Biggest Role Changes · 2026-27

Projected ice-time change vs last season, from the 2026-27 depth chart. Rising minutes lead points — the earliest breakout signal.

📈 Ice time up

#	Player	Tm	Proj role	25-26 TOI	26-27 TOI	Δ min
1	Eric Robinson CAR · R	CAR	L1	11.4	18	+6.0
2	Travis Mitchell ANA · D	ANA	D2	11.5	19.4	+6.0
3	Brennan Othmann CGY · L	CGY	L1·PP2	10	17.3	+6.0
4	Justin Barron STL · D	STL	D1	14.3	22.3	+6.0
5	Gage Goncalves TBL · R	TBL	L1·PP2	13.1	19.3	+6.0
6	Max Jones EDM · L	EDM	L2	8.3	14.5	+6.0
7	Declan Carlile PIT · D	PIT	D1	14.8	22.5	+6.0
8	Alexander Kerfoot NSH · R	NSH	L1·PP2	12.8	19.2	+6.0
9	Justin Hryckowian DAL · L	DAL	L1·PP2	13.3	19.4	+6.0
10	Michael Kesselring SJS · D	SJS	D1	13.4	22.1	+6.0
11	Ryan Strome CGY · C	CGY	L1·PP2	13.3	19.4	+6.0
12	Tristan Luneau ANA · D	ANA	D1·PP2	11.6	21.3	+6.0
13	Linus Karlsson VAN · R	VAN	L1·PP1	12.5	19	+6.0
14	Nikolas Matinpalo OTT · D	OTT	D1	15.6	22.7	+6.0
15	Jake Christiansen CBJ · D	CBJ	D2	10	19	+6.0
16	Nick Robertson PIT · L	PIT	L1	12.7	18.4	+5.7
17	Maxim Shabanov MIN · R	MIN	L1·PP1	13.7	19.4	+5.7
18	Charle-Edouard D'Astous TBL · D	TBL	D1·PP2	18.8	24.5	+5.7
19	Vasily Podkolzin EDM · R	EDM	L1·PP1	15.4	21	+5.6
20	Brian Dumoulin LAK · D	LAK	D1	17.8	23.4	+5.6
21	Mike Reilly CAR · D	CAR	D2	15	20.5	+5.5
22	Chris Tanev TOR · D	TOR	D1	18	23.5	+5.5
23	Axel Sandin-Pellikka DET · D	DET	D2·PP2	16.2	21.7	+5.5
24	Denton Mateychuk CBJ · D	CBJ	D1·PP2	19.2	24.7	+5.5
25	Paul Cotter VAN · C	VAN	L2·PP2	10.7	16.1	+5.4
26	Matthew Wood NSH · C	NSH	L2·PP1	12.3	17.6	+5.3
27	Jared Spurgeon MIN · D	MIN	D1·PP2	19.6	24.8	+5.2
28	Zeev Buium VAN · D	VAN	D1·PP2	19.6	24.8	+5.2
29	Danila Yurov MIN · C	MIN	L1·PP2	13.3	18.3	+5.0
30	Mason Lohrei BOS · D	BOS	D2·PP2	16.9	21.9	+5.0

#	Player	Tm	Proj role	25-26 TOI	26-27 TOI	Δ min
1	Connor Brown NJD · C	NJD	L4	17.6	14.2	-3.4
2	Bo Groulx TOR · C	TOR	L4	15.7	12.5	-3.2
3	Bryan Rust PIT · R	PIT	L3	19.9	17	-2.9
4	Jiri Kulich BUF · L	BUF	L4·PP2	16.4	13.6	-2.8
5	Sean Couturier PHI · C	PHI	L4	16.7	14	-2.7
6	Teddy Blueger TOR · C	TOR	L4	16.5	13.9	-2.6
7	Justin Sourdif WSH · C	WSH	L4	14.7	12.2	-2.5
8	Frederick Gaudreau SEA · C	SEA	L4	16.1	13.8	-2.3
9	Kiefer Sherwood SJS · R	SJS	L4·PP2	17.3	15	-2.3
10	Pius Suter STL · C	STL	L4	15.9	13.7	-2.2
11	Anthony Beauvillier WSH · R	WSH	L4	15.8	13.7	-2.1
12	Ryan Greene CHI · C	CHI	L4·PP2	16.7	14.8	-1.9
13	Andrei Kuzmenko PIT · L	PIT	L4·PP2	14.9	13.1	-1.8
14	Jake Evans MTL · C	MTL	L4	15.4	13.6	-1.8
15	Alexandre Texier MTL · L	MTL	L4	13.7	11.9	-1.8
16	Aliaksei Protas WSH · L	WSH	L3	18.2	16.5	-1.7
17	Noah Hanifin VGK · D	VGK	D3·PP2	22.6	21	-1.6
18	Anton Lundell FLA · C	FLA	L3·PP2	19.2	17.7	-1.5
19	Alexander Wennberg SJS · C	SJS	L3·PP1	20.5	19	-1.5
20	Mackie Samoskevich SEA · L	SEA	L4·PP2	14.5	13	-1.5
21	Mikael Backlund CGY · C	CGY	L3	17.9	16.4	-1.5
22	Boone Jenner WSH · C	WSH	L4·PP2	16.1	14.6	-1.5
23	Ryan McLeod BUF · L	BUF	L3	17.6	16.3	-1.3
24	Mario Ferraro WPG · D	WPG	D3	21	19.7	-1.3
25	Shane Pinto OTT · C	OTT	L3·PP2	18.7	17.5	-1.2
26	Jack Drury NSH · C	NSH	L4	14.5	13.3	-1.2
27	Nic Dowd VGK · C	VGK	L4	14.5	13.3	-1.2
28	Braeden Bowman VGK · R	VGK	L4·PP2	14.1	12.9	-1.2
29	Kevin Stenlund UTA · C	UTA	L4	14.5	13.3	-1.2
30	Nicolas Roy COL · C	COL	L4	14.5	13.3	-1.2