Nick Szeman’s 2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Breakout Candidates
Every fantasy hockey season brings a new crop of players ready to take their game to the next level. Whether it’s a young player stepping into a larger role, a talented player finally putting it all together, or someone poised to smash their career highs, identifying breakouts before draft day can provide a significant advantage.
The DFO Fantasy team has identified their top breakout candidates for the 2026-27 season. Below, each of our four analysts shares their picks and explains why they believe these players are ready to take a significant step forward.
All Breakout Candidates:
- Brock Seguin’s Fantasy Hockey Breakout Candidates
- Beebs Bondy’s Fantasy Hockey Breakout Candidates
- Matt Larkin’s Fantasy Hockey Breakout Candidates
Brandt Clarke – LAK – D
The Kings had a bottom-four power-play unit for most of the 2025-26 season, but saw an uptick from 15.6% to a mid-pack at 20.3% efficiency when Artemi Panarin was acquired via trade in February. Clarke was a semi-regular fixture on the top unit and, should he see deployment with the top group, will reap the benefits of playing alongside Panarin and fellow newcomer and power-play specialist Mats Zuccarello. The team experimented with a five-forward power-play formation at times last season, but they instilled their belief in Clarke early in the offseason, signing him to a five-year deal worth $37 million ($7.4M AAV). The 23-year-old Clarke scored a career-high 40 points (8G / 32A) in 82 games last season, but is primed to soar past those totals in 2026-27 as the Kings’ undisputed top offensive defenseman.
Adam Fantilli – CBJ – C
Drafted third overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Fantilli has steadily improved in each of his first three seasons. He ended the 2025-26 season with a career-high 59 points (24G / 35A) in 82 games, but showed a glimpse of his true offensive upside towards the end of the campaign. Fantilli struggled immensely last season under head coach Dean Evason, but quickly turned things around under the tutelage of his replacement, Rick Bowness, producing at a near point-per-game rate with 29 points (12G / 17A) in his final 32 outings. With Bowness returning as Columbus’ head coach, look for Fantilli’s confidence to continue to flourish. Only three forwards have had 70-point campaigns for the Blue Jackets in the past decade, but that appears to be a more-than-tangible next milestone for Fantilli to surpass in the 2026-27 season.
Jakub Dobes – MTL – G
Coming off a compelling playoff run, posting a 2.66 GAA and .908 SV% in 19 postseason games (9-10), it’s easy to forget that Dobes was a rookie in 2025-26. The 25-year-old Czech goalie was inconsistent at times in his first full NHL season, but still settled into a serviceable 2.78 GAA and .901 SV% in 43 appearances (29-10-4). That said, he answered criticism in the postseason and showed an ability to bounce back under adversity. The ever-improving Canadiens, one of the NHL’s most promising young teams, look poised to continue their trajectory toward being a perennial Stanley Cup contender, now with Dobes in the driver’s seat. Dobes was undeniably Montreal’s starting goalie throughout the postseason, and the team reaffirmed its belief in the young goalie this offseason, signing him to a three-year contract worth $16.073 million ($5.358M AAV). The team has high hopes for Jacob Fowler between the pipes as well, but with only 17 games of NHL experience, Dobes will have every opportunity to set career highs in games played and wins.
Quinton Byfield – LAK – C
Byfield has yet to live up to the expectations set when he was drafted second overall in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft as an elite top-line center. Living in the shadows of Kings’ legend and future Hall-of-Famer Anze Kopitar, Byfield did not regularly get the deployment he likely needed to thrive. Now, with Kopitar retired, the Kings find themselves with minimal depth at center ice and will need to rely heavily on Byfield to lead them offensively. The 24-year-old Byfield has averaged over 50 points per 82 games over the past three seasons, but will need to take a significant step closer to point-per-game territory if the Kings have any hopes of succeeding this season. Considering new bench boss Peter Laviolette’s reputation as an offensive-minded and up-tempo coach, Byfield will be given every chance to get there.
Will Smith – SJS – LW/RW
At the tender age of 20, Macklin Celebrini has established himself as one of the premier offensive talents in the NHL, finishing last season with an outstanding 115 points (45G / 70A) in 82 games. Entering the 2026-27 season, Celebrini looks to join the likes of Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. That kind of offensive talent creates an enormous opportunity for Smith to become Celebrini’s right-hand man.
Just 21 years old, Smith, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, is coming off a solid sophomore season himself, scoring 59 points (24G / 35A) in 69 games. It’s a far cry from Celebrini’s elite production, but Smith improved and gained confidence as the season progressed, including finishing the campaign with 14 points (5G / 9A) in his final 14 games. Smith was a regular linemate of Celebrini at even strength and on the power-play, a trend that should continue as both players grow and navigate the early stages of their promising careers. A point-per-game output for Smith in the 2026-27 season isn’t out of the question.