The ECHL has long provided an option for NHL teams to get their prospects some extra seasoning before transitioning to the AHL. In fact, teams have become much more aggressive in assigning players to the ECHL to get them reps in roles that they might not be ready to play in the AHL and beyond. As a result, the quality of NHL prospects playing in the ECHL has been on the rise.

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That certainly seems to be the case this year as a number of high draft picks, first-year pros and some that just need a re-set are going to be plying their trade in the ECHL at the start of the 2025-26 campaign, which begins Friday.

As usual, a number of high-end goalie prospects will be spending some time in the premier “AA” league in hockey. That has been a tried and true method of development for a number of teams. Many of the top prospects playing in the ECHL to start this season are the heavily-padded fellows minding the nets. 

But the group of players that will be working their way up the ladder is much more varied this season with several notable players on ECHL rosters as we get set to drop the puck on opening night. Here are some of the more interesting names to track as the season begins.

Arsenii Sergeev, G, Rapid City Rush (CGY)

After backstopping Penn State to its first Men’s Frozen Four last season, Sergeev showed just how much promise he has. The Flames signed their 2021 seventh-round pick and now are going to make sure he gets plenty of playing time with Rapid City. Sergeev is a 6-foot-3 netminder who starred over three NCAA seasons, with the best campaign of his career coming last year with the Nittany Lions. He had a .919 save percentage as a junior and stopped 30 of 32 shots in the national semifinal loss to Boston University. Now a first-year pro, we’ll get to see what Sergeev is made of.

Kalan Lind, LW, Atlanta Gladiators (NSH)

At just 20 years old, Lind has a ton of runway left to find his game as a pro. He spent his final season in the WHL dealing with injury that limited him to 37 games with the Red Deer Rebels. Health has not been on Lind’s side throughout his career, which is why a start in the ECHL could help kickstart his pro career. The former second-round pick has some catching up to do before he can earn a spot on a loaded roster for the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals.

Riley Kidney, C, Trois-Rivières Lions (MTL)

It has taken Riley Kidney a while to get himself going as a pro. After two years of modest production in the AHL with the Laval Rocket, the Montreal Canadiens assigned the 2022 second-round pick to Trois-Rivières. Getting a chance to play in an elevated role could help spark some offense in a player who had two 100-plus point seasons in the QMJHL as a junior player. Kidney is only 22 and can still re-discover some of the magic he played with in the Q. 

Massimo Rizzo, LW, Reading Royals (PHI)

Among the elite college players in his sophomore and junior seasons at the University of Denver, the two-time NCAA champion couldn’t get the points to come as easily in the AHL last season. The 2019 seventh-round pick had just 18 points in 46 AHL games last season with Lehigh Valley. The 24-year-old should play a prominent role in Reading in hopes of earning his way back to that production he showed in college.

Emil Pieniniemi, D, Wheeling Nailers (PIT)

Kyle Dubas has always been among the most ECHL-friendly GMs in the NHL since his days with the Maple Leafs. Liberal use of the ECHL rosters for development opportunities has been part of the strategy. Pieniniemi appears to be the next player to get the chance to benefit from that. The Finnish defenseman represented his country in each of the last two World Junior Championships, earning a silver medal last year. He also scored at a point per game last season for the Kingston Frontenacs in the OHL. 

Loke Johansson, D, Maine Mariners (BOS)

At only 20 years old, Johansson will be playing in just his second season in North America. The Swedish defenseman played for QMJHL champion Moncton last season, posting 22 points in 62 games. He had another 11 points in 19 QMJHL playoff games and played every game of the Memorial Cup tournament as well. Johansson was a 2024 sixth-round pick and now has a chance to prove himself to the Bruins organization.

Connor Kurth, C, Orlando Solar Bears (TBL)

Kurth is a first-year pro after a strong collegiate career at the University of Minnesota. He had an outstanding junior year, averaging nearly a point per game before signing with Tampa Bay in the offseason. Kurth put up 39 points in 40 games including a career-best 18 goals. That as the best production we’ve seen from him since his outstanding draft year with Dubuque in the USHL when he had 81 points. Now he’ll start his first full pro season in the ECHL and will be a very likely call-up to Syracuse in the near future.

Harrison Meneghin, G, Orlando Solar Bears (TBL)

A ridiculous run in the WHL playoffs ensured Meneghin would get his NHL contract. He was signed in mid-May and now will embark on his first pro season. Menighen backstopped the Medicine Hat Tigers to the WHL championship and to the brink of a Memorial Cup. The 6-foot-4 21-year-old has plenty to build off of and now the Lightning will get a chance to see what he is made of in the ECHL.

Scott Ratzlaff, G, Jacksonville Icemen (BUF)

After a decorated junior career that included a Hlinka Gretzky Cup title, WHL championship, a spot on Canada’s World Junior team and coming off of a year where he was a first-team All-Star selection in the WHL, Ratzlaff is ready to get his pro career started. The 20-year-old Albertan will start the year in Jacksonville and get plenty of reps. He had an impressive .909 save percentage in 160 WHL games.

Cameron Whitehead, G, Tahoe Knight Monsters (VGK)

Whitehead got a small taste of the AHL at the end of last season after signing out of Northeastern University. Now the Vegas Golden Knights want to give him some more runway to develop. Whitehead was impressive in his two NCAA seasons with the Huskies, posting a .914 save percentage in 70 career games. The 6-foot-3 Orleans, Ontario, native is just 22, which is especially young in goalie years. He’s got a lot of time to find his game as a pro.

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