NHL Players Whose Skills Have Evolved the Most This Season

This has been one of the more interesting NHL seasons in recent years, with a wealth of young, talented players beginning to establish themselves as the new faces of the league.

These budding stars have been developing for a while, but for one reason or another, it seems like a particularly big group has emerged this season.

Here are eight NHL players whose skills have evolved the most this season.

Statistics as of Sunday, February 8.

Tyler Johnson, Tampa Bay Lightning

USA TODAY Sports

2013-14 was Tyler Johnson's first full NHL season, and he put up an impressive 50 points in 82 games. 

But this season, Johnson has emerged as a legitimate top center and elite playmaker alongside Steven Stamkos on the Tampa Bay Lightning. 

Nobody could have predicted that Johnson would keep up with Stamkos, but he's actually been slightly ahead of the star center in terms of point totals for most of the season.

He's playing with tremendous confidence and should end up as one of the top point producers at the end of the season.

Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators

USA TODAY Sports

Filip Forsberg has always been supremely talented, but he got off to a bit of a rough start after being drafted a few years ago.

He was originally drafted by Washington but then got traded to Nashville, where he struggled to crack the NHL lineup until this season.

Now he's showing an extra gear that was missing before. With 47 points in 52 games, Forsberg is one of the biggest reasons that the Predators have been at or near the top of the standings this season.

Jaden Schwartz, St. Louis Blues

USA TODAY Sports

The report on Jaden Schwartz had always been that he played a strong two-way game with a decent amount of offensive potential.

Well, 2014-15 has been the season that proves the 22-year-old has more than just a decent amount of offensive ability.

Schwartz has been humming along at nearly a point-per-game clip all season and has tallied an impressive seven power-play goals with his deadly shot and knack for being in the right place at the right time.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes

Norm Hall/Getty Images

The Hockey News named Oliver Ekman-Larsson as the Coyotes' 2014 MVP, and when you watch him play, it's easy to see why.

He may not get much attention down in Arizona, and defensemen often get overlooked unless they put up huge offensive numbers.

While avid followers have known about Ekman-Larsson for years, most hockey fans would probably be surprised to hear his name in the discussion for the best defenseman in the league—yet that is exactly what he's done with superb play this season.

The 23-year-old plays in every situation and has an impressive 16 goals on the year. He's become a truly dynamic No. 1 defenseman this season.

Ryan Johansen, Columbus Blue Jackets

USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Johansen began to emerge on a league-wide scale with his big All-Star Game and skills competition performances, but Columbus fans had to have seen this breakout coming.

A fast skater who stands at 6'3" with great hands and a good finishing touch, Johansen was always destined for stardom from a physical standpoint.

He had a big 2013-14 season with 63 points, but this is the season where everything is fully coming together; he's making smart plays, and it's obvious that he is assuming a leadership role and really beginning to carry Columbus to relevance.

Kevin Shattenkirk, St. Louis Blues

USA TODAY Sports

Although he was recently sidelined with abdominal surgery, according to ESPN.com, prior to going down, Kevin Shattenkirk had been one of the best defensemen in the NHL this season.

Despite being a bit stuck in Alex Pietrangelo's shadow, Shattenkirk has proved himself worthy of top accolades with his outstanding two-way play in 2014-15.

He isn't physically imposing, but his swift skating and excellent vision have helped him score eight goals and add 32 assists this year, making him one of the highest-scoring players at any position.

Jake Voracek, Philadelphia Flyers

USA TODAY Sports

The biggest breakout star of the 2014-15 season and arguably one of the two or three best players in the league right now, Jake Voracek is officially a full-fledged star.

He has been absolutely dominant for most of the season, taking over games for Philadelphia with a supreme blend of speed, strength and stick-handling ability.

Playing on a line with Claude Giroux obviously helps, but Voracek looks extremely confident and even faster than in previous seasons. He has been leading the league in scoring for most of the season and is on pace to finish the year with 91 points.

Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames

Gerry Thomas/Getty Images

Far and away the best rookie in the league this year, Johnny Gaudreau is the latest diminutive offensive star in the NHL.

At only 5'9", 150 pounds, Gaudreau likely was passed over in the draft (taken in the fourth round, 104th overall, in 2011 by the Flames) by so many teams because his frame just doesn't seem like it would hold up in the NHL.

But he has proved that he can not only hold up but actually thrive at the pro level. He's scored 39 points on the season, 10 more than the second highest-scoring rookie.

Gaudreau has showed the speed and creativity that helped him excel at Boston College, but he's also been more assertive and confident with the puck than most rookies would be. It's been fun to watch his rapid improvement throughout the past few months.