It’s relatively rare to see established NHL veterans suddenly surge up to 50 goals for the first time a decade or more after they were drafted.
That’s why it was so remarkable that it happened for two players last season.
At 28, Sam Reinhart shattered his previous career high of 33 goals and finished second in the Rocket Richard Trophy race with 57 goals. Zach Hyman came third after jumping from 36 goals to 54 as a 31-year-old.
With 10 goals in 13 games, Reinhart’s on track to go even higher and break 60 this season. Hyman needed 11 games to get his first but is now heating up with goals in three of his last four games.
Maybe Reinhart has inspired some other members of his 2014 draft class. Now in their late 20s, four notable names are off to impressive starts this year. If they can sustain their current pace, they’ll have a shot at joining the 50-goal club for the first time.
Sam Bennett, C, Florida Panthers (Age 28)
Let’s start with Reinhart’s Sunshine State teammate, Sam Bennett. Selected fourth overall in 2014, he has been known more for his bruising physical style than for his soft hands.
Over his 10-year career, Bennett has accumulated more than 1,100 hits but only 145 goals.
His best offensive season was the Panthers’ Presidents’ Trophy year in 2021-22 when he logged 28 goals and 49 points. But this year, Bennett has eight goals and 13 points in his first 13 games — a pace that would get him to 50 if he can keep it up.
Like Reinhart, Bennett saw his career revitalized when he got to Florida, where he signed a four-year extension at a cap hit of $4.425 million. He’s heating up at a great time, due for a new deal as unrestricted free agency looms on July 1.
Nikolaj Ehlers, RW, Winnipeg Jets (Age 28)
Another pending UFA, Ehlers became the highest-scoring Danish player in NHL history last Sunday when he recorded the 474th point of his career. Ehlers has been a consistent part of the Jets’ offense for the last nine years but has never cracked through to superstar scoring levels — until this season. His eight goals and 17 points in 13 games have him tracking for 50 goals and 107 points.
Taken ninth overall in 2014, Ehlers’ previous bests were 29 goals and 64 points in the late 2010s, when overall scoring rates were lower than they are now. He is catching up to the modern game just in time for his next contract. He’s wrapping up a seven-year deal that carries a cap hit of $6 million.
Dylan Larkin, C, Detroit Red Wings (Age 28)
Most years, the Red Wings captain is good for about 30 goals and at least 65 points. Dylan Larkin missed some time with injuries last season but hit a point per game when he was in the lineup. This year, his scoring touch has sharpened considerably.
With four goals in his last three games, Larkin is now up to eight goals and 10 points in Detroit’s first 12 games. Last year, he hit a career high with 33 goals. Right now, he’s on track to hit 54 in the 2024-25 season as the Red Wings look to push themselves back into the post-season for the first time since Larkin was a rookie in 2015-16.
Selected with the 15th pick in 2014, Larkin signed his current extension in March 2023. He’s in the second year of that deal, which carries a cap hit of $8.7 million.
Ryan Donato, RW, Chicago Blackhawks (Age 28)
Drafted late in the second round in 2014, at No. 56, Ryan Donato has bounced around more than the other players on this list. Now on his fifth NHL team, his best year came in the Seattle Kraken’s first season, when he tallied 16 goals and 31 points.
Now with the plum assignment of skating on Connor Bedard’s right wing, Donato has seven goals in just 12 games this season. That’s a 47-goal pace. But even with a top-tier linemate, Donato has probably been enjoying some puck luck. With a career shooting percentage of 10.2 percent, he’d been hitting on more than 30 percent of his shots on goal before going 0-for-5 in the Blackhawks’ 4-1 loss to the Red Wings on Wednesday.
Of these four players, he’s the most likely to regress. But barely a month into the 2024-25 season, Donato is already nearly halfway to matching the best output of his career. Playing out a two-year contract with a cap hit of $2 million, he could be setting himself up for a raise on his next deal.
The Class Of 2015
Two players from the 2015 draft class also deserve consideration as potential breakout veterans, even if 50 goals aren’t expected.
Now on his fourth team, 25th-overall pick Jack Roslovic has never had more than 22 goals in a season. But just 11 games into his tenure with the Carolina Hurricanes, the 27-year-old has already rippled the twine seven times.
Skating on Carolina’s top line, with Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov, and on the second power-play unit, Roslovic is in a prime position to succeed on a very good team, and his confidence appears to be growing by the day.
In Ottawa, I’m not sure anybody expected Adam Gaudette and Tim Stutzle to be tied with six goals each.
Selected by Vancouver in the fifth round in 2015, Gaudette spent most of last season in the AHL, where he led the league with 44 goals. That usually doesn’t translate to NHL production, but this season, the 28-year-old has been reunited with his first NHL coach, Travis Green, giving him more ice time and opportunity.
Playing on a league-minimum deal, Gaudette’s exuberant goal celebrations show how much he loves to score. He could become one of the feel-good stories of the year if he can keep doing what he’s doing.
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