As the summer drags on and on and on (and on) I find myself wondering what is more exciting, the prospect of the NHL starting back up or my kids going back to school.

As much as I like hockey and my kids...........the answer is pretty obvious to anyone who has kids. I mean, I love those guys, but jeez. I used to think my Mom was just mean in August, but now I know how she felt. Anyways, hockey will be fun too.

In the NHL, every year, there are a few guys who blow away all expectations and here is my list of guys I think will do so this year.

#1. Nail Yakupov

After scoring a respectable 17 goals in 48 games during his lockout-shortened rookie season, Nail Yakupov only picked up 11 last year and was even a healthy scratch for a few games.

Of course, in a world where instant gratification and analysis has replaced thinking, this means Yakupov is a #1 overall bust who will still be lucky to still be in the NHL in a few years.

And, of course, I think this is ridiculous. Yakupov's skating and shot are going to ensure that he is a star player in the NHL for years to come. I predict this season he is going to bust out and bust out big-time. In fact, the Oilers are my breakout team for this season too. As I've said 900 times already, they'll make the playoffs.

Not only is Yakupov one of the most exciting players in hockey from a talent and potential perspective, but with the Oilers icing one of, if not the games very best, first lines of Eberle, Hall and RNH, Yakupov can be expecting to capitalize on some very favorable defensive matchups.

For a guy of his talent to never have to be on the ice against Shea Weber or Zedeno Chara is going to be a scary thing to behold. Look for Nail to exploit secondary coverage and dance his way to a total explosion. 30 goals is a cinch, but I wouldn't be shocked by 40 or even 50. I wouldn't be shocked if he leads the NHL in goals. The guy is that good.


# 2 Nazem Kadri

Kadri will be entering his 5th NHL season this year, but it will be just his second full season (assuming he remains healthy and plays all 82 games). During the lockout, Kadri was able to exploit weak matchups and put up nearly a point per game. Last year, the Leafs graduated him to the second line and he struggled at times, but so did the whole team. He may not see the third line matchups he saw two years ago, but with Kessel and JVR on the team's first line, he still will be avoiding the best of the best when it comes to defenders and like Yakupov, he has the talent to exploit this.

Kadri, if he ever puts it together, has the chance to be a star in the NHL. People bristle at his confidence (unfairly) but he wants to be an elite player more than anything in the world. Not only does he have the talent to do so (his hands and passing are elite) but he is a guy who plays hard - he's a bit dirty, he checks, and he goes to the rough areas of the ice.

I see this as the year Kadri finally learns that he can't just will himself through defenders and vaunts himself into the league's scoring leaders. Bozak is the perfect guy for the Leafs to have right now as their number one, simply because it isn't going to be a problem to move him down the lineup when Kadri, and then Nylander, take his job. I see Kadri as one of the prime candidates for a breakout in 2014-15, as he takes the surprising Maple Leafs into the playoffs, and supplants Bozak as the teams top centre. I'll take him for 70-82 points this season.

#3 Mikkel Boedker

As Boedker enters his sixth NHL season, it's hard to believe he is just 24. Last season, he put up a career 19 goals and 51 points, playing mostly from the second line and with a variety of centres, as Hanzal was yet again plagued with injuries.

All you have to do to believe in Boedker is to check out this goal where he takes the puck just before centre and uses his blazing speed, size and hands to combine for a great OT goal. The impressive thing about this goal is not the actual goal itself, but the way he uses his speed and strength as a combo to basically just do whatever he wants.



That the Coyotes this year lack top line scoring, it's pretty much a consensus. Except, maybe they don't. Boedker is going to get every chance to breakout. With no one standing in his way, he should see the most ice time, both at 5v5 and on the PP, of any forward on the team. Whether he lines up on opening night with Hanzal, Vermette or Gagner, Boedker is going to score and score often. Combine his talent, ice time and the puck moving ability of Arizona's back-end, and this is about as sure a thing as breakout seasons can be.

19 goals is nothing. I predict Boedker will have that many by Christmas. Look for him to tear up the desert as he plays for a new contract. The only caveat here is that, unlike Nail and Kadri, he isn't going to have easy matchups to exploit. Still, I don't think it's going to matter, as he doesn't have to rely on pure skill to get things done - being as he is so strong and hard to knock off the puck.

Overall, what I like about predictions in the summer is you can't be wrong until long after it's forgotten what you said! Still, it's a jumping off point. Who do you think will breakout this year? Lemme know.

Thanks for reading.

Follow @james_tanner123


P.S this blog was inspired by a guy I follow on Twitter who asked the breakout question this morning, his name is @alexrosenpotp and I know nothing about him, except that he asked a good question, so if you follow him and he turns out to be crazy, don't blame me!

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