Prospect Report: Koivunen & Nystrom's Stand Out Seasons

The future continues to be bright, including a pair of up-and-comers who have made the most of their year back home

Joel Nystrom skates onto the ice pre-game ahead of a recent contest

By Walt Ruff

@WaltRuff Hurricanes.com

February 28, 2024

RALEIGH, NC. - Hockey season is closer to the end than the beginning and in some overseas leagues, playoff hockey is just days away.

With that being said, let's take a look at how some Carolina Hurricanes prospects are performing this season.

Koivunen's Step Forward...

Perhaps no prospect has made a bigger leap in their game this season than 2021 second-round pick Ville Koivunen.

Last year he had 28 points in 52 games with Kärpät in Finland before coming to North America and playing a dozen games with the Chicago Wolves.

Back with Kärpät again this season, he's become a top-10 scorer in all of Liiga.

"I think Ville's had a very strong season. He's really come into his own and he's showed his hockey sense," Canes Assistant General Manager Darren Yorke shared of his play. "They've asked him to play all three different forward positions and he's been able to excel at all three. He's shown the ability to make others around him better and he's also got that one-on-one skill. It's been a really successful year for him."

With 52 points in 54 games, including 30 in his last 24 contests, he is putting together one of the best age-20 seasons in Liiga history.

"Oliko lapa niin kuuma ettei erkatkaan pysy?" 🔥😂

📺 @MTVUrheilu | #Liiga #Kärpät @OulunKarpatFi pic.twitter.com/8ssaiLGcec
— Liiga (@smliiga) February 9, 2024

Nystrom Close To Being NHL-Ready...

Sticking within Carolina's 2021 draft class, defenseman Joel Nystrom has also taken his game to new heights this season.

An every-night blueliner for Farjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League, he's looking like a home run of a pick for being a seventh-round selection.

"The style of game that he plays is incredibly suited for how we want to play. They get up in the play with strong offensive gaps, he's able to defend well in the neutral zone. Despite being a little shorter, it doesn't seem to impact him at all," Yorke said of Nystrom. "He's able to seal along the boards and get it going offensively. The quickness that he sees the ice with and his ability to get it to the forwards sticks has really been impressive. He's on the verge of looking like a true NHL defenseman right now."

Producing 24 points in 46 games, he leads the team's defense in scoring.

Joel Nystrom showing off his smooth skating for this absolutely beautiful play https://t.co/CfpEamLL1K
— Canes Prospects (@CanesProspects) January 6, 2024

At School...

Nominated for the Hobey Baker Award last month, Jackson Blake has a legitimate shot to be a finalist when they are announced in March. Up to 47 points in 32 games, he is tied for fifth among all NCAA skaters and was named NCHC Foward of the Week (again) this week.
2023 first-round pick Bradly Nadeau, also nominated for the Hobey Baker, continues to be a scoring machine. Co-leading the University of Maine as a freshman with 39 points in 30 games, he and his brother Josh have been a big reason for the team being competitive in Hockey East play.
On the blue line, Charles-Alexis Legault has put up points left and right over the last three weeks. Known more for being an excellent defender, the 6-foot-3, 207 lbs. fifth-round pick in 2023 has recorded four consecutive multi-point games.