Scout’s Analysis: 21 rookies who may crack an NHL roster

The path to the NHL isn’t a straight line for a prospect. Whether a participant is chosen first total or within the later rounds of the draft, there are a number of elements that have an effect on a participant’s skill to make the NHL roster out of coaching camp.

An apparent hurdle is alternative: is there even an open spot on the depth chart on the place they play? But there are different realities too. Is the participant bodily able to transferring as much as the NHL stage? Can the participant be trusted to play in a wide range of roles?

I’m undecided if there’s room within the league this season for all the prospects I’m about to current, however I do imagine they’ll at the very least compete for a job and have an opportunity to interrupt camp with their groups. 

In no specific order of expectation or rating, listed here are some rookies I’m monitoring at NHL important camps, which open this week.

(Note: Some of the forwards on this checklist are pure centres, however, as everyone seems to be conscious, rookies coming into the league are generally requested to play the wing till they earn their stripes after which transfer to their pure place.)

This one is as simple because it will get for me. McKenna did a implausible job getting ready for the mix final spring. He added energy and weight between the top of his season at Penn State and the mix, so he examined very nicely. Now, McKenna, the Leafs and the fanbase are all excited to see how he’ll slot into the lineup.

I acknowledge why some individuals imagine he can be greatest suited to begin within the center six of the lineup, however I feel McKenna goes to drive the coaches to play him in an elevated position out of the gate — maybe using shotgun with Auston Matthews as a mix playmaker/purpose scorer on Toronto’s high line. 

You may lower and paste what I mentioned about McKenna and put it right here for the second total decide. Stenberg has already confirmed he can produce offence on the professional stage in Sweden (43GP-11G-22A) and on the males’s world championship (8GP-4G-4A) representing his residence nation. San Jose is a workforce on the rise and Stenberg can slot into their top-six ahead group instantly. When he isn’t offering offence he’s totally dedicated to defence. 

Alberts Smits, left-shot defenceman, New York Rangers

Out of all of the defencemen chosen within the first spherical of the 2026 NHL Draft, Smits has the best ground and is the almost definitely to be snug transitioning to the NHL sport. The six-foot-three, 210-pound, two-way defenceman has already competed on the professional stage in Finland and Germany and represented his residence nation, Latvia, on the world juniors, Olympics and World Championship. 

Nikita Klepov, left-shot ahead, Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks are going to be fascinating to observe this season. They had an eventful low season to say the least and would possibly want an additional reasonably priced offensive choice to put in into their group. Klepov is coming off a implausible junior season enjoying for Saginaw within the OHL, the place he produced 37G-60A and was deployed in all conditions. 

Roger McQueen, right-shot centre, Anaheim Ducks

There might be an open slot on considered one of Anaheim’s ahead traces for a centre and McQueen may compete for it. How many groups would like to have an opportunity to insert a six-foot-six, 200-pound rookie into their lineup, if he’s prepared? The brief reply is 31 different groups. The Ducks shall be hoping he is able to take a step.

Viggo Bjorck, proper shot ahead, Winnipeg Jets

I simply returned from watching Bjorck compete on the Prospects Challenge in Gatineau and he was one of the full younger weapons on the occasion. He can play each centre and the wing and has the benefit of being reliable in all conditions. He supplies extra than simply offence, performs quick and has elite hockey sense and offensive imaginative and prescient. He’s precisely what the Jets want on their roster. 

Brayden Yager, right-shot ahead, Winnipeg Jets

Yager appeared to have some synergy working alongside Bjorck on the prospects match. More importantly, Yager appears to be like stronger than he was a 12 months in the past and higher ready to compete for an NHL job. Yager, like Bjorck, might be deployed in a wide range of roles and has a agency understanding of the right way to play the sport the best method on and off the puck. 

Anton Silayev, left-shot defenceman, New Jersey Devils

Silayev is an outlier in some ways. First of all, he’s an enormous human being (six-foot-seven, 211 kilos). Secondly, he’s an elite skater for his measurement and has the power to play his off-side as a left-shot. The Devils are likely to battle with accidents all through the season, so having this dynamic shutdown defenceman within the bullpen supplies the group with a dependable choice. Silayev gained’t produce a lot offence, however he’ll maintain the puck out of his web and launch the assault effectively. 

Oliver Bonk, right-shot defenceman, Philadelphia Flyers

Bonk’s first season on the professional stage acquired off to a sluggish begin final 12 months when he suffered an harm that saved him out till December, however as soon as he settled in he appeared snug on the AHL stage and on the cusp of being NHL prepared. Bonk is a two-way defenceman who acknowledges when and when to not take possibilities offensively. He may also play the bumper on the facility play, which is exclusive for a defenceman. 

Roman Kantserov, left-shot defenceman, Chicago Blackhawks

I used to be closely criticized in some circles once I discounted Kantserov’s worth within the Hawks’ system final 12 months. There’s little doubt in my thoughts that Kantserov can transfer the needle offensively. He produced 36G-28A within the KHL final 12 months and completed with a plus-22 ranking within the common season. His playoffs fell off fairly dramatically although (4G-4A in 15GP paired with a minus-1 ranking). Kantserov is listed at five-foot-10, 176 kilos. He has the power to play with tempo and create offence, however his three-zone element shall be examined within the NHL. All I require is for him to be common on the defensive aspect. His offensive upside would win out in that situation. 

Cossa is a first-round decide of the Detroit Red Wings (fifteenth total in 2021) who the Mammoth acquired in commerce this previous summer time for the twenty third total choice on the June draft. He’s been simmering within the minors and is coming off a season that resulted in a 26-8-4 file, 2.33 GAA and .915 save share with Grand Rapids within the AHL. The six-foot-six, 215-pound goalie may push for north of 30 video games for the Mammoth this season. 

Trey Augustine, left-catching goalie, Detroit Red Wings

Part of the rationale Cossa was traded out of Detroit was that Augustine is arriving after a implausible NCAA profession at Michigan State. He’s coming into his first full 12 months of professional hockey. Will the six-foot-one, 190-pound netminder push John Gibson or Daniil Tarasov for taking part in time this season? Either method, Augustine is the goalie of the long run for the Wings. 

Andrew Cristall, left-shot ahead, Washington Capitals

The Caps chosen Cristall within the second spherical (fortieth total) in 2023. He was a prolific scorer in junior and continued enjoying to his id in his first 12 months of professional final season. Cristall contributed 20G-40A within the AHL. Some prognosticators have issues about Cristall’s skating and total element. I’m the alternative. I imagine in his character and drive. It’s solely a matter of time earlier than he fits up within the NHL. 

Cootes broke camp with the Canucks final 12 months earlier than being despatched again to junior. Vancouver chosen Cootes fifteenth total in 2025, and the five-foot-11, 186-pound, right-shot centre might need to slip to the wing to make the Canucks this fall, however he’ll migrate to his pure place finally. Cootes is an infectious participant who empties the tank shift after shift and might be deployed up and down the lineup. 

Hagens fell into the Bruins’ lap on the 2025 draft, the place they acquired him seventh total. Now, the five-foot-11, 194-pound ahead is well-positioned to earn an NHL roster spot. Hagens had a short stint within the AHL and with the Bruins on the finish of final season after he produced 23G-24A in 34 NCAA video games at Boston College. 

Radim Mrtka, right-shot defenceman, Buffalo Sabres

The Sabres’ first-round decide in 2025 (ninth total) is coming into his first full 12 months on the professional stage. Mrtka is a big (six-foot-six, 218 kilos) right-shot defenceman. He contributes secondary offence, but when he’s going to have an opportunity at breaking camp with the Sabres he might want to think about utilizing his measurement and size to kill performs defensively and maintain issues easy with the puck on his stick. 

Bradly Nadeau, right-shot ahead, Carolina Hurricanes

With Seth Jarvis out long-term recovering from low season shoulder surgical procedure, there shall be an additional spot within the lineup at camp and Nadeau has a possibility to slip into it. Nadeau’s offensive upside is what the Canes will worth most. At the AHL stage final season, he produced 27G-29A within the common season and adopted it up with 7G-10A within the playoffs. 

Victor Eklund, right-shot ahead, NY Islanders

The Islanders chosen Eklund sixteenth total in 2025. That draft class has already offered New York with Matthew Schaefer and it additionally has belligerent defenceman Kashawn Aitcheson near arriving as nicely. Eklund pushes the tempo offensively and has an opportunity to supply the Islanders with the spark they desperately want. After his season resulted in Sweden final spring he arrived within the AHL for his first style of North American professional hockey and contributed 3G-7A in 9 common season video games. 

Kasper Halttunen, right-shot ahead, Ottawa Senators

Halttunen was acquired by the Senators within the commerce that additionally introduced William Eklund to Ottawa from the San Jose Sharks. Halttunen was chosen within the second-round (thirty sixth total) by the Sharks in 2023. He’s simply outlined. Halttunen is a shooter. He rips pucks from the weak-side flank on the facility play and isn’t shy about aggressively directing pucks on web from anyplace within the offensive zone. Halttunen produced 16G-19A in his first professional season final 12 months enjoying within the AHL for the San Jose Barracuda. If Halttunen goes to have an opportunity at breaking camp with the Senators he should earn the belief of the teaching workers together with his total element, and play the sport constantly sooner. 

Tomas Galvas, left-shot defenceman, Pittsburgh Penguins

Galvas is an interesting prospect. He was handed over twice earlier than lastly being drafted this previous June, when the Penguins acquired him 54th total. The 20-year-old left-shot defenceman has competed on the professional stage in Czechia and represented his residence nation on the World Junior and World Championships. He’s able to quarterbacking an influence play and strikes pucks effectively with out sacrificing defensive element. 

Sam O’Reilly, right-shot ahead, Tampa Bay Lightning

I’m undecided there shall be room on the Lightning roster for O’Reilly in his first 12 months of professional hockey, however I’m constructive the reigning OHL MVP will push for a gap evening roster spot. O’Reilly was initially chosen by the Edmonton Oilers thirty second total in 2024, however was acquired by Tampa Bay within the commerce that despatched the signing rights to Ike Howard to the Oilers. In my opinion, O’Reilly is the subsequent coming of Anthony Cirelli for the Bolts. It’s only a matter of time.