Top 5 Prospects of the Month: October 2025
Is it really obvious who it is?
Welcome back to everyone’s favorite series on the internet, where I go over what Carolina Hurricanes prospects had the best month in terms of production and give everyone those updates. As a reminder, this is not a list of where they rank amongst prospects. This is just for the given month.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know who’s going to be the NEW Heavyweight Prospect of the Month, since this player has only played games in the month of October and he currently leads all Canes Prospects in points. But you know, we have to keep the mystery going and, more importantly, talk about some other guys how have also had impressive months. But first, honorable mentions:
Filip Ekberg, RW (Ottawa 67s, OHL): 7 GP, 3 goals, 4 assists, 7 points
Bradly Nadeau, RW (Chicago Wolves/Carolina Hurricanes, AHL/NHL): 6 GP, 3 goals, 2 assists, 5 points
Justin Robidas, C/RW (Chicago Wolves, AHL): 6 GP, 0 goals, 6 assists, 6 points
Semyon Frolov, G (MHK Spartak Moscow, MHL): 3 GP, .936% save percentage, 1.67 GAA
Ekberg has been scratched a couple times with illness this month so I’m glad to see he’s still somewhat the same Ekberg when he plays. Robidas has been good again for the Wolves, this time playing more at wing than center and it’s still working for him. Such an unfortunate timing of injury for Frolov, who had looked unbelievable in his starts but then went down with (I think) a lower body injury.
Nadeau became the first player that I’ve watched since his draft day to score their first NHL goal. His development has been insane over the past 3 years, going from the BCHL to the NCAA to the AHL and, now, the NHL. I’m not 100% sure he’ll stay with the big club, even though he definitely deserves to. I just have a much more reserved mindset. But what a moment for him.
5. Viggo Nordlund, W (IK Oskarshamn, HockeyAllsvenskan)
Stats: 10 GP, 5 goals, 2 assists, 7 points
Not going to lie, this one caught me off guard. Not really sure why, but it did. Nordlund, yet another smaller stature winger, has really only played in the U20 ranks while getting a 2 cups of coffee (more than 10 games) with the main SHL Skelleftea roster. This year, he was loaned to IK Oskarshamn in the HockeyAllsvenskan for a step up in competition and he’s been pretty good. Currently, he’s 3rd in U20 scoring in the league behind undrafted Oliwer Sjostrom and 2025 2nd round pick Milton Gastrin. Reminder that Nordlund was a 6th round pick.
The biggest thing that sticks out to me is his shot and skating. He’s an adept skater, able to create space in tight areas and get around defender with some level of ease. His shot is really, really solid. The release is underrated, quick and snappy with good accuracy. Hoping he keeps up the good pace so far and maybe toss in a couple more assists to go along with those goals.
4. Felix Unger Sorum, W (Chicago Wolves, AHL)
Stats: 6 GP, 3 goals, 3 assists, 6 points
With Nadeau becoming a true tweener between the NHL and AHL and with the exodus of talent from the Wolves roster, Felix needed to be a player the Wolves could lean on for offense. So far, he’s been better in certain areas that needed growth and continued to be the Felix that I’ve gotten to know and watch over the past 2 years.
Felix’s best attribute is his hockey IQ. He thinks the game 2 steps ahead. This can get him in trouble from time to time if he doesn’t apply his thinking quick enough, something that afflicts everyone from time to time, but when he’s on, he’s electric. He’s a passer first, looking to make the extra pass to an open player before looking for a shot. But that’s an area that I wanted to see growth, just being more willing to take a shot and he has. If he’s open, he’s letting it fly. Also, his skating looks to have taken a a half step forward, looking a little faster at his top speed.
3. Jayden Perron, W (Michigan, NCAA)
Stats: 9 GP, 4 goals, 4 assists, 8 points
In what is a monumental season for Perron as junior, he gets a fresh start with a Michigan team that is loaded with talent and he looks the part so far. I wouldn’t say he’s the primary forward, that honor would go to Michael Hage (who I really liked before the 2024 draft) but Perron is becoming one of the more important forwards for this team.
Perron’s offensive skillset is super fun to watch. He’s smaller in size but he makes up for it with a good shot, good playmaking skill and good skating. He also is another one of those players that isn’t afraid to get into the dirty areas or the middle of the ice. Players that can do that at a decent success rate normally find success in their career and Perron has found early success doing that so far with Michigan.
2. Justin Poirier, W (Maine, NCAA)
Stats: 7 GP, 7 goals, 4 assists, 11 points
Poirier was the player that I was most intrigued about going into this season, mainly because he’s the only Canes Prospects that made the jump from CHL to NCAA. To be fair, he’s the only prospect that could’ve made that jump because he was the Canes lone CHL player, but I digress. I wanted to see how his playstyle translated to a league that had players much bigger, much stronger, and much more experienced than him. Early trends indicated positive results, as he’s currently tied for the lead in goals scored by a freshman in the NCAA.
Poirier is playing just like he did with Drakkar, but this time while playing in Hockey East, which I would call a tougher opponent than the QMJHL (no disrespect). He’s going to the middle of the ice and mostly* winning, he’s going into boards battles and escaping with the puck by being physical, and he’s still using the borderline elite release that he possesses. The one concern (other than size, which people might have, personally I don’t) is his skating, which I haven’t really noticed yet.
*- There was the one time against Quinnipiac where it didn’t work. It was one time.
1. Charlie Cerrato, C (Penn State, NCAA)
Stats: 10 GP, 4 goals, 14 assists, 18 points
Shocker, the kid that’s running hog wild in the college ranks is the number 1 player of the month by a landslide. It was disservice to all that when Matt and I did our Draft show, I didn’t know much about Cerrato. Now I recognize that it was a much, much bigger disservice that I didn’t do MORE research into him after he was picked. What a player he’s been so far this season for Penn State.
There becomes a “must watch” aspect when Cerrato steps onto the ice on most nights, as he’s probably the best play driver for this Penn State team right now. I love the way he thinks about positioning while in transition, always varying his methods to create chaos. His shot is underrated good, not the quickest but it gets the job done. He’s a superb playmaker, whether that be the short and simple or the flashy pass. He’s a penalty killer, albeit not the most important BUT he does still get time. He’s an all around center that also fairs decently well in the circle. He’s also got some grit in his game, looking to get under the opponent’s skin at any opportunity (an aspect that feels like a dying art in the NHL). I’m still at middle 6 center, for now, but again this is a player that can grow into a potential 2C for the Hurricanes in the future.