It has been quite an exciting season of college hockey as we near the end, with many standout NHL prospects making immediate impacts across the country.
Related: 2026 NHL Draft: Orth’s Top 32 February Rankings
A few notable midseason additions joined the college ranks, including Tynan Lawrence, who made the jump from the United States Hockey League (USHL) to Boston University, and Oscar Hemming, who arrived midseason at Boston College. Penn State also added elite talent in Gavin McKenna, who has been at the center of national attention, while other names like Ilia Morozov and Adam Valentini have climbed rankings.
Gavin McKenna (LW) – Penn State
Amidst all the recent drama with McKenna, he has been electric and has turned his game up another notch. His eight-point night on Friday, Feb. 20, vs. Ohio State, with seven assists and a goal, was unreal and pushed him into Macklin Celebrini’s level of production in terms of NCAA scoring pace during his 2023-24 season.
This past weekend, he finished with 10 points overall and capped it off by scoring the game-winner on Saturday night in overtime, also against Ohio State. He is now shutting the haters up in real time and proving he can dominate the Big Ten Conference.
He has been absolutely dynamic on the power play with four goals on the season. He leads Penn State in average ice time at 21:14 per game and, through 28 games, has 13 goals and 30 assists. His 1.54 points per game ranks second in the NCAA behind only national scoring leader Ethan Wyttenbach, who has been lighting it up for Quinnipiac this season. Both McKenna and Wyttenbach play top-line left wing for their respective teams.
Keaton Verhoeff (RD) – North Dakota
Verhoeff has been an important piece on the North Dakota blue line and is projected as a top-five pick. He is on an elite team, as most of these future NCAA draft picks are, with many inside the national top ten.
Verhoeff did not get much ice time at the World Juniors in December for Team Canada, which is still confusing. Even with limited minutes, he still put up four assists on the way to a bronze medal. He moves extremely well for a big defenseman, at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds.
He’s put up 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) in 28 games and is a plus-7 on the season. He has been dynamic on the North Dakota blue line, providing scoring while remaining defensively sound. His minutes have increased over the season, and he is now on the second pairing, playing the right side with Abram Wiebe to his left.
We will get to see plenty more out of him this season, given North Dakota is a national championship contender, currently ranked third in the country.
Tynan Lawrence (C) – Boston University
Boston University is having a down season by their standards, and brought Lawrence in midseason to help boost them in the second half. It has not worked overall, as the Terriers continue to struggle in Hockey East, one of the best conferences in college hockey.
Lawrence is also just 17 years old, playing against much older competition and is still not done growing. He plays his role well, is defensively sound, avoids big mistakes, and competes hard. He is great at winning puck battles and brings a strong work ethic every shift. He also dealt with injuries earlier this season in the USHL before coming to the NCAA, which slowed his development a little.
His scoring touch will come with time, especially once he is on a Terrier team that is playing closer to their standard, because this season, they are nowhere near it, currently sitting at 28 in the NPI Rankings. He’s put up a goal and an assist in 13 games played. He scored his first NCAA goal on Jan. 23 vs Providence, showing off elite hands and a hard, accurate wrist shot.
Lawrence has been playing second line center of late for BU and is averaging 17:32 of ice time per game.
Oscar Hemming (F) – Boston College
Hemming had issues starting the season due to contract complications with his club back in Finland. A Kitchener Rangers (Ontario Hockey League) import draft pick, he ended up joining Boston College midseason.
He brings size and physicality and uses both to his advantage. Hemming is also the youngest player in college hockey this season, which makes what he is doing even more impressive. His game is built on size, strength, physicality, net front presence, and puck protection. He leans into all of those tools and plays a heavy, reliable style that has translated well to the college level.
Hemming has put up one goal and seven assists in 14 games played, averaging 15:09 of ice time per game. He has been on the top line of late, playing left wing with Andre Gasseau (C) and James Hagens (RW), a first-round pick last season.
There is no doubt in my mind that Hemming will go in the top-20 this upcoming summer.
Ilia Morozov (C) – Miami
Projected as a late first-round pick, Morozov has been one of the most versatile freshmen in the country.
Miami RedHawks head coach Anthony Noreen put him on the top line from day one and never hesitated. Morozov plays in every situation, including the penalty kill, the power play, draws, and three-on-three overtime.
His size plays a major role in his defensive game. At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, and not even done growing, he wins board battles with strength and work ethic. He is strong enough to push players off pucks and long enough to disrupt passing lanes. Even though he is not the fastest skater on the ice, he covers ground quickly when needed.
His skating with the puck is elite for his size. He drives to the net from below the goal line, uses his body to create space, and extends plays with his long reach. On the top power-play unit, he keeps plays alive, hunts pucks down, drops pucks back to the point cleanly, and has a heavy one-timer setting up from the faceoff circle.
Morozov is averaging 19:06 of ice time per game with seven goals and 11 assists in 32 games, including three power-play goals and one game-winner. He has not scored since late November at the Friendship Four in Belfast, Ireland, but the NCHC is an elite conference and, in my eyes, easily the best in college hockey night in and night out.
Adam Valentini (F) – Michigan
Valentini is projected as an early-round pick, ranging from late first to late second among most outlets. He has been electric for one of the best teams in the nation, the Michigan Wolverines.
He plays with a high pace and is a hard forechecker who pressures defenders and forces turnovers. He translated well right away to the college game after coming from the USHL and did not need much time to adjust. Valentini also plays on the power play and excels there, scoring four goals this season.
He has nine goals and 15 assists in 32 games, averaging 14:39 of ice time per game. Valentini has been on the third line of late at right wing, though his minutes will increase over time.
Other Names To Watch
Lincoln Kuehene (D), out of Arizona State, is another name to watch in the later rounds. He scored his first NCAA goal on Saturday, Feb. 21, vs. Nebraska Omaha, and now has two points in 28 games played. He dealt with some injuries earlier in the second half of the season.
Landon Nycz (D) is another defenseman to watch. He plays for UMass and has one goal and two assists on the season. Nycz was ranked 28th in NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings for North American Skaters and has plenty of upside as a mid-to-later round pick.
College hockey is loaded with elite young talent right now, maybe more than it has ever had. With the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) routes now open for players to move into the NCAA, the level of competition has risen even higher. The future of the game looks incredibly bright.
