NHL breakout tiers: Top players ready to level up in 2026-27

One thing became clear when compiling our NHL breakout tiers for the 2026-27 season: The future is extraordinarily bright.

Like staring at the exposed bulb of a powerful floor lamp. Like opening up the blackout curtains straight into the morning sun. That kind of bright.

This season features a deep rookie class that is poised to make an immediate impact, as well as a few dozen young players ready to make the leap to stardom.

But our tiers also honor a handful of veterans who should see their fortunes change thanks to new environments and linemates.

Here are 40 NHL players ready to break out in 2026-27, organized into tiers that explain the circumstances behind their potential emergence. Enjoy!

Jump to a tier:

New scenery

Young star to superstar

The wait is over

Goalie breakouts

Rookie sensations

Tier 1: New scenery

These players switched teams and could see their profile rise with new scenery.

Bowen Byram

D, Chicago Blackhawks

It was a pretty simple equation. Byram was tied for 10th in 5-on-5 points (63) over the past two seasons among all defensemen. He was 63rd in power-play points (nine) in that same span, with the 48th highest ice time with the man advantage, taking second-unit minutes on the Buffalo Sabres behind Rasmus Dahlin.

So he goes to Chicago and gets to quarterback the top unit on a team that'll allow him to put the pedal down offensively, no matter his defensive issues, at even strength. He obliterates his career high in points (42) and begins to justify his $12.5 million cap hit beginning next season. You know ... theoretically.

John Carlson

D, Tampa Bay Lightning

This is an old star with a chance to be reignited. Carlson getting to run point on the Lightning power play gives the 36-year-old defenseman his greatest collection of offensive weaponry since the apex of Ovechkin-Backstrom-Kuznetsov man advantages. He had 60 points in 71 games last season, with just 14 points on the power play.

Luke Evangelista

RW, New Jersey Devils

One of GM Sunny Mehta's first big swings looks like a hit. The 24-year-old has been buzzing at 5-on-5 and contributing on the power play, adding some persistence and a net-front presence to a team that needed more of it. He's a staple in the Devils' top six already.

Hendrix Lapierre

C, Pittsburgh Penguins

We've been holding onto our Hendrix Lapierre stock for a while. The 24-year-old forward bounced between Washington and Hershey for a few years before ending up in Pittsburgh. He's played on Sidney Crosby's line and seems to have a fan in coach Dan Muse, who recently called the tenacious center/wing a "Swiss Army knife" player.

Devon Levi

G, Edmonton Oilers

The former Sabres goalie of the future is off to a 3-0-0 start for the rolling Oilers. Granted, his .863 save percentage, 3.35 goals-against average and negative goals saved above expected aren't great, but they're also not Tristan Jarry. Could Levi be the goalie Connor McDavid has been waiting for?

Kirill Marchenko

LW, Toronto Maple Leafs

Marchenko has already had an impact in the NHL, leading the Columbus Blue Jackets in goals for three straight seasons and amassing 103 tallies in his first 296 games. But he never had a superstar like Auston Matthews as his center. Marchenko breaking into point-per-game territory isn't too far a reach.

Mason McTavish

C, St. Louis Blues

"What happened to Mason McTavish?" was a common question among NHL fans who had previously watched him dominate junior hockey. There's no question the interruption to his training camp last season due to a contract dispute impacted his season in Anaheim. But overall, he hasn't popped like other young Ducks stars have. Perhaps a fresh start in St. Louis reignites his offensive game.

JJ Peterka

RW, Boston Bruins

Even with 25 goals last season, Peterka's time with the Utah Mammoth was frustrating for both player and team. Now he's back in the Eastern Conference and skating on the Bruins' second line behind David Pastrnak -- although he's getting a taste of Pasta on the power play.

Mackie Samoskevich

RW, Seattle Kraken

The Kraken sent a first- and a second-round pick to the Panthers for the 24-year-old winger buried on their depth chart, and then signed him to a three-year deal. Does more ice time -- and a spot next to Michigan teammate Matty Beniers-- help Samoskevich level up? Or is this just another middle-six forward for a franchise that seems to collect them like Pokémon?

Tier 2: Young star to superstar

You might already know these names. Get ready to hear them a lot more.

Jackson Blake

RW, Carolina Hurricanes

Blake's line with Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall was the offensive engine for the Hurricanes before Jordan Staal decided to start scoring like Eric Staal in the Stanley Cup Final. Of the three, the 23-year-old Blake is the one who hasn't necessarily received the attention he deserves despite 22 goals last season and 20 points in 19 playoff games. That changes this season.

Quinton Byfield

C, Los Angeles Kings

The general vibe on Byfield this season is that if it's ever going to happen for him, it'll be with Artemi Panarin skating on his left side. The 24-year-old, selected No. 2 in 2020, has topped out at 24 goals and 55 points as career highs. If Panarin and other Kings wingers such asAdrian Kempe can't get him over those totals this season, who can?

Logan Cooley

C, Utah Mammoth

Cooley's breakout is just a matter of staying in the lineup. The 22-year-old center has been around nearly 3.00 points per 60 minutes over the past two seasons, and could have had his breakout last season were it for injuries that limited him to 54 games. A star in the making.

Ivan Demidov

RW, Montreal Canadiens

Demidov is the epitome of "young star to superstar." His 62 points in 82 games last season -- playing just 15:30 on average -- felt like just scratching the surface of his offensive game, especially if he ups his shots on goal.

Marco Rossi

C, Vancouver Canucks

My bold prediction before the season on the Canucks was that Rossi would find his game in Vancouver and become a No. 1 center. He has started strong with four points in four games. The problem is that he might end up thriving on the wing rather than at center. Well, it's a problem for me at least. I don't think the Canucks care where he scores, just that he does.

Beckett Sennecke

RW, Anaheim Ducks

Sennecke was third for the Calder last season behind Matthew Schaefer and Demidov after netting 23 goals for the Ducks. That was with one power-play goal and with an 11.7% shooting percentage. He has another gear in him, and his three goals through three games points to that.

Jimmy Snuggerud

RW, St. Louis Blues

A rookie last season, Snuggerud overcame a slow start to finish with a solid 51 points in 70 games. As long as he keeps his wagon hitched to center Robert Thomas, expect him to hit greater offensive heights this season.

Tier 3: The wait is over

Players we've been waiting to see break out who finally will.

Igor Chernyshov

LW, San Jose Sharks

The Sharks winger had 19 points in 28 games last season while spending a good chunk of the season in the AHL. Whether he hits that next level depends greatly on where he ends up in their lineup, as he spent copious time with Macklin Celebrini last season.

Tristan Luneau

D, Anaheim Ducks

Luneau is probably best known as the player who just signed a six-year, $43.2 million contract despite just 14 games played entering the season -- a symbol of GM Pat Verbeek's offer sheet paranoia. But people who knew the Ducks organization will tell you he has the goods. The more he plays with Jackson LaCombe, the better the chances are we'll get to see that.

Matvei Gridin

RW, Calgary Flames

The 20-year-old figures to be one of the bigger -- or only -- offensive threats on the rebuilding Flames. He had 30 points in 37 games last season, including 10 goals. As long as he still has scoring help on the roster in a continuing sell-off by the Flames, he should thrive.

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Noah Ostlund

C, Buffalo Sabres

The 22-year-old Swede showed some strong potential as a No. 2 center last season, in particular clicking well with winger Zach Benson. If he can stay healthy -- an injury cut his postseason to just three games -- the Sabres could have a strong secondary scoring option behind Tage Thompson.

Gabe Perreault

RW, New York Rangers

The Rangers put the third-year winger out of Boston College in a position to break out, on the wing of Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere. He's responded with a scoring start, scoring four points in five games. In the Rangers' retool -- or however they're defining it -- having Perreault become the kind of offensive force he was in college would be huge.

Vasily Podkolzin

RW, Edmonton Oilers

Here's a simple recipe for creating a breakout player: Take a winger who scored 19 goals, add either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl (or both), and then watch that winger's stats inflate like a balloon. At least that's the hope with Podkolzin, who is playing on Edmonton's top line and top power-play unit.

Calum Ritchie

C, New York Islanders

Ritchie had a nice rookie season that was completely overshadowed by that other rookie's season in 2025-26. While he's no Matthew Schaefer, the 21-year-old picked up in the Brock Nelson trade two seasons ago is getting a push on the team's second line after 30 points in 65 games last season.

Matthew Wood

LW, Nashville Predators

The 21-year-old had 17 goals in 71 games last season playing all over the Nashville lineup, but he clicked best with star forward Filip Forsberg. They appear to have a good thing going on a line with Nils Hoglander at the start of the season, with Nashville expecting big things from Wood.

Tier 4: The goalie breakouts

Sebastian Cossa

Utah Mammoth

Cossa entered the season as the rookie backup to Karel Vejmelka, who logged an NHL-high 64 games last season. But when Cossa gets his chances, he'll be playing behind one of the better teams in the Western Conference, based on the early returns.

Nico Daws

New Jersey Devils

New GM Sunny Mehta put his full faith behind the 25-year-old German-born goaltender after the Devils traded Jacob Markstrom to the Panthers. He has played parts of four seasons with New Jersey but only nine games in the past two campaigns. This is his moment to take on an NHL job or leave the Devils to again search for a goalie solution.

Dylan Garand

New York Rangers

More than a few NHL observers were surprised that Garand, 24, made it through waivers before the Rangers recalled him to back up Igor Shesterkin. He has been stuck with Hartford in the AHL for four seasons but has played well enough that the Rangers might have to make a decision on veteran Joonas Korpisalo when he returns from injury.

Joel Hofer

St. Louis Blues

There was a time when having another St. Louis Blues goalie usurp Jordan Binnington as the starter seemed unlikely. But Hofer, 26, badly outplayed Binnington last season and was a key factor in the Blues' strong finish. He seems primed to join the ranks of dependable NHL starters.

Sergei Murashov

Pittsburgh Penguins

It's just a matter of time before the 22-year-old rookie netminder starts earning the majority of the starts for the Penguins, having dominated in the AHL and the KHL.

Clay Stevenson

Winnipeg Jets

What happens when a three-time Vezina Trophy winner demands a trade and then is suspended by his team? Well, that team needs to find itself another goalie or two.

The Jets brought in veteran Stuart Skinner but also made a waiver claim on Washington goalie Stevenson, a 27-year-old who has played mostly for Hershey. As long as Connor Hellebuyck doesn't return to the Winnipeg locker room, the talented Stevenson should get his most NHL ice time ever if he keeps earning it.

Tier 5: Rookie sensations

First-year players who aren't waiting for their breakout.

Viggo Bjorck

C, Winnipeg Jets

The No. 8 pick in June's draft, the Swedish center was earning second-line minutes early in the season but will have to produce offensively to keep that status.

Luca Cagnoni

D, San Jose Sharks

After two seasons putting up big offensive numbers with the AHL Barracuda, the 21-year-old made the Sharks out of camp and averaged over 20 minutes in ice time during his first three games, including top power-play unit duties. The diminutive (5-9) defenseman was a fourth-round pick in 2023. Can he handle the physical toll of big NHL minutes?

Anton Frondell

C, Chicago Blackhawks

After last season's appetizer -- nine points in 12 games after arriving from Djurgardens IF of the Swedish Hockey League -- Frondell is already showing he's going to cook this season. The No. 3 pick in 2025 had four points in his first four games, earning first-unit power-play time.

James Hagens

F, Boston Bruins

The Boston College product has run the rookie gamut early in the season: flashes of offensive spark and bouts of defensive befuddlement. But he'll improve.

Cole Hutson

D, Washington Capitals

The younger brother of Montreal star Lane Hutson, the 20-year-old had 10 points in 14 games last season and looks to be a key puck-mover on the Capitals' blue line this season while earning second-unity power-play minutes.

Roman Kantserov

RW, Chicago Blackhawks

Kantserov led the KHL with 36 goals last season as a 21-year-old winger before finally making the leap to the NHL. He's a great puck handler and a creative playmaker. Once he gets adjusted to the North American game, Kantserov has the skill set to be an offensive force.

Porter Martone

RW, Philadelphia Flyers

Like the rest of the Flyers, Martone has gotten out of the blocks slowly. But it's just a matter of time before the Martone we saw late last season -- a 19-year-old, playing like a 10-year veteran -- reemerges.

Gavin McKenna

LW, Toronto Maple Leafs

The No. 1 pick in June's draft got his first taste of the Toronto media pressure cooker after going scoreless in his first three NHL games. But McKenna accepted the challenge and calmed everyone down with a goal and an assist in a win over Nashville. He's skating next to John Tavares and William Nylander. He's positioned to thrive.

Ilya Protas

C, Washington Capitals

The young center is skating with brother Aliaksei and key offseason addition Jordan Kyrou on the Capitals' third line. It's a trio that could do some damage this season.

Ivar Stenberg

LW, San Jose Sharks

The No. 2 pick in June, Stenberg was slotted right onto the team's second line and top power-play unit. The sky's the limit for the 19-year-old Swede, provided he's ready.

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