Unveiled: The Rising NHL Stars Under 23 Who Could Redefine the Game Forever
Today, I release my midseason update of the under-23 NHL player rankings.
This is a ranking of the best young players overall on teams’ reserve lists, meaning within an NHL organization, playing in or outside the league. This is a ranking meant to show who I think will have the best pro careers, not who I would take in a game tomorrow. A player must be 22 years old or younger as of Jan. 1, 2026, to qualify.
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Ranked players are placed into tiers and given tool grades. Tool grades are based on a scale with six separate levels, with an eye toward how this attribute would grade in the NHL (poor, below-average, average, above-average, high-end and elite). “Average” on this scale means the tool projects as NHL average, which is meant as a positive, not a criticism. Skating, puck skills, hockey sense and compete for every projected NHL player are graded. Shot grades are only included if a shot is notably good or poor.
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