NHL Players Thriving Under New Coaches in the 2016-17 Season

Every year, NHL teams spend a lot of money in free agency and invest major assets in acquiring new talent to upgrade their rosters. Some of those bets work out, and some do not. And sometimes, teams find low-level solutions who make major differences.

The relationship between player and coach has many variables, and most of the real success stories involve marrying skill set with opportunity. The NHL has several perfect fits this season, and some of the more obscure names in the league appear poised to break out in big ways.

Here are eight NHL players thriving in new situations with new coaches—and the teams who are benefiting from the new arrangements.

Arizona Coyotes: Radim Vrbata

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

What was his role last season? Radim Vrbata was a regular forward for the Vancouver Canucks in 2015-16, playing in 63 games and scoring 13 goals—a disappointing total.

What changed? When he arrived with the Arizona Coyotes, head coach Dave Tippett did not reduce his ice time, nor did he hide him on a depth trio. Instead, he placed Vrbata on a top line with Martin Hanzal and Max Domi, feeding him good opportunities to flourish in areas where he has proved effective. 

How has his coach impacted his game? A veteran coach like Tippett probably looked at Vrbata's career shooting percentage (9.4) and made the rational bet that his poor season in Vancouver would regress. That has been the case, as Vrbata's shooting percentage has spiked from 6.5 percent to 11.5 percent so far this season. His six goals in 2016-17 represent almost half of the 13 total goals of one year ago, and Vrbata may well pass that number by midseason.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Sam Gagner

Kirk Irwin/Getty Images

What was his role last season? Sam Gagner was a fringe player for the Philadelphia Flyers a year ago, playing less than 14 minutes a night and scoring just 16 points—easily his lowest career total.

What changed? Late in free agency this summer, Gagner caught on with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Since he was an August signing, Gagner was not a major addition, but his offensive ability was attractive to the Blue Jackets.

How has his coach impacted his game? Head coach John Tortorella has kept Gagner in a support role, but he is playing with other skilled players like Scott Hartnell. Gagner is a former high first-round pick and has had seasons of 45 or more points several times, so the skill is there. He needed a recovery season, and this appears to be it.

Edmonton Oilers: Tyler Pitlick

Julie Jacobson/Associated Press

What was his role last season? In 2015-16, Tyler Pitlick of the Edmonton Oilers was enduring another injury-riddled campaign in the minors. Since turning pro in the fall of 2011, Pitlick had never been able to complete a season in good health, and last year was the same story.

What changed? This fall, Pitlick was healthy and showed well in training camp, something he had been unable to do in Todd McLellan's first year as head coach. Edmonton had a series of injuries and defections—like Kris Versteeg to the Calgary Flames—opening up a window of opportunity.

How has his coach impacted his game? Pitlick stepped right in and began scoring goals—five in his first 15 games—and earning playing time. McLellan has used the young winger up and down the lineup with real success, and it does appear to be Pitlick's time to emerge as an NHL player.

Florida Panthers: Jonathan Marchessault

Alan Diaz/Associated Press

What was his role last season? In 2015-16, Jonathan Marchessault was a utility forward for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was an efficient scoring option for a deep team under head coach Jon Cooper.

What changed? On July 1, Marchessault signed with the Florida Panthers with the idea that he could fill a similar role—perhaps increasing his playing time from the 12 minutes he received in Tampa Bay.

How has his coach impacted his game? Panthers head coach Gerard Gallant is using Marchessault heavily on a feature line. His playing time has increased to 18 minutes a game this year, and he has been effective on a line with Aleksander Barkov and Jaromir Jagr. He is inside the league's top 30 in points and is getting plenty of power-play time. Marchessault is one of the major success stories in the NHL this season.

Los Angeles Kings: Peter Budaj

Harry How/Getty Images

What was his role last season? Last season, Peter Budaj played in the AHL for the Los Angeles Kings' farm club. The Ontario Reign had a quality team, and Budaj posted an outstanding year.

What changed? Budaj was likely to spend all or most of the 2016-17 season in the AHL, but injuries at the NHL level to Jonathan Quick and Jeff Zatkoff forced the team to scramble.

How has his coach impacted his game? Head coach Darryl Sutter had to have some confidence in Budaj, or else the club would have made a quick trade in order to cover for the goalie injuries. Instead, the Kings have played 16 games in front of the veteran goaltender and won eight of them. For Budaj, the opportunity has breathed new life into his career, and he could be around for some time. 

Montreal Canadiens: Alexander Radulov

Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

What was his role last season? In 2015-16, Alexander Radulov was starring for CSKA Moscow in the KHL, a league he has dominated for several seasons.

What changed? On July 1, the Montreal Canadiens signed the brilliant offensive winger. It was a risky move—Radulov's previous NHL experiences included some frustration on both sides—but Montreal had a place for him and didn't have to trade any assets to acquire his services.

How has his coach impacted his game? Head coach Michel Therrien placed him with skilled men like Alex Galchenyuk and Artturi Lehkonen. He is also having power-play success and impacting the game offensively. We are still in the early days of this contract, but Montreal appears to have hit a home run with Radulov.

New York Rangers: Michael Grabner

Mary Altaffer/Associated Press

What was his role last season? Michael Grabner spent 2015-16 with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played 80 games—never on a feature line—and scored nine goals and 18 points.

What changed? Grabner signed with the New York Rangers, a move that drew far less attention than it should have based on later results. Grabner's deal looked like an interesting addition—a complementary player brought in to make sure there was enough depth in the lineup.

How has his coach impacted his game? Head coach Alain Vigneault and the Rangers are deploying four scoring lines, overwhelming opposition with skill and dominating large portions of the game. Grabner and his line—most often Kevin Hayes and J.T. Miller—are a big part of it, with Grabner's 10 goals in 17 games tying him for No. 2 in the NHL.

Ottawa Senators: Ryan Dzingel

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

What was his role last season? Ryan Dzingel of the Ottawa Senators split time between the NHL and AHL last year. He was a feature player in the minors and a fringe forward at the NHL level—a typical entry into the league for most young prospects.

What changed? With injuries to forwards like Clarke MacArthur and some slumping veterans, Dzingel found a small window of opportunity and won a regular job. He is among the team's leading scorers.

How has his coach impacted his game? Senators head coach Guy Boucher has deployed Dzingel on a line with Kyle Turris and Bobby Ryan for much of the season, and the young winger has flourished. He has scored three goals in just over 60 minutes with Ryan, which represents outstanding production. He will have to continue to deliver quality offense, but this is a major opportunity.

               

All advanced stats courtesy of Stats.HockeyAnalysis.com.