Jacob Stoller and Patrick Williams discuss first-rounders from the 2023 NHL draft who could play in the AHL next season. Quinton Byfield [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk5MzgwNjAxMzczOTkyOTEw/usatsi_20547195.jpg] Quinton Byfield In back-to-back years, we’ve seen the Western Conference champions hoist the Stanley Cup. And several teams in the West are capable of extending this streak to three years. New faces will join teams, and new stars will be born. As teams in the West gear up for a run at the Cup, these players who are primed for a breakout season in 2023-24 will give their team a better shot at achieving their goal. ANAHEIM DUCKS: JAMIE DRYSDALE, D Last season didn’t go as planned for Drysdale, who was limited to just eight games due to a shoulder injury. The 21-year-old is expected to be good to go for the 2023-24 season and is primed to break out. He’s an excellent skater and great playmaker with the instincts at both ends of the ice to be an elite defenseman in the NHL. ARIZONA COYOTES: JACK MCBAIN, C The 6-foot-3, 200-pound center has the frame that scouts and GMs love. McBain possesses good two-way instincts and was a bright spot on the Coyotes last season. He doesn’t have the offensive upside that other breakout candidates possess, but if he can use his size to his advantage and re-sign with the Coyotes [https://puckpedia.com/player/jack-mcbain], he’ll make a big impact in Arizona in 2023-24. CALGARY FLAMES: JAKOB PELLETIER, LW Pelletier’s 2022-23 stint with the Flames will be most remembered for coach Darryl Sutter’s “what number is he?” comment. Sutter has since been fired after the Flames missed the playoffs. Winger Tyler Toffoli was traded to the Devils, and a few other forwards have also departed, meaning Pelletier has a chance at an elevated role in 2023-24 and a breakout season as a result. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: LUKAS REICHEL, LW Reichel will be a cornerstone for the Blackhawks and a great complementary piece to Connor Bedard. Reichel had 15 points in 23 NHL games last season and is expected to play in the Blackhawks’ top six. He’s in a great position to succeed. COLORADO AVALANCHE: BOWEN BYRAM, D At 22 years old, Byram has already checked off two-thirds of the boxes to be a member of the triple-gold club – winning a world-junior gold in 2020 and a Stanley Cup in 2022. If the NHL ever decides to return to the Olympics, there’s a good chance Byram would be on Team Canada’s roster. He also checks off all the boxes to be an elite defender in the NHL, but injuries have been an issue, limiting him to just 91 games since the shortened 2020-21 season. If Byram can stay healthy, he’ll show what he’s capable of doing in the NHL and add to the already phenomenal Avalanche blueline. DALLAS STARS: WYATT JOHNSTON, C Johnston had a strong rookie season with 41 points in 82 games and will continue to build on that in what should be a breakout 2023-24. His all-around skill set and his expected top-six role in the lineup make it likely that Johnston will avoid the sophomore slump and take a big step forward this coming season. EDMONTON OILERS: CONNOR BROWN, RW You can call it a bounce-back year or a breakout season, but Brown is poised to do good things in 2023-24. He was limited to four games last season due to an injury, but a reunion with his former OHL Erie teammate Connor McDavid will help get Brown’s career back on track. Brown has hit the 20-goal plateau twice in his career – in his rookie 2016-17 season with the Leafs and in 2020-21 with Ottawa where he scored a personal-best 21 goals. He plays a similar game to his former Leafs teammate Zach Hyman, who’s made his $5.5-million cap hit a bargain since signing in Edmonton. Brown is in a situation where he can do more than just get his career back on track. LOS ANGELES KINGS: QUINTON BYFIELD, C Byfield was selected second overall in 2020, and while he hasn’t put up big numbers in the NHL yet, he’s been getting better each year, and 2023-24 could be the season he finally breaks through. The 6-foot-5 center looked good in the Kings’ first-round playoff series against the Oilers last spring with four points in six games, and he’ll look to build off that going into this season. MINNESOTA WILD: MARCO ROSSI, C After two excellent seasons in the AHL, Rossi will look to make the jump to full-time NHLer, and the first order of business is getting the first career goal that’s eluded him through 21 career games in The Show. The No. 9 pick in 2020 is a two-way center who has showcased his playmaking abilities in the NHL. Once he makes the jump for good, Rossi will break out and prove why he was drafted so high. NASHVILLE PREDATORS: PHILIP TOMASINO, C It’s a new era in Nashville as the Preds are expected to have a youth movement at forward after Ryan Johansen was traded to Colorado and Matt Duchene was bought out. Tomasino will be at the forefront of this youth movement, and his 50 points in 107 career NHL games will improve as he continues to develop. He’s a fast skater with hands that can keep up with his feet, and he’ll be a standout on the Predators in 2023-24. SAN JOSE SHARKS: JACOB PETERSON, C The Sharks acquired Peterson in a trade with Dallas at the 2023 trade deadline, and the 23-year-old center put up eight points in 12 games. While it may have just been a hot streak, Peterson showed that the change of scenery could be what he needed and will look to build off that success in 2023-24. SEATTLE KRAKEN: JOEY DACCORD, G After putting up a .918 save percentage with Calder Cup-finalist Coachella Valley last season, Daccord may start the year as the third goalie for the Kraken. But Philip Grubauer has struggled in the regular season since signing in the Emerald City, and Chris Driedger missed the 2022-23 season due to injury. It’s likely that Daccord will get starts for the Kraken, but he’ll need to drastically improve on his career .884 save percentage at the NHL level. ST. LOUIS BLUES: JAKE NEIGHBOURS, LW Next season looks to be the year of the breakout for many 2020 draft picks, and Neighbours is no exception. He doesn’t have the high-end skill that some of the other players from his draft class possess, but he’s strong on the forecheck and at gaining puck possession. He’ll be a key player for the Blues going forward, and a breakout 2023-24 will help him establish himself in the NHL. VANCOUVER CANUCKS: VASILY PODKOLZIN, RW Podkolzin hasn’t broken out in North America yet, splitting time last season between the NHL and AHL, but the 22-year-old has the skill and grit to be a key member of the Canucks going forward. He was a standout for Russia at the world juniors and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and played for SKA St. Petersburg, one of the premiere KHL teams, as a teenager. Podkolzin has the potential to be one of the best power forwards in the NHL, and he should take the next step and have a breakout season for the Canucks in 2023-24. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS: NICOLAS HAGUE, D Hague is one of the toughest players on one of the toughest teams in the NHL. He moves the puck very well for a player of his size, and in the playoffs, fans got a taste of how good Hague can be. He’ll build off of it in 2023-24. WINNIPEG JETS: COLE PERFETTI, C The Jets finally traded Pierre-Luc Dubois this summer, sending him to the Kings for a package centered around Gabe Vilardi. With Dubois out of town, Perfetti will play a bigger role for the Jets at 5-on-5 and on the power play. Perfetti is a great playmaker, and the Jets have wingers who can finish in Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers and others. His offensive instincts give him the ability to be a star in the NHL, and he’s destined to showcase that this season with a breakout 2023-24.
