2026 D-man draft prospect Jayden Kurtz (77th ranked North American skater per NHL Central Scouting) has made quite a name for himself this season at both the Minnesota high school hockey and USHL levels. A coveted right shot D-man standing 6’3,” Kurtz has 33 points (11G 22A) in 24 games for Rogers High School. Also, Kurtz played four games for the USHL’s Chicago Steel in November, where he averaged 17 minutes of ice time a night. He will join the Steel for the remainder of its season following the conclusion of his high school year. An elite skater with a high hockey IQ, Kurtz models his game after NHL stars Cale Makar (COL) & Brock Faber (MIN) for their 200-foot game.
2026 forward draft prospect Alexander Command (12th ranked International Skater) has quickly gone from an afterthought to a legitimate threat to be a 1st-round pick. Command originally was pegged as a 6th/7th round pick on Central Scouting’s preliminary players to watch list in October. In watching him play in November at the World Junior A Challenge, I remember asking myself how he was not ranked higher, as his point-per-game performance at that tournament (3G 2A in 5 games) was the result of his seeming involvement on every Sweden scoring chance. Since that time, he has risen to Sweden’s top professional league, where he has spent the past five games. Although scoreless so far in a limited role, Command has 41 points (16G 25A) in 26 games at the U20 level. Possessing above-average size (6’1″ 185 LBS.), Command’s strength always has been in his skating, and he now has added a vastly improved shot and puck skills to his repertoire.
2026 forward draft prospect Ilia Morozov (8th ranked North American Skater) is excelling at Miami University as one of the two youngest players in the NCAA (he and Boston University’s Tynan Lawrence were both born on Aug. 3, 2008). The physically imposing forward (6’3″ 205 LBS.) has 17 points (7G 10A) through 30 games this season, including six goals and eleven points in his first 10 games. Morozov uses his frame well to gain net-front positioning, and to win most puck battles in which he is involved. Far from a one-trick pony, however, he possesses excellent playmaking skills and incredibly soft hands. Also, he compliments his O-zone presence with a strong defensive game, a bit of a rarity for someone his age.