The American Hockey League is hyper-focused on the prospects, and the Calder Cup Playoffs are when hockey fans can zoom in on the top prospects on a handful of teams. Of course, the playoffs are when the veterans step up and carry their teams, and the prospects typically disappear but that doesn’t stop fans of some NHL teams from highlighting the big play or two from a prospect in a big game and reading into it. 

At this point, most people know about the big-name prospects. The top players remaining in no particular order are.

What about the overlooked prospects? Who is flying under the radar but can be a key part of a playoff run, and more importantly, a pivotal part of the NHL team’s future? With the four teams remaining, there are a lot of names to choose from. 

The Penguins have a surplus of prospects on their AHL team, some of whom have had more than a cup of coffee in the NHL. Avery Hayes, Rutger McGroarty, and Ville Koivunen all look like key parts of the Penguins' forward group of the future. 

What about the defense? Owen Pickering is the first player who comes to mind but he’s struggled to find a consistent role as the team develops him into a stay-at-home defenseman. Harrison Brunicke, meanwhile, has stepped up as the team’s best two-way defenseman with plenty of big plays at the point in this playoff run. 

Brunicke is the defenseman the Penguins can build around. Eventually, they’ll need a Kris Letang or Erick Karlsson replacement, someone who handles the puck and makes plays at the blue line. Brunicke is that player. 

The Wolves have multiple young forwards leading them with a top line that’s tough to stop. Nadeau is the elite winger, while Ryan Suzuki and Justin Robidas round out his line. On the right wing of the second line, Felix Unger Sorum is putting together an impressive run as well with three goals and five assists in nine playoff games. 

What makes Unger Sorum an X-factor for the Wolves is his ability to generate offense from the second line. He doesn’t have the same help that the top-line skaters provide for one another, yet the 20-year-old’s ability to lead his line has given the Wolves much-needed scoring depth and allowed them to overwhelm teams in the playoffs. 

TJ Hughes falls into the Quinn Hutson or Isaac Howard category for rookies. Yes, this is his first action in the AHL but he’s 24 and spent multiple years in college, making more of a veteran presence for the Eagles in their playoff run. 

That said, Hughes has been a vital part of their success. He centers a middle-six line and does it all, from adding three goals and three assists to defending up the middle. Maybe one season is all he’ll need in the AHL to prove he belongs at the next level. After all, the Colorado Avalanche can never have enough centers in their lineup. 

In Toronto, nobody flies under the radar. This playoff run in particular has put a spotlight on the Marlies prospects and how the Toronto Maple Leafs have a well-run AHL affiliate. William Villeneuve isn’t considered a prospect by some, as he’s a 23-year-old defenseman who isn’t on an entry-level contract. 

Defensemen take time to develop, and Villeneuve has emerged as a reliable two-way defenseman for the Marlies' playoff run. His nine assists in the playoffs have stood out as he sets up the offense and turns defense into instant offense.

In the big picture, Villeneuve has emerged as an option for the Maple Leafs defense. He moves the out of the zone and has rounded out his game defensively to become a depth option, which helps if the Maple Leafs are retooling on the fly. 

On a forward unit with McGroarty, Koivunen, and Mikhail Ilyin, Tristan Broz is the glue. More accurately, he’s the center who makes everyone around him better. Broz drives the play and often sets up his linemates for scoring chances, playing a key part in the development of Ilyin and Koivunen. 

Broz leads the Penguins in points during the playoffs with nine points, and it’s mostly because of his passing and playmaking at the center spot. While he’s not the highlight player or the flashy prospect, Broz will be pivotal in the Penguins' future as the center who makes everyone around him better.