13. (10) G Sergei Ivanov 6'0”, 165 pounds. 5th round (#138 overall), 2022 NHL Draft. Projection: starting goaltender. Stats: .928% save percentage, 2.63 GAA, 8-17-3 record in 33gp for Admiral Vladivostok (KHL - on loan). Scheduled to play for Sochi (KHL), on loan again next season. How we ranked him: Curtis (13), Matt (14), Mike (10)
Why we ranked him here: Ivanov continues to put up gaudy numbers in the KHL - this season, on a bad team. The issue here is, he isn't coming to North America any time soon. And, even though the KHL is a top league, it's still a fairly low scoring league, so it's hard to know how he will pan out in North America.
If Ivanov does come over, he could be the most highly capable/skilled goaltender in the system. If he were 2 or 3 inches taller, I think people around the league would talk about him as one of the top goaltending prospects in all of hockey. We're still in wait and see mode, here.
12. (9) C Luca Pinelli 5’9″, 170 pounds. 4th round (#114) overall, 2023 NHL Draft. Projection: middle six two-way center. Stats: 48g-34a-82pts, 68gp for Ottawa (OHL). Will return to the 67's next season. How we ranked him: Curtis (10), Matt (13), Mike (13)
Why we ranked him here: Pinelli finished 3rd in the OHL in goals - and 16th in the league in total points. All while serving as his team's captain. Not bad for a guy picked in the fourth round. He had a huge breakout year with Ottawa, showing the world that he should have been taken much higher. Size is always a concern with a player like this, but if any player can clear that hurdle, it's Pinelli.
Having him this low on our list, really speaks volumes about the quality of prospects within the CBJ system. Pinelli would be a top-5 prospect for a lot of teams right now. He brings a competitive work ethic, goal scoring, and leadership capabilities to his team. I think he'll rise in these rankings as time goes on.