A player unexpectedly blossoming into a star is every team’s dream, but it’s not something that happens every day. While it’s more common for a young player to break out, there are times when it takes players several seasons to find their groove.
Last year, Columbus' Kirill Marchenko, Colorado's Martin Necas and even Winnipeg's Kyle Connor all had career seasons, including playing an instrumental role in their team’s improvements.
Here’s a look at three players who are off to hot starts and on pace for a breakout season.
Seth Jarvis, RW, Carolina Hurricanes
There’s no doubt Jarvis was a solid forward for the Carolina Hurricanes since entering the league, and he’s improved every year, but coming off back-to-back 60+ point campaigns, there were high expectations for Jarvis entering his fifth NHL season. Through 14 games, he's lived up to those expectations.
He’s totalled 14 points and a plus-4 rating. Jarvis is also averaging 19:19 in ice time, and nearly six minutes combined between the power play and penalty kill, which are all career highs. Jarvis also became the first NHL player to score four game-winning goals within the Hurricanes’ first five games in the season. The ability to close out games is a skill that separates the good from the great, and alongside his offensive and defensive contributions, it shows he can be a leader.
He’s on pace for a point per game campaign, which would shatter his season high point total of 67, which he put up in both 2023 and 2024.
Despite playing alongside Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal on the third line, Jarvis leads the team in points and has still found ways to contribute defensively as well.
With Andrei Svechnikov and newly acquired forward Nikolaj Ehlers struggling to find their groove, Jarvis’ breakout campaign has proved to be crucial. The Hurricanes sit at 10-4-0 and near the top of the Eastern Conference, largely due to Jarvis’ elite level of play on both sides of the ice and in close game situations.
Jarvis has shown he is the most well-rounded forward on the Hurricanes, and if he can continue his high level of play for the rest of this season, it won’t be long until he’s considered one of the league’s best.
Macklin Celebrini, C, San Jose Sharks
If there’s one player whose breakout hasn’t been a huge surprise, it’s Macklin Celebrini’s. Celebrini was drafted first overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 2024 NHL draft, and in his first NHL season, he led the team in points with 63 and a minus-31 rating through 70 games. He was also named a finalist for the Calder Trophy. Considering the Sharks had next to no star talent and ended up finishing with the worst record in the NHL, Celebrini’s rookie season went about as well as it possibly could have.
In the off-season, San Jose drafted Michael Misa with the second overall pick and added veterans John Klingberg and Dmitry Orlov. The Sharks weren’t expected to contend this year, and while they currently have a losing record, Celebrini has looked like one of the league’s best forwards so far. Through 16 games, he’s tied with Nathan MacKinnon for the most points in the league, at 24. He also holds a plus-7 rating, despite the Sharks being one of the poorer defensive teams in the league.
Macklin Celebrini And Will Smith Are Igniting Change In San Jose, Placing The Sharks In Playoff ContentionYoung stars Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith have ignited the San Jose Sharks' offense this season, but can they lead the Sharks on a surprising playoff push?Since starting the season 0-4-2, the Sharks have turned it around and are 7-2-1 in their last eight games, largely due to Celebrini’s play. He’s notched at least a point in every one of the team’s wins and has three points or more in two of them. So, when Celebrini turns it up, so do the Sharks. He showed flashes of stardom as a rookie, but this season, he’s emerging as a true leader and the cornerstone of the franchise who can win them games.
The Sharks' first line, consisting of Celebrini, Will Smith and Tyler Toffoli, has also drastically improved and looks like one of the better ones in the league. According to Money Puck, they have the sixth most goals for and the eighth fewest goals against among forward lines with at least 80 minutes of playing time. They also rank seventh in goals against per 60 minutes, averaging just 0.89.
It’s rare to see the top line of one of the league’s worst teams put up such strong numbers, and Celebrini is the main reason behind it.
He’s shown how valuable he is to the team’s success and is on the verge of not just being a franchise cornerstone but also the league’s next superstar.
Dylan Larkin, C, Detroit Red Wings
For most players, if they’re going to break out, it’ll usually be before their 11th year in the league. But Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin is proving it can come at any time. Larkin, who was drafted 15th overall by the Red Wings in the 2014 NHL draft, has spent all 11 seasons with Detroit, and by no means has he been a bad player.
He’s led the team in points five times and has been a consistent scorer since entering the league. However, he’s never averaged a point per game, and the highest point total he’s ever accumulated in a single season was 79.
He’s a three-time all-star with selections in 2016, 2022 and 2023, but every team is guaranteed one player to make it, and Larkin was the Red Wings’ only selection all three years.
Heading into the 2025-26 season, there were no expectations that Larkin would step his game up to a new level, but that’s what he’s doing right now.
Through 15 games, Larkin is tied for the 18th most points in the league with 18, and he’s also posted a plus-6 rating.
Detroit currently holds the second-longest playoff drought in the NHL at nine seasons, having missed the post-season every year following Larkin’s rookie season in 2015-16. But, they’re off to a good start. They’re tied with the Tampa Bay Lightning for third in the Atlantic Division. The Red Wings' top line, consisting of Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Emmitt Finnie, has been a major factor in their early success.
They’re tied for the 18th most goals among forward lines with 80 or more minutes played. They also rank seventh in average goals against per 60 minutes, allowing just two. While all three players on the Red Wings' first line have been effective, Larkin has been the best. Entering the season, Detroit was in desperate need of someone to step up and lead the team to the playoffs, and the captain has answered that call.
He’s always had the talent, but was surrounded by weak rosters for most of his career. Now that the Red Wings are ready to contend, it appears Larkin is prepared to take that next step. If he continues to sustain the pace he’s on right now, and Detroit’s successes continue, I think it’s fair to say Larkin has taken that step from good to great.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
