Carolina Hurricanes
Jordan Staal (Centre-11)
Staal is on pace for 33 points (15G, 18A) in 80 games, the lowest total of his career in a full season since 2008, with a 59.97 ESCorsi%, continuing an offensive decline. The two-way centre has been decent during his time with the Hurricanes and was a co-captain last season.
Justin Williams (Right Wing-14)
Coming off a rebound season of 51 points, Williams enters his second season back with Carolina as team captain. Unfortunately, Williams is on pace for 45 points (17G, 28A) in 82 games with a 60.29 ESCorsi% this season, and it’s once again not likely the Hurricanes get to the playoffs where he really shines.
Past All-Star Games: Carolina-2007
Dougie Hamilton (Defenceman-19)
Hamilton did drop last season from 50 points to 44, but this season’s struggles probably weren’t expected going into this season. He’s on this expanded ballot because he’s obviously better than his offence this season suggests. He is on pace for 28 points (8G, 20A) in 82 games with a 61.48 ESCorsi%.
Sebastian Aho (Left Wing-20)
Aho finished his second season jumping 49 to 65 points. Having seen time on both the wing and centre, Aho is on pace for 80 points (23G, 57A) in 82 games with a 56.45 ESCorsi%.
Brett Pesce (Defenceman-22)
Pesce isn’t at all a scorer, but he is a solid defenceman. He posted a 54.29 Corsi% at even strength last season, and scored 19 points in 65 games, a 24-point pace. He is on pace this season for 15 points (11G, 4A) in 73 games with a 54.62 ESCorsi%.
Justin Faulk (Defenceman-27)
Last season was the third straight season in which Faulk’s TOI average went down, despite him being named co-captain. The result was his scoring totals falling from 37 points to 31. We know he is capable of more, but this season, he is on pace for 23 points (3G, 20A) in 82 games with a 57.96 ESCorsi%, fewer than 30 points for the first time in a full or mostly full season since 2012.
Past All-Star Games: Carolina-2015, 2016, 2017
Petr Mrazek (Goaltender-34)
Mrazek’s on this expanded ballot based on his performance during his time with Detroit. Mrazek’s last good season, a 0.921 Save% in 54 games during 2015/16, led the Red Wings to their most recent playoff appearance. He is on pace for a 0.895 Save%, 11-14-6 record, an zero shutouts in 31 games.
Curtis McElhinney (Goaltender-35)
McElhinney is an interesting case here. He was plucked off waivers and has never played more than 32 games in a season. However, after failing with Cam Ward, Eddie Lack, and Scott Darling as their starter, McElhinney is performing well, on pace to match his career high in games played. He is on pace for a 0.920 Save%, 20-8-3 record, and zero shutouts in 31 games.
Calvin De Haan (Defenceman-44)
In his last full season, 2016/17, De Haan scored 25 points in 82 games. Offensively, he is on pace for 11 points (3G, 8A) in 82 games with a 58.42 ESCorsi%.
Victor Rask (Centre-49)
The last two seasons have seen Rask fall from 48 points to 45 to 31. After missing the first 20 games with a hand injury, Rask has been slow to start the season, but during his 40+point seasons, he was the main offensive centre for Carolina, which is why he is on this expanded ballot. He is on pace for 14 points (7G, 7A) in 62 games with 45.4 ESCorsi%.
Jaccob Slavin (Defenceman-74)
Though he is more of a defensive defenceman, Slavin is coming off his second straight season with at least 30 points and his third straight scoring at a 30+point pace. He isn’t on pace to reach that many this season, only on pace for 26 points (6G, 20A) in 82 games with 58.87 ESCorsi%, but he is still a reliable defenceman and is leading the team in TOI.
Micheal Ferland (Left Wing-79)
Even though Ferland had many believing he was more than initially thought after scoring 21 goals and 41 points, many also believed he wouldn’t be able to repeat that without his linemates in Calgary. Ferland has proven them wrong so far. He is on pace for 46 points (34G, 12A) in 78 games with a 54.68 ESCorsi%.
Teuvo Teravainen (Right Wing-86)
Last season was Teravainen’s breakout year, seeing him score 23 goals and 64 points. Teravainen is yet another Hurricane having a weak year, on pace for 56 points (14G, 42A) in 82 games with a 55.38 ESCorsi%.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Seth Jones (Defenceman-3)
Jones has emerged as the top defenceman people were envisioning when they considering him for the first overall pick in 2013. After scoring 57 points last season, Jones is once again on pace for 56 points (20G, 36A) in 75 games with a 50 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Columbus-2017
Zach Werenski (Defenceman-8)
Werenski had an impressive rookie season with 47 points. Though he fell to 37 last season and was a little slow to start the season, he is on pace for 44 points (14G, 30A) in 8.29 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Columbus-2018
Artemi Panarin (Left Wing-9)
Panarin is coming his point-per-game season, having scored 82 points in 81 games. Prior to that, he had two straight 30-goal seasons. This year, he is on pace for 90 points (20G, 70A) in 81 games with a 51.46 ESCorsi%.
Alexander Wennberg (Centre-10)
Wennberg broke out with 59 points in 2017, but a weak 2018 season and the emergenct of Pierre-Luc Dubois has kept Wennberg in the middle-six. He is still on pace for 41 points (3G, 38A) in 49.21 ESCorsi%.
Cam Atkinson (Right Wing-13)
After falling from 35 goals to 24 and from 62 points to 46 last season, Atkinson is reaching a new offensive height. He is on pace for 89 points (53G, 36A) in 81 games with a 47.54 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Columbus-2017
Brandon Dubinsky (Left Wing-17)
Dubinsky is only two seasons removed from his last 40-point season, when he scored 41 in 80 games. While he only had 16 in 62 games, he is also four seasons removed from having finished the 2014 season with 50 points. He is on pace for 33 points (11G, 22A) in 72 games with a 45.7 ESCorsi%.
Pierre-Luc Dubois (Centre-18)
Dubois played his rookie season last year, and a strong second half led to a finish of 20 goals and 48 points. Dubois has taken over as the no.1 centre for the Blue Jackets and is on pace for 72 points (36G, 36A) in 82 games with a 48.99 ESCorsi%.
Ryan Murray (Defenceman-27)
The 2012 second-overall pick had only played 264 games out of a possible 410 games, due to various injuries, and hasn’t been a great performer at many times. However, he’s finally managing to stay healthy and is on pace for 41 points (3G, 38A) in 82 games with a 51.37 ESCorsi%.
Boone Jenner (Centre-38)
Jenner is on pace for 38 points (16G, 22A) in 82 games with a 50.45 ESCorsi% after having topped 30 three times. The first of them was a 30-goal and 49-point season. That season is the basis for Jenner being on the expanded ballot.
David Savard (Defenceman-58)
The last two seasons have seen Savard’s average TOI go down, and with it his offensive production. His last season scoring at a 30-point pace was 2016, when he scored at a 31-point pace. It’s those earlier seasons when he was a more central piece of the Columbus blueline that he’s on the expanded ballot for. He is on pace for 19 points (3G, 16A) in 82 games with a 47.26 ESCorsi%.
Markus Nutivaara (Defenceman-65)
Last season saw Nutivaara jump from seven points to 23. Taking on an even larger role this season, Nutivaara is on pace for 33 points (8G, 25A) in 82 games with a 50.83 ESCorsi%.
Nick Foligno (Left Wing-71)
While Foligno is coming off a weak 33-point season, he scored 51 the year before. Two years before that, Foligno scored 31 goals and 73 points. He is on pace for an up season, 45 points (20G, 45A) in 81 games with a 47.63 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Columbus-2015
Sergei Bobrovsky (Goaltender-72)
Bobrovsky is coming off a couple strong seasons, with save percentages of 0.931 and 0.921. He is having a weak year this season, on pace for a 0.898 Save%, 30-27-0 record, and zero shutouts in 57 games, but is one of the NHL’s elite goaltenders and has won two Vezina Trophies.
Past All-Star Games: Columbus-2017
Josh Anderson (Right Wing-77)
After his first 30-point season in only his sophomore year, Anderson is breaking out offensively. He is on pace for 41 points (33G, 8A) in 82 games with a 53.83 ESCorsi%.
Anthony Duclair (Right Wing-91)
Duclair is on the expanded ballot thanks to his 20-goal 44-point rookie season in 2016. He is now on pace for 36 points (24G, 12A) in 78 games, with a 45.54 ESCorsi%, which would be his first return to the 20-goal and 30-point marks since then.
New Jersey Devils
Keith Kinkaid (Goaltender-1)
After spending a handful of years as a backup, the decline of Cory Schneider has allowed room for Kinkaid to get more playing time. His Save% hasn’t been great the last couple of games, but he has handling the starting job well. He is on pace for a 0.903 Save%, 28-23-14 record, and eight shutouts in 68 games.
Andy Greene (Defenceman-6)
Greene’s overall play has declined in recent seasons since his 32-point finish in 2014, but it’s been not quite as bad as it could have been due to the emergence of some solid Devils defencemen. Greene has been captain of the Devils since 2015. He is on pace for 23 points (3G, 20A) in 82 games with a 47.08 ESCorsi%.
Will Butcher (Defenceman-8)
Butcher is having a weak second season, on pace for just over 30 points, but it’s just a sophomore slump. He is coming off a 44-year rookie season and is averaging roughly two minutes more than he did last season. He is on pace for 29 points (6G, 23A) in 81 games with a 53.45 ESCorsi%.
Taylor Hall (Left Wing-9)
Hall’s previous career high was 80 points in 2014, and aside from that, Hall’s missed too much time with injuries to come anywhere close to that… until last season. Establishing new career highs of 39 goals and 93 points in his second season with the Devils, he helped drag the Devils to the playoffs and won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP. He is on pace this season for 88 points (23G, 65A) in 82 games with a 53.26 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Edmonton-2016; New Jersey-2017
Brian Boyle (Centre-11)
The veteran bottom-six winger won the Masterton Trophy as he came back from leukemia. This season, he is bouncing back a bit offensively and is on pace for 32 points (26G, 6A) in 77 games with a 44.66 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: New Jersey-2018
Nico Hischier (Centre-13)
The first overall pick of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Hischier had a strong rookie year with 52 points. He’s not having a tremendously higher-scoring season, but is certainly developing into that no.1 centre. He is on pace for 60 points (19G, 41A) in 78 games with a 52.6 ESCorsi%.
Travis Zajac (Centre-19)
Though the veteran Zajac hasn’t had 60, or even 50, points since 2010, Zajac has remained a key forward for New Jersey. He is on pace for 49 points (26G, 23A) in 81 games with a 50.96 ESCorsi%.
Blake Coleman (Right Wing-20)
Last season may have been a quiet rookie season for Coleman, who only scored 25 points, this season is shaping up to be much better. He is on pace for 45 points (25G, 20A) in 82 games with a 50.22 ESCorsi%.
Kyle Palmieri (Right Wing-21)
Palmieri has turned into quite a reliable scorer since joining the Devils. He finished his first season as a Devil with 30 goals and 57 points and scored last season at an 82-game pace for 32 goals and 59 points. This season, he’s even on pace for 76 points (45G, 31A) in 82 games with a 49.8 ESCorsi%.
Damon Severson (Defenceman-28)
Severson stumbled in his third season, falling from 31 points to 24, and hasn’t been as anything more than serviceable offensively in his career. He is on pace for 51 points (11G, 40A) in 82 games with a 48.2 ESCorsi%.
Cory Schneider (Goaltender-35)
It’s ironic. When Schneider was playing well for New Jersey, posting great numbers and handling heavy workload, the Devils were consistently out of the playoffs, but now that the Devils are a playoff team, it’s in spite of weak play from Schneider. He is on pace for a 0.862 Save%, 0-14-3 record, and zero shutouts in 23 games.
Past All-Star Games: New Jersey-2016
Sami Vatanen (Defenceman-45)
After a weak start to last season, Vatanen was traded to New Jersey and rebounded for a 32-point finish. This season, Vatanen is on pace for 36 points (3G, 33A) in 79 games with a 50.3 ESCorsi%.
Jesper Bratt (Right Wing-63)
Bratt, a sixth-round pick, unexpectedly made the Devils’ roster out of training camp, and while his production cooled off as the season went on, he still finished with 35 points. This season he is on pace for 50 points (9G, 41A) in 68 games with a 51.65 ESCorsi%.
Marcus Johansson (Left Wing-90)
Johansson hasn’t had a great time in New Jersey. He missed the majority of last season with injuries and is on pace for his lowest point total in a full season since 2011. He is on this expanded ballot based on his stint with Washington, especially the 58-point season he had in 2017. He is on pace for 36 points (18G, 18A) in 80 games with a 49.77 ESCorsi%.
New York Islanders
Thomas Greiss (Goaltender-1)
Greiss has had an uneven few years with the Islanders. In 2016, he played half of the season’s games and performed well. In 2017, he handled the starting job and continued to do well. Last season he fell back to being the backup and performed poorly. This season, Greiss is rebounding, once again handling the bulk of the starts and performing well. He is on pace for a 0.918 Save%, 28-17-3 record, and three shutouts in 54 games.
Nick Leddy (Defenceman-2)
While the Islanders defence was bad last season, Leddy had a strong year offensively. After finishing the previous year with 46 points, he had another 42. Leddy, like most of the Isles’ defencemen, is struggling and is only pace for 20 points (3G, 17A) in 82 games with a 42.76 ESCorsi%.
Ryan Pulock (Defenceman-6)
The young 2013 first-rounder finally made the Isles’ roster full time last season. While he is having a sophomore slump, on pace for 29 points (6G, 23A) in 82 games with a 43.02 ESCorsi%, he did start his career strong with 32 points as a rookie.
Jordan Eberle (Right Wing-7)
Of all the wingers on the Isles’ roster, it’s apparent that Eberle is missing John Tavares the most. His 59 points last season were the most he’s had since 2015, but now he is only on pace for 37 points (17G, 20A) in 82 games with a 48.75 ESCorsi%. It’s those earlier successful seasons he’s on the expanded ballot for.
Past All-Star Games: Edmonton-2012
Josh Bailey (Right Wing-12)
On the other hand, it’s probably Bailey who was expected to suffer the most once Tavares left. After years of strong defensive play but middling scoring, Bailey cranked out seasons of 56 and 71 points. Bailey has kept it up this season and is on pace for 68 points (20G, 48A) in 82 games with a 47.17 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: NY Islanders-2018
Mathew Barzal (Centre-13)
Barzal was outstanding as a rookie last season, finishing with 85 points and winning the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. Barzal has been hit by a sophomore slump, but it still on pace for 65 points (8G, 57A) in 82 games with a 49.73 ESCorsi%.
Andrew Ladd (Left Wing-16)
Ladd has seen a decline in recent years. After a career high of 62 points in 2015, he fell to 46 points, then to 31, then to 29 last season. His time in Winnipeg is the basis for being on this expanded ballot. He is on pace this season for 33 points (14G, 19A) in 67 games with a 42.95 ESCorsi%.
Anthony Beauvillier (Left Wing-18)
Beauvillier finished last season with 21 goals and 36 points. This season, he is on pace for 29 points (23G, 6A) in 81 game with a 46.38 ESCorsi%.
Scott Mayfield (Defenceman-24)
Who could have expected that, of all the defencemen the Islanders have, it would be Mayfield, the most defensive-oriented defenceman on the Isles’ roster, would be leading all Isles’ D in scoring? He’s actually on pace for 39 points (9G, 30A) in 80 games with a 49.94 ESCorsI%.
Anders Lee (Left Wing-27)
After a 34-goal 52-point season was followed by a 40-goal 62-point season, Lee has been made captain by the Islanders. He is on pace for 62 points (31G, 31A) in 82 games with a 47.33 ESCorsi%.
Brock Nelson (Centre-29)
Nelson has been a mostly consistent 20-20-40 producer as a member of the Islanders. After a down year of 35 points, Nelson is breaking out and is on pace for 56 points (28G, 28A) in 82 games with a 45.43 ESCorsi%.
Robin Lehner (Goaltender-40)
After a strong year as Buffalo’s starter with a 0.928, Lehner had a weak follow up with just a 0.908 Save%. He was let go after that season, and while he has posted strong numbers this season, he has been used as a backup. He is on pace for a 0.916 Save%, 11-14-8 record, three shutouts in 37 games.
Leo Komarov (Right Wing-47)
Komarov was let go by the Leafs as they worked to get more skilled. Despite finishing with 19 points last season, he is on pace for his third 30-point finish, specifically 31 points (8G, 23A) in 82 games with a 40.42 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Toronto-2016
Valtteri Filppula (Centre-51)
After falling from 42 points to 33 last season, Filppula is having a rebound season. He is on pace for 45 points (20G, 25A) in 82 games with a 43.26 ESCorsi%. He last reached 50 back in 2014, when Steven Stamkos’ absence allowed him to notch 58 as a mostly first-line centre. He had scored 66 the previous full season.
Johnny Boychuk (Defenceman-55)
Boychuk is another player who is declining and having a weak season, on pace for 11 points (0G, 11A) in 82 games with a 45.95 ESCorsi%. He is mostly here because of his strong defensive seasons with Boston and his 35-point year in 2015.
New York Rangers
Kevin Hayes (Centre-13)
Currently playing on the top line with the Rangers, Hayes is on pace for 57 points (19G, 38A) in 82 games with a 50.19 ESCorsi%. His previous career high was 49 points in 2017.
Ryan Strome (Right Wing-16)
Strome had two seasons of 30 or more points prior to last season. While he missed most of last season with injuries and is on pace for 22 points (8G, 14A) in 81 games with a 47.09 ESCorsi%, he did score 50 back in 2015.
Chris Kreider (Left Wing-20)
Kreider scored career highs of 28 goals and 53 points back in 2017. The current first line left winger for the Rangers, Kreider is on pace for 60 points (38G, 22A) in 82 games with a 50.54 ESCorsi%.
Kevin Shattenkirk (Defenceman-22)
Shattenkirk finished the 2017 season with a career high 56 points. That season, as well as a strong first half of the decade with St. Louis, are why Shattenkirk is on the expanded ballot. After missing almost half of last season with injuries, Shattenkirk has failed to recover from a slow start to the year. One thinks he would improve with a change of scenery. He is on pace for 23 points (3G, 20A) in 81 games with 7.96 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: St. Louis-2015
Jimmy Vesey (Left Wing-26)
Vesey is another young player finding another gear offensively. The 2016 Hobey Baker winner, after failing in consecutive seasons to reach 30 points, is on pace for 44 points (25G, 19A) in 82 games with a 45.36 ESCorsi%.
Henrik Lundqvist (Goaltender-30)
Even though at age 36 his best years are behind him, Lundqvist is still an elite goaltending performer. He is on pace for a 0.916 Save%, 27-25-8 record, and zero shutouts in 63 games.
Past All-Star Games: NY Rangers-2009, 2011, 2012, 2018
Mats Zuccarello (Right Wing-36)
Zuccarello’s offensive production has gone down each of the last few seasons. After a career high of 61 points in 2016, he had seasons of 59 and 53 points to follow that. He is on pace for 40 points (12G, 28A) in 69 games with 46.59 ESCorsi%, but as he remains one of the Rangers’ key offensive players, he’s on the expanded ballot.
Neal Pionk (Defenceman-44)
After scoring 14 points in 28 games as a rookie, Pionk has already beaten those totals. Not only is Pionk out-producing other Rangers defencemen, but he is even on pace for 45 points (11G, 34A) in 80 games with a 42.12 ESCorsi%.
Brady Skjei (Defenceman-76)
Skjei isn’t on pace to greatly improve on his 27-point sophomore season, but the blueliner, who had 39 points as a rookie, is still performing decently defensively, on pace for 26 points (6G, 20A) in 79 games with a 45.64 ESCorsi%.
Tony DeAngelo (Defenceman-77)
Prior to this season, DeAngelo has never played more than 39 games in a single NHL season, despite at-times decent offensive production. This season, he is an every-night player, is second in offensive production among Rangers defencemen, and is on pace for 32 points (7G, 25A) in 72 games with a 46.43 ESCorsi%.
Pavel Buchnevich (Right Wing-89)
After playing his first full season and topping 40 points, Buchnevich is on pace to do it again. His 82-game pace is actually for over 50 points, though he has missed some time with injury. His actual pace is for 43 points (24G, 19A) in 66 games with a 45.77 ESCorsi%.
Vladislav Namestnikov (Left Wing-90)
Namestnikov seemed to break out offensively when he scored 44 points for Tampa Bay prior to being traded to the Rangers. He only scored four points in 19 games afterward for a 48-point finish. Despite having not really recovered, he is on pace for 33 points (9G, 24A) in 78 games with a 45 ESCorsi%, and is improving over his time with the Rangers at the end of last season.
Mika Zibanejad (Centre-93)
Prior to this season, Zibanejad was more of an unofficial no.1 centre, having never surpassed 51 points. Now he is on pace for 71 points (25G, 46A) in 82 games with a 48.41 ESCorsi%.
Philadelphia Flyers
Radko Gudas (Defenceman-3)
Gudas is another defenceman who is on the expanded ballot, not for his offensive production, but for his defensive play. He has posted consistently strong Corsi percentages since joining the Flyers. He also reached 20 points for the second time in his career last season and is on pace this season for 18 points (3G, 15A) in 80 games with a 53.95 ESCorsi%.
Travis Sanheim (Defenceman-6)
The start of Sanheim’s career was cut short after 49 games by a mid-season demotion. This season, he is on pace for 27 points (6G, 21A) in 82 games with a 55.56 ESCorsi%.
Robert Hagg (Defenceman-8)
After a disappointing rookie season saw Hagg score nine points in 70 games. This season, he has eclipsed that in just over a third of the season and is on pace for 30 points (9G, 21A) in 82 games with a 46.95 ESCorsi%.
Ivan Provorov (Defenceman-9)
Last season, Provorov broke out with an impressive sophomore season. He jumped from 30 to 41 points based entirely on an increase from six to 17 goals. He is having a weaker third year offensively, but is still on pace to at least match his rookie year, on pace for 30 points (9G, 21A) in 82 games with a 49.12 ESCorsi%.
Travis Konecny (Right Wing-11)
Provorov’s fellow 2015 first-rounder, Konecny jumped from 28 points as a rookie to 47 points. Konecny is on pace for another increase in production, 55 points (26G, 29A) in 82 games with a 59.64 ESCorsi%.
Sean Couturier (Centre-14)
Already a strong defensive performer for the bulk of his career, Couturier got time as the first-line centre and broke out with 31 goals and 76 points. Couturier is on pace for 62 points (31G, 31A) in 80 games with a 54.99 ESCorsi%.
Wayne Simmonds (Right Wing-17)
The middle of the decade, the physical right winger had two 60-point seasons, one of which also saw him reach 30 goals, plus an additional 30-goal season. He fell below both the 30-goal and 50-point marks last season, and is on pace for neither this year, but remains a solid physical winger and could still reach 30 goals. He is on pace for 41 points (29G, 12A) in 82 games with a 48.52 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Philadelphia-2017
James van Riemsdyk (Left Wing-25)
While he is disappointingly scoring a half a point per game, van Riemsdyk is on the expanded ballot based mostly on his time in Toronto. He bookended his career with his first career 30-goal and 60-point season when he scored 30 and 61 in 2014, and with career highs of 62 points in 2017 and 36 goals in 2018. He is on pace for 66 points (11G, 22A) in 66 games with a 50.9 ESCorsi%.
Claude Giroux (Left Wing-28)
After a season that saw him score 14 goals and 58 points, his lowest totals in a full season since 2010, he had career highs of 34 goals and 102 points. While many were expecting a regression for the now-30-year-old, he’s on pace to finish with 105 points (32G, 73A) in 82 games with a 56.97 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Philadelphia-2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018
Michal Neuvirth (Goaltender-30)
Though Neuvirth has missed most of this season with injuries and has performed poorly this year, he did well as a backup last season, posting a 0.915 Save%. Prior to the 2017 season, he played well in tandems on various teams. He is on pace for a 0.719 Save%, 0-6-0 record, and zero shutouts in six games.
Brian Elliott (Goaltender-37)
Elliott is bouncing back from posting a 0.909 Save% last season. He had a decent year with Calgary in 2017, and that was predceded by a number of strong years in a tandem setup in St. Louis. He is on pace for 0.911 Save%, 18-21-0 record, and three shutouts in 41 games.
Past All-Star Games: St. Louis-2012, 2015
Shayne Gostisbehere (Defenceman-53)
Gostisbehere may be having a down year, but is still on pace for 38 points (9G, 29A0 in 82 games with a 82 games with a 51.14 ESCorsi%. He broke out last season with 13 goals, 52 assists, and 65 points.
Nolan Patrick (Centre-64)
Patrick was drafted second overall after being the expected first overall pick. His 30-point season was a disappointment by those standards, though he did have a stronger second half of the year and is scoring at a similar pace, a pace for 32 points (16G, 16A) in 79 games with a 46.93 ESCorsi%.
Jakub Voracek (Right Wing-93)
Voracek has emerged as a legitimate star in recent years. After finishing with 62 points in 2014 and 81 points in 2015, he rebounded from 55 points in 2016 to 61 points in 2017 and 85 points last season. He is on pace this season for 67 points (23G, 44A) in 82 games with a 45.97 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Philadelphia-2015
Pittsburgh Penguins
Olli Maatta (Defenceman-3)
While Maatta has had a couple of weak seasons in his stint with Pittsburgh, and isn’t having a great year this season either, he has also twice posted his career high of 29 points. The first time was in 2014 as a rookie and the other time was last season. He is on pace for 23 points (0G, 23A) in 81 games with a 47.25 ESCorsi%.
Justin Schultz (Defenceman-4)
Schultz twice topped 30 points as a member of the Oilers, and while he was slow to pick things up again after his trade to Pittsburgh, he rebounded with an impressive 51 points in 2017. He wasn’t able to maintain that production last season, but scored 27 points in 63 games, a 35-point pace. Before being sidelined with a fractured leg, he was scoring a point per game. He is on pace for 57 points (0G, 57A) in 57 games with a 38.61 ESCorsi%.
Jamie Oleksiak (Defenceman-6)
While Oleksiak only finished last season with 17 points, he scored 14 of them in 47 games after being traded to Pittsburgh. It has continued to be a fit for the hulking blueliner, who is on pace for 33 points (12G, 21A) in 80 games with a 49.75 ESCorsi%.
Brian Dumoulin (Defenceman-8)
Dumoulin has been part of the Penguins’ top pairing for a couple years now. After scoring career highs of five goals and 18 points last season, it’s clear he has that role thanks to defensive ability. That being said, he’s on pace this season for 26 points (3G, 23A) in 82 games with a 56.87 ESCorsi%.
Tanner Pearson (Left Wing-14)
Pearson is on pace for 16 points (8G, 8A) in 83 games this season, with a 50.52 ESCorsi%, a change of scenery having clearly not helped, but Pearson is on the expanded ballot based on the bulk of his stint with Los Angeles. Playing on That 70s Line, he had seasons of 36, 44, and 40 points.
Bryan Rust (Right Wing-17)
Rust is on the expanded ballot thanks to his playing on the Pens’ top two lines at time. Last season, he scored 38 points in 69 games, a 45-point pace. He is on pace this season for 20 points (3G, 17A) in 82 games with a 52.23 ESCorsi%.
Derick Brassard (Centre-19)
Brassard has had a smaller role, and as a result less production, since joining the Senators. As a Penguin he’s stuck on the third line behind Malkin and Crosby. In his final two seasons with the Rangers however, he scored 60 and 58 points, respectively. He is on pace for 33 points (15G, 18A) in 73 games with a 47.74 ESCorsi%.
Matt Murray (Goaltender-30)
Murray is coming off two very different seasons. In both he played 49 games, but he posted a 0.923 Save% in the first and 0.908 in the second. Murray was struggling before going down with a leg injury, but the two-time Stanley Cup winner should be able to bounce back. He is on pace for a 0.877 Save%, 11-14-3 record, and three shutouts in 31 games.
Kris Letang (Defenceman-58)
Letang is coming off having scored 51 points, which is actually a down year for him, to give an idea of how well he’s done. The year before he scored 34 points in 41 games, a 68-point pace. The year before that, he had 67 points in 71 games, a 77-point pace. This season, he’s been healthy and is on pace for 69 points (20G, 49A) in 81 games with a 56.2 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Pittsburgh-2011, 2012, 2016, 2018
Jake Guentzel (Left Wing-59)
When Guentzel fell from 33 points in 40 games as a rookie to 48 points in 82 games as a sophomore, people were guessing which one was the real Guentzel. This season is suggesting it’s the former, with Guentzel on pace for 74 points (34G, 40A) in 82 games with a 57.08 ESCorsi%.
Evgeni Malkin (Centre-71)
Injuries have overshadowed Malkin’s career, in which only one season, an injury-plagued 2010/11 season, did not result in a point-per-game or better finish. For the first time since 2012, when he scored 50 goals and won the Art Ross with 109 points, Malkin played a season without missing more than a few games with injury, resulting in an attention-grabbing 42 goals and 98 points. He is on pace for 93 points (28G, 65A) in 82 games with a 51.04 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Pittsburgh-2008, 2009, 2012, 2016
Patric Hornqvist (Right Wing-72)
Last season Hornqvist scored 29 goals and 49 points, which s right in line with his usual production. However, he did that in 70 games, an 82-game pace of 34 goals and 57 points. He’s getting another crack this season, on pace for 61 points (39G, 22A) in 77 games with a 50.58 ESCorsi%.
Jack Johnson (Defenceman-73)
I am aware of the reality of what Johnson is, an inadequate defender and possession player whose weaknesses were masked by strong point production he’s no longer capable of. He is on the expanded ballot based on name recognition from earlier on in his career. He is on pace for 17 points (3G, 14A) in 82 games with a 47.44 ESCorsi%.
Phil Kessel (Right Wing-81)
While everyone was wrong about Kessel eventually breaking the 50-goal plateau once he joined a line with one of Pittsburgh’s elite playmakers, he has still performed very well for them. The then-five-time 30-goal guy elevated Nick Bonino and Carl Hagelin on the HBK Line, and then showed how effective he was at playmaking with 43 assists in 2017. He returned to the 30-goal plateau by scoring 34 last season and established new career highs of 53 assists and 92 points and is on pace this season for 93 points (34G, 59A) in 48.33 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Toronto-2011, 2012, 2015
Sidney Crosby (Centre-87)
Last year was a down year for Crosby, who scored 29 goals and 89 points. Obviously those are numbers most NHLers would be happy with, but it’s a down year for Crosby. This season, he is on pace for 98 points (46G, 52A) in 79 games with a 57.79 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Pittsburgh-2007, 2017, 2018
Washington Capitals
Matt Niskanen (Defenceman-2)
Niskanen has been an impressive point producer for most of this decade. He scored 46 points in an expanded role in 2014 with the Pens before moving on to Washington. He went from 31 points to 32 to 39 with the Caps before scoring at a 35-point pace last season. He is on pace this season for 38 points (11G, 27A) in 82 games with a 43.78 ESCorsi%.
Michal Kempny (Defenceman-6)
While he hasn’t produced much offence in his career, Kempny has already reached his 10-point career high from last season. He has been a good Corsi player each season of his career and is credited as a standout performer for Washington during the playoffs. He is on pace for 29 points (6G, 23A) in 79 games with a 50.62 ESCorsi%.
Alex Ovechkin (Left Wing-8)
Ovechkin fell from 50 goals and 71 points in 79 games in 2016 to 33 goals and 69 points in 82 games in 2017, prompting many to say Ovechkin was on the decline. The now-33-year-old bounced back however to finish with 49 goals and 87 points. The bounceback continues with Ovechkin on pace for his first 60-goal finish since 2008. His playmaking is even improving as well. Overall, he’s on pace for 106 points (68G, 38A) in 82 games with a 46.65 ESCorsi%.
Past All-Star Games: Washington-2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018
Dmitry Orlov (Defenceman-9)
Orlov had his breakout season in 2016 with 29 points after having scored 11 points in 54 games in 2014 and spending all of the 2015 season in the minors. He is on pace for his third straight 30-point season after finishes of 33 and 31. He is on pace for 30 points (5G, 25A) in 82 games with a 45.49 ESCorsi%.
Brett Connolly (Right Wing-10)
Prior to this season, Connolly was a draft bust who had never reached 30 points in a season. That could change this year, with Connolly on pace for 52 points (16G, 36A0 in 82 games with a 48.57 ESCorsi%.
Jakub Vrana (Left Wing-13)
Vrana showed some promise as a rookie last season with 13 goals and 27 points in 73 games. He is taking a huge step offensively this season, on pace for 50 points (25G, 25A) in 82 games with a 47.25 ESCorsi%.
Nicklas Backstrom (Centre-19)
While Backstrom has been overshadowed by the younger, shinier Evgeny Kuznetsov, Ovechkin’s long-time partner in crime is coming off finishes of 86 and 71 points. This season, he is on pace for104 points (27G, 77A) in 82 games with a 50.24 ESCorsi%. It would be the first time for Backstrom since 2010 that he reached even 90, let alone 100.
Past All-Star Games: Washington-2009, 2016
Tom Wilson (Right Wing-43)
To be clear, this is not an endorsement of Wilson’s style of play. I think his predatory play style should be gone and I hope that at least his current injury situation causes him to consider cleaning up. That doesn’t change, however, that he was on pace for an over-40-goal and over-80-point finish despite missing the first 16 games for his preseason hit on St. Louis’ Oskar Sundqvist. He remains on pace for 80 points (46G, 34A) in 63 games with a 48.81 ESCorsi%.
Braden Holtby (Goaltender-70)
After a strong 0.925 Save% performance in 2017 and a Vezina in 2016, Holtby had a weak season with a 0.907 Save% last year. He rebounded once the playoffs started and won the Stanley Cup, and he has continued to rebound, even despite a weak start to the year. He is on pace for a 0.913 Save%, 33-19-5 record, and five shutouts in 60 games.
Past All-Star Games: Washington-2016, 2017, 2018
John Carlson (Defenceman-74)
Carlson’s 55-point career high from 2015 is more than many defencemen can hope for. The same can be said of the 68 points he finished with last season, which led all defencemen in scoring. This season, while many expected him to regress, he is actually on pace for 89 points (14G, 75A) in 81 games with a 51.53 ESCorsi%.
TJ Oshie (Right Wing-77)
Despite winning the Stanley Cup, last season season was the first since 2010 that Oshie didn’t finish a full or mostly-full season with at least 50 points. The season before, he scored 33 goals and 56 points. This season, he is actually rebounding and is on pace for 56 points (37G, 19A) in 71 games with a 51.3 ESCorsi%.
Evgeny Kuznetsov (Centre-92)
Kuznetsov’s career to date has followed a down-up pattern. 37 points in year one turned into 77 in year two to 59 in year three to 83 in year four. On pace for just under 90 points,92 points (22G, 70A) in 76 games with a 44.81 ESCorsi%, he is set to buck that trend.
Past All-Star Games: Washington-2016
