Story Summary
With the 2026-27 NHL season approaching, one player from each Pacific Division club enters camp with added incentive. The list spans major contracts, contract years, bounce-back opportunities and the challenge of turning potential or a postseason surge into sustained production.
Key Facts
- He scored 29 goals and 38 assists in 70 regular-season games in 2025-26 and added 11 points in 12 playoff games.
- Edmonton Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry, 31, was acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 12. He posted an.858 save percentage in 19 regular-season games with Edmonton last season, lost the starter’s job by March and has two years remaining on his contract with a $5.375-million cap hit.
- Los Angeles Kings forward Alex Turcotte, 25 and a 2019 fifth-overall pick, is entering a contract year after years of delayed development; he scored his first NHL goal two years into his professional career and has yet to establish consistent playing time.
- San Jose Sharks goalie Yaroslav Askarov was acquired in 2024 with the expectation he could be the Sharks’ No. 1; in his first starter’s workload he finished with a .884 save percentage and a 21-20 record last season and is in a contract year.
- Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann, 30, posted career highs of 40 goals and 70 points in 79 games in 2022-23 but regressed to 20 goals and 20 assists in an injury-shortened 2025-26; he enters camp fully healthy with an expectation to produce offensively.
- Vancouver Canucks forward Jonathan Lekkerimaki, 22, was the first Round 1 pick made by then-general manager Patrik Allvin, selected 15th overall. He has not yet played a full season or scored more than three goals in a campaign, but is noted for his shot and goal-scoring potential.
- Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden, 28, led the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs in goals with 14 in 22 games and scored 12 regular-season goals in 58 games last year; his postseason surge raised expectations for sustained scoring.
IHM Discussion
The coming season offers a reset for players facing very different forms of pressure. Leo Carlsson’s five-year, $92-million deal and reported $18-million cap hit place him at the centre of Anaheim’s expectations.
Simon Nemec arrives in Calgary after a stop-start spell in New Jersey. The 2022 second-overall pick has a new five-year contract and an opportunity to establish himself in a young Flames defence corps.
Tristan Jarry’s case is more immediate. He posted an.858 save percentage in 19 games after joining Edmonton, lost the starter’s role by March and enters a season in which the Oilers plan to use a three-goalie rotation with Frederik Andersen, once healthy, and Devon Levi. With two years left on a contract carrying a $5.375-million cap hit, Jarry needs to show he can be a dependable option in net.
Alex Turcotte and Yaroslav Askarov are both in contract years. Turcotte is still seeking consistency after a delayed path to regular NHL playing time, while Askarov follows a season in which he posted an.884 save percentage and a 21-20 record with a starter’s workload.
Elsewhere, Jared McCann looks to rebound from an injury-shortened season after his 40-goal campaign in 2022-23. Jonathan Lekkerimaki has the shot and opportunity to establish himself as a scorer in Vancouver, while Brett Howden must build on a remarkable 14-goal playoff run without assuming that his 34.1 per cent postseason shooting rate will carry over.
Why It Matters
These storylines matter because meaningful improvement from any of these players could affect their clubs’ seasons. Anaheim needs Carlsson to meet the expectations attached to his contract, while Calgary has invested in Nemec as part of its young defence corps. Edmonton’s goaltending picture will be closely watched as Jarry works within a three-goalie group.
For Turcotte and Askarov, contract years add importance to every opportunity. Lekkerimaki’s development could help Vancouver’s offence, while stronger seasons from McCann and Howden would give Seattle and Vegas more scoring support.