NHL’s Hidden Gems: Discover the Explosive Prospects Ready to Dominate Each Team’s Future!
Calgary Flames
Matvei Gridin, RW
The Russian winger had a dominant 2024-25 season in the QMJHL with Shawinigan, winning both offensive and overall rookie of the year honors. Months later, he scored his first NHL goal in his debut against the Edmonton Oilers. He’s now at a near-point-per-game pace in the AHL with the Calgary Wranglers. — Julian McKenzie
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Carolina Hurricanes
Joel Nystrom, RHD
The Hurricanes’ wave of injuries on defense to start the season has a silver lining: Nystrom. The 2021 seventh-round pick, in his first full season in North America, was recalled Oct. 23 and played 24 games. Jaccob Slavin’s return Sunday pushed Nystrom out of the lineup and back to the AHL, but the Swedish rookie’s solid play earned him a four-year contract extension on Friday that will pay him a total of $4.9 million. It’s no surprise Carolina would want to lock him up — Nystrom is a perfect fit for the Hurricanes’ system, a defenseman who can skate, aggressively gaps up defensively and is quick to get shots through from the blue line. — Cory Lavalette
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