Hello everyone and welcome to the latest edition of Eastern Edge! I'm Eli Feldman.

A critical step to fantasy hockey success is finding talent on draft day. While it may feel tempting to prioritize drafting veterans with extensive track records, rolling the dice on rookies eager to make their marks in the NHL can end up paying even larger dividends down the road.

With this in mind, let's look at a few rookies destined to make an impact in the East this upcoming season.

(Statistics from Frozen Tools)

Ivan Demidov, F, Montreal Canadiens

As many avid hockey fans with Apple TV subscriptions recall, Ivan Demidov's NHL career began with a bang this past April, as the silky-smooth sniper electrified the Bell Centre with two points (one goal, one assist) in a 4-3 shootout loss to the lowly Blackhawks. Demidov's dazzling debut is merely a taste of things to come for the former fifth overall pick, whose elite creativity, elusiveness, and puck skills make him easily one of the most intriguing prospects in the game.

Before embarking on his journey overseas, Demidov tore up Russia's hockey scene, registering 49 points (19 goals, 30 assists) in 65 games with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL last season despite averaging just 13:45 TOI per game. Two seasons ago, Demidov recorded a league-leading 60 points (23 goals, 37 assists) with SKA-1946 St. Petersburg of the MHL (Russia's Junior Hockey League).

Despite his late-season arrival, make no mistake about it – Ivan the Terrible is a bad man who's here to stay.

Alexander Nikishin, D, Carolina Hurricanes

Although Alexander Nikishin's arrival to North America didn't generate quite the same buzz as his former SKA St. Petersburg teammate Ivan Demidov, Nikishin overcame visa and contract issues before finally making his NHL debut, recording one assist and a whopping 17 hits in four Playoff games with the Hurricanes.

Nikishin has been characterized as a unicorn whose unique blend of size, skating, and puck handling ability helped him cement himself as a top defenceman in the KHL last season. Prior to arriving in Carolina, Nikishin recorded an impressive 56 points (17 goals, 39 assists) in 67 regular season games with SKA St. Petersburg. Following Nikishin's tremendous season, the physical rearguard captured the KHL's best defenceman award and received the only nomination among defencemen for the KHL's MVP.

A big-bodied defenceman with an aggressive mindset and a massive clapper, Alexander Nikishin will bring the boom in more ways than one this upcoming season.

Ville Koivunen, F, Pittsburgh Penguins

Despite needing to wait until late March to make his NHL debut, Ville Koivunen made up for lost time, registering seven points (zero goals, seven assists) with the Penguins to close out the 2024/2025 campaign. Selected 51^st overall in 2021, Koivunen is no stranger to offensive production, having registered 56 points in each of the past two seasons in 63 games with the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and 59 games with Karpat of The Liiga (the Finish Elite League), respectively.

Koivunen's 6'0", 172 lbs. frame isn't necessarily anything to write home about, but his strong two-way game and puck smarts help him elevate any line on which he plays. With the Pens deep in rebuild mode and a new head coach in town, Ville Koivunen could be a steal in Steel City this season.

James Hagens, F, Boston Bruins

The 2024/2025 season was nothing short of disastrous for the black, gold, and white, but there was at least one silver lining: the selection of James Hagens in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Although Hagens encountered some unfortunate technical difficulties when attempting to thank Boston's brass for selecting him, the creative playmaker is nevertheless a member of the Boston Bruins.

While Hagens' freshman season at Boston College wasn't otherworldly by any means, his undeniable skillset, highlighted by elite speed and shiftiness, forms the makings of a future top-six forward at the NHL level.

Unlike the other players featured in this column, Hagens has not yet signed an entry-level contract with the Bruins and has instead elected to return to Boston College for another season with the Eagles. However, with a bit more time to develop in the college ranks, James Hagens could be ready to make the jump to the NHL in the final weeks of the regular season (i.e., during the fantasy playoffs).

Given his potential impact with the Bruins down the stretch, consider drafting James Hagens and stashing him for when it matters most – if you can bear it.

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That's all for this week! Stay tuned for the next edition of Eastern Edge on August 26, 2025. Have a great week everyone!