Top five undersized NHL prospects to watch in 2026-27
All hail the short kings.
NHL scouting departments have never been too kind to smaller prospects. The sport is viewed as a big-man’s game, and anyone who lacks a “six” prefix beside the height column on NHL.com simply isn’t good enough. A total of 79 players standing 5-foot-10 and smaller played at least one NHL game last year, according to Elite Prospects. Of that group, 14 skaters had at least 50 points last year, led by Minnesota’s Kirill Kaprizov with 89 goals. Kaprizov, Cole Caufield and Alex DeBrincat all broke the 40-goal barrier, and Keller joined them as 80-point producers, as well.
Clearly, small players can still play, even if it’s typically been viewed as a safer bet to draft someone six-foot or taller. Today, we’re giving some love to five of the best prospects standing at 5-foot-10 or smaller. Heights can be a bit wonky, depending on how teams (junior, college and pro) report them. We’re basing our list on how the NHL has these players listed on its own website, while ranking them based off DFO’s top 75 skater list that came out earlier this week.
So, let’s have some fun:
1. Viggo Björck, C, 18 (Winnipeg Jets)
2026-27 Rank: 12th
Björck could – and maybe should – be in the NHL this fall. At 5-foot-9, he definitely lacks the size many crave at his position. But the fearless center is so fascinating; nobody seems to know how to contain him. At the World Championship, we saw Björck win battles against just about everyone. It’s like watching a younger Zach Benson (who is good at hockey, by the way). Björck’s shot is incredibly deceptive, especially on the power play. He doesn’t give you much to work with if you’re a goalie – and it’s because he doesn’t need to.
Björck is quick, accurate and always in a dangerous spot, and there’s legitimate No. 1 center potential here. It’s hard for smaller forwards to excel as a center, but Björck was on the top line for the better part of the second half of the 2025-26 SHL season. That shows just how much faith the coaching staff had in him, despite the smaller frame. When you play with as much force as Björck does, you simply make your own opportunities. Björck is easily the most exciting prospect Winnipeg has had in a long time, and it won’t be long until he’s an impact player.
2. Roman Kantserov, RW, 21 (Chicago Blackhawks)
2026-27 Rank: 20th
After one of the most impressive seasons by a European-based prospect, Kantserov is ready for the big show. The 21-year-old had 36 goals and 64 points in 63 games this past year, leading the KHL in goals. The 2024 Gagarin Cup champ was downright dangerous every time he hit the ice, and, despite being a smaller forward at 5-foot-9, he’s absolutely fearless. It seemed like every time he hit the ice this past year, you noticed him making a positive impact. He was truly one of the best forwards among pro hockey players outside of the NHL.
On one hand, nobody will deny that the KHL isn’t as deep as it was pre-2022, which is partly why we’ve seen more and more recent players appearing near the top of the all-time single season U-22 scoring charts. On the other, nobody, not even Kirill Kaprizov, has managed to reach the 60-point threshold in that age group outside of Kantserov. He looks like the real deal. That has to excite Blackhawks fans, and I fully expect him to play a top-six role right out of the gate.
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3. Andrew Cristall, LW, 21 (Washington Capitals)
2026-27 Rank: 41st
Nobody doubted Cristall as a junior hockey offensive demon, but how would that translate to pro? Quite incredibly, actually, as he had 60 points in 72 games with the Bears. He was one of the AHL’s top rookies, dominating with give-and-goes and high-skill moves. He has always been better as a passer than a shooter, but it feels like his shot has a bit more muscle than we saw from back in his Dub days. Skating is still a question mark, but he has grown a bit in the past few years to 5-foot-10. He still doesn’t look big, though.
But, frankly, I don’t care. I think Cristall’s raw talent is more than enough to make him an NHLer. When you don’t have size or elite skating to rely on, you’ll have to come up with creative ways to keep the puck on your stick. And that’s what Cristall does better than most. His hands are so good, and he puts a lot of power behind his shot. I think he’s better as a playmaker than a goal scorer, but I have full faith that he’s going to be a productive NHLer once he finally gets the chance.
4. Ethan Wyttenbach, LW, 19 (Calgary Flames)
2026-27 Rank: 72nd
You’ve probably heard a boatload about Wyttenbach over the past year, and for good reason. The 2025 fifth-rounder finished first in NCAA scoring with 59 points, which is utterly incredible for a player taken as late as he was just a few months prior. The Roslyn, N.Y., native is an undersized forward but always moving, carving his way through the ice to get into scoring situations. He has never been a high-end producer at any level – he was more productive as a freshman NCAA forward than he has been at any other point.
Wyttenbach’s recent performance at the World Junior Summer Showcase continued to open eyes. If the knock against him was that he was primarily beating up on lower-end teams in college, then he started to really silence people with his play in Windsor. Wyttenbach was the best player at the tournament, regardless of team. And while it was a mid-summer showcase, it still proved he could compete with the best of the best in his age group. It’ll be interesting to see what he’s able to do as a sophomore, but Wyttenbach already looks like a force to be reckoned with and might be one of the best steals in recent draft memory if he continues to develop at this pace. As long as he continues to get quicker, he has a legit path to a middle-six role in the NHL, even as an undersized forward.
5. Cameron Schmidt, RW, 19 (Dallas Stars)
2026-27 Rank: Unranked
Schmidt was once again one of the top players in major junior, registering 100 points in 69 games between Vancouver and Seattle. The small, shifty winger was an absolute force all season long, and he was much more physical than I remember him. That’s especially important, given he’s only 5-foot-8. He hasn’t really bulked up much, but his speed and raw skill make him so difficult to contain. His lack of size will be an obvious sticking point going forward, but I still really believe in him as a smaller forward because his net-front presence is quite impressive overall.
Schmidt was the only player on this list that didn’t make my top 75 prospect story. On one hand, he can’t deny the offensive talent, and he’s an excellent playmaker. His skating is tremendous, and it feels like few defenders his age figured out how to handle him in 1-on-1 situations. It’ll be interesting to see if he can follow a similar path as Cristall in the AHL – a high-producing winger right out of the gate. Schmidt will have an opportunity to be one of Texas’ top prospects when he’s able to get there. For now, he’s got another year in the WHL, which is a bit disappointing because it feels like he has nothing left to prove in the Dub. Regardless, I’m still a fan of his game, and I think he has a shot at playing a middle-six role with Canada at the World Juniors.
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