This past season\u2019s regular season AHL scoring title went to Jakob Pelletier<\/a>, a perfect case of a former first rounder (Calgary, 26th, 2019) who is still searching for a home at the highest level. Now in Tampa Bay\u2019s organization, the 25-year-old posted 49 helpers and 77 points in 63 games for the Syracuse Crunch. At one point, he set a franchise record with 19 consecutive games with a point.<\/p>\n The Bolts had numerous injuries all throughout the campaign, a perfect opportunity for someone like Pelletier to slot into a meaningful role, but it didn\u2019t materialize. He skated in five games for Tampa, coming away scoreless on 9:21 a night. As the Crunch were a playoff contender, there wasn\u2019t enough motivation to take away the league\u2019s top scorer if not for any significant NHL role. Signed for two more years in Tampa, Pelletier is in a good situation on a team often able to get the most out of under-the-radar forwards to round out their roster. He\u2019ll be a name to watch in camp next season, and even if the once top-six upside is no longer realistic, there\u2019s plenty of reason to think Pelletier can become a solid bottom-sixer if he can stay healthy. The Quebec native has plenty of versatility, skill, and forechecking abilities, must-haves for a player in his situation, but the 5\u201910\u201d frame and his skating have held things back a bit.\u00a0<\/p>\n Next up, another name familiar to Tampa fans, Alex Barr\u00e9-Boulet<\/a> came away at a point-per-game pace in 70 games for the Colorado Eagles, his second-best AHL season after an insane 84 points in 2022-23 with the Crunch. The undrafted center played in two games for the Avs, recording an assist. At age 29, he\u2019s no longer the once-prospect that generated some excitement being plucked by Seattle nearly five years ago, and ever becoming a full-time NHLer seems unlikely.\u00a0<\/p>\n Moving on to San Jose this off-season on a two-year, two-way deal, if this was the Sharks of recent years the elite AHLer would be in a nice position to get into some games, but now that San Jose\u2019s sights are on playoff contention, Barre-Boulet will figure to bring his high production to the Barracuda, benefitting their several bright prospects.<\/p>\n Ranking third in points but first in goals, Arthur Kaliyev<\/a> was a weapon for the Belleville Senators with 40 goals in 70 games, shooting 15%. He was the league\u2019s first AHL 40-goal man since 2023-24. A second-round pick of the Kings in 2019 after incredible OHL scoring numbers, Kaliyev has the most NHL experience out of the group listed here, 204 games. Turning in 14 tallies in his first full-time NHL season still before even turning 21, it looked like Los Angeles had a strong young piece on their hands despite question marks on his skating and defense.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Kaliyev\u2019s NHL role gradually stalled out, never able to round out his game. After a brief stint with the Rangers, Ottawa sought him out on a one-year, two-way deal. Hardly able to benefit the big club, skating in just two games where he notched an assist, the signing still worked out greatly for Belleville. Kaliyev just turned 25 and he remains unsigned. Another team taking a flyer for the 2026-27 season, with a PTO offer, seems likely in the coming weeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n Next, Zachary Jones<\/a> stands out as the league\u2019s top producer out of defensemen, recording 52 assists and 62 points in 60 games for the Rochester Americans (Buffalo). The 5\u201911\u201d lefty has 115 games of NHL experience, all as a Ranger after they selected him in the third round of the 2019 draft. Thought to get a look in Buffalo at some point, it never happened even once, thanks to the team\u2019s loaded defense core and unlikely turnaround to contention.\u00a0<\/p>\n Signing with Utah for two years, the 25-year-old doesn\u2019t have the clearest path into the Mammoth\u2019s roster, seemingly not in their top seven, but in the event of any injuries he should get a call-up. A typical smooth-skating puck-mover whose size has held him back, Jones has the makings of a great piece alongside Maveric Lamoureux<\/a> for the Tucson Roadrunners, and it would be a shock if he\u2019s unable to get into a single NHL game again in 2026-27.\u00a0<\/p>\n Rounding out the bunch, Providence Bruins goaltender Michael DiPietro<\/a> took home plenty of hardware as AHL Goaltender of the year as well as league Most Valuable Player. The 27-year-old has just four NHL games to his name, coming in for 6:03 for the B\u2019s this past season, turning away the two shots he faced. Modest results for the netminder who debuted in the NHL seven years ago as a promising Canucks prospect, DiPietro has been excellent year after year in the AHL but further opportunities just haven\u2019t arrived.\u00a0<\/p>\n Posting an insane .930 save percentage, 1.91 goals-against-average, and 34-8-1 record, the Ontario native\u2019s efforts led Providence to the league\u2019s best record, before a shocking upset at the hands of the Springfield Thunderbirds in the Semifinals. Set to return to Boston in the final year of his contract, the door has finally opened with Joonas Korpisalo<\/a> traded away. If DiPietro can hold down the backup job behind Jeremy Swayman<\/a>\u00a0it would be a great success story after years of patience as a 2017 draftee. After seeing Brandon Bussi<\/a>\u2019s emergence, it\u2019s absolutely not too late for DiPietro to make a name in the NHL, and Boston surely is hesitant to risk losing him the same way they did with the Hurricanes netminder.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/USATSI_27230752-200x300.jpg\")
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