5 Breakout Candidates to Watch in the 2026-27 NHL Season – The Hockey Writers – Season Previews

Every NHL season is a new opportunity for every player, especially the young guns or the ones in their mid-20s trying to break through.

Here are the five players who are geared to have a breakout 2026-27 season.

Fraser Minten, Boston Bruins

The Toronto Maple Leafs dealt Fraser Minten to the Boston Bruins in the Brandon Carlo deal, and what a deal it was for Boston. Minten played only 19 games for the Maple Leafs from 2023 to 2025 before being traded to Boston, recording four points. Then, in the 2024-25 season, he finished the campaign with the big club, participating in six games, tallying only a goal. Last season, Minten played a full 82-game season, having 35 points and already being trusted enough to play alongside David Pastrnak, before going pointless in the playoffs. 

Minten showed a lot of potential after his first full year in the NHL, and it doesn’t seem like he’ll be having a “sophomore slump.” At 22 years old, he is the Bruins’ future 2C, and he’ll be getting those minutes this upcoming season. Also, putting him on the second power-play unit, mixed in with being thrown in the top-six — giving him as many minutes as possible — will only help Minten’s development. He’s on track to have his first 20-goal season at the very least, and should have 50 or more points, being an offensive weapon; the sky is high for Minten. 

Ivan Demidov, Montreal Canadiens 

The Montreal Canadiens just signed Ivan Demidov to an eight-year, $9.125 million average annual value (AAV) extension this offseason. This is one of the last eight-year contract extensions that could be handed out under the current CBA, and the Canadiens will be so happy they did this in a couple of years. With the cap going up, Demidov at this number is going to be a steal. 

Demidov has all the offensive skill in the world, and he’s never afraid to show it, starting with his debut against the Chicago Blackhawks in 2025. He was thrown into the fire, with his third NHL game being a playoff game, and he didn’t back down. This past campaign, Demidov had 62 points in 82 games, and in the playoffs he tallied three goals and nine points in three rounds. With his first full season under his belt, expect him to take off even more in his second season and be more consistent in the playoffs. 

Konsta Helenius, Buffalo Sabres 

Konsta Helenius is in the second year of his three-year entry-level contract. The 2024 first-round pick spent nearly all of last season with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (AHL) and schooled the competition, being one of the very few players to be on a point-per-game pace with 63 points in 63 games. Clearly being too good to stay in the AHL and not learning any new things, he was called up to Buffalo towards the end of the regular season. The Sabres were going to make the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, and there was immense pressure, but he stood up to it and showed he could be a full-time NHLer, having four points in nine regular season games. In the playoffs, he had two goals in the four games he played in, including a huge one in the second round against the Canadiens. 

Helenius, 20 years old, is about to enter his rookie season and his first full one in the NHL. He’s going to see an increased role since the last time he stepped onto the ice with the Sabrehead on his chest, as Alex Tuch was traded to the Washington Capitals and the team failed to sign Patrick Kane, who went to the Blackhawks. Helenius is the team’s future 2C, if not 1C, and is going to have a phenomenal season for the Sabres in the 2026-27 campaign. 

Bowen Byram, Chicago Blackhawks 

The Blackhawks paid two premiums for Bowen Byram: the fourth overall pick when the Blackhawks traded it to the Sabres for him and Jordan Greenway, and an AAV of $12.5 million in a six-year contract extension starting in the 2027-28 season. Byram, last season with the Sabres, had 42 points in 82 games, and in the playoffs, had seven points in 13 games, having a solid year. 

This upcoming season for Byram is a big “prove it” year. He’s never had the chance to be the No. 1 defenseman, as when he was with the Colorado Avalanche, he was behind Cale Makar, and with the Sabres, he was behind Rasmus Dahlin. Now, he’s finally going to have the reins on the blue line, and he’ll be quarterbacking the first power-play unit; he should have 65-70 points by the time the 2026-27 campaign has concluded, and at 25 years old, keep improving to earn that massive $75 million deal. 

Zeev Buium, Vancouver Canucks

Zeev Buium, when the blockbuster Quinn Hughes trade went down that sent Hughes from the Canucks to the Minnesota Wild, was the main guy in the package going back to Vancouver. When drafted by the Wild in the first round back in 2024, there were high hopes that he could be a future No. 1 defenseman and was a top-five prospect in the league. That’s all still there, but now, he has a chance to do all of that with the Canucks. Last season, Buium had his rookie season, tallying 26 points in 76 games with both Minnesota and Vancouver. 

Buium, 20 years old, is already the top guy in the Canucks defensive core. He’ll be getting top-pairing minutes in both 5-on-5 and special teams and won’t have to settle into a new organization midway through the campaign. Buium looks to build upon what he set up in 2025-26 and improve his play and prove that he can be a top guy, and going into his sophomore season with experience, he’s in the right spot to do just that. 

Minten, Demidov, Helenius, Byram, and Buium are the five mentioned to have breakout seasons, but they’re not the only candidates. Gavin McKenna is in a great situation with the Maple Leafs, James Hagens is going to assume a bigger role with the Bruins, and Mason McTavish is getting a fresh start with the St. Louis Blues. Players are going to break through, and there’ll be new faces to talk about once this season comes to a close.