Tampa Bay forward prospect Conor Geekie (2022 1st round, 11th overall) has totaled 49 points (13G 36A) in 45 games this season with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, good for 6th in league scoring. He spent six games with the Lightning earlier this season, to go along with his 52 games of service with the big club in 2024-25. He remains a call-up option this season due to his stellar play, especially with the Lightning in the thick of a playoff hunt once again. However, word is to look for him to continue plying his trade at the AHL level for the remainder of this season to continue on his development path.
Seattle forward prospect Jagger Firkus (2022 2nd round, 35th overall) sits right behind Geekie in AHL scoring at #7, tallying 48 points (19G 29A) in 50 games with Coachella Valley. This follows up a 36-point rookie campaign with the Firebirds, representing a significant leap in production. All of the analytics on Firkus indicate he is likely to become a solid offensive contributor at the NHL level. Although he most likely will remain at the AHL level for the remainder of this season, he will be a serious contender for an opening night roster spot in 2026-27.
St. Louis forward prospect Justin Carbonneau (2025 1st round, 19th overall) is a two-time 40-goal scorer in the QMJHL. The 4th-ranked Blues prospect in the preseason, Carbonneau has 42 goals and 65 points in 49 contests for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. This follows up last season’s 46-goal effort in his draft year. Carbonneau signed his entry-level contract with the Blues in September 2025, and is considered to be right on target to compete for an opening night roster spot in St. Louis next season. All projections indicate he will occupy a top-9 roster spot initially, and that eventually he will fill a top-6 role alongside promising young players such as Jimmy Snuggerud and Dalibor Dvorsky.
Edmonton forward prospect Josh Samanski (signed as a free agent with Edmonton on April 2, 2025) just completed a successful stint as a member of Team Germany at the 2026 Olympics. Samanski, a top 10 Oilers prospect, helped his team to a quarterfinal berth, and developed an important chemistry with Edmonton mainstay Leon Draisaitl along the way. This was most evident in Germany’s first medal-round game against Team France, where the pair assisted on each other’s goals en route to a 5-1 German victory. Although those were Samanski’s only two tournament points, he impressed teammates and coaches alike with a strong net-front presence, as well as the positive energy he brought to every shift. He has garnered 28 points (7G 21A) in 40 games with Bakersfield this season, and notched 2 assists in 5 games with Edmonton earlier this year.