New team, new timeline? What to expect out of Ritchie,

Rachel DoerrieMar 13, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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The 2025 NHL trade deadline featured some major players on the move and vaulted both the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars to the top of the Stanley Cup contender conversation.

Close behind them are the Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes and Winnipeg Jets. Many of those teams moved high-end prospects to bolster their lineup, meaning some less-competitive teams got key pieces for their future.

How will those prospects impact their new teams? When will they play meaningful minutes at the NHL level? Teams and their fans are asking all those questions. Here are scouting notes on eight of the most prominent, including Calum Ritchie, Fraser Minten and Brendan Brisson.

The most notable prospect traded was Ritchie, acquired along with a first-round pick in the trade that sent Brock Nelson to Colorado. Islanders brass and their fan base should be thrilled with this acquisition.

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Ritchie is likely to be a middle-six player next season on Long Island, with a ceiling of a scoring, second-line center. Given that the Islanders have Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat, they can opt to shelter Ritchie in a third-line role as he learns to play center at the NHL level. The other two options are starting Ritchie on the wing in the top six or leaving Barzal on the wing and allowing Ritchie to play as the second-line center.

In my view, Ritchie is unlikely to be ready to step into the second-line center role next season, and it would be wise for the Isles to develop him in the third-line center spot to maximize his potential. He’s averaging 1.6 points per game in the OHL this season, and he ranks in the top 15 in points per game. Ritchie possesses an excellent two-way game. His offensive development is trending towards him becoming a 65- to 70-point player at the NHL level, while playing a matchup role.

Toronto fans weren’t thrilled to lose Minten and rightfully so. He lacks the offensive firepower that is required to be a top-six scoring center in the current NHL landscape, but there is real potential for him to become a quality third-line pivot. Minten will be most dangerous offensively when he’s playing alongside a shoot-first winger because of his puck distribution skill. He understands spacing and consistently draws defenders towards him before distributing the puck to a linemate in space.

Minten could play in the NHL today as an injury replacement but needs the rest of this season to develop. It is likely Minten can play a full-time role in the NHL next season on the Bruins’ third line behind Elias Lindholm and Pavel Zacha.

With the addition of Casey Mittelstadt, the Bruins bought themselves time to leave Minten in AHL Providence for longer. If Minten is ready, then the team can move Mittelstadt to the wing in the top six, or play Minten on the wing to take advantage of his passing and vision with skilled players.

Fans on both sides of the rivarly can also expect that Minten will come back to haunt the Leafs because why would he not?

Fraser Minten had 17 points in 41 games combined with the Maple Leafs and AHL Marlies this season. Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images

The Bruins acquired Zellers in the deal for Charlie Coyle. While his draft status (76th overall in 2024) may not pop off the page, Zellers has been excellent in his first USHL season in Green Bay and is slated to attend the University of North Dakota next season.

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Zellers is averaging nearly 1.4 points per game, a pace that leads all USHL players this season and is on pace to score 47 goals in 52 games. He’s on the smaller side at 5-11, but he has managed to be one of the most productive players everywhere he plays. His ability to attack defenders, find space and score in tight places and from distance sets him apart from other players.

There is concern his game may not translate at the NHL level. But until Zellers proves he can’t score at the next level, doubt him at your peril. He’ll need at least two seasons of NCAA hockey and probably a season in the AHL before he’s ready for full-time NHL minutes. Playing the long game with Zellers could see him develop into a middle-six scorer, perhaps the type that fits nicely next to Fraser Minten.

This was a sneaky good pickup for the Bruins at the deadline, and he was certainly the most perplexing prospect traded. Khusnutdinov has been a favorite of mine for a few years, with quality two-way play and an untapped offensive ceiling. He can and should play NHL minutes in the bottom six for the Bruins right away, with the potential of becoming a Swiss Army knife player on Boston’s third line.

Not only is there a lot to like about Khusnutdinov’s potential, but he’s also the prototypical Bruin. He’s fast, he plays with a significant edge and he’s not afraid to mix it up physically. He reads the play well, is tenacious on defense and can play quickly in transition.

There is no flash to his game, but when you combine his skating with the tenacity and smarts, the potential for a middle-six difference-maker is there. He’ll have a better opportunity in Boston than Minnesota, and if the Bruins can unlock his offensive potential, a two-way scorer may emerge.

Marat Khusnutdinov joined the Bruins’ NHL lineup immediately after his trade from the Wild. Mike Carlson/Getty Images

The development path for Soderstrom has been a bumpy one, but everything has been bumpy in the now-defunct Arizona Coyotes organization, so it’s hard to fault him for heading back to Sweden.

Chicago has a glut of young defensemen, and the 2019 11th overall pick certainly could benefit from some detailed development. He leads the SHL in scoring among under-25 defensemen and ranks third among all players under 25. He seems to have found his confidence and offensive step with Brynas and is worth the flier.

Chicago will likely try to bring him over to North America to take a more hands-on development approach. He remains a gifted skater with good vision and offensive prowess. He never put it together in North America (during time with the Coyotes and AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners), but if Chicago can unlock that toolbox, he has the potential to be a solid No. 4/5 defenseman in the next year or two.

Ostapchuk was somewhat of a surprising inclusion at the deadline because of his versatility and style of play. Coaches love him because he can play anywhere in the lineup, in any situation and bring an edge that gets under the opponent’s skin.

The 21-year-old has spent most of the season in Ottawa’s NHL lineup and should slot nicely into San Jose’s middle six to finish the season, or certainly to start next season. He brings some bite to the young Sharks lineup, a player willing to go to the dirty areas, be physical on the forecheck and win puck battles.

His ceiling isn’t high in terms of skill, but given his tenacity and ability to win battles, it is likely that some of the more skilled Sharks would be keen on playing with him. Skill players love playing with guys who can retrieve pucks and keep the flies off, and Ostapchuk certainly has that capability. He has good hands, which makes him a good candidate to be a net-front presence to bang in rebounds while skilled players create the shots.

The 39th overall pick in 2021, Zack Ostapchuk joins a Sharks team that is building an impressive young core. Rich Graessle/NHLI via Getty Images

When you picture a perfect bottom-six Philadelphia Flyer in today’s NHL, Nikita Grebenkin is that guy. He’s a complete menace every time he’s on the ice. He’ll dive to break up an odd-man rush and make every hit on the forecheck. His personality is going to drive opponents crazy. He is everything that old-school Flyers fans love about their team. He’s not going to score 50 points, but he’s going to be an effective checker and physical presence — and the effort will never be questioned.

Grebenkin needs the rest of this season in the AHL to continue to round out his defensive game, but no one should be surprised if he plays a full-time, fourth line role for the Flyers next season. He’s exactly the type of player you want in that role because he skates well and won’t be a defensive liability.

He has the potential to be the ball of energy that turns the momentum in the Flyers’ favor with a strong forechecking shift or big hit. He doesn’t have a high ceiling, but there’s a very strong possibility he becomes a long-term NHL player in the bottom six.

The trend of Vegas Golden Knights‘ first-round picks being traded continued this year, as Brisson and third-round pick were shipped to the Big Apple for Reilly Smith.