Ilya Protas, Devon Levi And Recent AHL Graduates Ready To Make An NHL Impact

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Ilya Protas, Devon Levi And Recent AHL Graduates Ready To Make An NHL Impact

Chris Peters · FloSports

Tue, Sep 29, 2026 ·

7 min read

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The NHL season begins Tuesday night amid a lot of excitement. Some last-minute trades and player movement has ramped up the fervor for a hockey offseason that was a little shorter than normal, but still long enough.

Hockey is back in a big way and for a number of players, it's an important step in their careers. Some players will be making their NHL debuts, others are taking another step into what they hope is more permanent placement on NHL rosters.

Everyone on the list below, however, spent a good chunk of last season in the AHL and are going to at least start the season on NHL rosters and make the case that they're ready for the big leagues.

This is as good a reminder as any that the path to the NHL goes through FloHockey and getting a subscription allows you to catch all of these players before they become NHL stars. Being on the ground level of their journey, in some cases dating back to their junior hockey days, has been a lot of fun to watch.

Here's a look at 10 players I'll be watching most closely as the NHL season begins:

Ilya Protas , C, Washington Capitals

The rapid ascension of Ilya Protas from third-round draft pick to top prospect has been remarkable to watch. A standout with the Des Moines Buccaneers in his draft season, Protas moved on to the OHL and dominated for the Windsor Spitfires before turning pro at 19 and showing the scoring translated just fine to the AHL with the Hershey Bears.

At 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, Protas casts an imposing frame. But his 66 points in 69 games as an AHL rookie showed there's so much more to him that size. Now he could get a chance to play alongside his brother Aliaksei in the Caps lineup and should be an absolute thrill to watch if he continues on this rapid upward trajectory.

Devon Levi , G, Edmonton Oilers

Levi is one of those rare goalies to have played his first few NHL games before he stepped foot in the AHL. It was a bit of a false start though as he ultimately bounced between Buffalo and Rochester. Now he's in Edmonton with a chance to potentially take over the net.

Levi made 94 appearances in the AHL over the last two regular seasons and has often been among the league's best at his position. The Oilers need consistency in net and Levi is one of the players they expect to provide it. Will this be his moment to seize that coveted NHL No. 1 job?

Konsta Helenius, C/W, Buffalo Sabres

It's rare to have a rookie with two full AHL seasons under his belt before the age of 20, but Helenius goes even further with two pro seasons in Finland before that. Always a phenom in his home country, now he looks to seize a full-time role with the Sabres. There's plenty of evidence he's ready.

Helenius was a point per game player last season for Rochester, before getting a longer look with the Sabres at the end of the year. He also scored two goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He's a rookie to watch quite closely so long as Buffalo gives him enough run in the right situations.

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Carter Yakemchuk , D, Ottawa Senators

Picked seventh overall in 2024, Yakemchuk got his first big taste of pro hockey last season. He put up 40 points in 54 games for Belleville, showing that his skill and puck-moving capabilities from junior would translate.

Now he's going to at least get some time with Ottawa to see what he can do. He appeared in four games last regular season in the NHL and one playoff game. Yakemchuk is still a little rough around the edges, but the potential remains extremely high.

Trevor Connelly, LW, Vegas Golden Knights

Connelly seems to have all the tools to one day be an effective NHL top-six forward. One area that hasn't been as stable is his health as he's had to deal with injuries over multiple seasons.

When healthy, however, Connelly was a difference-maker for the Henderson Silver Knights last season. He had 49 points in 46 games and registered a point per game during the playoffs.

Vegas often finds itself tight to the cap, so having an affordable, effective player in their everyday lineup can go a long way. Connelly should get a long leash to see how well he hangs with the big club.

Sebastian Cossa , G, Utah Mammoth

Years in the Detroit system, Cossa seemed to do just about everything the team asked of him. However, he lost his starting job in the playoffs to Michal Postava last season in Grand Rapids and the Red Wings traded him over the summer.

Cossa had been among the AHL's best goalies over the last three seasons and was a top netminder in the ECHL before that. Detroit slow-played his development, which was probably the right thing for where he was. Now, however, he gets the No. 2 job in Utah and may eventually be able to push Karl Vejemelka for more frequent reps.

Ryan Ufko , D, Nashville Predators

Nashville has traditionally developed defenseman at a high level and Ufko looks like he could be the next prized pupil. A talented puck mover and skilled defenseman, he had 44 points in 52 games with Milwaukee last season.

He also got a pretty good run with the Preds at the end of the year, posting 11 points in 18 games. According to training camp reports, he has spent some time paired with Roman Josi on the top pairing.

Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, RW, Detroit Red Wings

You knew it probably wouldn't take MBN long to acclimate to North America. While his early NHL stint wasn't productive, his performance in the AHL was exemplary. He had 44 points in 60 games including 20 goals and showed the strong, physical two-way game that got him drafted in the first round.

It looks like he'll stick with the Red Wings long-term, filling a need in the middle six where he can play an energetic style with some good secondary scoring.

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Isaac Howard , LW, Edmonton Oilers

Howard showed some flashes with the Oilers early last year, but he really hit his stride with the Condors. After struggling to produce in Edmonton, he had no issues in the AHL by putting up 50 points in 47 games as a rookie.

He showed up to Oilers camp ready to take a job and impressed over the course of his time there. Now he gets a chance to help contribute to one of the highest-octane offensive attacks in the league.

Tyrel Bauer, D, Winnipeg Jets

Some guys have to earn a job the hard way and Tyrel Bauer spent four years with the Manitoba Moose grinding it out. He is a physical defensive defenseman who is often unafraid to drop the mitts.

Quite frankly, Bauer has been one of the toughest players in the AHL over the time he has been there. He has had some absolute classic fights, but he also does a lot of little things defensively that can resonate. Winnipeg rewarding him with a spot on the opening-night lineup and him earning it the way he did shows that patience and toughness can really pay off.

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