NHL Players Showing Signs of a Breakout 2016-17 Season

Over the past few seasons, the National Hockey League has made a transition to a much faster, finesse-oriented game. Coaches are no longer reserving roster spots for enforcers and grinders; instead they are rolling four skill lines. This style change has opened the door for more players to stake their claim to a roster spot and make their mark on the league.

The league has also seen a new class of stars, like Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine, infuse the game with a youthful exuberance that the game hasn’t seen in a generation.

But for every McDavid, there is a Jonathan Marchessault, a player who, for one reason or another, has flown under the radar and is now being given a chance to perform on a top line with a new team.

The following are our picks for the players poised for breakout campaigns in 2016-17. Some of the key factors in deciding this list were ice time, production trends and past performance (whether in the NHL or another league).

Feel free to express any thoughts or views on this list in the comments section below.

Jonathan Marchessault, Florida Panthers

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After two seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the undrafted Marchessault made the trek across Florida in the offseason to sign with the Florida Panthers.

The move has already paid dividends for the diminutive forward, as he is currently playing in the injured Jonathan Huberdeau’s spot on the Panthers’ top line alongside Jaromir Jagr and Aleksander Barkov. Playing as the third man on a line with the big-bodied Jagr and Barkov is a great fit for Marchessault, who is listed at 5’9”, and he should see a lot of time and space on the puck in the offensive zone.

In addition to flanking the top line, the 25-year-old is also seeing time on the power play and has seen his average ice time per game increase from just over 12 minutes to over 18 minutes per contest.

Should Marchessault continue to click with Jagr and Barkov, the former Quebec Rempart could double his previous career high in points (18) by the All-Star Game.

Victor Rask, Carolina Hurricanes

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One could argue Victor Rask had the quietest 20-goal, 20-assist season in the league last year. The Carolina Panthers already don’t get that much attention from the hockey media, and the team is in the middle of a rebuild. Still, if Rask keeps performing at the rate he is right now, he’s going to force himself onto everyone’s radar.

Rask started this season in form, recording 10 points through Carolina’s first eight games. Even more impressive is that seven of those 10 points have come at even strength.

The former second-round pick isn’t regarded as a top-notch skater or a player with a dynamic skill set, but what he’s proven so far in his career is he’s able to handle any role, from the penalty kill to the power play, with aplomb. He has the confidence of head coach Bill Peters, and that bodes well for his usage going forward.

Even though he’s just 23, on a team with a slew of young forwards, Carolina will rely heavily on Rask to serve as a consistent producer as their other young forwards get the feel for the grind of an 82-game NHL season.

Viktor Arvidsson, Nashville Predators

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While the Predators’ defense is their bread-and-butter, Viktor Arvidsson is quietly making noise in Nashville.

The 23-year-old Swede put up decent numbers in his first extended look with the Preds last year, recording 16 points in 56 games. Even though he didn’t see much ice time, Arvidsson was a valuable contributor for Peter Laviolette’s squad, averaging 1.4 points per 60 minutes. He further endeared himself to Predators fans with an overtime winner in Game 6 of the Western Conference semis against the San Jose Sharks.

Arvidsson has been able to produce at every level. In 2013-14 he put up 40 points as a 20-year-old in the Swedish Hockey League. The following year he came over to North America and flourished with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League, posting 55 points in 70 games.

Coming into the season, it was unknown whether Arvidsson would be a regular on Laviolette’s lineup card, but the left winger’s play in the early going has made his coach’s decision an easy one. In eight games so far this season, Arvidsson has scored four goals and assisted on two others.

Given how he’s produced in Europe and in the minors, there’s no reason to suspect Arvidsson won’t be able to come close to replicating those numbers this season.

Nick Leddy, New York Islanders

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Known as one of the best skating rearguards in the NHL, Nick Leddy’s role continues to grow with each passing season with the Isles.

Leddy shines in transition, and that bodes well for him given the way hockey is played today. Despite not being the biggest defenseman out there, Leddy’s speed makes him a top-pair option, and that’s how the Islanders deploy him.

Even though his point totals to start this season—one goal and three assists through eight games—are modest, Leddy has seen his average time on ice increase from last season, and the 25-year-old is running the point on the Isles’ No. 1 power play unit, an outfit that features John Tavares.

Leddy isn’t the type of player to light up a radar gun with his shot, but his style of play and his speed will put him in on plenty of odd-man rushes throughout the season. More ice time means more opportunities for Leddy on the rush; he’s a candidate to reach the 50-point plateau this season.

Mathew Dumba, Minnesota Wild

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Mathew Dumba set career highs in goals (10) and assists (16) in 81 games last season. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if he rewrites those marks this season. Despite his offensive production, the former first-round pick was inconsistent in his own zone last year.

Even though he did have his ups and downs in 2015-16, Dumba showed signs of emerging as one of the Western Conference’s better offensive rearguards.

To start the season, Dumba has been partnered up with Ryan Suter at both even strength and on the team’s first power-play unit. Suter is known around the league for having a fantastic shot, which leads to shooting lanes opening for his teammates. Dumba has shown already he’s not afraid to shoot the puck, as he led the Wild’s defensive unit with 152 shots on goal last season.

Should the 22-year-old find consistency in his own zone playing with the very solid Suter, he should see more opportunities to contribute offensively under new head coach Bruce Boudreau.

Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets

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After helping the Lake Erie Monsters to a Calder Cup win in the American Hockey League last year, Zach Werenski has made a smooth transition to life as an NHL regular. In his first seven games, the 19-year-old has recorded six points (two goals, four assists) and is averaging over 20 minutes per game.

The early offensive production shouldn’t be too much of a surprise as Werenski was a point-per-game player in his last season with the University of Michigan.

Another encouraging sign for the 2015 first-round pick is he’s already seeing ample time on the first power-play unit alongside Seth Jones.

Perhaps more impressively than his early-season point total is the fact Werenski is putting up positive possession numbers. When Werenski has been on the ice, the Columbus Blue Jackets have attempted 131 shots, compared to 108 shot attempts against.

In just a couple of weeks, Werenski has already seemed to have gained the trust of head coach John Tortorella (which is an accomplishment in itself) and should see his role gradually increase as the season progresses.

Cam Talbot, Edmonton Oilers

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Even on a bad Edmonton Oilers team last year, Cam Talbot put together a decent first season as an Oiler.

It took a while for him to earn the Oilers’ confidence last year, as a slow start had him under the microscope. This year has been a different story.

It shouldn’t be a surprise the University of Alabama-Huntsville product’s stable play in the early going has played a vital role in the Oil’s 7-2 start to this season. Talbot, who was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week for the week ending October 23, has started every game so far this season and has posted a .936 save percentage.

As the season progresses, Talbot’s numbers should regress a bit, but his start to the season, coupled with his strong finish last year, should have the Oilers feeling confident in their starting goalie going forward.