Which Western Conference players need to bounce back in 2024-25?
The 2024-25 NHL season is right around the corner. A clean slate for players to focus on new goals and expectations and a chance to put some recent struggles behind them.
The puck will soon drop opening night and give many players around the league a chance to hit the reset button. Be it injury troubles, inconsistent play, or a combination of both, let’s start in the Western Conference and select one player from each team who could use a bounce-back ’24-25 season.
Pacific Division
John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
2023-24 Stats: 46 GP, 13-27-2, 3.54 GAA, .888 Sv.%
It doesn’t matter what type of numbers you dive into, Gibson was terrible last season. Yes, the Ducks are still rebuilding and aren’t the most defensively sound, however GM Pat Verbeek swung for the fences a couple of times during free agency, so you know the appetite is there to contend sooner than later. Gibson hasn’t had a save percentage over .905 since 2018-19. He has three years left at $6.4-million AAV, and with Lukas Dostal splitting starts last season and prime for 1-A starter minutes moving forward, Gibson needs to perform or else Verbeek may have to figure out a way to get out from under his contract. Trevor Zegras doesn’t get a pass either and needs to move the needle in Anaheim this season.
Daniel Vladar, Calgary Flames
2023-24 Stats: 20 GP, 8-9-2, 3.62 GAA .882 Sv.%
Let’s stay in the crease as Vladar had last season end early due to requiring hip surgery in late March. Sure, Jonathan Huberdeau also needs to bounce back, but it’s Vladar who has all the opportunity in the world staring him in the face with Jacob Markstrom dealt to New Jersey. Vladar, 27, is entering a contract year and is coming off his worst season statistically. His first two seasons in Calgary were a much different story as he went a combined 27-12-7, so if he’s able to get back to form, and off to a strong start, he could easily become the 1-A starter over Dustin Wolf and Devin Cooley. Wolf and Cooley have a combined 24 NHL appearances, so needless to say the crease in Calgary is up for grabs this season.
Connor Brown, Edmonton Oilers
2023-24 Stats: 71 GP, 4 G, 8 A, 12 P
The last couple of years have not been easy on the beloved Brown as he’s dealt with a major knee injury and then was snake-bitten to start his tenure with the Oilers. Brown didn’t score his first as an Oiler until game 55, and even then, it bounced off his skate. The 30-year-old winger carved out a bottom-six role for himself during the Oil’s run to the Stanley Cup Final, and made enough of an impact to warrant a one-year extension. His work ethic isn’t the issue and he’s among the best penalty killers in the league. Brown needs to find the scoresheet early on in ’24-25 to gain some confidence that he can get back to hitting the 20-goal mark, or at least double digits.
Darcy Kuemper, Los Angeles Kings
2023-24 Stats: 33 GP, 13-14-3, 3.31 GAA, .890 Sv.%
The goalie trend continues throughout the Pacific Division as Kuemper returns to LA looking to regain his form. The 34-year-old was brought in from Washington for Pierre-Luc Dubois and has a golden opportunity to outduel David Rittich and Phoenix Copley for the starter’s crease. The Kings play a smothering defensive style, which will certainly help, but it will be up to Kuemper to improve on his .842 Sv.% on mid-range chances. For comparison, the league average in 2023-24 was .889.
Logan Couture, San Jose Sharks
2023-24 Stats: 6 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 P
Couture was shut down last season due to a serious groin injury and told reporters back in March, things aren’t necessarily clear as day when it comes to his future. “This injury has lingered for a long, long time already. So, I’m going to try and be ready. I mean, I couldn’t imagine not playing hockey. So, we’ll see.” The very latest from GM Mike Grier is that Couture has yet to skate, and it’s unknown when he’ll be available to start the season. While he can certainly lead from off the ice, the Sharks’ young core need Couture on the ice to help push their development and learn how to be a pro from the 15-year vet.
Jaden Schwartz, Seattle Kraken
2023-24 Stats: 62 GP, 13 G, 17 A, 30 P
Schwartz missed just over a month last season due to an upper-body injury and needs some better injury luck in Seattle, as he’s missed a ton of games since joining the Kraken in 2021-22. A 20-goal scorer two years ago, Schwartz scored just one goal in his final 14 games last season. He needs to get off to a strong start as the Kraken are among the bottom of the league offensively and won’t be able to get back into the Stanley Cup Playoff picture without Schwartz moving the needle. Yes, Matty Berniers and Philipp Grubauer will also play a major part in where the chips fall this season in Seattle.
Carson Soucy, Vancouver Canucks
2023-24 Stats: 40 GP, 2 G, 4 A, 6 P
Soucy signed a three-year, $9.75-million contract with the Canucks and in his first season dealt with some injury troubles. With Nikita Zadorov’s departure to Boston, Soucy will have more on his plate and will need to be the defensive stopper the Canucks need, especially on the penalty kill where Vancouver ranked 17th last season. Soucy was strong in the playoffs and the Canucks brass are hopeful the trend continues to kick off his second year in Vancouver.
Ilya Samsonov, Vegas Golden Knights
2023-24 Stats: 40 GP, 23-7-8, 3.13 GAA, .890 Sv.%
Samsonov joins Vegas after an extremely up-and-down season in Toronto, which included being shut down for a couple of weeks and reset mid-season. He’ll look to push Adin Hill for starts and turn his one-year, prove-it contract into something long term. Samsonov ended his Maple Leafs’ tenure letting in some soft goals throughout their first-round series against the Boston Bruins, finishing the playoffs with a .896 Sv.%. How bad was it? So bad Linus Ullmark came out publicly to admit he felt the Leafs were starting the wrong goaltender.
Central Division
Taylor Hall, Chicago Blackhawks
2023-24 Stats: 10 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 4 P
It’s been a rough go for Hall the past few seasons, dealing with major injuries and inconsistent offense. With just one year left on his deal, this will be a huge campaign for the veteran winger. Hall will have to prove to Blackhawks’ GM Kyle Davidson that he’s worthy of being extended and solidify himself as a big part of the Connor Bedard-era. An era that could take off in a major way entering year two.
Samuel Girard, Colorado Avalanche
2023-24 Stats: 59 GP, 3 G, 15 A, 18 P
Girard went through a tough season in ’23-24, which included entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in November. Colorado stuck by Girard and gave him a vote of confidence dealing Bowen Byram to the Buffalo Sabres, opening up significant playing time behind Cale Makar and Devon Toews. Girard has all the tools to be an impact player on both sides of the puck and there will be a ton of people rooting him on for a big year in Colorado.
Evgeny Dadonov, Dallas Stars
2023-24 Stats: 51 GP, 12 G, 11 A, 23 P
Perhaps the toughest team to pick a player out of the West, Dadonov will need to be a secondary scoring option for the Stars. With Joe Pavelski retiring and a lot of pressure on the Stars’ young forwards, Dallas could use Dadonov getting back to his ’21-22 scoring ways when he potted 20 with the Golden Knights. He only averaged 13:10 of ice time per game last season, be curious to see if he gets a chance to crack the top six to start the year.
Jared Spurgeon, Minnesota Wild
2023-24 Stats: 16 GP, 0 G, 5 A, 5 P
It was an injury-riddled campaign for the veteran blueliner. He inadvertently passed the torch to Brock Faber and will look to help push the youngster to avoid the sophomore slump. The Wild are desperate for more offense, and need the 34-year-old Spurgeon to hover around 45-50 points to help them push for a playoff spot. Spurgeon feels he can get back to being a top-pair option for Minnesota and they need exactly that to happen.
Dante Fabbro, Nashville Predators
2023-24 Stats: 56 GP, 3 G, 10 A, 13 P
Another team who aren’t littered with candidates, Fabbro is the pick. The former first-rounder needs a big season to secure himself into the long-term plans of the win-now Predators. Fabbro has potential to be effective on both sides of the puck and has shown in the past he’s capable of 30-35 points, even without consistent power-play time. If he’s capable of staying healthy, being a big part of the Preds’ penalty kill, and is chipping in with even-strength offense, Nashville will be in good shape. Their blueline depth may be their only question mark heading into ’24-25.
Justin Faulk, St Louis Blues
2023-24 Stats: 60 GP, 2 G, 28 A, 30 P
With Torey Krug out for the season the Blues need Faulk to not only stay healthy but also lead the blueline in scoring. Two goals won’t cut it considering the amount of power-play time expected to be coming Faulk’s way. The veteran defenseman has one season left with a full no-move clause and if he can’t help the Blues get back into the playoffs, may see himself in different threads next summer. St Louis’ defense is loaded with question marks, Faulk can’t be one of them.
Barrett Hayton, Utah HC
2023-24 Stats: 33 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 10 P
If Utah is going to make some noise this season, they’ll need the former fifth-overall pick to re-gain his form from ’22-23, when he sniffed 20 goals and was a big part of their special teams. Hayton dealt with some injury troubles last season and a healthy productive season could push Utah closer to the playoff picture. Hayton has a chance to surpass Nick Schmaltz as the team’s number-one center, a good start in ’24-25 could go a long way.
Nino Niederreiter, Winnipeg Jets
2023-24 Stats: 77 GP, 18 G, 16 A, 34 P
Despite finishing near the top of the league points wise, the Jets offense was middle of the pack. Winnipeg needs Niederreiter to help provide secondary scoring behind the team’s big guns and are hopeful he can return to being a consistent 20-goal scorer. The 32-year-old still has three years left on his contract and with the potential of a Nik Ehlers trade, more opportunity could be coming Niederreiter’s way.