The 2026 T25U25 honorable mentions are out, and man, does it show how tight the competition is getting for these prospects. An unranked player usually clocks in with a weighted ranking of 26, but the actual 25th spot this year hit 23.18. That’s a tiny window, and some of these guys were right on the edge of breaking through, while others are still looking for an identity.
The Near Misses: Skating, Skills, and Scoring Struggles
William Belle Belle, unranked last year after being drafted 137th overall, was literally one vote away from making the list with a 25th-place nod, giving him a weighted average of 25.91. This huge forward, who surprisingly started his hockey journey in China, just got exposed at development camp for a serious lack of basic hockey skills. He’s got a long, long road ahead to be taken seriously. Then there’s Alexander Plesovskikh, who was 23rd last year but dropped to 25.82 this time around, thanks to just one vote at 24th. Unlike Belle Belle, Plesovskikh has that classic Russian training, all the skating and skills you could ask for, but he’s got zero offensive game. As a winger, that’s not just a nice-to-have, it’s a *need*.
And what about the goalies? Timofei Obvintsev, unranked last year, just signed an AHL deal for the Marlies or the Cyclones. But his 25.64 ranking this year, from two voters putting him at 23rd and 25th, tells you the voters weren’t exactly blown away. Nicholas Moldenhauer, 22nd last year, hit 25.55 with two votes (one 24th, one 23rd). He showed some real fire at development camp, but it didn’t change anyone’s mind after his less-than-stellar NCAA play. Forwards simply have to generate offense if they want to get noticed.
The New Faces and the Outlier Vote That Changed Nothing
Hayes Hundley, a new face to the T25 and a free agent defender with one year of NCAA under his belt, tied Moldenhauer at 25.55 with a single 21st-place vote. Sam McCue, who played with Plesovskikh at development camp, also didn’t make the cut. He was 20th last year but dropped to 25.45 with a 25th and a 21st vote this time. He’s one of those physical guys who can get some net-front goals, but it hasn’t been enough to impress anyone yet. Brandon Buhr, a free agent winger out of the NCAA, tied McCue at 25.45, with votes at 21st and 25th. He’s just young enough, by seven days, to be eligible next year, which is a big deal for his future.
Then there’s Blake Smith, still hanging in the depths of the rankings at 24.55. What’s wild is he got one vote at 25th and *another at 11th*! Smith, unranked last year, was a free agent signing from Flint in the OHL. He logged 62 games for the Marlies with 110 PIM, and even scored a playoff goal, but only played one playoff game. Coach John Gruden clearly isn’t sold on him. Rounding out the group is new goalie Juuso Ainasto, who was the first player to get four rankings, primarily because Finland invited him to the WJSS. It just goes to show you how much potential, or perceived potential, these guys are still fighting to prove.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pension Plan Puppets.
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