There’s so much hype surrounding the 2023-24 NHL rookie class and for good reason.
But we can’t forget about the 2022-23 edition, which saw Seattle’s Matty Beniers take home the Calder Trophy. It featured an excellent battle that saw a variety of players earn consideration to become top-three finalists, but Beniers was by far the most consistent option all year long.
Nobody blew the league away by any means and many of the top Calder contenders – such as Matias Maccelli, Logan Thompson and Cole Perfetti – dealt with injuries. That meant stunting the potential for a few of the league’s top young players, which was disappointing.
But the beginning of a new season offers up a fresh start for everyone. Here’s a look at seven sophomores primed for breakouts in 2023-24:
Jake Sanderson, D (Ottawa Senators)
Sanderson signed a massive eight-year deal worth $8.05 million per season recently, raising a ton of eyebrows after playing just 77 NHL games. But most who followed him in Ottawa know he’s the future of the team’s blueline and could even force a Thomas Chabot trade at some point down the road. He had 32 points as a rookie, during a season which saw him miss a few games due to injury. But to come out of college and be such an impact player at 20 years old is no small feat. The 6-foot-2 defender plays a strong two-way game and many think he can become one of the NHL’s best young defensemen. The Sens are banking on that, for sure.
Mason McTavish, C (Anaheim Ducks)
The Ducks are on the upswing and competition down the middle is about to get interesting. But most who follow the team expect big things out of McTavish, who is coming off a 43-point run with Anaheim, this year. The 20-year-old plays a physically dominant game and is dangerous at both ends of the ice. The net-front master had some consistency issues, but McTavish gave the team a legitimate second-line center behind Trevor Zegras, who currently remains unsigned. If all goes well, McTavish should be able to crack the 50-point barrier for the first time while also playing on the power play. When he’s hot, he’s hot, and he showed what he can do when he’s flying high during his remarkable 2022 World Junior Championship performance when he won the MVP title with one of the best single-tournament runs over the past 20 years. Will he channel that energy in his second year of pro hockey?
Cole Perfetti, C/LW (Winnipeg Jets)
Perfetti was showing some strong progress last year, putting up 30 points in 51 games in his first full year in the NHL. But an upper-body injury in February – his third in 368 days – ended his season early, preventing him from potentially hitting the 50-point mark and making himself a true contender for the Calder. The good news? He’s healthy again. And with Blake Wheeler and Pierre-Luc Dubois out of the picture, Perfetti has a chance to take some key minutes away in the top six. The skilled forward is an excellent playmaker, but he knows a thing or two about putting pucks in the back of the net. As he continues to earn more responsibility and get more comfortable against pros, he’ll be a big point-producer in no time.
Matias Maccelli, LW (Arizona Coyotes)
Most of his 5-on-5 offense came with Lawson Crouse and Nick Bjugstad. This year? Most likely, he’s looking at Logan Cooley and Jason Zucker. The Coyotes have a legitimate top six and should realistically fight for a playoff spot. With a better support system, Maccelli could really pop off, while allowing Clayton Keller, Barrett Hayton and Nick Schmaltz do their thing on the top line. A 60-point campaign should be doable for Maccelli, but how much further can he take his game?
Shane Pinto, C (Ottawa Senators)
Expectations were high for Pinto, who, after missing most of 2021-22 with a shoulder injury, started the year off strong by winning the NHL’s rookie of the month honor for October. An injury to Josh Norris opened up doors for him, too. But he started to cool off with just 20 goals and 35 points in 82 games, a disappointing result given his early season play. Pinto is still an RFA, with the Sens currently sitting at $895,953 in cap space, according to CapFriendly. So they’ll need to get a bit creative here, but Pinto is in a prove-it year. The former college standout has produced at every level and looks to be a big part of the Senators’ future. A new deal and consistent on-ice performance should help.
Logan Thompson, G (Vegas Golden Knights)
It’s almost like everyone forgot Thompson existed after his injury early in 2023. The 26-year-old went 21-13-3 with two shutouts and a .915 save percentage in 37 games en route to a spot in the NHL All-Star Game. With Robin Lehner on the sidelines, Thompson looked like the long-term answer for the Golden Knights in net with his early-season play, which, at one point, made him a potential Calder Trophy and Vezina Trophy candidate. Instead, an injury knocked him out for the second half of the year and Adin Hill ended up leading the team to the Stanley Cup. Hill is back, but Thompson has a chance to steal the spotlight again, and I wouldn’t bet against it. When he’s on his game, Thompson can play some incredible hockey.
Kent Johnson, LW (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Given Columbus ‘ terrible results, it was easy to overlook Johnson’s play last year. But he still finished with a slick 16 goals and 40 points, while also joining the elusive “Michigan Club” as one of the few NHLers to score a lacrosse goal in a game. The Blue Jackets look much more legit heading into 2023-24, with Adam Fantilli likely serving as Johnson’s center on the second line, alongside Kirill Marchenko. With a solid top six, the Blue Jackets could surprise next year as long as they stay healthy – something that proved to be a total nightmare last year. Johnson, a good buddy of Connor Bedard, has the skill to be a consistent 50-60-point player in the NHL, and he’s soon going to show why.
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