The Biggest X-Factor for Every NHL Team in the 2014-15 Season
Depending on your definition of X-factor, it could either mean a variable that could have the most significant impact on an outcome or a special talent.
In most of these cases, both apply.
While looking at the biggest X-factor for every NHL team in the 2014-15 NHL season slideshow, you'll note that there are a good number of goaltenders who will be heavily relied on, there are stars looking for bounce-back seasons, young players taking on bigger roles and newcomers expected to make a difference on teams on the brink of bigger things.
In a team sport like hockey where every player across four lines, three defensive pairings and two or more goaltenders makes an impact on the season—positively or negatively—it's tough to pick just one, so sit back, relax and comment on who your selection might be for each team.
Click ahead to get started.
Anaheim Ducks: Ryan Kesler
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The Anaheim Ducks have been a tinker or two away from a Stanley Cup for years. With the addition of Ryan Kesler on draft day, the Ducks brought in grit, defense and solid second-line scoring in one "fowl" swoop (terrible pun but impossible to avoid).
They've had contributions from those not named Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry before, namely from now retired Finns Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne, but none have been as capable as Kesler of taking pressure off the top line.
Kesler can face other teams' top lines and offer the dynamic duo some more favorable matchups, especially at home. He can kill penalties, fill in on the power play, take important faceoffs and, of course, drain a few pucks behind the other team's goaltenders, too.
If Kesler stays healthy all season long and into the playoffs, the Ducks could have the edge they need to contend with any Western Conference heavyweight.
Arizona Coyotes: Sam Gagner
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Traded twice in one day during the offseason, center Sam Gagner landed in the desert, where the Arizona Coyotes were looking for some more scoring depth after cutting Mike Ribeiro loose and expecting to lose Radim Vrbata in free agency.
Gagner was drafted sixth overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2007 with the expectation he'd become a strong two-way player with plenty of offensive upside. He's been a steady secondary contributor over his career with 295 points through 484 games so far but has yet to really live up to his potential. He's shown flashes, joining a very small list of 13 NHL players who have scored eight or more points in a game during the 2011-12 season—his best full season in the league so far.
The 25-year-old should just be hitting his prime, and he gets a fresh start with the Coyotes. He's looking for a fit and has played primarily on the third line as a center mostly because the Desert Dogs don't have much depth at the position. He's manning the right wing on the power play, and the hope is he can move up into a top-six role on the flank at some point this year.
If Gagner taps into his offensive potential, he'd give the Coyotes a much-needed element of more balanced scoring from the forwards.
Boston Bruins: Loui Eriksson
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Loui Eriksson is one of the more underrated Bruins who has fit in nicely since joining them from the Dallas Stars as part of the blockbuster deal that sent Tyler Seguin to the Lone Star State.
The Bruins need him to become more of a household name in order to make up for the scoring they lost when free agent Jarome Iginla headed to the Colorado Avalanche in the summer. Iginla was a force on the top line with David Krejci and Milan Lucic, scoring 30 goals and 61 points in his only season with the Bruins.
Eriksson dealt with injury but found a nice fit on the third line with Chris Kelly and Carl Soderberg, chipping in 10 goals and 37 points in 61 games. He has two goals and three points through six games this season.
Eriksson has shown he's able to produce given the opportunity. He has scored at least 20 goals four times and potted 36 in the 2008-09 season. There was probably preseason talk the 29-year-old would slide into Iginla's vacated spot to Krejci's right. It hasn't happened yet but regardless of where Eriksson plays, he's one guy who needs to improve his numbers for the Bruins to find enough goal support to get them back into the deeper rounds of the playoffs.
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Buffalo Sabres: Zemgus Girgensons
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It's no secret the Buffalo Sabres are going to be terrible this season. And fans would probably love to see them in one of the bottom two spots in the standings to pick up one of the draft's elite prospects for next season's edition of the team.
But as they grow, the guy who could ultimately help the Sabres get out of the bottom two and into the bottom 10 (OK, let's be realistic, they're not getting out of the bottom three) is Zemgus Girgensons—a print jounalist and NHL defender's nightmare.
He has size, speed and skill but, more importantly, the kind of work ethic that makes players special. He has played all over the lineup through four games this season as a sophomore NHLer and has a pair of goals and a shootout winner so far. Watch for him to be a game-breaker in many future contests.
Calgary Flames: Johnny Gaudreau
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His play has been spotty so far. Still, the Calgary Flames have played well enough to sit near the top of the early-season NHL standings.
So what happens when Johnny Gaudreau—arguably the Flames' most uniquely skilled forward—adapts to the big leagues? It should be interesting to find out.
The 21-year-old is listed at 5'9" (yeah, maybe on skates) and 150 pounds (soaking wet with long hair) but is gifted with superior on-ice vision, agility and puck control. He is what the team has been missing for years in terms of potentially elite offensive slickness and could help the hard-working Flames take many teams by surprise later in the season.
He's the kind of X-factor that could mean the difference between a lottery pick or playoff spot.
Carolina Hurricanes: Eric Staal
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Eric Staal is expected to be the subject of trade rumours all year, via Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star, which only adds to the mystery of what the Carolina Hurricanes captain will bring to the ice this season.
Staal is seeking a bounce-back season after a disappointing—at least by star standards—2013-14 campaign in which he scored 21 goals and 61 points in 79 games. But the injury bug has bitten him early with an upper-body ailment forcing him out of the lineup after a goal and an assist through the first two contests.
How he is able to perform over the year will go a long way in determining whether the 'Canes are a basement-dweller or one of the middle-of-the-pack squads with an outside shot at the postseason.
But he'll have to be stellar to guide Carolina to any sort of success.
Chicago Blackhawks: Brad Richards
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It wasn't until the playoffs last year that the Blackhawks felt comfortable with a second line of Andrew Shaw centering Brandon Saad and Patrick Kane, but the depth down the middle wasn't enough to compete with the eventual Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings.
Brad Richards was brought in as a low-risk free-agent addition this summer. His contract was bought out by the New York Rangers, and joining the Western Conference powerhouse Blackhawks was a no-brainer. For the Hawks, the idea of getting stronger down the middle, the potential for even more offense and another veteran voice in the locker room was an easy call as well.
It hasn't looked like a match made in heaven just yet. Richards has yet to record his first point as a member of the Blackhawks while playing primarily with Ben Smith and Bryan Bickell. But the Hawks can be patient and let chemistry develop or experiment with the lines later down the road. Richards' addition is all about the playoffs.
Colorado Avalanche: Semyon Varlamov
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The Colorado Avalanche was the story of last year's regular season, climbing from the league basement to the top of the Central Division.
Considering how poor their possession numbers were last year, per HockeyAnalysis.com, it took a stellar season from goaltender Semyon Varlamov to make it possible. He posted a career-high .927 save percentage while facing the most shots in the league.
Unless the team suddenly turns things around defensively, they'll need Varlamov to be just as good as he was in his Vezina-worthy season for the Avs to make it back into the top eight in the Western Conference. If he falls back toward his career average of .917—which was greatly boosted by last season's strong showing—the difference in his individual performance alone could drop the Avs out of a playoff position.
His start has been inauspicious this year, without a win in three starts, a goals-against average of 3.80 and a save percentage of .910. As talented as this team is up front, its success will rest primarily on the masked man at the other end.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Ryan Johansen
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After a messy contract dispute, the Columbus Blue Jackets' biggest star outside of goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has a lot to prove.
It's easy to see why the Blue Jackets wanted to keep the bridge deal reasonable after Ryan Johansen finally had a breakout season a year ago. They want him to prove he can do it again. In fact, the Jackets need him to do it again if they want to take steps forward after an admirable first-round exit in the playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins last spring.
How Johansen responds to the camp holdout and new contract numbers is the X-factor here. Some guys have a letdown knowing they are comfortably set for a few years. Others are motivated to earn the dough. Johansen is just 22 and has a 33-goal season on his resume. With his size and talent, there's plenty of room for improvement if he is in the latter category.
With a pair of goals and five points through his first three games, it would seem Johansen is settling in just fine.
Dallas Stars: Jason Spezza
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Jason Spezza was brought in to bolster the second line via trade with Ottawa this summer.
The 31-year-old was a point-per-game player just three seasons ago and will be counted on to give the Stars an added boost of offense behind top-line snipers Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn. If he shows he still has the skill, the extra scoring may make up for an underwhelming defensive group.
He could also be used between the dynamic duo when they need a spark, as he did with great success Thursday in a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. He assisted on two third-period goals, including a late winner with three seconds remaining in regulation (reaction via Craig Custance of ESPN.com).
Detroit Red Wings: Gustav Nyquist
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With Pavel Datsyuk's and Henrik Zetterberg's health issues, it's time for a new generation of Detroit Red Wings to take over in extending the team's playoff streak.
Gustav Nyquist did a great job filling in as a top offensive threat a year ago, putting up a team-high 28 goals in just 57 games after starting the season as a salary-cap casualty in the American Hockey League. He's picking up right where he left off with a goal in each of his first three games this season.
The 25-year-old talent has been waiting for his first full NHL season since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2008 draft; the time has come for him to make the difference when his team needs a big goal.
Edmonton Oilers: Nail Yakupov
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The Edmonton Oilers have plenty of talented young stars, but it's the 21-year-old Yakupov who gets the nod as the X-factor.
He has plenty to learn after posting a minus-33 rating as a sophomore a year ago, showing a lack of maturity that's holding him back from making the most of his raw talent on the ice. If he gets it, he will be a huge difference-maker as a top-six forward who can exploit matchups. If he continues to resist the teachings of the coaching staff, he could be trade bait.
Florida Panthers: Jonathan Huberdeau
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The third overall pick in the 2011 draft, Jonathan Huberdeau is in his third season in the NHL and is a key to the Florida Panthers' rebuild.
He took a step back as a sophomore last year after a strong rookie season saw him score 14 goals and 31 points in 48 games. The second season was dismal for him and his team, with Huberdeau contributing just nine goals and 28 points in 69 games.
Drafting Aleksander Barkov and defenseman Aaron Ekblad in the subsequent years since adding Huberdeau, the Panthers are a team looking far into the future right now. Huberdeau could help speed things up if he gets the confidence necessary to carry his team offensively.
Los Angeles Kings: Jeff Carter
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Anze Kopitar may be the team's best forward. Drew Doughty is the Los Angeles Kings' stud defenseman. Marian Gaborik is a proven sniper, and captain Dustin Brown can spark a game with a big hit or a big goal. It's veteran Jeff Carter, though, who always seems to come through in the clutch by creating mismatches and making his linemates better.
He's also good for a shootout winner when called upon.
Converting him back to center and teaming him with linemates Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson, head coach Darryl Sutter struck gold in the playoffs, and the trio helped the Kings along in their quest for the Stanley Cup.
The line remains intact and has combined for 16 points and a plus-22 rating to pace the Kings to a 3-1-1 record out of the gate.
Minnesota Wild: Darcy Kuemper
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Niklas Backstrom is a shadow of his former stoic self between the pipes. Josh Harding went from battling multiple sclerosis to battling his temper—breaking his foot after kicking a wall, leading to his suspension by the team.
Darcy Kuemper was the backup plan. He wanted a one-way deal and got it when he re-upped as an RFA for two seasons and $2.5 million. Now he's their most promising goaltender and quite likely the pivotal player in what could be a super season for the Minnesota Wild.
Kuemper started the year with two straight shutouts against the high-octane Colorado Avalanche offense.
Montreal Canadiens: Alex Galchenyuk
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This is Alex Galchenyuk's year.
The 20-year-old is set to have a breakout season and has been playing alongside Tomas Plekanec and P.A. Parenteau through five games this season. His goal and four points are a nice start for the third-year player who spent much of last season injured before joining the team in the playoffs and putting up three points in five games.
Galchenyuk in the Montreal Candiens' top-six forward ranks makes them dangerous in the Eastern Conference as far as offensive looks go. If he takes another step up in maturity and moves down to center on a lower line, the matchups could play into his favor the way they have for the Boston Bruins' trio of Chris Kelly, Loui Eriksson and Carl Soderberg.
Nashville Predators: Filip Forsberg
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People have been waiting for Filip Forsberg to find his legs at the NHL level. The 11th overall pick in the 2012 draft (by the Washington Capitals) is finally living up to his potential.
It's early, but the 6'1", 200-pound prospect has found chemistry with Derek Roy and Craig Smith on the Nashville Predators' most dangerous line. Forsberg's goal and four points through three games thus far has him tied for the team lead.
Looking for elite offensive talent, they added James Neal via trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but Forsberg could easily outpace the former Pens sniper if he has indeed turned a corner in his development.
New Jersey Devils: Cory Schneider
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It's hard to believe this is the first season Cory Schneider is actually an unquestioned, bona fide NHL starting goaltender. There's no Roberto Luongo. No Martin Brodeur. It's Schneider or bust in the New Jersey Devils' net.
His history seems to indicate he's ready for the workload and responsibility. Schneider started more than 40 games for the first time in his career a year ago in a timeshare with Brodeur. Despite a less-than-stellar 16-15-12-3 record, Schneider had a very solid .921 save percentage. In fact, since becoming a regular backup in Vancouver, Schneider hasn't put up a save percentage lower than that mark last year.
He started this season with three straight victories but was yanked after allowing five goals against in a 6-2 Devils loss to the Washington Capitals Thursday night.
How he recovers from that setback and what he does as the main man this year is what will determine the Devils' fate in the standings.
New York Islanders: Jaroslav Halak
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Looking to prove they are the team that fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoffs two springs ago and not the one that missed the postseason altogether in 2013-14, the New York Islanders made major moves to improve this offseason.
Despite the additions of Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin up front, and Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk on the back end, it's the goaltender who will make or break this team in the long run.
For now, the Isles are getting plenty of offense from all across the lineup. Jaroslav Halak has only had to make the difference once—coming up with 40 saves in a win over the New York Rangers in the second game of the season. But that will happen more often during the year, when the Isles' offensive production dries up a little during the inevitable slumps.
The 29-year-old is an upgrade over the departed veteran Evgeni Nabokov and should help the Isles back into the playoffs. If he struggles, the team is in trouble even in the more generous Eastern Conference.
New York Rangers: Chris Kreider
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People should have known Rick Nash would bounce back from what was considered a subpar season for the New York Rangers sniper.
More should be talking about his linemate Chris Kreider—a big, speedy monster of a winger on the other side who gives Nash plenty of space to work with and without the puck. And when Nash is ready to give it up, Kreider has the skills to be there for the feed or rebound.
He had a breakout season a year ago with 17 goals in 66 games under new coach Alain Vigneault. If he continues to grow into his role as a dominant power forward, he'll be a difference-maker on many a night for the Rangers. He has a goal and four points through five games so far.
Ottawa Senators: Alex Chiasson
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If Bobby Ryan is the Ottawa Senators' top-line winger, the guy on the other side is, too. And 24-year-old Alex Chiasson was no afterthought in the Sens' trade with the Stars that sent Jason Spezza to Dallas.
Chiasson had 13 goals and 35 points as a rookie with the Stars last season while playing about 15 minutes a night. He's unheralded but supremely talented. With opportunity in Ottawa, the 6'4" flanker could find himself among the team's top playmakers. Through four games so far, he has a goal and an assist.
His growth is key to the Senators fighting for a playoff spot because although there is talent in the top six, none of the other forwards have yet proved to be self-starters when it comes to creating scoring chances.
Philadelphia Flyers: Steve Mason
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For now, the love affair between the city of Philadelphia and Flyers goaltender Steve Mason is brotherly. That could change in a heartbeat if Mason reverts to his Columbus Blue Jackets numbers (aside from his stellar rookie season, of course).
Mason was great last season, winning 33 games in 61 appearances, posting a .917 save percentage and 2.50 goals-against average and getting the Flyers into the first round of the playoffs. He has yet to do that consistently, however, and the early signs this season point downward and have the fans uneasy and on the brink of revolt.
With a 0-2-1 record to start the year, Mason has an ugly .884 save percentage and 3.30 goals-against average. Stay tuned. It could be a long year for the Flyers if their starting netminder is unable to get back on track for any length of time.
Pittsburgh Penguins: Patric Hornqvist
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James Who?
Patric Hornqvist has Pittsburgh Penguins followers wondering why they were so attached to former Pens sniper James Neal in the first place. The much cheerier Hornqvist has been incredible since joining the Pens on the right side. And he's been just as productive as Neal was.
Although it might sound like an easy gig playing alongside Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, it actually takes someone with pretty good hockey sense to know where to be and how to get there in time for a perfect pass or rebound opportunity courtesy of these superstars. Neal did it well with Malkin. Hornqvist seems to be doing it even better with Crosby, and the result is an even more dangerous group of forwards in Pittsburgh.
Hornqvist has a pair of goals and five points through his first three games with the Penguins, looking super comfortable beside Sid the Kid, says Jenn Menendez of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
San Jose Sharks: Logan Couture
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With all due respect to the captain-less San Jose Sharks team that has two former captains wearing A's on their jerseys now, the team missed the boat in not giving one to Logan Couture.
The 25-year-old has already scored 30 or more goals in two of his four full NHL seasons. If you pro-rate his 21 tallies in the lockout-shortened year, he would have hit that mark again. And injury derailed him last season, leading to the 23 goals in 65 games a year ago.
OK, let's give him four out of four there.
But his game is much more than offense. On a line with Patrick Marleau and Matt Nieto, Couture is relied on to shut down the opposition's best players more often than not, leaving the likes of Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski to just focus on producing some offense.
His health and performance is critical to the Sharks' success.
St. Louis Blues: Jori Lehtera
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The signing of Paul Stastny was a big one. A less notable move in terms of press was the inking of Finnish product Jori Lehtera, but it's that move that may pay bigger dividends for the St. Louis Blues.
The Blues are able to ice Lehtera—a highly skilled center who was drafted in the third round back in 2008—with Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko as a third line. If that's your third line, things are looking good for you as a team capable of putting pucks in the net.
Lehtera scored at nearly a point-per-game pace in the KHL last season before finally agreeing to come over to North America after conversations with Blues management at the Sochi Games, per Jeremy Rutherford of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Against the best players in the world at the Winter Olympics, Lehtera proved he belonged among them with four points in six games.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Victor Hedman
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There could finally be some Norris Trophy talk that includes Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman.
The towering 6'6" blueliner has been in the league since he was 18, but his growth has been steady and plodding, as you might expect of someone that large. The reason for his gradual rise to the fourth-highest scoring defender in the game last year (with 55 points) was simple: He learned to defend at the game's highest level before allowing his more natural offensive instincts to take over.
Now, Hedman is proving that massive breakout season was no fluke. He has netted three goals and seven points in his first four games this year.
Steven Stamkos is one of the best players in the entire league, and Ryan Callahan can certainly make his presense felt in many different ways, but elite teams require elite defensemen to win championships, and Hedman fits the bill there now.
Toronto Maple Leafs: David Clarkson
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Can David Clarkson ever recapture his 30-goal form, or was that stellar season with the New Jersey Devils in 2011-12 a total fluke?
That's the big question around the Toronto Maple Leafs' X-factor. Clarkson can fight. He's proved he can score—if not at a 30-goal pace, surely around 20. Or has he? When the 30-goal campaign happened, there were no previous expectations of Clarkson. Since then, folks have been anticipating it. And the massive deal he inked to join the Leafs last summer piled the pressure even higher.
Here's why he could rejoin the ranks of 20-goal scorers this year summed up in a few simple words: He's playing on the third line and should win more matchups.
Clarkson is skating with spark plug Leo Komarov and center Mike Santorelli at even strength but joins Nazem Kadri and Joffrey Lupul on the second power-play unit. He should be able to take advantage of some other teams' third-line offerings and outmuscle them to pucks in front of the net. If that doesn't pan out, he's the last remaining fighter on the Leafs roster, so there's always that.
Vancouver Canucks: Ryan Miller
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Which Ryan Miller will show up most nights for the Vancouver Canucks could be the difference between the team returning to the playoffs or missing out once again.
When Roberto Luongo was shipped to Florida last season, leaving Eddie Lack to tend the twine in Vancouver, it seemed the franchise was heading toward a bit of a rebuild. Instead, the Canucks went out and added the experienced Miller and sniper Radim Vrbata via free agency and look to be reloading for another playoff run before the Sedin twins get too far along in their careers to be game-breakers.
The Sedins are looking like they're going to easily bounce back from career bummers under John Tortorella last year. Vrbata is fitting in well on their right side as well. And Miller is undefeated, although his statistics don't paint a picture as pretty as the 2-0 record; his save percentage is .889 and his goals-against average is 2.88.
That won't cut it over a full season, so the Canucks will be hoping the guy who posted a .923 save percentage for the terrible Buffalo Sabres team a year ago is the one who surfaces in the long run.
Washington Capitals: Barry Trotz
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How a head coach can become an X-factor is easy in this case. The success of the Washington Capitals will depend almost entirely on Trotz's relationship with superstar Alex Ovechkin.
More specifically, it will depend on Ovechkin listening, learning and buying in to the details Trotz teaches.
So far, it's a dream team. Ovechkin has five goals through four games, a plus rating, is blocking shots and playing responsibly while also leading the league in shots taken. If Ovechkin becomes a leader in every sense of the word on the ice, this team will follow his example.
Winnipeg Jets: Mark Scheifele
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With 29 points over the final 39 games last season—interrupted by injury—Mark Scheifele appeared to turn the corner on his rookie season after a terrible start. The big and skilled center was playing with confidence and giving the Winnipeg Jets a legitimate threat on the second line.
How he amps up his game this year will greatly affect the team's fate.
With Evander Kane (before a knee injury) and Blake Wheeler on his wings, the line has significant size and grit to go with top-end skill. Despite beginning just his second NHL season, Scheifele is the guy who brings that top-six trio together.
Head coach Paul Maurice tells TSN Radio 1290 he doesn't care about Scheifele's age, lumping him at 21 and defenseman Jacob Trouba (20) together in importance:
"In our structure and on our team, we've got them in really important positions. Positions that sometimes take players years to get to. So they are going to have some times where they look like they've really come on and we'll be excited about that, and there is going to be times both struggle a bit with their role. We've asked them to do a big job.
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All stats via NHL.com unless otherwise noted.
Steve Macfarlane has covered the NHL for more than a decade, including seven seasons following the Flames for the Calgary Sun. Follow him on Twitter @macfarlaneHKY.
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