Scout’s Analysis: Rookies who may earn an enormous position this season

With the puck dropping on a brand new NHL season this week, a lot of the eye surrounding the brand new crop of rookies has revolved round Gavin McKenna (Toronto) and Ivar Stenberg (San Jose). And it is solely regular that the highest two picks of the newest draft, who each venture to be frontrunners difficult for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the yr, can be in such a highlight.

Porter Martone, the sixth total selecting 2025, is one other participant getting loads of Calder consideration earlier than the season. That should not be any shock after he joined Philadelphia late final season and stormed out of the gate with 10 factors in his first 9 NHL video games. Seven of 21 Sportsnet analysts picked Martone to win the Calder in our pre-season predictions, so he’s firmly on the Calder radar.

But there are a number of different rookie gamers who deserve recognition for breaking camp with their respective golf equipment. 

Beyond McKenna, Stenberg, and Martone, right here’s a take a look at among the different first-year prospects who’ve potential to play key roles for his or her groups this season: 

Smits was chosen fifth total on the draft in June. He initiatives as a two-way defenceman who may be deployed in all conditions and has potential to contribute secondary offence. 

In the primary sport of his profession towards the Boston Bruins, Smits was deployed for 16:54 of ice time. All of his shifts got here at even energy, and he was credited with two hits and a blocked shot. 

Smits is as seasoned as they arrive for a first-year, not too long ago drafted NHL defenceman. He’s solely 18 years younger, however he’s already performed professional in Finland and Germany, in addition to representing Latvia on the world juniors, Olympics and Men’s World Championship. 

The Hawks are hoping Kantserov can present them further offensive depth. He’s coming off an unbelievable season within the KHL that resulted in 36G-28A taking part in for Magnitogorsk and Chicago has slotted Kantserov on to their second line to start out the season. 

Kantserov has the power to play the center or the wing, however I personally imagine he’s higher suited to play as a winger early in his profession. It’s very tough for scoring forwards to understand the nuances of taking part in centre on the NHL degree with out stalling their growth offensively. Unfortunately for Chicago, Connor Bedard is on the shelf recovering from damage to start out the yr so the Blackhawks are asking Kantserov to play centre till Bedard returns. In Chicago’s first sport versus Vegas Kantserov was on the ice for 17:07, together with 2:36 on the facility play. He registered one shot on purpose. 

Frondell was chosen third total in 2025 and is coming off a season that noticed him rating 20 objectives for Djurgardens in Sweden’s high league, the SHL. Frondell dressed for 12 video games with Chicago final spring and seemed snug on the NHL degree. He produced 3G-6A in that span and begins the yr on the Blackhawks’ high line between Tyler Bertuzzi and Patrick Kane.

Frondell’s a really good participant. He acknowledges when to take probabilities offensively and when to retreat and ensure he’s on the best aspect of the play defensively. It might be attention-grabbing to see if Chicago makes use of him on the weak-side flank on the facility play as a result of Frondell has an unbelievable one-timer and the power to beat goalies clear from the weak-side circle. 

The Golden Knights haven’t precisely been acknowledged as a company that drafts and develops their very own prospects that graduate to the NHL roster, however Connelly may find yourself being the exception. The darting ahead was chosen 19^th total by Vegas in 2024, and he begins the season skating on their third-line with veterans Tomas Hertl and Victor Olofsson. 

Connelly produced glorious outcomes on the AHL degree final season (14G-35A) and has already hit the scoresheet this season. He skated 11:22 of ice time within the Golden Knights’ dwelling opener versus Chicago, was credited with 4 pictures on web and was rewarded together with his first NHL purpose. Connelly has implausible puck contact across the web and the pace to make performs off the push. 

Hagens is one other younger prospect coming into the league who can play centre or the wing. The former faculty standout at Boston College was drafted seventh total by the Bruins in 2025. He begins the season taking part in the wing on a line with Fraser Minten at centre. 

Hagens had a cup of espresso within the NHL and AHL final spring after leaving college on the conclusion of Boston College’s season. He produced 23G-24A for the Eagles in his sophomore season. Hagens has change into a way more well-rounded participant over the course of his growth and has top-six NHL scoring upside. 

The Capitals are one of many high drafting organizations within the league they usually have a possible top-pairing NHL defenceman in Cole Hutson, who they took forty third total in 2024.

Hutson is a transitional defenceman and energy play quarterback. He averaged some extent per sport over two seasons on the faculty degree taking part in for Boston University after which performed 14 video games for the Capitals final spring, scoring 10 factors. He’s extremely aggressive on and off the puck, and the sort of prospect who can simply log over 20 minutes of ice time per sport. 

Protas is an enormous ahead who can drive play together with his pace and creativity, and he’s exceptionally tough to defend resulting from his top and energy. Protas is one other prospect who has the power to play both centre or the wing. 

Protas, like Hutson, may find yourself as one of many steals from the 2024 draft. Washington chosen Protas seventy fifth total and he’s coming off a rookie yr within the AHL that resulted in 29 objectives and 37 assists. It seems the Capitals are going to start out the season with Protas taking part in the center alongside his brother (6-foot-6, 250-pound Aleksai) and Jordan Kyrou. 

A few younger goaltenders may find yourself taking part in large roles for his or her groups this season and their contribution may decide if their golf equipment make the playoffs and even win a spherical within the spring. 

Cossa is an attention-grabbing prospect. He was initially drafted within the first-round (15^th total) by the Detroit Red Wings in 2021, however the Wings dealt him to the Mammoth within the low season for the 23^rd choose on the draft. 

Goaltenders usually take a little bit of time to change into one of the best model of themselves on the NHL degree and the 23-year-old Cossa is coming off a implausible season on the AHL degree. He posted a 26-8-4 report in Grand Rapids final yr and paired these numbers with a .913 save proportion and a couple of.33 goals-against common. 

The Mammoth recognized Cossa as a goalie who may problem veteran Karel Vejmelka, who performed 64 video games final season and posted a 38-20-3 report, 2.75 GAA, and .896 SV%.

If Pittsburgh goes to make one other run at a playoff spot, they’ll require elite goaltending. Incumbent Arturs Silovs can run cold and warm at occasions so the arrival of homegrown Murashov (chosen 118^th total in 2022) is intriguing. 

Murashov is a south-paw goaltender with good measurement and athleticism. He’s coming off a season within the AHL that resulted in a 24-9-4 report, an elite 2.20 GAA and .919 SV%. At worst I see Murashov splitting video games with Silovs, however there’s additionally a chance in entrance of him to earn extra of the online. The Penguins are relying on the latter and Murashov may play a big half of their push in the direction of the playoffs once more this season.