*This article was originally written by Michael Ostrower
Seemingly, only the best NHL-affiliated prospects get the love they deserve. Instead of focusing on them, let’s bring our attention to each team’s most underrated prospect—the unheralded guys.
Pacific Division
Anaheim Ducks – Drew Schock
Drew Schock, a fourth-round pick by the Anaheim Ducks in 2025, is a high-ceiling, low-floor defensive prospect. In 66 games with the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP), he recorded nine goals and 28 assists for 37 points, ranking first among defensemen.
But Schock’s point totals aren’t what make him special. It’s his elite skating ability and puck-moving game, which allowed him to stand out at the U18 World Championship. He ranked third in the tournament in scoring among defensemen, only behind Sascha Boumedienne (28th-overall pick in 2025) and Xavier Villeneuve (projected first-round pick in 2026). If Schock hits his absolute ceiling, he could be a vital top-four fixture in Anaheim.
Calgary Flames – Cole Reschny
You may be thinking that an 18th-overall pick from 2025 can’t possibly be considered “underrated.” However, Cole Reschny truly fits the bill. The Calgary Flames centerman dominated from the start of his Western Hockey League (WHL) campaign until the U18 World Championship concluded in late spring.
Reschny became the only draft-year WHL player aside from Connor Bedard to produce at an assist-per-game rate in both the regular season and postseason in the past decade. It’s not just point-scoring for Reschny, though. He’s a smart, two-way center with high-end playmaking abilities. There’s a very real chance he’s a top-six staple at the NHL level.
Edmonton Oilers – Maxim Berezkin
Hunting down a Stanley Cup and all, the Edmonton Oilers don’t exactly have the deepest prospect pool. One of their underrated standouts, though, is Maxim Berezkin. He’s coming up on his 24th birthday, but the 6-foot-4, 212-pound winger has a real shot at playing in the NHL regularly.
Last season, Berezkin had 15 goals and 27 assists for 42 points across 66 games in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), arguably Europe’s finest. He was second on his team in regular-season and playoff scoring (14 points), leading the Yaroslavl Lokomotiv to a Gagarin Cup title. Given his size and offensive output, he might play on Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl’s wing one day.
Los Angeles Kings – Petteri Rimpinen
Petteri Rimpinen put his name on the map following an excellent World Junior Championship performance last winter, and it got him taken in the 2025 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings as an overager. The Finnish fifth-round netminder is highly athletic and could be a steal.
Related: What the LA Kings Have in 2025 NHL Goalie Draft Pick Petteri Rimpinen
In seven games with Finland at the World Junior Championship, Rimpinen had a 5–2–0 record and a .933 save percentage, earning him Best Goaltender honors and a silver medal. Still young enough to return in 2026, it’ll be a time for all teams to see what they missed out on.
San Jose Sharks – Igor Chernyshov
The San Jose Sharks were vindicated last season. They snagged Igor Chernyshov at 33rd overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, when he was seen by most as a first-round pick. Moving from Russian juniors and pros to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), he lit the North American scene on fire. Despite recovering from an offseason surgery, he had a league-leading 2.39 points per game, with 55 in 23 contests.
Chernyshov is a skilled, high-motor winger whose eye test backs up the numbers. He could be a second-line forward for a deep and talented Sharks team.
Seattle Kraken – Tyson Jugnauth
Since their inception in 2021, the Seattle Kraken have drafted some amazing young centers: Matty Beniers, Shane Wright, Berkly Catton, and Jake O’Brien. But their most underrated prospect might be Tyson Jugnauth, a fourth-round defenseman they took back in 2022.
The left-shot blueliner was named the WHL’s Defenseman of the Year last season, recording 13 goals and 76 assists for 89 points in 65 games. With Sharks prospect Luca Cagnoni out of the picture for the Portland Winterhawks, Jugnauth took full advantage and emerged as an elite producer. After finishing off his campaign with another 33 playoff points, the gifted defender is turning pro in 2025–26.
Vancouver Canucks – Aleksei Medvedev
Admittedly, the Vancouver Canucks’ system is a bit dry at the moment. However, Aleksei Medvedev was an intriguing second-round choice in 2025. One of the youngest players in the class (born Sept. 10), the athletic netminder has significant upside.
With the OHL’s Memorial Cup-winning London Knights last season, Medvedev had a 22–8–2 record with a .912 save percentage and 2.79 goals-against average. Now that Austin Elliott is out of the picture, the crease belongs to the Canucks’ young goaltender.
Vegas Golden Knights – Jakob Ihs-Wozniak
The Vegas Golden Knights, severely lacking in draft capital, have needed to make some savvy picks to maximize their Stanley Cup window. Fortunately, Jakob Ihs-Wozniak fell into their lap at 55th overall in 2025.
Ihs-Wozniak was regarded as an early first-round pick by some before the season, but he had far from a disappointing draft-year showing. With 57 points in 40 games at Sweden’s top junior level (U20 Nationell) and two points in 13 Swedish Hockey League (SHL) contests, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound winger could’ve easily been taken on Day 1. He has middle-six potential.
Central Division
Chicago Blackhawks – Sam Rinzel
Sam Rinzel is highly regarded in Chicago Blackhawks fan spaces, but most are still unfamiliar with the 21-year-old’s game. His elite deceptiveness, skating ability, and two-way upside could have him on an NHL top pairing for the next decade-plus.
Rinzel is set to join the Blackhawks full-time this season after a brief stint in 2024–25. He recorded five assists in nine contests while averaging 23:22 of ice time per game. Before that, he had 32 points in 40 NCAA games.
Colorado Avalanche – Ilya Nabokov
No prospect has been off the trading table for the Colorado Avalanche, so their cupboards are getting somewhat bare. Ilya Nabokov, though, is a good one. The 2024 second-round pick might be on the older side for such a recent pick at 22 years old, but his KHL numbers are exceptional for his age.
Putting up a .923 save percentage in 49 games for Metallurg Magnitogorsk last season, Nabokov is borderline NHL-ready. His athleticism could make him a replacement for Mackenzie Blackwood someday.
Dallas Stars – Justin Hryckowian
A lot of the Dallas Stars’ top prospects have already graduated to the NHL, so their pool isn’t exactly fantastic anymore. Justin Hryckowian is an interesting exception, however. The 24-year-old undrafted center had 60 points in 67 games in the American Hockey League (AHL) last season.
Historically, those totals correlate to about a one-fourth chance of playing 150-plus NHL games (from ‘AHL Production vs. NHL Odds: How Do They Correlate?,’ The Hockey Writers – NHL Stuff, July 15, 2025). That’s not great, but it does make Hryckowian a name to know for hockey fans. He has a real chance to defy the odds.
Minnesota Wild – Aron Kiviharju
Seen as a potential first-round pick in 2024, Aron Kiviharju fell all the way to the fourth round for the Minnesota Wild to select. Back to health after an injured 2023–24 campaign, the undersized defenseman had 16 points in 52 Liiga contests (Finland’s top pro league).
Kiviharju projects to be a puck-moving power-play quarterback at the NHL level, should he make that jump. The skill level is unquestionably there for him to make an impact.
Nashville Predators – Aiden Fink
The Nashville Predators got a haul at the 2025 NHL Draft, but for their most underrated prospect, let’s go back to 2023. Aiden Fink was a seventh-round pick who was a point-per-game freshman with Penn State University in 2023–24, then a 1.33 point-per-game sophomore.
Fink was the top player for Penn State in their first-ever Frozen Four appearance—that’s huge. He’ll be looking to find another gear in 2025–26 with Gavin McKenna, the NHL’s likely first-overall pick in 2026, by his side.
St. Louis Blues – Juraj Pekarcik
All eyes were on Caleb Desnoyers last season for the Moncton Wildcats, but Juraj Pekarcik was a fantastic complement. The 2023 third-round pick had 24 goals and 43 assists for 67 points across 53 games, and added another seven points in five games at the World Junior Championship for Slovakia.
The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) is known for its offensive output. Still, Pekarcik’s numbers and play style suggest the NHL could be in his future. He can provide great vision to the St. Louis Blues.
Utah Mammoth – Maveric Lamoureux
Utah Mammoth fans certainly recognize Maveric Lamoureux’s talent, but it’s a different story league-wide. That’ll change soon enough.
A 6-foot-6, 196-pound defenseman, Lamoureux is huge. He wasn’t taken with a late first-round pick in 2022 for that reason alone, though. A solid defensive presence with promising results in a 15-game NHL stint, there’s top-four upside here.
Winnipeg Jets – Viktor Klingsell
Even though he was taken 156th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, you could argue that Viktor Klingsell was a second-round prospect. The small winger had 39 points in 43 games in Sweden’s U20 Nationell and an impressive eight-point showing at the U18s.
The Winnipeg Jets got themselves a possible middle-six NHL winger if his offensive game translates to the SHL.
Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes – Viggo Nordlund
Another victim of a draft-day slide due to size, the Carolina Hurricanes got Viggo Nordlund with a sixth-round price tag when he’s likely closer to a second-round talent. Being 5-foot-9 and 168 pounds did him no justice, it seems.
Nordlund had 49 points in 40 U20 Nationell games, ranking in the 94th percentile among forwards with at least 20 games played. His hockey IQ is excellent, and he’s got skill to boot.
Columbus Blue Jackets – Luca Del Bel Belluz
After last season, Luca Del Bel Belluz should almost definitely be a top-nine fixture for the Columbus Blue Jackets down the line. The 21-year-old notched 27 goals and 26 assists for 53 points in 61 AHL games, and added eight points in 15 NHL games.
Del Bel Belluz is a goal-scoring threat from plenty of spots on the ice. Columbus might have its third-line center of the future, at minimum.
New Jersey Devils – Arseniy Gritsyuk
Arseniy Gritsyuk, a 2019 fifth-round pick, is finally set to join the New Jersey Devils following a long stint in the KHL. The 24-year-old winger had 44 points in 49 games last season, finishing as SKA St. Petersburg’s best point-per-game producer (so, yes, he was ahead of Ivan Demidov).
Gritsyuk is a gifted goal-scorer who should slot inside the Devils’ top nine. For a team that lacked production from its depth, Gritsyuk may quickly make a name for himself in the NHL. But as it stands, he’s relatively unknown to a majority of hockey fans.
New York Islanders – Maxim Shabanov
Maxim Shabanov makes it back-to-back players coming over from the KHL. The undrafted forward signed with the New York Islanders in the offseason, bolstering their youth movement and current roster simultaneously.
Shabanov ranked third in KHL scoring last season with 67 points in 65 games. There’s always a worry that small players like himself (5-foot-8, 157 pounds) can’t keep up in the playoffs, but he only improved, leading his team to the Gagarin Cup Final with 20 points in 21 games. Like the Devils, the Islanders are getting an immediate 24-year-old top-nine talent.
New York Rangers – Malcolm Spence
Widely considered a mid-first-round prospect from the start of last season until its end, the New York Rangers should be thrilled that Malcolm Spence fell to them at 43rd overall. The 6-foot-2, 201-pound winger has an elite two-way motor with impressive OHL point totals.
Related: Meet the Steal of the 2025 NHL Draft
In 2023–24, Spence had 62 points in 66 games—sensational production for a draft-minus-one player. He didn’t take much of a step in 2024–25, improving to 73 points in 65 games, but that still implies a middle-six future. The Rangers reloaded admirably for a team trying to contend.
Philadelphia Flyers – Egor Zavragin
Egor Zavragin of the Philadelphia Flyers, yet another Russian netminder, might just be the best of them all. He set the all-time games played record among 19-year-old KHL goalies last season, with 43. Putting up a respectable .917 save percentage, he’s a true number-one starter early in his development process.
Zavragin’s athleticism, like some of the others mentioned, is high-end. He could be the Flyers’ future in goal.
Pittsburgh Penguins – Ville Koivunen
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2024 return for star forward Jake Guentzel was largely underwhelming, but they did get one key piece back: Ville Koivunen. He was essentially too good for the AHL last season, putting up 21 goals and 35 assists for 56 points in 63 games. Adding seven points in eight games in the NHL, the 22-year-old winger might be playing next to Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin in 2025–26.
Pittsburgh isn’t expected to make much noise, but that could be Koivunen’s chance to break out. He’s in line to receive more ice time than your standard rookie forward.
Washington Capitals – Ilya Protas
Somewhat quietly, the Washington Capitals have become draft experts. One of their latest successes is Ilya Protas, a 2024 third-round pick turned OHL superstar. A dynamic duo may be in the works, as he’s the younger brother of Aliaksei, who had a fantastic 2024–25 campaign in D.C.
The younger Protas had 50 goals and 74 assists for a whopping 124 points in 61 games for the Windsor Spitfires last season. Points don’t always tell the full story, but they do in this case. The 6-foot-5, 201-pounder was a tremendous offensive creator, displaying both intelligence and skill.
Atlantic Division
Boston Bruins – Kirill Yemelyanov
The Boston Bruins did an enviable job replenishing their pipeline at the 2025 NHL Draft. James Hagens is the obvious headliner, but an under-the-radar pickup was Kirill Yemelyanov in the sixth round.
In Russia’s top junior league (MHL), Yemelyanov had 24 points in 38 games with point-per-game production in the playoffs. His motor and two-way instincts are some of his best traits, and could lead to him becoming an NHL-regular centerman.
Buffalo Sabres – Scott Ratzlaff
Scott Ratzlaff, a 2023 fifth-round pick, has been asked to do a lot for the WHL’s struggling Seattle Thunderbirds over the past two seasons. With 101 regular-season appearances, the 20-year-old netminder doesn’t get a ton of rest.
In 2024–25, Ratzlaff’s .910 save percentage ranked eighth among goalies with 20 or more appearances. Achieving this with one of the WHL’s lowest-finishing clubs in the standings, he could impress in the AHL. Although if Devon Levi doesn’t make the Buffalo Sabres’ lineup, earning starts might be a challenge.
Detroit Red Wings – Amadeus Lombardi
Amadeus Lombardi, a fourth-round pick in 2022, took a huge step last season. Compiling 19 goals and 21 assists for 40 points in 44 games as a 21-year-old, playing some NHL games in the near future seems like a given.
Lombardi has an outside chance of making the Detroit Red Wings this season, in fact. A center who can create offense with smarts, skill, and speed, he’ll be hard to deny.
Florida Panthers – Arvid Drott
Taking home back-to-back Stanley Cups, the Florida Panthers had to be extra diligent in the 2025 NHL Draft—they don’t exactly have a ton of picks anymore. Fortunately, Arvid Drott, taken in the sixth round, is the kind of sneaky pickup that helps replenish the pipeline.
Drott was seen as a second- or third-round prospect by most public scouting sites, so falling to 192nd overall was a surprise. His production in U20 Nationell was decent, with 36 points in 40 games, but his power-forward style adds a crucial element. The Panthers may have found themselves a gem.
Montreal Canadiens – L.J. Mooney
At 5-foot-7 and 157 pounds, L.J. Mooney’s “slide” in the 2025 NHL Draft was a given. The Montreal Canadiens bet on his skill in the fourth round, and it just might pay off.
Mooney is a fast and skilled winger who was one of two point-per-game scorers with the USNTDP last season (51 points in 51 games; the other was Cole McKinney, with 61 points in 60 games). With 11 points in seven games at the U18s, Mooney showed the world that a top-nine NHL role could eventually be his.
Ottawa Senators – Blake Montgomery
Making a difference on a stacked roster like the championship-winning Knights is not an easy task, but that’s what Blake Montgomery did in 2024–25. The 6-foot-4, 196-pound winger plays a powerful, speedy game.
Montgomery’s 50 points in 51 games last season, while not exceptional for a draft-plus-two prospect, suggest he can be an intimidating bottom-six NHL presence. The Ottawa Senators are eagerly awaiting that next step.
Tampa Bay Lightning – Jack Finley
Given the Tampa Bay Lightning’s rather bare prospect pipeline, Jack Finley could receive some depth looks for the big club in 2025–26. The 23-year-old made his NHL debut on Jan. 14 last season but was promptly sent back down to the AHL.
Speaking of the AHL, Finley had 28 points in 40 games, which is a decent stat line. For a 6-foot-6, 220-pound center, that’s especially true. He could be a long-term solution in Tampa Bay’s bottom six.
Toronto Maple Leafs – Victor Johansson
Following his fourth-round selection by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2024, defenseman Victor Johansson took an unforeseen leap in his U20 Nationell production. From eight points in 34 games to 39 points in 47 games, he could be an effective scorer at the professional level.
Where Johansson really opened eyes was at the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase. He notched three points in five games, displaying slick puck-carrying ability.
Do you agree or disagree with these picks? Feel free to leave your thoughts below!
