One of the best parts of following the NHL is watching underdogs and relative unknowns turn into game-changers. Every season, a few players breakthrough in ways nobody saw coming. They’re not always first-round picks, and they’re not always on preseason highlight reels. But once they catch fire, they alter box scores, headlines, and sometimes even a franchise’s trajectory.
This past season delivered rookies stepping into stardom, veterans reinventing themselves, and new faces forcing analysts and oddsmakers to recalibrate on the fly. And with the 2025–26 season looming, the list of breakout candidates is only growing.
Rookies Who Wasted No Time
Lane Hutson – Montreal Canadiens
Lane Hutson heard every doubt before he skated an NHL shift: too small, too light, too risky on the blue line. He answered with one of the best rookie seasons Montreal has ever seen from a defenseman66 points, a record in a city that’s seen legends like Robinson and Markov. What makes Hutson special isn’t just the numbers. It’s the way he moves the puck under pressure, turning defense into offense in a heartbeat. He’s no longer a question mark, he’s a franchise pillar.
Macklin Celebrini – San Jose Sharks
Being the No. 1 pick means pressure. Being the No. 1 pick for a rebuilding Sharks team? That’s pressure times ten. Macklin Celebrini didn’t blink. Sixty-three points in 70 games made him the face of San Jose overnight. His poise with the puck looks more like a veteran than a teenager, and his leadership is already reshaping the locker room. The question isn’t if Celebrini will be a superstar it’s how quickly he can drag the Sharks back into relevance.
Matvei Michkov – Philadelphia Flyers
When Matvei Michkov finally arrived in Philly, there was skepticism: would the KHL’s next big thing translate immediately to NHL ice? He answered with 26 goals and 63 points, showing a flair for timing that turned games on their head. Overtime goals, momentum-shifting tallies, and a knack for being in the right spot, Michkov made the Wells Fargo Center roar in ways it hasn’t in years. The Flyers suddenly look like a team with a true difference-maker.
Veterans Who Forced a Rethink
Jesper Bratt – New Jersey Devils
Jesper Bratt wasn’t a mystery name, but this season he became indispensable. When injuries hit the Devils, Bratt elevated, producing nearly a point per game and thriving in big-moment situations. Drafted in the sixth round, he was never projected to be a franchise star. Yet here he is night after night playing higher-drafted peers and proving himself as one of the league’s most consistent offensive weapons.
Ryan Donato – Chicago Blackhawks
For years, Ryan Donato was labelled a journeyman. In Chicago, he found another gear. Playing in the shadow of Connor Bedard, Donato nearly hit 30 goals and gave the Hawks the secondary scoring they desperately needed. He’s still not flashy, but he’s carved out a reputation as the guy who does a little bit of everything score, battle in the corners, and energize his team. In a city hungry for wins, that blue-collar edge has made him a fan favorite.
Who’s Next? The Forward Look
The breakout cycle never stops. Already, scouts and insiders are pointing toward the next wave of names poised to crash highlight reels:
- Yaroslav Askarov (Sharks) – a former first-round goalie now pushing for the NHL crease after a dominant AHL playoff run.
- Zeev Buium (Wild) – just 19, but his skating and instincts could anchor Minnesota’s defense sooner than expected.
- Zack Bolduc (Canadiens) – a quietly rising forward in Montreal who could complement Hutson’s offensive surge.
- Zakhar Bardakov (Avalanche) – a gritty two-way center making noise in camp, with a chance to claim a full-time role.
That’s the thrill of it: today’s “maybe” can be tomorrow’s franchise-changer. Just ask Hutson, Celebrini, or Michkov.
The Fun of Watching Breakouts
The beauty of breakout seasons is that you rarely see them coming. One year a player is on the depth chart’s fringe; the next, they’re forcing opponents to game-plan against them. For fans, it’s the best kind of surprise stories that fuel debates, fantasy trades, and even sports betting lines, where longshots can suddenly become stars that shift the odds.
And for the players, it’s career-defining. When a kid like Celebrini takes over, or a veteran like Donato rewrites his reputation, it changes not just games but futures.
That unpredictability is what keeps the NHL compelling year after year. The question isn’t whether we’ll see more breakout stars, it’s who’s next to grab the spotlight.
