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2026 Iowa Wild vs Texas Stars

Trey Augustine and Charlie Stramel Lead Top NHL Prospects In AHL Central Division

Trey Augustine and Charlie Stramel Lead Top NHL Prospects In AHL Central Division

The AHL season begins tonight with top NHL prospects getting set to show their skills. Chris Peters takes a look at top players to watch in the Central.

Oct 2, 2026 by Chris Peters
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MUST SEE: Brady Martin Scores First Pro Goal In Postseason Debut1:00

The AHL season starting a week earlier this year means we get a chance to see a number of top prospects a little bit sooner and the league is absolutely loaded with star power this year. The Central Division has no shortage of familiar names who have proven themselves on the junior and collegiate stages, with others already haven shown they can excel at this level.

Last season, one of the two Calder Cup Finalists came out of the Central, with the Chicago Wolves falling just short against the Toronto Marlies, preventing a clean sweep for the Carolina Hurricanes organization in championships last year. Chicago will be formidable once again, but there will be plenty of company.

Here's a look at the top NHL prospects I'll be watching closely as the season gets going in the AHL's Central Division.

Trey Augustine, G, Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)

The Detroit Red Wings made a statement when they traded away Sebastian Cossa this summer: Trey Augustine is the goalie of the future. After three brilliant seasons with Michigan State, the Augustine Era essentially begins now albeit in the AHL.

Augustine will get a lot of reps, but not get overloaded as he makes the adjustment to pro hockey. A two-time gold medalist at the World Juniors, a U18 gold medalist and a decorated collegiate goalie, Augustine has all the accolades you could want for an incoming rookie goalie. Most goalies need at least a season or two in the A, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Augustine is on a faster track than most.

Carter Bear, C/W, Grand Rapids Griffins (DET)

Though he is starting the season with an injury, the expectation is Bear will be sent to Grand Rapids when healthy and he quickly becomes one of the most intriguing young players in Detroit’s system.

Over the last two WHL seasons, Bear scored 76 goals in 109 games. He also averaged better than a point per game in the playoffs as Everett won their first WHL championship last season. Picked 13th overall in 2025, the anticipation is high for this exciting prospect.

UPCOMING

2026 Grand Rapids Griffins vs Cleveland Monsters

Today · 11:00 PM UTC

WATCH

Charlie Stramel, C, Iowa Wild (MIN)

There was a general assumption that Stramel would start the season in Minnesota, but the Wild sent him to Iowa for some extra runway to prepare. Stramel struggled his first two years of college, then transferred to Michigan State and really broke out offensively.

A massive center with speed, Stramel finished his collegiate career with 44 points as a senior, but then sustained an injury in his final game that prevented him from seeing some NHL or AHL time last season. Now he gets to figure out how to use his size and physicality as a pro, while sustaining that offensive prowess he showed last season. Minnesota could certainly use him if he gets up to speed quickly to improve their center depth.

Brady Martin, C, Milwaukee Admirals (NSH)

Selected fifth overall in 2025, Martin is an abrasive, hard-hitting forward who lost a chunk of last season to a shoulder injury sustained at the World Juniors. Still World Junior-eligible this year, he is also able to be assigned to the AHL due to the NHL’s new agreement with the CHL.

Martin got a small taste of the AHL last season with Milwaukee, scoring once in one of his three playoff games. 

Before he got hurt at the3 WJC, he had eight points in six games at that tournament and registered a point per game with the Soo Greyhounds in abrdiged action with the OHL. Prior to going back to junior, he did get three games with Nashville. He’ll be an exciting one to watch.

UPCOMING

2026 Milwaukee Admirals vs Rockford IceHogs

Sun, Oct 4 · 12:00 AM UTC

WATCH

Bradly Nadeau, RW, Chicago Wolves (CAR)

Nadeau is back for a third season in the AHL after going all the way to the end of Carolina’s camp. It’s hard to crack a Stanley Cup winning roster, though. Could Nadeau go on a bit of a tear as a result? 

He has two seasons of 50-plus points with the Wolves and is a proven scorer. His one-timer is lethal, but he has creativity, too. He also had 17 points in 21 playoff games as the Wolves fell just short of the Calder Cup last season.

Felix Unger Sörum, C/W, Chicago Wolves (CAR)

One of the more versatile prospects in the Carolina system at this point, Unger Sörum appears only to be a victim of playing in a very deep NHL organization that there wasn’t a spot for him on the big club this year. He has been a consistent producer, has a solid overall work rate on the ice and he finds multiple ways to impact games.

Unger Sörum was hurt for a bit of the final series in the Calder Cup Playoffs last year and you could see how much that hurt the Wolves. Now he’s back for potentially one last kick at the AHL can before he becomes a full-time NHLer, because he has all the tools to do it. Last season, he 66 points in 72 games. If he gets off to a hot start, one has to wonder if he’s on the Hurricanes roster sooner than later.

UPCOMING

2026 Chicago Wolves vs Manitoba Moose

Tomorrow · 7:00 PM UTC

WATCH

Sacha Boisvert, C, Rockford IceHogs (CHI)

Boisvert got a seven-game audition with the Blackhawks at the end of last season and even scored his first NHL goal. It was a good boost after a down season with Boston University. Now he has a chance to keep building on that NHL time with a bigger role in the AHL with Rockford.

Boisvert is a legit goal scorer, but he also has some toughness. He isn’t afraid to drop the gloves as a trained boxer, but the reason Chicago took him 18th overall in 2024 is because of what he can do with the puck on his stick. He will be one to watch closely.

Marek Vanacker, LW, Rockford IceHogs (CHI)

The OHL’s leading goal scorer last season with 47 for Brantford, Vanacker has been elevating his play year over year. Now he will have a bigger challenge of finding ways to produce at the professional level.

With a career mark of 222 points in 228 OHL games over his junior career, the expectation will be that Vanacker finds the net quite a bit this season. Selected late in the first round in 2024, the Blackhawks have to be pleased with his development arc, but a new challenge awaits against the pros.

Brayden Yager, C, Manitoba Moose (WPG)

Yager is entering his second professional season after a solid, if unspectacular rookie season in the AHL. The 2023 14th overall pick is going to be expected to take a step this season and he’ll have to start it off with the Moose, which is right where he needs to be.

You could see the flashes of Yager’s offensive upside last season, but now it’s about building consistency, driving play as a pro and being an offensive leader for the AHL club. He is an important prospect for a Winnipeg organization that desperately needs more positive developments in the wake of the ongoing Connor Hellebuyck situation.

Emil Hemming, LW, Texas Stars (DAL)

You have to give the Stars credit last season for recognizing that Hemming could benefit from another year of junior with the Barrie Colts. The end result was a dominant showing for one of their top prospects. 

With Barrie last season, Hemming had 63 points in just 48 games in the regular season before being one of their top performers in a run to the OHL championship series. The Finnish winger had 15 goals in 21 games during the postseason.

Hemming is a legit sniper who can score from distance, but also gets to the dirty areas. His size and strength should help ease his transition while he figures out how his higher-end offensive instincts will work against pros.

UPCOMING

2026 Iowa Wild vs Texas Stars

Tomorrow · 12:00 AM UTC

WATCH

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