Rarely, if ever, does a prospect spend time in the American Hockey League one season and then win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie the next. This season, a handful of players can make that case, speaking to how talented the AHL prospect pool was this past season. 

The top 10 prospects to watch are tricky since some already spent significant time in the NHL. So, players like Alex Bump and Easton Cowan, who spent at least a quarter of the season in the NHL, won’t be on the list. Otherwise, let’s dive into the top 10 prospects who will be in the NHL this season. 

The Coachella Valley Firebirds were one of the more impressive teams in the AHL down the stretch, with a handful of prospects stepping up. Tyson Jugnauth looked like an elite two-way defenseman while Oscar Fisker Mølgaard burst on the scene in the playoffs, with seven goals and four assists in 12 games. 

Jugnauth is the more NHL-ready player. However, the Seattle Kraken need forward talent and players who can drive play and generate offense. The 21-year-old Danish forward can provide that and become a pleasant surprise in the Kraken offense. 

Michael DiPietro removed any doubt that he belongs in the NHL with his play in the past two seasons. He won the AHL’s Goaltender of the Year Award in back-to-back years and was far and away the best in the league. The Boston Bruins are finally signaling confidence in him, trading away Joonas Korpisalo and leaving the backup spot for him.

If DiPietro’s success translates from the AHL to the NHL, he’ll be one of the game's best goaltenders. The problem is that the differences in the leagues have many pumping the brakes. DiPietro is a smaller and more athletic goaltender who reacts well to chaos. However, his size can get exposed with the skill that the NHL has. 

If Luca Del Bel Belluz wanted to make it to the NHL, he had to put on muscle and become both bigger and more physical. After a few years with the Cleveland Monsters, he got himself into NHL shape. The skill was always there with Del Bel Belluz; now he’s a complete player. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets are set up in the middle with Adam Fantilli and Charlie Coyle centering the top two lines. However, Del Bel Belluz has proven he can center a third line with his improvements and slowly move up in the lineup. Moreover, his skill can be just what the Blue Jackets need as he adds another layer of scoring depth to push the team towards the playoffs. 

Carter Yakemchuk had one of the more impressive seasons by a defenseman in the AHL, with 10 goals and 30 assists on a last-place Belleville Senators team. While his play on the defensive end still needs to improve, it’s only a matter of time before Yakemchuk is on the Ottawa Senators. 

He’s the type of defenseman who might start in the AHL but make his way to the NHL by midseason. While the team has Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot, he can carve out a role in that defense and become another puck handler for a team that lacks them outside of Sanderson. 

The Detroit Red Wings traded Sebastian Cossa this offseason to the Utah Mammoth in one of the more fascinating goaltending trades this summer. The Red Wings moved on from a goaltender who stood out with the Grand Rapids Griffins because of the surplus at the position, and the Mammoth, in need of a backup, pounced at the opportunity. 

Many wonder how Cossa will translate to the NHL. Was he a great AHL goaltender who won’t have the same success, or could he become a top-of-the-league starter? Cossa is bigger than a typical starter and put together three impressive seasons in the AHL, so the optimism is high for him in Utah. 

Cossa will likely start the season as Karel Vejmelka’s backup. However, there’s a chance he’s splitting starts or even takes over as the primary starter by the end of the season. If that happens, Cossa will be in the Calder Trophy conversation and making his mark as one of the best young goaltenders in the league. 

Harrison Brunicke didn’t spend a lot of time in the AHL, playing only 11 regular-season games and 15 playoff games. However, he made the strongest impression in his short time with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, especially in the playoffs when he had seven points in 15 games while leading the defense in the deep playoff run. 

Brunicke is the most likely defenseman to be in the Calder Trophy conversation among AHLers. While it’s unlikely he’s piling up the points with the Pittsburgh Penguins, especially with Erik Karlsson taking up most of the power-play time, he can find a spot on the NHL roster.

Specifically, Brunicke can move up in the lineup and slowly replace Kris Letang in the top four. He’s a younger and faster option with more offense, and the Penguins will give him that opportunity. 

2025-26 removed any doubt that Bradly Nadeau belongs in the NHL. Yes, the Carolina Hurricanes have a stacked roster and few spots available for prospects. That said, Nadeau’s playmaking stood out all season and throughout the playoffs for the Chicago Wolves, proving he can be a high-impact player on the Hurricanes.

Nadeau will likely play on the third line. However, he fits right in as an elite winger who can create plenty of scoring chances. It’s why, if there’s any AHL winger who can make noise this season, it’s Nadeau. 

The AHL goaltender who turned heads last season was Sergei Murashov, who was the best rookie in the league and one of the best. He led the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins to the second-best record in the Atlantic Division and to the Eastern Conference Final while proving his skills can translate to the NHL. 

Murashov is one of the more technical goaltenders out there who is in the right position and making the right saves. He also can flip a switch and go from the calming presence to the killer on the ice. While his athleticism stands out, he doesn’t rely on it, allowing him to move into the NHL and not worry about a drop-off. 

If there’s any goaltender who can win the Calder Trophy, it’s Murashov. The Penguins are also giving him the chance to do it, as he’ll start the season splitting starts with Arturs Silovs, and assuming he still plays at a high level, he can become the primary starter by midseason. 

The Buffalo Sabres played the long game with Konsta Helenius, keeping him with the Rochester Americans last season before making him a regular for the playoffs. The Amerks developed him at center and worked on his two-way game while refining the details in his game. 

By the time the Stanley Cup Playoffs rolled around, Helenius looked like a star in the making. He could do it all on the offensive end while also delivering as a physical two-way center. The playoff exit stung but the Sabres felt good about the future, especially with the way Helenius played down the stretch.

Helenius checks off all the boxes to win the Calder Trophy. He’ll play a key role on a team pushing to contend, and if he centers the second line, he’ll have the chance to pile up the points as well. 

Ilya Protas was the best rookie in the AHL last season, and there wasn’t a close second. His 66 points were the most among rookies and sixth in the league. Protas could have been on the Washington Capitals last season. However, they kept him in the AHL and allowed him to play in all situations and be the lead player on the Hershey Bears. 

The Capitals were a busy team this summer, adding Alex Tuch, Jordan Kyrou, and Boone Jenner while bringing back Alexander Ovechkin with hopes of winning another Cup. It’s hard to find a roster spot on a talented team like that but Protas is not only good enough to do so; he can be a standout as well. 

Protas will likely center the third line to start the season. However, the Capitals might move him up or play him on the wing with his older brother, Aliaksei, forming a dynamic duo. Yes, the Calder Trophy race will be a tight one, yet Protas can be in it by the end of the season.