3 Hurricanes’ Late-Round Draft Targets That Could Become Steals

As far as a potential NHL future goes, I feel he’s got developmental potential. He’s got solid enough size at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, and his blend of athleticism, agility, and reflexes is strong enough to envision a future at the next level, especially for a guy who’s clearly full of confidence. With the Hurricanes having moved on from 2021 draft pick Patrik Hamrla this past month, adding Feldbergs into the mix would fill a need in the organizational goaltending depth chart and provide the team with another option who, at this point, is likely ready to turn pro should he not return to Sherbrooke in the fall.

Winger – Artemi Nizameyev

A player that I feel has been overlooked in this draft class is speedy winger Artemi Nizameyev, who has played in the United States Hockey League each of the past three seasons. He went undrafted in 2024, partially because of his modest offensive production and lack of a rounded game, but the strides he took this past season have me interested in him as a potential late-round flier.

His development has been solid, as he jumped from 16 goals in 2023-24 to 27 goals in 2024-25, marking better returns on one of his strong assets — his shot. He also brings an element of speed, and while I wouldn’t really consider him a true burner, he plays with pace in his game and can make things happen with the puck when he’s moving at his top speed. He can generate space for himself by cutting inside, and his combination of a quick release and accuracy on his shot is enticing.

In the years ahead, Nizameyev is on a path that could set him up for some pro success. He’s enrolled to start at Miami-Ohio University this fall, which should be a great place for him to continue developing his overall game. He’s a bit of a boom-or-bust type player, considering he’s on the smaller side and doesn’t really figure to contribute much to an NHL roster if he’s unable to translate his offensive game to the next level. Regardless, this would be an upside pick, and is a risk the Hurricanes can afford to take late in the draft as they have such a deep prospect pool already in place.

Center – Mikkel Eriksen

A bit of a wild card in this year’s draft, Mikkel Eriksen is a player who’s divided scouts. With a Sept. 13, 2007, birthday, he’s officially the youngest player in this class. I first noticed him with Norway at the U18 World Championship last year, where I was very impressed by his pace and his maturity despite being one of the younger players on the team. 

He’s a natural centerman, and he creates offense using shifty edgework and vision. He drives to the center of the ice whenever the opportunity presents itself, and he’s especially smart in avoiding defenders to open up space. He’s been a key player for his country at the international level, and has hockey roots in his family as his uncle Espen Knutsen played 207 games in the NHL before a neck injury abruptly ended his career in 2004.

I’m partially expecting that a team may fall in love with Eriksen’s upside and draft him earlier than anticipated, but if he’s available in the mid-to-late rounds of the draft, I would really love it if the Hurricanes made this pick. He’s just a really solid player, and I believe his game easily translates to the pro level even if he doesn’t become a dynamic offensive talent. Depending on where he lands, I could see him becoming a serviceable middle-six center down the road, and it would be awesome if that were in Raleigh.

As always, the important thing to remember with prospects is that development is non-linear. Some players take longer to figure it out than others, and some players never do. Wisely, the Hurricanes’ philosophy over the past few drafts has been to trade back and add more picks, therefore adding more players to their system, which has helped their prospect group grow into one of the deepest in the NHL.