One of the most exciting things about the start of each NHL season is seeing which players have leveled up. This year has been particularly special in that regard with Connor Bedard, Leo Carlsson and Macklin Celebrini racing up the scoring leaderboard, but they’re not alone. Almost every team has someone taking “the leap” this season.

Earlier this week, the Rankings Boys took some time to write about the topic with Bedard, Carlsson and Celebrini in mind. The trio is having the most obvious jump this season, leaping into a tier with the league’s best. Now it’s time to take a look around the league to see who else is taking “the leap,” even if not quite to the same level. It’s also time to check on some players who, notably, are stuck in neutral.

1. Colorado Avalanche, 19-2-6

Last week: 1
Sean: 1
Dom: 1

Usually, any discussion about a player taking ‘the leap’ is reserved for younger players; the Avalanche are a little light on those. Still, it’s hard not to be impressed by the step Martin Necas has taken. It’s not just that Necas is scoring at a 100-plus point pace — he’s done that before in stretches — it’s the substance behind it. Necas’ production in Carolina sometimes felt a bit hollow, but this is no empty-calorie production in Colorado. He does have it easy playing with Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, but Necas has still been special in his own right.

2. Dallas Stars, 18-5-5

Last week: 2
Sean: 3
Dom: 2

Last season, his third in the NHL, was a fine one for Wyatt Johnston. In an expanded role, he had more points than ever before (71), still looking the part of a potential franchise center at 21 years old. His play-driving numbers dipped a bit, though, and he struggled in the postseason, so there was still work to be done.

He’s been up to the task thus far; though his production at five-on-five is down (2.13 to 1.74 points per 60), he’s emerged as a true power-play weapon with a league-leading 10 goals and looks like a long-term partner for Mikko Rantanen.

3. Washington Capitals, 17-9-2

Last week: 8
Sean: 2
Dom: 3

Good as Jakob Chychrun was last season, it was fair to wonder — still! — if he could truly put it all together. We may have our answer. Chychrun leads the league in goals by a defenseman (10) and, in top-pair minutes alongside Matt Roy, has a Net Rating behind only Cale Makar. Washington has outscored opponents 35-13 with him on the ice.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning, 16-9-2

Last week: 3
Sean: 4
Dom: 4

In his first season with the Lightning, J.J. Moser was solid. Good, but nothing to write home about as a solid second-pair option. This year, though, he’s taking a jump toward being genuinely top-pair caliber. Moser has seen a large rise in his five-on-five impact and has been especially strong defensively. Most importantly, he’s stepped up in the absence of Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh, showing he may be this team’s No. 1 defenseman of the future.

5. Minnesota Wild, 15-8-5

Last week: 5
Sean: 5
Dom: 5

How many wingers have been better than Matt Boldy? With 29 points in 26 games while delivering some of the best puck possession impacts in the league, the answer is probably not many. He’s been that good and he’s done it playing matchup minutes for Minnesota.

In this year’s Player Tiers, we put Boldy just outside of the franchise tier. So far, he’s looked like a player taking that next step to land inside of it.

6. Carolina Hurricanes, 16-8-2

Last week: 4
Sean: 6
Dom: 6

With Seth Jarvis a proven commodity and Logan Stankoven more of a complementary piece, K’Andre Miller is the Hurricane that comes closest to fitting the criteria. Carolina acquired him with the idea that he’d return to form and then some, and that’s basically what he’s done. Miller is producing points at the highest rate of his career and has the best Defensive Rating on the team in tough minutes.

7. Vegas Golden Knights, 12-6-8

Last week: 11
Sean: 8
Dom: 7

On a well-established team like Vegas, it’s hard to find a player taking a sizable leap. However, it is worth discussing Jack Eichel’s incremental gains each season. He seems to get better every season and this year looks like a serious Hart Trophy threat … in the non-Colorado division of the conversation, anyway. Eichel is on track to have his first season with a Net Rating north of plus-20.

8. Pittsburgh Penguins, 14-7-5

Last week: 17
Sean: 7
Dom: 10

Sometimes the nerds are right. Sometimes. Parker Wotherspoon is the latest example of that. Looking at his numbers in a vacuum, Wotherspoon seemed like a player who could be a solid defensive top four option for a team willing to give him the chance to prove it. The Penguins did and he’s thriving this year on the team’s top pair. Wotherspoon is playing over 21 minutes per night and his plus-2.4 Defensive Rating leads the Penguins.

9. Philadelphia Flyers, 15-8-3

Last week: 14
Sean: 9
Dom: 9

It’s tough to imagine Trevor Zegras’ first 26 games in Philly going any better. He’s been a point-per-game player, producing more, scoring more and driving play more effectively than he ever did with the Ducks. He’s helped turn the power play into a functional one, with 11 points there. He’s one of the best shootout performers in the league. Time to talk extension.

10. Anaheim Ducks, 16-10-1

Last week: 6
Sean: 10
Dom: 8

We’ve already gassed up Leo Carlsson enough. Time to throw some flowers at Cutter Gauthier. His production dipped a bit in November, but he’s heating back up, with three goals in his last five games, and he’s still shooting the puck at a high rate; his 14 shots per 60 is second in the league, behind only Brady Tkachuk. The Ducks have scored 28 times with him on the ice at five-on-five, best on the team, and his defensive metrics are good enough to make it stand up.

11. New York Islanders, 15-10-3

Last week: 12
Sean: 11
Dom: 11

It took Emil Heineman all of 25 games to match his goal total (10) from his rookie season in Montreal. He’s tied for 20th in the league with eight five-on-five goals — same as Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Kyle Connor, among others — and he’s doing it on a line with Bo Horvat. Not bad for a guy treated by many as a secondary return in the Noah Dobson trade.

12. New Jersey Devils, 16-10-1

Last week: 7
Sean: 12
Dom: 12

We’ve been Dawson Mercer fans for a while and that distinction hasn’t provided much payoff over the last two years. This season feels more like a player getting back on track. Mercer scored 56 points as a 21-year-old, only to follow it up with 33 and 36. He’s on pace for 61 this season.

13. Los Angeles Kings, 12-8-7

Last week: 10
Sean: 14
Dom: 13

The growth continues for Brandt Clarke, who’s averaging about two minutes more per game than last season, mainly in the Kings’ top four. With him on the ice at five-on-five, Los Angeles is outscoring opponents 18-11 and controlling about 55 percent of the expected goals. Only Mikey Anderson has a better Defensive Rating on the Kings, and Clarke’s point production at five-on-five has increased from 1.21 to 1.54 points per 60.

14. Ottawa Senators, 13-10-4

Last week: 9
Sean: 13
Dom: 14

In our conversations for Player Tiers, there was one pretty common sentiment from many members of our panel: “Man, is Jake Sanderson good.”

We saw a flash of that last season, enough to put him on the cusp of franchise status. This year, he’s entrenching himself at that level. Sanderson is dominating at five-on-five to an even stronger degree this season and looks very likely to eclipse last year’s 58 points with 23 points in 27 games. He’s been Ottawa’s engine and currently sits ninth among defensemen in Net Rating.

15. Montreal Canadiens, 14-9-3

Last week: 16
Sean: 16
Dom: 16

It may or may not be enough to make the U.S. Olympic team, but Cole Caufield has taken major steps as a playmaker and play-driver without sacrificing any of his goal-scoring brilliance. He’s producing 1.25 primary assists per 60, an increase of about 50 percent season-over-season. It’s probably time to stop thinking of him as one-dimensional.

16. Columbus Blue Jackets, 13-9-5

Last week: 20
Sean: 17
Dom: 15

We’re not ready to sound any alarms on Adam Fantilli, but watching Carlsson go supernova can’t be all that fun for Blue Jackets fans. He was taken directly ahead of Fantilli in 2023 at No. 2. Two goals on Thursday night have Fantilli producing at a pace similar to last season, when he had 31 goals and 23 assists, but there’s still some work to be done; the Blue Jackets are losing his five-on-five minutes 25-15.

17. New York Rangers, 15-12-2

Last week: 23
Sean: 15
Dom: 17

There was a time when it seemed like Alexis Lafrenière was taking the leap. During the 2024 playoffs, Lafrenière often looked like the Rangers’ best player and was a key factor in the team reaching the conference finals. That’s exactly what made last year’s stagnation so disappointing, and this year looks even worse with just 14 points in 29 games. To Lafrenière’s credit, he’s never driven play better than he has this season. But if he can’t even be a consistent 50-point scorer, it doesn’t mean much.

18. Toronto Maple Leafs, 13-11-3

Last week: 25
Sean: 18
Dom: 18

The Leafs were in a state of disarray before Joseph Woll returned to action, let down by Anthony Stolarz struggling to carry a bad defensive team. Toronto has cleaned things up of late and Woll has thrived behind that, once again looking like the team’s goalie of the future. Going into Thursday’s game against Carolina, Woll had a sterling .921 save percentage and has saved 0.73 goals above expected per game, up from 0.4 last year.

Of course, this year’s Leafs can’t seem to have nice things and Woll exited Thursday’s game after two periods. Bummer.

19. Detroit Red Wings, 14-11-3

Last week: 19
Sean: 19
Dom: 19

Take your pick here. Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider arguably took the leap last season; this year, they’re taking it a step further. They’re both playing near a plus-20 Net Rating pace, looking like some of the league’s best players in the process. Their massive steps are exactly what the Red Wings need to take a massive step of their own. Now Detroit just needs to figure out the rest of the roster (excluding Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat, of course) currently holding those two back.

20. Boston Bruins, 16-13-0

Last week: 21
Sean: 20
Dom: 20

There’s a big difference between dominating in a rotation and dominating as a starter. In that regard, Jeremy Swayman is fully realizing his potential as a franchise goalie. While his first season as the de facto starter didn’t go great, Swayman is right back on track this time around.

21. Utah Mammoth, 13-12-3

Last week: 15
Sean: 21
Dom: 21

In order for the Mammoth to be a playoff team, they needed to see their young duo — Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther — take a massive leap. Those two are taking a leap, just not the leap necessary so far. Both players have been much better at five-on-five in terms of production and possession, but their work on the power play has held them back significantly. It’s a baby step with positive signs for the future. But right now, Utah needs a mammoth-sized one.

22. Edmonton Oilers, 12-11-5

Last week: 27
Sean: 22
Dom: 22

If ‘the leap’ is a young player jumping up several tiers, we need an opposite for an old player falling down several tiers. We’re proposing ‘the cliff,’ and there, Mattias Ekholm is on high alert. His Net Rating has been above plus-10 in each of the last three seasons with the Oilers, a top-pair rate. This year, he’s right at zero: exactly average. More troubling is a minus-1.7 Defensive Rating after averaging plus-5.0 over the last three years.

Ekholm’s drop-off was evident in the back half of last season. Now, with the Oilers floundering, his play is a real red flag. His acquisition was a game-changer for the team; his sudden decline has the potential to be the exact same thing.

23. Seattle Kraken, 11-8-6

Last week: 22
Sean: 23
Dom: 23

Same as ever for Matty Beniers: He’s fifth in Defensive Rating among centers but producing just 1.75 points per 60. He’s scored three goals in 25 games (0.35 per 60, down from 0.78 last season), and he’s shooting the puck less frequently than ever. There’s value in elite defensive centers, but Seattle needs more from him.

24. Florida Panthers, 12-12-2

Last week: 13
Sean: 24
Dom: 24

On the surface, Anton Lundell is taking the leap many thought was possible after what he showed last season. Under the hood is a lesson for Baby Barkov about what makes Big Barkov so good.

Lundell has increased his scoring to a 66-point pace which would be a career high, a function of earning a larger offensive opportunity. But in a more difficult role, Lundell has struggled to live up to expectations defensively. Even in that role, Barkov dominates at both ends. Adjusting for a new context, Lundell’s play doesn’t look materially different from last season.

25. Chicago Blackhawks, 12-9-6

Last week: 24
Sean: 25
Dom: 25

The Blackhawks are set up front with Connor Bedard. They might also be set between the pipes with Spencer Knight. For years, Knight was talked about in extremely high regard, and last year he showed serious flashes of it, enough to be the centrepiece in the Seth Jones trade. This year, he’s showing it’s a reality by leading the league in GSAx. He’s the real deal.

26. San Jose Sharks, 13-12-3

Last week: 26
Sean: 26
Dom: 27

It’s not just Macklin Celebrini in San Jose; it’s also Will Smith taking a leap to point-per-game hockey with 27 points in 28 games. There are still big questions about Smith’s defensive game that limit his overall standing, but at his age, it’s nice to see such a big scoring jump. Hopefully, the rest comes soon for the Sharks.

27. Winnipeg Jets, 13-12-1

Last week: 18
Sean: 28
Dom: 26

Cole Perfetti is our pick here for less-than-ideal reasons. He’s Winnipeg’s only under-25 player, and he’s got four points in 12 games for a 1.26 per 60 rate, down from 2.41 last season. Playing with Jonathan Toews hasn’t helped Perfetti, but if the Jets are going to reverse course here, they’re going to need more. They don’t have many other in-house options.

28. Buffalo Sabres, 11-12-4

Last week: 29
Sean: 27
Dom: 28

Through 14 games, Zach Benson has yet to score a goal. That’s OK — that’s not his game. Playmaking and play-driving are two of Benson’s calling cards and this year he’s stepping up in both categories. Benson has 11 assists in 14 games and has pushed his expected goals percentage to 56 percent, up from 54 percent last season. By Net Rating, his plus-1.9 has almost matched last year’s 75-game total of plus-2.1.

29. St. Louis Blues, 9-12-7

Last week: 30
Sean: 29
Dom: 30

The Blues are Regression City, with almost every player that looked amazing under Jim Montgomery last season plummeting this season. In that sense, Philip Broberg maintaining last year’s leap should be celebrated. He’s been one of the team’s lone bright spots, proving last year was no fluke. The same can’t be said for Dylan Holloway, unfortunately.

30. Vancouver Canucks, 10-14-3

Last week: 28
Sean: 32
Dom: 29

On a team with massive defensive issues, it’s best to grade on a curve. Filip Hronek has been one of Vancouver’s few saving graces without the puck this year, allowing 0.19 fewer xGA/60 relative to teammates. Hronek has taken a legitimate defensive jump this season.

31. Nashville Predators, 10-13-4

Last week: 32
Sean: 30
Dom: 31

Yep, we’re talking about Luke Evangelista again. Look, you think of something to write about this team, okay? Evangelista is on a bit of a tear lately with eight points in his last six games, a nice addition to his great puck possession work. He’s taking the leap toward legit top-six piece status.

32. Calgary Flames, 10-15-4

Last week: 31
Sean: 31
Dom: 32

The Flames threw a lot of money at core pieces last summer expecting some kind of leap. So far, the results have been mixed.

The good: Kevin Bahl has been a defensive stud, stepping up massively from last year.

The bad: Matt Coronato’s production has stagnated and his impact on expected goals has been below average.

The ugly: Dustin Wolf has struggled immensely and is being outplayed by backup Devin Cooley.

There’s still a lot of time to get a good return on investment, but if the hope was for those three to take a further step this season, going one for three isn’t ideal.