NHL Preview 2024-25 35 SportsForecaster.com

Forwards

Joey Anderson [RW]

  • Age: 26
  • Ht: 6-0
  • Wt: 207
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Chi 55 5 12 17 5 8 0.31
Career 169 19 21 40 -10 18 0.24
Forecast 42 4 7 11 - - 0.26

There is nothing exciting about Anderson's game. He will never dazzle fans with end-to-end rushes or fool a goaltender with slick moves (his 17 points in '23-24 were a career high). However, he is the kind of player who does the little things that coaches love like deflecting opponents' passes and being a disruptive force on the ice.

Andreas Athanasiou [C/W]

  • Age: 30
  • Ht: 6-2
  • Wt: 188
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Chi 28 2 7 9 -7 7 0.32
Career 495 128 118 246 -112 189 0.50
Forecast 72 15 12 27 - - 0.38

The versatile 30-year-old forward hopes to bounce back after missing most of last campaign with a lower-body ailment that required surgery and limited him to 28 games. When healthy, Athanasiou has dynamic speed that can beat defenders one on one as well as a shot that produced 20 goals as recently as 2022-23–and 30 markers in '18-19.

Connor Bedard [C/W]

  • Age: 19
  • Ht: 5-10
  • Wt: 185
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Chi 68 22 39 61 -44 28 0.90
Career 179 63 105 168 -74 126 0.94
Forecast 81 31 45 76 - - 0.94

The only things that slowed the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft last season were a broken jaw and playing on one of the NHL's weakest teams. Despite missing 14 games and skating for the punchless Blackhawks, Bedard led all NHL rookies in goals as well as points. He must get stronger, which should come with time, and improve his defense.

Tyler Bertuzzi [RW/LW]

  • Age: 29
  • Ht: 6-1
  • Wt: 197
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Tor 80 21 22 43 2 53 0.54
Career 514 151 181 332 -78 321 0.65
Forecast 75 26 23 49 - - 0.65

He rebounded from a disappointing '22-23 and broke the 20-goal mark for the fourth time in the past six seasons–despite averaging just 16:03 of ice time. The nephew of former NHLer Todd Bertuzzi is the definition of a streaky scorer, but he brings grit and determination to win board battles, puck-hounding chops and shift disturbance.

Jason Dickinson [C/LW]

  • Age: 29
  • Ht: 6-2
  • Wt: 200
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Chi 82 22 13 35 4 43 0.43
Career 518 70 89 159 -35 196 0.31
Forecast 80 14 19 33 - - 0.41

Coming off the best offensive season of an up-and-down NHL career, Dickinson reached double figures in goals for the first time in '23-24 and broke the 20-goal mark in the process. His scoring burst is even more impressive considering his lack of optimal power-play time and his shutdown role with the Blackhawks. Could he do it again?

Nick Foligno [C/W]

  • Age: 36
  • Ht: 6-0
  • Wt: 211
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Chi 74 17 20 37 -29 57 0.50
Career 1248 247 356 603 -39 996 0.48
Forecast 71 12 15 27 - - 0.38

The grizzled vet was brought to Chicago last season largely for his leadership skills, but he showed he still had some game left by putting up his best offensive numbers since the mid-2010s. Getting to play on a line with rookie phenom Connor Bedard for some of '23-24 did not hurt. He not only told the kids what to do–he showed them.

Taylor Hall [LW/RW]

  • Age: 32
  • Ht: 6-1
  • Wt: 210
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Chi 10 2 2 4 -3 4 0.40
Career 937 290 463 753 -36 492 0.80
Forecast 65 13 23 36 - - 0.55

The 2018 Hart Trophy winner hopes to get back on track after season-ending knee surgery limited him to 10 games last campaign. It is the latest in a long line of injuries that have plagued the first overall pick in the '10 draft throughout his career. He has not scored more than 20 goals or put up 61 points since his MVP performance.

Philipp Kurashev [W/C]

  • Age: 25
  • Ht: 6-0
  • Wt: 190
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Chi 75 18 36 54 -44 23 0.72
Career 345 54 91 145 -128 83 0.42
Forecast 77 17 32 49 - - 0.64

The Swiss winger is coming off a breakout offensive season; he demolished his career highs across the board. He does need to work on his play without the puck; his minus-44 rating was tied for the second-worst mark in the NHL. Kurashev should continue to get lots of time on the power play again in '24-25 (2:57 PP TOI/GP last season).

Pat Maroon [LW/RW]

  • Age: 36
  • Ht: 6-3
  • Wt: 238
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Min/Bos 51 4 12 16 -11 60 0.31
Career 848 126 197 323 6 1087 0.38
Forecast 57 4 8 12 - - 0.21

Back surgery limited the three-time Cup champ to two regular-season games in '23-24, after the Bruins added him at the trade deadline. He did dress for all 13 playoff contests. Maroon's offense has tapered off as he enters his age-36 season, but he remains useful enough to get power-play time. He is also a mentor for young teammates.

Frank Nazar [C/W]

  • Age: 20
  • Ht: 5-10
  • Wt: 180
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Chi 3 1 0 1 -4 0 0.33
Career 83 18 29 47 -16 42 0.57
Forecast 68 9 13 22 - - 0.32

The speedy, smallish (5'9'', 175 pounds) forward has plenty of offensive chops, as he showed by scoring on his first NHL shot in '23-24. He is able to generate scoring chances off the rush and boasts a quick release. Like many young players, Nazar will need to add size and strength for his ability to come to the forefront in the NHL.

Craig Smith [RW/LW]

  • Age: 35
  • Ht: 6-1
  • Wt: 203
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Dal 75 11 9 20 2 33 0.27
Career 987 220 232 452 88 395 0.46
Forecast 39 5 3 8 - - 0.21

The five-time 20-goal scorer is in his mid-30s now and is used mostly as a fourth-line winger. Last season in Dallas, Smith barely played more than 10 minutes per game (10:13 TOI/GP). He can still contribute some tertiary scoring, though he does not see the kind of power-play ice time he did a few years ago–which has hurt his totals.

Teuvo Teravainen [LW]

  • Age: 30
  • Ht: 5-11
  • Wt: 191
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 76 25 28 53 15 10 0.70
Career 780 176 358 534 85 142 0.68
Forecast 82 23 35 58 - - 0.71

The Finn scored more by shooting less in '23-24; his career-high 25 goals came on 142 shots, his lowest full-season total since 2015-16. One key was his 17.6 shooting percentage, more than double that of the previous season (8.3%). Teravainen still plays a solid two-way game (+15), and he ranks among the NHL's better penalty killers.

Defensemen

Goaltenders

T.J. Brodie

  • Age: 34
  • Ht: 6-2
  • Wt: 187
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Tor 78 1 25 26 17 40 0.33
Career 962 58 300 358 66 312 0.37
Forecast 81 2 19 21 - - 0.26

In 2023-24, the 34-year-old's offensive numbers and plus/minus rating were in line with recent seasons. However, Brodie's defensive play deteriorated down the stretch. He struggled to make plays and appeared lost at times; he was scratched for six of Toronto's seven playoff games. Brodie led the team in blocked shots (159 in '23-24).

Seth Jones

  • Age: 30
  • Ht: 6-4
  • Wt: 213
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Chi 67 8 23 31 -15 34 0.46
Career 888 104 353 457 -141 318 0.51
Forecast 73 9 31 40 - - 0.55

Given that Jones can never live up to his contract while on a rebuilding team, he is actually coming off an OK season that included a second-half offensive surge. He played huge minutes (25:29 TOI/GP in 2023-24), improved his plus/minus rating and produced four game winners among his eight goals last season. Is he a No. 1 defenseman?

Kevin Korchinski

  • Age: 20
  • Ht: 6-2
  • Wt: 185
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Chi 76 5 10 15 -39 20 0.20
Career 92 6 11 17 -44 28 0.18
Forecast 79 7 21 28 - - 0.35

The NHL's youngest defenseman last campaign, Korchinski's lack of experience showed on one of the league's bottom squads. He must improve his positioning and add size and strength in order to become more effective in his own end. That might help him make the most of the offensive skills that made him the No. 7 pick in the 2022 draft.

Alec Martinez

  • Age: 37
  • Ht: 6-1
  • Wt: 209
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
VGK 55 4 13 17 -2 6 0.31
Career 862 88 201 289 73 250 0.34
Forecast 61 2 7 9 - - 0.15

The three-time Stanley Cup champion was limited to 55 games because of injury last campaign. His biggest drop-off came in plus/minus rating (–2 in '23-24, after finishing +30 in 2022-23). Injuries have been an issue for Martinez in recent years, but he blocks shots and does the little things that help teams win when he is on the ice.

Connor Murphy

  • Age: 31
  • Ht: 6-4
  • Wt: 212
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Chi 46 2 6 8 -19 40 0.17
Career 774 43 120 163 -68 510 0.21
Forecast 65 3 8 11 - - 0.17

Veteran Murphy's big issue is staying on the ice: he has played more than 58 games just once since 2017-18 (he missed 36 games in '23-24). He does not put up much offense when he plays, and his career high is 19 points–despite averaging 19:25 of ice time in 11 NHL years. He hit triple figures in hits (116) and blocks (113) in '23-24.

Alex Vlasic

  • Age: 23
  • Ht: 6-6
  • Wt: 199
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Chi 76 2 14 16 -4 45 0.21
Career 207 9 45 54 -38 64 0.26
Forecast 80 3 16 19 - - 0.24

The 23-year-old Vlasic blew past all expectations in his first full NHL season, establishing himself as a top-four defender in 2023-24. He was rewarded with a long-term contract last April. His offensive totals were not prolific, but he led the Blackhawks in blocked shots (148) and was second in shorthanded ice time (2:20 SH TOI/GP).

Laurent Brossoit

  • Age: 31
  • Ht: 6-3
  • Wt: 203
'23-24 GP W L OT SO GAA Sv%
Wpg 23 15 5 2 3 2 0.927
Career 140 64 46 13 6 2.64 0.911
Forecast 43 15 - - 1 3.01 0.903

The 31-year-old Brossoit has made a living as a reliable NHL backup goaltender, but he took his game to a new level last campaign and finished with career bests in wins, shutouts and goals-against average. He uses his size (6'3'') to his advantage (especially in traffic), tracks the puck well and is quite composed in the crease area.

Petr Mrazek

  • Age: 32
  • Ht: 6-2
  • Wt: 188
'23-24 GP W L OT SO GAA Sv%
Chi 56 18 31 4 1 3.05 0.907
Career 435 183 179 40 26 2.86 0.905
Forecast 45 13 - - 1 3.18 0.899

Given the caliber of the support he received, Mrazek is coming off a terrific '23-24 season; he reduced his goals-against average by more than a half-goal per game and registered an above-average save percentage (.908). He played far better than his won-lost record (18-31-4) would indicate and gave Chicago a chance to win most games.