David Pastrnak BOS: Totals down after a late start last year, but the young sniper led B in points in the playoffs.
Patrick Kane CHI: Don’t be scared off by 15 goals last year. He is still among the best and most consistent wingers in the NHL.
Jake Guentzel PIT: You don’t need it to shine anymore, but as long as Sid makes big numbers, so will he.
Mark Stone VGK: His 1.11 points per game were the best in Las Vegas last year, but only 98 shots in 56 games per puzzle.
Alex Ovechkin WAS: The lowest goals per game (.53) in four years will likely knock him out of first-round range.
Kyle Connor WPG – Consistent high-level points producer on the top line whose best years may still be ahead of him.
Steven Stamkos TB: He’s still producing at an elite level, but the injury history is reason to drop him a round or two.
Alex DeBrincat CHI: Great 32-goal season driven by an unsustainable shooting percentage of 20.6.
Nikolaj Ehlers WPG: Close to one point per game for the first time, and only the first six members of the Jets with a positive rating (+15).
Roope Hintz DAL: You broke through in your third season with a 15-28-43 touchdown line in just 41 games, but will Seguin’s return impact you?
Matthew Tkachuk CGY – Combine the skill of top players with a nasty edge and potential penalty if you don’t get Marchand.
William Nylander TOR: A great postseason effort without Tavares suggests he’s ready to join the league’s elite teammates.
Gabriel Landeskog COL: He’s not as flashy as his linemates, but his forechecking keeps that elite trio running at a high level.
Kirill Kaprizov MIN: Led Wild in goals (27), points (51) and ice time between forwards en route to the Calder Trophy, huge contract.
Teuvo Teravainen CAR: Sleeper appeal after a concussion and a COVID case limited it to totals of 5-10-15 in 21 games.
Max Pacioretty VGK: The top winger could be a mid-round steal if Vegas gets a top center to play with him and Stone.
David Perron STL: The tough veteran topped the point-per-game plateau for the first time last year, but at the expense of some PIMs.
Andrei Svechnikov CAR: Stocks fell after the 2019-20 breakout, but a big up, PIM potential unchanged if you stick with Aho.
Taylor Hall BOS: Buffalo’s arrival changed his season with 14 points in 16 games on the second row.
Jason Robertson DAL: He’s just starting after an impressive 45 points and over 16 in 51 rookie games.
Filip Forsberg NAS: His 0.82 points per game are easily Preds’ best, but he needs Johansen and Duchene to bounce back in a big way.
Carter Verhaeghe FLA: He settled very well on Barkov’s wing last year with a 36-point break in 43 games.
Bryan Rust PIT: Even as third fiddle in the Penguins top line with Crosby and Guentzel, 60-70 points is an achievable expectation.
Blake Wheeler WPG: Under-17, the worst of his career despite a full season with Scheifele, Connor should help him out.
Brock Boeser VAN: Canucks led in goals and points last year, but was affected by Pettersson’s prolonged injury.
Johnny Gaudreau CGY: The subject of frequent trade rumors when the 36-goal, 99-point season in ’18-19 fades.
Claude Giroux PHI: The wing change has worked well for the Flyers captain, allowing him to stay productive on the top line.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins EDM: He handled just 15 points of uniform force last year, but 20 on the power play.
Brady Tkachuk OTT: Extended stamina is a concern, but it’s worth hiding as an early to mid-round pick.
Anders Lee NYI: The anonymous frontline winger scored 12 goals in 27 games before knee surgery ended his season.
Vladimir Tarasenko STL: Questions abound for the sniper after missing most of the last two years and then requesting a trade.
Dominik Kubalik CHI: Assists were up but goals were down in the follow-up season after he was a Calder finalist in 2020.
Kyle Palmieri NYI: After a strong playoffs, the trade deadline acquisition of Isles could hit 50 points as a top line muscle.
Travis Konecny PHI: Goals are down from 25 to 11, but the young spark is likely to have another front-line opportunity.
Patrik Laine CLB – Jackets’ new player on offense, but the drop in surrounding talent from the Jets is already noticeable.
Tom Wilson FUE: As long as he doesn’t cross the line, he should keep racking up points and PIM riding shotgun for Ovechkin.
Zach Hyman EDM: Will you relate as well to McDavid as you did to Matthews? There is no guarantee, but it is likely.
Chris Kreider NYR: Switching to your out-of-band may finally give you your first 30-goal, 60-point NHL campaign.
Evgenii Dadonov VGK: Power plays specialist will be underrated after disappointing season in Ottawa.
Cole Caufield MON: The early Calder Trophy favorite could lead the Canadiens in goals after their playoff breakthrough.
Alexander Radulov DAL: Probably back in the top line for the stars after going 4-8-12 in an 11-game season interrupted by core surgery.
Drake Batherson OTT: With Norris and Tkachuk (when they play), he’s key to one of the best young lines in the league.
Sam Reinhart FLA: He finally blew up with Eichel in the center and now he catches Barkov, but maybe only with even force.
Max Domi CLB: After shoulder surgery, you are playing for a new contract after enduring a couple of difficult seasons.
Brendan Gallagher MON: Fifty-something points seems to be its ceiling, but it adds PIM and a decent plus-minus.
Jamie Benn DAL: He had a below-average offensive year, but should come back if, as planned, he meets Seguin and Radulov again.
Tim Stuetzle OTT: He showed enough high-level rookie skill to suggest he and the Sens could make a big leap this year.
Jordan Eberle SEA: The best days behind him, but he will have plenty of ice time on the top line and the expansion team’s power play.
Tyler Bertuzzi DET: A back injury limited him to just nine games last season, but he still counted five goals.
Tyler Toffoli MON: Those 28 goals in his first season with Habs were helped by a career-high 17.7 shooting percentage.
Clayton Keller ARZ: Coyotes loading his top line is the best opportunity to repeat his excellent rookie season in 2018.
Josh Anderson MON: Power forward slipped after scoring nine goals in his first 13 games after shoulder surgery.
Blake Coleman CGY – Renowned Circular Saw Control with Bolts gets a top six shot on the wing with Lindholm and Tkachuk.
Phil Kessel ARZ: Plus-minus sucked, but he came back really well in season two for Coyotes with 20 goals, 43 points.
Evander Kane SJ: Points and IMP, but given his unpredictability off the ice, recruiting him could be a risky gamble.
Andrew Copp WPG: Looks like he’s getting another shot in the top six after 15 goals, 39 points, the best of his career last season.
Michael Bunting TOR: Good hands, positioning around the net could pay off even if he doesn’t land in a top six role.
Viktor Arvidsson LA: A fading veteran has the potential to be a surprise late in the round playing on the top line with Kopitar, Brown.
Victor Olofsson BUF: Sabers need you to find your rookie form without Eichel around, but plus-minus won’t be pretty.
Anthony Mantha ERA – Boom or flop candidate after quick post-Wings trade start, then fades into playoffs,
Cam Atkinson PHIL: Six-time 20-goal scorer for Columbus, though his role now in Philadelphia remains to be determined.
Tomas Tatar NJ: If Hughes and Sharangovich are true, the veteran could put some solid numbers on the top line.
THE BEST OF THE REST: Patric Hornqvist FLA, Oliver Bjorkstrand CLB, James van Riemsdyk PHI, Jaden Schwartz SEA, Andrew Mangiapaine CGY, Paul Stastny WPG, TJ Oshie WAS, Joel Farabee PHI, Kevin Fiala MIN, Jonathan Marchessault VGK, Mike Hoffman MON, Connor Brownvsky OTT COL, Jeff Skinner BUF, Connor Garland VAN, Nick Foligno BOS, Timo Meier SJ, Reilly Smith VGK, Matt Duchene NAS, Rickard Rakell ANA, Jakub Voracek CLB
ABOVE: Vasili Podkolzin VAN, Eeli Tolvanen NAS, Owen Tippett FLA, Dmitrij Jaskin ARZ, Alexis Lafreniere NYR, Vladimir Tkachev LA, Kappo Kaako NYR, Yegor Sharangovich NJ, Nick Ritchie TOR
Reference-torontosun.com