Scout's Analysis: Rookies who could earn a big role this season

With the puck dropping on a new NHL season this week, much of the attention surrounding the new crop of rookies has revolved around Gavin McKenna (Toronto) and Ivar Stenberg (San Jose). And it's only normal that the top two picks of the most recent draft, who both project to be frontrunners challenging for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, would be in such a spotlight.

Porter Martone, the sixth overall picking 2025, is another player getting plenty of Calder attention before the season. That shouldn't be any surprise after he joined Philadelphia late last season and stormed out of the gate with 10 points in his first nine NHL games. Seven of 21 Sportsnet analysts picked Martone to win the Calder in our pre-season predictions, so he is firmly on the Calder radar.

But there are several other rookie players who deserve recognition for breaking camp with their respective clubs. 

Beyond McKenna, Stenberg, and Martone, here’s a look at some of the other first-year prospects who have potential to play key roles for their teams this season: 

Alberts Smits, D, New York Rangers

Smits was selected fifth overall at the draft in June. He projects as a two-way defenceman who can be deployed in all situations and has potential to contribute secondary offence. 

In the first game of his career against the Boston Bruins, Smits was deployed for 16:54 of ice time. All of his shifts came at even strength, and he was credited with two hits and a blocked shot. 

Smits is as seasoned as they come for a first-year, recently drafted NHL defenceman. He’s only 18 years young, but he’s already played pro in Finland and Germany, as well as representing Latvia at the world juniors, Olympics and Men’s World Championship. 

Roman Kantserov, LW/C, Chicago Blackhawks

The Hawks are hoping Kantserov can provide them additional offensive depth. He’s coming off an incredible season in the KHL that resulted in 36G-28A playing for Magnitogorsk and Chicago has slotted Kantserov on to their second line to start the season. 

Kantserov has the ability to play the middle or the wing, but I personally believe he’s better suited to play as a winger early in his career. It’s very difficult for scoring forwards to grasp the nuances of playing centre at the NHL level without stalling their development offensively. Unfortunately for Chicago, Connor Bedard is on the shelf recovering from injury to start the year so the Blackhawks are asking Kantserov to play centre until Bedard returns. In Chicago’s first game versus Vegas Kantserov was on the ice for 17:07, including 2:36 on the power play. He registered one shot on goal. 

Anton Frondell, C, Chicago Blackhawks

Frondell was selected third overall in 2025 and is coming off a season that saw him score 20 goals for Djurgardens in Sweden’s top league, the SHL. Frondell dressed for 12 games with Chicago last spring and looked comfortable at the NHL level. He produced 3G-6A in that span and starts the year on the Blackhawks' top line between Tyler Bertuzzi and Patrick Kane.

Frondell’s a very smart player. He recognizes when to take chances offensively and when to retreat and make sure he is on the right side of the play defensively. It will be interesting to see if Chicago uses him on the weak-side flank on the power play because Frondell has an incredible one-timer and the ability to beat goalies clean from the weak-side circle. 

Trevor Connelly, LW, Vegas Golden Knights 

The Golden Knights haven’t exactly been recognized as an organization that drafts and develops their own prospects that graduate to the NHL roster, but Connelly could end up being the exception. The darting forward was selected 19^th overall by Vegas in 2024, and he starts the season skating on their third-line with veterans Tomas Hertl and Victor Olofsson. 

Connelly produced excellent results at the AHL level last season (14G-35A) and has already hit the scoresheet this season. He skated 11:22 of ice time in the Golden Knights' home opener versus Chicago, was credited with four shots on net and was rewarded with his first NHL goal. Connelly has fantastic puck touch around the net and the speed to make plays off the rush. 

James Hagens, LW/C, Boston Bruins

Hagens is another young prospect entering the league who can play centre or the wing. The former college standout at Boston College was drafted seventh overall by the Bruins in 2025. He starts the season playing the wing on a line with Fraser Minten at centre. 

Hagens had a cup of coffee in the NHL and AHL last spring after leaving school at the conclusion of Boston College's season. He produced 23G-24A for the Eagles in his sophomore season. Hagens has become a much more well-rounded player over the course of his development and has top-six NHL scoring upside. 

Cole Hutson, D, Washington Capitals

The Capitals are one of the top drafting organizations in the league and they have a potential top-pairing NHL defenceman in Cole Hutson, who they took 43rd overall in 2024.

Hutson is a transitional defenceman and power play quarterback. He averaged a point per game over two seasons at the college level playing for Boston University and then played 14 games for the Capitals last spring, scoring 10 points. He’s highly competitive on and off the puck, and the kind of prospect who can easily log over 20 minutes of ice time per game. 

Ilya Protas, C/LW, Washington Capitals

Protas is a massive forward who can drive play with his speed and creativity, and he’s exceptionally difficult to defend due to his height and strength. Protas is another prospect who has the ability to play either centre or the wing. 

Protas, like Hutson, could end up as one of the steals from the 2024 draft. Washington selected Protas 75th overall and he’s coming off a rookie year in the AHL that resulted in 29 goals and 37 assists. It appears the Capitals are going to start the season with Protas playing the middle alongside his brother (6-foot-6, 250-pound Aleksai) and Jordan Kyrou. 

What about goalies?

A couple of young goaltenders could end up playing massive roles for their teams this season and their contribution might determine if their clubs make the playoffs or even win a round in the spring. 

Sebastian Cossa, G, Utah Mammoth

Cossa is an interesting prospect. He was originally drafted in the first-round (15^th overall) by the Detroit Red Wings in 2021, but the Wings dealt him to the Mammoth in the off-season for the 23^rd pick at the draft. 

Goaltenders generally take a bit of time to become the best version of themselves at the NHL level and the 23-year-old Cossa is coming off a fantastic season at the AHL level. He posted a 26-8-4 record in Grand Rapids last year and paired those numbers with a .913 save percentage and 2.33 goals-against average. 

The Mammoth identified Cossa as a goalie who could challenge veteran Karel Vejmelka, who played 64 games last season and posted a 38-20-3 record, 2.75 GAA, and .896 SV%.

Sergei Murashov, G, Pittsburgh Penguins

If Pittsburgh is going to make another run at a playoff spot, they will require elite goaltending. Incumbent Arturs Silovs can run hot and cold at times so the arrival of homegrown Murashov (selected 118^th overall in 2022) is intriguing. 

Murashov is a south-paw goaltender with good size and athleticism. He’s coming off a season in the AHL that resulted in a 24-9-4 record, an elite 2.20 GAA and .919 SV%. At worst I see Murashov splitting games with Silovs, but there’s also an opportunity in front of him to earn more of the net. The Penguins are counting on the latter and Murashov could play a large part in their push towards the playoffs again this season.