The playoff line in the NHL is unforgiving. Every season, a handful of young players cross it and drag their teams with them. Identifying those players before the puck drops is the core of NHL breakout predictions. The 2026-27 season is no different, with a new wave of talent ready to shift standings and fantasy leagues alike.

Official records from the 2025-26 season and offseason transactions provide the evidence. No guesswork. Just numbers, roles, and opportunity.

Macklin Celebrini Already Arrived

Calling Macklin Celebrini a breakout candidate feels late. The San Jose Sharks center posted 4.3 ADP in fantasy drafts, per Daily Faceoff, and ranked fourth overall in consensus rankings. He is the only forward among the top 17 point scorers last season outside the age-24 to age-32 window, according to Daily Faceoff’s 2030 projection. That is not a breakout prediction. That is a confirmation.

The real breakout is what comes next: a full season of elite production without the sophomore adjustment. Celebrini’s ADP suggests the market expects another leap. The standings will tell if San Jose can support it.

Matthew Schaefer Is The Defensive Headliner

Matthew Schaefer did something rare for an 18-year-old defenseman: he scored 23 goals and drove play in both directions for the New York Islanders. Daily Faceoff ranked him second overall in its 2030 projection, behind only Connor McDavid. That is not hype. That is a statistical profile that forced a rewrite.

Schaefer’s rookie season was one of the greatest ever by a teenage defenseman. His ADP sits at 31.6, and his DFO rank is 39. The market is still catching up. If the Islanders improve even marginally, Schaefer’s breakout is already here. The question is how high he climbs in the standings.

Lane Hutson And The Montreal Core

Lane Hutson finished fourth in points by a defenseman last season with 78 and led the Montreal Canadiens to a surprise Final Four appearance. Daily Faceoff’s Matt predicted Hutson will finish as the No. 1 fantasy defenseman in 2026-27. That is a bold call, but the underlying numbers support it.

Hutson’s ADP is 20.5, while his DFO rank is 29. The market is drafting him earlier than the consensus, which means the breakout is already priced in. The real value is in his teammate Juraj Slafkovsky, who set career highs with 30 goals, 73 points and 105 hits last season. Slafkovsky was the only NHL player with at least 30 goals, 100 hits and 60 blocks. His ADP is 52.6, and his DFO rank is 59. The breakout is not fully priced.

Clayton Keller’s Power-Play Surge

Clayton Keller already reached 88 points last season, but his finish suggests another level. He produced 38 points over his final 27 games while Utah’s power play surged from one of the NHL’s worst to one of its best. Daily Faceoff’s Brock flagged Keller as a breakout candidate with legitimate 100-point upside.

Keller’s ADP is 44.0, and his DFO rank is 38. The value is positive, meaning the market is sleeping on him. If Utah’s power play holds, Keller could be a top-20 forward by season’s end. That would shift the Western Conference playoff race.

Goaltending Breakouts: Swayman And Wallstedt

Jeremy Swayman finished third in GSAx (+26.5) last season, earned a Vezina finalist nod, and won Olympic Gold in a backup role. Daily Faceoff’s Nick predicted Swayman will win the Vezina Trophy in 2026-27. His ADP is 61.3, while his DFO rank is 40. That is a massive value gap.

Jesper Wallstedt took control of the Minnesota Wild crease in the postseason, starting 10 of 11 games and stealing the net from Filip Gustavsson. He stopped 13.3 GSAx in 35 appearances, eighth in the league on a per-game basis. His ADP is 59.1, and his DFO rank is 56. He is a breakout waiting for a full starter’s workload.

Standings Implications

The NHL breakout predictions above are not just fantasy fodder. They determine who makes the playoffs. If Celebrini lifts San Jose, the Pacific Division gets tighter. If Schaefer anchors the Islanders, the Metropolitan race shifts. If Hutson and Slafkovsky carry Montreal, the Atlantic becomes a four-team fight.

Injury status matters. Jack Hughes has missed at least 20 games in four of the past five seasons, which is why Daily Faceoff’s Matt flagged him as an ADP avoid at 18.4. Nick Suzuki’s 101-point season came with a 15.9% on-ice shooting percentage, a number that screams regression. Those are the risks that break playoff hopes.

Who Makes It

The breakout candidates with the clearest paths are Celebrini, Schaefer, Keller, and Swayman. Each has a defined role, a track record of production, and a market that has not fully adjusted. The ones with injury or regression risk—Hughes, Suzuki, and Leo Carlsson—are the ones to avoid in drafts and in playoff predictions.

For Nigerian fans watching on streaming platforms, the NHL’s global reach means these breakouts will be visible. The standings will shift. The playoff line will move. And the next wave will arrive.

Check official records for current season stats, fixtures, and injury reports before locking in any prediction. The NHL breakout predictions game is won by those who verify first.

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About Paul Nwogo
            
Paul Nwogo is an engineer, published author, and the Head Manager at AfriLatest. He has written numerous books available on Amazon covering a diverse range of topics, including health, personal finance, relationships, work ethics, and scam survival. With his technical background and passion for writing, Paul now oversees the editorial direction of AfriLatest, delivering practical, accurate, and engaging content on trending news, music, and global lifestyle topics.
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Taika Waititi has confirmed that his long-gestating Star Wars movie is officially on ice, and he didn’t sugarcoat it.

Speaking to Inverse while promoting his new film Klara and the Sun, the director was blunt when asked about the project he’s been attached to since 2020. “I hate to break this to you, but we’re going to actually put it on ice and we’re working on a different thing together,” Waititi said. “I don’t even know how to dress it up or make it even vague. It’s very iced. I’ve got about four other movies I’m trying to do.”

Ouch. That’s about as direct as it gets in Hollywood, where “in development” usually means “please stop asking.” But Waititi didn’t completely close the door. “Ice ages do come to an end,” he added. “Who knows?”

A Six-Year Saga of Hopeful Updates

Rumors that Lucasfilm wanted Waititi for a Star Wars film started circulating in January 2020, just a few years after Thor: Ragnarok made him one of Marvel’s most beloved directors. An official announcement followed a few months later, and for a while, things looked promising. In 2021, Waititi said he’d finished the story. In 2022, then-Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said the goal was to hit theaters in late 2023.

That didn’t happen. By 2023, Waititi admitted he was prioritizing other projects, and updates went quiet. Earlier this year, he promised the film would “harness a little bit more of the fun from the original trilogy.” Now it’s frozen solid.

According to IGN, the writing had been on the wall for a while. Kennedy had said the project was “still somewhat alive” amid her exit from Lucasfilm, which is corporate speak for “don’t hold your breath.” Waititi’s publicist reportedly told him not to elaborate further during the Inverse interview, which explains the “well, there’s your answer” follow-up.

Fans React: Disappointment, But Not Surprise

The reaction online has been a mix of disappointment and weary acceptance. Star Wars fans have been burned before. Rian Johnson’s trilogy? Shelved. Kevin Feige’s project? Gone. Donald Glover’s Lando? Missing in action. Add Waititi’s film to the pile.

But this one stings a little more because Waititi’s pitch sounded genuinely fun. He wanted to capture the joy of the original films, the swashbuckling energy that made A New Hope feel like a Saturday matinee adventure. In a franchise that’s been weighed down by lore and legacy, that approach felt refreshing.

According to Variety, Waititi had said in January that he was “trying to go back and harness a little bit more of the fun from the original films.” He also noted that his film would need to exist “a little bit more its own thing” given how much else is happening in the Star Wars universe.

That “own thing” is now on indefinite hold. As Bleeding Cool noted, the project never gained real momentum over six years. No bad blood, apparently, but no movie either.

What’s Still Coming From Star Wars

The good news for fans is that Star Wars isn’t abandoning theaters. The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives in 2026, and Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter is set for May 28, 2027, with a cast that includes Ryan Gosling, Matt Smith, Mia Goth, and Amy Adams. The original 1977 Star Wars is also returning to theaters for a limited time in February 2027, complete with 70mm IMAX showings and no CGI Jabba.

On the TV side, Ahsoka Season 2 drops January 20, 2027, on Disney Plus, and Maul: Shadow Lord Season 2 is also in the works. Dave Filoni’s New Republic movie and James Mangold’s dawn-of-the-Jedi film are still in development, though the Rey movie from Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy sounds increasingly uncertain after Kennedy’s departure.

What Waititi Is Doing Instead

Waititi isn’t hurting for work. His next film, Klara and the Sun, hits theaters October 23, 2026, with Jenna Ortega, Amy Adams, and Steve Buscemi. The early reviews, however, are rough. It currently sits at 23% on Rotten Tomatoes after 12 reviews, with Variety’s Guy Lodge calling Waititi’s decision to play it for “strained, whimsical comedy” ruinous.

So maybe the Star Wars news isn’t the only thing Waititi is having a tough week about.

What Fans Should Watch For

The Taika Waititi Star Wars movie is on ice, but “ice ages do come to an end.” If Starfighter performs well and Lucasfilm finds its footing again, could Waititi’s project thaw? It’s possible, but don’t bet on it. Six years of development hell is a long time, and Waititi has four other movies he’s trying to make.

For now, fans should focus on what’s actually coming: Starfighter, Ahsoka Season 2, and the 50th-anniversary re-release of the original film. And maybe keep a little hope in reserve. Stranger things have happened in a galaxy far, far away.

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Don’t throw away your old PlayStation. That dusty PS4 under your TV still has a job, and if you’re done with it, someone else will pay for it.

That’s the honest read on a console most of us quietly abandoned. A CNET survey of 2,638 US adults found that 22% still toss old electronics straight into the trash, and 29% stash them at home collecting dust. Only 39% recycle. If you’re in that 22%, you’re not just wasting a working machine — you’re tossing something that can still hold real value. So before you drag it to the curb, here’s what the old box can actually do.

Turn It Into a Media Center

Your PlayStation can pull media in three main ways: streaming apps, physical discs, and files from a USB drive. Streaming is the obvious one, though how you download apps depends on the model. Be warned: the PS3 route is mostly closed, since many major streaming services have stopped supporting it.

Discs are where old consoles shine. Even a PS2 plays DVDs using the same drive it uses for games. The PS3 and PS4 handle both DVDs and Blu-rays, so if you still own physical movies, your old PlayStation becomes a dedicated movie player overnight.

USB playback is the sleeper option. Format the drive to exFAT (FAT32 specifically for the PS3) if it’s currently NTFS, move your media files into folders, then plug it in. On the PS4 you’ll need to install the Media Player app first. That’s it.

Harvest the Parts Before You Let Go

The DualShock 4 is the real prize. It pairs with phones, tablets, PCs, and even some new-gen consoles. You can connect it to an Amazon Fire TV Stick for cloud gaming or use it as a makeshift remote. The DualShock 3 works too, but with fewer devices and a clunkier connection process.

The hard drive is easier to pull than you’d think. Sony designed it to be user-replaceable, so a few screws and you’re out. Add a USB enclosure, reformat, and you’ve got external storage for free. While you’re in there, grab the HDMI and power cables too.

How to Sell Your Old PlayStation for the Most Cash

There are three routes, and they trade convenience against payout. Big-box trade-ins at Best Buy, Amazon, and GameStop are the easiest, but you’ll get lowball offers and often store credit instead of cash. Buyback sites like Back Market Trade-in pay actual cash and usually value old PlayStations higher, though you’ll wait longer and eat the shipping risk. Marketplaces like Swappa and eBay net you the most money, but you’re handling the sale yourself.

Even a PS2 still sells today. That matters, because the alternative is contributing to an e-waste problem that’s already bad.

Hand It Down or Donate It

If cash isn’t the goal, give it a second life. Hand it to a younger cousin who’ll actually finish the games you never did. If nobody’s around, donate. Gamers Outreach collects certain consoles and gives them to children in hospitals. Do your homework first — old consoles still have monetary value, so scammers pose as charities while actually reselling. Check reviews from other donors before you ship anything.

Recycle It Properly If It’s Dead

Too damaged to use? Don’t bin it. Old electronics contain hazardous substances like lead that poison the environment when improperly disposed. Best Buy and Staples run recycling programs for old electronics, and Earth911 lets you search local recyclers by area. The CNET survey notes e-waste laws now exist in 25 states, and South Carolina bans tech from solid-waste landfills entirely. Throwing it out isn’t just wasteful — in some places it’s illegal.

Wipe Your Data Before It Leaves

This is the step everyone skips. Back up your saves first, then factory reset. On PS4, plug in a FAT32 or exFAT USB drive, then go to Settings > Application Saved Data Management > Saved Data in System Storage > Copy to USB Storage Device. PlayStation Plus subscribers can upload saves to cloud storage from the same menu. PS3 owners use Settings > System Settings > Backup Utility > Back Up with a FAT32 drive.

Before resetting, PS4 owners should unlink the console: Settings > Account Management > Activate as Your Primary PS4 > Deactivate. Then initialize. PS4: Settings > Initialization > Initialize PS4 > Full. PS3: Settings > System Settings > Restore PS3 System > Full Format. The console comes out looking brand new.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

Cloud gaming executives keep predicting we’ll all stream our games eventually. Amazon’s gaming boss Jeff Gattis told the BBC that rising hardware costs will push players toward streaming. But as ConsumerAffairs points out, trade-in programs from Apple, Amazon, Target, Staples, and Best Buy still pay cash or credit for old devices — and a working console in your closet is worth more than a dead one in a landfill.

So don’t throw away your old PlayStation. Sell it, donate it, or wire it into your setup as the movie machine it was always meant to be. The only wrong move is the trash bag.

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