It’s what every NHL organization wants to see in its prospect pipeline: the player who shows promise that they could one day be ready for the next step and more responsibility at a higher level.
As the 2025-26 hockey season winds down, these prospects have emerged and shown what they could have to offer — enough to possibly change the way their organization perceives them or solidify their future star status.
Which prospect in each NHL team’s pipeline had the most promising season?
The Athletic posed that question to its NHL staff, stipulating that while short-term call-ups this season are eligible, the prospects should not have spent most of the season in the NHL.
In response, we heard about top prospects who showed they could make the leap, hidden gems who could earn bigger opportunities and players who showed they are on the precipice of making an NHL impact. Here are the picks.
Anaheim Ducks
Roger McQueen, C
The Ducks’ top pick in 2025 had a slow start to his college season after playing in the WHL. McQueen heated up for Providence and helped lift the Friars into the NCAA Tournament. He’s now finishing with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls after signing an amateur tryout contract. — Eric Stephens
Boston Bruins
James Hagens, LW/C
Hagens, the No. 7 pick in 2025, is a natural center. It may be his long-term position. But the 19-year-old spent most of the season at left wing to improve his off-puck play. He did well enough to become a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. Hagens projects to be a top-six fixture. — Fluto Shinzawa
Buffalo Sabres
Brodie Ziemer, RW
Ziemer was the captain for Team USA at World Juniors and also had a point-per-game season at the University of Minnesota with 23 goals and 13 assists in 36 games. A third-round pick in 2024, Ziemer is a relentless worker with an NHL shot. He’s also clearly developing more skill with the puck on his stick. He looks like a future NHL player. — Matthew Fairburn
Calgary Flames
Ethan Wyttenbach, LW
Wyttenbach is the highest-scoring player in the NCAA this season, as a freshman. Yes, even more points than Gavin McKenna, still projected to be selected first in the upcoming NHL Draft. Wyttenbach has more points than James Hagens, Porter Martone and Michael Hage, too. Flames fans have every reason to be excited about the Hobey Baker finalist, a small, yet dynamic winger with a goal-scoring touch. Likely more than people thought at the beginning of his season. — Julian McKenzie
Carolina Hurricanes
Charles Alexis Legault, RHD
The easy answer here is Bradly Nadeau, who is within reach of his second 30-goal season in the AHL, but Legault boosted his stock when injuries struck the Hurricanes. Legault was called up early in the season due to a rash of injured defenseman and performed well in eight games, providing size and toughness on the back end. A freak injury during his first career NHL fight cost him a few months of the season, but Legault established himself as a blueliner to watch for Carolina’s future. — Cory Lavalette
Chicago Blackhawks
Roman Kantserov, RW
The Blackhawks thought Kantserov could be a value pick at No. 44 in the 2023 draft, but they had no idea he’d develop as he has in Russia. Kantserov became the first 21-year-old since Kirill Kaprizov to lead the KHL in goals. Kantserov scored 36 goals in 63 games this season. That’s not to say he will be the next Kaprizov in the NHL, but the Blackhawks think he has the makings of another top-six forward for them and another significant piece to their rebuild puzzle. — Scott Powers
Colorado Avalanche
Ilya Nabokov, G
Nabakov’s overall statistics have dipped a bit from his first two seasons in the KHL, but he still finished top 10 in the league in wins despite playing in a split tandem. He’s quick and precise with his movements, and continues to prove he’s one of the better goalie prospects outside of the NHL. With Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood already signed for 2026-27, Colorado is in no rush to bring Nabokov over, but the Avs’ future in the crease is in good hands. — Jesse Granger
Columbus Blue Jackets
Jackson Smith, LHD
Smith had a tremendous freshman season at Penn State, totaling 11 goals, 15 assists and 26 points in 35 games and landing on the all-Big Ten second team. He moves incredibly well for a big man, and he’s made impressive strides this season on his defensive reads. At lesser levels, he could recover defensively from overly aggressive reads, but he had to adjust to the NCAA. Smith, the No. 14 pick last summer, will return to Penn State for his sophomore season, which the Blue Jackets fully support. — Aaron Portzline
Dallas Stars
Tristan Bertucci, LHD
It’s no secret that Dallas has a very shallow prospect pool, ranked 31st for the second straight year by our Scott Wheeler. So the bar isn’t high here. But Bertucci had a solid, if unspectacular, season in the AHL as a 20-year-old this season, and raised his stock considerably within the Stars organization, improving his defensive play without sacrificing too much of the offense that got him drafted in the second round (2023) in the first place. — Mark Lazerus
Detroit Red Wings
Max Plante, LW
Plante had a stellar season at Minnesota Duluth, finishing with 52 points in 40 games — the third most in the nation — and being named NCHC Player of the Year. The skilled winger was a key driver for getting the Bulldogs back into the NCAA Tournament, and is one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker. The next question is whether he will turn pro, which could be a tough call as his younger brother Victor is set to join UMD next season. — Max Bultman
Edmonton Oilers
Josh Samanski, C
One year ago, Samanski was a productive center in Germany’s top league (DEL). He was signed last spring by Edmonton with little fanfare. In the fall, Samanski emerged as a complete two-way center with the AHL Bakersfield Condors. His range of skills allowed him to flourish at even strength and on the power play. Late in the season, he received a recall to the Oilers and has emerged as a bona fide third-line center/wing. He came out of nowhere to win an NHL job. — Allan Mitchell
Florida Panthers
Sandis Vilmanis, LW
Vilmanis, 22, wasn’t expected to get as much time in the NHL as he did this season, but with the Panthers beat up and having a down season, he’s appeared in 19 games and been a cromulent option in fourth-line minutes. A fifth-rounder in 2022, he also had a solid showing as an Olympian for Latvia and could wind up a useful middle-six piece if his sharp shooting from junior translates to the pro level. — James Mirtle
Los Angeles Kings
Vojtěch Čihař, LW
Čihař, a second-round pick in 2025, is making a big impact this season. The 19-year-old started the year in the top-level Czech Extraliga and then led his nation to the World Juniors gold medal game with an MVP performance. He’s now in the WHL and making a lot of noise for Kelowna in the playoffs. — Eric Stephens
Minnesota Wild
Charlie Stramel, C
The 2023 first-round pick broke out, being named a Hobey Baker top-10 finalist, scoring 19 goals and 44 points with Michigan State and finishing second in Division I college hockey in faceoff wins. His signing with the Wild has been delayed after he broke his ankle in the Spartans’ season-ending loss to Wisconsin. Minnesota would like to burn a year, but if the NHL doesn’t allow it, the Wild are confident the contract would start next season instead of him becoming a free agent on Aug. 15. — Michael Russo
Montreal Canadiens
Alexander Zharovsky, RW/LW
The Canadiens overpaid for Zharovsky, trading picks 41 and 49 to the Hurricanes for No. 34 in last year’s draft, but were happy to do it. They had Zharovsky in the top 12 on their internal list, and after trading away picks 16 and 17 in the Noah Dobson deal, to have Zharovsky still on the board was a gift. He fell seven points short of childhood friend Ivan Demidov’s U20 KHL record with 42 points this season as an 18-year-old. They could be teammates as early as the end of next season. — Arpon Basu
Nashville Predators
Ryan Ufko, RHD
I’d be negligent if I didn’t pick Ufko here. The Preds have more first-round picks in their pool than any team in the league, but it’s the 2021 fourth-rounder who has taken the biggest step this year. Ufko has played well since the day he stepped into the AHL — and before that, since the day he stepped on campus at UMass — but his emergence as what looks like a legitimate NHL defense option is found money on Broadway. — Scott Wheeler
New Jersey Devils
Lenni Hämeenaho, RW
Hämeenaho, ranked fifth on Scott Wheeler’s most recent ranking of Devils’ prospects, did enough with AHL Utica to earn an NHL call-up. He’s since played 27 games with the NHL Devils and has two goals and five assists. He’s shown he can be someone called upon for NHL games and could be a bottom-six player for the Devils going forward. He’s not the highest-touted prospect but has had an encouraging year. — Peter Baugh
New York Islanders
Jacob Kvasnicka, RW
There were a few options for this within the Isles pool, but there might not have been a better season by a 2025 seventh-rounder than Kvasnicka’s. He led the WHL expansion Penticton Vees in scoring and to a winning record, and did it while playing his hard-working game. He’ll be a good college player who gives pro hockey a go. — Scott Wheeler
New York Rangers
Nathan Aspinall, LW
After registering a modest 47 points for the Flint Firebirds in 2024-25, Aspinall exploded for 94 (33 goals and 61 assists) to rank second in the OHL in his age-19 season. That pace has gone up in the playoffs, during which he’s racked up 13 points (six goals and seven assists) through four games. The size (6-foot-7, 207 pounds) and skill combination have led to eye-opening production for the 2024 fifth-round pick, who’s significantly raised his stock as he prepares to turn pro next season. — Vincent Z. Mercogliano
Ottawa Senators
Lucas Beckman, G
Beckman began the season with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the QMJHL with a 4-14-3 record. However, he still posted a .905 save percentage. Then the Chicoutimi Saguenéens came calling, and Beckman propelled them to regular-season success while bolstering his own numbers — a 13-1-0 record, a .940 save percentage, and a 1.52 goals-against average. He’s also off to a great start in the QMJHL playoffs, too. — Julian McKenzie
Porter Martone looks like a guy who will play a key role in the Flyers’ late playoff push. (Kyle Ross / Imagn Images)
Philadelphia Flyers
Porter Martone, RW
It always seemed likely that Martone would join the Flyers after his college season at Michigan State concluded, but considering how he played there, leading the team in scoring with 25 goals and 50 points in 35 games, it became inevitable once the Spartans were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament last weekend. Martone made his NHL debut in Washington on Tuesday, registered a team-high five shots and immediately looked like a guy who will play a key role in the Flyers’ late playoff push. — Kevin Kurz
Pittsburgh Penguins
Will Horcoff, LW
Horcoff was the third player selected by the Penguins in the 2025 draft. They obviously liked him then. They love him now. Horcoff has produced 25 goals and 38 points in 39 games at Michigan this season. He’s likely a year or two away from being NHL-ready, but he is a good prospect whose stock is rising. — Josh Yohe
San Jose Sharks
Igor Chernyshov, LW
There are many worthy choices, but it’s tough to top Chernyshov, who went at the top of the second round in 2024 and parlayed a great showing in the AHL into being the potential fit with Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith on the Sharks’ top line. He’s got five goals and 14 points in his first 21 NHL games. The 20-year-old Russian has arrived. — Eric Stephens
Seattle Kraken
Julius Miettinen, C
The 20-year-old Finn has been the center of the best line in the WHL this season, connecting play between Carter Bear and intriguing 2026 NHL Draft re-entry prospect Matias Vanhanen. On a prohibitive Memorial Cup favorite in Everett that plays smash-mouth, high-paced offensive hockey, Miettinen has been the defensive conscience of the forward group and a prolific point producer to boot. He’s looking like a player who should be an impact AHL center next year. — Thomas Drance
St. Louis Blues
Justin Carbonneau, RW
By signing his entry-level contract with the Blues in 2025, Carbonneau attended training camp last September. The 2025 first-round pick was impressive — but raw and lacking good defensive habits. He returned to his junior team, where he eclipsed the 50-goal plateau for Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and made a stronger commitment in his own zone. The Blues should be getting a more well-rounded, polished player in next season’s camp. — Jeremy Rutherford
Tampa Bay Lightning
Benjamin Rautiainen, LW
Rautiainen had one of the most productive seasons in Liiga’s history, displaying NHL-caliber puck play. A highly skilled and intelligent forward, he’s not overly physical, but the 2025 fourth-round pick is tracking to play in the NHL, potentially as a middle-six wing. — Corey Pronman
Toronto Maple Leafs
Miroslav Holinka, C
While an overage player in the WHL, Holinka was one of the better forwards in the league. He has translatable traits with NHL-caliber size, speed and hands. Whether he will score as a pro is to be determined, but he works hard enough and has a legit chance to make it. — Corey Pronman
Utah Mammoth
Cole Beaudoin, C
Utah boasts several top prospects who’ve had impressive seasons, including Caleb Desnoyers, Tij Iginla, Daniil But and Dmitri Simashev. Beaudoin doesn’t have the high-end ceiling of those players, but he arguably had the best year relative to expectations. Drafted No. 24 in 2024, the big, hard-working center went from producing below the point-per-game mark last season to 88 points in 54 OHL games this season, and he scored seven points in seven games for Canada at the World Juniors. — Harman Dayal
Braeden Cootes is likely to turn pro full-time next season. (Bob Frid / Imagn Images)
Vancouver Canucks
Braeden Cootes, C
Vancouver’s first-round pick at the 2025 draft has enjoyed an impressive draft-plus-one campaign, making the NHL team out of training camp and representing Canada in a depth role at the U20 tournament. He then proceeded to score 63 points across 45 WHL games for the Seattle Thunderbirds and the Prince Albert Raiders. Cootes, a well-rounded right-handed center with quality two-way details and scoring touch in his game, is likely to turn pro full-time next season. — Thomas Drance
Vegas Golden Knights
Carl Lindbom, G
It’s been an excellent sophomore season in the AHL for Lindbom. Not only did he show flashes of brilliance in his short stint in the NHL, but Lindbom has also been dominant for the Henderson Silver Knights. Lindbom has the second-highest save percentage in all of the AHL (.924), with three shutouts in 30 starts. — Jesse Granger
Washington Capitals
Ilya Protas, C
With all due respect to Cole Hutson, who’s shown what makes him the franchise’s best prospect, the 6-foot-5 “little” brother of Capitals winger Aliaksei Protas — once again — is the pick here. In 2024-25, he put up 149 points in his first 73 OHL games as an 18-year-old. In 2025-26, he’s led the AHL’s Hershey Bears in goals and points, and he’s doing it at center. Protas, who doesn’t turn 20 until July, was a third-round pick in 2024. Now, he looks like a first-rounder. — Sean Gentille
Winnipeg Jets
Kieron Walton, LW/C
Walton is a 6-foot-6, 227-pound forward with soft hands who’s played some center and a lot of left wing and who led the OHL with 364 shots this season — a ridiculous margin over No. 2 Adam Novotný, who had 278. The difference is a testament to Walton’s ability to control the play, his deft stickhandling and playmaking ability to create a pile of scoring chances for himself and his teammates. The Tage Thompson admirer finished eighth in OHL scoring and has four points in five playoff games. — Murat Ates