The NCAA has an insane amount of talent now, and last year's freshman class was very elite, and a lot of those players are returning despite pro offers. Who are the top names, and what are their expectations now that they're comfortable in the NCAA?
As top prospects join the NCAA, they aren’t expected to stay for very long; for some players, all they need is to play their freshman season and then turn pro. This makes returning players very valuable, and when you can keep these top talents for multiple years, it sets you up for instant success. So let’s take a look at the top returning sophomores for this upcoming season.
Ethan Wyttenbach: Quinnipiac, Left Winger
Wyttenbach, a Hobey Baker finalist last season, is coming back even though a lot of people expected him to turn pro with the Calgary Flames, but he’s back.
Last season, Wyttenbach had 25 goals and 59 points in 40 games. The Bobcats are going to be in the national title conversation all season, and Wyttenbach will be a focal point for them and their chase.
Keaton Verhoeff: North Dakota, Defenseman
Verhoeff took a chance last season when he played his draft year in the NCAA, and although he was projected to be a top three pick going into the year, he eventually fell to the ninth pick, and the San Jose Sharks didn’t think twice when selecting him.
He posted 20 points in 36 games last season and will be joined by his former World Juniors defensive partner, Carson Carels, and World Junior teammate Ethan MacKenzie, who will also be with North Dakota.
Cole Reschny: North Dakota, Center
Reschny, a teammate of Verhoeff’s in the WHL and at last year’s World Juniors, and they played their freshman seasons together. Reschny is also a Calgary Flames prospect, as he was taken 16th overall in the 2025 draft.
Reschny had the team’s highest point total last season among the returning players. In 36 games, he had 35 points and will be leading this forward group next season on the route to a potential national championship.
Tynan Lawrence: Boston University, Center
Lawrence only played half his freshman season due to his joining the team for the second semester. It took him some time to find his footing, but towards the end of the year he started to look comfortable. When he first joined the team, he was forced to learn a bottom-six role, and he embraced it.
The St.Louis Blues’ first-round pick from 2026 had seven points in 18 games and will have a much larger role for the team as soon as the start of the season.
Jackson Smith: Penn State, Defenseman
Jackson Smith played his role very well last year; he was great in transition, defended well, and complemented the high-end players like Gavin McKenna very well.
The Penn State roster next year will have a good amount of new faces, and Smith will have a large role, but there’s a large question mark on how good the team will really be. His point production last season was great for a freshman defenseman; he had 11 goals and 26 points in 35 games for the Nittany Lions.
