The Biggest X-Factor for Every NHL Team for 2022-23 Season
Every contending NHL team needs a core group of stars to build around and be impact players.
A top-line center and a No. 1 defenseman are always at the top of the list. It is nearly impossible to seriously compete without top-tier players at those spots. But while the big-money superstars are the cornerstones, every team has a couple of X-factor players who can make or break what the squad is truly capable of.
Sometimes it is a goalie, sometimes it is a young player on a cheap contract who is counted on to be a top contributor and improve the salary-cap situation, and sometimes it is a complementary player added on a cheap deal.
Here we take a look at the biggest X-factor players on each NHL team for the 2022-23 season.
Anaheim Ducks: Mason McTavish
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The Anaheim Ducks had some big developments a year ago with the emergence of Trevor Zegras, Jamie Drysdale and Troy Terry as their franchise building blocks.
They complemented them this offseason with an aggressive offseason that saw the Ducks add veterans Ryan Strome, Frank Vatrano and John Klingberg to the roster. All of them will help. But the one player who could really help move the needle is Mason McTavish, the No. 3 overall pick from the 2021 NHL draft.
McTavish might have the highest potential of any player on the roster outside of Zegras, and if he can step into the lineup and make a big splash, he can emerge as a top-tier player who could be a potential game-changer in Anaheim.
The most valuable assets in hockey are young, top-line players on entry-level deals, and if you get a couple of them all emerging at the same time, that can quickly accelerate a rebuild.
The Ducks are still a long way from contending, but they at least have a light at the end of the tunnel with Zegras, Drysdale, Terry and McTavish.
Arizona Coyotes: Nick Schmaltz
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The Arizona Coyotes do not have a lot of players signed to long-term commitments, but Nick Schmaltz is one of the small handful of players they have inked for a few years.
He is also one of the few players on the roster who has a chance to be a bona fide top-six forward.
That can have a couple of potential impacts.
On one hand, they need somebody to score, and Schmaltz's 2021-22 career was a breakout year that saw him average close to a point per game.
On the other hand, if he can repeat those numbers, he is a very attractive trade chip given the production, his age (26) and relatively cap-friendly contract ($5.9 million per season). At some point you want to see the Coyotes move beyond that sort of mindset, but they are clearly in a future-building mindset right now, so accumulating long-term assets is the obvious goal the past few years.
Schmaltz could net them a pretty hefty return if they go that route again.
Boston Bruins: David Krejčí
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For years David Krejčí was a major building block for the Boston Bruins and helped the team reach three Stanley Cup Finals. He is one of the franchise's all-time great playoff performers and, along with Patrice Bergeron, has helped form an outstanding one-two punch down the middle at center.
He spent the 2021-22 season playing overseas in his native Czech Republic, but the Bruins were able to convince him to come back this season on an insanely cheap one-year deal (just $1 million against the cap, with some performance bonuses added in).
His return, along with Bergeron's decision to put off retirement for another year, gives the Bruins their outstanding duo back at center and should help keep their window for contention open for a little longer.
With Krejčí gone a year ago the Bruins did not really have a solid No. 2 center option, and it definitely impacted their depth scoring. Even though he is in his age-36 season, Krejčí should still be able to perform at a 20-goal, 50-point level. You get that production, combined with his two-way play, for $1 million against the cap, and you have a wildly valuable player.
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Buffalo Sabres: Owen Power
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The Buffalo Sabres did not really do much this offseason to strengthen their roster despite a strong second-half showing a year ago. That is going to be a problem for a roster that still has a lot of holes and question marks.
The one thing they do have going for them: a very intriguing young defense led by No. 1 overall picks Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, and Mattias Samuelsson, a promising young player who just inked a lucrative seven-year, $30 million deal despite only playing a handful of games and never scoring an NHL goal.
Power, though, is the player we are going with as the X-factor because his potential is the highest of any player on the roster.
Including Dahlin.
If those two pan out as No. 1 overall picks and become the superstar-level players the Sabres hope and expect, they might finally have a real starting point for a successful rebuild after so many failed attempts.
Calgary Flames: MacKenzie Weegar
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Calgary's trade of Matthew Tkachuk this offseason is one of the most fascinating deals in recent NHL memory because it is typically impossible to get fair market value for a player that good. There is usually a template in such trades that involves a top prospect, a first-round pick and some random NHL roster filler.
The Flames busted that template by getting another superstar (Jonathan Huberdeau) and a legitimate top-pairing defenseman in MacKenzie Weegar.
Weegar is the player we see as the Flames' X-factor because he can be a huge addition to an already-strong defensive team.
He received some criticism for some tough plays in the playoffs a year ago, but everything about Weegar's recent track record indicates he is a top-pairing defender. He moves the puck well, drives possession and provides a very nice level of offense.
He has received Norris votes in each of the past two seasons (including a top-eight finish two years ago) and is going to be one of the Flames' top all-around defenders. He would have been a good starting point in a Tkachuk trade, and the Flames not only got him, but one of the league's top offensive players as well.
An outstanding deal.
Carolina Hurricanes: Max Pacioretty
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So here is the deal with Max Pacioretty: He is going to miss a significant portion of the regular season after an offseason Achilles injury. That is, quite obviously, a temporary setback.
But he should be back later in the season and most certainly for the Stanley Cup playoffs.
When he is back, he has the potential to be a complete game-changer for a team that is already one of the best in the league and a top Stanley Cup contender.
The one big issue the Carolina Hurricanes have had in recent years, and especially in the playoffs, is not having enough finishers on their roster who can turn all of their shots and possessions into goals. There are some young players on the team who have the potential to break out and solve that internally (Andrei Svechnikov, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Martin Nečas), but Pacioretty was a huge outside addition with a proven track record of finishing.
When healthy, he is still a 30-35-goal scorer on average per 82 games and somebody who can absolutely swing a game. Get him healthy for the playoffs (and Carolina should still get there even if he misses most of the season), and that should be terrifying for the rest of the Eastern Conference.
Chicago Blackhawks: Jonathan Toews
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At his peak, Jonathan Toews was one of the best two-way centers in the league and a cornerstone player on three Stanley Cup-winning teams.
The past few years, though, have been tough.
He missed the entire 2020-21 season for health reasons, and then he returned for the 2021-22 season and was a fraction of his former self.
A year removed from the health issues, and with a full season back under his belt, there is a reasonable expectation for him to rebound.
The only problem for the Chicago Blackhawks, though, is the only benefit they get from a rebound season is what it means for his potential trade value. Because there is no reason for the Blackhawks to consider re-signing him beyond this season, and there is no reason for him to consider staying in Chicago other than sentimental reasons.
They need trade chips, and they do not have many. This is one of them.
Colorado Avalanche: Alexandar Georgiev
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The biggest thing the Colorado Avalanche need from their goalie is somebody who will simply not lose them games.
The rest of the team is so good and so dominant that they do not a goalie to consistently steal games for them. They have one of the league's best offenses, and their defense is elite and full of young stars.
The biggest question on the roster is if Alexandar Georgiev can be a suitable replacement in goal for Darcy Kuemper.
He was never going to get a chance in New York behind Igor Shesterkin, but there is still some question as to how good he actually is and if he can be a regular contributor. It is going to be fascinating to see how he performs behind that defense and with that offensive support.
Every Colorado goalie the past few years has posted similar numbers within that system, and if Georgiev follows suit, it is going to be obvious the Avalanche simply manufacture great goaltending performances.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Elvis Merzļikins
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The Columbus Blue Jackets were a better team than most people realized a year ago, and they did so despite getting some of the worst goaltending in the league.
Elvis Merzļikins had an especially tough season as he struggled with the death of teammate Matiss Kivlenieks. It was a yearlong challenge for him.
Merzļikins is a better goalie than he showed a year ago, and if he bounces back to his previous form, the Blue Jackets could be a sneaky playoff contender in the Eastern Conference. Especially after the offseason addition of Johnny Gaudreau in free agency.
Dallas Stars: Mason Marchment
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The Dallas Stars are the most top-heavy team in the league and desperately needed to address their scoring depth this offseason.
Their big move to do so was signing Mason Marchment to a four-year deal worth $4.5 million per season.
It is a complete wild card of a signing.
If Marchment is able to repeat what he did a year ago with the Florida Panthers, it will be an absolute steal. He was a possession-driving force and had 47 points in 54 games. That is great second-line play.
The concern, though, is that he was playing on the best offensive team the league has seen in more than 25 years, and it was the first time he ever played at that level in the NHL at the age of 26. Is he simply a late bloomer who needed a chance and an opportunity? Or was it a "flash in the pan" type of season where everything clicked at the right time?
The answer to that question will determine a lot for the Stars this season.
Detroit Red Wings: Jakub Vrána
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Steve Yzerman's rebuild is finally starting to take shape in Detroit, and there should be some real expectations to show actual progress.
They have a great core with Lucas Raymond, Moritz Seider, Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi, and they spent significant money this offseason on Andrew Copp, Ville Husso, Dominik Kubalik, David Perron and Olli Määttä.
Jakub Vrána, though, is the guy who could be a game-changer.
He was the main player acquired in the Anthony Mantha trade a couple of years ago and has enormous potential. He was a 25-30-goal talent in Washington who simply lost out on a numbers game and did not have the trust of the coaching staff. Getting an opportunity for top-line play in Detroit was going to be a great opportunity. But injuries have limited him to just 39 games since being acquired.
The good news: He has been incredibly productive in those 39 games, scoring 22 goals and 32 points in that time.
Those numbers project out to a 46-goal, 70-point pace over 82 games. Keep him healthy and you have a top-line player in the prime of his career.
Edmonton Oilers: Jesse Puljujärvi
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There is not a more polarizing player in the NHL right now.
Jesse Puljujärvi is basically the player at the center of the hockey analytics debate because he does everything well, with the numbers to back it up, except actually score a lot of goals.
When he is on the ice, the Edmonton Oilers significantly outshoot, outchance and outscore their opponents, while his teammates—including Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl—play and produce better with him on the ice.
We always talk about players doing "the little things," and this is a perfect example of a player who does the little things well. But because he was a No. 4 overall pick and plays next to superstars there is an expectation for him to score a ton of goals and put up big numbers.
Well, his team produces big numbers when he is on the ice, even if he is not the one actually putting the puck in the net.
His career actually draws a very good parallel to Colorado's Valeri Nichushkin. Nichushkin eventually started to get the goal and point results to back up his underlying numbers. If Puljujärvi follows the same path, it will be a huge gain for the Oilers.
Florida Panthers: Anton Lundell
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The Florida Panthers have an embarrassment of riches at forward and some of the league's best top-line players. Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Reinhart are the obvious cornerstones, but Anton Lundell is going to quickly emerge as a key part of that group.
He had a great debut season as a rookie and displayed an advanced two-way game that saw him blend top-line scoring potential with Selke-caliber defense.
A Stanley Cup contender and one of the league's best teams getting that sort of player on an entry-level deal is a huge advantage. If he builds on that rookie season and takes a big step forward, the Panthers are going to be in great shape.
Los Angeles Kings: Quinton Byfield
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The Los Angeles Kings should be ready to emerge as contenders in the Western Conference.
Anže Kopitar is still a top-tier center, and they have done a great job adding productive veterans the past couple of years with Viktor Arvidsson, Phillip Danault and Kevin Fiala.
That core of veterans accompanies one of the best collections of young talent in the league, and Quinton Byfield is at the center of that group. The No. 2 overall pick from 2020 is the most talented of the Kings' prospects, and while he had some growing pains in his rookie season, he should be poised for a breakout year.
He still has star potential, and his development will make or break whether or not the Kings are just a run-of-the-mill playoff team or a bona fide Stanley Cup contender.
If he takes that big step forward, the center trio of Kopitar-Danault-Byfield would be one of the best in the entire league.
Minnesota Wild: Matt Boldy
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The Minnesota Wild are in salary-cap hell for the next few years after the buyouts for Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. It already cost them one of their top forwards from a year ago as they had to trade Kevin Fiala to the Los Angeles Kings over the summer. That is going to put a huge emphasis on their ability to develop a pipeline of cheap, productive talent to maintain their status as a contender.
Good news! They have some great young players coming through the system, and Matt Boldy is at the top of that list.
He was outstanding as a rookie a year ago and is off to a great start early in the 2022-23 season.
He has already scored 17 goals and 43 points in his first career 49 games while also posting dominant possession numbers.
Kirill Kaprizov, Mats Zuccarello, and Joel Eriksson Ek are the players who have to carry the most weight here, but young players like Boldy, Marco Rossi and Calen Addison will be huge factors given their potential and cheap salary-cap numbers.
Montreal Canadiens: Kirby Dach
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As far as the NHL's rebuilding teams are concerned, the Montreal Canadiens are the most fascinating of them all.
They have an exciting coach in Martin St. Louis who is encouraging creativity and freedom from his skilled players. They also have some highly skilled young forwards in Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and No. 1 overall pick Juraj Slafkovsky.
But Dach is the player we are going to focus on here.
He is one of their big offseason additions (along with Sean Monahan, Evgenii Dadonov and Mike Matheson) and the most interesting of them all. Mainly because he is the one player who figures to have a chance to stick around for a while and maybe be a building block player.
He is only a few years removed from being the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, but he never panned out in Chicago. He lost most of a season because of injury and was stuck on a miserable team with a head coach who was in way over his head. This is going to be a good test as to whether or not a different environment can help a player who looked to be on their way to bust-ville. The potential is still there. Now he gets a real chance to produce the results.
Nashville Predators: Matt Duchene
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The Nashville Predators signed Matt Duchene to a massive free-agency contract four years ago, and for the first couple of years, it was looking like a massive bust. The Predators were so disappointed with Duchene's production that they made him available to Seattle in the 2021 expansion draft, daring them to take his contract off their hands.
Seattle declined, and Duchene remained in Nashville.
Maybe that was a wake-up call for the veteran forward, as he responded with a career year that saw him score 43 goals (and along with Filip Forsberg, who also scored 40 goals, became the first 40-goal scorer in Predators franchise history) and 86 total points. Both numbers shattered his previous career highs.
In his first two years in Nashville he scored just 19 goals with 55 total points in 100 games. Just a total 180 for him offensively.
The concern is whether or not he can come close to duplicating that. The concern and red-flag for Nashville this season is Forsberg, Duchene and Ryan Johansen contributed the majority of their goals while all three of them had career-high shooting percentage seasons, far above their career norms. Any regression from that trio, including Duchene, could be crushing to their chances this season.
New Jersey Devils: Vitek Vaněček
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The New Jersey Devils have some really good building blocks with Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Dougie Hamilton and Yegor Sharangovich, and they had a very productive offseason by adding Ondřej Palát and John Marino.
They just need somebody to stop the puck, which has been a major Achilles' heel in recent years, especially as MacKenzie Blackwood has regressed.
Vitek Vaněček was a part of that busy offseason, coming over in an offseason trade with the Washington Capitals. He was unable to secure the No. 1 job in Washington, and New Jersey is taking a big gamble that he can achieve that with a new team.
New York Islanders: Oliver Wahlstrom
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The New York Islanders desperately need more scoring punch and a competent top-tier counterpart to big-money man Mathew Barzal.
They missed out on every potential impact player during the offseason and are bringing back largely the same group of forwards, hoping that a coaching change (Barry Trotz to Lane Lambert) can help boost the offense.
That is a big (and potentially losing) bet.
The one player who could help make it a winner is Oliver Wahlstrom.
He is still only 22 years old and has the type of talent and shot that could make him a 20-30-goal scorer in the league if everything clicks for him. The Islanders need that to happen sooner rather than later.
New York Rangers: Kaapo Kakko
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Expectations are sky-high for the New York Rangers after last year's run to the Eastern Conference Final. They have an elite goalie in Igor Shesterkin, some superstar talent in Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox, and spent big on a second-line center in Vincent Trocheck this offseason.
But they also lost a lot of key depth that helped drive their playoff run when Ryan Strome, Andrew Copp and Frank Vatrano left in free agency.
The key for the Rangers in taking the next step in their development will be recent top picks Alexis Lafrenière and Kaapo Kakko taking big steps forward and playing like the top-two picks that they are.
When you pick players within the top-two picks you expect them to not only be productive NHL players, but also franchise cornerstones. It has not yet happened for the Rangers duo. Lafrenière has showed more at this point, so Kakko gets the call as the Rangers' biggest X-factor. He has consistently posted strong possession and shot numbers, but he has not yet produced like you want a top pick to produce. He is also starting to reach an age and experience level where you want to see it sooner rather than later.
Ottawa Senators: Erik Brännström
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The Ottawa Senators spent a ton of money this offseason adding forwards (Alex DeBrincat and Claude Giroux) and re-signing young core players. They also made a big move to try to upgrade their goaltending with Cam Talbot.
The big question is going to be on defense, where they have Thomas Chabot and a bunch of unknowns. The most significant of those unknowns is Erik Brännström.
Brännström was the key piece in the Mark Stone trade a few years ago but has not yet become a consistent regular in the NHL. The Senators should be able to score this season with their forward roster, and Talbot gives them a competent NHL netminder. But they still need their defense to get solidified, and Brännström is one of the players they need to develop.
Philadelphia Flyers: Carter Hart
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The Philadelphia Flyers need a lot to go right this season to be competitive, and Carter Hart becoming the goalie they expected him to be would be at the top of that list.
So far, that has not been close to happening.
He enters the season with a .906 career save percentage, is coming off two highly disappointing seasons, and has had his work ethic and practice habits questioned. Not a great sign for a franchise that has been unable to find a consistent starting goalie for decades.
Nothing can change a team quite like a strong goaltender can, and Hart is supposed to be that type of goalie. This Flyers team needs him to be that.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Tristan Jarry
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The Pittsburgh Penguins have been eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in each of the past four seasons. Despite that, there is a pretty strong argument to be made they were the better team in each of the past two series. The difference: Goaltending.
The other team's goaltending being great, and their goaltending being an issue.
Tristan Jarry's performance was a major issue two years ago, and with Casey DeSmith injured they had no reliable backup to turn to when he struggled.
He bounced back with a strong regular-season showing this past season but was injured in the playoffs and unavailable until Game 7 of the first round when he played well below 100 percent. Adding to the issues: DeSmith was injured again, turning the goalie position over to third-string goalie Louis Domingue, who was unable to play at an NHL level.
A healthy and consistent Jarry would have been a season-changer for the Penguins the past two seasons, and he could still be this season. This is also a big year for him because he is in a contract year and eligible for unrestricted free agency after this season. So he has a lot riding on his performance this season for both the team and himself personally.
San Jose Sharks: Kevin Labanc
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The San Jose Sharks are a team in transition. They have a new coaching staff, a new front office and are probably going to be rebuilding at any moment. In the short term, they do not have a lot going for them.
They have a couple of big-name, big-money players in Tomáš Hertl, Logan Couture, and Erik Karlsson, but Kevin Labanc is one player they absolutely need more from.
He never really took the next big step in his development after signing a long-term deal worth more than $4 million per season, and he has especially struggled the past couple of years while being limited to just 21 games a year ago.
Now that he is back healthy, the Sharks need him to be more of an offensive contributor.
Seattle Kraken: Philipp Grubauer
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When the Seattle Kraken built their initial roster they tried to go from the back end out, making significant investments in goalies Philipp Grubauer and Chris Driedger.
They did not perform at all like the Kraken hoped or expected, and it was one of the biggest reasons their debut season was such a bitter disappointment.
The hope here is that Grubauer can rebound and get back closer to the career levels he showed in Washington and Colorado. If he does, the Kraken might be a far more competitive team than expected this season, especially after a really promising offseason that saw them add Oliver Bjorkstrand, André Burakovsky, and their two top prospects in Matty Beniers and Shane Wright.
St. Louis Blues: Jordan Binnington
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Jordan Binnington's career has been on a consistent downward trajectory since leading the St. Louis Blues to the 2019 Stanley Cup.
His regular-season play has leveled off, his playoff performances have been bad and he is signed to a long-term contract worth more than $6 million per season. The Blues are also fully committed to him after letting Ville Husso go in free agency this offseason, after Husso took the starting job for an extended period a year ago and was the Blues' most productive goalie for the season.
The Blues have transformed themselves into one of the top offensive teams in the league, but they have some shortcomings on defense and need a goalie who can help mask that. It remains to be seen if Binnington can be that player on a consistent basis, even if he does have a Stanley Cup ring on his resume. He has not been that particular goalie for three years now.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Brandon Hagel
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Brandon Hagel was one of the Tampa Bay Lightning's big trade deadline acquisitions a year ago, coming over in a deal with the Chicago Blackhawks that saw Tampa Bay give up a couple of first-round draft picks and young players.
It was a steep price to pay, but the hope was that Hagel could be their new Blake Coleman. A strong, two-way player to help solidify their third line while being signed to a ridiculously cheap contract for the next couple of years.
So far, he has not been a suitable replacement for what Coleman did for that line. The concern with Hagel is that a lot of his value is tied into his cheap contract, and the fact he was riding a massive shooting percentage wave early in the season with the Blackhawks. Since joining the Lightning, he has just six goals in 49 games (including playoffs) and is not quite the shutdown defensive player and possession driver Coleman was.
Tampa Bay has the superstars at forward, the top defenseman (Victor Hedman) and the best goalie in the world (Andrei Vasilevskiy), but the Lightning need to solidify their depth. They need more from players like Hagel if they are going to make a fourth consecutive Stanley Cup Final series.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Matt Murray
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It has to be Matt Murray. It can not be anybody else other than Matt Murray. The Toronto Maple Leafs are facing more pressure than any team in the NHL to win, and win big, and they have hitched their goalie wagon to the duo of Murray and Ilya Samsonov. That duo has been one of the least productive goalie duos in the league the past two years.
This is not the position Toronto needs to be rolling the dice on, but it is.
Not only has Murray struggled with his production since winning his second Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he has also dealt with significant injury issues and is again sidelined early this season.
If Murray is healthy and productive, the Maple Leafs can be one of the best teams in the league.
If he is not, it could be a very long and disappointing season in Toronto.
Vancouver Canucks: Oliver Ekman-Larsson
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The Vancouver Canucks looked like a different team under Bruce Boudreau in the second half of the 2021-22 season and definitely have the talent to make a playoff run. Especially after keeping and re-signing J.T. Miller.
The one player they need a lot from is Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
He was their big offseason addition a year ago with the hope that he could help lead their defense alongside Quinn Hughes. But Ekman-Larsson has declined quite a bit the past few years, and they have a huge salary-cap commitment with him. That salary is in danger of becoming an albatross on their cap if he does not play better than he has the past couple of years.
Vegas Golden Knights: Logan Thompson
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It was just two years ago that the Vegas Golden Knights had two No. 1-caliber goalies on their roster in Marc-André Fleury and Robin Lehner.
Now they have a question mark.
After Fleury was traded in a salary-cap dump trade before the 2021-22 season (after winning the Vezina Trophy the previous season!) the Vegas net belonged to Lehner. But injuries have been a constant problem for him, and now he is out for the entire 2022-23 season. That turns the Vegas goal over to the unproven Logan Thompson, who is going to have to solidify the position for a team that is looking to bounce back from a bitterly disappointing season.
The Golden Knights missed the playoffs for the first time in franchise history this past season and are not going to settle for that happening two years in a row. Thompson is going to have to be solid to make sure that does not happen.
Washington Capitals: Dylan Strome
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Dylan Strome was not the most significant offseason addition by the Washington Capitals (that would be starting goalie Darcy Kuemper), but he could still be a fairly important addition.
With Nicklas Bäckström's future in doubt, the Capitals need somebody to slide into the No. 2 center spot behind Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Strome is a very intriguing fit.
He never became a star after being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 draft, but you can pencil him in for 20 goals and 50 points as a solid middle-six option. The Capitals are getting him for a really good price against the cap.
He has some big shoes to fill, going in for a franchise icon, but this was one of the smarter, under-the-radar signings in the NHL this offseason.
Winnipeg Jets: Pierre-Luc Dubois
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The Winnipeg Jets are not one of the best teams in the Western Conference, but they do have a lot of high-end talent. Connor Hellebuyck can be a top-tier goalie, while Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers are outstanding forwards.
Pierre-Luc Dubois is the interesting player here because he has every tool at his disposal to be an elite power forward. He has the size, skill and two-way play, and he is so close to having the production to make him one of the top centers in the league. He is just entering his age-24 season, which should be the time a player reaches their peak level of production.
Dubois has a couple of 25-goal, 60-point seasons on his resume, but given his underlying numbers, size and skill, he should be a potential 35-goal, 80-point player if everything clicks for him.
That would be a welcome performance for a Jets team that has the top-end talent to be a playoff team. Dubois is also playing for a long-term contract at some point, whether it be in Winnipeg or somewhere else. He is eligible for restricted free agency after this season.
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