We’re just past the halfway mark of the 2025-26 season, and with the midseason release of this year’s U23 list, I wanted to highlight five of the fastest-rising young players in the first half of the season.

Igor Chernyshov, LW, San Jose Sharks

Ranking: No. 19 (No. 71 in September)

Chernyshov was a second-round pick in 2024 while playing in Russia. Since coming over to North America after the draft, he has looked like a potential impact scorer. He lit up the AHL as a 19-year-old to begin this season, earned a call-up to San Jose and hasn’t looked out of place.

His rise is due to how translateable his game has proven to be. He attacks the net and creates offense in a direct manner. He checks almost every box between his speed, skill, sense and compete to go with his big frame.

Roman Kantserov, LW, Chicago Blackhawks

Ranking: No. 23 (No. 162 in September)

Kantserov has been one of the best players in the KHL this season. He has elevated his stock from a good prospect to a player on the fast track to playing for Chicago and possibly in a meaningful role.

Kantserov isn’t the biggest player, but he can elevate against men despite his frame due to his high-end combination of skill, speed and motor. He creates in the hard areas, wins battles he shouldn’t and is a responsible two-way player. He reminds me a lot of fellow Chicago forward Frank Nazar in that regard; he has the skill, but has the top-end compete you need to succeed and drive play at even strength at his size. After being a second-round pick, he’s tracking to be a top-six winger who coaches will trust.

Yegor Surin, C, Nashville Predators

Ranking: No. 34 (No. 112 in September)

Surin was a first-round pick by Nashville, so he’s a bit different from the rest of this group, but the level at which he’s playing for a top team, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, has been quite unusual for a teenager. He’s an easy player to fall in love with because he combines legitimate skill with a distinct, nasty edge. He brings it every single shift, playing a physical brand of hockey while still playing with pace, creating a lot of offense and finishing plays. Whether he settles as a second-line center or a high-end second-line winger, he has proven this year that he’s the type of player coaches will covet in the playoffs.

Alexander Zharovsky, LW, Montreal Canadiens

Ranking: No. 39 (unranked in September)

Zharovsky, a high second-round pick by Montreal in 2025, is in the midst of a monster 18-year-old season in the KHL as a top player for Ufa. He even got an invite to Russia’s senior team in December.

He’s a super slick winger with legit offensive upside for the NHL. His hands and creativity are high-end, allowing him to consistently make difficult plays through traffic. While he has played some center, his style projects perfectly as a scoring winger in the NHL who can run a power play from the half-wall. He’s trending toward being a top-six forward who scores a lot of points.

Braeden Bowman, LW, Vegas Golden Knights

Ranking: No. 124 (unranked in September)

Perhaps the biggest surprise on this list, the undrafted Bowman has forced his way into the Golden Knights’ lineup. Since his recall, he has provided secondary scoring for Vegas. While his skating has always been the main knock against him and at times he’s struggled with the NHL pace, his rise is a testament to his great hockey sense and compete level. He looks like a player who can slide up and down the lineup and contribute on a second power-play unit, proving to be a valuable find for a Vegas team that’s thin on prospects.