The AHL season starting a week earlier this year means we get a chance to see a number of top prospects a little earlier, and the league is absolutely stacked with star power this year. The central division has no shortage of familiar names who have proven themselves on the junior and college stages, while others have already shown they can excel at this level.
One of the two Calder Cup Finalists last season came out of Central, and the Chicago Wolves just fell to the Toronto Marlies, preventing a clean sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes organization in last year’s championships. Chicago will be scary once again, but there will be plenty of company.
Here are the top NHL prospects I’ll be keeping a close eye on as the season begins in the AHL’s Central Division.
Trey Augustin, George, Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)
The Detroit Red Wings made a statement when they traded Sebastian Cosa this summer. Trey Augustin is the goaltender of the future. After three brilliant seasons with Michigan State, the Augustinian era essentially begins now, albeit in the AHL.
Trey Augustine (DET) is just THAT GUY.
Michigan shutout for the state tonight and saves like this. Yes, you love to see it.#GoGreen #B1GHockey #NCAAHockey #CollegeHockey #NCAA pic.twitter.com/wxlgbWwBEv— FloHockey (@FloHockey) October 26, 2024
Augustine will get plenty of reps but won’t be overwhelmed as he adjusts to professional hockey. A two-time World Junior gold medalist, Under-18 gold medalist and collegiate award-winning goalkeeper, Augustin has all the accolades you could want in an up-and-coming rookie goalkeeper. Most goaltenders need at least a season or two in the A’s, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Augustine is on a faster track than most.
Carter Bear, C/W, Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)
Although he’s starting the season with an injury, Bear is expected to be sent to Grand Rapids when he’s healthy, and he’s quickly becoming one of the most exciting young players in Detroit’s system.
Beer scored 76 goals in 109 games over the last two WHL seasons. He also averaged better than a game in the playoffs as Everett won its first WHL championship last season. Selected 13th overall in 2025, expectations are high for this exciting prospect.
Charlie Strammel, USA, Iowa Wild (MIN)
It was widely assumed that Strammel would start the season in Minnesota, but the Wild sent him to Iowa to prepare for the extra runway. Strammel struggled his first two years in college, then transferred to Michigan State and really exploded offensively.
Focused with tremendous speed, Strammel finished his college career with 44 points as a senior, but then suffered an injury in his final game that kept him from seeing any NHL or AHL time last season. Now he must figure out how to use his size and physicality as a pro while maintaining the offensive prowess he showed last season. Minnesota could certainly use him if he gets up to speed quickly to improve their center depth.
Brady Martin, C, Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)
The fifth overall pick in 2025, Martin is a grinding, hard-hitting forward who missed part of last season with a shoulder injury suffered at the World Juniors. Still World Junior eligible this year, he could also be assigned to the AHL due to the NHL’s new agreement with the CHL.
BRADY MARTIN ARE YOU SERIOUS😱?
What a goal! @PredsNHL 5th overall pick, going through the legs and through the roof.@FloHockey |: #Smashville pic.twitter.com/LUlnbWizx6
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) November 1, 2025
Martin got a small taste of the AHL last season with Milwaukee, scoring one goal in one of his three playoff games.
He had eight points and one point in OHL action with the Soo Greyhounds in six games in that tournament before being injured in 3 WJCs. He played three games with Nashville before returning to junior varsity. He will be interesting to watch.
Bradley Nadeau, RW, Chicago Wolves (CAR)
Nadeau returns for his third season in the AHL after completing camp in Carolina. It’s hard to crack the list of Stanley Cup winners, though. Could Nadeau get a little ripped as a result?
He has two 50-plus point seasons with the Wolves and is a proven scorer. His one-shot is deadly, but he also has creativity. He also had 17 points in 21 playoff games as the Wolves fell short of the Calder Trophy last season.
🚨MICHIGAN ALERT🚨
Bradley Nadeau (CAR) scored a lacrosse-style goal to get the Chicago Wolves on the board early.#AHL: #LGW: pic.twitter.com/wQMB3gyQg9— FloHockey (@FloHockey) October 19, 2025
Felix Unger Sorum, C/W, Chicago Wolves (CAR)
One of the most versatile prospects in Carolina’s system right now, Unger Sorum seems to be just a casualty of playing in a very deep NHL organization that didn’t have a place for him on the big club this year. He has been a consistent producer, has an overall work level on the ice and finds multiple ways to impact games.
Anger Sorum was hurt for last year’s Calder Cup playoff final series and you can see how much that hurt the Wolves. Now he’s back in the AHL for potentially one last shot before he becomes a full-time NHLer, because he has all the tools to do so. In the previous season, he scored 66 points in 72 games. If he’s off to a hot start, one has to wonder if he’ll be on the Hurricanes’ roster anytime soon.
Sacha Boisvert, C, Rockford IceHogs (CHI)
Boisvert had a seven-game tryout with the Blackhawks at the end of last season and even scored his first NHL goal. It was a nice boost after a season with Boston University. Now he has a chance to continue building on that NHL time with a bigger role in the AHL with Rockford.
Boisvert is a legitimate scorer, but he also has some toughness. As a trained boxer, he’s not afraid to drop the gloves, but the reason Chicago drafted him 18th overall in 2024 is because of what he can do with the board on his stick. He will be one to watch closely.
Marek Vanacker, LW, Rockford IceHogs (CHI)
The OHL’s leading scorer last season with 47 goals for Brantford, Wanaker has been elevating his game each year. Now he’ll have an even bigger task of finding ways to produce at a professional level.
It’s official! Marek Vanaker of the Chicago Blackhawks leads the OHL regular season with 47 goals.@OHLHockey |: @BulldogsOHL |: @NHLBlackhawks #OHL: #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/wyUYJK24nx
— FloHockey (@FloHockey) March 23, 2026
With 222 career points in 228 OHL games in his junior career, Wanaker is expected to find the net quite a bit this season. With a late first-round pick in 2024, the Blackhawks should be happy with the arc of his development, but a new challenge awaits against the pros.
Braden Yager, C, Manitoba Moose (WPG)
Jaeger enters his second pro season in the AHL after a solid, if unspectacular, rookie season. The 2023 14th overall pick is expected to make a move this offseason, and he should start it with the Moose, which is exactly where he needs to be.
You could see flashes of Jaeger’s offense last season, but now it’s about building consistency, becoming a professional player and being the offensive leader of an AHL club. He’s an important prospect for a Winnipeg organization that needs a lot more positive development in the wake of the ongoing Connor Hellebuyck situation.
Emil Hemming, LW, Texas Stars (DAL)
You have to credit the Stars last season to realize that Hemming could benefit from his junior years with the Barry Colts. The end result was a dominant showing for one of their top prospects.
HEMMING MAKES IT 2-0.
The Colts take the lead in the third period of Game 7 thanks to Emil Hemming (DAL). Can they pull off the upset of the regular season champions?
Watch live for FREE here: https://t.co/G1ejXIAGft@OHLHockey |: @OHLBarrieColts #OHL: #OHLPlayoffs #TexasHockey pic.twitter.com/jlpA1X0M8t
— FloHockey (@FloHockey) May 5, 2026
Last season with Barrie, Hemming had 63 points in just 48 regular season games before becoming one of their top performers in the OHL championship series. During the postseason, the Finnish winger scored 15 goals in 21 games.
Hemming is a legit shooter who can score from long range but also gets to the dirty areas. His size and strength should help ease his transition while he figures out how his superior offensive instincts will work against the pros.
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