Next Wave: December 20

In this edition of Next Wave, discover what our prospects have been working on and the progress they've made.

Let's take a dive into the more recent update of our Next Wave report, presented by Kaiser Permanente.

PROSPECT OF THE WEEK:

• Cameron Lund (Northeastern, HE) was named Prospect of the Week (Dec. 12) presented by Kaiser Permanente after logging multi-point efforts in four consecutive games (3g, 6a), including finding the back of the net in three-straight contests in that span (Dec. 1-7).
• Leo Sahlin Wallenius (Växjö Lakers HC J20, J20 Nationell) was named Prospect of the Week (Dec. 18) presented by Kaiser Permanente after logging 10 points (2, 10a) in seven games played with the Växjö Lakers HC J20.

BARRACUDA

• The San Jose Barracuda sit in second place in the Pacific Division standings this season (25 GP) with a record of 13-4-0-2 within the division and are 7-1-0-2 in their past 10 games played. Three Barracuda rookies (Graf, Cagnoni, and Bystedt) have led the way in scoring, ranking in the top five in points among the club. Following games played on Dec. 19, The team ranks second in the division in goals scored (87), good for seventh in the league and their penalty kill (88.9%) ranks third among the AHL. The Barracuda are on a five-game road trip (Dec. 12-20) with the final stop at Bakersfield Condors.
• Yaroslav Askarov was recalled to the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 18. Before his recall, he logged his third shutout of the season, his 12th AHL shutout, in the 1-0 victory against Coachella on Dec. 7. Askarov leads AHL netminders in shutouts since making his debut in the 2022-23 campaign with the Milwaukee Admirals.
• Shakir Mukhamadullin was recalled by the San Jose Sharks on Dec. 10 and made his season debut on Dec. 12 at St. Louis Blues. He logged four points (0g, 4a) in his last five games played with the Barracuda before his recall.
• Luca Cagnoni has tallied assists in three of his past four games played (0g, 4a), including a helper in consecutive games from Dec. 12-14. Cagnoni ranks third among AHL blueliners in points (22) this season and tied for fourth in assists.
• Filip Bystedt has found the score sheet in three of his past four games played (0g, 4a). He leads U-21 Swedish-born skaters in the AHL in points (15 - 5g, 10a) on the year following Dec. 19.
• Collin Graf has logged 24 points (6g, 18a) in 25 games played and leads U-23 AHL skaters in assists and ranks tied for fourth in points.
• Thomas Bordeleau netted a goal in back-to-back games (Dec. 14-15) and has notched a goal in four of his past eight games played. Bordeleau posted a season-long four-game point streak (3g, 2a) from Dec. 8-15.

PROSPECT NOTABLES – NORTH AMERICA

• Jeremie Bucheler (Wichita, ECHL) has seven points (2g, 7a) in his last 10 games played with the Thunder. He leads Wichita blueliners in points (16) across 26 games played.
• Nolan Burke (Wichita, ECHL) posted a season-long four-game point streak (3g, 2a), including finding the back of the net in two consecutive games played and a minimum plus-minus rating of +1 in each contest.
• Braden Hache (Wichita, ECHL) tallied points in three of his six games played (1g, 3a) from Nov. 11 - Dec. 14, including his first career goal at the ECHL level with Wichita in the 6-2 victory against Worcester Railers on Nov. 30.
• Joe Carroll (Wichita, ECHL) collected his first two-assist game with the Thunder in the 9-2 victory at Rapid City on Dec. 13. He finished the contest with a season-high plus-minus rating of +3.
• Brandon Svoboda (Boston Univ., HE) earned a spot on the 25-man roster with the U.S. National Junior Team at the 2025 World Juniors. It is Svoboda’s first time being selected to be part of the roster. The Sharks will have a skater on the US roster for the second consecutive season (Will Smith and Eric Pohlkamp, 2023-24).
• Joey Muldowney (UConn, HE) reached double digits in points (10) in 15 games played with UConn. Muldowney totaled 14 points (5g, 9a) in 35 games in his freshman campaign with the Huskies.
• Reese Laubach (Penn State, Big 10) logged his second two-goal game of his campaign with Penn State in the 4-1 win against Army. Laubach is now two goals shy from eclipsing his freshman total (10) in his first season with Penn State (2023-24).
• Sam Dickinson (London, OHL) made Team Canada’s World Juniors Championship roster on Dec. 13. He leads CHL blueliners in points and is the second-youngest skater among his Canadian defensemen junior hockey group. He logged a five-point effort (2g, 3a) in the contest at Ottawa (Dec. 1), including a season-best plus-minus of +4.
• Kasper Halttunen (London, OHL) will represent Finland at the 2024 World Juniors Championship. After his brief stint with the Barracuda (AHL), Halttunen has tallied six points (2g, 4a) since returning to the London Knights (9 GP).
• Christian Kirsch (Janesville, NAHL) made Team Switzerland’s roster for the World Juniors Championship. Kirsch leads Janesville in save percentage (.925), goals against average (2.92), and it tied for first in wins (3).
• Carson Wetsch (Calgary, WHL) matched a career high in points (3) in a contest, tallying two goals and one assist in the win against Prince Albert on Dec. 18. Wetsch ranks third among his team in goals (13) across 30 games played with the Hitmen.
• Nate Misskey (Victoria, WHL) posted his second-career two-goal effort at the WHL level on Dec. 14 at Vancouver (last: Oct. 12 vs. Wenatchee). He ranks tied for fifth among U-20 WHL blueliners in markers (8).
• David Klee (Muskegon, USHL) has found the back of the net in back-to-back games played (Dec. 13-14), including a goal in five of his past seven games with 12 points total (5g, 7a) in that span.

PROSPECT NOTABLES – INTERNATIONAL

• Axel Landén (IK Oskarshamn, HockeyAllsvenskan) leads U-20 HockeyAllsvenskan blueliners in plus-minus rating (+7) and has logged a +1 in two of his past three games played.