3 Carolina Hurricanes Prospects to Watch in 2026-27 – The Hockey Writers – Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes have a knack for finding gems in the draft, no matter the round. As we draw closer to the 2026-27 season, here are three prospects in the Hurricanes’ organization that fans should keep an eye on.

Bradly Nadeau

Everyone will be hyper-focused on forward Bradly Nadeau heading into the campaign. With the news that Seth Jarvis will be out 4 to 6 months following shoulder surgery, there is a sense that Nadeau could get a longer look.

Following Round 1 of the 2026 NHL Draft, general manager Eric Tulsky met with the media and was asked if Nadeau would get an opportunity with Jarvis out. He stated, “He’s been great in the (AHL). He had, sort of, two call-up stints this past year. I thought in the first one, he looked like someone who was acclimating for the first time. In the second one, he looked like someone who was acclimated. You could see the progression. He absolutely will be in the conversation if we need a call-up at the start of the year. I think it would be a good opportunity for him to get some runway.”

During the 2025-26 season, Nadeau played 12 games with the Hurricanes, tallying three goals. With the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL), he tallied 27 goals and 56 points in 52 games. He followed that up with seven goals and 17 points in 21 games, en route to a Calder Cup Final appearance.

Depending on how training camp and the four preseason games go, there is a solid chance Nadeau will get a couple of months in Carolina to showcase that he is ready to be a full-time NHLer.

Joel Nyström

After playing 38 NHL games last season due to a plethora of blue-line injuries, defenseman Joel Nyström will be one to watch this season. With one goal and 10 points, and a plus-6 rating, Nyström showed that he fit seamlessly onto the roster when he was called up.

He played so well that on Dec. 12, after 23 games with the club, the Hurricanes extended Nyström to a four-year, $4.9 million deal, keeping him with the organization through the 2029-30 season. His new contract will pay him $1.225 million annually beginning this season.

With the Wolves, Nyström scored one goal and 10 points in 37 games. He also had a plus-9 rating. There is a growing sense that he could be the first call-up in case of injuries. As of now, things are still uncertain. Unrestricted free agent Mike Reilly is still unsigned, and the team is negotiating with Alexander Nikishin. Plus, depending on how things go, Juuso Valimaki could be the seventh defenseman this season.

But don’t be surprised if Nyström is back with the team in 2026-27 at some point. Until then, he will be worth keeping an eye on with the Wolves as the defending Western Conference champions look for another deep Calder Cup Playoff run.

Charlie Cerrato

The final player to keep an eye on is center Charlie Cerrato. On May 12, the Hurricanes announced that they had signed Cerrato to a three-year entry-level contract (ELC) after two seasons with Penn State. With the Nittany Lions, he scored 15 goals and 42 points in 38 games during his rookie season (2024-25) and seven goals and 27 points in 23 games in his sophomore season. He finished his collegiate career with 22 goals and 69 points in 61 games. 

Before that, he played with the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League (USHL), where he tallied 12 goals and 50 points in 45 games. He finished the 2023-24 season ranked second in points and led the team in assists (38).

After his time with Penn State ended, Cerrato signed a professional tryout with the Wolves. He played in one Calder Cup Playoff game and had zero points. This season, there is a sense that he could center the second line for head coach Spiros Anastas. He will have a ton of eyes on him at training camp and during preseason as the 45th overall pick in 2025 looks poised to be part of the Hurricanes’ next core.

Between North America, Europe, and Russia, there is no shortage of exciting young talent in the organization. However, Nadeau, Nyström, and Cerrato are the ones to keep a close eye on in 2026-27.