Top NHL Prospects Who Exceeded Expectations in 2025-26 Season

The 2025-26 regular season has come to an end for leagues all around the world. In an effort to keep things positive in our final prospect article of the year, we will cover a bunch of prospects that exceeded expectations for one reason or another. 

Our next update will be the Draft Preview article in June.

Stay up to date on our latest NHL Prospect Analysis, including College Hockey-specific articles on RotoWire.com. 

Top NCAA Hockey Prospects Rising Toward NHL Roles

T.J. Hughes (RW, COL): Hughes will be 25 years old at the start of next season. He was one of the best players in the country this past season at the University of Michigan (57 points in 40 games) and could have signed anywhere he wanted after his year ended. He chose Colorado, which may seem like an odd choice on the surface, but is an ideal location. Hughes' realistic ceiling, considering his age and skill set it a bottom-six regular. He prioritized fit over an immediate NHL role. He will close this season in the AHL and should have a realistic shot at a full-time NHL role come training camp.

Eric Pohlkamp (D, SJ): San Jose has the best prospect pool in the game, and Pohlkamp has been overlooked as a result. He won the Hobey Baker Award as the best player in college hockey this past season after posting 18 goals and 39 points in 43 games for a University of Denver team that won the National Championship. He's undersized at 5-foot-11, but battles hard and obviously has offensive ability. He probably needs a full year-plus in the AHL, but I'm a fan. 

Jayden Perron (RW, CAR): I don't want to say Perron was closing in on non-prospect status after two dreadful years at North Dakota, but a transfer to the University of Michigan this past season did wonders. He posted 18 goals and 41 points in 40 games after managing 21 goals and 37 points in his first two collegiate seasons combined. Considering the names the Wolverines are expected to bring in next year, don't be surprised if his numbers improve even more in his final collegiate campaign.

CHL Breakout Prospects to Watch in the OHL, WHL and QMJHL

OHL
Jack Pridham (LW, CHI): In his first full OHL season, Pridham finished with 46 goals in 65 games, second-most in the entire league. I didn't think he was anything special when Chicago drafted him No. 92 overall in 2024, but Pridham has continually improved since then, and he's always been able to skate. He looks like another shrewd pick for the Blackhawks, given where he was picked. Pridham will head to Boston University in the fall. 

Lukas Fischer (D, STL): The son of former Red Wing and current Detroit Director of Player Personnel Jiri Fischer, Lukas continues to play well in an understated fashion. His skill level won't pop at first glance, but he's responsible in his own zone and has ideal size at 6-foot-3. I thought he deserved a look for the US World Junior team, but he's never played for the international team at any level, and USA Hockey typically sticks with guys they have a history with. 

WHL
Markus Ruck / Liam Ruck (2026 Draft Eligible): I wanted to highlight the Ruck twins because it's absolutely fascinating to me that this hasn't been talked about more. They finished one-two in WHL scoring, with Markus leading the league at 108 points and Liam checking in at 104, both in 68 games. Markus is the playmaker, while Liam is the finisher. I wonder if an NHL team will attempt to swing a deal to get both at the upcoming draft, much like the Canucks did with the Sedin twins back in the day. 

QMJHL
Maxim Masse (RW, ANA): I've never been a big Masse guy, but he has plenty of pedigree being the former No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 QMJHL Draft. He finally put it all together offensively in his third season CHL campaign, leading the league with 51 goals and 102 points in 63 games. I'm still not convinced the offense is going to translate up a couple of levels, but Masse has plenty of size (6-foot-3), and he's always been a hard worker. I feel better about his chances now than I did a year ago at this time. 

USHL 
Cooper Simpson (LW, BOS): A third-rounder of the Bruins last summer, Simpson was flat-out awesome in what will end up being his only USHL campaign. He finished second in league scoring with 34 goals and 74 points in 61 games with Youngstown. A high-end skater with a cannon of a shot, I highly doubt Simpson would make it out of Round 2 in a redraft. He's in line for immediate, meaningful minutes at North Dakota this fall. 

AHL and European Prospects Boosting NHL Draft and Development Stock

AHL
Felix Unger Sorum (RW, CAR): Unger Sorum is the best prospect on this list. He was when the year began, and that hasn't changed. Still, his excellent season deserves to be highlighted. The 2023 second-rounder closed his second AHL campaign with 65 points in 70 games. He was a year removed from finishing with 20 points in 61 games. Unger Sorum made his much-deserved NHL debut in Carolina's meaningless season finale, picking up an assist. The Hurricanes' ability to keep finding these guys in the draft is unbelievable. They draft better than any team in the NHL, in my opinion. 

Sweden
Felix Nilsson (C, NSH): Nilsson was a 2023 second-rounder for Nashville. In two-plus seasons since being drafted, I would say his stock has held steady, if not dipped a tad. This past year, he took things to another level offensively, finishing with 40 points in 52 SHL games. It might be a stretch to label him a future top-six option, but top-nine seems fair. Nilsson will play the entirety of this upcoming year at age 21, and he simply may just be a late bloomer.