Every year, there seems to be a player who breaks out and becomes a cornerstone of a team when no one expected it.
Here are three players who could be much more important than some might've thought before.
LW Daniil But
Daniil But has already shown flashes of great potential in preseason and in the rookie showcase. The 21-year-old and former first-round pick (12th in 2023) didn't look confident in his 29 games in the NHL in 2025-26.
But scored only three goals and added four assists. The 6'5" winger has the ability to be a game changer for Utah with his potential in the offensive zone and even as a good offensive defender. In But's first preseason game, he scored one goal, added one assist, and helped set up a sweet goal by Clayton Keller.
Not many are expecting to see But suddenly become one of the top wingers on the team. However, with the way he has looked prior to the regular season - watch out.
RW Kailer Yamamoto
In just 59 games, Kailer Yamamoto scored 13 goals and added 10 assists in 2025-26. Yamamoto became more effective as the season moved on and was one of the lone bright spots for Utah in the offseason.
This led to Utah re-signing Yamamoto. Heading into 2026-27, he will likely land either at the bottom of the top nine or as an important depth piece.
The 27-year-old notably has four seasons with 10 goals or more and even one 20 goal season. Yamamoto in the past has shown the ability to score and seems to have found a nice place in Utah. While Yamamoto probably isn't going to go crazy this season, he may become much more important than some might think.
C Barrett Hayton
The Mammoth received a rare offer sheet for center Barrett Hayton this offseason. Hayton, 26, was selected 5th overall in the 2018 draft.
Hayton hasn't lived up to his potential so far, and the 2025-26 season has been pretty disappointing. Hayton has scored just 10 goals and added 15 assists, playing center on the third line. After scoring 20 goals the season prior, Utah was certainly not pleased with how Hayton played offensively.
Still, Utah matched the offer, showing they wanted to keep him in Salt Lake. Hayton can be better offensively and could surprise people.
After all, Utah's offensive talent could lead to centers scoring more points. The Hayton breakout hasn't happened yet, but watch out for him as well.
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