NHL Predictions 2012-13: Predicting the Next Big Thing at Every Position

Finding the next big thing at each position in the NHL is one of the dreams of all general managers throughout the league.

It's one thing to put solid and competitive two-way players on the ice who have developed into competent contributors through the minor-league system. It's quite another to bring up a player who can dominate and become a superstar.

In some cases, a player may have been playing in the league for a short time, but have not yet established himself.

In most cases, players will have been drafted by organizations who have believed in their talent from the start; committing to them by using a high draft pick to acquire their services.

In this piece, we are looking at players who will come into their own and fulfill their potential this season. Most have some experience, but we believe Boston prospect Dougie Hamilton will dominate on the blue line even though he was drafted just over a year ago and has not seen any NHL action yet.

Left Wing Chris Kreider, New York Rangers

Kreider, who can play either left wing or center, is a very creative player who combines flat-out speed, quickness and an array of moves with a hard shot that can overpower goalies.

Kreider was a star at Boston College. And although the Rangers went into the playoffs as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, there was a strong need to add some offensive firepower to the lineup. As a result, general manager Glen Sather and head coach John Tortorella decided to give the talented Kreider a shot.

It was clearly the right decision. In 18 playoff games, Kreider scored five goals and added two assists. His ability to get a step on the defense and get open allowed him to have a number of excellent chances. Kreider connected on 17.2 percent of his shots, a statistic that indicates he has a chance to be a big-time goal scorer in the NHL.

Sather does not want to offer Kreider (source: New York Post) to any team in a potential trade, because the 2009 first-round pick has too much value as a goal scorer.

Look for him to take a big step up in 2012-13.

Center Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida Panthers

Huberdeau, 19, has nothing left to prove at the junior level. He dominated the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League each of the last two seasons, and he is ready to make the jump up to the NHL.

Huberdeau has scored 177 points in 104 regular season games for the St. John's Sea Dogs. He has a slew of offensive moves and an outstanding shot, but it is his speed that will allow him to break free and use those openings to create scoring opportunities.

Florida general manager Dale Tallon is looking forward to seeing Huberdeau play with elite-level players in the NHL.

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"He plays better with better players; he’s got a presence out there,’’ Tallon said to the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “There’s a purpose to every play and every move. He’s really a heady player and has got hockey sense that’s really incredible.’’

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While Huberdeau is somewhat on the thin side at 6'1" and 178 pounds, he is attempting to put on weight and add strength in the offseason.

Right Wing Zack Kassian, Vancouver Canucks

Kassian has the size and strength, at 6'3" and 205 pounds, to be a power forward who can send a message to opponents. While he may not have the elite skill level of some of the other players on this list, Kassian should be an ideal fit for the Vancouver Canucks.

The Canucks acquired Kassian from the Buffalo Sabres just prior to the trade deadline last season. Canucks management acknowledged Kassian's physical style as being one of the key reasons for the trade. "He’s big, he can skate, handles the puck, he hits and he’s mean,” Canucks assistant general manager Laurence Gilman told the Vancouver Sun.

There's no doubt about the talent level on the Canucks, but they were pounded by the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Finals two years ago and the Los Angeles Kings dominated them in the first round of this past year's playoffs. As Kassian establishes himself, opponents will be less likely to take liberties against Vancouver.

Kassian is going to take the body every chance he gets, and he plays with energy and aggression. He had four goals and six assists for Buffalo and Vancouver last season, but those numbers should go up in 2012-13. He had 26 points for Rochester of the American Hockey League in 30 games before getting called up to the NHL.

Defenseman Dougie Hamilton, Boston Bruins

The Bruins have the highest of hopes for their No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft. The team that has had such all-time greats as Eddie Shore, Bobby Orr and Ray Bourque on defense hopes that the sky is the limit for Hamilton, who has size, skating ability, a powerful right-handed shot and unlimited talent.

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli has used former Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Rob Blake as a valid Hamilton comparable. Hamilton is coming off a brilliant season with the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League with 17 goals and 55 assists for 72 points in 50 games. He finished plus-38 on the season.

Hamilton, who is 6'5" and 198 pounds, excelled at the Bruins' developmental camp earlier this summer and impressed Chiarelli.

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“I don’t want to hand anyone a job right at this point in July,” Chiarelli told the Worcester Telegram.Com's Bud Barth, “but based on what I’ve seen this year, and what I’ve seen this camp, and how I project (his improvement), I think he’s going to be a top challenger for a spot.”

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Hamilton should make the Bruins and appears likely to be a competitor for the Calder Trophy.

Defenseman Justin Schultz, Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers have added a boatload of young and talented players in recent years. Names like Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov are at the top of the charts.

However, when they added free-agent defenseman Justin Schultz this summer, it may have been the signing they needed to give their defense a significant upgrade. Schultz finished his career at the University of Wisconsin and became a free agent because the Anaheim Ducks were unable to sign him after drafting him in 2008.

Many teams besides the Oilers courted Schultz, including the Vancouver Canucks, but he decided to sign with Edmonton. Schultz netted 16 goals and 44 assists for the Badgers in 37 games last season.

Schultz is a 6'2", 185-pound defenseman who has the skills and dedication to become a consistent and productive player. He does not appear to be a physically dominant defenseman who will take the body regularly, but he has made a significant commitment to improving on the defensive aspects of the position.

Goalie Ben Bishop, Ottawa Senators

Bishop is the kind of goalie that stands out from the crowd. The first thing you notice about him is his incredible size. Bishop basically fills the net because he is 6'7" and 205 pounds.

Bishop was traded to the Senators by the St. Louis Blues prior to the trade deadline. The Blues thought Bishop was an excellent prospect, but they were well-stocked in the net with Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott, both of whom excelled in the 2011-12 season.

Bishop got an opportunity to play in 10 games with the Senators down the stretch and was 3-3-2 with a 2.48 goals against average with a .909 save percentage.

Bishop should have a chance to establish himself in training camp with the Senators, and he could win the No. 1 goaltending job for the up-and-coming Senators.