• PROSPECT-UPDATE ARCHIVE
Wednesday's list of top performances by 2018 draft prospects includes five players from five different leagues.
From the outset, this site and these lists have emphasized the tremendous diversity and depth of talent in this June's draft pool. When multiple leagues are producing candidates for this list, it's mere proof that a special crop of hockey players was born in the years after Sept. 15, 2000. This first group of players with Y2K birthdates shows that the game has turned the page on the 20th century, which might as well be the 19th century in terms of how different (i.e. faster) the game has become.
So have a look at this group, which includes no top-10 prospects but is as impressive as any that have appeared here in the past:
SAMUEL FAGEMO -- Fagemo, who scored two goals for Sweden in the recent Under-18 Five Nations tournament at Plymouth, Mich., has returned home to the Swedish Under-20 league in style. On Wednesday, the 5-foot-11 Gothenburg right wing erupted for three goals on six shots in his team's 4-1 win over Malmo. Fagemo opened the scoring at 16:20 of the first period before stretching the lead to 2-1 with the eventual game-winner at 8:46 of the second. He capped off his hat trick in the third, firing into an empty net at 17:48. Fagemo has registered three consecutive multi-goal games with a total of seven goals over the stretch. (Note: Fourth appearance on this list in 2017-18)
COLE FONSTAD -- With a goal and two assists for Prince Albert in an 8-2 rout at Lethbridge on Wednesday, Fonstad was the No. 2 star. The Raiders forward had a primary assist at 7:54 of the second period to boost the lead to 4-1 before scoring to make it 5-1 at 14:51. He later picked up another primary assist on a power-play goal at 6:50 of the third for an 8-1 lead. Now averaging better than a point-per-game with 18 goals and 43 assists in 60 NHL appearances, Fonstad has posted points in eight of his last 10 games. This was his fifth three-point performance of the season. (Note: Eighth appearance on this list in 2017-18)
GABRIEL FORTIER -- The No. 1 star of Baie-Comeau's 6-3 win over Shawinigan on Wednesday, Fortier scored a goal, notched an assist, and won 13 of 20 faceoff. His goal at 8:16 of the first period was his 21st of the season, giving the Drakkar a 2-0 lead. In the second, he had the primary assist on a goal to make it 5-2 at 17:52. Fortier is now riding a four-game goal-scoring streak and a five-game point streak. The former first-round QMJHL draft pick ranks fourth on the Drakkar in scoring with 46 points in 56 games. (Note: Sixth appearance on this list in 2017-18)
DANIIL ISAYEV -- Playing in the shadow of Amir Miftakhov can be tough on a Russian goalie, but Isayev has managed to stand out and was very effective in his two starts at the Under-18 Five Nations tournament. Some NHL teams might even like him more than Miftakhov because of his size. On Wednesday, Isayev continued to tempt scouts with a 21-save shutout in Yaroslavl's 4-0 MHL victory at Moscow Soviet Wings. Isayev stopped nine shots in the first period, four in the second, and eight in the third. Making his first MHL start since Jan. 19, Isayev's fourth shutout stretched his winning streak to four games. He has also gone 11 straight games without losing in regulation. His .944 save percentage and 1.31GAA lead the MHL among goalies with more than 10 starts. (Note: Sixth appearance on this list in 2017-18)
JONNY TYCHONICK -- The red-hot North Dakota recruit continued his romp through the BCHL with three assists in Penticton's 8-1 win at Salmon Arm on Wednesday. Tychonick, now averaging more than a point-per-game, earned No. 2 star honors as he surged into third place in the BCHL scoring race for defensemen. His first assist was a primary helper on the eventual game-winner, scored on a power play at 15:29 of the first period for a 2-0 lead. Later in the first, he helped set up another power-play goal that made it 3-0 at 18:57. He closed the scoring run in the second period by assisting on the 6-0 goal at 10:38. Tychonick now has 47 points in 46 games, including points in eight of his last 10. (Note: Third appearance on this list in 2017-18)