10 NHL Players Who've Seen a Major Improvement in 2015-16

Most improved is not an title pro athletes covet. It's probably on par with the most sportsmanlike, otherwise known as the Lady Byng Trophy. There's no actual trophy for the most improved, but there have been some notable achievements on that end from some NHLers, young and old, this season.

Whether it's a bounce-back season or a breakout campaign, a massive statistical swing based on a new opportunity or an adaptation to the speed of the game or size of the players, the following 10 slides focus on guys who have made major strides in the 2015-16 season.

Points totals are a big area of focus, but we spend a little time analyzing why these leaps are made—whether it's more ice time, minutes on the power play or the quality of players they are surrounded by.

Click ahead to see who made the cut, and feel free to add your thoughts in the comments section.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Arizona Coyotes

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Last year: Oliver Ekman-Larsson had a 23-goal season and cracked 40 points for the second straight year—his fifth in the NHL.

This season: The Arizona Coyotes defenseman is looking at 50-plus points and could hit career highs in every offensive category. He has already set personal bests with 30 assists, 12 power-play goals and 27 points with the man advantage.

Analysis: Keith Yandle's departure last year gave Ekman-Larrson a huge opportunity to step into the marquee role as the power-play quarterback and unquestioned number one all-around defenseman, and the 24-year-old Swede has not disappointed. He may not have the same powerful shot as Yandle, but his vision and passing ability may be even better than his predecessor's.

Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers

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Last year: In his second season with the Florida Panthers, Aleksander Barkov put up 16 goals and 36 points along with a minus-four rating. It was a modest improvement over his freshman season of 24 points in 54 contests. 

This season: Barkov has 23 goals and 46 points through 54 games and has established himself as one of the brightest young centers in the game at the age of 20.

Analysis: Barkov isn't the only breakthrough player with the Florida Panthers, and teammate Reilly Smith almost made this list after his summer move from the Boston Bruins to Florida offered him new opportunities. But Barkov is a special talent. Not only has he made great strides offensively, but the 6'4", 213-pound pivot is already one of the better two-way centers in the game. He has a plus-13 rating and averages more than 19 minutes per game—tops among all Panthers forwards.

Marc-Edouard Vlasic, San Jose Sharks

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Last year: NHL veteran Marc-Edouard Vlasic put up a career-best nine goals and his fourth 20-point season with the San Jose Sharks while continuing to carve out a reputation as one of the best defensive defensemen in the league.

This season: The San Jose Sharks stalwart is just one goal shy of last year's mark but has shattered his personal best with 31 assists on the year. He will break the 40-point plateau for the first time in a decade in the league.

Analysis: Vlasic's evolution is incredible. He is averaging more ice time than in previous years and is being relied on in more of an offensive capacity, but he has not sacrificed his defensive responsibilities to do it and still faces the opposition's best lines more often than not. New coach Pete DeBoer may have a little something to do with the uptick in offense, asking the underrated blueliner to join the rush more often.

Kyle Palmieri, New Jersey Devils

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Last year: As a member of the Anaheim Ducks, Kyle Palmieri had 14 goals and 29 points in 57 games while searching for a fit among a talented group of forwards.

This season: Now a member of the New Jersey Devils, Palmieri has hit 25 goals and 45 points to establish new career highs.

Analysis: The deal to the Devils gave the Palmieri new life. He fit in perfectly on an undersized top line with Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak and has become the team's top scorer as a result. Both he and Stempniak are enjoying career years offensively, and although Stempniak was dealt to the Boston Bruins at the trade deadline and Cammalleri has been hurt, Palmieri has continued to produce. Chemistry, a comfort factor being so close to his childhood home in Montvale, New Jersey, and an expiring contract have all contributed to his big breakthrough.

Rasmus Ristolainen, Buffalo Sabres

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Last year: In his first full season with the Buffalo Sabres, Rasmus Ristolainen had eight goals, 20 points and a minus-32 rating as part of the league's most inept group of players.

This season: The 6'4" defender has made significant jumps across the board with nine goals, 37 points and a minus-18 rating.

Analysis: While Zach Bogosian was expected to be the top performer on the Sabres blue line, an early-season injury made way for Ristolainen to take on an expanded role, and the 21-year-old pounced on it. His minutes have jumped by an average of almost five per game—only about a minute of which is additional power-play time. That one extra minute on the man advantage, however, has seen him double his power-play point production with games left on the calendar.

Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers

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Last year: Despite playing enough games to burn the first year of his entry-level contract, Leon Draisaitl was sent back to the junior ranks because the Edmonton Oilers felt he wasn't ready for the rigors of the NHL. He played 37 games and had a pair of goals and nine points.

This season: When rookie phenom Connor McDavid went down with a shoulder injury in late October, the Oilers called up Draisaitl to fill in. He clicked with Taylor Hall immediately and has 17 goals and 47 points in 62 games as a sophomore who didn't start the year with the club.

Analysis: Draisaitl has done so well in his second season that the Oilers have an abundance of talent up the middle and might want to dangle Ryan Nugent-Hopkins for a top-end defender if they find any takers. The 20-year-old is a great blend of size and skill at 6'1" and 214 pounds. His jump in confidence and production has been dramatic thanks to his American Hockey League seasoning.

Alex Galchenyuk, Montreal Canadiens

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Last year: Alex Galchenyuk hit the 20-goal mark for the first time in his third NHL season. He hit 80 games for the first time and finished with 46 points and a plus-eight rating.  

This season: The 22-year-old Montreal Canadiens center has hit 26 goals and is on pace for 30. He has already passed last season's points total at 48 and should finish with around 55.

Analysis: Galchenyuk not only improved from last year to this year, but he has gained steam as the season itself has progressed. He has 12 goals in his last 11 games and has earned his way into the position of top pivot for the Habs. On top of opportunity and confidence, he's got a knack for getting into prime shooting position and has a quick release that is tough for goaltenders to predict.

Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins

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Last year: In his fifth full NHL season, Boston Bruins pest Brad Marchand had another consistent campaign. He put up 24 goals and 42 points, the latter being the lowest total in a non-lockout season since his rookie year (2010-11).

This season: Marchand has cracked the 30-goal mark for the first time in his career and is on pace to hit 40—almost double his career average. He should also hit the 60-point plateau for the first time.

Analysis: Marchand has gone from irritating pest to sniper extraordinaire all because of more ice time. He's always been a steady producer of goals but is now among the leaders in the league in that category. Averaging about a minute and a half more on the ice per game this season, his shots are way up and his shooting percentage has remained high to create this jump in production.

Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames

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Last year: Johnny Gaudreau had a stellar season as a rookie last year, scoring 24 times and racking up 64 points as a freshman with the Calgary Flames. He earned a nod as a Calder Trophy finalist for his efforts.

This season: The slight but skilled winger has already surpassed the strong numbers he posted in his debut NHL campaign and still has a dozen games to add to his totals. He's on a point-per-game pace and looking to hit the 30-goal, 50-assist mark.

Analysis: Gaudreau is tiny—at a listed height of 5'9" and weight of 157 pounds—but he has blazing speed, a quick and accurate shot and elite vision that has led to more than a handful of highlight-reel rushes in his second season. Confidence and an opportunity as a top-line NHLer have helped the 22-year-old thrive in spite of his size. He should finish top 10 in league scoring.

Evgeny Kuznetsov, Washington Capitals

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Last year: As a rookie, the highly anticipated first full season in the NHL didn't go as hoped for Russian Evgeny Kuznetsov. After a brief debut the previous year, in which he totaled three goals and nine points in 17 contests, he managed to produce at about the same pace with 11 goals and 37 points in 80 games last season.

This season: Kuznetsov is one of the most dynamic playmakers in the league. He's among the top five scorers in the NHL and, with a point-per-game pace, should finish with at least 40 more points than last season.

Analysis: The 23-year-old's breakout is a big reason the Washington Capitals are going to win the Presidents' Trophy as the team with the best regular-season record. He has given them a second stud center in tandem with Nicklas Backstrom. It took about 100 games in North America for the supremely skilled Kuznetsov to adapt to the smaller ice and dump-and-chase mentality, but boy did he ever figure it out.

All stats via NHL.com unless otherwise noted.