The 2026-27 AHL season is set to begin on Friday, and it could be one of the most star-studded seasons in terms of prospects in some time. With top-level college and junior performers, as well as some players who already have a little pro experience under their belts, this AHL campaign should be a great showcase for the future of the NHL.
That’s certainly true in the league’s North Division, which includes the AHL affiliates of the New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabers and Columbus Blue Jackets.
Here are some of the top prospects you won’t want to miss from the AHL’s North Division this season while watching on FloHockey.
Jacob Fowler, Jay, Laval Rocket (MTL)
Some may have been surprised to see Fowler sent down to the AHL, but the Montreal netminder needs to play a lot, and Jakub Dobesch appears to have staked his claim on the No. 1 job with the big club.
Fowler returns to Laval where he should play a ton. In 27 games with the Rocket, he had a .916 save percentage, and I expect him to see the majority of starts while he’s in the AHL.
After 17 games of NHL experience, Fowler can continue to provide the time needed to be ready should Montreal call upon him in the event of an injury to Dobesch or Samuel Montembo.
David Reinbacher, D, Laval Rocket (MTL)
A strong training camp with the Habs led many to wonder if Reinbacher would make the day-to-day roster out of camp, but he’s headed back to Laval. That’s probably the right call. The No. 5 pick in 2023 has taken Reinbacher a little longer than some of his highly-drafted peers, but he’s also had plenty of injuries along the way.
Last season, Reinbacher scored 24 points in 57 games for Laval. Not a bad number, but there should be higher expectations for him with another year of experience. The better he plays earlier in the season, the more likely he is to become a true Montreal call-up option.
Kashawn Aitchson, D, Hamilton Hammers (NYI)
Aitcheson always entertains with his high scoring, hard hitting style. The 2025 17th overall pick is coming off another stellar OHL season, scoring a career-best 70 points, including 28 goals.
BARIN DID NOT HEAR A CALL…
The Colts tie the game with three seconds left as Kashawn Aitcheson finds the back of the net on the power play. Next up in FloHockey is overtime.@OHLBarrieColts |: @OHLHockey |: @NYIslanders #OHL: #OHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/7ojEmNAZKs
— FloHockey (@FloHockey) May 9, 2026
Aitcheson is now ready to start his first professional season, starting with newly moved Hamilton Hammers. Aitcheson gives the new club a player that should be familiar to Ontario fans thanks to his exploits in both the OHL and with Team Canada at the World Juniors. It’s worth buying a ticket for.
Cole Eiserman, RW, Hamilton Hammers (NYI)
Another high-scoring first-round draft pick, Eiserman had a brief stint with the AHL last season with the Bridgeport Islanders, who moved to Hamilton this summer. Eiserman had nine points in 12 regular-season games, a slightly low-scoring season as a college sophomore.
Between Eiserman and Aitcheson, the Hammers have two guys who absolutely crush power plays. It will be interesting to see if they end up in the same unit as both have made the majority of their games scoring from the face-off circle.
Anton Silyaev, D, Utica Comets (NJD)
Selected 10th overall in 2024, Silaev is making his first campaign in North American pro hockey. He has KHL experience so that should allow him to transition a little easier, but there will be an adjustment. Silaev is 7-foot-3, but is agile and drives the spikes well.
It will be interesting to watch if his offensive game picks up at all from where it has been. He had just three points in the KHL last season, which is what teams thought he could develop into more based on his draft year. It’s going to be an interesting draft to follow this season.
Sam O’Reilly, USA, Syracuse Crunch (TBL)
After a stellar turn in the OHL last season, earning regular season, playoff and Memorial Cup MVP honors, O’Reilly couldn’t be more highly regarded as he turns pro.
Acquired from the Edmonton Oilers, the Lightning will be hoping they get the better end of the deal as they have a two-way center with scoring pop and superior hockey sense. O’Reilly is also a contender, making three consecutive trips to the Memorial Cup, winning each of the last two years, first with the London Knights and then the Kitchener Rangers. Seems like a Tampa kind of guy.
Ben Dunford, D, Toronto Marlies (TOR)
After a strong junior season, Danford joined the Marlies for their magical run to the 2026 Calder Cup. He saw significant time during the playoffs and made over 16 postseason contests.
KEEP IT ERIKA 🫡
There’s no better time for Ben Dunford to score his first goal @TheAHL: than in the Calder Cup Finals.
Presented @FortuneTiresUSA@TorontoMarlies @OHLHockey #CalderCup #FortuneTiresUSA pic.twitter.com/eb9mV3zo1h
— FloHockey (@FloHockey) June 13, 2026
Danford will now be a full member of the Marlies with a significant role as a top defensive prospect in the Maple Leafs system. Danford is a quality two-way defender who outperforms his own goal more than he does in terms of point production. Either way, he has tremendous skating ability and mature hockey sense. That taste of being a pro in the playoffs should prepare him well for this year.
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