$66,800,000 Senators star, Jack Hughes, Bedard among top 10 forwards under 25 entering this season

The 2025-26 season is set to start on Oct. 7, and one can expect stars like Jack Hughes and Connor Bedard to continue developing and maturing. But the list of players is not limited to these two forwards. Adam Kimelman of NHL.com listed the top 10 forwards under age 25 for NHL Young Stars Week. The list features players making a substantial impact in the league.

Like Jack Hughes and Connor Bedard, Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle — who is signed to an eight-year, $66.8 million contract — is also among the top 10. All three had solid seasons, and they will be leading their teams again this year.

Tim Stutzle — ranked first on the list — scored 79 points in 82 games last season. He led the Ottawa Senators in scoring and had 11 more points than the second-ranked Drake Batherson. It was his third straight season accruing 70-plus points. He helped the Senators make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

Jack Hughes ended his sixth season with the New Jersey Devils playing 62 games.. Although having missed games with a shoulder injury in March (for which he underwent surgery), Hughes finished with the second-most points (70). He has 351 points in 368 career games and notched 26 or more goals for the fourth consecutive season (2024-25).

Meanwhile, the Chicago Blackhawks' 2023 top pick, Connor Bedard, scored 67 points in 82 games — his second year in the League — following a 61-point tally in his debut season. Bedard — one of the youngest players in the competition — scored 15 points in his last 15 games, thus showing promise for the rebuilding Blackhawks.

The other players named in the list include Matt Boldy, Wyatt Johnston, Cole Caufield, Macklin Celebrini, Matthew Knies, Seth Jarvis and Matvei Michkov, the Philadelphia Flyers rookie.

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Jack Hughes will be playing with Devils' newly acquired forward Connor Brown

Connor Brown spoke about his connection to Jack Hughes after joining the New Jersey Devils. He said his father, Dan Brown, coached Jack in minor hockey. This happened many years ago in Toronto. Brown said his dad was a well-known coach in minor hockey. He also mentioned that Jack’s older brother, Quinn, was coached by his dad, too.

"My dad actually coached Jack Hughes in minor hockey in Toronto," Brown said, via The Hockey News. "This was many years ago, but my dad was a high minor hockey coach."

Now, Jack and Connor will be teammates in New Jersey.