transitioning to defense last year, there were reasonable expectations that he would need time to adjust. Instead, the opposite has happened. Vandeven has looked remarkably comfortable from the outset, quickly establishing himself as a reliable shutdown presence. At this point, whenever he steps onto the ice, there is an expectation that he will neutralize the opposition’s threats.
Yuri Ivanov – Spartak – MHL
Ivanov continues to bounce between Spartak’s top junior squad and their MHL feeder team, making him one of the tougher prospects to track week‑to‑week. On Tuesday, he was back with the feeder group and took a 2–1 shootout loss to Amurskie Tigry. He was almost perfect through regulation and overtime, stopping 23 of 24 shots he faced, and turned aside two of three attempts in the shootout.
Thursday marked Ivanov’s toughest outing of the season, as Amurskie Tigry handed Spartak a 7-1 defeat. The prospect was pulled midway through the third period after allowing four goals on 25 shots. Despite the lopsided result, the loss is difficult to pin on Ivanov. He has been a bright spot for a Spartak club that has won just three games all season, with Ivanov earning victories in two of those contests. The challenge is compounded by the makeup of the roster, which features a predominantly U18 group competing against opponents that are often 18, 19 and 20 years old.
On Sunday, Ivanov turned aside 38 of the 41 shots he faced, but it was not enough as MHA fell 4-1 to Sakhalinske. The netminder was under constant pressure throughout the contest, while his teammates generated just 16 shots at the other end. Had it not been for Ivanov’s performance, the final score could have been far more lopsided. Considering the numbers he has posted this season, regardless of the club in front of him, his losing record is difficult to reconcile, yet it remains the reality of his situation.
Providence Bruins
Things aren’t looking promising early in the season as Providence lost to the Hershey Bears 5-3 on Saturday. Simon Zajicek allowed 5 goals on 28 shots he faced while Providence managed 34 shots at the other end. Henri Jokiharju led Providence with a pair of goals while Mikey Eyssimont had a goal and an assist. Dans Locmelis had a pair of helpers in the loss.
Providence bounced back in emphatic fashion on Sunday, rolling to a 6-1 victory over the Hershey Bears. Jiri Patera was sharp between the pipes, turning aside 27 of 28 shots to secure the win. Offensively, Eyssimont led the charge with his second hat trick in four games. Brian Halonen contributed a goal and two assists, while defensemen Jordan Harris and Tobie Bisson each chipped in with a pair of assists. Brendan Gaunce also found the back of the net as Providence cruised to the convincing victory.
Here’s a look at the Providence Bruins leaders. You will notice a column called “Benchrates” This is provided by our friends at Benchrates. Created by a retired hockey player, Benchrates has created an algorithm that computes values in real time. The value you see is the cap hit value they’ve earned this season to date. Give them a look and check out their site.
Coming up this week:
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