Six Of The NHL's Newest Stars Emerge

With the NHL season passing the midway point, there have been some incredibly impressive performances from young, emerging stars.

Many of them are players predicted to have breakout years, but some others took the step when it looked like they were reaching their ceiling. Some others showed signs of emerging last year, while others took a while to get acclimated to the NHL.

Let’s look at six players who have ascended to star status and emerged as go-to players for their respective NHL teams.

Logan Cooley, C, Utah Hockey Club

The third-overall pick from the 2022 NHL draft has finally arrived, and all it took was some patience. Cooley became the No. 1 center the Arizona Coyotes needed for years and the Utah Hockey Club got in Year 1. He's showcasing his high-end play-driving ability and slick playmaking this season with 13 goals and 25 assists for 38 points in 44 games.

He still doesn’t get the hype he deserves because Utah is struggling to stay in the playoff picture, but he is on pace for 70 points this season as a sophomore. If Cooley can continue establishing himself as an offensive catalyst, we could see Utah move up the standings over the next couple of years.

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Marco Rossi, C, Minnesota Wild

Just one point back of tying his 40 from last year, Marco Rossi has been great on the Minnesota Wild’s top line.

Rossi is tied for second in team scoring behind MVP front-runner Kirill Kaprizov, with 17 goals and 22 assists for 39 points in 45 games.

The 23-year-old has provided some stability to the team’s center position, allowing Frederick Gaudreau and Joel Eriksson Ek to play lower in the lineup where their skill sets are better suited.

Rossi is proving he can be an effective two-way center in the NHL despite being undersized. His intelligence and work rate partially drive his play, but he brings the kind of playmaking and offensive punch this team has needed down the middle.

If Rossi can continue to help Kaprizov do what he does when the latter returns from injury, cracking 70 points isn’t out of the question.

Related: The NHL’s Jack Adams Contenders Halfway Through the 2024-25 Season

Cole Caufield, RW, Montreal Canadiens

Everyone has waited for Caufield to score 40 goals since he came into the NHL a couple of years ago. Even if he's never scored 30 in a season, that hype is justified because of his raw shooting talent.

This year, we may finally get our wish. Caufield is on pace for 46 goals, which means a hot streak could push him to 50. He's already got 24 goals, along with 19 assists and 43 points in 44 games.

The chemistry between Caufield and captain Nick Suzuki drives the Canadiens' offense. Caufield has become so much more than a triggerman, showcasing improved playmaking and even solid two-way play most of the time.

Caufield flirted with stardom last season, reaching 65 points. If he can stay healthy this year, he should crush that mark.

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Aliaksei Protas, RW, Washington Capitals

Emerging as a go-to option in Washington during the Capitals' resurgence, Protas has been an outstanding find for the Caps.

Standing at 6-foot-6, Protas is a handful for opposing teams, especially when he puts in a dogged effort most nights. Protas has been in the NHL for large stretches of the last three years, but he has never looked this good.

Something clicked for Protas this season, and the hulking Belarusian forward has been blessed with the opportunity to play high in the lineup, oftentimes with Alex Ovechkin. With 18 goals and 36 points, Protas has already crushed career highs in both categories. He is a big reason the Capitals are tied for the league lead.

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Dylan Holloway, LW, St. Louis Blues

After Holloway and Philip Broberg signed offer sheets to leave the Edmonton Oilers for the St. Louis Blues, there were questions about whether the Blues overpaid for Holloway. Halfway through his first season in St. Louis, Holloway has proven he’s more than earned his raise to about $2.29 million annually.

Holloway’s speed and attacking ability have given the Blues another element in the middle of their lineup. His 34 points have more than tripled his career high to this point, and he’s become a key cog in the Blues forward group.

Currently tied for second in team scoring, Holloway’s biggest area of growth since moving to St. Louis is opportunity. He’s finally being given a chance to thrive, and the Oilers probably regret letting him go right now.

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Jake Sanderson, D, Ottawa Senators

The Senators have leaned on Jake Sanderson heavily this season. He's averaged nearly two more minutes of ice time than Thomas Chabot, and he’s done an excellent job of handling the added workload.

Sanderson is a defensive player first, but his offensive game has improved considerably in the last couple of years, maturing as he’s become more comfortable at the NHL level. He has 22 assists and 24 points in 44 games.

He’s on pace for almost 50 points this year, and he will be one of the most important players – if not the most important player – in terms of the Ottawa Senators' chances of making the playoffs. Sanderson is the team's best defenseman, and it isn’t particularly close.

The 22-year-old also has so much more room for growth. Defensively strong, fluid in transition, and becoming dangerous offensively, Sanderson is becoming a true No. 1 defender in front of our eyes.

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