The complete team-by-team guide is available! The sleepers, prospects and overlooked players to watch for each of the 32 NHL teams.
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Hat trick for Red Deer.
Scored three goals in WHL Red Deer's 4-3 win over Lethbridge.
Analysis: Hamilton was a third-round pick of the Avalanche back in June. He broke out with 62 points in 67 regular-season appearances on a struggling team. This year, he's captaining the Rebels and is off to a hot start. The 18-year-old should be able to show growth on offense while playing in a large role for Red Deer throughout 2026-27.
Buries two goals.
Scored twice in OHL Guelph's 6-0 win over Oshawa.
Analysis: Fresh off a stint at training camp with the Lightning, Czata had a strong OHL season debut. He's on a new team this year, joining the Storm after three years with Niagara. He posted 53 points in 63 regular-season appearances in 2025-26, a slight per-game uptick from the year before. Playing on a strong team that's also hosting the Memorial Cup in May of 2027 should allow Czata to do a bit more on offense in his age-19 campaign.
Two tallies in junior win.
Scored twice in QMJHL Halifax's 4-3 overtime win over Newfoundland.
Analysis: Nobert made his Mooseheads debut after getting traded from Blainville-Boisbriand in the offseason. The Vegas prospect collected 78 points in 62 regular-season games with the Armada last year. The 19-year-old should be a leader on offense for Halifax in 2026-27, setting him up either for an entry-level deal or a jump to the NCAA next year.
Four points in season debut.
Scored twice and added two assists in QMJHL Quebec's 7-4 win over Shawinigan.
Analysis: Dagenais made his season debut after a stint at the Blues' training camp. The forward was drafted 16th overall in 2026 and has a great shot while still needing work in other areas. Dagenais was drafted as a center but has mostly worked on the wing in his junior career, and it's possible he moves full time to the wing once he reaches the professional ranks.
Collects three points.
Scored a goal, added two assists and went plus-3 in Friday's 5-2 preseason win over the Jets.
Analysis: Schwartz is penciled into a middle-six role and a spot on the second power-play unit for the Avalanche to begin the season. The 34-year-old winger's biggest challenge will be staying healthy -- he's missed at least 11 games in four of the last five campaigns, and at least 20 games in three of those years. Schwartz can contribute around a 40-point pace if he stays in the lineup, though the move from Seattle to Colorado could also give his offense a boost.
Making case for roster spot.
Had a hat trick, an assist and a plus-4 rating in Friday's 5-2 preseason win over the Jets.
Analysis: Per Aarif Deen of Colorado Hockey Now, Hughes will get another audition Saturday versus the Mammoth. Hughes has already potted four goals this preseason. He was a standout with 57 points in 40 games for the University of Michigan in 2025-26, and he's been praised for his hockey IQ and his poise so far. While the Avalanche don't have an obvious prominent spot to give Hughes yet, he could start out in the bottom six if he makes the team out of camp.
Collects preseason win.
Allowed two goals on 26 shots in Friday's 5-2 preseason win over the Jets.
Analysis: Blackwood played the full game Friday after working half a game versus the Mammoth on Sunday. The 29-year-old netminder will likely get at least half of the starts in 2026-27, though a lot will depend on how Scott Wedgewood performs after his career year in 2025-26. Blackwood has the talent to be a No. 1 on his own, but the Avalanche have the luxury of not needing to push either goalie too hard.
Two points in preseason loss.
Scored a goal on four shots, dished an assist, added four PIM and logged two hits in Friday's 5-2 preseason loss to the Avalanche.
Analysis: Niederreiter is poised for a bottom-six role to begin 2026-27, though he could score his way into middle-six usage. He may also factor in on the power play at times -- his goal Friday came with the man advantage. The winger struggled to 19 points in 61 games in 2025-26, and at 34 years old, a bounce-back season is far from guaranteed.
Tough outing.
Stopped 28 of 32 shots in Friday's 5-2 preseason loss to the Avalanche. The fifth goal was an empty-netter.
Analysis: Skinner allowed five goals on 64 shots over his two preseason starts. The 27-year-old faced the Avalanche both times, and while he struggled Friday, he looks prepared for the upcoming campaign. Expect Skinner to get as many starts as he can handle early in the season, as the Jets will likely want to ease Domenic DiVincentiis into the backup role.
Another close loss.
Stopped 16 of 18 shots in Friday's 2-1 preseason loss to the Stars.
Analysis: Wallstedt lost both of his preseason outings, giving up three goals on 42 shots. He faced an NHL-caliber roster Friday, so the narrow loss is nothing to be concerned about. Expect to see a heavy amount of starts for Wallstedt while Filip Gustavsson (hip) finishes his recovery early in 2026-27.
Sharp again in win.
Stopped 26 of 27 shots in Friday's 2-1 preseason win over the Wild.
Analysis: DeSmith stopped 56 of 58 shots over his two preseason games, winning both of them. The Stars didn't get to see Jake Oettinger (lower body) during the preseason, but the injury is not considered too serious. Still, if Oettinger misses the start of the season or any time throughout the campaign, DeSmith is a capable backup. DeSmith enters 2026-27 as a spot-start streamer in fantasy whenever he's between the pipes.
Deemed ready for NHL job.
Complimented by head coach Pete DeBoer after allowing six goals on 27 shots in Friday's 6-1 preseason loss to the Rangers. DeBoer said Varlamov has shown everything the team wanted to see during the preseason.
Analysis: That's about as close to a guarantee that Varlamov will open the year as backup as we'll see until the Islanders' Opening Night roster is revealed. The 38-year-old is coming off a long-term knee injury that has cost him most of the last two seasons. He's in a good spot in terms of being eased in, as the Islanders have Ilya Sorokin to shoulder the majority of the starts in goal. If there's any remaining doubt about Varlamov's fitness for the season, the Islanders could opt to keep Vitek Vanecek on the NHL roster to begin the year.
One of each in preseason win.
Scored a goal, dished an assist and added two hits in Friday's 6-1 preseason win over the Islanders.
Analysis: Zibanejad looks set to open the season as the Rangers' top center. While the team around him has gotten a remodel in recent years, Zibanejad stood out with a 78-point effort in 81 games in 2025-26. He also had 105 hits last year, topping the 100-hit mark for the first time since 2018-19. The 33-year-old can offer a little of everything, making him a quality middle-round fantasy option.
Trio of assists.
Logged three assists, two shots on goal and a plus-2 rating in Friday's 6-1 preseason win over the Islanders.
Analysis: Fox looked sharp in this contest. The 28-year-old defenseman is set to lead the Rangers' blue line in 2026-27, and he should be a high-quality option in fantasy, though a step down from the NHL's top tier of blueliners. Fox has missed the 70-point mark in consecutive seasons but should still be capable of generating significant offense, particularly as part of the first power-play unit.