*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 – Tarin Smith
After a solid draft-plus-one season in the Western Hockey League (WHL), Anaheim Ducks defensive prospect Tarin Smith saw his production improve in 2025–26. The Everett Silvertips captain recorded 16 goals and 55 assists in 65 games and had a plus-65 rating.
Smith has solid two-way potential. He’ll presumably turn pro for the San Diego Gulls in the American Hockey League (AHL) next season—that’ll be a good indicator of where he’s at.
Calgary Flames – Abram Wiebe
A Calgary Flames team in desperate need of new pieces is getting one in Abram Wiebe after signing his entry-level contract. The 22-year-old defenseman was a Second Team All-Star for a stellar University of North Dakota club, putting up 29 points and a plus-13 rating in 40 games.
The Flames acquired him in the deal that sent veteran blueliner Rasmus Andersson to the Vegas Golden Knights. On a Calgary team navigating its way through a rebuild, Wiebe may be able to carve out a long-term spot for himself.
Edmonton Oilers – Maxim Berezkin
While his production dipped in 2025–26, Edmonton Oilers forward prospect Maxim Berezkin should bring a lot of intrigue after signing his entry-level contract.
Over the past three seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), Berezkin has recorded 30, 42, and 32 points. At 24 years old, he’s ready to make an impact now. With hundreds of games’ worth of professional experience under his belt, the 6-foot-4, 212-pound winger could be a middle-six threat if things go right.
Los Angeles Kings – Petteri Rimpinen
Though he was drafted as an overager by the Los Angeles Kings last summer, Petteri Rimpinen continues to dazzle for his age. The 19-year-old netminder had one of the best save percentages in Liiga this past season, which is Finland’s top league.
Rimpinen’s performance at the 2025 World Junior Championship opened many North American eyes to his potential. The Kings’ system is stacked with goalies, leading to the youngster getting forgotten at times.
San Jose Sharks – Igor Chernyshov
You can argue that Igor Chernyshov isn’t as under-the-radar as he once was, but the 20-year-old forward is also still probably overlooked by the general public.
Chernyshov has kind of been all over the place. He spent his draft year in Russia, dominating the junior scene and showing flashes in the KHL. Last season, he came over to North America and lit up the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with 55 points in 23 games. Finally, this season, he’s been a full-time pro and has really popped—0.80 points per game in the AHL and 0.64 in the NHL with the San Jose Sharks. That’s a star trajectory.
Seattle Kraken – Tyson Jugnauth
Entering this season, defenseman Tyson Jugnauth was coming off an impressive junior career that’d be hard to top. Well, he has 44 points in 69 games as an AHL rookie, putting him four points shy of the top three in defensive scoring.
The 2022-drafted defenseman has the chance to be a regular for the Seattle Kraken someday after his instant production in the AHL.
Vancouver Canucks – Aleksei Medvedev
Aleksei Medvedev is rightfully regarded as one of the Vancouver Canucks’ brightest prospects, but that fact is probably understated around the league.
This season was a step back for Medvedev in the numbers department, putting up a .891 save percentage in the OHL. However, the upside is still there. The 18-year-old could be the future in goal for this team someday.
Vegas Golden Knights – Mateo Nobert
With the Vegas Golden Knights being what they are, the prospect pool here is quite barren. But if he’s not traded in the next few years, Mateo Nobert could be an interesting piece.
Nobert, drafted in the third round last year, was two points shy of 19th-overall pick Justin Carbonneau for the team lead on the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Blainville-Briand Armada. The 18-year-old center kept up in scoring on a stacked roster, which is a good sign.
Central Division
Chicago Blackhawks – Nathan Behm
The Chicago Blackhawks may have found themselves another gem. Nathan Behm, a 2025 third-round pick, had an impressive showing for the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers this season, recording 38 goals and 86 points in 68 games.
Behm will be going from the WHL to the NCAA next season, so his progress is worth monitoring. If he can produce in college, he might have a long NHL career ahead.
Colorado Avalanche – Christian Humphreys
Even with the addition of T.J. Hughes, the Colorado Avalanche’s prospect pool is among the weakest in the NHL. Christian Humphreys, however, is a breath of fresh air.
The 20-year-old forward is an essential producer for a contending Kitchener Rangers team (OHL). In the regular season, he recorded 85 points in 63 games. Those aren’t blow-your-socks-off numbers for someone of his age, but you can’t say there’s nothing here. In a redraft of the 2024 class, Humphreys probably goes near the early second round instead of the seventh.
Dallas Stars – Cameron Schmidt
Admittedly, it’s hard to be underrated when a lot of people consider you to be so. Still, Cameron Schmidt fits the bill for the Dallas Stars.
The 2025 third-round pick reached the century mark in point-scoring this season, recording 51 goals and 49 assists in 72 games across the WHL’s Vancouver Giants and Seattle Thunderbirds. While undersized, Schmidt could be a top-nine winger in Dallas someday.
Minnesota Wild – Adam Benák
Due to his 5-foot-8, 163-pound frame, Adam Benák was always going to be underrated entering last year’s draft. At least right now, it seems that the Minnesota Wild got a steal in the fourth round.
Benák has been a major standout for the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs, recording 77 points in 48 games. With Czechia at the 2026 World Junior Championship, he added eight points in seven contests, so he’s not riding off the coattails of anyone. There’s top-nine forward potential here.
Nashville Predators – Aiden Fink
Aiden Fink, a 2023 seventh-round pick, recently concluded another fantastic college season at Penn State University. Now, he’s putting up ludicrous numbers in the AHL.
It’s only a six-game sample, but Fink already has three goals and seven assists. The Nashville Predators will likely want him to develop in the AHL for at least a full season before calling him up to the big club full-time, but he may force their hand.
Nashville is in a spot where it can and should start embracing its youth soon. Fink could be one of the first to make the jump.
St. Louis Blues – Juraj Pekarcik
This has been an encouraging first professional season for Juraj Pekarcik. He sits in the top five in scoring for the Springfield Thunderbirds—the St. Louis Blues’ AHL affiliate—with 33 points in 66 games.
If he can expand on those numbers in 2026–27, Pekarcik has the chance to become a solid bottom-half-of-the-lineup contributor in St. Louis. This season and his junior career should inspire confidence.
Utah Mammoth – Dmitri Simashev
It was admittedly difficult to find a prospect in the Utah Mammoth system who was underrated and had an obvious NHL future ahead of him, but Dmitri Simashev, surprisingly enough, may be that guy. But why is a 2023 sixth-overall pick on the list?
Generally, Russian defensive prospects don’t get the attention they deserve, and Simashev is one of those players. Since coming over to North America this season, the 21-year-old has made easy work of the AHL with 35 points in 40 games, and has suited up for 27 NHL contests. He’ll have to improve if he wants to become a regular, let alone a star, in Utah, but the early signs are nonetheless encouraging.
Winnipeg Jets – Viktor Klingsell
Viktor Klingsell was one of the bigger names in Sweden entering the 2025 NHL Draft, but he fell to the Winnipeg Jets in the fifth round.
He did well to prove them right this season, recording 43 points in 25 games in Sweden’s top junior league, seven points in eight games in their second-tier pro league, and a goal in 12 games in the best of the best, the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Klingsell may have an NHL future.
Metropolitan Division
Carolina Hurricanes – Felix Unger Sörum
Felix Unger Sörum, a 2023 second-round pick, has 62 points in 68 AHL games this season—an over 40-point boost on his 2024–25 campaign. The 20-year-old winger has all but mastered the minor leagues.
The Carolina Hurricanes have done a great job of keeping their prospect pool interesting while they remain competitive, and Unger Sörum is an example of that. If he can have a strong training camp next fall, the NHL may not be so far away.
Columbus Blue Jackets – Luca Del Bel Belluz
Luca Del Bel Belluz was a borderline point-per-game producer in the AHL last season, and now he’s reached that status with 57 points in 53 games. For a 22-year-old, that suggests he could have a future in the top nine.
Del Bel Belluz only has a single assist in 14 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets this season, but next season, if he earns the opportunity, he could start to be truly noticeable at the NHL level.
New Jersey Devils – Daniil Orlov
The New Jersey Devils had a strong prospect pool for a long time, but that has mostly evaporated thanks to those players graduating. Daniil Orlov, however, is making a name for himself in the KHL.
Related: Devils’ Prospect Orlov on Family Influence, KHL Success, and NHL Future
Orlov, a 22-year-old defenseman, recorded 28 points in 66 games this season and was an All-Star. Seeing as he’s already standing out amongst his professional peers, an NHL future isn’t hard to envision. Like Arseny Gritsyuk for many years, Orlov is a name over in Russia to keep an eye on.
New York Islanders – Cole Eiserman
The way I see it, there’s been an overcorrection on Cole Eiserman. He was once seen as a top-three prospect in the 2024 class, had a disappointing season, fell to the New York Islanders at 20th overall, and hasn’t really been in the spotlight ever since.
But Eiserman still has immense goalscoring upside. He recorded 18 goals and 28 points in 32 games at Boston University this season and has four points in nine games with the Bridgeport Islanders in the AHL. Those aren’t overly impressive totals, but he’s also 19. Be on the lookout for a 2026–27 explosion.
New York Rangers – Drew Fortescue
With the New York Rangers’ 2025–26 season being a lost one, it has given Drew Fortescue an opportunity to show out. With two assists and a plus-5 rating in seven contests, it’s safe to say that he’s done some good things.
Fortescue won two gold medals at the World Junior Championship with the United States and was a big piece for their blue line. The Rangers are hoping he can be the same for them—he could be a long-term regular.
Philadelphia Flyers – Egor Zavragin
Egor Zavragin is one of the league’s most intriguing goalie prospects who never really gets mentioned in the conversation. The 20-year-old Philadelphia Flyers netminder again put up world-class numbers in Russia this season, but it was hard to get action in the KHL despite a sparkling .919 save percentage in 12 games.
Zavragin spent most of his time in Russia’s second-tier pro league, the VHL, and had a .949 save percentage with a 1.44 goals-against average across 18 contests. Rumor says he might sign his entry-level contract and come over to North America next season, where he could be developed as the Flyers please.
Pittsburgh Penguins – Mikhail Ilyin
Fifth-round picks who spend their time developing in Russia rarely get a passing glance, so Mikhail Ilyin is someone even diehard hockey fans may not be familiar with. However, he could be a top-nine forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins one day.
Ilyin, 21 years old, continued to produce in the KHL this season with 44 points in 68 games. He was recently assigned to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he has two points in his first two contests. Pittsburgh is embracing the youth, and he could be a name that sees the show next fall.
Washington Capitals – Ilya Protas
Can one of the league’s best-producing prospects be considered “underrated” anymore? With the lack of hype surrounding the Washington Capitals center’s name, yes.
Ilya Protas put up over two points per game in the OHL last season, was almost a point-per-game player in the AHL this season, and is over a point per game in the NHL so far. Doing all of this at 6-foot-6 and 225 pounds gives him unicorn potential—a big, smart, and skilled playmaker with goalscoring ability.
Atlantic Division
Boston Bruins – Fabian Lysell
I’ve gone with this theme a few times—players who have been overcorrected a bit too much. Fabian Lysell, a 2021 first-round pick, has been honing his game in the Boston Bruins’ system for some time now. That may lead some to believe he’s not anything special, but that’s far from the truth.
Lysell has 42 points in 55 AHL games this season. Beyond that, he has legitimate top-nine upside for Boston, even if he’s 23 years old and should theoretically be an NHL regular at this stage. He’s someone to keep an eye on.
Buffalo Sabres – Luke Osburn
Luke Osburn, a 2024 fourth-round pick, played a pivotal role in the NCAA’s Wisconsin Badgers advancing to the national championship this season. In 33 games, the left-shot defenseman recorded 21 points.
The Buffalo Sabres may have a future piece of their blue line here. The 19-year-old freshman took a big step this season, earlier playing for the U.S. at the 2026 World Junior Championship.
Detroit Red Wings – Eddie Genborg
The Detroit Red Wings love drafting internationally, and Eddie Genborg is the latest example of why. The 2025 second-round pick had an excellent SHL showing, putting up 25 points in 43 games as an 18-year-old. He has two points in nine AHL contests so far.
Genborg can provide some grit to the Red Wings’ top nine, making him a crucial prospect in their pipeline. For what it’s worth, I always liked this pick for Detroit—his breakout is far from sudden.
Florida Panthers – Sandis Vilmanis
When you win back-to-back Stanley Cups, your prospect pool is going to suffer. The Florida Panthers don’t have many recognizable names, but Sandis Vilmanis has become somewhat of a fan favorite.
The Latvian forward has 35 points in 46 AHL contests and five points in 19 NHL games. The Panthers have been dealing with the injury bug, but the 22-year-old’s play suggests he should be in the running for a roster spot at training camp in a few months.
Montreal Canadiens – Bogdan Konyushkov
Fans of the Montreal Canadiens should take pride in the fact that they are probably the loudest in the league. But that also means everyone knows their prospects, so it was a little challenging to come up with a truly underrated pick. Bogdan Konyushkov is a decent choice, though.
Konyushkov, an overager taken by Montreal in the fourth round in 2023, had 38 points in 67 KHL games this season. The next step is getting him to come over to North America, as he could be a help to the bottom pair someday.
Ottawa Senators – Stephen Halliday
Stephen Halliday was called up to the Ottawa Senators in January and hasn’t looked back. The 23-year-old has 11 points and a plus-1 rating in 29 games, showing he’s clearly capable of handling a bottom-six role.
Before suiting up recently, Halliday hadn’t played a game in over a month. The Senators, a competitive team, are constantly looking to upgrade with veteran talent, but that should take nothing away from the youngster.
Tampa Bay Lightning – Marco Mignosa
The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Marco Mignosa as a two-year overager in the seventh round in 2025, and his production technically declined on a point-per-game basis (1.47 last season, 1.37 this season). Still, he offers traits that could be valuable.
Mignosa has played an essential role in the Soo Greyhounds’ OHL success. He has skill and can play physically. His plan for next season isn’t clear, but it could shed some light on what he’s capable of.
Toronto Maple Leafs – Miroslav Holinka
Finally, we have the Toronto Maple Leafs and Miroslav Holinka. The 2024 fifth-round pick completed his WHL career this season, putting up 80 points in 59 games. He’s now off to the AHL, where he has done well early on.
In one game, Holinka has a point and is already getting top-six looks. With the Maple Leafs likely set to undergo major changes in the summer, the 20-year-old could work his way up the organizational depth chart.
Do you agree or disagree with these picks? Feel free to leave your thoughts below!
