We're already getting to some very exciting NHL players and prospects as the online countdown of The Hockey News' top 100 hockey players aged 21-and-under continues.
The Hockey News' Prospects Unlimited issue's annual ranking of hockey's youngest talent is compiled by Ryan Kennedy, and while he uses our Future Watch rankings as a resource, this is a completely independent compilation.
Future Watch is based on a survey of NHL scouts, while the PU Top 100 is cobbled together by Kennedy based on his projections of what the players will be once they hit their primes.
Since different positions have different prime years, take that to mean we are projecting how good these forwards will be when they are 23 or 24 years old, the defensemen when they are 24 or 25 and the goalies when they are 25 or 26.
The birth year cutoff for this year’s list is 2004. Ages noted are as of Oct. 1.
As we share the top 100 list on TheHockeyNews.com, you can see the full list with player bios and draft information for each of them right now by being a subscriber to The Hockey News and accessing the Archive or by opening the magazine if you've already received it in your mailbox.
Catch up on the players ranked 41st to 60th, 61st to 80th and 81st to 100th. Here are the next 20.
40. Ryan Lin, D, 17 years old, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
NHL Draft: 2026
39. Cole Hutson, D, 19, Washington Capitals
Boston Univ. (HE)
38. Ryan Roobroeck, LW, 16, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
NHL Draft: 2026
37. Radim Mrtka, D, 18, Buffalo Sabres
Seattle (WHL)
36. Sam Rinzel, D, 21, Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago (NHL)
35. Frank Nazar, C, 21, Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago (NHL)
34. Cayden Lindstrom, C, 19, Columbus Blue Jackets
Michigan State (Big Ten)
33. Axel Sandin-Pellikka, D, 20, Detroit Red Wings
Detroit (NHL)
32. Jake O'Brien, C, 18, Seattle Kraken
Brantford (WHL)
31. Roger McQueen, C, 18, Anaheim Ducks
Providence College (HE)
30. Cutter Gauthier, LW, 21, Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim (NHL)
29. Caleb Desnoyers, C, 18, Utah Mammoth
Moncton (QMJHL)
28. Michael Hrabal, G, 20, Utah Mammoth
UMass (HE)
27. Ethan Belchetz, LW, 17, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
NHL Draft: 2026
26. Brady Martin, C, 18, Nashville Predators
Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
25. Will Smith, C, 20, San Jose Sharks
San Jose (NHL)
24. Ryan Leonard, RW, 20, Washington Capitals
Washington (NHL)
23. Carter George, G, 19, Los Angeles Kings
Owen Sound (OHL)
22. Jimmy Snuggerud, RW, 21, St. Louis Blues
St. Louis (NHL)
21. Sam Dickinson, D, 19, San Jose Sharks
San Jose (NHL)
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