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NHL Rookies to Watch in 2025-2026

For years now, rookies in the National Hockey League have been gaining in confidence, and as a result, more and more players are coming immediately from Europe, the NCAA or the CHL and finding their footing in the league. While that’s still only a select few, recent rookie classes have been absolutely loaded, the 2025-26 class has been no different, and with the NHL more and more catering to the youth, the more important that they truly become.

While the 2025 NHL Draft class wasn’t as hyped as the years before, we saw some immediate impacts made, and with so many young faces, the future of the NHL is clearly in good hands.

Sure, not all of these players will pan out to be superstars in the NHL, but after some very productive seasons and flashing immense potential, there’s reason to be excited about everyone on this list.

So, here’s a look at the Top 10 NHL Rookies 2025–2026 Prediction Rankings.

Honorable Mentions

Porter Martone

Team: Philadelphia Flyers

Position: Right Wing

Back in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers hit the jackpot when several teams passed on Porter Martone, as they were able to pick up the Ontario native with the No. 6 overall draft pick. Beginning the season, the 19-year old was with Michigan State, posting 25 points and 50 goals in 35 games played before quickly getting the call to join the Flyers once his NCAA season ended.

Immediately, the talented winger made an impact, picking up 4 goals and 10 points in his first 9 career games, and shockingly, that production has continued into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In his first two career post-season games, Mortone not only has two goals, but both have been game-winners over the Pittsburgh Penguins, as he has become the talk of the hockey world.

Obviously, things change when teams can begin game planning for you ahead of a full season, but right now, it’s hard to ignore the impact that Martone has made with the Flyers.

Matthew Savoie

Team: Edmonton Oilers

Position: Left Wing

Last summer, the Edmonton Oilers made sure to make some changes following their second straight defeat to the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Finals. The biggest change of all was getting younger, as the team acquired Isaac Howard while bringing Matthew Savoie into the fold, a player they landed in the trade for Ryan McLeod with the Buffalo Sabres.

Despite a slow start, Savoie came on as his role increased, as he played in all 82 games, tallying 18 goals and 37 points as he established himself as a top-line player alongside Connor McDavid. Individually, he may not have been the best rookie in the 2025-26 season, but given his importance to the Oilers top-six, he may end up having one of the most productive careers out of everyone on this list.

Top 10 NHL Rookies 2025-2026 Rankings

10. Ben Kindel

Team: Pittsburgh Penguins

Position: Center

Heading into the 2025 NHL Draft, Ben Kindel of the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen was expected to go anywhere from No. 10 overall to the mid-20’s, but when the No. 11 overall pick came around, the Pittsburgh Penguins made the shock call to draft him. Immediately, he made an impact with the organization, and after winning a job with the team out of training camp, he appeared in 77 games with the team in his rookie campaign.

In that time, Kindel played a key role, often on the third line but sometimes in the top-six, posting 17 goals and 35 points as he became arguably the biggest piece of Pittsburgh’s future. At 5-foot-11, there’s obvious limitations there with Kindel, but given his combination of speed and his ability to find the back of the net, don’t be shocked to see him as a franchise centrepiece in Pittsburgh for years to come.

9. Fraser Minten

Team: Boston Bruins

Position: Center

Fraser Minten originally made his NHL debut back in 2023-24 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and before being traded by the team to the Boston Bruins at the deadline a year ago, he appeared in 19 games. Then, he landed with a team that clearly valued him as a piece of their future, and in 2025-26, he showed exactly why it was a mistake for Brad Treliving to trade him.

In his first full season, Minten took on a heavy role as Boston’s third-line center, tallying 17 goals and 35 points along with an incredibly impressive +35 goal differential. It’s unclear as of right now what his true ceiling is in the NHL, but with responsible play at both ends of the ice and his offensive upside, it’s hard not to include him on such a list.

8. Oliver Kapanen

Team: Montreal Canadiens

Position: Center

Most players on this list entered the 2024-25 or 2025-26 season full of hype, but one player that was highly overlooked was Montreal Canadiens center Oliver Kapanen, the first of three Habs on this list. Last season, the 22-year old had just two assists across 18 games, but this season, he made his mark known right away, tallying 22 goals and 37 points in a full 82 games played.

As a result, he became the Canadiens permanent 3C despite his relative lack of experience, and it’s his depth that allowed this team to be so consistent throughout the 2025-26 season. After Lane Hutson a year ago, Kapanen is yet another second-round pick for the Canadiens that has the potential to be a long-term piece for this team, and as a rookie, he has been fantastic in every possible way.

7. Jakub Dobes

Team: Montreal Canadiens

Position: Goaltender

For the past several years, the Montreal Canadiens have been building one of the best young cores in the NHL, and the difference between them and other teams is their goaltending. Some squads have good talent, but lack the goaltender of the future, but in Montreal, they have Jakub Dobes, who was originally a fifth-round pick of the team way back in 2020, as they appear to have struck late round gold.

Since his NHL debut in 2024-25, Dobes has put together a 2.77 GAA and a .903 save percentage, with the 24-year old establishing himself as the team’s No. 1 this season after appearing in 43 games. He may not have the ceiling of other young goaltenders around the NHL, but as of right now, it’s hard to deny that Dobes was among the best rookies in the league this season.

6. Ryan Leonard

Team: Washington Capitals

Position: Right Wing

One of the biggest stories in the NHL a season ago was the Washington Capitals, with Alex Ovechkin finally making NHL history and passing Wayne Gretzky’s goal scoring record. A secondary story for that team was the arrival of former No. 8 overall pick Ryan Leonard, who had been a star in juniors after helping the USA to back-to-back gold medals at the World Juniors in 2024 and 2025.

Upon his debut, Leonard had just one empty net goal in 9 games played, but this season, he showed flashes of being a two-way, top-six forward in the NHL, compiling a solid 20 goals and 45 points in 70 games played. With Ovechkin’s future up in the air, Leonard is expected to become a major part of the Capitals future, with many believing he will be a future captain for Washington.

5. Jimmy Snuggerud

Team: St. Louis Blues

Position: Right Wing

A year ago, Jimmy Snuggerud was one of the most hyped up prospects in the NHL, and after posting 2 goals and 4 points in a seven-game playoff series, he showed he’s capable of stepping up in the biggest moments. In 2025-26, he had a full season to prove himself for the future in St. Louis, and he did just that, establishing himself as a top-six piece for the future of a rebuilding squad.

In 70 games played, Snuggerud netted 21 goals and 51 points, and while the team took a step back, he’s shown that he can drive play at a very high level in the NHL. The Blues had to show patience while Snuggerud spent three seasons at the University of Minnesota, but at the age of 21, he’s now ready to step up at the highest level, with the Blues having another long-term piece on their hands.

4. Jesper Wallstedt

Team: Minnesota Wild

Position: Goaltender

It’s been a long time since goaltenders were consistently being drafted in the first-round, but back in 2021, the Minnesota Wild took a risk on Jesper Wallstedt, one that has paid off in a big way. Despite having a star already in Filip Gustavsson, Wallstedt is still seen as a massive part of Minnesota’s future, and in his rookie campaign, he all but outplayed the proven star.

Across 35 appearances, the 23-year old posted a 2.58 GAA alongside an impressive .916 save percentage, quickly establishing himself as a potentially elite goaltender in the NHL. At 6-foot-3, Wallstedt has everything that it takes to be a great goalie in the league, and after taking the league by storm, he could be a key piece of their Stanley Cup Playoffs run in 2026.

3. Beckett Sennecke

Team: Anaheim Ducks

Position: Right Wing

During the 2024 NHL Draft, the Anaheim Ducks shocked the hockey world when they seemingly ‘reached’ at No. 3 overall, picking Oshawa Generals winger Beckett Sennecke. Less than two years later and he’s already proven everyone wrong, as Sennecke broke out in a big way this season, leading the Ducks on a Stanley Cup Playoffs run that nobody expected.

In that time, the 6-foot-3, 206 pound winger tallied 23 goals and 60 points, and now given his combination of size and skill, he’s established himself as arguably the biggest piece of the Ducks very bright future along with Leo Carlsson. Sure, a player behind him in the draft may end up a better player overall, but after how fans reacted to him at the NHL Draft, it’s safe to say that Sennecke has already done a great job of proving them wrong.

2. Ivan Demidov

Team: Montreal Canadiens

Position: Right Wing

Last year, Ivan Demidov took the NHL by storm, with Montreal Canadiens fans hyping up the 6-foot-1 Russian winger as a future star in the NHL that could make an immediate impact. With two assists in 5 Stanley Cup Playoffs games, he showed flashes of that, and in 2025-26, he put it all together for this young team, picking up 19 goals and 62 assists across a full 82 games.

With his elite combination of size, skill, speed and confidence, Demidov is seen as a star of the future in the league, and after scoring in his first playoff game this season, he’s stepping up in the biggest moments. With two other rookies on this list alongside Nick Suzuki, Lane Hutson and Cole Caufield, Montreal’s future is incredibly bright, but if any player on this team has elite potential, it’s the former No. 5 overall pick.

1. Matthew Schaefer

Team: New York Islanders

Position: Defenseman

From the moment he was taken as the No. 1 overall pick by the New York Islanders, Matthew Schaefer has been seen as the future of the organization. Everything he’s done since then has only validating those feelings, as he not only had a fantastic campaign, but a historic one for rookie defenseman in the National Hockey League.

Across the full 82 games, Schaefer was fantastic as he put together 23 goals and 59 points, both NHL records for 18-year old defenseman, along with an impressive +13 differential. Not only that, but he added some amazing highlights along the way, and with the rest of this Islanders young core, hope for the future is very very high. Only time will tell if he can take a second-year leap like Macklin Celebrini did in 2025-26, but if he can improve at all, Schaefer has the chance to become an All-Star and a fantastic player for a long time in the NHL.

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