Atlantic Division: Each team’s top breakout candidate for 2019-20 season

With the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Final dwindling down, it’s time to look ahead at the possible Atlantic Division breakout candidates for the 2019-20 NHL season. 

Arguably one of the most competitive divisions in the NHL, the Atlantic Division is no short of talented players throughout. With the likes of players such as Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, Nikita Kucherov, and Jack Eichel, to name a few, it can be hard to make a name for yourself in such a star-studded division.

When fantasy hockey returns, the star players will already be picked before you have a chance to nag them all. What you do want however is the chance to steal a player in the draft that goes on to enrich your team for a chance for fantasy hockey glory.

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Every season we see a player rise to the occasion to solidify themselves among the best in the league. The Atlantic Division is no shy of premier talent within the NHL, this we already know. With many of the top players for each team considered to be premier talent, year after year players make a name for themselves.

Jonathan Marchessault went from seven goals to 30 in one season. He has gone on to become among the Vegas Golden Knights best players. Players that may not be well-known have the opportunity to become a namesake or players with untapped potential.

A breakout candidate is a player that can go from 50+ points to immediately eclipse 90+ points in a single season such as Nathan MacKinnon. This could also be a player that is well-known and has maybe had a down season compared to what they normally produce, and are looking to bounce back.

A breakout season is applicable for players that had high-expectations but failed to deliver based on injury, a bad season, etc.  While there are many players with the potential to have a breakout season in 2019-20, I went specifically for players that have a legitimate chance to breakout due to past performances, based on the current state of the team they are playing for, or whom they may be line-mates with.

I will not be including rookies that have yet to play an NHL game as it is unknown if they will play for sure. With that in mind, let’s look at who made the Atlantic Division’s breakout candidates for the 2019-20 NHL season.

Boston Bruins – Charlie McAvoy

Charlie McAvoy has become one of the most reliable defensemen for the Boston Bruins. Playing alongside captain Zdeno Chara, McAvoy is called upon to play against the best players the opposition has to offer.

Averaging 22:10 minutes a game, McAvoy plays in all aspects of the game. He always has his head up to make long crisp passes to forwards, often catching the oppositions defenseman off-guard. After joining the Bruins during their 2016-17 Stanley Cup Playoffs, McAvoy will be up for a contract in 2019-20.

Following a successful rookie season that saw him total seven goals, 25 assists, and 32 points, he came into the 2018-19 season poised to establish himself as the future of the Boston Bruins. Unfortunately for McAvoy, he hit the injury bug early into the 2018-19 season, causing him to miss 28 games.

He was well on his way to shattering his career high of 32 points, as he already had 28 points in only 54 games played. When healthy, McAvoy is one of the best young blue-liners in the entire NHL.

There is much to like about his will to compete every shift. McAvoy has legitimate potential to become a Norris Trophy candidate one day. His ability to exceed in every aspect of the game impresses game after game.

One area of play McAvoy needs to work on is his defensive aspect of the game, where he has been prone to become out of position due to his willingness to join the rush. As long as McAvoy is able to remain healthy, there is nothing stopping him from shattering his career high in points.

Look for McAvoy to break into the 50-point plateau for the first time. I suggest drafting McAvoy relatively early, as he will look to have a big season come 2019-20.

Montreal Canadiens – Jesperi Kotkaniemi

When the 2018 NHL Draft came around, it was no surprise the Montreal Canadiens needed a potential elite center. After surprising some, they decided to pick center Jesperi Kotkaniemi with the number three spot, a pick that has appeared to work well for them thus far.

Playing primarily on the third line, Kotkaniemi has a knack for being in the right places at the right time. His playmaking abilities are on full display when he has time and space. Averaging only 13:44 TOI per game, Kotkaniemi stood out at times with his high hockey IQ. He plays to where the puck will be rather than where it is.

Kotkaniemi managed to hit 11 goals and 34-points, all while seeing limited ice time on the third line. With a CF% of 57%, (Corsi for percentage at even strength), the Canadiens are better when Kotkaniemi is on the ice.

The Canadiens merrily missed the playoffs by just one win. They have failed to reach the playoffs since the 2016-17 season. With a terrific 2018-19 season despite missing the playoffs, Kotkaniemi will be called upon with added responsibility and an increase in playing time.

I wouldn’t be overly surprised if Kotkaniemi is able to break 50+ points if he receives more playing time and a regular role on the power-play. The Canadiens may have taken a gamble selecting Kotkaniemi “early” according to analysts, this move appears to be working out just fine. Look for Kotkaniemi to stand out amongst the younger players in the NHL.

Tampa Bay Lightning – Anthony Cirelli

Anthony Cirelli showed during the Stanley Cup Playoffs that he is capable of being a part of the lightning’s top-six forward group. Primarily a part of the bottom-six forward group for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Cirelli stands out as a hard-working, fast player that isn’t afraid to get into the corner and battle for the puck.

He is able to create chances due to his speed, especially on the penalty-kill. Cirelli managed to score five short-handed goals this season, which was good for second in the NHL. Despite being a bottom-six forward, he hit 19 goals, 20 assists, 39-points, all while averaging 14:51 TOI per game. What stands out even more so than that is the fact he only had one power-play point the entire regular season.

In an attempt to shuffle the lines against the Columbus Blue Jackets in the playoffs, Jon Cooper put Cirelli as the first-line center. He went from only 14:51 TOI throughout the entire regular season to 18:05 TOI per game in the playoffs.

Cirelli didn’t disappoint when paired with both Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov, as he managed to score one goal, and one assist. If he is paired with the dynamic duo, he will be a must-start in fantasy hockey come next season.

While I don’t expect that to happen, it wouldn’t be the craziest of decisions. Brayden Point has shown he is an elite-level talent in the NHL on his own, which could prompt Cooper to allow Point to center the second line while Cirelli tops the first line center role. With a successful rookie year behind him, look for Cirelli to improve on his point total. If he becomes the team’s first line center, he is a must-draft.

Buffalo Sabres – Casey Mittelstadt

After being drafted eighth overall in 2017, Casey Mittelstadt had a six-game stint with the Buffalo Sabres, during which he tallied five points. Looking to build off a strong outing in 2017-18, Mittelstadt was able to hit 12 goals, 13 assists, and 25 points in 77 games.

Although these numbers don’t stand out as anything special, it’s the potential he has that is important. At only 20, Mittelstadt showed how much of a threat he is in the offensive zone. What the stats don’t show is the number of chances he creates due to his creativity and ability to find an open teammate.

With the creativity Mittelstadt possesses, this has left him prone to turnovers in the offensive zone that have led to rushes going the opposite way. If he is able to clean that aspect of his game up, he has all the tools to become a massive offensive threat in the NHL.

Mittelstadt is a complete player that will look to build off a decent rookie outing. Despite the stats not indicating it, he competes hard every game with his blend of speed, creativity, and hockey IQ. At times throughout the season, Mittelstadt appeared to be the best player for the Sabres, even without registering points.

Playing on the third line, Mittelstadt struggled on the face-off dot, winning only 213 out of 536 attempts (39.7%). As offensively dangerous as he is, he provides a solid 200-foot game. Mittelstadt has the skillset to become a dynamic player for the Sabres one day.

He is a competitor, he hates to lose and expects himself to be a good player. Not bad standards to have for yourself, especially as a 20-year-old. I expect Mittelstadt to show why he was drafted eight overall next season.

Florida Panthers – Vincent Trochek

After a standout 2017-18 tallying 31 goals, 44 assists, 75-points, Vincent Trochek looked to continue to be a prominent player for the Florida Panthers. Unfortunately for Trochek, he broke his ankle against the Ottawa Senators early in the 2018-19 season.

He missed 27 games due to the gruesome injury. Prior to the injury, Trochek struggled to gain any momentum, often taking uncharacteristic penalties, costing not only himself but the team as well. With him out of the lineup, the Panthers struggled without their number two center.

When Trochek was able to return, he never appeared to get comfortable, which could have been a result of rushing back into the lineup. He was originally expected to miss the entire rest of the season due to the severity of the ankle injury. Instead, Trochek returned after the all-star break to a Panthers team that was considered to be a long-shot to make the playoffs.

If the Panthers expect to compete for a playoff spot in 2019-20, he is going to have to regain the swagger he had during 2017-18. The Panthers have a dynamic trio of offensive talent between Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Hoffman, Trochek, and Keith Yandle, who provides plenty of offense from the back-end.

It shall come to no surprise why the Panthers had the second-best power-play in the NHL during the 2018-19 season. Trochek will be relied on heavily to provide offense along with Hoffman on the second line. With one of the best power-plays in the league, he will provide fantasy owners with plenty of power-play points. Trochek is a must-draft in all standard fantasy hockey leagues. I suggest drafting him as he will look to have a big bounce-back season.

Ottawa Senators – Brady Tkachuk

With a season to forget, the Ottawa Senators didn’t have many bright spots in what was a roller coaster of a season. Erik Karlsson was traded in September followed by Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel, and Mark Stone around the trade deadline in February.

With the absence of key players on a roster, this gives the opportunity to prospects or players that aren’t used to receiving a lot of ice time. Insert Brady Tkachuk. If there is one thing Tkachuk provides for the Sens, it’s a future to look forward to. He is an ideal forward who blends all aspects of the game into every shift.

At only 19, Tkachuk has one of the best net-front presences in the league, where he is able to tip pucks and ensure the goalie can’t see any Thomas Chabot cannons from the point. He has the ability to get in on the forecheck and create problems for the opposition’s defense with his heavy hitting.

Much like his brother Matthew Tkachuk, Brady is an agitator as well. The good thing about this style of play is the fact it gets the opposition off of their game and gets them to take retaliation penalties out of frustration.

Tkachuk is a perfect fit for the Ottawa Senators, and it’s no surprise why the fans adore his style. How could you not? He is the complete package and will be a part of the Sens for a long time to come. Playing 16:01 TOI per game, Tkachuk broke the 20-goal plateau as well as accumulating 45-points.

I expect Tkachuk to improve on these numbers heading into 2019-20 with the amount of playing time he will be facing. Toward the tail end of the season, he was serving as the team’s first-line left-wing, a position he is expected to serve come 2019-20.

While the rebuild has only just begun for the Senators, there is much to look forward to in regard to prospects. Tkachuk is the player the Sens need to build around and ensure he has the correct talent around him to succeed.

I expect Tkachuk to only improve as he will be looked upon to provide offense with the absence of key players. Look for him to rise to prominence and establish himself as a leader on the team.

Toronto Maple Leafs – William Nylander

After missing 26 games due to a contract standoff, William Nylander signed a six-year deal worth $45 million ($6.962 million per season). With a six-year deal until 2024-25, much is to be expected out of the Toronto Maple Leafs forward.

Without the ability to participate in training camp, Nylander started extremely slowly with the Maple Leafs. Unfortunately, this only continued throughout the 54 games he played, which saw him only muster up seven goals, 20 assists, and 27 points.

For a player that was receiving $10.3 million (rounded) for the 2018-19 season, this was widely looked at as unacceptable. Nylander was never able to get into any sort of rhythm as coach Mike Babcock often relegated him to the third line for his failure to either create offense or turnovers in his own zone. Despite often receiving criticism, Babcock had no choice but to try to get him rolling. Unfortunately, he never seemed to be able to.

Being knocked out of the first round of the playoffs at the hands of the Boston Bruins for the second straight season has left Maple Leafs fans restless, and for good reason. For a team as talented as them, losing in the first round is a failure.

If they expect to make a playoff push come 2019-20, they will need guys like Nylander to step-up and take charge. He dominated at the IIHF World Championship where he tallied five goals,13 assists, and 18 points in just eight games.

Nylander lead the entire tournament, two more points than the man in second (Nikita Kucherov). If that doesn’t impress you, I don’t know what will. I think with a full training camp and his regained confidence at the IIHF Worlds’, Nylander will show why he received the contract he did.

He has a massive opportunity to potentially become the breakout candidate of the entire 2019-20 season. He is a legitimate threat when he is at the top of his game, and playing alongside Matthews makes Nylander and automatic grab come fantasy hockey draft season. Do not miss the opportunity to draft him, he will produce.