Fans of the Canadiens, Red Wings, Kings, Stars and Hurricanes have waited for their younger NHL players to become their next stars. They've started to see that this year.
Every year, we see big-name young players take a big step in their pursuit of stardom in the NHL.
This year, we have plenty of emerging young stars who have become fixtures near the top of the lineup, playing important minutes and becoming integral parts of the roster just as their teams always hoped they would be.
Steps for these players come in various ways. Some have added an element to their game, while others have begun to put their tools together. Some players have just been given more leash by their coach, while others have had to step up because of injuries to teammates.
Let’s look at some of the young NHL players who took big steps and have started living up to the expectations they’ve put upon themselves.
Cole Caufield, LW, Montreal Canadiens
When Montreal drafted Cole Caufield 15th overall at the 2019 NHL draft, he was coming off setting the USA Hockey National Team Development Program’s goal-scoring record. There were weekly highlights of the undersized winger firing howitzers into the top corner from every angle you could imagine. He had more than twice as many goals (72) as assists (28), and the thought was the diminutive goal-scorer would always be that kind of player.
After showcasing his goal-scoring talent in each of the last two seasons, Caufield took a massive step as a distributor this year. His 7.4 shooting percentage is unreasonably low for a player with the shooting talent he has, but that hasn’t prevented him from setting a career high in points this season, with 55 in 72 games so far.
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The wildest fact about his stat line this year is that it’s the first time since the 2015-16 season – when Caufield turned 15 mid-season – that he has more assists (35) than goals (20) in a campaign.
Lucas Raymond, RW, Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings were safely in a playoff spot less than a month ago before captain Dylan Larkin went down with an injury, and they began to fall apart. The Wings were playing as poorly as we’ve seen all year, and the spiral took them right out of a playoff spot.
Through it all, Raymond was the one player who held things together and did everything he could to fill the void that Larkin left before returning on March 21.
After an up-and-down sophomore season, Raymond has become one of the Wings' most important offensive players, with 24 goals, 36 assists and a team-leading 60 points in 73 games. With the additions of Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, Raymond has been asked to be more of a play-driver with centers such as J.T. Compher or Andrew Copp on the second line.
Raymond has an outside shot at 70 points and will challenge the 30-goal mark as well. The 2020 fourth overall pick is beginning to look like that player everyone hoped he could be.
Quinton Byfield, LW, Los Angeles Kings
Despite going second overall in the 2020 draft, Byfield was always seen as a player who could take some time to develop. He was a tall, lanky kid with many tools, but he needed to get stronger and put the puzzle pieces of his game together.
This season, Byfield has primarily played on the Kings' top line with Anze Kopitar and Adrian Kempe, and we are beginning to see what he can truly be.
His playmaking is incredible, showcasing vision and passing abilities that are up there with some of the best in the NHL.
Byfield has added muscle to his 6-foot-5, 225-pound frame, allowing him to push players around and incorporate the power we saw in junior into his NHL game. He is on pace to hit the 60-point mark this year in his first full NHL season, with 19 goals and 34 assists for 53 points in 70 games so far. It will be fun watching the 21-year-old blossom over the next couple of years.
Thomas Harley, D, Dallas Stars
This season has seen Harley build on the fantastic playoff performance from last year when he came into the Stars’ lineup and asserted himself as one of the team's best blueliners.
Harley has become a pivotal piece on the Stars’ back end as they look to chase down Lord Stanley’s Cup this spring. He's matured into a well-rounded blueliner, reaching 40 points without forgetting to care of his own end.
Whether he’s playing with all-world defender Miro Heiskanen or driving play on his own pairing, Harley has found success all season. His puck-moving prowess has taken so much of the burden away from Heiskanen, giving them multiple defenders who can transport the puck at a high level.
While Esa Lindell, Ryan Suter and the recently acquired Chris Tanev worry about the defensive end, Harley takes care of puck-moving and offensive creation.
Seth Jarvis, RW, Carolina Hurricanes
When the Carolina Hurricanes weaponized their cap space to take on and buy out Patrick Marleau's contract from the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2019, they charged the hefty price of a first-round pick. Jarvis wound up being that pick at 13th overall.
It’s not often that a contender can add a top-end draft talent, and that’s exactly what Jarvis was.
After a 40-point season as a rookie in just 68 games, Jarvis looked like an emerging star with his waterbug energy and flair for dynamic play. But last year, he came up just short of the same total in a full NHL season.
It was a disappointing sophomore year, but the shifty, skilled winger has repaid the Hurricanes with a fantastic year. With fewer than 10 games to go, Jarvis has 28 goals and 60 points while seeing his ice time jump to 18:48 per game from 16:12 last season. His offensive skill, creativity, and true dual-threat offensive ability have given the Hurricanes an element they sorely need.