Top NHL sophomore breakout candidates for 2026-27

Daily Faceoff writer Mike Gould, publishing on August 14, 2026, identifies NHL sophomore breakout candidates for the 2026-27 season. The article references last season's successful second-year players, including Lane Hutson, Cutter Gauthier, Logan Stankoven, Jackson Blake, and Josh Doan, as models for the upcoming class. The piece highlights the challenge of the 'sophomore slump' in professional hockey while spotlighting five players poised to buck that trend.