THE ATHLETIC HOCKEY SHOW (March 13, 2026)
Episode: Who are the NHL’s most surprising rookies?

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the 2025-26 NHL rookie class, exploring both the standout and the unexpected among this year’s crop, and examining how they’re impacting teams and the Calder Trophy race. Hosted by Max Bultman, Corey Pronman, Scott Wheeler, and Chris Peters, the panel also tackles prospect development, draft analysis, and mailbag questions focused on the next wave of hockey talent.

Main Theme

Exploring the NHL’s Most Surprising Rookies:
A thorough breakdown of this season’s rookie performances, who’s exceeded expectations, who’s lagged, and detailed Calder Trophy discussion. The episode also intertwines broader prospect analysis and 2026 draft conversation, giving listeners both context and projections for the league’s future stars.

Key Segments & Insights

1. The Calder Trophy Race: Matthew Schaefer’s Emerging Dominance

• Matthew Schaefer, Defenseman (NY Islanders)
  • Consensus favorite for the Calder.
  • Has exceeded expectations as a first overall pick, stepping into a major role far faster than anticipated [02:53].
  • Notably, Schaefer has scored 20 goals—a rare feat for an 18-year-old defenseman [06:29].
  • “He’s got more points in the NHL than he ever did in the OHL… it’s insane.” — Chris Peters [03:45]
  • Schaefer has drastically changed the perception and threat level of his team in the East [05:38].
  • Norris Trophy talk: Some conversation over whether he could sneak onto ballots, reflecting just how impactful he’s been for his age and position [06:06–07:13].

2. Other Noteworthy Rookies in the Calder Mix

• Beckett Seneca, Forward (Anaheim Ducks)
  • Surpassed expectations, leading all rookies in scoring.
  • Noted for transforming Anaheim into a playoff team and playing with a consistency he did not have in juniors [08:45].
  • “He’s not dominant, but the way basically month after month he showed up and made a difference... has been quite surprising for a teenager.” — Corey Pronman [08:45]
• Ivan Demidov, Forward
  • Slight edge in two-way reliability and his ability to elevate linemates.
  • Some panelists favored Demidov as runner-up due to his defensive prowess [07:53].
• Jesper Wallstedt, Goalie (Minnesota Wild)
  • Likely finishes outside top 3 Calder due to games played but lauded for his impact and numbers, rebounding after AHL struggles [10:33].
  • “Minnesota has, you know, their goalie of the future, the Goalie of the present kind of right now...” — Chris Peters [10:33]

3. Deeper Rookie Class Discussion – Surprises and Disappointments

• Biggest Risers:

  • Ben Kindle (Pittsburgh): Emerged as a legitimate top rookie, outpacing expectations, a 3rd/4th in rookie goals and key play on both ends [12:48].
  • Oliver Kapanen (Montreal): Adequate 2C replacement, long-term projects as a strong 3C [13:56].
  • Frazier Minton: Noted improvement but with projection still modest [12:48].

• Development Questions: Montreal’s Center Prospects

  • Debate if Hage could be their 2C of the future or better as a winger; defensive development key [14:11–15:33].

• Disappointments:

  • Artem Levshinov & Z. Bouilliam: High expectations, but offensive contributions and defensive pace have lagged [16:22].
  • Rushing prospects to the NHL too quickly discussed as a risk, referencing parallels with Kevin Korchinski and organizational patience [18:39–20:46].

Notable Moment

“With both of them... their game is offense. And neither of them have shown enough offense this year.” — Corey Pronman [16:49]

4. Draft Talk – 2026 NHL Entry Draft

• Draft Board Volatility

  • Corey Pronman unveils his latest rankings—the 4th change at No. 1 this season [25:53].
  • Chase Reed (defenseman) now tops the board, but the gap between #1 and #8 is nearly “an eight-way tie” [25:53].
    • “I think it's nearly an eight-way tie, quite frankly.” — Corey Pronman [25:53]
  • Debate over how risk-averse teams may be with smaller wingers (e.g., McKenna/Stenberg) vs. less dynamic but premium-position defensemen [34:43–36:24].

• Scout Perspectives

  • “A scout told me the best place to pick in this draft is number two.” — Scott Wheeler [33:42].

On Gavin McKenna and Tynan Lawrence

• McKenna: Rebounded from tough start and off-ice incident; now surging and climbing back to the top of rankings [29:20–31:29].
• Lawrence: Move to BU backfired, draft stock dropped, but still high potential for the future [38:57–42:37].

5. Extended Mailbag (Starting ~47:14)

(Questions paraphrased for clarity; segment includes further analysis on top D prospects, NCAA recruiting trends, and specific player projections.)

Prospect Evaluations

• Albert Smits (Latvia): Safe, mobile, all-around blue-liner; compared to Chychrun, Dickinson, Keandre Miller, and Noah Hanifin [47:31].
• Tommy Bly: Riser among undersized defensemen, praised as a top skater, compared to Seamus Casey—projected as a 2nd/3rd rounder [52:42–56:17].
• Bryce Pickford (Montreal): Record-setting WHL D-man with a powerful shot, but questions linger about defensive ceiling and league context [66:37–71:22].

Prospect Pathways & Recruiting

• Trend of European prospects moving into NCAA ranks continues, with colleges actively recruiting across Europe (“There are no rules anymore in college hockey... colleges are talking to signed KHL, SHL, and LIGA players...” — Corey Pronman [64:31]).
• Discussion on broader draft and development landscapes, especially defensemen struggling to adapt to the NHL due to a variety of factors [73:07–74:38].

6. Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Schaefer as a runaway Calder favorite:

  • “I think goals and points wise he's close with Senica... Like, I think he's the runaway favorite at this point—it'd be egregious to vote for anybody else, to be perfectly honest.” — Corey Pronman [03:07]

• On the chaos of the 2026 Draft:

  • “If you guys said I would take Smiths, I want to be like... I don't think it's unreasonable. Like, I've talked to scouts who have Smiths and Carls in that one or two or three conversation. And I don't think it's crazy. That's just what this draft is this year.” — Corey Pronman [25:53]

• On rookie surprises:

  • “Kindle that you're like, okay, whoa. Like Pittsburgh might really have something here.” — Corey Pronman [12:48]

• On high-end defensemen struggles:

  • “What a strange draft ends up being… whatever, the 25th defenseman in that draft is now probably the clear best guy. What a strange class ends up being.” — Corey Pronman [73:07]

Notable Timestamps

• 02:53 – Calder Trophy race; why Schaefer is far ahead
• 07:53 – Demidov vs. Seneca for runner-up
• 10:33 – Wallstedt's season and goaltender prospect patience
• 12:48 – Most surprising rookie: Ben Kindle and more
• 16:22 – Disappointments: Levshinov, Boulliam, rookie evaluation
• 25:53 – Pronman’s new 2026 draft rankings and chaos at the top
• 29:20 – Gavin McKenna’s resurgence, scouting concerns
• 38:57/42:37 – Insights on centers Tynan Lawrence and Caleb Malhotra
• 47:14 – Mailbag: player comps (Smits), NCAA recruiting, and more
• 52:42/54:57 – On undersized but talented defensemen in the draft (Tommy Bly)
• 66:37 – Bryce Pickford’s WHL dominance and translation to NHL
• 73:07 – Draft busts and defensemen developmental struggles

Tone & Style

The conversation balances sharp analysis with candid, sometimes humorous debate typical of friends and pros deep in the hockey world. The hosts’ tone is enthusiastic, honest, and occasionally irreverent, inviting listeners into the high-stakes, often unpredictable world of NHL prospect evaluation.

For Listeners

• Expect insightful, nuanced discussion of both NHL rookies and prospect/development philosophy—not just top-line stats.
• Strong emphasis on the human/work-in-progress aspect of player development: no prospect is truly "a sure thing."
• Episode is especially valuable for draft junkies, prospect watchers, and fans tracking the next generation of NHL talent.

Listen for These:

• Realism about "can’t-miss" prospects—what they look like vs. what reality tends to bring.
• Honest assessment of rookie and young player struggles, even for those recently hyped.
• Ongoing discussion around draft volatility and the risk/reward thinking that shapes team decisions at the draft table.

Episode ends with a mailbag full of projections, NHL development observations, and some sharp takes on team management, prospect patience, and the ever-evolving nature of hockey’s youth pipeline.