NHL
2026 NHL
Trade Deadline
Dinamo Minsk's Vitaly Pinchuk has been one of the top forwards in the KHL this season. Felipe Kutepov / Getty Images
Welcome to this year’s edition of the best NHL free agents currently playing in American college and Europe. Vitaly Pinchuk in the KHL is the clear prize this season, and there will be wide NHL interest in him if he chooses to come over.
There are no sure things for the NHL after him. What I found this year, and why there are no CHL players listed here, is that the type of player who would be a free agent from Canadian major junior in past years chose to commit to NCAA schools instead.
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I don’t pretend to have wide knowledge of the field as I would for the NHL Draft. Do not take omission of a player as an indictment. I simply can only invest so much time watching players that are mostly long shots for the NHL.
Pinchuk has been one of the top forwards in the KHL this season. He’s a big winger who skates quite well and can push the pace at even strength. He has good hands, makes difficult plays and can finish chances well. Pinchuk is decent around the net, although he’s not overly physical. He checks a lot of boxes you look for in a potential middle-six forward.
Gross took significant steps forward this season, becoming a top player in the NCHC. His pure tools will excite teams: He’s big, fast and skilled. His game has a lot of pace and energy, and he’s fairly competitive, too. Despite the offensive progression he’s shown, I have minor questions on his hockey IQ and how many plays he’ll make at the next level, but he has a legit chance to play in the league.
Stockfish has enough tools to make him interesting as a pro prospect. He’s a big center who skates well for his size. He shows the ability to create in transition due to his speed and hands. Stockfish has been a decent two-way player in college, even if he hasn’t posted major scoring numbers. Trying to project his skill to higher levels is a bit more difficult due to the conference he plays in, but he has a puncher’s chance.
Eernisse’s skill and scoring won’t get you excited. Teams are interested in him, though, because he’s a big, fast and highly competitive winger. He’s very physical, attacks the net and has the potential to be an effective penalty killer as a pro. If he has even a little puck game, he could be successful versus men.
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Schimek has been excellent the last two seasons with ASU. He’s a player with impressive hands and vision who makes high-skill plays with the puck frequently and can do so with good pace. He’s creative and competitive, with a natural scoring touch giving him a legit chance to play games in the NHL despite a so-so frame for the next level.
Zacher was a huge part of Northeastern’s team this season and was among the top goalies in college. Zacher isn’t super toolsy, and he doesn’t have the frame of quick-twitch you’d ideally want in an NHL goalie. He’s quite polished and intelligent, though, looking calm and smooth and making a lot of difficult saves in the net. Zacher competes well and gets to a lot of pucks.
Aimurzin has been a highly productive player for Severstal over the last few seasons. He’s a strong skater with above-average offensive skills. He can both make and finish plays like a pro. He’s not the hardest player you’ll ever see, and with average size, it’s not ideal, but he competes well enough and plays enough of a competent KHL center game that he has a chance to be a solid North American pro.
Kivioja is a huge center with high-end physicality in his game. He was one of the hardest and most frequent hitters in college this season. That element alone gives him a chance to play on a fourth line. He’s a subpar skater without much of a puck game, so whether there’s enough pure talent in his game will be the question as he advances levels.
Hughes is a highly skilled and creative center with legit playmaking abilities. He’s been one of the top offensive players in college hockey the last few years. He’s not super physical, but he competes well and is a competent two-way center who can play in traffic well. The big issue for Hughes at the next level will be his skating. In that way, he reminds me of a bit of someone like T.J. Tynan; I think he will be a great AHLer/depth player but may not be a full-time guy at the top level.
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Livanavage has been one of the better defensemen in college the last few years. He’s a highly mobile and intelligent player who can make skilled plays frequently and do so with pace. He’s quite small for an NHL defender, which is why he was undrafted, but he works hard and has been a solid college stopper.
A 2019 third-round pick by Carolina, Puistola has found success in the SHL this season and scored four goals last spring for Finland at the men’s worlds. His skating and compete will give some teams pause, but he’s very skilled and intelligent with the puck and has yet to give it a real shot in North America.
Wiebusch has been a top forward in the Big Ten this season. He’s a good skater with above-average hands. He attacks in a direct way, often taking pucks wide and to the net. He’s not overly creative, but Wiebusch has enough hockey IQ to make plays versus pros. His compete level and good enough talent give him a real chance to play games.
Musa is a very good skater with significant offensive tools. He has the hands, vision and shot to score points versus pros. He’s undersized, which will be the main issue on his NHL projection, but he’s reasonably physical and competes well enough to give himself a chance to have success against men.
Vinny Borgesi (defense, Northeastern): A tiny defenseman at about 5-foot-8, he’s highly mobile, intelligent and very competitive. I think he could get a contract despite his frame, but it will be a major challenge for him to crack an NHL lineup.
Hank Cleaves (center, Dartmouth): I think he will get a lot of attention because he’s big, can skate and has shown offense this season. I have issues with his perimeter play and hockey IQ for the next level, but the tools will likely get him a contract.
Matthew DiMarsico (left wing, Penn State): A strong skater who works hard and has a solid skill level. He’s good at a lot, but I’m not sold on what his ultimate role could be for an NHL team, given his average size.
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Viking Gustafsson Nyberg (defense, UConn): He’ll likely have some interest from teams as a massive and highly physical defenseman. He’s a mediocre skater and puck handler, though, with very little offense in his game.
Joshua Kotai (goaltender, Augustana): He has been very good for Augustana the last few years. He has very good quickness, sense and technique in goal, but he’s on the smaller side, and it’s questionable how his game will translate versus pros.
Owen Michaels (center, Western Michigan): He’s a good-sized center who skates well and works hard at both ends. He’s not the most natural scorer you’ll ever see, but he has enough pure skill and sense in his game to have a chance to get points at the next level and provide off-puck value.
Nick Malik (goalie, Plzen): He has been one of the best goalies in the top Czech league and is still quite young at 23. A 2022 Lightning draft pick, he’s a very athletic goalie with good hockey sense who can make a lot of difficult saves, but he’s barely 6-foot-2.
Ellis Rickwood (center, North Dakota): He’s a smart two-way center with good size. He’s had a big year after transferring to North Dakota, becoming a top scorer on one of the best teams in college. His skating could hold him back at the next level, though.
Riley Thompson (left wing, Ohio State): He’s a big forward with good hands and scoring touch. He works hard enough and has some physicality in his game. His skating is below average, though.
Yegor Vinogradov (right wing, Torpedo): He’s under contract in the KHL until 2027, but if he were to find a way to be bought out, he would attract a lot of interest.
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Corey Pronman is the senior NHL prospects writer for The Athletic. Previously, Corey worked in a similar role at ESPN. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreypronman
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