As the offseason settles in and NHL rosters mostly take shape, a handful of young players are staring at a real opening to level up in 2026-27. Plenty of sophomores have something to prove, but four in particular stand out as prime candidates to make a serious jump.
Danila Yurov is one of the names to watch in Minnesota. The Wild have spent a long time looking for a legitimate No. 2 center, and Yurov may be the answer already sitting in-house.
In 2025-26, he spent a lot of time alongside Kirill Kaprizov and finished with 12 goals and 27 points in 73 games. His hands and overall skill set give him the kind of upside that can fit with players like Kaprizov and Matt Boldy.
The concern is consistency - he had long stretches in his rookie season without recording a point - but the path is there. If he puts it together, he could grow into a major role on a team that sees itself as a Stanley Cup threat.
The Rangers’ situation is murkier, but that can still create opportunity. They’re not built like a contender right now, yet they’re also not headed for a full rebuild.
That makes Gabe Perreault an important piece of the puzzle. The 23rd overall pick in 2023 really took off in the second half of 2025-26, especially after Artemi Panarin was sent packing to the Los Angeles Kings.
Perreault scored 12 goals and 27 points in 49 games, then added 19 points in 23 games during March and April. With time next to Alexis Lafreniere and Mika Zibanejad, the 21-year-old showed the kind of high-end talent that made him such an appealing prospect in the first place.
He looks close to becoming one of the Rangers’ core players as they sort out where they’re headed.
In San Jose, Michael Misa looks like the next young forward ready to move from promising to dangerous. Igor Chernyshov could have filled this spot too, but Misa’s profile is hard to ignore.
The second overall pick in 2025 has the size and skill to become a major NHL force, and he should settle in as the No. 2 center on one of the league’s deepest young rosters. He started slowly last season before gaining confidence as the year went on, and the setup around him matters.
With Macklin Celebrini ahead of him, Misa should see friendlier matchups, strong offensive support, and more room to grow. On a Sharks team packed with young talent, he projects as one of the pillars.
Zayne Parekh gives Calgary a different kind of breakout candidate. The Flames have plenty to sort out, but they do have one clear building block in the 2024 first-round pick.
In 37 games last season, Parekh put up four goals and nine points while flashing the sort of upside that suggests top-pair production is in his range. Rasmus Andersson and MacKenzie Weegar are out, which helps, but the Flames also gave up a haul to get Simon Nemec, and that could complicate Parekh’s path to top power-play time.
Still, he showed late in the season that he can handle big minutes and finish with eye-catching goals. At 20 years old, even a solid developmental step in 2026-27 would matter a lot for both him and the team.
These four sophomores are tied closely to where their teams are going next. For the Flames and Sharks, their development may shape the future.
For the Wild, Yurov’s rise could help determine whether they’re a real threat or just another team with playoff hopes. And across the league, the NHL’s young offensive talent keeps getting better, with these four positioned to join that next wave.
In Other News...
Macklin Celebrini Is Becoming A Bigger Problem For Flames Fans
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The part that should make Flames fans uneasy is how quickly Celebrini has paired high-end talent with a reputation for relentless improvement. Zack Ostapchuk has been among the teammates impressed by the way Celebrini handles the day-to-day grind, and that sort of internal buy-in often matters as much as the production itself. If San Jose keeps climbing, Calgary may be dealing with a player who is becoming a bigger problem not just because of what he already is, but because of how much more room he still seems to have. [Read more 🡒]
Brendan Gallagher Heads To Vancouver With Extra Motivation This Time
Brendan Gallaghers move to Vancouver has been in the works for a while, and the veteran forward spent much of the summer back in Montreal keeping his skates under him with former Canadiens teammates. The timing also gave him a personal reset, as he and his wife Emma, who is from Ste-Julie, were waiting for the arrival of their second child while he prepared for what will be his 15th NHL season.
Now Gallagher heads to the Canucks with a fresh start and a little extra edge after the way things unfolded in Montreal. He asked to be dealt after last seasons playoff stretch, then watched the Canadiens move him on June 29, giving Vancouver a gritty, experienced winger who still has something to prove as he settles into a new dressing room and a new chapter. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Rebuild Could Put Several Familiar Names On The Trade Block
The Flames may not have a pile of obvious rental chips sitting in the 2026-27 unrestricted free-agent class, but the next trade market could still look familiar in Calgary. With roster changes on the horizon and team needs driving the discussion, names like Morgan Frost, Joel Hanley, Maxim Tsyplakov and Brayden Pachal are already being flagged as likely candidates to move before the 2027 deadline, the kind of turnover that often comes with a rebuild trying to stay flexible while it reshapes the depth chart.
Connor Zary and Ryan Strome sit in a murkier middle ground, which is part of what makes the outlook so interesting for a front office trying to balance present value against future fit. Zarys situation, in particular, is one to watch because he remains part of the clubs longer-term picture, but there are still enough variables around the roster and the trade landscape to keep his name in the conversation as Calgary weighs what it wants this next phase to look like. [Read more 🡒]