Top rookie tournament players debated by NHL.com

Rookie tournaments have begun across North America, marking the unofficial start to the 2023-24 NHL season.

Though all eyes will be on Connor Bedard, the center chosen by the Chicago Blackhawks with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, several other promising rookies also merit attention.

Bedard will play at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase in St. Paul, Minnesota, joining Blackhawks rookies against the against the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild from Friday through Sunday.

Here are some of the other players, in alphabetical order, to watch this weekend, according to a panel of NHL.com writers.

Yaroslav Askarov, Nashville Predators

I’m turning my eyes toward the net and a team that’s had tremendous play in goal for a long, long time. Though the Predators seem set in net with Juuse Saros, they also have the good fortune to have one of the best goalie prospects around in Askarov. I’m going to be tuning in to see if the 21-year-old can make a statement after he had a 2.69 goals-against average, .911 save percentage and three shutouts in 48 games with Milwaukee of the American Hockey League and a one-game cameo with Nashville. Askarov has talent, athleticism and all the tools to be an elite goalie. With Saros holding down the position, the Predators can afford to let Askarov develop, but I’ll be watching the 2023 Rookie Showcase in Estero, Florida from Friday through Monday (Predators, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning) to see how he stacks up against his fellow rookies. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer

Logan Cooley, Arizona Coyotes

The 19-year-old center has a chance to be one of the most exciting rookies in the NHL not named Connor Bedard. The No. 3 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft signed his three-year, entry-level contract July 27. He could have gone back to the University of Minnesota for his sophomore season, but, honestly, for what? He had 60 points (22 goals, 38 assists) in 39 games as a freshman last season and has nothing to prove in college hockey. Center Adam Fantilli, taken by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the No. 3 pick in the 2023 draft, won the Hobey Baker Award, not Cooley. But so what? Cooley would have liked to have won a national championship and be named the best player in college hockey, but his future is in Arizona and he’s arguably the Coyotes' most exciting prospect since forward Clayton Keller came out of Boston University in 2017 following his freshman season. Cooley has a chance to be a huge part of the Coyotes' present this season; it'll begin at the 2023 Rookie Faceoff Tournament in Las Vegas from Friday through Monday (Coyotes, Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks). -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

Adam Fantilli, Columbus Blue Jackets

The 18-year-old could become the No. 1 center Columbus has needed. He led NCAA men’s hockey with 65 points (30 goals, 35 assists) in 36 games as a freshman at the University of Michigan last season, and now he’s going to learn from coach Mike Babcock, who coached Auston Matthews after the Toronto Maple Leafs selected the center with the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NHL Draft. Matthews won the Calder Trophy, voted as NHL rookie of the year, with 69 points (40 goals, 29 assists) in 82 games in 2016-17, and Babcock helped him develop into a two-way player. Asked how he’d start off with Fantilli, Babcock said, “I’m going to watch him in training camp, and I’m going to do everything I can to set him up for success.” Fantilli will be in action at the NHL Prospect Tournament in Traverse City, Michigan from Thursday through Sunday (Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Dallas Stars, Maple Leafs). -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

Marco Kasper, Detroit Red Wings

The center became the first 18-year-old to play for the Red Wings since Martin Lapointe in 1991 when he made his NHL debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs on April 2, but fractured his kneecap in that game and was out the rest of the season. Now healthy, Kasper will be looking to earn a roster spot with Detroit to begin the season and the NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City will be the first step. The No. 8 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Kasper has offensive potential, as evidenced by his 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 52 games with Rogle of the Swedish Hockey League last season, and is responsible defensively, but needs repetition to adjust to the North American game. It will be interesting to see what he can do playing against other top prospects in Traverse City. – Tom Gulitti, staff writer

Kevin Korchinski, Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks held an off-ice development camp in July, so there wasn’t an immediate opportunity to see the No. 7 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. That was probably good for the 19-year-old, who had an incredibly busy season with Seattle of the Western Hockey League, playing 54 regular-season games and 19 playoff games to help Seattle win the WHL title and advance to the championship game of the Memorial Cup. So I want to see what Korchinski has when the Blackhawks play in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase. He had a tremendous season in Seattle, with 73 points (11 goals, 62 assists) during the regular season and 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) during the playoffs. Will Korchinski make the Blackhawks roster out of training camp? That remains to be seen, but it’ll be great to see him on the ice in Minnesota. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer

Brad Lambert, Winnipeg Jets

The 19-year-old center, the No. 30 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, played two full seasons in Liiga, the top professional league in Finland, before coming to North America last season. He struggled with Manitoba of the AHL and was assigned to Seattle of the WHL after competing in IIHF World Junior Championship with Finland for the third time. Lambert dominated in the WHL, with 38 points (17 goals, 21 assists) in 26 regular-season games and 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 17 playoff games to help Seattle win the WHL title and reach the championship game of the Memorial Cup. Lambert will be in action at the 2023 Young Stars Classic in Penticton, British Columbia from Friday through Monday (Jets, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers). He's projected to be a top-six forward for Winnipeg and a strong training camp will dictate how close the nephew of New York Islanders coach Lane Lambert is to breaking into the NHL. -- Derek Van Diest, staff writer

Sam Poulin, F, Pittsburgh Penguins

Whatever the 22-year-old forward produces on the ice is secondary to the fact he's comfortable enough to play hockey again. Poulin had taken a leave of absence from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL in December to focus on his mental health. He returned to playing in April and then took part in Penguins development camp in July, saying, "Right now, I'm just in a good place, and just ready to play hockey. So that's what matters for me right now." The Penguins selected Poulin with the No. 21 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, and now that he’s in a better state of mind off the ice, the 2023 Prospects Challenge can provide an opportunity to further his growth back into a top prospect. -- Adam Kimelman, deputy managing editor

Jesper Wallstedt, Minnesota Wild

The No. 20 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft enters the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase as the goalie of the future behind Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury, and is ready to give a preview. The 20-year-old from Vasteras, Sweden, started slowly in his first North American season with Iowa of the AHL but finished strong, going 18-15-5 with a 2.68 GAA, .908 save percentage and one shutout in 38 games and scored an empty-net goal against Chicago of the AHL on Nov. 12. “I want to get there (NHL) as soon as possible, but that’s not the way it is,” Wallstedt said at the NHLPA Rookie Showcase on Sept. 5. “You’ve got to earn it … I’ve got to build something that’s not only working for three years or five years. I want to build something for a very long time and come with a lot of success.” -- William Douglas, staff writer