Austin Burnevik

February 2026 – The one thing preventing Burnevik from being viewed as a legitimate NHL prospect is his skating. His offensive arsenal is more than enough, he has the size to compete, and his intelligence is good enough to remove any doubt. Burnevik’s production in the NCAA shows what he can do, even on a relatively weak St. Cloud team. He needs to spend the offseason working with a skating coach, as the potential benefits would be immense. If meaningful improvement in his skating begins to show, he moves from quickly move from a boom-or-bust longshot to a much more realistic NHL prospect. Markus R

June 2025 – Drafted in his second year of eligibility, this season marks Burnevik’s D+2 campaign. His offensive skill set has translated well to the collegiate level. A combination of soft hands, vision, and a strong shot has made him the leading scorer on a weak St. Cloud team. His puck skills, along with an NHL frame at 6-4, make him a likely favorite for a bottom-six role at the pro level. However, the issue that kept Burnevik from being drafted in his first year remains: his poor skating. It continues to be a significant weakness and is the root of his struggles in defensive and transition play. His NHL projection hinges entirely on how much he can improve his skating. Burnevik is unlikely to become fantasy-relevant for another two to three years, and only if he makes substantial progress with his skating. Markus R