NHL Pre-Season Standouts That Could Lead To Strong Regular-Season Performances

The NHL's shortened pre-season has concluded, giving fans a glimpse of what to expect from some of the league's up-and-coming players ahead of the 2026-27 season.

The exhibition games ahead of the regular season have always offered fringe NHLers an opportunity to showcase their skills in an effort to prove they are worthy of being an everyday player in hockey's top league. It also gives more established players the chance to iron out their skills with a big year ahead.

However, with only four games being played by all 32 franchises before opening night, there was much less time to evaluate the standout performers and less opportunities for those fringe players to be seen.

Let's take a look at which players made the most of this shortened pre-season format.

Having opened the pre-season with a three-point performance in a 4-3 overtime win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, the 22-year-old defenseman recorded one goal and four assists in two games played, tied for second in the pre-season for most points.

Hutson is coming off a 78-point campaign in his sophomore season, playing all 82 regular-season games and topping his production from his Calder Trophy run with 66 points.

He's projected to reach new heights with the Montreal Canadiens this season and could even end up surpassing his 23:15 average ice time last season. Hutson led the team with 24:50 of ice time per game during the pre-season, albeit in a two-game sample size.

Leading the NHL in pre-season points with six in three games played, including a four-point outing in the 10-0 blowout win against the Anaheim Ducks, Michael Misa enters his sophomore season having only played 45 games in 2025–2026. He registered 21 points after sustaining a lower-body injury.

Now set to return and play a full-time role, he has a good chance to surge in scoring, finishing in the 60-point range, while also seeing an increase in ice time from his 12:49 average from last season.

With his growing confidence and added depth to the San Jose Sharks' roster, highlighted by veteran Mason Marchment and rookie Ivar Stenberg, Misa is primed for a breakout campaign.

Scoring two goals against the New York Islanders, Luke Evangelista is proving his worth after being traded from the Nashville Predators. The 24-year-old is coming off a breakout season with a career-high 56 points in 81 games played.

Evangelista is set to start the 2026-27 season slotted into the top six and will be playing with high-caliber linemates like Timo Meier and Nico Hischier. Both are expected to help elevate his game. 

Head coach Sheldon Keefe will likely aim to increase Evangelista's ice time from his career-high 16:37 from last season, which should come easy as he's projected to appear on the first power-play unit. This could be a big year for Evangelista with more stability than he had in Nashville.

Ryan Shea put together four points in two pre-season games in his debut for the Edmonton Oilers. The 29-year-old defenseman was skating alongside Evan Bouchard on the team's top defensive pairing.

Shea is entering his fourth season in the NHL coming off a career-high 35 points in 80 games last season along with an eye-catching plus-30 rating. Having experienced the post-season only one time, Shea is set on chasing a Stanley Cup as he goes into a vital defensive role with the Oilers.

With the strategic fit showcasing both defenders' talents, they combined for six points in a single game. With a stronger supporting cast around him, Shea's ability to quickly gel into the Oilers' system is promising.

Recording five points in two games played, including a hat trick in the aforementioned 10-0 victory against the Anaheim Ducks, Ivar Stenberg has quickly made an impression in what he can do in the lineup.

With Stenberg's supporting cast being Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, and Misa, his production could reach the 50 to 60-point range 

Based on his play with Team Sweden at the 2026 World Juniors, where he finished with four goals and six assists in seven games his highlighted hockey IQ, two way play, and experience from the Swedish Hockey League all point to him securing steady ice time and transitioning into the NHL smoothly. 

T.J. Hughes recorded a hat trick and an assist in a four-point night during the Colorado Avalanche's 5-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets.

Hughes spent the 2025–2026 season split between the AHL with the Colorado Eagles and the NCAA at the University of Michigan, playing a total of 42 games with 23 goals and 36 assists.

Hughes is set to make the roster and debut on Sept. 30 against the Los Angeles Kings. While he has no prior NHL stats to compare, the 24-year-old broke out in the pre-season with five points in three games played and will be on the top power-play unit in the season opener.

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