Welcome to another edition of the Hockeybuzz hotstove.
In this one we'll be looking at and predicting breakout players from the Eastern Conference. These can be players who have shown flashes but have more to give, or players that can come out of nowhere and become regular contributors to their team.
Todd Cordell: Eric Gelinas
Eric Gelinas burst onto the scene last year in New Jersey and tallied 29 points in 60 games, but I think he could surpass 45 points this season.
Gelinas was the most efficient power play defenseman in hockey last season, and led Devils defensemen in 5 vs 5 points/60 minutes with .82. Due to the occasional defensive lapse and having eight regular NHL defensemen on the roster, Gelinas didn't play nearly as much as he should.
This season Gelinas has the opportunity to establish himself as a legitimate regular. He'll likely take a regular shift with Adam Larsson at full strength, and should see his fair share of power play ice.
With his booming shot, developing skill set and more opportunity, the sky is the limit for him.
Ryan Wilson: Cam Atkinson Cam Atkinson is one of the players on the Blue Jackets that flashed his potential last season and will build upon it this year. He had 21 goals and 19 assists. I believe he can get to 30 goals and 60 points this upcoming season. He has blazing speed and will combine with Ryan Johansen for a great year (I am not worried about that contract situation).
Honorable mention goes to Beau Bennett who I probably would have picked if he wasn't missing the first 6 weeks of the year.
Tim Chiasson: Jake Gardiner – 50+ points The 24-year-old blueliner is entering his fourth season with the Maple Leafs and he’s primed to boost his career high of 31 points to a new level. With new security from management, to the tune of $4.05M per season over five years, Gardiner should have enough weight off of his shoulders to elevate his game to the worth of that new contract. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he significantly stepped up his game after the 2014 trade deadline had passed.
When given more opportunity, well over 20 minutes per game, he excelled posting 14 points in the last 18 games of the season (each game post-trade deadline), a bright spot on an otherwise destructive series of games. This year you could see Gardiner hit 50-55 points and establish himself as one of the premier young offensive defensemen in the NHL.
Michael Stuart: Mike Zibanejad
I think Mika Zibanejad is set to be a breakout player in 2014-15.
After being drafted 6th overall in 2011, Zibanejad set career highs in both goals and points last season, with 16 and 33 respectively. Not only does he have the size and requisite skill to be an impact player at the NHL level, he also has the opportunity to be one. The fact that Ottawa dealt Jason Spezza to Dallas creates an opening for Zibanejad. He’ll be counted on to make a difference.
Beyond all this, it’s also worth noting that Zibanejad was a positive possession player last year. That indicates to me that he should be able to sustain the success and build on it. It might be a rough season in Canada’s capital, but I really do believe that Zibanejad will be a bright spot.
James Tanner: Jonathan Huberdeau Last year he took a step back after winning the Calder Trophy the year before, but the 6'1 winger is so offensively gifted that he is bound to bounce back.
I can't see any scenario where Huberdeau isn't eventually a star in the NHL. The panthers also have Barkov, himself very talented and I foresee these two eventually being one of the best combos in the league.
Huberdeau put up a weak 28 points last year and he should easily double that, but the sky is the limit. He has the talent to score 40 goals one day, and though he isn't likely to just skyrocket to those heights this season, he should be a good bet for 70 plus every year from here on out.
Hopefully everyone doesn't say Hubedeau - he seems like an obvious candidate.
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