2012 NHL Playoff Predictions: Projecting the Breakout Star for Every Team

With the NHL playoff schedule and matchups set, who is going to shine this postseason? In the regular season, it is all good and well that players had career years, but who will be each team's breakout star?

In the playoffs, some teams need a hot goaltender; others need a scoring forward to continue to dominate play. With 16 teams poised to make a lengthy playoff run, who will answer the bell and seek to make an impact for their team?

Lets take a look at one player from each team who will breakout above all the rest on their team and will take a starring role.

Boston Bruins: Tyler Seguin

After an amazing sophomore season, Tyler Seguin is poised to have a breakout postseason.

In 74 games last season, Seguin scored 11 goals and assisted on 11 others for a total of 22 points.

This season, Seguin ended with a stat line of 29 goals and 38 assists for 67 points. Seguin was also a plus-34 player.

With Seguin's speed, offensive prowess and his surging play as of late, the sophomore center will have a great playoff run.

Chicago Blackhawks: Jonathan Toews

Jonathan Toews is eying a return to play for the Blackhawks' series opener against the Phoenix Coyotes, and that is great news. His playoff history, skill set and leadership abilities will help Toews to guide the 'Hawks. 

Toews was a clutch playoff performer for the Blackhawks during their recent Stanley Cup run, so this year should be no different.

Detroit Red Wings: Jimmy Howard

Had Jimmy Howard not injured himself, there was a good chance he would have contended for the Vezina Trophy. However, the only trophy that really matters is the Stanley Cup.

In his playoff career, Howard is 12-11 with a 2.63 GAA. This postseason, Howard will look to continue his strong play and will benefit from this season's lightened workload. Having appeared in only 57 games, Howard should be one of the most well-rested goaltenders in this year's playoffs.

Florida Panthers: Tomas Fleischmann

Tomas Fleischmann is glad to be playing hockey, let alone playoff hockey this season. In 2010-11, Fleischmann appeared in 45 games for the Avalanche and Capitals and scored 31 points. He would then miss the final 36 games of the regular season because he was diagnosed with potentially career-ending pulmonary emboli.

Through training and a close medical watch, Fleischmann has bounced back with flying colors and finished the season with 61 points.

Fleischmann has playoff experience, so that should benefit him on a Florida Panthers team that is making the playoffs for the first time since the lockout.

Los Angeles Kings: Jonathan Quick

Jonathan Quick will likely be a Vezina finalist this season, and if the Kings want to make a run, they need him to be on his A-game.

Quick had a great regular season with a record of 35-21-13, a 1.95 GAA and 10 shutouts. He is a main reason why the Kings made the playoffs. Quick is ready to continue his dominance into the postseason, and the Kings will only go as far as he can take them.

Nashville Predators: Alexander Radulov

Alexander Radulov is back in the NHL, and he wants to make an impact. After getting bounced from the KHL playoffs, Radulov came back and scored seven points in nine games for the Predators.

Radulov will look to shine during the playoffs because he is slated to become a free agent if he remains in the NHL. Radulov will not only be playing for a Stanley Cup, but also his first major NHL contract.

If those two objectives don't motivate the star KHL forward to up his game, what will?

New Jersey Devils: Ilya Kovalchuk

Ilya Kovalchuk is one of the most explosive scorers of the last decade. He is currently one of the rare players that averages a point per game. With 785 points in 779 games, Kovalchuk can be a game-changer.

This season, Kovalchuk scored 37 goals and was a key contributor for the Devils. He has had limited playoff experience, so he will look to make some noise for the Devils. If Kovalchuk can play like the dynamic player he is, the Devils could go deeper than expected this postseason.

New York Rangers: Marian Gaborik

Many would expect Henrik Lundqvist to be the selection here, but if Marian Gaborik continues his hot streak into the playoffs, the Rangers could go really far.

Gaborik is a very talented hockey player with speed, great vision and a great wrist shot. He is a natural goal scorer when he is in the zone.

Gaborik is one of the fastest skaters in the NHL, leading to many breakaway goals. "The Slovak Sniper" has the potential to be a catalyst for offense when he stays healthy, and he has done that so far during his tenure with the Rangers.

This year, Gaborik finished the year with 41 goals and 75 points. Keep a close eye on him in the playoffs; he'll be essential if the Rangers want to go deep.

Ottawa Senators: Erik Karlsson

Erik Karlsson started off with promise and slowly started to become a top defender. After this season, Karlsson quickly entered the NHL's elite for offensive defensemen.

Last year, he had 45 points and this year, he had 78.

It is quite impressive that Karlsson has stepped up his offensive game and has also become a plus-16. While Karlsson is not quite an elite, shutdown defenseman, he is a solid defender who oozes offense.

In the playoffs, the Sens will likely lean on Karlsson to help create opportunities when transitioning from defense to offense.

Philadelphia Flyers: Claude Giroux

The Philadelphia Flyers were severely criticized for trading away Mike Richards and Jeff Carter. However, no one accounted for the breakout season Claude Giroux would eventually have.

Giroux ended the year with 28 goals and 65 assists for 93 points. Giroux has shown he can produce in the playoffs, so this postseason should be no different. Giroux's surging play, on-ice vision and skill make him one of the league's best playmaking centers.

If Giroux can have a monster postseason, the Flyers may end their Cup drought this season.

Phoenix Coyotes: Mike Smith

Mike Smith definitely deserves some serious recognition for backstopping the Coyotes to a division title.

Smith was signed as a free agent this season after appearing in limited games for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010-11. During that campaign, Smith posted a record of 13-6-1 with a 2.90 GAA and a save percentage of .899.

Take a look at Smith's impressive stat line for this year: 38-18-10, 2.21 GAA and eight shutouts.

This is quite a turnaround for Smith, as he's has never played this well during his entire career.

Now that Smith is on his game, the Coyotes could become serious contenders for the Cup if players like Ray Whitney and Radim Vrbata continue to contribute offensively.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Evgeni Malkin

Evgeni Malkin is going to win the Hart Trophy, and he really has played like an MVP this season.

It's one thing that Malkin had 50 goals and 59 assists for a total of 109 points this year, but it's another story when you consider that Malkin is coming back from an injury-riddled 2010-11 season. 

The absence of both Malkin and Sidney Crosby led to the Penguins' early elimination in the playoffs last year.

Overcoming knee surgery and returning to a level of dominance is not easy. Players like Pavel Bure learned that lesson the hard way.

With Malkin healthy and on his game, the Penguins are going to be legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. 

San Jose Sharks: Logan Couture

Logan Couture had a solid sophomore season and is emerging as a solid two-way center. Couture finished the season 31 goals and 34 assists for 65 points. Couture can shoot, pass and is a versatile offensive performer for the Sharks.

The Sharks will need their offense to step up against the St. Louis Blues in the first round, with Couture looking to impress for the duration of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

St. Louis Blues: Jaroslav Halak

Jaroslav Halak is back in the playoffs, and he wants to make a huge impact. Splitting duties with Brian Elliot this season, Halak finished a remarkable campaign with a record of 26-12-7, a 1.97 GAA and seven shutouts.

Halak made a name for himself when he backstopped the Montreal Canadiens in the 2009-10 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Halak will look to make even more noise now with the Blues than he made when he was occupying the crease up north.

Halak has proven he can play with the pressure, so he will definitely be one of the goaltenders to look out for this postseason.

Vancouver Canucks: Roberto Luongo

There is tons of pressure on Roberto Luongo this postseason because of his past performances.

With Luongo's dependable goaltending, the Canucks won the Presidents' Trophy again this season. Luongo is a solid regular-season goaltender, but this could finally be the year he shows that he has what it takes when it truly matters. if Luongo remains calm and composed, the Canucks could conceivably repeat as the Western Conference champions.

With Cory Schneider set to become a restricted free agent, this playoff run could determine the starting goaltender of the future of the Vancouver Canucks.

Washington Capitals: Alex Ovechkin

Alex Ovechkin overcame a terrible start to his season and salvaged the year by finishing with 38 goals and 27 assists for 65 points. Ovechkin needs to be a force in the postseason if the Capitals expect to have a chance.

Ovechkin has had many regular-season accolades, but has not yet put the team on his back for a postseason run. He had a bumpy start to the season, but he will aim to break out and propel the Capitals to a lengthy playoff run.

Tom Urtz Jr. is an NHL Featured Columnist.

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