The Top 10 Rising Stars to Watch in the 2014-15 NHL Season

Every NHL season brings a new crop of players who blossom into stars. This season is no different, as several players are carving out their place among the league's top stars. Many of them have become scoring leaders on their respective teams. Some are among the league's top scorers.

Several players on this list are rookies who've had an immediate impact on their teams. Others are sophomores who have significantly improved following their first full NHL season. A few have taken several years to reach their potential. 

Here's a look at the top 10 rising NHL stars to watch this season. 

10. T.J. Brodie, Calgary Flames

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The hype over promising Calgary Flames forwards Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau largely overshadowed the performance of defenseman T.J. Brodie entering this season. Signing a five-year, $23.25 million contract extension in October cast a brighter spotlight upon the 24-year-old blueliner.

Brodie quietly earned that raise with his steady improvement over the past three seasons, culminating in a respectable 31 points in 81 games in 2013-14. With 22 points in 29 games, he's on pace for over 60 points this season.

Once the Flames' best-kept secret, the word is out that they have a rising star in their defense corps. Brodie is among Calgary's leading scorers and ranks with the league leaders for points by defensemen. He also leads the Flames in ice time per game (24:56) and plus/minus (plus-19). 

9. Tyler Toffoli, Los Angeles Kings

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Los Angeles Kings right wing Tyler Toffoli had a promising rookie performance last season with 29 points in 62 games. Placed on a line with Jeff Carter and Tanner Pearson, Toffoli shone in the 2014 playoffs, collecting 14 points in 26 games, helping the Kings win the Stanley Cup.

The 22-year-old Toffoli carried over his solid postseason performance into this season. He leads the Kings with 20 points in 28 games, while his 10 goals has him tied with Pearson for the team lead. Toffoli also leads the league with four short-handed goals.

Toffoli's production has cooled since mid-November, but it's only a matter of time until he breaks out of his slump. Given his offensive skills and versatility, Toffoli could reach 60 points this season.

8. Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers

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Selected first overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2014 NHL draft, 18-year-old Aaron Ekblad faced considerable pressure entering his first NHL season. So far, he's proved up to the challenge.

Placed on the Panthers' top pairing with Brian Campbell, Ekblad is logging over 21 minutes per game. He's tied for the team lead in points with 18 and leads all Panthers blueliners in plus/minus with a plus-six. He also sits third among NHL rookie scorers.

Ekblad is currently on pace for over 55 points this season. Sadly, his superb performance has been overshadowed by the Panthers' attendance woes and concerns over the club's future in Florida. That's a shame, because Ekblad's performance is among the reasons why the Panthers are currently in playoff contention.

7. Brock Nelson, New York Islanders

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New York Islanders center Brock Nelson made a promising NHL debut last season, with a respectable 14 goals and 26 points in 72 games. Early in his sophomore campaign, the 23-year-old is on the verge of exceeding those totals.

In 28 games, Nelson has 13 goals and 24 points, putting him on pace this season for 35 goals and 70 points. He's jockeying with John Tavares and Kyle Okposo for the lead among Islanders scorers. He also leads the Isles in goals and sits among the league's top goal scorers.

Nelson's impressive development has helped take some of the offensive burden off Tavares and Okposo. His contributions have significantly improved the Islanders' secondary scoring, which has factored into the club's improvement this season. 

6. Jaden Schwartz, St. Louis Blues

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St. Louis Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz had an impressive sophomore performance last season. His 25 goals and 56 points ranked among the Blues' top five scorers, and he had team-best plus/minus of plus-28.

Schwartz is on pace to exceed those numbers this season. With nine goals and 23 points in 28 games, he's second among Blues scorers. Though the 22-year-old has struggled at times with his consistency, he could reach 26 goals and 65 points by season's end.

Though overshadowed by linemate Vladimir Tarasenko, Schwartz has quickly risen to become a key part of the Blues' offensive attack. It's only be a matter of time before he becomes their top-line left winger.

5. Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators

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Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg is enjoying a terrific NHL rookie campaign. In 27 games, the young Swede has 12 goals and 27 points, with a plus/minus of plus-23.

Only 20 years old, Forsberg has earned first-line minutes with the Predators. As a result, he's become their leading scorer. Forsberg also leads all rookies in goals, points and plus/minus while ranking among the league leaders in points and plus/minus.

Forsberg is on pace for an 80-point season. The last Predators player to reach 80 points was Paul Kariya in 2005-06. After years without a true scoring star, the Predators have a rising one in young Forsberg.

4. Tyler Johnson, Tampa Bay Lightning

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Tampa Bay Lightning center Tyler Johnson made an impressive NHL debut last season, finishing third in rookie scoring with 50 points. He was also a finalist for the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year.

Johnson is putting up better numbers this season. Teamed with winger Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov, the 24-year-old center collected 29 points in as many games. He's second to team captain Steven Stamkos among Lightning scorers, ranks among the NHL's top 10 scoring leaders and is on pace for an 82-point season.

Centering the Lightning's second line, Johnson has helped bolster his club's secondary scoring. His play is among the reasons behind the Lightning's strong performance this season. 

3. Ryan Johansen, Columbus Blue Jackets

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After an undistinguished start to his NHL career, Columbus Blue Jackets center Ryan Johansen rose to prominence in his third season, scoring 33 goals and 63 points in 2013-14.

Johansen missed training camp and the preseason over a contract dispute with management. However, the absence did nothing to adversely affect his play. With 26 points in 27 games, the 22-year-old center is the Jackets' leading scorer. He's also among the league's scoring leaders.

On pace for nearly 80 points, Johansen's performance this season has more than addressed concerns over how his contract holdout might affect his play. He's also been among the few bright spots for the Jackets during this injury-ravaged season. Johansen is a genuine star, and he is only going to get better.

2. Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues

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During his first two injury-hampered NHL seasons, St. Louis Blues right winger Vladimir Tarasenko showed considerable promise as a scoring star. This season, the young Russian has become an offensive force.

In 28 games, Tarasenko has tallied 17 goals and 30 points. He currently leads the Blues in goals, points, overtime goals (two) and shots (104). Tarasenko is also among the league's top 10 in goals, game-winning goals and points.

Only 23, Tarasenko is on pace for 50 goals this season. He could become the first Blues player to reach that mark since Brett Hull and Brendan Shanahan in 1993-94. At the very least, Tarasenko has provided the Blues with a game-breaking scorer they've been missing for some time.

1. Jakub Voracek, Philadelphia Flyers

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Prior to this season, Philadelphia Flyers right wing Jakub Voracek had established himself as a good top-six forward. Though he tallied 46 points in 48 games in 2012-13 and a career-best 62 points last season, he wasn't considered an elite scorer.

This season, however, Voracek is jockeying for top spot among the NHL's leading scorers. The 25-year-old winger has 34 points in 27 games, placing him among the league's top five scorers. His 25 assists rank second only to Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby.

At Voracek's current pace, he could finish this season with over 100 points. His performance is the only pleasant surprise in an otherwise ugly season thus far for the Flyers.