10 Players with NAHL ties on NHL Central Scouting Watch List

Following yet another successful NAHL Showcase, the North American Hockey League (NAHL) is excited to share that 10 players with connections to the NAHL have been acknowledged in the NHL Preliminary Central Scouting Rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft. Three active players in the league have been recognized as candidates, along with seven former athletes. The list is a compilation of draft-eligible prospects from major development leagues across North American and Europe. It will be regularly updated throughout the season as scouts assess players.

The NHL Preliminary Central Scouting Rankings consists of a ‘Prospects to Watch’ list for 2026 draft-eligible players. Players on the preliminary list with A ratings are viewed as potential first-round picks. Those rated B are seen as possible choices for the second or third rounds, while players with C ratings may be selected in the fourth or fifth rounds. Players marked with W are considered "watch" candidates for potential sixth or seventh-round picks, and first-time draft-eligible players labeled as "work in progress" have limited scouting history and playing time.

 

Current Players:

W - Kaenan Smith, G, Janesville Jets: The 17-year-old netminder hailing from the State of Hockey is in his first season of playing in the NAHL. He joins the Jets after playing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup for Team USA over the summer. He helped his team secure the gold medal at the event, marking the first time Team USA has won gold in 22 years. The 6’2 goaltender has played in the blue paint in eight games this season featuring a .915 save percentage so far. For his work in September, the University of Minnesota-Duluth commit was named as the runner-up for Goaltender of the Month.

W - Joseph Erickson, F, Wisconsin Windigo: The 6’4 righty from Mound, Minnesota is in his first season of playing junior hockey. After playing high school hockey at the Blake School in Minnesota, he joined the Windigo for his first year of juniors. The ‘08 skater has hit the ice so far in six contests, tallying two goals. 

W - Ethan Phillips, G, Watertown Shamrocks: Phillips is in his sophomore season playing in the NAHL. He is a ‘07 netminder from Rochester, New York and is currently committed to Providence College. Prior to playing with the Shamrocks, Phillips hit the ice for his hometown team, the Rochester Jr. Americans. He posted a 2.07 goals-against average and earned his first NAHL shutout in his third start.

 

Former Players:

A - Chase Reid, D, Bismarck Bobcats (Soo Greyhounds/OHL): Taking the hockey world by storm, the 17-year-old from Michigan was named as one of the top prospects for the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft. With an A rating, he is a potential candidate for the first round. He played with the Bobcats last season in 18 games, tallying six goals and six assists. His dominance from the blue line continued in the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds. 

C - Niko Tournas, F, Danbury Hat Tricks (Moncton Wildcats/QMJHL): The 19-year-old from Redding, Connecticut, was one of the top scorers in the NAHL during the 2024-25 season. He was named to the All-NAHL team, and during the regular season, he was second overall in the league with 39 goals on the year. Tournas was marked with a C rating on this year’s NHL Central Scouting Preliminary Rankings. 

C - Pavel Martinu, F, Johnstown Tomahawks (Sioux City Musketeers/USHL)

W - Timofei Runtso, F, St. Cloud Norsemen (Victoria Royals/WHL)

W - Ryan Cameron, G, Lone Star Brahmas (Cedar Rapids RoughRiders/USHL)

W - Phoenix Cahill, D, Watertown Shamrocks (Prince George Cougars/WHL)

W - Lincoln Krizizke, D, Janesville Jets (Dubuque Fighting Saints/USHL)