Nikita Nesterenko

Nesterenko wasn’t taken until the sixth round of the 2019 NHL Draft, so the fact that he’s played in the NHL at all is nice to see. That said, the 23-year-old hasn’t made too much of a mark yet, recording six goals and eight points across 32 career appearances with Anaheim, including six points in 20 outings in 2024-25. He did record 46 hits last year, and that physical element is likely to serve him well because his best chance of cementing himself with the Ducks is as a member of their bottom six. If he does play regularly for Anaheim in 2025-26, then he could end up with about 20 points and over 150 hits. Just keep in mind that he could fall below that projection by spending significant chunks of the season either as a healthy scratch or in the minors.