This is the second part of our series looking at young players who could play 60 games (25 games for goalies) or more with the big club in 2025-26. Since we reviewed the first eight teams in the Western Conference for part one, we are going to look at the next eight teams (Nashville to Winnipeg) here.

We will not include players who played 40 games or more in 2024-25.

Nashville Predators

Ozzy Wiesblatt – F – (23.0 years of age) 5 GP -0 G -1 A -1 PTS

Joakim Kemell – F – (20.9) 2-0-0-0

Adam Wilsby – D – (24.6) 23-1-4-5

Tanner Molendyk – D – (20.1)

Matthew Wood – F – (20.1) 4-0-0-0

Wiesblatt has had his finest professional campaign in 2024-25, with 15 goals and 24 assists in 63 AHL games. It was enough to get him a five-game NHL look where he picked up an assist. He will need to battle for a role in the bottom-six in 2025-26. His 13 hits in his five NHL games show that he understands the assignment a little.

Kemell has gone sideways in his second pro season in North America (at least production-wise). He has 38 points in 62 AHL games (0.61/g) compared to 41 points in 67 AHL games as a rookie (0.61/g). He did get a look from Nashville for two NHL games, where he had eight SOG and four hits. He's not even 21 years of age yet, so he should get a long look leading up to 2025-26.

Wilsby has played 23 NHL games for the Predators in 2024-25 and posted five points, 18 hits and 17 blocks while averaging 18:06 per game. He signed a two-year extension with Nashville on a one-way deal, so he could see some regular minutes once he's healthy in 2025-26. He has limited offense and peripherals.

Molendyk will have the option to play in the AHL in 2025-26, so that is where I think he will be for at least one full season. He had 47 points in 49 games in 2024-25 in the WHL. He is an offensive defender, but the Predators will likely be patient with him as long as Roman Josi is playing and healthy.

Wood turned professional after three years of US college hockey. He ended up with 44 goals and 57 assists in 109 college games. He has played four games with Nashville in the NHL and should play a few more before the season ends. Whether he can make the full jump to the NHL in 2025-26 remains to be seen.

San Jose Sharks

Shakir Mukhamadullin – D – (23.2) 30-2-7-9

Jack Thompson – D – (23.0) 31-4-6-10

Collin Graf – F – (22.5) 33-5-6-11

Luca Cagnoni – D – (20.3) 5-0-1-1

Cam Lund – F – (20.8) 9-2-1-3

Ethan Cardwell – F – (22.6) 6-1-0-1

Danil Gushchin – F – (23.1) 10-0-1-1

Filip Bystedt – F – (21.1)

Sam Dickinson – D – (18.8)

Yaroslav Askarov – G – (22.8) 13-4-6-2 89.6

Quentin Musty – F – (19.7)

Igor Chernyshov – F – (19.3)

Thomas Bordeleau – F – (23.2) 1-0-0-0

Mukhamadullin made excellent progress in 2024-25, before being injured a few weeks back and having to miss the rest of the year. He played 30 NHL games with nine points, 25 hits and 51 blocks and saw his ice time get to 22-25 minutes in the last 10 games he played. I think he'll be a fixture on the Sharks’ back end in 2025-26.

Thompson was part of the trade that involved Anthony Duclair being dealt to Tampa Bay at the deadline in 2023-24. After putting up 57 points in 65 games in his last year in the OHL, it shouldn't be a surprise that he has a bit of offense to offer at the pro level. In 160 AHL games, he has produced 78 points (0.49/g), and he has put up 10 points in 31 games in the NHL in 2024-25 (0.32/g). He has been sheltered a little in 2025-26, so this might be a long audition for the future and his ability to defend.

Graf played 22:08 in a game against the Calgary Flames on April 7th. He was sent to the AHL the next day, which either had nothing to do with the way he was playing, or they wanted to have a look at some other players to end the campaign. His zone starts in his 33 games have been about 40% in the OZ, so he's being trusted with a more defensive role right out of the gate. I'd expect him to be a regular in 2025-26.

Cagnoni has had a wonderful rookie pro season with 49 points in 62 AHL games and a five-game NHL callup where he got his first career point on an assist. The Sharks don't really have a player like Cagnoni on their roster other than a very young Sam Dickinson, and it will be interesting to see if they like Cagnoni's offense enough to overlook some of his deficiencies in 2025-26, or if they roll out Mukhamadullin or Thompson on the PP. Could Dickinson be ready in 2025-26 after putting up 29 goals and 91 points in 55 OHL games? Dickinson will need to either play in the NHL or the OHL, so perhaps a nine-game stint is what we will see in 2025-26 for him.

Lund turned pro after three years at Northeastern University, where he posted 93 points in 107 games. He's played nine games for the Sharks, scored two goals, added an assist and is a minus nine. He might need some time in the AHL in 2025-26.

Cardwell played six games in 2024-25 and scored his first NHL goal. He has played 133 AHL games and has put up 90 points. There is some offense there, but at the NHL level, his ceiling might be as a bottom-six forward.

Gushchin received an extended look earlier in 2024-25 and played 10 games for the Sharks, where he managed just one assist. He has produced 147 points in 179 AHL games, but probably needs to play in the top six to be a regular in the NHL. The Sharks might have seen enough in November.

Bystedt has played 48 AHL games in 2024-25 with 11 goals and 19 assists. He's going to need a little more time to progress at that level before he gets a regular role in the NHL. He was the 27th overall pick in 2022.

I'm not sure what the Sharks are doing with Askarov this season. He's obviously their goalie of the future, and he's played well in the AHL (11-9-2, 92.4%) with moments in the NHL (4-6-2, 89.6%). He's had a few injuries in the past month, so perhaps the Sharks are taking it very safe. Either way, I'd be shocked if he doesn't play 25-30 NHL games in 2025-26.

Musty has turned professional after his last year in the OHL. He's played just 33 games this year, so he needs to play more. He'll likely get some games in the AHL to finish 2024-25 with perhaps one or two with the Sharks to give him a taste. I'd expect him to need the AHL in 2025-26.

Chernyshov is in the exact same situation as Musty, as he played just 23 games in the OHL but put up 55 points (2.39/g!). He'll likely get similar treatment as Musty, as apparently they are roommates now.

After Bordeleau played 27 games with six goals and five assists for the Sharks in 2023-24, we can take his 2024-25 one of two ways. He has digressed to the point that he won't likely get another long look by San Jose, or the club likes what they see in the AHL, and just want to see some other prospects get a few games in the NHL.

Seattle Kraken

Jani Nyman – F – (20.6) 12-3-3-6

Ryan Winterton – F – (21.6) 12-0-1-1

Jagger Firkus – F – (20.9)

Berkly Catton – F – (19.2)

Eduard Sale – F – (20.0)

Nyman showed well in his 12 games with the Kraken, scoring three times and adding three assists. Between Ilves in Liiga and Coachella Valley in the AHL, he had scored 54 goals in his past 104 games, which is a fairly good scoring rate. He has averaged 2.6 SOG/g in the AHL and was 1.8/g in 12 NHL games. The Kraken could use his potential scoring in 2025-26.

Winterton will have a different role than Nyman if he is to become a regular in 2025-26. He's played 21 NHL games now and has one assist and 30 hits. He will need to play very solid defense and chip in on the bottom two lines. His minus-11 in 12 games in 2024-25 might be more bad luck than bad play as he has a PDO of 849 during that stretch.

Firkus is an AHL rookie and has 14 goals and 20 assists in 66 games. The Kraken will hope that he can continue to progress in 2025-26, but it's likely another year in the AHL.

Catton had 38 goals and 71 assists in 57 WHL games in 2024-25 and is currently in the WHL playoffs. He has NHL skating ability and skills right now, but he likely needs to add some strength and better defensive habits for a regular role in the NHL, especially as a center. We have seen some teams start young centers on the wing for their rookie years, and that could be the case with Catton.

Outside of Sale's U-20 season in 2021-22, the 20th overall pick in 2023 has shown little production. In the OHL in 2023-24, he had just 15 goals and 23 assists in 49 games. As an AHL rookie in 2024-25, he has produced just six goals and 15 assists in 50 games. He might get a few games with the Kraken in 2025-26, but he'll need to progress offensively to get a regular role.

St. Louis Blues

Jimmy Snuggerud – F – (20.8) 6-0-2-2

Dalibor Dvorsky – F – (19.8) 2-0-0-0

Theo Lindstein – D – (20.2)

Snuggerud was the 23rd overall pick in 2022 and just turned pro after three years at the University of Minnesota, where he had 66 goals and 69 assists in 119 games. He's getting a look at the end of 2024-25 and has two assists in six games. He might see some playoff action if he shows well down the stretch. I think most people have him pencilled in for a regular role in 2025-26, but it's a big step.

As a 19-year-old, Dvorsky has produced 20 goals and 24 assists in 59 AHL games and played two games with the Blues in the NHL. The 10th overall pick in 2023 might make a strong argument to be on the Blues as a regular in 2025-26.

Even if Lindstein comes over to North America for 2025-26, I think he will need a good chunk of time in the AHL. He had nine points in 44 games with Brynas IF of the SHL in 2024-25.

Utah Hockey Club

Maveric Lamoureux – D – (21.2) 15-1-2-3

Lamoureux was called up by Utah in October and played 15 games. He got hurt with Utah and missed about six weeks. Once he was healthy, he was sent back to the AHL where he has 13 points in 40 games. In his 15 NHL games, he had a goal and two assists, 42 PIM, 18 hits and 11 blocks. I think he showed enough to management that he is very close and should probably get a shot in 2025-26.

Vancouver Canucks

Victor Mancini – D – (22.8) 29-2-7-9

Aatu Raty – F – (22.4) 31-7-4-11

Max Sasson – F – (24.5) 28-3-4-7

Jonathan Lekkerimaki – F – (20.7) 24-3-3-6

Elias Pettersson – D – (21.1) 26-1-2-3

Arshdeep Bains – F – (24.2) 13-1-0-1

Tom Willander – D – (20.1)

Mancini was acquired from the NY Rangers as part of the J.T. Miller trade. He's played 13 games with Vancouver and has a goal and three assists. I think he's shown enough that he should have the first look as a bottom-pairing defender for the Canucks in 2025-26. He'll have to prove he can maintain his play, but if he can play 70 games, he could produce 20-25 points and 100 hits and blocks.

Raty has five goals and two assists in his past 10 games with Vancouver. Overall, he has seven goals and four assists in 31 games, with 77 hits. Aside from some offense, he has been excellent in the face-off circle, winning 57.8 percent of his draws. He is not the best skater, and he can struggle defending at times, but he should bring enough to the roster that he could stick for 70 games in 2025-26.

Sasson is close to the age limit for players we are looking at, but is still 24 years of age. He is a hard-working forward and has impressed the Vancouver coaching staff enough to warrant 28 games with Vancouver in 2024-25. He will need to compete for a bottom-six role in 2025-26.

Lekkerimaki has 19 goals in 33 AHL games in 2024-25 and earned a look with Vancouver, where he has had two stints with 24 games, featuring three goals and three assists. He'll need to show more consistency in 2025-26, but he's shown progression and is very close to being a regular.

D-Petey as he is called, has been the highest riser of Canucks prospects in 2024-25. He impressed with 13 points in 38 AHL games and has shown enough in the NHL that he has played 26 games with a goal and two assists with 37 hits and 15 blocks. He's not afraid to use his body and is calmer than most 21-year-old defenders. He should be a regular sixth or seventh defender in 2025-26.

Bains has produced close to a point per game in the AHL over the past two seasons, but has just one goal in 21 NHL games. Like a few players who can produce in the AHL, they need to play in the top-six in the NHL to come close to replicating that success, and those jobs aren't just handed out. There are better alternatives for the bottom-six in Vancouver than Bains, and unfortunately, that is what he is up against.

Willander is fresh off losing in the Frozen Four Finals with Boston University against Western Michigan. He has yet to sign with the Canucks so the possibility that he goes back for a third year is there. Some people think that he could compete for a regular role with the Canucks in 2025-26 but that might be wishful thinking as he probably needs some games at the AHL level.

Vegas Golden Knights

Kaeden Korczak – D – (24.1) 38-0-10-10

Raphael Lavoie – F – (24.5) 9-0-0-0

Akira Schmid – G – (24.9) 1-0-1 94.5%

Korczak has spent all of 2024-25 with Vegas and has played just 38 games. Over his career he has now played 75 games with one goal, 20 assists, 125 hits and 78 blocks, so we know what he is capable of as a regular. It's going to take an injury or a regular leaving Vegas to get him above the seventh defender role in Vegas.

Lavoie is at the end of his prospect status as he's going to turn 25. He's played 241 AHL games, where he has produced 86 goals and 70 assists. He has played 16 games split between Edmonton and Vegas since 2023-24 and has been held pointless. He's a big guy (6-4, 215 lbs) who can skate but might not be a bottom-six NHL player.

Schmid actually struggled in the AHL in 2024-25 with a record of 9-18-4 and a save percentage of 88.6. The allure is that he has played 47 career NHL games with a record of 15-18-4 and a save percentage of 90.2. You never know in Vegas with what goalie they might produce.

Winnipeg Jets

Nikita Chibrikov – F – (22.1) 4-2-1-3

Brad Lambert – F – (21.3) 5-0-1-1

Ville Heinola – D – (24.1)18-0-1-1

Colby Barlow – F – (20.1)

Brayden Yager – F – (20.2)

Elias Salomonsson – D – (20.6)

Chibrikov has had an injury-plagued 2024-25 and has played just 30 AHL games with 18 points, plus four games with the Jets, where he had two goals and an assist. He has now played five NHL games with three goals and one assist, with nine SOG and 14 hits. He's certainly made the most of his opportunities. He'll need to get healthy and have a great training camp to be a regular in 2025-26.

Lambert has regressed a little in 2024-25, but has received five games with the Jets, where he had one assist. In 61 AHL games, he has just seven goals and 28 assists (0.57/g) after producing 21 goals and 34 assists in 64 AHL games in 2023-24. His future NHL role is not as assured as I thought it was after 2023-24.

Heinola played his first game with the Jets since February 12^th on Sunday night. He's had such bad injury luck since the latter part of 2023-24, but he should get a regular role once again in 2025-26 if healthy. He played just 18 games in 2024-25 and has now played 53 career games in the NHL with a goal and 11 assists. In his 151 AHL games, Heinola had 23 goals and 79 assists. He might only be a sixth or seventh defender in 2025-26.

Barlow had 32 goals and 29 assists in 62 games for Oshawa in the OHL in 2024-25. The 18th overall pick in 2023 might need a full year in the AHL in 2025-26, and his ceiling might be as a third-liner with his limited offensive ceiling.

Yager had 25 goals and 57 assists in 54 games split between Lethbridge and Moose Jaw of the WHL in 2024-25. He is likely to need some time in the AHL in 2025-26.

Salomonsson was an AHL rookie in 2024-25 and posted five goals and 22 assists in 51 games. He could start to get some cups of coffee in 2025-26 with the Jets if he plays well in training camp or early in the year in the AHL.

Thank you very much for reading, and if you have any comments, please leave them below or follow me on Twitter @gampbler15