<p>Earlier this week, we looked at the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/top-5-most-improved-nhl-prospect-pools-2025-26-penguins-flyers-bruins-capitals-islanders">top five most improved NHL prospect pools in 2025-26</a>. The list was based on Daily Faceoff’s 32-team ranking published earlier in August, breaking down how each team’s future compares to the others.</p>



<p>Today, we’re looking at the top five most improved NHL prospects from the past year. Each one of them failed to make it on their respective positions’ 2024-25 NHL prospect ranking lists conducted before the pre-season, but <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/top-75-nhl-affiliated-skater-prospects-2025-26-rankings">did appear</a> on the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/top-25-nhl-affiliated-goalie-prospects-2025-26-askarov-fowler-augustine">2025-26 editions</a>.</p>



<p>In some cases, these prospects had some serious upside, but a flaw or two prevented them from being ranked. In other cases, they weren’t really on the radar but managed to establish themselves as legit talents.</p>



<p>Which prospects went above and beyond this past year, helping to establish their stocks high on their teams’ depth charts? Here’s a look at five of the most improved prospects you need to know:</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="152"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. Jett Luchanko, C, 19 (<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/philadelphia-flyers/line-combinations">Philadelphia Flyers</a>)</h2>



<p><em>2025-26 Rank: 54th</em></p>



<p>There seems to be one surprise prospect who makes the NHL a few months after getting drafted each year. Last season, it was Luchanko, who went from the 13th overall pick in June to a training camp standout. He’d only play a few games before getting sent back to Guelph, but it was clear the Flyers made a smart choice selecting the two-way center – one that surprised many at the time. </p>



<p>I thought he had a strong showing at the World Juniors, something very few Canadians can claim. Luchanko has very little to prove with Guelph this coming year, so you have to think the Flyers will keep him around again to start the season. Right now, I think the ceiling for Luchanko will be that of a second-line center, but I think his true value will be in the way he does everything so reliably. I don’t see too much high-end upside, but he’s toolsy, reliable and does a lot with and without the puck to make you believe he’ll be a reliable player.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="180"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. Ike Howard, LW, 21 (<a href="http://oilersnation.com">Edmonton Oilers</a>)</h2>



<p><em>2025-26 Rank: 59th</em></p>



<p>The Oilers’ pipeline was absolutely barren not too long ago. It’s still a work in progress, but adding Howard via trade <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/what-isaac-howard-brings-edmonton-oilers-trade-top-six">earlier this summer </a>gave them a nice jolt in the arm. Howard is coming off winning the Hobey Baker Award as the top college hockey player, and he also snagged a gold medal with USA at the World Championship as more of a depth scorer. It was a dream season for Howard, who had nothing left to prove had he gone back for a senior year.</p>



<p>Howard has an excellent shot release and his skating is a serious positive. Scouts are worried he won’t thrive unless he’s paired with a center who could take away some of the defensive responsibilities, but the Oilers definitely have the manpower to do that. We do need to temper expectations, though. If you’re expecting Howard to go straight to the NHL and play a top-six role, you might be putting unneeded pressure on the guy. Sure, Howard won the Hobey –&nbsp;but so few upper-classmen winners ever pan out. The Oilers need to be smart with Howard’s development. If he starts the year in the AHL and thrives, give him every chance to dominate in the NHL. Otherwise, let him get his reps in.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="2" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="213"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. Ilya Protas, C/LW, 19 (<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/washington-capitals/line-combinations">Washington Capitals</a>)</h2>



<p><em>2025-26 Rank: 64th</em></p>



<p>Protas was drafted 75th overall in 2024 –&nbsp;but he’d easily be a first-rounder in a re-draft situation. He had a solid 51 points in his lone year in the USHL, but exploded for 124 points with Windsor in the OHL regular season, and another 25 in the postseason. That’s one of the biggest offensive glow-ups you’ll find. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s 6-foot-5, either. We’re seeing a rise of highly skilled forwards with size, and Protas is one of the top young guns leading the charge. </p>



<p>But like any big forward, you need to be bigger than just “a big dude” if you’re going to thrive. Fortunately, Protas has improved his skating and clearly knows how to shoot. He’s a stout playmaker, as well. I like his potential to be a middle-six forward, which could allow him to play with his older brother, Aliaskei, at some point in Washington. Ilya will head to Hershey for 2025-26, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get a few games with the big club, either.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="3" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="178"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. Mikhail Yegorov, 19 (<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/2025-26-nhl-prospect-pool-breakdown-new-jersey-devils-top-10-silayev-yegorov-casey">New Jersey Devils</a>)</h2>



<p><em>2024-25 Rank: New</em></p>



<p>Yegorov had an incredible glow-up last season. He was one of my favorite goalies in the 2024 NHL Draft but didn’t have the stats to back it up. That’s because he had to do so much heavy lifting for Omaha of the USHL, whom he eventually left halfway through the year. He then put up some outstanding performances at Boston University, with many crediting him for being one of the biggest reasons why BU advanced to the national title game. </p>



<p>Love goalies with size? Yegorov is 6-foot-5, and he moves exceptionally well for his size. Scouts also praise his&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/how-mikhail-yegorov-used-puzzle-games-and-chess-to-become-a-top-2024-nhl-draft-goalie-prospect">mental toughness</a>, something that allowed him to thrive despite getting shelled often during his junior career. Watch him shine next year in his first full year of college hockey – I see a guy with the potential to become a No. 1 goaltender one day. The Devils don’t have another high-end goaltending prospect, and I think Yegorov’s game looks more advanced than most would have expected at this point in his development. He’s quick, skilled and smart – and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s chasing starts in the AHL come 2026-27, assuming everything continues to go well at BU.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="4" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="202"></div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. Leevi Meriläinen, 22 (<a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/ottawa-senators/line-combinations">Ottawa Senators</a>)</h2>



<p><em>2024-25 Rank: 9th</em></p>



<p>Meriläinen went from maybe the second-best goaltender in Ottawa’s pipeline heading into last season before becoming an important part of the team’s playoff push. Meriläinen posted an impressive 8-3-1 record with three shutouts and a .925 save percentage in just 12 games last season. He also had a<a href="https://evolving-hockey.com/stats/goalie_standard/?_inputs_&amp;std_gl_table=%22On-Ice%22&amp;std_gl_team=%22All%22&amp;std_gl_str=%22All%22&amp;std_gl_adj=%22Score%20%26%20Venue%22&amp;std_gl_range=%22Seasons%22&amp;std_gl_span=%22Regular%22&amp;std_gl_group=%22Team%2C%20Season%22&amp;std_gl_age1=%2217%22&amp;std_gl_age2=%2250%22&amp;std_gl_dft_yr=%22All%22&amp;std_gl_status=%22Rookie%22&amp;std_gl_info=%22No%22&amp;std_gl_players=null&amp;std_gl_fa=%2250%22&amp;std_gl_season=%2220242025%22" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;5.57 goals saved above expected</a>, which put him second behind Dustin Wolf among all rookie goaltenders. </p>



<p>The Finnish netminder is set for full-time NHL duty this season, where he’ll learn alongside the veteran Linus Ullmark on a team looking to prove the playoffs weren’t a fluke. I really like Meriläinen and think he has the potential to carry the load if Ullmark gets hurt or falters in any way. Can he become a starter? I’m not too sure. But he has been impressive at just about every level to date and I don’t see that changing in the NHL. Sure, his big-league sample size is small, but he’s a battler, that’s for sure.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="5" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="164"></div>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Recent posts from Steven Ellis</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/top-75-nhl-affiliated-skater-prospects-2025-26-rankings">Top 75 NHL-affiliated skater prospects</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/top-25-nhl-affiliated-goalie-prospects-2025-26-askarov-fowler-augustine">Top 25 NHL-affiliated goalie prospects</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/ranking-every-nhl-teams-2025-26-prospect-pool-from-1-32">Ranking every NHL team’s 2025-26 prospect pool</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/2025-26-nhl-prospect-pool-hub-everything-you-need-to-know-about-your-teams-future">2025-26 NHL Prospect Pool Hub: Everything you need to know about your team’s future</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/2025-26-nhl-team-preview-prediction-chicago-blackhawks">2025-26 NHL team preview: Chicago Blackhawks</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/2026-nhl-draft-dethroning-gavin-mckenna-first-overall-pick-lawrence-lin-roobroeck-stenberg-verhoeff">2026 NHL Draft: Who has the best chance at dethroning Gavin McKenna at No. 1?</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/cruise-ship-banff-seven-ideas-for-future-nhl-draft-locations">Cruise Ship? Banff? Seven fun locations for future NHL Drafts</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/news/top-5-most-improved-nhl-prospect-pools-2025-26-penguins-flyers-bruins-capitals-islanders">Top five most improved NHL prospect pools in 2025-26</a></li>
</ul>
