Welcome back to The Journey, where we track the development of prospects as they excel in junior, make the NHL, and push towards stardom.

Last week in Part 1, we looked at names like Zayne Parekh, Easton Cowan, Carter Yakemchuk, Ilya Protas, and Carson Rehkopf — all players entering the AHL who could make a big fantasy impact with strong rookie seasons. This week, we continue with Part 2, highlighting another group of first-year AHLers worth watching closely.

As a reminder, the AHL is not a development league in the casual sense. By most equivalency metrics, it is the second-hardest league in the world, behind only the NHL. That is why what happens there matters so much for fantasy. Early success can mark a player as a future star, while struggles can reveal a slower, more uncertain path. Dynasty managers who track this transition often gain an edge in spotting who to stash, who to sell, and who to forget.

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Andrew Cristall (F, Washington Capitals)
Cristall arrives in the AHL with plenty of attention after torching the WHL with his skill and creativity. While his skating mechanics remain a concern, his hands, vision, and offensive intelligence are elite. Hershey will be the proving ground, where he must demonstrate he can find space and create offense against faster, heavier opponents. If he adjusts quickly, his upside as a top-six scorer and power-play weapon looks very real.

Cristall's Hockey Prospecting comparables include lofty names like Marc Savard and Nikita Kucherov. He may never reach those heights, but the potential is enough to keep dynasty managers intrigued. If he thrives in the AHL, he could earn a call-up as early as late this season, though Washington's competitive roster could slow his path. Cristall is a boom-or-bust prospect, yet his ceiling is high enough to warrant patience in any dynasty format.

Aydar Suniev (F, Calgary Flames)

Suniev brings a blend of size, shooting ability, and offensive instincts that make him one of the more fascinating prospects in Calgary's system. He was highly productive in the BCHL and then carried that offense into the NCAA, proving he could score against tougher competition. The AHL will be the next and most important test, where he will need to show he can keep pace, find space, and finish against stronger, faster defenders. His offensive toolkit gives him the chance to adapt quickly if the transition goes smoothly.

Mason Black's pNHLe model has tracked his development and shows his projection rising to over 60, signaling an encouraging upward trajectory. If Suniev's scoring touch translates at the AHL level, that projection suddenly looks realistic, and Calgary's pipeline could have a legitimate goal-scoring threat on the rise. Dynasty managers should keep close tabs on him this season, he has the raw tools and statistical profile to turn into a valuable fantasy asset, particularly in formats that reward goals.

Matvei Gridin (F, Calgary Flames)

Gridin enters the AHL with plenty of offensive momentum after a stellar season in the QMJHL. He piled up points thanks to his skill with the puck, strong shot, and ability to find seams in the offensive zone. That scoring touch is what makes him such an intriguing prospect for Calgary, and if it translates to the professional level, he could quickly establish himself as a top option for the Wranglers. His transition game is already excellent, and that should help him adapt to the faster pace of the AHL.

The questions come when the puck isn't on his stick. On his Fantasy Hockey Life skater card, you can see that he struggles with play-driving metrics like Corsi and doesn't fare particularly well in loose puck recovery. His puck battles won is decent, but you would hope for more from a top prospect expected to push play. These areas will need to improve if he wants to stick at higher levels. If he rounds out his 200-foot game, his offensive ceiling gives him fantasy relevance, but if not, his production may stall against tougher professional competition.

Alex Bump (F, Philadelphia Flyers)
Bump turned heads last season as a key piece of Western Michigan's NCAA championship run, showing he could deliver in high-pressure games and against top competition. After the Frozen Four, he got his first taste of the professional game with a short stint in the AHL, experience that should help smooth the transition into his first full season with Lehigh Valley. Bump's shot and offensive instincts have been the calling cards of his game, and those tools will be tested against stronger, more structured defenses.

From a fantasy perspective, Bump's trajectory is encouraging. His pNHLe projection has him trending toward a 60-point player, and what he shows this season in the AHL will go a long way toward proving whether that ceiling is realistic. If he produces right away, he will move quickly into the NHL conversation, especially for a Flyers team still sorting out its offensive identity. Dynasty managers should keep a close eye here, as Bump has the raw tools to become a valuable fantasy asset if he can carry his college scoring touch into the pros.

Andrei Loshko (F, Seattle Kraken)
Loshko is a skilled forward who has shown flashes of strong playmaking and offensive instincts throughout his development. He was productive with the Niagara IceDogs in the OHL last season, and earned a short look with the Coachella Valley Firebirds at the end of the year, giving him an early taste of professional hockey. Seattle's system emphasizes depth and balance, which could limit his immediate role, but his creativity with the puck gives him the chance to stand out if he adapts quickly to the AHL pace. His ability to complement skilled linemates and distribute under pressure will be tested right away.

Hockey Prospecting pegs Loshko as more of a longshot, giving him just a 2 percent chance of becoming a star based on his QMJHL and OHL production. Still, those projections can change quickly if a player produces against professionals, and Loshko has the tools to do that. If he builds consistency and proves he can drive play at the AHL level, he could push for a call-up sooner than expected. He is worth tracking in deeper dynasty formats as a player who could carve out middle-six value with time.

Atro Leppänen (D, Edmonton Oilers)
Leppänen profiles as a steady, defense-first blueliner with the mobility to keep pace at the professional level. He already has two years of experience in Liiga, which should help smooth his adjustment to the AHL. His game is built more on positioning, puck retrieval, and efficient puck movement than on piling up points, which limits his pure fantasy appeal. That said, his ability to log tough minutes and handle defensive assignments could help him carve out an NHL role as a reliable depth piece.

From a fantasy perspective, Leppänen will not be a hot commodity unless he earns trust quickly and establishes heavy usage. Even then, his value will likely come from categories like hits, blocks, and time on ice rather than scoring. Typically good for about one hit, one block, and two shots per game, he offers a modest peripheral floor that could make him serviceable in ultra-deep formats. While his upside lies more in real-life NHL reliability than fantasy breakout potential, he is still worth keeping in mind for managers who prize category coverage.

Thanks for reading! See you next week. For more content/fantasy hockey analysis, or if there's a prospect, topic, or theme you'd like me to cover, follow and message me on X https://x.com/VictorNuno12