The Washington Capitals will be represented at the 2026 NHLPA Rookie Showcase by two of their brightest young stars.
Defenseman Cole Hutson and forward Andrew Cristall are headed to Chicago for this year’s event that will be headlined by 2026 first overall pick Gavin McKenna of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Capitals are one of five teams that will have two players each at the showcase including the New York Islanders (Kashawn Aitcheson, Cole Eiserman), Detroit Red Wings (Trey Augustine, Carter Bear), Chicago Blackhawks (Sacha Boisvert, Roman Kantserov), and
San Jose Sharks (Filip Bystedt, Quentin Musty).
NHL young stars participating in the 2026 NHLPA Rookie Showcase
Kashawn Aitcheson (New York Islanders)
Trey Augustine (Detroit Red Wings)
Carter Bear (Detroit Red Wings)
Sacha Boisvert (Chicago Blackhawks)
Filip Bystedt (San Jose Sharks)
Justin Carbonneau (St. Louis Blues)
Charlie Cerrato (Carolina Hurricanes)
Trevor Connelly (Vegas Golden Knights)
Andrew Cristall (Washington Capitals)
Cole Eiserman (New York Islanders)
Liam Greentree (New York Rangers)
James Hagens (Boston Bruins)
T.J. Hughes (Colorado Avalanche)
Cole Hutson (Washington Capitals)
Roman Kantserov (Chicago Blackhawks)
Porter Martone (Philadelphia Flyers)
Gavin McKenna (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Roger McQueen (Anaheim Ducks)
Quentin Musty (San Jose Sharks)
Sam O’Reilly (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Bill Zonnon (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Hutson is coming off his first season in the NHL where, after signing out of Boston University in March, he posted 10 points (3g, 7a) in 14 games, looking like a future star in the league. Cristall spent his entire rookie season pro with the Hershey Bears, recording 60 points (20g, 40a), and was the team’s leading point-getter in the playoffs, posting 7 points (2g, 5a) in 6 games.
“NHLPA Rookie Showcase marks an important milestone for players entering the NHL,” Marty Walsh, NHLPA Executive Director, said in a statement. “A player’s first official NHL trading card highlights that they’re achieving a lifelong dream of playing in the best league in the world. Being invited to attend the Rookie Showcase and ultimately receiving their Upper Deck rookie card is a moment that a player will never forget.”
The 16th annual NHLPA Rookie Showcase will be held from Tuesday, July 28 through Thursday, July 30, at Blackhawks Ice Center Presented by Fifth Third Bank.
Per an NHLPA press release:
This unique event serves as an entry point for the players into the business of professional hockey, where player identity, content creation, and commercial opportunity begin to take shape, connecting the players with NHLPA partners Upper Deck, Electronic Arts, Fanatics and CIBC.
Over the course of the event, Upper Deck – the official trading card partner of the NHL and NHLPA – will work directly with players to capture photos and video in their official team jerseys for upcoming trading cards, memorabilia, and promotional materials. The content collected will be used by Upper Deck to create the players’ first NHL and NHLPA licensed rookie trading cards, as well as additional promotional materials throughout the season and beyond.
NHLPA Rookie Showcase gives Upper Deck access to the league’s next generation of talent while giving players a first look at how their name, image, and likeness can connect with fans and collectors beyond the ice. The players will also get an opportunity to connect away from the ice, at the “Welcome to Chicago” dinner, hosted by CIBC.
The showcase, which normally takes place in September before NHL training camps, coincides with the National Sports Collectors Convention, which is occurring July 29 through August 2 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.
The timing will allow players to interact with fans as part of Upper Deck’s activations at the NSCC — the largest sports collectibles show in North America that brings together collectors, brands, dealers, and industry leaders.
