NHL Odds: Five players who could be breakout candidates for the 2025-26 season
Depth has never been more important in the NHL than it is now. It’s the difference between being a bubble playoff team and a Stanley Cup contender.
The Florida Panthers are back-to-back Stanley Cup champions not only because of stars like Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk, but because they have four forward lines and three defence pairs that all impact the game.
For true depth, you need breakout players. Nick Suzuki has been a good player for a few years, but last season he really had a breakout campaign and it made the difference in Montreal ending a three-year playoff drought.
As the new NHL season nears, let’s take a look at a five players who could have breakout campaigns in 2025-26.
Don’t forget to check out Sports Interaction’s complete list of NHL game odds and NHL futures.
Leo Carlsson, C, Anaheim Ducks
Anaheim is one of the NHL’s forgotten teams. They’ve missed the playoffs for seven straight years and they’ve alternated with San Jose as the worst team in the Pacific Division for much of that time. That won’t be the case in the future and a big part of the Ducks’ expected future success is 20-year-old Leo Carlsson.
Drafted by Anaheim second overall in 2023, Carlsson put up 29 points (12G, 17A) in 55 games during his rookie season. He followed that up with 45 points (20G, 25A) in 76 games last year, a slight increase in his points per game average.
A big reason I expect Carlsson to break out this season is because of new head coach Joel Quenneville, who oversaw the emergence of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane as they became superstars in Chicago.
If Carlsson can earn that top line centre spot out of training camp, I expect him to be closer to the player he was at the end of last season when he produced 17 points in 15 games during the month of March.
Brandt Clarke, RD, Los Angeles Kings
Another Cali Kid who I expect to breakthrough this year is L.A.’s Brandt Clarke. Drafted eighth overall by the Kings in 2021, Clarke should be much better prepared as he enters his second full season in the NHL.
The 22-year-old recorded 33 points (5G, 28A) in 78 games last season while averaging just over 16 minutes of ice time, but it’s his underlying numbers that are intriguing. Clarke ranked 12th among regular defencemen in 5-on-5 primary assists per 60 minutes last year and 28th in expected goals generated.
This is a slick, puck-moving defencemen with huge offensive potential. With Vladislav Gavrikov leaving in free agency and Jordan Spence traded away, Clarke will get a bigger role with the team and more opportunities to prove he’s the man.
Luke Hughes, LD, New Jersey Devils
Luke Hughes has a lot to live up to with a Norris Trophy-winning brother in Quinn and a 40-goal scorer in other brother and teammate Jack. Luke was taken fourth overall by the Devils in the 2021 draft and he’s put up pretty consistent numbers over his first two full NHL seasons.
Hughes, who will turn 22 before the start of the regular season, saw his campaign end early last year because of a shoulder injury. Before he was hurt, however, he showed a lot of potential as a possible top pairing defencemen.
Hughes had 19 points in his last 20 regular season games while playing over 23 minutes a night. If he continues on that trajectory, he could be the linchpin of an elite defensive unit that includes the likes of Brett Pesce, Dougie Hamilton and Jonas Siegenthaler.
Logan Stankoven, C, Carolina Hurricanes
Drafted 47th overall by the Dallas Stars in 2021, Logan Stankoven was the key piece sent to Carolina in the Mikko Rantanen trade. The Hurricanes quickly locked up the 22-year-old on an eight-year contract with a $6 million cap hit.
Stankoven’s AAV is bound to look like a bargain. He was an immediate fit in Carolina, scoring five goals in 19 regular season games before adding another five goals in 15 playoff games. If Stankoven can earn the second line centre job, those numbers should continue to grow.
Will Cuylle, LW, New York Rangers
Will Cuylle enters his third full NHL season after more than doubling his point total from his rookie year. Taken 60th overall by the Rangers in the 2020 draft, the 23-year-old produced 21 points (13G, 8A) in 2023-24 before finishing with 45 points (20G, 25A) last year.
Cuylle was a rare bright spot in a dismal season for New York. He’s got a great combination of size and speed that almost make him a throwback of the days when power forwards ruled the NHL.
I expect Cuylle’s point totals to increase significantly again this season. He played roughly 15 minutes a night last year and if he can get that number bumped up under new head coach Mike Sullivan, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be a 30-goal scorer.
