Top College Hockey Prospects to Watch This NCAA Season
The college hockey season fires up Friday, Oct. 2 with 13 non-conference clashes and one Atlantic Hockey matchup. These are often tune-up games with heavy disparities between the two sides, but we saw major upsets in the first weekend last year when UNH beat Michigan State and Clarkson toppled Penn State. As we gear up for another great season, let's take a look at some key players with bright NHL futures.
NHL Draft Prospects and Future Stars in College Hockey
Ethan Wyttenbach, F, Quinnipiac 
Wyttenbach was a late bloomer in juniors and dealt with a knee injury before starting college, but he looks like a steal as a fifth-round pick by the Flames. The New York native led the NCAA with 59 points and ranked second in the NCAA with 25 goals as an 18-year-old freshman. He'll continue to be slept on since he's playing in the ECAC and has below-average size (5-foot-10, 185 pounds), but he posted five goals and three assists across seven games versus Hockey East, Big Ten and NCHC opponents. With another year of development and training under his belt, Wyttenbach is a clear Hobey Baker candidate and could sign with the Flames as early as April.
Max Plante, F, Minnesota-Duluth 
Plante piled up 25 goals and 27 assists across 40 games in his sophomore season. He's the first player in 19 years to return to school after winning the Hobey Baker. Alongside brothers Zam (Penguins) and Victor (Red Wings), Plante will push for a national championship with the Bulldogs. Like Wyttenbach, size (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) will remain a question mark with Plante. Nobody works harder than him on the ice, but he doesn't necessarily have game-breaking tools by NHL standards. There's still a spot for him on the Red Wings next season, but he isn't a priority dynasty option by any means.
Oscar Hemming, F, Boston College 
Hemming joined the Golden Eagles late last year and was 17 years old for the entire season, finishing with eight points through 19 games. However, we saw the flashes that led Columbus to pick him 14th overall last spring. Hemming is a power forward at 6-foot-4 with a high motor and strong skating. He dominated international play for Finland at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and if he can make the next step as a sophomore at Boston College, he should be on the top-six trajectory in the NHL.
Michael Hage, F, Michigan 
Hage doesn't have much more to personally accomplish at Michigan, but he chose to return to school to focus on his maturity, leadership and physical strength. Of course, in the NIL era, another year of chartered planes and luxury accommodations at Michigan probably beats the possibility of riding the bus in the AHL. There's probably no reason for concern at this point that Hage doesn't want to sign with the Canadiens eventually. Jimmy Snuggerud recently returned for a third year, and it has paid dividends for the young stud, who just posted 21 goals and 51 points through 70 games during his first full pro season. Hage is a future top-six forward, and he has been clear that he wants to play center at the NHL level, so that will be his focus as a junior for the Wolverines. There's a good chance he's a playoff addition for the Habs in April.
Justin Poirier, W, Penn State 
Poirier transferred to Penn State after leading Maine with 18 goals through 27 games as a freshman. The Nittany Lions lost their top four points scorers from last season and will be counting on Poirier to take the next step. At 5-foot-9, there are still question marks about how Poirier's game translates to the next level and whether he can drive offense. There aren't any questions about his NHL-ready shot, however, so this will be a telling season for the Hurricanes prospect's trajectory.
Ryker Lee, W, Michigan State 
Lee has perhaps the best hands and creativity in the NCAA, and the Predators prospect should continue to churn out highlight-reel plays as a sophomore. After posting 15 goals and 15 assists through 35 games last year, there's still a next level to his game if he got stronger over the summer. He didn't handle major minutes at all last season, but being a first-line winger in the NHL is still within his range of outcomes. You simply can't teach his shiftiness.
Wyatt Cullen, F, Minnesota
The Gophers are about to take a massive step back into relevance, and Cullen will play a significant role in that leap. The 10th overall pick by the Predators in this year's draft, Cullen dominated with the National Development Team last year. He looks like an elite skater already with a solid hockey sense, and a few years at Minnesota will help him fill into his 6-foot-1 frame. There's potential for 20 goals as a freshman.
Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University 
When Lawrence left the USHL midseason last year to join the Terriers, he was in the conversation to be the first overall pick. After posting seven points through 18 games, Lawrence slipped to 11th overall, where the Blues scooped him up. He's a very smart player and a fluid skater, and a college training program should help him build his strength. Following a full offseason of training with the team, Lawrence projects as the Terriers' No. 1 center, and he should eventually find a middle-six role with the Blues.
Best NCAA Hockey Defensemen and Goalies to Know
Landon DuPont, D, Michigan
For the second consecutive season and third time in four years, the expected No. 1 pick will be playing college hockey. The media frenzy isn't nearly as suffocating as last year's hype around Gavin McKenna, partly due to his position on the blue line and partly because the CHL novelty has worn off. DuPont enters school at 17 years old after a record-breaking WHL career where he was the first player of any position to generate 60 points before his 16th birthday, and he followed it up by racking up 23 goals and 91 points across 81 games last year. He looks like the surefire No. 1 defenseman in this class, but at 6-foot, 190 pounds, there's still plenty to prove in the college ranks.
Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota 
There were some rumblings that Verhoeff would push for No. 1 overall last spring, but despite a strong season, he didn't dominate college hockey like we hoped. Verhoeff is an elite skater who chooses the right spot to jump up into the offensive play, but he couldn't quite crack the top pairing with Jake Livanavage and Abram Wiebe in his way. With both players in the NHL now, Verhoeff -- the No. 9 pick by the Sharks -- should be the clear No. 1 blueliner. This is an excellent opportunity to learn by playing hard minutes, and it wouldn't be surprising if he pushes a point per game. It's possible he signs immediately after this season, even if he starts in the AHL.
Ryan Lin, D, Denver
Another Sharks prospect, Lin slipped to No. 21 in the 2026 NHL Draft. He's on the small side (5-foot-11, 178 pounds), but he's a skilled playmaker who sees the game better than most at his age. It's doubtful that he ever takes on big minutes in the NHL. However, Lin could certainly facilitate a power play at the next level.
Luke Osburn, D, Wisconsin 
Osburn was a key factor in the Badgers' trip to the national championship last season, as he handled an increased role following Logan Hensler's knee injury and Zach Schulz's leg injury, averaging 22:57 per game. A 2024 fourth-round pick, Osburn was already skating ahead of Hensler -- a first-round pick in 2025 -- by nearly four minutes per game before the injury. Hensler is a remarkable skater and has a bright NHL future, but Osburn cannot be overlooked. As one of the youngest players in his draft class, Osburn is just a month older than Hensler, and he's a fantastic skater in his own right. He manages the blue line well in the offensive zone and chipped in a key goal to help the Badgers advance to the Frozen Four. Osburn can also handle the shutdown role in his own end. There's a void left behind by Ben Dexheimer, and if Osburn can fill it, an All-American nod isn't out of the question.
Jackson Smith, D, Penn State
Smith ate massive minutes on Penn State's blue line as an 18-year-old freshman, finishing the season 15th in scoring by defensemen with 26 points through 35 games. Sophomore defenseman Cole Hutson -- now with the Capitals -- was the only teenager ahead of him on the list. Smith is a strong offensive player who uses his 6-foot-4 frame well in the defensive zone, but two more years of seasoning at Penn State would help tighten up his defensive game overall.
Jack Ivankovic, G, Michigan
Ivankovic didn't disappoint as a rare 18-year-old goaltender in college, playing 35 games and finishing with a .921 save percentage and a 25-8-1 record. It's really difficult for goalies to make it in the NHL at 5-foot-11, but Ivankovic has the quickness, athleticism and compete level to make it happen. However, it wouldn't be surprising if he spends two more years at Michigan.
Alexis Cournoyer, G, Wisconsin
Cournoyer was passed over in his first chance at the draft and was picked up in the fifth round of the 2025 NHL Draft. He was fantastic for Cornell as a freshman, notching a .915 save percentage and an 18-10-0 record with much less support than Ivankovic enjoyed. At 6-foot-4, he's a stark contrast to 5-foot-11 incumbent goalie Daniel Hauser, who helped hoist the Badgers to the national championship last year following a shaky second half of the season. Cournoyer will need to earn the starting job in Madison, and he has an unclear path to the pro ranks with Jacob Fowler looking like the future of the franchise.
