2026/27 Season Preview

Nottingham Panthers

A proven scoring core paired with a nearly all-new defence and crease

DT Rating

★★★★

Predicted Finish

3rd–5th

Quick Facts

Head Coach

Danny Stewart

Captain

Matt Alfaro

Arena

Motorpoint Arena Nottingham

2025/26 Finish

3rd

Power Play

24.38%

Penalty Kill

78.68%

DT Ratings

Our editorial assessment of each team's fantasy potential heading into the new EIHL season.

Attack

★★★★★

4.0

Defence

★★★★★

4.0

Goaltending

★★★★★

4.0

Depth

★★★★★

3.5

DT Value

★★★★★

4.0

Club Overview

The returning core

Nottingham enter 2026/27 looking to build on the heights of their 2025/26 cup-winning season. Last time out the Panthers finished 3rd before a quarterfinal exit, and head coach Danny Stewart returns to try to close that gap again.

Up front, the core stays largely intact: Matt Alfaro, Oliver Betteridge, Tim Doherty, Jordan Kelsall and Chase Pearson have all re-signed, giving Stewart a settled group of returning scorers to build around.

Rebuilt at the back

The bigger story is on the blue line and in goal, where turnover has been substantial. Only Zsombor Garát returns among the listed defencemen, with Aiden Hansen-Bukata, Darick Louis-Jean, Henry Newell, Jaakko Niskala and Gordie Ballhorn all arriving fresh, alongside Joseph Hazeldine, who joins from Glasgow Clan as part of an effective swap that sent Ross Armour and Matt Spencer the other way.

In goal, both Kai Edmonds and Mat Robson are brand new arrivals, a completely refreshed tandem following Kevin Carr' retirement.

Summer reinforcements

Up front, Benjamin Corbeil, Max Grondin, Patrick Larkin, Miikka Pitkänen, Spencer Naas, Brandon Frattaroli and Zach O'Brien add further scoring depth to a group that's otherwise stayed settled.

Departures & outlook

The list of departures is long and touches nearly every part of the roster: Matt Spencer and Ross Armour both leave for Glasgow, while Jakob Stridsberg, David Noël, Jarod Hilderman and Cooper Zech all move on from the blue line, alongside forwards Bryan Lemos, Nolan Volcan, Didrik Henbrant and Matt Marcinew. Goaltender Jason Grande also departs, while young forward Finlay Ulrick drops down to the NIHL with Hull Seahawks. The ever entertaining and Dream Team star Mitch Fossier retires too, alongside defenceman Joshua Tetlow.

With a settled forward group but a nearly entirely new defensive corps and goaltending tandem, Nottingham's season may hinge on how quickly the new pieces at the back gel with a proven scoring core up front.

Summer Arrivals

Gordie Ballhorn

Defence • Esbjerg Energy (Denmark)

Nottingham's most recently confirmed signing, adding further depth to a heavily rebuilt blue line.

Joseph Hazeldine

Defence • Glasgow Clan

Arrives as part of a swap that sent Ross Armour and Matt Spencer the other way to Glasgow.

Jaakko Niskala

Defence • Nikko Icebucks (Japan)

Adds further international experience to a blue line that' been almost entirely rebuilt this summer.

Kai Edmonds

Goaltender • Toronto Metro Univ. (Canada)

One half of an entirely new goaltending tandem following Kevin Carr' retirement.

Mat Robson

Goaltender • Coventry Blaze

A British-qualified goaltender who joins Edmonds to form a completely refreshed crease.

Aiden Hansen-Bukata

Defence • Utah Grizzlies (ECHL)

Brings recent ECHL experience to a blue line that' been almost entirely rebuilt this summer.

Darick Louis-Jean

Defence • Trois-Rivières Lions (LNAH, Canada)

The most recent confirmed arrival, joining just days before pre-season begins.

Henry Newell

Defence • Kalix HC (HockeyEttan, Sweden)

A British-qualified defenceman who joins the rebuilt blue line from Sweden' third-tier HockeyEttan.

Miikka Pitkänen

Forward • Nybro Vikings IF (Sweden)

Adds further scoring depth to an already settled forward group.

Max Grondin

Forward • Norfolk Admirals (ECHL)

Adds further forward depth, arriving from the ECHL' Norfolk Admirals.

Spencer Naas

Forward • Dundee Stars

Adds further forward depth, arriving from fellow Elite League side Dundee Stars.

Brandon Frattaroli

Forward • IF Troja-Ljungby (Sweden)

Joins from Sweden's second tier and adds to the competition for places up front.

Zach O'Brien

Forward • Storhamar (Norway)

Arrives from Norway's top division to further bolster Nottingham's forward group.

Benjamin Corbeil

Forward • Eispiraten Crimmitschau (Germany)

A change of league could unlock a bigger role than he saw in Germany's second tier last season.

Patrick Larkin

Forward • McGill Univ. (Canada)

Joins after his time in Canadian university hockey, adding further forward depth.

Summer Departures

Matt Spencer

Defence • Glasgow Clan

Departs alongside Ross Armour in the swap that brought Joseph Hazeldine to Nottingham.

Ross Armour

Forward • Glasgow Clan

Moves on to Glasgow as part of the same exchange of players.

Kevin Carr

Goaltender • Retired

Retirement closes out the chapter that necessitated a completely new goaltending tandem.

Jakob Stridsberg

Defence • Tilburg Trappers (Netherlands)

One of several defencemen to depart as the blue line is substantially rebuilt.

David Noël

Defence • Grenoble (France)

Another departure from a heavily rebuilt blue line.

Jarod Hilderman

Defence • Bordeaux (France)

Moves on to France after his time with the Panthers.

Cooper Zech

Defence • Toledo Walleye (ECHL)

Returns to North America, joining the ECHL' Toledo Walleye.

Bryan Lemos

Forward • Lausitzer Füchse (Germany)

Moves on to Germany after a season with the Panthers.

Nolan Volcan

Forward • Cergy-Pontoise (France)

Departs for France as the forward group's depth also turns over.

Didrik Henbrant

Forward • Odense Bulldogs (Denmark)

Moves on to Denmark after his time in Nottingham.

Matt Marcinew

Forward • EC Bad Nauheim (Germany)

Departs for Germany's second tier after last season with the Panthers.

Jason Grande

Goaltender • Anglet (France)

Moves on to France as the goaltending tandem is completely refreshed.

Finlay Ulrick

Forward • Hull Seahawks (NIHL)

Drops down to the NIHL after his time with the Panthers.

Joshua Tetlow

Defence • Retired

Retires after his time with the Panthers.

Mitchell Fossier

Forward • Retired

The ever-entertaining Dream Team star hangs up his skates after his time in Nottingham.

Projected Line-up

The forward group is fairly settled, but the defensive pairings below are more speculative given how much turnover there' been on the blue line, so expect these to shift once pre-season clarifies deployment.

First Line: Tim Doherty, Chase Pearson and Brandon Frattaroli

Second Line: Zach O'Brien, Matt Alfaro and Miikka Pitkänen

Third Line: Spencer Naas, Max Grondin and Benjamin Corbeil

Fourth Line: Jordan Kelsall, Patrick Larkin, Ollie Betteridge

First Pairing: Zsombor Garát and Aiden Hansen-Bukata

Second Pairing: Darick Louis-Jean and Gordie Ballhorn

Third Pairing: Joseph Hazeldine and Jaakko Niskala

Netminders: Mat Robson, Kai Edmonds and Luca Sheldon

Players To Watch

DT Star

Matt Alfaro

The most established returning scorer on a forward group that' stayed largely intact.

Sleeper Pick

Miikka Pitkänen

Joins a settled forward core from Sweden with a chance to carve out a meaningful role at a modest price.

Breakout Candidate

Benjamin Corbeil

A change of league could unlock a bigger role than he saw in Germany' second tier last season.

Top Defenceman

Joseph Hazeldine

Arrives with Elite League pedigree and should be the clear top-pairing option on a rebuilt blue line.

Starting Netminder

Kai Edmonds

One half of a completely new tandem, worth monitoring closely early in the season as the new pairing settles in.

Fantasy Outlook

DT Verdict

Nottingham' forward group offers real, proven fantasy value, but the almost entirely new defensive corps and goaltending tandem add uncertainty. Worth targeting the returning forwards early while the back end finds its feet.

Season Prediction

3rd–5th

Best Case

A return to the top of the table and a deep playoff run.

Worst Case

Another step back if the new defensive pieces take time to gel.

Confidence

Medium

A proven forward core gives Nottingham a real floor, but how quickly an almost entirely new defence and goaltending tandem come together will likely determine whether this is a bounce-back season or another step down.

Bold Prediction

Nottingham, not Belfast or Sheffield, top the table this season.

Everyone's fixated on how much of the defence and crease turned over, and missing the bigger point: the forward group that carried Nottingham to a cup last season is fully intact. If even a handful of the new pieces at the back settle in quickly, a proven scoring core is enough to win a league this tight outright.

2026/27 Squad

21 players named for 2026/27 — 15 new since last season.

Netminders (2)

Mat Robson

from Coventry Blaze (EIHL)

GBNew

Kai Edmonds

from Toronto Metro Univ. (USports)

Rookie

Defence (7)

Darick Louis-Jean

from Trois-Rivières Lions (ECHL)

New

Gordie Ballhorn

from Esbjerg Energy (Metal Ligaen)

New

Henry Newell

from Kalix HC (HockeyEttan)

GBNew

Jaakko Niskala

from Nikko Ice Bucks (Asia League)

New

Aiden Hansen-Bukata

from Utah Grizzlies (ECHL)

New

Zsombor Garat

Joe Hazeldine

from Glasgow Clan (EIHL)

GBNew

Forwards (12)

Spencer Naas

from Dundee Stars (EIHL)

New

Patrick Larkin

from McGill Univ. (USports)

GBRookie

Chase Pearson

Jordan Kelsall

Tim Doherty

Matt Alfaro

Brandon Frattaroli

from IF Troja-Ljungby (HockeyEttan)

New

Miikka Pitkänen

from Nybro Vikings (HockeyAllsvenskan)

New

Ollie Betteridge

Benjamin Corbeil

from Eispiraten Crimmitschau (DEL2)

New

Zach O'Brien

from Storhamar (EliteHockey Ligaen)

New

Max Grondin

from Norfolk Admirals (ECHL)

New

Editors Note

This preview reflects confirmed signings and departures as of early September 2026, cross-checked against EliteProspects' transaction log. Projected line combinations will be updated during pre-season.