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.
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Article written by Michael Leboff