European notebook: NHL prospects off to strong starts

Future NHL stars are developing in Europe this season. Every other week, NHL.com will highlight a few of the top NHL-affiliated prospects outside of North America. In this first installment of the season, a look at nine players (in alphabetical order) off to strong starts in professional and junior leagues across Europe (statistics through games Thursday).

Adam Andersson, F, Leksand Jr. (Minnesota Wild)

The 18-year-old center has 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in 12 games in Sweden's junior league, already surpassing the 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) he had in 30 games last season with Leksand's junior team. Andersson's strong start earned him his first game with Leksand's senior team in Allsvenskan, Sweden's second division, where he had one shot on goal in 5:24 of ice time.

The Wild selected Andersson in the third round (No. 83) of the 2026 NHL Draft. 

Jack Berglund, F, Farjestad (Philadelphia Flyers)

The 20-year-old center has eight points (three goals, five assists) in eight games for Farjestad in the Swedish Hockey League, Sweden’s top professional league. Six of those points (two goals, four assists) have come in his past four games.

Selected by the Flyers in the second round (No. 51) of the 2024 NHL Draft, Berglund already has matched his assist total from last season, when he had 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 40 SHL games. He is playing for Farjestad on loan from Philadelphia after he had one goal in five games with Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League last season.

Axel Elofsson, D, Oskarshamn (Colorado Avalanche)

The 18-year-old has needed little time to bring his offensive production to his first full season at the professional level, with 10 assists in 11 games in Allsvenskan. Elofsson had 41 points (nine goals, 32 assists) in 32 games for Orebro's team in Sweden's junior league last season and in six games with Orebro in the SHL, his single-game high in ice time was 6:22.

Elofsson was chosen by the Avalanche in the fourth round (No. 128) of the 2026 draft.

Emil Jarventie, F, Tappara Jr. (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Fifteen goals in 11 games have given Jarventie an emphatic start with Tappara’s team in Finland's junior league. The 21-year-old left wing also has three assists for 18 points. Jarventie played at three levels of hockey in his native Finland last season, with 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in eight games with Tappara's junior team, 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) with Pyry in Mestis, Finland's second division, and he got into one game with Tappara in Liiga, the top professional league in the country.

The Penguins selected Jarventie in the seventh round (No. 217) of the 2023 NHL Draft.

Matvei Korotky, F, SKA St. Petersburg (St. Louis Blues)

The 20-year-old center is third on the team with 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 13 games in the Kontinental Hockey League, building on a season in which he had 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists) in 43 KHL games in 2025-26.

Korotky was selected by the Blues in the seventh round (No. 211) of the 2024 draft.

Prokhor Poltapov, F, CSKA Moscow (Buffalo Sabres)

The 23-year-old left wing has 12 points (eight goals, four assists) in 15 KHL games. His power-play goal gave CSKA a 1-0 win against Dynamo Minsk on Wednesday and extended his goal streak to four games. He has eight points (five goals, three assists) during a five-game point streak.

The Sabres selected Poltapov in the second round (No. 33) of the 2021 NHL Draft.

Vinzenz Rohrer, F, Zug (Montreal Canadiens)

A change of teams has brought an early increase in production for Rohrer. The 22-year-old center has eight points (two goals, six assists) in seven games for Zug in National League, Switzerland’s top professional league. Last season he had 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 41 National League games with ZSC. He finished the season with a goal and an assist in his AHL debut with Laval, and one assist in five Calder Cup Playoff games.

Roher was selected by the Canadiens in the third round (No. 75) of the 2022 NHL Draft.

Joel Svensson, F, Oskarshamn (Chicago Blackhawks)

The 21-year-old center has 15 points (10 goals, five assists) 11 games in Allsvenskan, including four goals in his past five games. He's already surpassed the six goals he scored in 51 games for Oskarshamn last season.

The Blackhawks selected Svensson in the fifth round (No. 138) of the 2024 draft.

Melker Thelin, G, Farjestad (Utah Mammoth)

The 21-year-old is 4-0-0 with a 0.50 goals-against average, .983 save percentage and two shutouts in four SHL games; he's allowed two goals on 114 shots. Last season, his first in the SHL, Thelin was 10-8-0 with a 2.44 GAA, .899 save percentage and two shutouts in 21 games.

The Arizona Coyotes selected Thelin in the fifth round (No. 134) of the 2023 NHL Draft.