Markstrom, Marchenko and McKenna headline early NHL difference‑makers

Jason Chen’s latest power rankings for the 2026‑27 NHL season focus less on pure standings and more on impact players. For every franchise, he singles out one skater or goalie who could swing the season’s trajectory, whether as a breakout star, a stabilizing veteran or a high‑pressure contract‑year case.

Goaltending gambles and power‑play pivots

In Florida, the biggest shift is in net. Jacob Markstrom’s return to the Panthers started with a shutout in their opener, even if he saw only a light workload. How he holds up over a full schedule will go a long way in determining whether a deep roster can stay near the top of the league.

Special teams are a recurring theme. In Vegas, Victor Olofsson is being asked to replace Pavel Dorofeyev’s lost scoring on a power play that was among the league’s best last season. In Colorado, former Michigan Wolverines captain T.J. Hughes has stepped straight into the bumper spot on the Avalanche’s top unit after piling up points in the NCAA, a notable bet for a team whose power play underperformed a year ago.

Washington’s blue line also gets a spotlight. Jakob Chychrun currently quarterbacks the Capitals’ power play, but Chen points to Cole Hutson as a name to watch after a 10‑point, 14‑game cameo last season. Both Cole and his brother Lane once led Boston University in scoring, underlining just how offensively tilted their games are.

Toronto’s bold bet on Marchenko and McKenna

Few teams carry more intrigue than the Toronto Maple Leafs. The addition of Gavin McKenna, an elite prospect up front, gives the club another potential franchise pillar and effectively buys more time in the Auston Matthews era, with only one year left on his deal after this season. At the same time, Kirill Marchenko is flagged as a central figure in the short term after an eye‑catching Leafs debut, and as a player who could influence Matthews’ long‑term decision.

In Montreal, Chris Kreider is identified as a potential accelerator for a maturing group. Slotted on the top line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, he’ll be judged on whether he can still deliver 30‑goal calibre production and help push the Canadiens closer to true contender status.

Young goalies, blue‑chip prospects and uneasy futures

Across the Western Conference, several goaltenders sit at the heart of their team’s storyline. In Minnesota, Jesper Wallstedt begins a critical contract year just as the Wild lose Brock Faber to a fractured skull, increasing the pressure on their young netminder. In St. Louis, the coming months could mark the start of the Joel Hofer era with the Blues, as he works through his own contract year while Jordan Binnington enters the last season of his long‑term deal.

High‑end prospects drive other narratives. With the Utah Mammoth, JJ Peterka has earned a plum assignment opposite David Pastrnak and already produced a highlight‑reel goal in the opener. In San Jose, Ivar Stenberg is framed as a potential franchise‑level offensive star, the kind of player who could dramatically accelerate the Sharks’ rebuild.

Further east, Adam Fantilli carries the load in Columbus after signing a six‑year deal to be the Blue Jackets’ long‑term cornerstone, even though history isn’t kind to players who miss training camp. In Detroit, Dylan Larkin and the Red Wings face mounting scrutiny after years of missing the playoffs with a young core in place. And in Winnipeg, the long‑running Connor Hellebuyck contract watch continues to loom over the Jets, with Chen invoking past full‑season holdouts by Alexei Yashin and Mike Peca as a reminder of how messy such standoffs can become.