Predicting the Most Improved Players for the 2016-17 NHL Season

The latest crop of young talent has been drafted and evaluated. The free agents have been signed—most of them, anyway. The big trades have gone down.

At this point, we have a good idea how most teams' rosters will look once opening night of the NHL's 2016-17 season rolls around on October 12.

Of course, some players will suffer injuries or development setbacks that will prevent them from reaching their potential. But others will thrive—maybe as part of their continuing hockey evolution or maybe because of a change in circumstances that works to their particular benefit.

This look at the NHL players who are poised to show the biggest improvements next season doesn't focus on raw rookies getting their first taste of hockey's top league or players joining the NHL after spending time in Europe. Each player has at least one year of NHL hockey in the books and is poised to take a big step forward in 2016-17.

Who else do you think has a chance to stake a claim on a spot as part of the NHL's All-Improved Team next season?

Jonathan Drouin: Tampa Bay Lightning

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Age: 21

2015-16 Stats: 21 GP, 4-6-10; playoffs: 17 GP, 5-9-14

Why He'll Improve 

The road was winding, but Jonathan Drouin ultimately made great strides in his NHL development during his second pro season.

An autumn trade request by his agent went unheeded, and Drouin was suspended by the Lightning in early January for refusing to report for an AHL game with the Syracuse Crunch, per Dan Rosen of NHL.com. But all fences were mended by the end of the year.

After the trade deadline, the team lifted Drouin's suspension. He wrapped up his regular season with 10 points in 10 games after returning to the Crunch. Then, recalled by the Lightning for the NHL playoffs, Drouin became a crucial part of the team's offense. He dressed for all 17 Tampa Bay postseason games and finished tied for third in team playoff scoring with 14 points.

Projection for 2016-17

Drouin and Tampa Bay's management and coaching staffs all seem to have put their differences behind them. Expect to see the shifty winger assume more responsibilities next season and watch his point totals spike accordingly.

Drouin should flirt with 50 points, mostly assists, in 2016-17.

Aleksander Barkov: Florida Panthers

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Age: 20

2015-16 Stats: 66 GP, 28-31-59; playoffs 6 GP, 2-1-3

Why He'll Improve

Aleksander Barkov doesn't turn 21 until September. He's already the seasoned NHL two-way center that the Toronto Maple Leafs hope Auston Matthews will be, and at his young age, Barkov should still have plenty of upside.

Playing on the Florida Panthers' top line last season, Barkov's point totals jumped from 36 to 59. He also became the go-to guy on faceoffs.

Barkov's strong play caught the attention of award voters—he finished second in voting for the Lady Byng Trophy thanks to just eight penalty minutes and ranked sixth for the Frank J. Selke Award as one of the league's best defensive forwards, per Hockey Reference.

Projection for 2016-17

Barkov won a silver medal with Team Finland at the 2016 World Championship in Russia and will once again play for his country at the World Cup of Hockey in September. When he returns to Florida, he'll be reunited with Jonathan Huberdeau and Jaromir Jagr on a pumped-up Florida Panthers team that hopes to take the next step toward becoming a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. 

Barkov could flirt with 70 points next season. He should also see an improvement in his faceoff percentage (49.2 percent last season) and another spike in his plus/minus, which jumped from minus-four in 2014-15 to plus-18 last season.

Joonas Donskoi: San Jose Sharks

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Age: 24

2015-16 Stats: 76 GP, 11-25-36; playoffs 24 GP, 6-6-12

Why He'll Improve

Smooth-skating Joonas Donskoi wasn't as acclaimed as Artemi Panarin last season, but the arc of his hockey career so far has been quite similar. Panarin is six months older. Both players were scoring stars in their native countries—Panarin in Russia and Donskoi in Finland—before signing free-agent contracts to come to the NHL for the 2015-16 season.

Who had the better year? Panarin scored 30 goals and won the Calder Trophy, but Donskoi did a solid job of establishing himself with the San Jose Sharks and enjoyed a run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Donskoi's overtime goal in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins was the high point of the series for San Jose; two of his six playoff goals were game-winners.

Projection for 2016-17

The Sharks came together as a team under new coach Peter DeBoer in 2015-16 and peaked at the right time. They'll build off that experience next year. Expect to see Donskoi in a larger role with the Sharks as soon as he returns from his stint with Team Finland at the World Cup of Hockey. It's reasonable to look for 25 goals and 60 points.

P.K. Subban: Nashville Predators

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Age: 27

2015-16 Stats: 68 GP, 6-45-51

Why He'll Improve

Is it realistic to think the 2013 Norris Trophy-winning defenseman who ranks third in total points over the last five seasons at his position has significant upside? In the case of P.K. Subban, it looks like the answer is yes.

Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin stunned the hockey world when he pulled the trigger to send Subban to the Nashville Predators on June 29. A fresh start with a team that's on the rise and features one of the best top-to-bottom defenses in the NHL could be a springboard for Subban to play the best hockey of his career.

Projection for 2016-17

With the Predators' defensive depth, Subban may not need to play 26 minutes a game like he did for the last two seasons in Montreal. Still, expect him to get plenty of power-play action and to make the most of his ice time. 

Subban's career peak to date was the year he won the Norris, when he scored 11 goals and 38 points in 42 games during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign. Look for a similar pace as he makes his debut in Music City—somewhere around 20 goals and 70 points.

Rasmus Ristolainen: Buffalo Sabres

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Age: 21

2015-16 Stats: 82 GP, 9-32-41

Why He'll Improve

Yet another outstanding young talent out of Finland, Rasmus Ristolainen has the size, the shot and the smarts to become an elite NHL defenseman.

In his second full season with the Buffalo Sabres, he more than doubled his offensive output from 20 to 41 points as his ice time jumped from 20:37 to 25:17 per game.

Projection for 2016-17

Ristolainen will also be part of the Finnish roster for September's World Cup of Hockey in Toronto. Once the season begins in Buffalo, he'll flirt with 15 goals and 50 points, and, even more importantly, his defensive game will improve in lockstep with the Sabres' overall fortunes. 

Expect to hear as much about Ristolainen's hitting next season as you do about his smooth skating and big shot.

Jonathan Bernier: Anaheim Ducks

Tom Mihalek/Associated Press

Age: 27

2015-16 Stats: 38 GP, 12-21-3, 2.88 goals-against average, .908 save percentage

Why He'll Improve

Expect to see a rejuvenated Jonathan Bernier now that he's back in Southern California, where he thrived as a young backup before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs.

During his five seasons as a member of the Los Angeles Kings organization between 2007 and 2013, Bernier amassed a record of 29-20-6 in 62 games. His best year was his last, when he laid down a 1.88 goals-against average and .922 save percentage in 14 games during the 2012-13 season.

Once Bernier gets out of the media fishbowl in Toronto and back behind a solid defense, he'll find his game again.

Projection for 2015-16

Bernier's expected to join the Anaheim Ducks as a backup, but starter John Gibson has dealt with injuries and inconsistency. Gibson was very good during most of the regular season in 2015-16, but he lost his first two playoff games and was then passed over in favor of Frederik Andersen for the rest of the Ducks' first-round playoff series with the Nashville Predators last spring. 

With less pressure, Bernier should regain his confidence in a backup role and be able to tap into that positive energy if his workload spikes at some point during the season. Expect to see Bernier post a winning record and a save percentage above his career average of .915 as he appears in 30 to 35 contests.

All stats courtesy of NHL.com.