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Michael Misa and Matthew Schaefer are two of the NHL's youngest players in 2025-26. Bruce Bennett / Getty Images
Surviving the first month of the NHL regular season as a teenager is a big deal.
While there’s nothing that prevents teams from sending a young player back to junior or the AHL once the calendar flips to November, each day spent on the roster represents another step taken toward becoming a full-time NHLer.
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Four talented teens survived training camps this fall before having their dreams delayed by a trip to the general manager’s office.
The Vancouver Canucks sent Braeden Cootes back to WHL Seattle after his first three NHL games. The Nashville Predators assigned Brady Martin to OHL Sault Ste. Marie following his three-game stint in their lineup. The Calgary Flames loaned Matvei Gridin to their AHL affiliate after a four-game look in the NHL. And for the second straight year, the Philadelphia Flyers returned Jett Luchanko to OHL Guelph this week after he dressed in four games.
Locking down a job in the world’s best hockey league before your 20th birthday is no easy task.
Here’s a look at the 11 players still currently in that position (listed from oldest to youngest):
Age: 19
Born: Dec. 7, 2005
Position: LD
Drafted: 12th in 2024
Stats: 2 goals, 8 points in 11 games
Scoop: After making his NHL debut for the Wild in last season’s playoffs, Buium secured a job in training camp. An exceptional skater with elite offensive instincts, he’s still getting a feel for when it’s best to make something happen or opt instead for the safer option. Five of Buium’s points have come on the power play. The Wild have been outscored 8-3 in his five-on-five minutes, underscoring the need to continue sharpening the details needed to become a difference-maker at this level.
Age: 19
Born: Dec. 10, 2005
Position: RW
Drafted: 5th in 2024
Stats: 2 goals, 9 points in 11 games
Scoop: A deceptive skater with game-breaking vision, Demidov is an offensive force who demands the attention of opponents. His recent promotion to the Canadiens’ top power-play unit should lead to an uptick in offensive production, and he’s already the leading scorer among NHL rookies. One area of focus is finding more opportunities to deploy his dangerous shot — Demidov is averaging less than one attempt on goal per game — but the sky is the limit for a player who is already a fan favorite in Montreal.
Age: 19
Born: Jan. 14, 2006
Position: LW
Drafted: 8th in 2024
Stats: 0 goals, 3 points in 5 games
Scoop: Coming off a couple of monster seasons in the WHL, Catton is currently getting a big opportunity skating on the Kraken’s top line. His NHL debut didn’t come until Oct. 20 and followed a string of scratches, so getting to the nine-game mark that burns off the first year of his entry-level contract will be an important milestone. Catton is a smart player and strong skater who will be cast in a leading role with Canada’s World Juniors team if he gets sent back to Spokane or is loaned out for that tournament.
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Age: 19
Born: Jan. 28, 2006
Position: RW
Drafted: 3rd in 2024
Stats: 3 goals, 5 points in 9 games
Scoop: At 6-foot-3, he’s a big forward with great hands who has a knack for finding the dangerous areas of the ice. Sennecke is currently holding down a top-six role in Anaheim, playing alongside Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier on the second line. There’s still room for improvement on the defensive side of the puck — Anaheim is being outscored 9-4 in his five-on-five minutes — but Sennecke has a high offensive ceiling and an attractive set of attributes.
Age: 19
Born: Feb. 15, 2006
Position: RD
Drafted: 9th in 2024
Stats: 0 goals, 1 point in 9 games
Scoop: A defenseman who produced an outrageous 107 points in junior last season, Parekh also scored a goal in his NHL debut for the Flames in April. It’s been tougher sledding so far this season. Parekh is quarterbacking Calgary’s 31st-ranked power play and registered his lone point so far with the man advantage. He’s typically a dangerous player with the puck on his stick, but is experiencing some growing pains while skating with a team that’s struggling to put the puck in the net.
Age: 19
Born: May 8, 2006
Position: RD
Drafted: 44th in 2024
Stats: 1 goal, 1 point in 7 games
Scoop: After a 10-game stint in the AHL at the end of last season, Brunicke is trying to take another step up the ladder this fall. So far, it’s been a work in progress for a big defenseman who is still finding his footing. The Penguins have managed his workload carefully, moving him in and out of the lineup to let him spend extra time in the gym and fine-tune his game. Even if Brunicke reaches the nine-game mark to burn a year off his contract, the Penguins will face a decision on whether to release him to Canada’s World Juniors team over Christmas.
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Age: 19
Born: June 7, 2006
Position: LD
Drafted: 11th in 2024
Stats: 0 goals, 0 points in 8 games
Scoop: A smooth skater with the size needed to grow into a sturdy NHL defenseman, Dickinson has seen limited minutes on the Sharks’ third pairing to start the season. Among the biggest positives so far is that the puck has generally been moving in the right direction during his minutes. The Sharks are on the plus side in shots and attempts with Dickinson on the ice. If anything, the minus-5 rating you’ll find beside his stat line appears to be a little bit unlucky.
Age: 19
Born: June 13, 2006
Position: C
Drafted: 1st in 2024
Stats: 6 goals, 16 points in 10 games
Scoop: Already a star and among the NHL’s scoring leaders, it shouldn’t be lost on anyone that Celebrini is still one of the league’s youngest skaters in his second trip around the circuit. He carries himself with maturity not often seen in a teenager and drew praise from Sidney Crosby this summer for playing a refined game that shows a two-way commitment. Of course, there are bound to be some long nights on a young Sharks team that is frequently overmatched. As its top-line center, Celebrini isn’t being sheltered. He’s only starting 45 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone while drawing tough matchups each game.
Age: 18
Born: Feb. 16, 2007
Position: C
Drafted: 2nd in 2025
Stats: 1 goal, 3 points in 6 games
Scoop: With Will Smith shifting to the wing, Misa has been lining up down the middle when he gets into the Sharks’ lineup. That has come with some expected challenges, but he’s more than held his own in the faceoff dot with a 53 percent win percentage and on the defensive side of the puck. Both of those tend to be difficult aspects of the game for young centers to manage. Misa is a creative offensive player and should make more of an impact with the puck on his stick as he gets more comfortable at the NHL level.
Age: 18
Born: April 19, 2007
Position: C
Drafted: 11th in 2025
Stats: 2 goals, 2 points in 9 games
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Scoop: Kindel cleared the first hurdle by hitting the nine-game mark earlier this week. That officially starts the clock on his NHL contract. He’s considered a smart player who possesses strong on-ice vision and has settled into a bottom-six role for a Penguins team off to a surprisingly strong start. While the organization is mindful of not putting too much on the plate of the league’s second-youngest player, he’s proven to be more than up to the task so far.
Age: 18
Born: Sept. 5, 2007
Position: LD
Drafted: 1st in 2025
Stats: 2 goals, 7 points in 9 games
Scoop: The youngest player in the league has exceeded every expectation by a considerable margin over the first few weeks of his pro career. Not only is Schaefer averaging 23:15 per night for the Islanders — three minutes more than any other rookie — but he’s also generated more shots (28) than any other first-year player. While his skating and offensive instincts helped make him the top pick in the 2025 draft class, his competitiveness and defensive reads have quickly earned the trust of his coaching staff. Maintaining this exceptional standard of play will be difficult over a long season, especially since Schaefer played just 17 games in his draft year because of a broken collarbone.
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Chris Johnston is a senior writer covering the NHL for The Athletic. He has two decades of experience as an NHL Insider, having appeared on Hockey Night in Canada and the NHL Network before joining TSN in 2021. He currently hosts the “Chris Johnston Show” on the Steve Dangle Podcast Network. He’s written previously for the Toronto Star, Sportsnet and The Canadian Press. Follow Chris on Twitter @reporterchris
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