With NHL training camp just weeks away, one of my favourite things to do is try and figure out who will have a bounce-back season. Take a player who really struggled last year, or maybe even over the last two years, and make a guess. Will they be any better this year than last?
Let’s take a closer look at three players who I think will have a bounce-back year this season.
Patrik Laine
When you think of Patrik Laine, his career has been a real puzzle. He has been one of those players who has gone from being one of the most dangerous goal scorers in the league to, over the last few years, barely being able to stay in an NHL lineup.
He is still an unrestricted free agent, and I really do feel a team will take a chance on him. I could see the Toronto Maple Leafs or the Edmonton Oilers, maybe the Utah Mammoth, being three teams that would jump at Patrik Laine, looking for secondary scoring without breaking the bank.
If he can stay healthy and if he gets enough ice time and power-play time, I could see Patrik Laine potentially becoming a 20-25 goal scorer once again in the NHL. Maybe not going for Rocket Richard awards anymore, but a guy who can still really contribute.
Elias Pettersson
The next player I want to talk about is Elias Pettersson. Elias Pettersson used to be one of the best players in the NHL and had such an upside, it was crazy.
He had 102 points in 2022-23 and then 89 points the following season. But over the last two years, that production has really dropped off. He had 45 points in 2024-25 and then just 51 points last season. That is one of the biggest drop-offs I have seen, at least in my lifetime. And hey, I’m only in my early 30s.
But when I look at Elias Pettersson, this is a guy who needs to step it up if you’re expecting the Vancouver Canucks to have somewhat of a better season than last year. Last season was a dumpster fire on roller skates for the Vancouver Canucks, and they need to get better.
If Pettersson can get back to maybe not 102 points, but if he can get into that 75-to-85-point range, being right around a point per game, he’s going to make the Vancouver Canucks a lot better.
Connor Hellebuyck
The last player I want to talk about is Connor Hellebuyck. And Connor Hellebuyck is coming off, honestly, the worst season of his career, in my opinion.
He finished 23-23-11 with a 2.86 goals-against average and a career-worst .895 save percentage. That’s a massive drop-off for a guy who won the Hart and Vezina the season before.
He just didn’t look good until he put on that Team USA jersey. He’ll be looking to try to find that game for the entire season, and whoever picks him up, as I don’t believe he will be playing for Winnipeg this year, especially since he publicly requested a trade, will need him to get back to where he was a few seasons ago.
With that $8.5 million salary cap hit, he needs to be one of the best goalies in the NHL. He’s got to put up those Sergei Bobrovsky playoff numbers or the Jake Oettinger regular-season numbers. And the bigger thing for Connor Hellebuyck is not to become “just a strong regular-season goalie.” He’s been known by the nickname “Hellefraud” because he has been unable to get his team over the hump in the playoffs.
If he gets traded to the Florida Panthers, like I think he will, regular-season success will not be enough for this fan base. This is a fan base that has watched Sergei Bobrovsky over the last four to five years be that guy for the Florida Panthers. He’s been able to make the big saves when it matters, and that’s what they would need from Connor Hellebuyck.
Can These Players Truly Get Back to What They Once Were?
As Toby Keith sang years ago, “I ain’t as good as I once was, but I’m as good once as I ever was.”
For these players, that is what really speaks to me. I don’t know if they will get back to where they were three or four seasons ago, but I do see all of these guys making an impact this season if they play their cards right.
Mind you, that is a big if!
