Southern States Prospects

Southern States
Prospects

Evaluating the South’s top youth hockey prospects.

Regional scouting notes on 16U and 18U players across ten southern states, ranked for present impact and future upside.

View the Top 25 ranking
16U / 18U · AA / AAATen-state coverage
Regional ranking

The board weighs production in context, role, level of competition and traits that can carry forward. Rankings may change as more games and player evaluations are completed.

TENNESSEE / TOP 25

Top 25 Southern Hockey Prospects

11 players from Tennessee are ranked in the current Top 25.

11 players

Positions: F = forward · D = defense · G = goaltender. Skater ranks include forwards and defensemen. Skater age ranks include forwards and defensemen in the selected age group. Age and position ranks follow the overall Top 25 order within each group.

#01#01#01#01#01#01TN18U AAA · F

Ocean McGill

Skater rank: #1Forward rank: #1

Overall rank: #1Skater rank: #1

Overall rank: #1Skater rank: #1Forward rank: #1

Overall rank: #1Skater rank: #1Forward rank: #1

Overall rank: #1Forward rank: #1

Overall rank: #1Skater rank: #1Forward rank: #1

Nashville Jr. Predators

Sixty points in 50 18U AAA games, including 30 goals, lead a strong full-season record. He also appeared in three NAHL games and returns to Nashville’s 18U AAA roster.

View scouting report →
#03#01#01#01TN16U AA · G

Nolan Nilsson

Goalie rank: #1

Overall rank: #3

Overall rank: #3Goalie rank: #1

Overall rank: #3Goalie rank: #1

Overall rank: #3Goalie rank: #1

Overall rank: #3Goalie rank: #1

Nashville Jr. Predators

A .921 save percentage over 22 appearances and four tournament championship wins show his consistency. At Nationals, he won all three starts, including a 4–0 quarterfinal shutout. Goaltending evaluations highlight efficient movement and strong tracking.

View scouting report →
#06#05#05#05#05#05TN18U AAA · F

Draydon Larson

Skater rank: #5Forward rank: #5

Overall rank: #6Skater rank: #5

Overall rank: #6Skater rank: #5Forward rank: #5

Overall rank: #6Skater rank: #5Forward rank: #5

Overall rank: #6Forward rank: #5

Overall rank: #6Skater rank: #5Forward rank: #5

Nashville Jr. Predators

Twenty-four goals and 47 points at 16U AAA give him a strong scoring profile. Next look: whether his chance creation carries into 18U AAA.

View scouting report →
#12#02#10#01TN18U AAA · G

JT Apedaile

Goalie rank: #2

Overall rank: #12

Overall rank: #12Goalie rank: #2

Overall rank: #12Goalie rank: #2

Overall rank: #12Goalie rank: #2

Overall rank: #12Goalie rank: #2

Nashville Jr. Predators

Twenty wins and five shutouts in 30 16U AAA games include a 32-save shutout in the Southeastern District championship game. His .904 save percentage adds full-season context to that title-winning performance.

View scouting report →
#16#12#14#12#13#12TN18U AAA · F

Harrington Walker

Skater rank: #13Forward rank: #12

Overall rank: #16Skater rank: #13

Overall rank: #16Skater rank: #13Forward rank: #12

Overall rank: #16Skater rank: #13Forward rank: #12

Overall rank: #16Forward rank: #12

Overall rank: #16Skater rank: #13Forward rank: #12

Nashville Jr. Predators

Thirty-eight points in 53 games at 16U AAA show steady involvement over a full schedule. Next look: pace of decisions and impact away from the puck.

View scouting report →
#17#13#15#13#14#13TN18U AAA · F

Kirby Koenig

Skater rank: #14Forward rank: #13

Overall rank: #17Skater rank: #14

Overall rank: #17Skater rank: #14Forward rank: #13

Overall rank: #17Skater rank: #14Forward rank: #13

Overall rank: #17Forward rank: #13

Overall rank: #17Skater rank: #14Forward rank: #13

Nashville Jr. Predators

Thirty-three points in 46 games at 16U AAA suggest reliable offensive contribution. Next look: how often he creates chances rather than finishing them.

View scouting report →
#18#14#16#14#15#14TN18U AA · F

Isaiah Holte

Skater rank: #15Forward rank: #14

Overall rank: #18Skater rank: #15

Overall rank: #18Skater rank: #15Forward rank: #14

Overall rank: #18Skater rank: #15Forward rank: #14

Overall rank: #18Forward rank: #14

Overall rank: #18Skater rank: #15Forward rank: #14

Nashville Jr. Predators

His 49 points in 47 games at 16U AAA establish a productive scoring baseline. Next look: how he drives play against older 18U competition.

View scouting report →
#21#04#19#03TN18U AA · G

Zachary Fonnesbeck

Goalie rank: #4

Overall rank: #21

Overall rank: #21Goalie rank: #4

Overall rank: #21Goalie rank: #4

Overall rank: #21Goalie rank: #4

Overall rank: #21Goalie rank: #4

Nashville Jr. Predators

Twenty-three 16U AA club games and a state championship underpin his ranking. All-Midstate recognition and a .931 Music City Winter Classic save percentage add to the evaluation.

View scouting report →
#22#03#20#02#18#17TN18U AAA · D

Gregory Smith

Skater rank: #18Defenseman rank: #3

Overall rank: #22Skater rank: #18

Overall rank: #22Skater rank: #18Defenseman rank: #3

Overall rank: #22Skater rank: #18Defenseman rank: #3

Overall rank: #22Defenseman rank: #3

Overall rank: #22Skater rank: #18Defenseman rank: #3

Nashville Jr. Predators

Twenty-one points from the blue line at 16U AAA put his offensive involvement on the board. Next look: gap control and decisions under forecheck pressure.

View scouting report →
#23#05#03#02TN16U AA · G

Jack Karpynec

Goalie rank: #5

Overall rank: #23

Overall rank: #23Goalie rank: #5

Overall rank: #23Goalie rank: #5

Overall rank: #23Goalie rank: #5

Overall rank: #23Goalie rank: #5

Nashville Flyers

A .941 save percentage and three shutouts in ten league games last season. He has opened this season with a .968 save percentage and a 38-save shutout in two Flyers games.

View scouting report →
#25#17#04#01#20#02TN16U AAA · F

Mikey Peterson

Skater rank: #20Forward rank: #17

Overall rank: #25Skater rank: #20

Overall rank: #25Skater rank: #20Forward rank: #17

Overall rank: #25Skater rank: #20Forward rank: #17

Overall rank: #25Forward rank: #17

Overall rank: #25Skater rank: #20Forward rank: #17

Nashville Jr. Predators

An injury shortened his 15U club season after 58 points in 53 14U AAA games. Two OHL Cup goals, USA Select camp appearances and a second-round NAHL Futures Draft selection support his projection entering 16U AAA.

View scouting report →

Eligibility: current 16U or 18U AA/AAA team in Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana or Mississippi. Rankings consider results, scouting observations, role and projection; age and tier do not automatically set a player’s place. Rankings may change as further evaluations occur.

EVALUATION

How we build
the board.

Game results and available scouting observations guide the board. We consider impact within a player’s role, skating or crease movement, decisions under pressure and skills likely to translate to a higher level.

Read production against the level of opposition and the player’s role.
Identify the habits and tools that may carry to the next level.
Revisit each projection as the competition changes.

Age division and tier set the context; neither automatically confers a higher rank. A player at 16U or Tier 2 can rank above an 18U or Tier 1 player when the complete evaluation supports it.

COVERAGE

Regional Coverage

Evaluating 16U and 18U AA/AAA prospects across ten southern states. Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida and Kentucky are represented on the current Top 25 board.

TNTennesseeView ranked players ↗FLFloridaView ranked players ↗GAGeorgiaNo players in current Top 25NCNorth CarolinaView ranked players ↗SCSouth CarolinaNo players in current Top 25ALAlabamaNo players in current Top 25ARArkansasNo players in current Top 25KYKentuckyView ranked players ↗LALouisianaNo players in current Top 25MSMississippiNo players in current Top 25

Eligibility follows the current team: players must be on a 16U or 18U AA or AAA team based in one of the ten states listed here. A former regional team or hometown alone does not qualify.