NHL Players Ready to Take Off in the 2025-26 Season
The NHL preseason is coming to an end, and it’s time to predict which players will make a significant leap in their role and production during the upcoming season. Following the performance of players like Dylan Guenther and Matthew Knies, who experienced a considerable increase last season, several players are poised to stand out in 2025-26. A “breakout” doesn’t always imply an increase in offensive production; it can mean a more prominent role in normal game situations, more time on special teams, or more challenging matchups. Many of the players on this list are expected to see a significant increase in their role, and some could have a true breakout in the traditional sense.Connor Bedard
Center, Chicago Blackhawks
The most obvious player to include on this list. After two seasons below expectations, it seems this could be Bedard’s year. Let’s remember that Nathan MacKinnon didn’t become the player we know until his fifth season in the NHL, so Bedard needs a chance. Although the preseason isn’t always indicative, Bedard’s elite shot and vision were consistently on display in September. If he stays healthy, he should exceed a point per game. If he aims to be part of the Olympic team, he’ll need a pace of 85 to 90 points when the roster is announced, something achievable for someone with his talent. Everyone has witnessed Bedard’s brilliance at his best. However, for two years, this has not been consistent. He is likely to play more than 20 minutes in each game and generate between three and four shots per game. His shooting percentage should start to rise, something common in players with elite shots like Bedard. If Bedard shoots at 13% on 270 shots, he would score 35 goals, a significant increase compared to his 22 and 23 goal campaigns. He needs more opportunities to work his magic, both through his own creation and through the situations in which he is deployed. It is reasonable to suggest that he finishes with 32 goals and 55 assists this season, which puts him at 87 points.Quinton Byfield
Center, Los Angeles Kings
The 6-foot-5, 225-pound center will be a key piece for the Kings as he prepares to take on the role of pivot on the first line when Anze Kopitar retires at the end of the season. Kopitar is still a tremendous player, but the Kings will need to put Byfield in difficult minutes to further develop his game on both sides of the puck. Byfield has everything needed to be a player who can score 80 points and be defensively reliable. He will have more opportunities on the power play, and his offensive game in normal game situations began to take off last season. After two consecutive seasons with point totals in the mid-50s, Byfield is expected to use his speed, strength, and skill to physically dominate his shifts. There is a real path to a 30-goal, 45-assist season for him as he takes on a more prominent role in the Kings’ top six.Matty Beniers
Center, Seattle Kraken
The center of the Kraken’s first line is one of the best two-way players in the NHL at the young age of 22. Beniers is reliable in all situations, a rarity for players under 25. Beniers hasn’t found the next step offensively, and it’s something Seattle desperately needs. From a true breakout perspective, this could be the year Beniers firmly enters the conversation for the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward. Winners are often accompanied by offensive production (though they shouldn’t be), and Beniers will see time on both special teams units to make an impact. The Kraken’s new coach, Lane Lambert, wants the penalty kill to be aggressive and will encourage his players to generate scoring chances when the opportunity arises. That, combined with minutes on the first line and opportunities on the power play, should allow Beniers to increase his offensive production. Beniers’ rookie campaign saw him produce 57 points in a second-line role. He is taking on tougher matchups on the first line, and if he can score more than 60 points while effectively neutralizing the opponent’s best player, he will be in the conversation for the Selke. That is a significant step for a player at this point in his development.Zach Benson
Left Wing, Buffalo Sabres
A promotion to the top line with Tage Thompson and Josh Norris is all Benson needs to make the roster. Whether he stays there, or plays as the second-line center to allow Ryan McLeod to thrive in the third-line role, Benson is poised for a significant increase in every statistical category. After a 28-point campaign last season, in which he averaged less than 15 minutes of playing time per game, he is likely to play close to 19 minutes per game this season. He will also have opportunities in the power play and will be in a position to play with better players than in previous campaigns. Considering everything, there is a clear possibility that the young, highly talented player will double his offensive production from last season and score between 55 and 60 points. He will play more difficult minutes due to his matchups against the best defenders, but Benson can create offense, and should thrive with more talented linemates and more time in the offensive zone. The Sabres are counting on him this season, so scoring around 22 goals and 35 assists is within reach for the player chosen in the first round of 2023.Cole Perfetti
Center, Winnipeg Jets
With Nikolaj Ehlers’ signing with Carolina, Perfetti is finally in line to get a significant upgrade in his offensive opportunity. Combine that with his outstanding performance for Winnipeg in the playoffs, and there’s no defensible reason to keep him off the top power play or to not give him consistent minutes in the top six. With increased opportunity in normal play and special teams situations, there are many reasons to believe Perfetti could be a 70-point player in 2025-26. Increasing his ice time from 15 to 17 minutes per game will lead to an increase in shot opportunities. If Perfetti matches his shooting percentage from the last two seasons, he should score between 25 and 30 goals. Increased time on the power play will naturally increase his offensive production. Finally, it’s Perfetti time in Winnipeg, and he’s well-prepared to seize this well-deserved opportunity and make the most of it.Logan Stankoven
Center, Carolina Hurricanes
The small center saw its opportunity (and, therefore, its production) increase after the transfer from Dallas to Carolina. The Canes deployed Stankoven as their second-line center and were rewarded for it. As is the case with Perfetti, Stankoven is likely to see 17 minutes of playing time per game this season, adding two minutes to last season’s average. Whether he’s flanked by Andrei Svechnikov or Ehlers on his left, he’ll have a player with a lot of skill capable of scoring a lot of points. Stankoven’s playmaking ability could be what elevates Svechnikov to that increase in goal production that many have been waiting for. If he plays with Ehlers, they are both dual-threat offensive players, and Stankoven has the ability to finish the opportunities that Ehlers creates. Regardless of who he plays with, an improvement in the skill set and a greater opportunity should lead to increased production for the young Canes center.
