* For the first time, Gen Z accounted for 60% of NHL players (61% born 1997-2012; 39% Millennials, born 1981-1996).
* A total of 23 players played as a teenager this season, including seven who were NHL regulars (min. 30 GP). Sixteen of those 23 players were still teenagers when the 2025-26 season ended, and nine will still be teenagers when the 2026-27 campaign begins (Matthew Schaefer, Anton Frondell, Ben Kindel, Brady Martin, Michael Misa, Braeden Cootes, James Hagens, Porter Martone and Victor Eklund).
* Three players selected in last year’s draft were NHL regulars this season (Matthew Schaefer, Ben Kindel and Michael Misa) – among a group of nine whose names were called last June that have played this season. The 2025 draft class was the first that had at least nine players debut the following season since 2017 (12 in 2017-18).
* Gen Z players led 19 teams in points. Anaheim, Chicago and San Jose were all topped by a player age 22 or younger at the end of the season.
* Gen Z players led 18 teams in goals. Anaheim, Dallas and San Jose were all topped by a player age 22 or younger at the end of the season.
* Gen Z accounted for nearly two-thirds of the League’s top point scorers (60%; 31 of 52 players with 70+ points) and more than half of its top goal scorers (51%; 23 of 45 players with 30+ goals).
THE ROOKIE CLASS
Matthew Schaefer (age 18), New York Islanders
* Unphased by facing Sidney Crosby (active points leader, 2x NHL MVP), Alex Ovechkin (all-time goals leader; 3x NHL MVP) and Connor McDavid (6x scoring leader including 2025-26, 3x NHL MVP) within the first week of his NHL career, Schaefer got off to a record-setting start and never looked back during his historic season – which includes a long list of achievements detailed on this fact sheet. The No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft less than one year ago, Schaefer accumulated the most goals and points ever by an 18-year-old defenseman. Schaefer regularly honors his mom, Jennifer, who passed away from cancer in February 2024 and since entering the NHL has signed on as a Hockey Fights Cancer champion while continuing his efforts to support kids who have lost loved ones.
Matthew Schaefer Fact Sheet By #NHLStats
Ben Kindel (age 18), Pittsburgh Penguins
* The second-youngest NHL regular this season, Kindel hadthe most goals and points by a Penguins rookie in his lifetime. Kindel’s four game-winning goals were among the most in League history by an 18-year-old. The No. 11 pick from the 2025 NHL Draft, Kindel will celebrate his 19th birthday on April 19, which will be the second day of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Both his parents played professional soccer and for Canadian national teams.
Michael Misa (age 19), San Jose Sharks
* One of the youngest goal scorers in franchise history, the No. 2 pick from the 2025 NHL Draft was part of a youthful Sharks roster. He represented Canada at the World Junior Championship this season and missed some time due to injury but otherwise has been an NHL regular in 2025-26. His brother, Luke, is an NHL prospect who played at Penn State University this season alongside Gavin McKenna, the potential No. 1 pick in June.
Porter Martone (age 19), Philadelphia Flyers
* The No. 6 pick in the NHL Draft made his League debut on March 31 and found the score sheet in seven of nine games to help the Flyers clinch their first playoff berth since 2020. Martone beat the Bruins in extra time on April 5 and became the first player in franchise history to score his first career goal in overtime.
Sam Dickinson (age 19), San Jose Sharks
* The second-youngest full-time NHL defenseman this season behind Matthew Schaefer, Dickinson was the No. 11 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft – the highest defenseman selected by the Sharks in more than 25 years. He had the second-most games played, assists and points by a teenage defenseman in franchise history, behind Marc-Edouard Vlasic who tallied 3-21—24 in 76 games at that age – embarking on what would become a 19-season career with the club. He was a goalie when he started playing hockey.
Beckett Sennecke (age 20), Anaheim Ducks
* After being “shocked” when his name was called with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, Sennecke made the most of the opportunity during his first NHL campaign – nearly setting franchise rookie records for assists and points. Sennecke, who turned 20 in January, reached a number of milestones including becoming the fastest Ducks rookie to 50 points and second-youngest with a hat trick, as well as contributing to his team’s knack for late-game heroics. He became the third Ducks player to lead all NHL rookies in goals (also Bobby Ryan and Paul Kariya).
Ivan Demidov (age 20), Montreal Canadiens
* After making his NHL and Stanley Cup Playoffs debuts last season, Demidov contributed regularly throughout his first full NHL campaign – posting Montreal’s highest point total by a rookie forward in more than 20 years (and among the highest counts overall in the franchise’s 108-season history). The No. 5 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft was two back of the highest assist total by a rookie forward in franchise history. One season after teammate Lane Hutson claimed the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s Rookie of the Year, Demidov joined him as the second straight Canadiens player to lead all NHL rookies in assists or points (the last team to do that was VAN from 2018-19 to 2019-20). Teammate Oliver Kapanen (age 22) finished the season one back of the NHL rookie goals leaders.
Zeev Buium (age 20), Vancouver Canucks
* The youngest American to play full-time in the NHL this season, Buium ranked among the NHL leaders for assists and points by a rookie defenseman. After making his NHL debut during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Minnesota Wild, Buium was a focal point of a blockbuster trade in December 2025 and made an immediate impact with his new club in Vancouver. With an athletic pedigree, Buium is a champion at both the NCAA and World Junior levels and in 2024-25 was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and a First Team All-American before turning pro. He is among a small group of active California-born defensemen in the NHL and got his start in roller hockey before his parents relocated the family to support the hockey dreams of Zeev and his brother, Shai (a prospect with the Detroit Red Wings).
Jimmy Snuggerud (age 21), St. Louis Blues
* The latest member of his family to play in the NHL after his father, Dave, Snuggerud led NHL rookies in goals, assists and points since the Olympic break and had the highest single-season point total by a Blues rookie in 34 years. Snuggerud was named the NHL’s “Rookie of the Month” for March and became the first Blues player with the honor in seven years (Jordan Binnington, March 2019).
SOPHOMORE AND MORE
Macklin Celebrini (age 19), San Jose Sharks
* The No. 1 pick from the 2024 NHL Draft became the sixth different teenager in NHL history to post a 100-point season, and the fourth teenager in NHL history to finish among the top five in League scoring. He also became the third player (of any age) with a 100-point campaign for the Sharks and passed the legendary “Jumbo” Joe Thornton (114 in 2006-07) for the single-season franchise scoring record. Of note, Thornton is the person who called Celebrini’s name at the draft two years ago, and served as his “landlord” during his rookie season. Celebrini had a record-setting performance as the youngest NHL player at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
Connor Bedard (age 20), Chicago Blackhawks
* The second-youngest non-rookie in the NHL behind Macklin Celebrini, Bedard is the highest-scoring player before age 21 in the 99-season history of his franchise – ranking ahead of second-place Eddie Olczyk (65-115—180 in 228 GP) for goals, assists and points. The No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft led Chicago in assists and points during each of his three NHL seasons and became the youngest player in franchise history to score 30 goals in a season.
Did You Know? Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard both hail from North Vancouver, are friends away from the rink and train together during the offseason.
Leo Carlsson (age 21), Anaheim Ducks
* Selected with the No. 2 pick in 2023, Carlsson ranks among the NHL leaders from that draft class and has established a number of benchmarks for the Ducks including the most goals (49), assists (66) and points (115) before age 21. He has increased his output in all three of those categories in each of his three NHL seasons and ranked second in team scoring (behind Cutter Gauthier, age 22). Carlsson, who has stuttered his entire life, has partnered with an organization to support young people who stutter. The second youngest full-time Swedish forward in the NHL, Carlsson was featured in the NHL My World series, played at the 4 Nations Face-Off and was named to the Olympic roster but missed the tournament due to injury.
THIS AND THAT
* Lane Hutson (MTL) turned 22 in February and became the first Canadiens defenseman with a 70-point season since Chris Chelios (73 in 1988-89) while tying the single-season franchise record for assists by a defenseman for the oldest team in the NHL. He is one of three members of his family to play in the NHL this season, along with brothers Quinn (age 24; EDM) and Cole Hutson (age 19; WSH) – who achieved a rare feat alongside Alex Ovechkin during his League debut March 18.
* Of 147 NHL Olympic participants, nearly half were Gen Z (46%; 68 of 147) and five were age 21 or younger when the tournament began (Macklin Celebrini, Dalibor Dvorsky, Oscar Fisker Molgaard, Juraj Slafkovský and Simon Nemec). Celebrini, Dvorsky and Slafkovský all had standout performances.
