Every season, there is a handful of players that come out of nowhere and light the NHL world on fire. Last year, you had players like Nazem Kadri, Jesper Bratt, Jake Oettinger and Tage Thompson all exceed preseason expectations and put together sensational seasons. The upcoming 2022-23 season will be no different.
Looking around the league, there is a plethora of candidates to take the next step forward and please their coaches and front offices by being even better than advertised.
For some, it will be about opportunity — young players who haven’t gotten the chance to shine yet due to other players ahead of them on the depth, but now have the opportunity to rise to the occasion. For others, it’s simply about being better, having worked all offseason to improve their game.
MORE: NHL 2022-23 Stanley Cup odds
Soon enough, we will all 32 teams in action and get a glimpse at who will be raising eyebrows this season in the best way possible. Here are seven potential breakout candidates for the 2022-23 season.
Seven potential breakout candidates for the 2022-23 NHL season
1. Tim Stutzle, F, Senators
After a strong sophomore showing with 58 points, Stutzle was rewarded with an eight-year, $66.8 million extension from the Senators this summer, locking him up as a part of their core group going forward. The German forward has solidified his spot as the team’s second-line center behind Josh Norris.
Not only should the 20-year-old take another step in his development, but he will have sensational linemates to work with. With the Senators adding Alex DeBrincat and Claude Giroux, it gives D.J. Smith plenty of options to form his first two lines, as the team also will be rolling out Brady Tkachuk and Drake Batherson on the wings. No matter who Stutzle’s linemates are, there may not be a player that is in a better position to take a huge leap forward this season than Stutzle.
2. Alexis Lafreniere, F, Rangers
Lafreniere has not been the game-changing forward that the Rangers expected him to be when they drafted him. The No. 1 pick from 2020 is coming off a 31-point season, playing on the Rangers’ “Kid Line” with Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko for a majority of the season.
However, Lafreniere should get his opportunity to see top-line minutes with right wing spots open on New York’s two top lines. There’s the potential to put Lafreniere with Artemi Panarin and new center Vincent Trocheck, or slide him with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. Either unit will give Lafreniere his best opportunity yet to truly thrive in the NHL, and he is a prime candidate for a breakout season.
3. Alex Newhook, F, Avalanche
The Avs need a new second-line center with Nazem Kadri leaving in free agency and signing with the Flames. J.T. Compher slid up and played in the middle of the second line when Kadri was hurt during Colorado’s Cup run and likely will get reps in that role, but there is a real chance Newhook takes over that spot. The Boston College product had 33 points in 71 games, playing both center and wing in the bottom-six for the Avs.
The tools are all there. Newhook is a great skater and distributor of the puck, as well as having success in the face off dot. He brings more to the table offensively than Compher does. Newhook is in the final year of his entry-level contract and given how teams have been handling their young stars and their deals, a big year from him could mean a lucrative contract next summer.
4. Evan Bouchard, D, Oilers
Bouchard’s first full season with the Oilers went exceptionally well, as the 22-year-old led all Oilers defensemen in points with 43 last year. His 205 shots on goal ranked in the top 10 among defensemen and only trailed Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Zach Hyman on Edmonton.
With the defenseman having adapted well to the NHL level, he’s going to see an increase in time on ice after averaging 19:48 last year. It’s likely he’ll play with Brett Kulak on the second pairing, with Cody Ceci being the top right-handed defenseman on the roster. Most importantly, it’s only a matter of time before Bouchard takes over Tyson Barrie’s spot on the top power play unit, and when that happens, you can expect to see a significant uptick in points. I mean, all he has to do is just feed McDavid or Draisaitl and let them do their magic.
5. Ilya Samsonov, G, Maple Leafs
The Capitals were patient with Samsonov but after three seasons of declining numbers, Washington elected to not extend a qualifying offer to the Russian goaltender. Samsonov was given plenty of chances to take over the starting role in Washington, but he never ran with it, struggling with consistency for the better part of the last two seasons. After a 2021-22 season where he went 23-12-5 with a 3.02 GAA and .896 SV%, he signed with the Maple Leafs in free agency to come in and act as a 1A/1B to Matt Murray.
Now, for the second-straight season, Samsonov is playing on a one-year “prove-it” deal. At the very least, he will split time with Murray for Toronto, but if the young goaltender can find his groove like he had his rookie season, he could take over as the starter.
6. Cole Sillinger, F, Blue Jackets
When Johnny Gaudreau signed with the Blue Jackets, a lot of people were wondering who his center would be. While Jack Roslovic and Boone Jenner were the top two centers for Columbus last year, it’s possible that Sillinger makes the leap to the top line. The 19-year-old had 31 points in his rookie season, the only draft pick from the 2021 class to spend the entire 2021-22 season in the NHL.
Sillinger offers a lot more offensive upside than either Roslovic or Jenner. The problem will be who is on the opposite wing of Gaudreau. If Brad Larsen wants to pair his two star wingers together and play Gaudreau with Laine, throwing Sillinger in the middle may not be the best option. But regardless, there is the potential for the young center to receive either first or second-line minutes and if he’s with either Gaudreau, Laine or both, the points will come.
7. Arthur Kaliyev, F, Kings
Kaliyev has always been a shoot-first kind of forward that you would have to give up a little on the defensive side in order for him to excel. Well, the defense has improved, as Kaliyev found himself on the Kings’ checking line for most of the 2021-22 season and has rounded out his game more. The 21-year-old led all rookies in shots on goal last year with 194, adding 14 goals and 27 points in 80 games.
With the addition of Kevin Fiala, that is likely going to prohibit Kaliyev from securing a top-six spot in Los Angeles’ lineup, but he should still see time on the second power play unit. There’s a lot to like about the young Uzbekistan-born forward and he should see his shooting percentage mark increase after shooting 7.2% last year.
Hits: 0
