3 More Rookies to Watch in 2026-27: Rising Stars Beyond the Top Picks

Not every impact rookie this season was a top-three pick. Here are three more names — a dynamic defenseman, a skilled young center, and a highly touted goalie — who scouts and fantasy analysts expect to make real noise in 2026-27.

1. Cole Hutson, D, Washington Capitals

Cole Hutson, younger brother of Montreal star Lane Hutson, was selected 43rd overall by Washington in the 2024 draft and has quickly proven he's more than just a family name. In his rookie season at Boston University, the undersized offensive defenseman led all NCAA rookies and defensemen in points per game (1.24), racking up 46 points in 38 games. Scouts note he plays a more physical style than his brother while offering similarly dazzling skating and offensive instincts, and he's expected to step directly into a featured role on Washington's blue line.

Rookie Card Value

Offensive, puck-moving defensemen tend to have outsized fantasy and card appeal relative to their draft position, especially when they come from a recognizable hockey family — Lane Hutson's own rookie cards have been strong performers in the current market, and that brand recognition tends to carry over. Cole's Young Guns and rookie-year cards are worth watching specifically because defensemen without elite draft pedigree (he went in the second round, not the first) often get overlooked early, which can mean a more reasonable buy-in price relative to his actual on-ice ceiling. If he develops into anywhere close to the offensive force his brother has become, patient collectors who bought in during his rookie year could be well positioned.

2. Michael Hage, C, Montreal Canadiens

Drafted 21st overall in 2024, Hage missed nearly all of his draft-minus-one season to injury but has fully re-established himself as a high-end prospect since. The 6-foot-1 center is a well-rounded skater with excellent puck skills who created scoring chances at will across the USHL and NCAA over the past two-plus seasons. Scouts project him comfortably as Montreal's second-line center behind captain Nick Suzuki, giving him a clear path to real ice time as a rookie on a team that's already exceeded expectations.

Rookie Card Value

Montreal's prospect pipeline has been one of the best storylines in hockey the past two seasons, and cards tied to that pipeline (Ivan Demidov being the recent standout example) have seen real collector enthusiasm. Hage benefits from that same organizational buzz. Because he missed significant development time to injury, his profile is slightly less hyped than some peers his draft position would suggest — which, again, is often where card value opportunity lives. A rookie-year Young Guns card bought before he locks down that second-line role full-time could be meaningfully cheaper than the same card once he's established himself in Montreal's lineup.

3. Jacob Fowler, G, Montreal Canadiens

Rounding out Montreal's strong rookie class is goaltender Jacob Fowler, who enters the season as one of the most highly regarded young goalies in hockey and cracked the top 10 of both NHL.com's fantasy rookie rankings and The Hockey Writers' preseason Calder power rankings. Goaltenders are notoriously unpredictable early in their careers, but Fowler's draft pedigree and development track record have scouts optimistic he could push for real playing time behind Montreal's crease as a rookie.

Rookie Card Value

Goalie rookie cards are a genuinely different animal from skater cards — they tend to be more volatile, since a single bad stretch or a timeshare situation can slow a young goalie's card momentum fast, but a goalie who breaks out into a true No. 1 role can see his cards appreciate dramatically, since starting NHL goaltenders are relatively scarce compared to forwards and defensemen. If you're the type of collector who likes a higher-risk, higher-ceiling pickup, a goalie rookie card bought before he's locked into a starting job is one of the more classic "buy the uncertainty" plays in the hobby.