The NHL rookie tournaments are a good way to figure out who\u2019s truly a hockey sicko.<\/p>\n
For months, fans across the internet have been clamoring for action resembling NHL hockey. And while these rookie tournaments won\u2019t feature many players that will be full-timers this season, it does offer fans a glimpse into the future before training camps start next week.<\/p>\n
The 10 rookie tournaments spread out across Canada and the United are a perfect way to get back into the swing of things. From first-round picks to long shots hoping to keep their pro hockey dreams alive, this is truly an exciting time for the diehard hockey fans. <\/p>\n
I myself will be in Buffalo over the weekend watching the five participating teams. Essentially, every game across the board will be streamed in some facet, whether it be on social media, YouTube, or a team\u2019s website. It might not feel like the real thing, and it\u2019s definitely not as good as watching the best of the best go at it. But there\u2019s still a lot of passion on the line here. And it\u2019s a good opportunity to get you ready for the season ahead <\/p>\n
Not all 32 teams will be playing in prospect tournaments. The New York Islanders and Washington Capitals instead will stay home. This, however, will be a good opportunity for every other fan base to get a look at what their next crop of young talent could look like. Players already participating in European seasons will not take part, and the same goes for NCAA-bound players, too.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s a look at one prospect to watch on all 30 participating teams. It\u2019s not necessarily the top prospect in each system. But in some cases, it\u2019s a youngster with an intriguing storyline, or a prospect hoping to make the jump to the NHL in a few weeks:<\/p>\n
2025 Prospect Showdown (Montreal, Quebec, Sept. 13-14)<\/p>\n
Reinbacher is coming off two drama-filled seasons \u2013 one due to significant coaching changes on his team in Switzerland, and last year due to injuries. Showing he\u2019s up to speed to kick off 2025-26 could go a long way. With Logan Mailloux out of the way, look for Reinbacher to take an even bigger role going forward in Laval. He played quite well when he was healthy \u2013 showing that on a more consistent basis is the real challenge, though. I\u2019m still a believer \u2013 I like him with the puck and I think he\u2019s very impressive defensively, too. Reinbacher just needs the chance to actually prove it. This is a perfect opportunity for him to show what he\u2019s capable of.<\/p>\n
Will Yakemchuk be an NHLer in 2025-26? There\u2019s a solid chance, and this tournament can get him started on the right foot. I didn\u2019t like him at the Buffalo tournament a year ago but he made up for it with an excellent pre-season. The 6-foot-4 defender struggled to get defensive reads right when he was 18, but his game has come a long way over the past year. He had an excellent training camp, and I expect him to be in the running to start the NHL with the big club. Getting sent down to the AHLer to refine his skating and gap coverage further wouldn\u2019t be a bad thing for him. But regardless, I see Yakemchuk becoming an impact top-four defenseman sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n
This one isn\u2019t a surprise. Cowan is the only prospect in this tournament with a real chance at playing NHL games this season. The skilled, hard-working forward is a great passer, loves to rush the puck up the ice and has some good speed, too. He\u2019s set to play his first year of pro hockey, and while I think he could play in the NHL this year, he should spend the bulk of the time with the AHL\u2019s Toronto Marlies.<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Jets<\/a>: Elias Salmonsson, RHD, 20<\/p>\n Ask Jets fans who they\u2019re most excited about and it\u2019ll likely be Salomonsson. The 2022 second-rounder has come a long way over the past few years, and is finally starting to look like the star defensive prospect many thought he would be leading into the COVID-19 pandemic. He\u2019s smart, physical and great with the puck, and it wouldn\u2019t be surprising to see him register 40 points this coming year in Manitoba. He\u2019s a great skater with a big frame and he\u2019s as defensively sound as you\u2019ll find in this system. <\/p>\n 2025 Rookie Game\u00a0(Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta, Sept. 12)<\/p>\n Most eyes will be on top prospects Zayne Parekh and Hunter Brzustewicz,<\/a> but Basha is one of the more intriguing forwards for the Flames. Injuries limited Basha to just 29 games in 2024-25, so he didn\u2019t get to live up to expectations on a high-level Medicine Hat squad. Still, his actual workload was solid, and he enters this one-game affair as one of the team\u2019s brightest young forwards. Basha turns 20 in November, he\u2019s eligible to spend 2025-26 in the AHL. That\u2019s a big step up for someone who didn\u2019t play a ton of hockey last year, but many around Calgary think he\u2019s got the work ethic and the playmaking to make it work.<\/p>\n Many Oilers fans are wondering if Howard could start the year in the NHL. A nice showing in this one-off game would help heat up the conversation, too. Howard is coming off winning the Hobey Baker Award as the top college hockey player, and he also snagged a gold medal with USA at the World Championship. Howard has an excellent shot release and his skating is a serious positive. Scouts are worried that he won\u2019t thrive unless he\u2019s paired with a center who could take away some of the defensive responsibilities. While this showcase might not be the perfect place for him to showcase his talent, training camp absolutely will be.<\/p>\n 2025 Prospects Challenge (Buffalo, New York, Sept. 11-15)<\/p>\n The Bruins needed center depth, and Minten \u2013\u00a0someone with middle-six potential \u2013 is a good fit. He\u2019s laser-focused on being a smart, two-way center who is exceptionally responsible defensively. He has a great shot, can handle himself physically and has shown some real promise in the pro ranks already. Look for Minten to chase a full-time roster spot this coming season \u2013 he already has experience with the Maple Leafs.<\/p>\n I liked Helenius at this event a year ago and I\u2019m excited to see him up close again. What sets him apart from others in Buffalo\u2019s system is his exceptional hockey IQ. Helenius is a creative player who rarely lets a play die in order to just make a pass. On the power play, he\u2019s patient but calculated \u2013 and while he can\u2019t slow things down on the man advantage now like he did against his age group, he\u2019s learning to adjust.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s unfortunate that he\u2019s not donning his trademark No. 69 anymore, but alas. Dumais has only played 42 regular season games over the past two years, so he has missed significantly more hockey than the average prospect. Still, 11 points in 21 AHL games isn nothing to sneeze at \u2013 especially after the limited playing time the year before. Dumais is one of the 5-foot-9 forwards whom scouts still have faith in because of the insane output he has managed to put up year after year at all levels. I think he might have the most individual skill of anyone heading to Buffalo this week.<\/p>\n I really liked Casey\u2019s tournament a year ago \u2013 he looked determined to win every single battle. Casey made the Devils out of training camp and was impressive early on, registering four points in his first six games while averaging 12 minutes a night. His ice time quickly started to fall and he was sent to Utica before getting one last call up in the spring. The undersized defender loves to make high-quality plays with the puck, and he hits hard for his size, too. I love his puck game, and his defensive awareness and consistency have taken big strides over the past two years. Look for Casey to be in the hunt for the Calder Trophy this year.<\/p>\n Pickering played 25 games in the NHL and another 47 in the AHL. It was a busy year for him, and it was good to see him putting in some consistent performances. At 6-foot-5, Pickering takes up a lot of space, but he\u2019s also competent with the puck. He played a lot of minutes this year and I expect him to do the same in 2025-26 before pushing for a full-time NHL gig. I think his offensive output will be limited in the NHL, which doesn\u2019t help him. But his D-zone coverage is probably the best of any Penguins prospect, and that\u2019ll be his bread and butter.<\/p>\n 2025 Rookie Series (Allentown, Pennsylvania, Sept. 12-13)<\/p>\n Gabe Perreault is the big draw here, but Othmann is the one with the most on the line heading into camp. The hard-nosed forward played well in the AHL but just seemed to be too inconsistent with the Rangers. I still like the 22-year-old because he has a great shot release and can definitely generate chances in the right situation. But it\u2019s been a bit of a rocky road in his limited NHL time. I hope he can take the next step forward to become a middle-six threat for the Rangers sooner rather than later because I, and many others, still see the\u00a0potential. Hopefully, this two-game showcase helps him kick things off on the right foot.<\/p>\n I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if he made the Flyers out of training camp, and it seems like others around the organization agree. Bump had an excellent sophomore season at Western Michigan, leading the team to a national title. He then finished off the AHL season with three points in two regular-season games before joining the team for the playoffs. Bump loves to generate scoring chances, and he\u2019s no slouch as a playmaker, either. He has the skill to be a decent middle-six threat for the Flyers, but scouts are worried about his pace once he jumps to the NHL. A good showing to start the season wouldn\u2019t hurt.<\/p>\n 2025 Prospect Tournament (Wesley Chapel, Florida, Sept. 12-15)<\/p>\n Nadeau is one of the best players in this tournament, and for good reason. He was the only U-20 AHLer to register 30 goals or 50 points this year, and he did it while playing a bit more physically than we were used to seeing from him. The only true blemish on Nadeau\u2019s season was his quiet showing at the World Juniors \u2013\u00a0he just never seemed comfortable after joining the team following training camp. I hope to see Nadeau play some more NHL games this season, but I expect him to spend more time with the Chicago Wolves.<\/p>\n Becoming Florida\u2019s top prospect isn\u2019t a hard bar to cross. But Devine \u2013 a seventh-round pick in 2022 \u2013 has firmly established himself as the best of the best. Devine is a speedy, energetic forward who just makes things happen.\u00a0He set a new personal best in the NCAA last year with 57 points, giving him a grand total of 163 points in 162 NCAA outings. Producing as an undersized forward in college is one thing \u2013 the pro game is a totally different story.<\/p>\n Molendyk is set for his first year of pro after a handful of impressive post-draft seasons in the WHL. He\u2019s mobile, smart and an excellent puck distributor. Molendyk is a much better two-way threat than he was in his draft year, allowing him to become more effective without the puck as well. It feels like Molendyk focused on building out his weaknesses \u2013 which often came down to defensive reads and positioning \u2013 to become a more polished threat. He has the potential to be the best defenseman in this showcase.<\/p>\n Acquired from Edmonton over the summer, O\u2019Reilly instantly became Tampa\u2019s top prospect. The London Knights forward is a solid two-way threat \u2013 someone I think could become a good third-line center. His toolsy nature makes him valuable in a lineup, and the Bolts seem to love guys who can do a little bit of everything all throughout the lineup. With so few notable prospects in Tampa\u2019s system, look for O\u2019Reilly to make some noise this weekend.<\/p>\n 2025 NHL Prospect Games (Frisco, Texas, Sept. 13-14)<\/p>\n Inconsistency seemed to be an issue for Hemming in the OHL last year. But it\u2019s hard not to love the pro-level skills. He has a good 6-foot-1, 200-pound frame, and he loves to battle hard in front of the net. Scouts have also liked how much energy he seems to have late in games \u2013\u00a0he\u2019s built for endurance. I like his wrist shot, and I think he plays with a bit more skill than he gets credit for.\u00a0<\/p>\n Danielson will be in the conversation to make Detroit\u2019s opening night lineup. So a nice start to training camp season could help his chances. Danielson\u2019s game was never going to be about pure skill or offensive domination. Instead, it was about how rounded he was and how he uses his strength and hockey sense to win battles. He had a solid 39 points in 71 AHL games as a pro rookie, and he has impressed in the past two pre-seasons, too.<\/p>\n 2025 NHL Prospects Game (Everett, Washington, Sept. 13-14)<\/p>\n