CHICAGO — The NHLPA Rookie Showcase was more than a stop for headshots, stick photos and media obligations. For a new wave of prospects, it was also a reminder that the game wants them to be seen beyond their shifts: as competitors, teammates, music fans, creatures of habit and, occasionally, the target of a good locker-room chirp.
NHLPA executive director Marty Walsh has made player visibility a central part of his agenda since taking the job in 2023. His view is straightforward: players are hockey’s strongest connection to new fans. Recently retired 17-year NHL veteran Kyle Okposo has helped carry that message to younger players, encouraging them to handle their work on the ice while allowing more personality to show away from it.
“There’s another stratosphere hockey players can get to,” Okposo said. “And we want to help them get there.”
How the prospects want to be seen on the ice
The players at the Chicago gathering offered a clear scouting-report version of themselves, from goaltending poise to speed, skill and a willingness to compete in the hard areas.
- Detroit Red Wings goaltending prospect Trey Augustine, selected 41st in 2023, hopes first-time viewers see a goalie who has the game under control.
- Red Wings 2025 first-rounder Carter Bear wants his passion for the game and for his career to stand out.
- St. Louis Blues forward Justin Carbonneau, taken 19th in 2025, described himself as an offensive player who also finishes checks, blocks shots and empties the tank for his club.
- Vegas Golden Knights prospect Trevor Connelly, the 19th pick in 2024, wants fans to notice his pace, hockey sense and ability to create for linemates.
- Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall, drafted 40th in 2023, wants to leave viewers surprised by his skill. He sees himself as a slippery, read-and-react player rather than a physical force.
- New York Islanders 2024 selection Cole Eiserman wants his investment in every puck, game and goal to come through.
- Gavin McKenna, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ No. 1 pick in 2026, put his desired first impression simply: a player is coming.
- Anaheim Ducks 2025 No. 10 pick Roger McQueen wants to be known as an upbeat teammate who enjoys the game and scores goals.
- San Jose Sharks 2023 first-rounder Quentin Musty identified relentless work as the quality he wants attached to his name.
- Pittsburgh Penguins 2025 pick Bill Zonnon said his identity begins with work ethic and competing every time he steps over the boards.
Room noise, routines and the little things
For all the focus on development, the rookie room had plenty of material that sounded familiar to anyone who has spent time around a hockey locker room.
The chirps they hear most often
- Bear’s teammates tease him about the unusually deep voice they believe he must be putting on.
- Carbonneau knows he can be loud, especially when a joke gets him going.
- Carolina Hurricanes 2025 pick Charlie Cerrato said his voice carries farther than he realizes, and it has occasionally gotten him into trouble.
- Eiserman gets grief for singing in the car and in the dressing room, though he has no plans to stop.
- Musty’s surname has produced years of “Dusty” rhymes.
- Colorado Avalanche free-agent signing T.J. Hughes is known to former Michigan teammates as “Mobility Man” because of his extensive mobility work.
- Capitals prospect Cole Hutson hears about his younger days, when he was a loud, playful kid who chirped opponents freely.
- McKenna said teammates can point to his volume in the room and his Uber Eats habit. Living alone forced him to learn some cooking, but food delivery has remained a reliable fallback.
- Zonnon’s flat feet are a daily topic when the group trains without shoes.
Pregame habits
- Augustine needs a banana before every game and is not pleased when the rink does not have one available.
- Cerrato is superstitious about his game-day suit. A good result can keep the same outfit in rotation, while a loss means a change. His black suit once stayed in use for six games late in his freshman season at Penn State.
- Cristall became attached to an ice bath after adding it to his routine this season.
- Eiserman relies on a pregame shower, music and getting himself feeling fresh before leaving for the rink.
- Boston Bruins 2025 No. 7 pick James Hagens regularly turns to Sam Barber’s music.
- Hutson says his superstition is avoiding superstition, though he nearly always takes a pregame nap. The duration can range from 30 minutes to four hours.
- Philadelphia Flyers 2025 No. 6 pick Porter Martone can sleep for three hours before puck drop.
- McKenna still uses the worn green biscuit he has had since junior hockey to work on his hands.
- McQueen arrives around three hours before game time.
- Carbonneau is particular about his sticks, using four or five tape applications rather than the single layer many players prefer.
- Zonnon retapes his sticks between every period and needs both his stick preparation and skate blades to feel exactly right.
Music choices ran from rap to rock, electronic music and a Canadian band that has long had a place on arena playlists. Carbonneau uses Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares,” while Cristall goes with John Summit or Avicii. Eiserman named Lil Baby’s “Free Promo,” and Hutson picked a Drake track but declined to say its title because of its language. Chicago Blackhawks prospect Roman Kantserov prefers English-language rock for focus, particularly Linkin Park. McKenna turns to Kevin Rudolf’s “Let It Rock,” McQueen listens to Nickelback, and Zonnon selected Lupe Fiasco’s “Superstar.”
Lessons from the rougher shifts
Not every early hockey memory is a highlight. The showcase group had no shortage of stories involving missing gear, spilled bodies, turnovers and decisions that did not look so good by the next whistle.
- Cerrato arrived for a USA National Team Development Program trip to Green Bay without sticks after packing his own bag. He borrowed Austin Baker’s equipment for the weekend.
- Cristall’s parents have told him that he loved skating so much as a youngster that he once cried and refused to leave the ice, forcing his mother to come get him.
- Eiserman tried to make a hit during a national tournament at Shattuck-St. Mary’s and wound up flipping into his own bench. The video remains available for teammates to revisit.
- Hutson pointed to turnovers at several levels, including a failed toe drag in Toronto with his team ahead by several goals. Capitals veteran Tom Wilson made sure he heard about it afterward. Hutson said Wilson is close with him off the ice, but also quick to keep a young player grounded.
- Hughes tried to help Will Horcoff get back to the bench when Horcoff lost his blades in warmups at Yost Ice Arena. Horcoff leaned his weight onto Hughes, and both players fell backward in front of the crowd.
- Martone was ejected from an OHL Cup final during his draft season after throwing a stick from the bench toward a teammate whose stick had broken. The stick caught an opposing player’s skates on a breakaway, resulting in a trip. Martone played only five shifts, was devastated afterward, and his team lost the game.
Asked which NHL traits they would borrow, the answers reflected the league’s standard for elite skill. Augustine picked Andrei Vasilevskiy’s explosiveness and athletic range. Bear chose Connor McDavid’s speed, while Cristall named McDavid’s skating or Alexander Ovechkin’s one-timer. Hutson wanted Ivan Demidov’s hands. McKenna chose Auston Matthews’ release and shot power, and Musty went back to his childhood Red Wings fandom by selecting Pavel Datsyuk’s hands and hockey sense.
First checks and first NHL memories
Several players have already reached milestones that once seemed far away, whether that meant receiving a first NHL cheque, meeting a childhood idol or taking a rookie lap with no helmet because someone had hidden it.
- Augustine said his parents would be the first priority, perhaps with a vacation or special dinner.
- Bear also plans to buy something meaningful for his parents.
- Blackhawks 2024 first-rounder Sacha Boisvert purchased a watch, hoping it will become a keepsake tied to his first game and first contract.
- Carbonneau wants to bring his family back to Switzerland, where they lived for two years.
- Cerrato spent money on dress-casual clothing as NHL style has become less formal. He said his father advised him not to waste the money, and he has largely saved aside from clothing and the burden of monthly rent.
- Connelly’s preference is to save and invest, with a new vehicle perhaps coming later. He has driven the same Jeep since he was 17.
- Hagens said food — likely Chipotle — has been his main purchase.
- Hughes described himself as careful with money and would rather buy good steaks and take his parents out for dinner.
- Hutson said he bought little beyond a necessary, modest truck.
- Martone covered dinners for teammates Denver Barkey and Alex Bump after they told him that was the customary responsibility after a first NHL payment. He paid for a few more meals afterward and appreciated having other young players around him through the experience.
- McQueen has his eye on a Rolex.
Boisvert’s first NHL fight came against Will Borgen in his second league game. After taking cross-checks while pinned behind the net, he and Borgen exchanged words. Boisvert considered whether a fight might swing the game, then found Borgen during a third-period corner scrum and took the opportunity. He believed he handled the bout well.
Hagens received a draft-night video call from Bruins star David Pastrnak, leaving both Hagens and his brother stunned. For Hagens, it was hard to process that a player he had watched for years was calling to congratulate him.
Hutson’s first NHL goal brought an enthusiastic reaction from Ovechkin, who Hutson felt may have been more excited than the scorer. Hutson later watched the clip again and saw that Ovechkin had been open, but he was locked in on getting the shot away and was happy to get his first goal behind him.
Kantserov spoke about sharing a Chicago room with Patrick Kane, a player he watched alongside Artemi Panarin as a kid. Kantserov called the Kane-Panarin pairing of 2015 his favorite Blackhawks duo, even while recognizing the standing of Kane and Jonathan Toews. He often selected Chicago while playing EA NHL on PlayStation and now sees a chance to learn from Kane directly.
Martone’s helmet was missing from his stall before his rookie warmup lap, apparently taken by trainers or teammates. With no alternative, he wet his hair at the sink and went out bareheaded. He admitted to some nerves in the moment, but said the feeling faded once he got on the ice and returned to the game he loves.
Zonnon was injured during training camp but remained around the Penguins daily. He said captain Sidney Crosby repeatedly checked in about the injury, attention Zonnon noted Crosby did not have to provide. For the young forward, it was a small but telling example of Crosby making time for everyone in the room.
