The puck dropped on the 2026-27 NHL season on Sept. 29, and the schedule is longer: 84 games per team, up from 82, running through April 10, 2027. If you are looking for Black NHL players to follow this year, the storylines are strong. Two Black defensemen just won the Stanley Cup. A franchise cornerstone in Los Angeles is taking over the top center job. A longtime Oilers leader has a brand new jersey. And a goalie who earned the starting job just got paid.

Here is who to watch, where they play now after the offseason moves, and exactly how to catch their games.

Black NHL players to watch in 2026-27

Every team listed below was checked against official NHL.com roster announcements and trade coverage from the 2026 offseason.

1. Quinton Byfield, Los Angeles Kings

Byfield, the highest-drafted Black player in NHL history at No. 2 overall in 2020, is now the Kings’ primary center after Anze Kopitar’s retirement. His speed is the selling point: NHL EDGE data ranked him in the 98th percentile at his position in 20-plus mph speed bursts. Los Angeles also added star winger Artemi Panarin, which should give Byfield more help up front. Watch for: whether his point totals finally catch up to his skating and defensive work.

2. K’Andre Miller, Carolina Hurricanes

When Carolina traded for Miller in 2025 and signed him to an eight-year, $60 million deal, plenty of people called it a risk. Then he led all Hurricanes in average ice time during the playoff run (24:03 per game) and posted nine postseason points as Carolina won the 2026 Stanley Cup, beating Vegas 4-2 in the Final. His message to doubters was blunt: he could not wait for them to see his ring. Watch for: Miller as a true No. 1 minutes eater on a team defending a title.

3. Jalen Chatfield, Carolina Hurricanes

Chatfield was quietly excellent in the Cup run, with eight points (one goal, seven assists) in 19 playoff games as the Hurricanes went 16-3 in the postseason. He spent his day with the Cup in August parading it around North Carolina. Watch for: a steady, physical game that keeps showing up in big moments.

4. Seth Jones, Florida Panthers

Jones, the son of former NBA forward Popeye Jones, was the No. 4 pick in the 2013 draft and carries a $9.5 million average annual value on his contract. Injuries cost him significant time last season as Florida missed the playoffs, so 2026-27 is a bounce-back year for both player and team. Watch for: Jones against Carolina’s blue line, since the Hurricanes raised their banner against Florida on opening night.

5. Darnell Nurse, San Jose Sharks

After 798 regular-season games with Edmonton, Nurse was traded to San Jose on July 1, 2026. He leaves as the Oilers’ all-time leader in blocked shots (1,467) and hits (1,692), with four seasons left at a $9.25 million cap hit. He called the move “a fresh start in a lot of senses.” Watch for: Nurse as the veteran anchor for a young Sharks group built around Macklin Celebrini.

6. Jet Greaves, Columbus Blue Jackets

Greaves earned his payday the hard way. He started 53 games last season, going 26-19-9 with a 2.60 goals-against average and two shutouts, then signed a three-year, $15 million contract in July. Watch for: whether the 25-year-old can hold the starting job for a full season in a competitive Metropolitan Division.

7. Anthony Duclair, New York Islanders

The speedy winger from Pointe-Claire, Quebec, made the Islanders season-opening 23-man roster, announced Sept. 28. A healthy Duclair adds pace to a lineup that also features young star defenseman Matthew Schaefer. Watch for: Duclair’s shot on the rush and his work on the power play.

The next wave: the Iginla brothers

Tij Iginla, son of Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla, was the No. 6 pick in 2024 by Utah. After two hip surgeries, he was not on Utah’s opening-night roster, but he is expected to make his pro debut this season with the Mammoth or their AHL affiliate in Tucson. His younger brother Joe was drafted by the Calgary Flames this year, so the family name is not leaving the NHL conversation anytime soon.

How to watch Black NHL players this season

In the U.S., national games are split between ESPN and TNT Sports:

• ESPN and ABC: 100 exclusive games, with 47 on ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu.
• Out-of-market games: more than 1,050 games through NHL Power Play on the ESPN App.
• TNT Sports: 72 regular-season games, including the Winter Classic on Dec. 31.
• Local games: your team’s regional sports network or its streaming app.

Save the dates (all times ET):

• Tue., Oct. 13: Frozen Frenzy. Sharks and Bruins close the ESPN tripleheader at 11 p.m.
• Thu., Oct. 22: Kings and Islanders, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu. Byfield vs. Duclair.
• Wed., Nov. 4: Sharks at Kings, 10 p.m., TNT. Nurse vs. Byfield in a California rivalry.
• Tue., Nov. 10: Panthers and Blue Jackets, 7:30 p.m., ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu. Jones vs. Greaves.
• Feb. 5 and 6, 2027: NHL All-Star Weekend at UBS Arena on Long Island.

Planning your fall calendar? Our October 2026 Black culture calendar has more dates worth saving, and basketball fans can pair this with our NBA 2026-27 season preview.

Who is growing the game

The players above are the top of a pipeline. These groups are working on the bottom of it, where cost and access keep a lot of Black kids out of hockey.

Hockey Diversity Alliance

Co-founded in 2020 by former pro Akim Aliu with current and former NHL players of color, the Hockey Diversity Alliance gives out free equipment and pays for clinics and ice time. According to the Associated Press, it runs programs in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York, Montreal and Nova Scotia, with Calgary coming, and spends about $1.1 million a year. Its free SummerFest in Toronto was expected to draw more than 4,000 people this July. As Aliu put it, “Over 2,000 lives have been positively impacted by our work.”

Black Girl Hockey Club

Founded by Renee Hess to build community for Black women in hockey, BGHC now funds young players directly. Its scholarships cover $500 to $5,000 in seasonal team costs, plus a Bauer award worth up to $1,000 in new equipment.

• Who qualifies: Black girls ages 9 to 18 on a seasonal team, with a 2.3 GPA and financial need.
• Next deadline: Dec. 31 for the winter cycle, with funds sent Feb. 1.
• After that: April 30 for summer and Aug. 31 for fall.

Your quick checklist

• Set a reminder for Frozen Frenzy on Oct. 13.
• Check that your setup includes ESPN Unlimited or TV provider access to ESPN and TNT before the big nights.
• Follow at least one player above on social media; they share a lot about community work.
• If you have a young player at home, bookmark the BGHC scholarship page before Dec. 31.
• Ask your local rink or NHL team about learn-to-play programs for kids.

Who is your pick to break out this season? Tell us in the comments, and we will check back at the All-Star break.