7 NHL Players That Will Likely Disappoint During the 2025-26 Season

Every new NHL season raises expectations for every player on each of the 32 clubs. That's especially true for those whose performances were better than anticipated in the previous season, or veterans who have met high standards throughout their careers.

Unfortunately, some of those players could struggle to maintain or exceed the level of play from the previous season.

They can be younger players whose production was well above their previous norms. Meanwhile, age and the wear-and-tear of a long NHL career can catch up with a veteran star.

We've identified seven notable players whose play could disappoint in 2025-26. They could prove us wrong, but we will indicate the respective factors for each that could result in setbacks this season.

Ryan Donato, Chicago Blackhawks

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Ryan Donato was considered a depth forward entering 2024-25. He'd spent the first six years of his NHL career with four different clubs before landing in Chicago in 2023-24, never amassing more than 31 points in a season.

However, Donato's performance last season was among the few bright spots for Chicago's rebuilding roster. Skating on their first line alongside young star Connor Bedard, he tallied a team-leading 31 goals and finished second to Bedard with 62 points.

Donato's play earned him the best contract of his NHL career, signing a four-year deal with an average annual value of $4 million. Whether he'll repeat last season's production remains to be seen as he competes for ice time with young players like Colton Dach and offseason additions like André Burakovsky.

Three games into this season, Donato was moved down to Chicago's third line. If he ends up staying there, his point production will suffer, potentially dropping back to the 30-point range.

Matt Duchene, Dallas Stars

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Last season was the 16th NHL campaign for Matt Duchene of the Dallas Stars. Coming off a 65-point performance in 2023-24, the 34-year-old center defied expectations with one of the best seasons of his career.

Duchene led the Stars with 82 points, the second-highest single-season total in his long career. He was also their assist leaders (52), marking another career high. Duchene finished third in goals with 30, which was the fourth time in his career that he's reached that plateau.

A career-high shooting percentage of 19.7 played a significant part in Duchene's production last season. However, he could find it difficult to reach that level again at this stage of his career.

Age could become a factor for Duchene, who will turn 35 on Jan. 16. He could also see a downturn in his playing time this season. His regular linemate, Mason Marchment, was traded to Seattle in the offseason, which could also affect his production.

Morgan Geekie, Boston Bruins

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Before the 2024-25 season, Morgan Geekie had been primarily used in a checking-line role with the Carolina Hurricanes, Seattle Kraken, and during his first season with the Boston Bruins in 2023-24. However, he moved up the ranks as that season progressed, finishing with 17 goals and 39 points in 76 games.

Moved to the Bruins' top line last season, Geekie had a career-best performance, finishing second among their leading scorers with 33 goals and 57 points. His shooting percentage soared from 13.1 in 2023-24 to a team-leading 22.0, sitting second among all NHL skaters with at least 50 games played.

A restricted free agent with arbitration rights at season's end, the 27-year-old Geekie leveraged that performance into a lucrative new contract. On June 29, he signed a six-year deal with the Bruins worth an average annual value of $5.5 million.

That will raise expectations for Geekie to exceed last season's production. However, it's unlikely that he'll be able to maintain that high shooting percentage for a second straight season. That could reduce his goals to between 20 and 25, and his points to between 45 and 50 for 2025-26.

Brandon Hagel, Tampa Bay Lightning

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Acquired by the Tampa Bay Lightning from the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2021-22 season, Brandon Hagel became an invaluable addition. The gritty winger's production has steadily risen over the last three seasons, with 30 goals and 64 points in 2022-23 and 49 assists and 75 points in 2023-24.

Last season was a career-best campaign for Hagel. His production rose to 35 goals and 55 assists for 90 points, finishing second among Lightning scorers and 11th among NHL skaters. However, he could have difficulty matching or exceeding those numbers.

The 28-year-old Hagel began the season on the Lightning's second line, which could result in a drop in his production if he remains there. He was among the league leaders last season in shorthanded points (seven), but might not have the same success this season.

Hagel remains a very good forward for the Lightning and will continue to be effective as a 5-on-5 scorer and a penalty killer. His point production should remain around 70 to 75, but fans expecting another 90-point campaign will be disappointed.

Darcy Kuemper, Los Angeles Kings

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Entering his 14th NHL season, Darcy Kuemper has had his share of ups and downs in his career. After backstopping the Colorado Avalanche to the Stanley Cup in 2021-22, he signed a five-year contract with the Washington Capitals. However, his struggles with the Capitals led to his trade to the Los Angeles Kings in June 2024.

Rejuvenated in Los Angeles, Kuemper put up a career-best 2.02 goals-against average last season. He finished among the top-10 goalies in that category, as well as in wins (31) and save percentage (.922). That performance made him a finalist for the Vezina Trophy.

Now 35, Kuemper faces the expectation of following up with a similar performance this season. Given his age, however, that could be difficult to replicate.

Kuemper benefited from a strong Kings defense last season. However, their blueline was depleted by the departure of Vladislav Gavrikov via free agency and trading Jordan Spence to the Ottawa Senators, replaced by aging blueliner Cody Ceci and Brian Dumolin. He could face a heavier workload as a result.

Aliaksei Protas, Washington Capitals

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Alex Ovechkin's chase of the NHL goalscoring record last season nearly overshadowed the Washington Capitals' exceeding expectations by finishing first in the Eastern Conference. Ovechkin's team-leading 44 goals were a factor, but so was the play of teammates such as Aliaksei Protas.

In his fourth NHL campaign, Protas put up numbers that exceeded his six goals and 23 assists for 39 points in 2023-24. The 6'6", 250-pound forward was third among the Capitals with 30 goals and 66 points, with a team-leading shooting percentage of 21.1 that ranked eighth among NHL skaters with at least 50 games played.

Protas, 24, improved his performance by working on his skating during the offseason. He also used his size, strength, and reach to win puck battles and create scoring opportunities. That effort earned his place among the Capitals' top-six forwards.

However, Protas isn't a superstar scorer like Ovechkin, so it's unlikely that he will maintain that high shooting percentage this season. As with Boston's Morgan Geekie, that anticipated drop will affect his production. He should still put up good numbers, but they could be more in the 20-goal, 50-point range.

Mark Stone, Vegas Golden Knights

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Since his first full NHL season with the Ottawa Senators in 2014-15, Mark Stone has excelled as one of the top two-way forwards in the league. A two-time finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy (2018-19 and 2020-21), Stone is the king of the takeaways, leading the league since 2014-15 with 842.

Stone had 67 points in 66 games last season, marking the seventh time he's exceeded 60 points. The Golden Knights' captain is off to a good start to this season with five points in his first three games. However, several factors could lead to a drop-off in his performance.

Now 33 years old, age could become an issue for Stone. His two-way style of game is physically demanding and could start catching up with him. That wear-and-tear has sidelined him for lengthy periods in recent years, including two back injuries and a spleen injury.

The offseason addition of Mitch Marner has dropped Stone to the Golden Knights' second line. That means his production could suffer as a result, though he should remain among their best defensive forwards.

Stats via NHL.com and Hockey-Reference.com. Salary info via PuckPedia. Line combinations via Daily Faceoff.