The Anaheim Ducks have started the season with surprising victories over the Boston Bruins and Vegas Golden Knights, and that success can be attributed in part to their young players. Many NHL teams have built their rosters through the NHL Draft and possess a strong group of young stars on their team.
With this in mind, we have ranked the top eight NHL teams based on their young core and future potential. For this exercise, we considered players aged 26 and under as part of a team’s young core.
1. New Jersey Devils
The Devils claim the top spot with their exceptional young group. The top line is led by 22-year-old Jack Hughes, who has emerged as one of the top centers in the league. Hughes had a career-best 99-point season and is currently sidelined with an upper-body injury but has already amassed 20 points in the 2023-24 season. The Devils’ top six forwards, with three players aged 25 or younger, have been instrumental in their success. Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt are among the standout young forwards, while the future looks bright with Luke Hughes on the blue line.
2. Ottawa Senators
The Senators are enduring a challenging start to the season, but their future remains promising with a talented young core. Captain Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stützle lead the group, with other promising forwards like Josh Norris, Drake Batherson, Shane Pinto, and Ridly Greig. The Senators also boast young defensive talent in Jakob Chychrun, Thomas Chabot, and Jake Sanderson.
3. Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks have an abundance of young talent, including Mason McTavish, Troy Terry, Trevor Zegras, Leo Carlsson, Jamie Drysdale, and Pavel Mintyukov. Terry and McTavish have been standout performers, and the potential of Carlsson and Mintyukov is evident, making the future bright for the Ducks.
4. Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres’ future looks promising, with players like Tage Thompson, Rasmus Dahlin, Owen Power, Dylan Cozens, and JJ Peterka showing great potential. The addition of goaltender Devon Levi adds to the team’s optimism for the future.
5. Arizona Coyotes
Despite recent struggles, the Coyotes have star winger Clayton Keller and promising centers Matias Maccelli and Logan Cooley, offering hope for the team’s resurgence. The young core’s playmaking ability could help elevate the team’s performance.
6. Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver may not have many young stars under 26, but Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson are standout talents. Nils Höglander adds depth to their young core, with Hughes and Pettersson being key drivers of the team’s success.
7. Carolina Hurricanes
The Hurricanes’ young core is led by Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov, who provide consistent offensive contributions. Seth Jarvis, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Martin Necas, and Pyotr Kochetkov offer further promise for the Hurricanes’ future success.
8. Columbus Blue Jackets
The Blue Jackets have a promising young talent in Adam Fantilli, with additional potential in Cole Sillinger, Kent Johnson, and David Jiricek, signaling a positive future for the team.
