Tyler Myers and 6 More NHL Sophomore Slumps

It happens every year.

Second-year players come into the league with big expectations following a breakout rookie season. Usually these players are young, either in their teens or early 20s, and are given more responsibility than they can handle.

While some players may thrive in the spotlight and make the most of their extended ice time, others need a year of reality to get their game back.

The season is young and any of these players could recover from a bad start, but there have been a few players that have not lived up to expectations in their sophomore season.

The following are seven players that are experiencing the sophomore slump.

7. Matt Gilroy

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

BOSTON - OCTOBER 23: Matt Gilroy #97 of the New York Rangers skates against the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden on October 23, 2010 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Rangers won 3-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Drafted: undrafted in 2009

2009 stats: 4g, 15pt, even (69 games played)

2010 stats: 0g, 0pt, -1 (8 games played)

Matt Gilroy is a great story. The undrafted free agent pickup from Boston University wears 97 in honor of his deceased brother Timmy, who wore 98. The brothers wore their numbers in homage to Wayne Gretzky.

Gilroy, however, needs to get on the board, or at least into the black, in order to continue to receive ice time in New York.

6. Nathan Gerbe

Mike Stobe/Getty Images

NEWARK, NJ - OCTOBER 23: Nathan Gerbe #42 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the New Jersey Devils on October 23, 2010 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Sabres defeated the Devils 6-1. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Drafted: 5th round, 142nd overall (2005)

2009 stats: 2g, 5pt, +1 (10 games played)

2010 stats: 0g, 2pt, +2 (9 games played)

Considered a great value pick, Nathan Gerbe was expected to make a big splash this season after being called up for his second 10-game stint with Buffalo.

He hasn't been terrible, but the center is not making a case for serious ice time on a team that really needs scoring.

5. Nikita Filatov

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

ST PAUL, MN - OCTOBER 16: Nikita Filatov #28 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center on October 16, 2010 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

Drafted: 1st round, 6th overall (2008)

2009 stats: 2g, 2pt, even (13 games played)

2010 stats: 0g, 2pt, -2 (11 games played)

Like Gerbe, Nikita Filatov hasn't been terrible, but much is expected of the sixth overall pick.

Experts and bloggers alike claimed that Filatov would be sensational for the Jackets if he stayed in Ohio, rather than head back to his native Russia. However, he's been pedestrian so far.

4. Dmitry Kulikov

Abelimages/Getty Images

TORONTO - OCTOBER 26: Dmitry Kulikov #7 of the Florida Panthers shoots during warmup before game action at the Air Canada Centre against the Toronto Maple Leafs October 26, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Leafs won 3-1. (Photo by Abelimages/Getty Im

Drafted: 1st round, 14th overall (2009)

2009 stats: 3g, 16pt, -5 (68 games played)

2010 stats: 0g, 0pt, even (10 games played)

Without much veteran presence on this Panthers squad, Dmitry Kulikov has the opportunity to produce with extended ice time.

Instead, he's given his coaches reason to keep him on the bench. The Russian has yet to put a point on the board.

3. Semyon Varlamov

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

BOSTON - OCTOBER 21: Semyon Varlamov #1 of the Washington Capitals skates against the Boston Bruins at the TD Garden on October 21, 2010 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Drafted: 1st round, 23rd overall (2006)

2009 stats: 15w, 4l, .909sv%, 2.55gaa (26gp)

2010 stats: 0w, 1l, .896sv%, 2.91gaa (2gp)

This was supposed to be the year that Semyon Varlamov took over the Capitals net. Instead, he has relinquished it to Michal Neuvirth, who was drafted a round after him in 2006.

Granted, Neuvirth has looked pretty solid so far, but more was expected of Varlamov entering this season.

2. James Van Riemsdyk

Paul Bereswill/Getty Images

PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 23: James van Riemsdyk #21 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates in a hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Wells Fargo Center on October 23, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)

Drafted: 1st round, 2nd overall (2007)

2009 stats: 15g, 35pt, -1 (78 games played)

2010 stats: 0g, 4pt, +2 (12 games played)

Drafted No. 2 behind Patrick Kane in 2007, James van Riemsdyk shows a lot of promise, but hasn't started out the year well.

He has yet to find the back of the net and needs to have a bigger impact on this Flyers team.

1. Tyler Myers

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

BUFFALO, NY - NOVEMBER 03: Tyler Myers #57 of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the Boston Bruins at the HSBC Arena on November 3, 2010 in Buffalo, New York. The Bruins defeated the Sabres 5-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Drafted: 1st round, 12 overall (2009)

2009 stats: 11g, 48pt, +13 (82 games played)

2010 stats: 3g, 4pt, -12 (13 games played)

He's found the back of the net three times, but his minus-12 rating is the worst in the league.

Myers needs to step his game up. The Sabres are struggling in a big way after claiming first in their division last year.