Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Features Writer
NHL teams have wrapped up their prospects tournaments, a perfect warm-up as all 32 clubs open up their main training camps this week.
AHL talent figured heavily in tournaments that stretched from Florida to California as young prospects jostled for organizational positioning in trying to make an impression for an NHL job next month or beyond.
Here is a recap from this past weekend.
ANAHEIM DUCKS (SAN DIEGO GULLS)
Goaltender Tomas Suchanek saw his first competitive game action since April 2024, playing two periods of Anaheim’s meeting with Los Angeles on Sunday. The Ducks prospect missed the entire 2024-25 season with a ruptured ACL that he suffered in offseason training more than a year ago.
Anaheim hosted the Golden State Rookie Faceoff against both the Kings and San Jose Sharks.
CAROLINA HURRICANES (CHICAGO WOLVES)
Bradly Nadeau’s 32 goals last season with the Wolves led all AHL rookies, and he resumed his scoring touch quickly in a four-team tournament that also featured the Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Nadeau, a member of the AHL All-Rookie Team as well as the AHL Top Prospects Team, picked up a goal and a shootout tally against the Panthers on Friday in Wesley Chapel, Fla., and provided another goal against the Predators on Saturday. Taken in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft by Carolina, Nadeau represented part of a Wolves contingent for Carolina that included forwards Justin Robidas (a tying goal against Florida) and Felix Unger Sorum along with goaltender Ruslan Khazheyev.
COLORADO AVALANCHE (COLORADO EAGLES)
Like Suchanek, defenseman Sean Behrens is back in action after missing last season with a knee injury. The 22-year-old defenseman turned pro late with the Eagles in the 2023-24 campaign after three seasons at the University of Denver after going to the Avalanche in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Behrens notched a goal as Colorado defeated Utah, 5-3, on Friday. The three-team tournament also included the Vegas Golden Knights.
Having Behrens back is especially critical for the Avalanche organization given that defensemen Jacob MacDonald will miss five to six months following hip surgery earlier this month.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS (CLEVELAND MONSTERS)
Forward Luca Pinelli captained the Blue Jackets in a tournament hosted by the Buffalo Sabres. Joining Buffalo and Columbus were the Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins
Pinelli, a late-season addition to the Cleveland roster last spring after serving as captain for the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s, delivered a goal and three assists to help Columbus to a 7-5 win against Buffalo on Saturday. The 20-year-old joined the Monsters last season after recording 71 points (37 goals, 34 assists) in 52 games for Ottawa and played three regular-season contests for Cleveland. He then added four points (two goals, two assists) in six Calder Cup Playoff games. Columbus selected him in the fourth round of the 2023 NHL Draft.
MONTREAL CANADIENS (LAVAL ROCKET)
Montreal fans got an up-close look at some of their top young talent at Bell Centre as the Habs hosted a tournament with the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets.
Goaltender Jacob Fowler, a key part of Laval’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals last spring, started and played a half-game against the Jets on Saturday. Fowler, 20, completed two seasons at Boston University, where he won the Mike Richter Award as college hockey’s top goaltender last season. He then turned pro and took control of the Laval net for a portion of the postseason. He ended up playing eight games and went 3-3 with a 2.48 goals-against average, .902 save percentage and one shutout.
Oliver Kapanen, another key addition for Laval’s postseason, had a goal and two assists in Saturday’s game. The 22-year-old forward, a 2021 second-round pick, had six points (three goals, three assists) in 11 playoff games for the Rocket.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS)
Hosting the New York Rangers at PPL Center, home ice for the Phantoms, the Flyers got plenty of help from familiar Lehigh Valley talent in splitting a pair of games.
Forward Nikita Grebenkin’s overtime goal gave the Flyers a 4-3 win on Friday. He then had two assists the following day. Grebenkin divided last season between the Toronto Marlies and Lehigh Valley, coming to the Philadelphia organization in a trade March 7. He finished with 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 50 AHL games while also making seven appearances with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Information from NHL team websites contributed to this report.