Predicting Which Slumping NHL Players Will Improve in 2015

NHL players like Jakub Voracek, Tyler Seguin, Rick Nash and Vladimir Tarasenko have started the 2014-15 season with great acclaim and success, and they are currently riding a wave of good vibes.

Unfortunately not every player in the league is as lucky, and there are a few players who are in the midst of a middling season even though they are better than their numbers show. 

These players are clearly talented and have had success in the past, but for whatever reason they are failing to come through this season. 

There may be some players you feel that should be included but aren't. The reason for that is twofold: I feel they won't break out of their slump, or I don't think they are slumping to begin with. Either way, feel free to reach out if you want to air some grievances even though Festivus has come and gone.

A new year is coming; here are slumping players who will improve in 2015.

T.J. Oshie, St. Louis Blues

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Oshie will look to get back on track in 2015.

T.J. Oshie has proven to be a useful scorer and two-way player for the St. Louis Blues throughout his career, but he is on pace to tie the worst statistical season of his career.

Through 26 games, the American "folk hero" has 12 points and only five goals. Last season he tallied 21 goals and finished with 60 points,  respectively.

Oshie is still on the Blues' first line and is playing with David Backes and Alex Steen, two players who can generate offense on a regular basis. This season Oshie has missed seven games because of a concussion, and that ultimately appears to be the root of his struggles.

Rick Nash is a perfect example of a talented player who regressed after suffering a concussion, but bounced back after getting completely healthy. Concussions affect players differently, and although Oshie is struggling now, look for him to find his way during the final three-and-a-half months of the NHL regular season.

Mikko Koivu, Minnesota Wild

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DALLAS, TX - NOVEMBER 28: Mikko Koivu #9 of the Minnesota Wild handles the puck against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center on November 28, 2014 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NHLI via Getty Images)

Mikko Koivu is the captain of the Minnesota Wild and a nine-year NHL veteran. During that time he has shown Wild fans some incredible things, but this year he is failing to meet expectations. In 32 games he has 16 points, and he is trending down when you look at his year-to-year numbers.

Koivu is averaging 0.50 points per game; last year that number was 0.83. The year before that it was 0.77 and the year before that it was 0.80. Koivu's career average is 0.74, and that equates to 61 points a season when you round up.

Minnesota’s best center is on pace to finish with 41 points, so he'd be 20 points off his career pace. The 31-year-old center is talented, and he has the potential to bounce back. Right now the Wild have their top line loaded up with Zach Parise, Mikael Granlund and Thomas Vanek, so Koivu has been making do with Jason Pominville and Jason Zucker.

Both players are decent hockey players, but Koivu would probably have more assists and points if he were playing with two lethal goal scorers on a consistent basis. Heading into the new year I can see Koivu elevating his game, because he is not a 40-point player.

Evander Kane, Winnipeg Jets

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Evander Kane is an interesting and sometimes enigmatic hockey player. He gets a lot of grief for his persona, his social media actions and his play at times, but it takes skill to score 30 goals in the NHL. Kane accomplished that during the 2011-12 season, paced over 30 goals during the NHL lockout and was on pace to finish with over 45 goals last season until he succumbed to an injury.

Currently Kane has six goals and 13 points in 25 games. The Jets' young forward played 1:24 in the season opener back on October 10, and he missed the next eight games with a knee injury. After returning to the lineup it took him until his sixth game of the season to record a goal, and it would take him five more games to score his next goal.

When you look at his game logs and his on-ice play, it is clear that he is still trying to get into a rhythm. It sounds crazy because of the number of games and minutes he's played, but he just doesn't look like the explosive Evander Kane that has shown bursts of brilliance the last few seasons.

He is getting close; look for him to bounce back heading into the new year.

Mats Zuccarello, New York Rangers

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Mats Zuccarello led the New York Rangers in scoring last season with 59 points, and it seemed like he was poised to have a big season. The opposite proved to be true early on as Zuccarello recorded only 11 points during the first 22 games of the season.

As of late, though, Zuccarello has stepped up, and he appears to be on track for the second half of the season. Zucc has eight points during the Rangers' current seven-game win streak, and he may finally be turning a corner for New York.

Jake Gardiner, Toronto Maple Leafs

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Jake Gardiner is a talented defender who isn't doing as well as he could be. He has eight points in 32 games, and he is in the midst of an eight-game pointless streak. He also hasn't been the best defensively; he has a minus 12 rating and some subpar advanced stats to boot.

Gardiner dazzled in his rookie season and tallied 30 points in 75 games, went back to the AHL and came back last year with a 31-point season.

The Toronto Maple Leaf blueliner is on pace to finish with only 20 points, which would be looked at as a disappointment for a young defender who has been developing at a steady pace. I am confident Gardiner can rebound in 2015, because it only takes a few big games to get him back on track to finish with 30 or more points.

Brian Campbell, Florida Panthers

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Brian Campbell is a talented veteran defenseman for the Florida Panthers. Throughout his career he has made a living as a talented power-play quarterback and puck distributor, but this season he has struggled.

It is befuddling because the Panthers have played very well, but it appears that time is catching up with the 5'10", 192-pound rear guard. Campbell is pointless in his last six games and is on pace to finish with a lowly 21 points in 82 games.

Ultimately Campbell will get it together, because he has shown the ability to do it his entire career. He may no longer be the 60- or 50-point defender he was earlier in his career, but he is still capable of contributing 30 to 35 points.

Look for Campbell to bounce back during the second half and be a player who helps the Panthers during their playoff push.

Kari Lehtonen, Dallas Stars

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The Dallas Stars were the darling of the 2014 NHL offseason. Not only did general manager Jim Nill swing a deal that landed him Jason Spezza to become the team's second-line center, but he also added Ales Hemsky to bolster the offense.

After making all these moves and a few others, it was assumed that the Stars would be a top team in 2014-15. That hasn't come to fruition, and part of the reason is because Kari Lehtonen hasn't had a great season between the pipes. 

The Finnish phenom is 13-8-5 with a 2.99 goals-against average and a lowly .904 save percentage, and he is capable of better work. During his tenure in Dallas he has shown that he can be a 30-win goaltender with a save percentage in the .910 to .920 range and a decent goals-against average.

The Stars are a better team than their record indicates, and they are a team that can turn it around in the second half with a strong performance from Lehtonen the rest of the way.

Paul Stastny, St. Louis Blues

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Paul Stastny was acquired by the St. Louis Blues to be a solid second-line center, but he hasn't played like one to date. No one foresaw the rise to power of Jori Lehtera, and Stastny has been relegated to the third line as a result. 

Stastny is on pace to finish with 37 points, or 0.50 points per game, and that would be the lowest total of his career to date. While Stastny may not be a point-per-game center in the NHL, he is still good enough to contribute 50 to 60 points a season.

You can chalk up his early struggles to learning a new team and system, but eventually his talent will allow him to push through. He may not have the best offensive season of his career in 2014-15, but I expect him to push for 50 points with a strong second half of the season.

Thomas Vanek, Minnesota Wild

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Thomas Vanek is a NHL player who has appeared in 695 games with four different teams over a span of 10 seasons. The Austrian sniper has averaged 34 goals a season when you round up, and this year he is on pace to finish with 13 goals.

Vanek has picked up assists in place of tallies, but he is still struggling to find his way as a goal scorer for the Wild. It takes time to adjust to a new team, and Vanek also was dealing with some off-ice money issues, according to a Rochester Democrat and Chronicle report.

Now that these issues are seemingly behind Vanek, he should have no issues breaking out during the second half of the season.

Stats via NHL.com and The Hockey News.

Is there someone you feel can bounce back that I didn't include? Feel free to leave a comment below.