Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Gavin McKenna puts on a sweater beside NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and singer Justin Bieber after being selected with the first pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images A new season is just around the corner.
A new crop of future stars.
With the shorter pre-season, there are fewer chances for youngsters to state their case for NHL employment, but there are still plenty of up-and-comers to keep close tabs on between now the puck drop on the 2026-27 campaign.
Here are a half-dozen we are most curious to watch:
Gavin McKenna, Toronto Maple Leafs
This year’s top draft pick not only has elite skills, but the opportunity to make his mark with as little pressure as possible in a media-heavy market. McKenna will not have the burden to be big dog on a Toronto squad that boasts several talented forwards, notably Auston Matthews, William Nylander and John Tavares.
The pre-season will be a chance to see where to slot the left winger. Most likely, he will end up with Tavares and Nylander, but it stands to reason seeing how he fares with Matthews and likely Jack Roslovic.
Ivar Stenberg, San Jose Sharks
Stenberg, the second pick this year, is the latest uber-talented skater to join a Sharks club expected to vault into playoff contention.
The forward capable of playing both wings made a whale of a debut in his first rookie-class game by scoring a pair of goals 25 seconds apart in a rout of the Los Angeles Kings hopefuls on Saturday.
It will be fascinating to see in the coming games how he is used on a club that has several young forwards, notably centers Macklin Celebrini and Michael Misa, and already proven wingers in Will Smith and Collin Graf, plus second-year NHLer Igor Chernyshov.
Cole Hutson, Washington Capitals
The younger brother of 2024-25 Calder Trophy winner, Lane, is due to make his mark. Cole, also a defenseman, showed well in a 14-game stint last season after his sophomore year at Boston University, netting three goals and seven assists for a Washington club that missed the playoffs by four points.
Washington took bold moves in the off-season to shore up, but it is obvious Hutson is a key to the future. With John Carlson’s departure, Hutson will be given his chance to provide much-needed offense from the blueline.
Porter Martone, Philadelphia Flyers
Martone make a big splash when he joined the Flyers after his lone season at Michigan State and collected 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 19 combined regular-season and playoff contests.
The power forward will be given every chance to be a top-line right winger. Key will be how he fares over a long season against the league’s big bodies, but the pre-season is a golden chance to set himself up for a big campaign.
Roman Kantserov/Anton Frondell, Chicago Blackhawks
Frondell and Kantserov are pegged to finally give Connor Bedard much-needed young offensive support for the floundering Blackhawks.
Frondell, the third pick of the 2025 draft, netted nine points (three goals, six assists) in a dozen games for Chicago last season. Kantserov (44th overall in 2023) notched 36 goals and 64 points for Magnitogorsk of the KHL last season.
Bedard may miss the first month, which gives the pair of forwards an opportunity to find their footing in a bigger role for a club that has missed the playoffs seven consecutive seasons.
