Pressure Cooker: Which Western Conference players are on the hot seat in 2024-25?
What do you know about pressure?
For myself, whenever I hear the question, I immediately think of Jim Carrey’s exchange during the blockbuster ’90’s hit Ace Ventura, Pet Detective. This time around, we’re turning our attention away from finding a dolphin to showcasing NHL players who are on the hotseat to perform in 2024-25.
Before we know it training camps will be opening, and the puck will be dropping on regular season action. While there’s certainly pressure for every player to perform at the highest level of the game, there’s one player on each team who should be under the microscope next season.
It’s time to crank up the heat, starting in the Western Conference:
Central Division
Taylor Hall, Chicago Blackhawks
Age: 32
23-24 Stats: 10 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 4 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $6 million AAV
Season-ending ACL surgery wasn’t the way Hall was expecting his first season to end in Chicago. He was brought in to help develop the young core and heads into the 2024-25 season as a question mark in the Windy City. “If you look at our back end, when we’re healthy, that’s a playoff-type D-core. It’s going to be up to us, as forwards, to supplement them and support them as much as possible,” said Hall recently via the Chicago Sun-Times. Hall has scored 20 goals just once in the past seven seasons. Not good enough for someone making six sheets and expected to be a top-six forward. Heading into a contract year, Hall needs to prove he’s worthy of a multi-year extension and that he can be relied upon to help lead the Blackhawks’ back into playoff contention.
Alexandar Georgiev, Colorado Avalanche
Age: 28
23-24 Stats: 63GP, 38-18-5, 3.02 GAA, .897 Sv.%, 2 SO
Contract: 1 year remaining, $3.4 million AAV
Playing 125 games the past two seasons is too much. Georgiev is getting overworked in Colorado and hasn’t been able to stay fresh for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He’s entering a contract year and the stakes couldn’t be higher for the Russian netminder. A .894 save percentage in the playoffs isn’t going to cut it for a core with Mile-High expectations. GM Chris MacFarland has a big decision to make on Georgiev’s future and considering how last season ended, I’d be very surprised if an extension was signed in-season. The pressure is on in Colorado.
Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
Age: 25
23-24 Stats: 71 GP, 9 G, 45 A, 54 Pts
Contract: 5 years remaining, $8.4 million AAV
If the Stars are once again going to reign supreme in the West, they’ll need Heiskanen to continue developing into a Norris Trophy contender. The Stars have a solid tandem in net, they have a nice mix of veterans and young forwards, and their biggest question mark is their reshaped blueline. If Heiskanen doesn’t continue to lead the way on the back end, Matt Dumba and Ilya Lyubushkin aren’t going to save the day in Dallas.
Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
Age: 22
23-24 Stats: 82 GP, 8 G, 39 A, 47 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining at $925,000, signed 8-year, $8.5 million AAV extension
Faber gave Connor Bedard a solid run for his money for the Calder Trophy last season and now the mission is to avoid the sophomore slump. Wild GM Bill Guerin locked Faber up this summer and handed over the keys with a massive pay raise and now the pressure is on to prove Guerin right. Faber is evolving into the face of the franchise, he’s the clear cut No. 1 option on the Wild’s blueline, and he’ll need to once again be a difference maker if Minnesota stands any chance to get back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators
Age: 29
23-24 Stats: 64 GP, 35-24-5, 2.86 GAA, .906 Sv.%, 3 SO
Contract: 1 year remaining at $5 million, signed 8-year, $7.74-million AAV extension
While a ton of the attention in Smashville will be on Steven Stamkos trying to prove the Tampa Bay Lightning wrong, all the pressure is on Saros to prove GM Barry Trotz right. Trotz locked Saros in to be the Preds’ goalie of the future and adding Scott Wedgewood on a multi-year deal gives Saros a veteran backup, but not necessarily a 1-B option. Top prospect Yaroslav Askarov wants out and while a deal seems likely, the heat is on Saros to validate Trotz’s decision making. Worst-case scenario would be Askarov flourishes elsewhere and Saros has a down year heading into an eight-year extension. The temperature is rising in Nashville’s crease.
Jordan Kyrou, St. Louis Blues
Age: 26
23-24 Stats: 82 GP, 31 G, 36 A, 67 Pts
Contract: 7 years remaining, $8.12 million AAV
Last season was rough for Kyrou. He was booed on home ice after essentially brushing off former coach Craig Berube, and while Kyrou said all the right things after he realized his emotional comments went viral, his game needs to do the talking. 67 points at $8.12 million isn’t going to cut it and like it or not, Kyrou will continue to get paired against Robert Thomas after signing identical extensions. Thomas outperformed Kyrou by 19 points last season. This is the last year Kyrou doesn’t have any trade protection. A rough start to the season won’t go unnoticed in St Louis.
Mikhail Sergachev, Utah Hockey Club
Age: 26
23-24 Stats: 34 GP, 2 G, 17 A, 19 Pts
Contract: 7 years remaining, $8.5 million AAV
After a serious leg injury derailed Sergachev’s season, Utah acquired the Russian defenseman to elevate their roster heading into their inaugural season. They gave up a boatload to acquire Sergachev, in hopes of him returning to top-pair form and to lean on his Stanley Cup winning experience. These intangibles will need to be on display in the dressing room and even though he may not be the most vocal or willing, Sergachev will be looked upon to be a leader in Utah. Pressure is on to perform as ownership is feigning for success, early and often.
Nikolai Ehlers, Winnipeg Jets
Age: 28
23-24 Stats: 82 GP, 25 G, 36 A, 61 Pts
Contract: 1 year remaining, $6 million AAV
Many have questioned the fit in Winnipeg for Ehlers, and earlier this offseason, trade buzz picked up in a major way after rumors started swirling he wanted out. Ehlers has been inconsistent and at times, unavailable throughout his tenure in Winnipeg. He holds a 10-team modified no-trade clause and regardless of where Winnipeg is slated in the standings, the noise will continue. This is a huge season for Ehlers to earn himself a lucrative long-term extension. To this point it feels like a fresh start is on the horizon and his next contract will be signed with someone else besides Jets’ GM Kevin Cheveldayoff.
Pacific Division
Trevor Zegras, Anaheim Ducks
Age: 23
23-24 Stats: 31 GP, 6 G, 9 A, 15 Pts
Contract: 2 years remaining, $5.75 million AAV
Last season was rough for Zegras. It was year one of his bridge deal, injuries derailed his season and when he did dress, he wasn’t able to perform like we’ve seen in the past and like the Ducks are expecting. Trade buzz amplified in sunny California which Zegras admitted was something he noticed throughout last season. The pressure is on. The Ducks are rebuilding and expectations are reasonably low, but that doesn’t mean Zegras will be given a free pass. Anaheim already has another wave of young talent following Zegras so if he’s not hovering around a point-a-game and doesn’t shore up defensively, he could be sporting some new threads sooner than later.
Jonathan Huberdeau, Calgary Flames
Age: 31
23-24 Stats: 81 GP, 12 G, 40 A, 52 Pts
Contract: 7 years remaining, $10.5 million AAV
107 points combined over his first two seasons in Calgary isn’t going to cut it for the money. The Flames are re-tooling/rebuilding on the fly and Huberdeau needs to be the driving force of the offense, regardless of the expectations when it comes to the team’s success. Matthew Tkachuk raising the Stanley Cup in Florida doesn’t help in any way, shape or form. It could be a long season for Flames fans, especially if Huberdeau gets off to a slow start.
Darnell Nurse, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 29
23-24 Stats: 81 GP, 10 G, 22 A, 32 Pts
Contract: 6 years remaining, $9.25 million AAV
The Oilers have gone through a very interesting offseason to this point and one thing’s for sure, Nurse needs to solidify himself as part of the solution in Edmonton given his huge cap hit. The Oilers blueline has quickly become their biggest question mark and throughout their run to the Stanley Cup Final, Nurse’s game was on full display for all the wrong reasons. As Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli put it during the postseason, ‘the simple play can be an adventure’. Edmonton needs Nurse at the top of his game next season or else this marriage could be heading for a divorce.
Quinton Byfield, Los Angeles Kings
Age: 22
23-24 Stats: 80 GP, 20 G, 35 A, 55 Pts
Contract: 5 years remaining, $6.25 AAV
After a breakout 2023-24 campaign, Byfield was rewarded with a hefty extension and now expectations have elevated. The Kings love their defensive style, however Byfield needs to push the needle offensively while he develops his 200-foot game. Yes, Drew Doughty will have to turn back the clock to help push the team’s reshaped blueline forward, but Byfield is tasked with leading the next wave of talent in L.A.. Some big expectations on the shoulders of a 22-year-old, as it’s going to take another strong season from Byfield to help keep the Kings in playoff contention – especially if he moves to center.
Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks
Age: 18
2023-24 Stats: (Boston University), 38 GP, 32 G, 32 A, 64 Pts
Contract: 3 years remaining, $975,000 AAV
Being drafted No. 1 comes with immediate pressure but Celebrini will likely be up for the task. He’s mature beyond his years and while he’ll play the entire 2024-25 season as an 18-year old, expectations will be cemented in the Shark Tank for immediate results. Sure, Will Smith will also have some pressure to perform, but it won’t be on the same level. The Sharks aren’t expecting to win many games, but they are expected to take steps in the right direction with Celebrini leading the shiver.
Matty Beniers, Seattle Kraken
Age: 21
23-24 Stats: 77 GP, 15 G, 22 A, 37 Pts
Contract: 7 years remaining, $7.14 million AAV
Beniers just signed his first big ticket and it’s obvious Kraken GM Ron Francis thinks the world of him based on handing over $7 million after a 37-point sophomore season. Offense is an issue in Seattle, and Beniers must lead the charge if the Kraken have any chance at sniffing the Stanley Cup Playoffs. While there’s pressure on Beniers, perhaps Francis should be the one under the microscope for some of the contracts he’s handed out recently.
Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
Age: 25
23-24 Stats: 82 GP, 34 G, 55 A, 89 Pts
Contract: 8 years remaining, $11.6 million AAV
After a solid regular season, Pettersson wasn’t himself during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, recording just one goal and six points in 13 postseason games. If these offensive struggles continue into the early parts of 24-25, the noise could become deafening out west. While Arturs Silovs could certainly feel some pressure if Thatcher Demko isn’t available to start the season, Pettersson needs to be a difference maker on both sides of the puck to live up to his massive contract.
Adin Hill, Vegas Golden Knights
Age: 28
23-24 Stats: 35 GP, 19-12-2, 2.71 GAA, .909 Sv.%, 2 SO
Contract: 1 year remaining, $4.9 million AAV
While the Golden Knights may be in a cap crunch, they traded away Logan Thompson and his miniscule $766,667 cap hit and gave the keys to the starter’s crease to Hill. He’s shown he’s more than capable to perform in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and has a ring to prove it. Vegas brought in Ilya Samsonov on a one-year deal and he’ll be motivated to prove himself and push Hill for minutes. Both goalies are playing for extensions and it’s up to Hill to solidify himself on the Vegas strip after management gave him a massive vote of confidence by moving on from Thompson.
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POST SPONSORED BY bet365
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