NHL Prospect Roundup: Five players dominating in Europe

Nov 10, 2026, 09:00 EST

NHL Prospect Roundup: Five players dominating in Europe

Remember how strange it was to see the NHL start the season in September? That’s normal in Europe.

We’ve got quite the sample size so far this year, with KHL and Liiga teams having surpassed the 20-game mark, while the SHL is closing in. It’s often hard for young players to find ice time in these leagues, because they’re not developmental organizations – they exist to win, just like NHL clubs. But when a prospect breaks through and plays a big role, people take notice.

We’ve spent the past few weeks looking at NHL prospects tearing up various North American leagues, such as the NCAA and AHL. Today, we’re heading overseas to see who’s standing out in the top European pro hockey leagues. Some were projected to be impact players, while others have exceeded all expectations:

Mikhail Gulyayev, LHD/LW, 21, Avangard Omsk, KHL (Colorado Avalanche)

You won’t find a more fascinating player on this list than Gulyayev. The 2023 first-round pick has never really been known for his offense – he had just three points in 54 games as a defenseman with Omsk last year. But for one reason or another, the coaching staff moved him to forward – and it was an absolute winning decision. Gulyayev has played a bit of both positions this season, and he’s currently on pace for more than 40 points this year. His 12 points through September and October was nearly enough to double his career best of 15 from two years ago.

So, why the move? Gulyayev lacks ideal size for a defender, but he’s a high-end skater who can fly up the ice with ease. Ice time has seemingly become more available up front, too, making it a bit easier for him to prove what he’s capable of. Gulyayev has an excellent shot, but he is even better as a playmaker. Honestly, I wonder why it took this long to try him as a forward, given his game never seemed to have a real path forward to NHL success as a defenseman.

Alexander Zharovsky, RW, 19, Salavat Yulaev Ufa, KHL (Montreal Canadiens)

Zharovsky’s ice time has fluctuated quite a bit this year. But he’s on track for more than 50 points while challenging for Ufa’s scoring lead. The subpar skating is still an issue for scouts, but he makes up for it by handling the puck better than anyone in his age group. He does a good job of avoiding physical contact, but he can lay the body when he needs to. Zharovsky is at his best when he can dangle the butts off guys around the net and rip a shot top corner or make a dazzling pass to someone in the slot.

Zharovsky made big waves last year, leading all KHL rookies with 42 points. Sure, he beat up on some weaker competition, but the talent was clearly there, and no 18-year-old was doing what he was. If Russia ends up playing in the World Juniors, Zharovsky would be one of the top players in the tournament. Regardless, there’s some high-end potential here, as long as he adds a bit more speed to his game.

Pittsburgh PenguinsTeam Cap Summary

Cap Summary

2026-27

2027-28

Projected Cap Hit

$97,556,371

$54,411,250

Projected Cap Space

$6,443,629

$59,088,750

Current Cap Space

$8,170,353

$59,088,750

Active Players

23/23

15/23

Draft Picks

Round

'27

'28

View cap summary for:

Jack Berglund, C, 20, Färjestad BK, SHL (Philadelphia Flyers)

Berglund was a personal favorite of mine during the 2024 NHL Draft year, and it’s nice to see him thriving in Färjestad. He needed just 14 games to surpass his 12-point campaign from a year ago, and he’s tracking for around 50 points this year. That would make for one of the more impressive seasons by a 20-year-old in recent SHL history, and he’s doing it all despite not projecting as a high-end offensive dynamo at the NHL level. The 6-foot-4 center is known more for his physicality and two-way game. Anything on the scoresheet is just a nice bonus. But he proved last year he could create damage with the puck, highlighted by his 22 points in 17 games with Sweden’s U-20 team. He also had four points in a middle-six role at the World Championship, which was impressive on its own.

Berglund has already signed his NHL entry-level contract, and it feels likely he’ll head to North America to try and crack the Flyers’ roster next year. If not, he’ll be an important part of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, at the very least. We know the Flyers like big centers, and the 6-foot-4 middleman is about as good as you’ll find with a frame like that. A realistic projection is that he’ll become an excellent No. 3 center, but I could also see him pushing into the second-line role as the ultimate ceiling. I think the Flyers got a steal at No. 51 in 2024.

Melker Thelin, G, 21, Färjestad BK, SHL (Utah Mammoth)

Thelin struggled for consistency in his first year of SHL action last year, but he has been absolutely lights-out on one of the top teams in Europe this year. He went 7-0-0 with three shutouts and a .960 save percentage through the month of October with Färjestad. Wildly, that was nearly enough to tie his eight-win season a year ago. And he’s doing that now while sharing the net with former Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Emil Larmi. Thelin has always felt a little underrated – he’s not a huge goalie, and his international experience was always just average at best. There isn’t an NHL goaltending prospect having more fun than Thelin right now.

The Mammoth are still figuring out the team’s long-term goaltending situation. They acquired Sebastian Cossa over the summer, and he’s finally finding his footing. There’s also Michael Hrabal, the 6-foot-7 giant having a blast in Tucson. But having someone like Thelin come along and put up the numbers he is right now has to feel good for the team’s long-term outlook, and it gives them an extra depth option to include in a trade if it comes to be. If the Mammoth get any playing time out of the 2023 fifth-round pick, they’ll be thrilled.

Oliver Suvanto, C, 18, Tappara, Liiga (Washington Capitals)

One of the biggest knocks against Suvanto last year was a lack of offensive upside. Whether facing men or his own age group, Suvanto seemed to lack the high-end potential that would make him more than a bottom-six NHLer. But the Capitals believed in him, signing Suvanto to an entry-level contract shortly after the 2026 NHL Draft. The belief paid off – Suvanto needed just 16 outings to match his 48-game output from a year ago.

Of course, it’s hard to produce in a European pro league. But Suvanto has looked legit this year as a playmaking forward capable of playing center and the wing. He’s averaging around 16 minutes a night, but he even had a few recent outings in which he cracked the 20-minute mark. Away from the puck, all the same high-end traits remain. Suvanto is a two-way demon who wins physical battles without getting himself in trouble, and he gives you little space to work with in the D-zone. There’s a very projectable NHL profile here.

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