10 NHL players who had a big season and deserve more recognition

When Dylan Holloway signed the offer sheet from the Blues, there was hope he might finally break out in St. Louis. And that’s exactly what happened: before the 2024–25 season, his career-high for a single campaign was just 9 points. This year, in his first season with the Blues, the forward racked up an impressive 63 points (wow!) with 26 goals and 37 assists. At 23 years old, he was one of the top players in his age group this past season.

Aliaksei Protas played his fourth full NHL season with the Capitals. And before he scored 30 goals and added 36 assists in 76 games this year, he wasn’t exactly being talked about as a dominant player in Washington. But the towering 6’6″ center has now become a key piece for the Capitals, and without him, it’s likely the team wouldn’t have finished second overall in the NHL standings.

Ryan Donato isn’t typically thought of as an elite NHL player — and for good reason: since entering the league, he had only hit the 30-point mark twice in a single season. But this year, he doubled his previous career high (31 points) with an impressive 62-point campaign, including 31 goals. He spent most of the season playing alongside Connor Bedard, and it’s clear the 29-year-old forward has found his niche in Chicago. He’s proven he can be an important piece of the team’s rebuild — if the Hawks decide to keep him around.

Rickard Rakell has consistently been a reliable scorer in the NHL, but he often flies under the radar. This past season, he put up solid numbers (35 goals and 70 points) with his trademark combination of speed and skill, contributing key goals and assists for his team. At 32 years old, Rakell continues to be a valuable winger who can create scoring chances and provide depth scoring that every successful team needs. Even though it was a little but more difficult for his team, the Penguins, this season… he shined. 

Kirill Marchenko plays in a small market in Columbus, which might explain why his success doesn’t get much attention. But the Russian forward nearly scored a point per game this season, tallying 74 points — including 31 goals — in 79 games. He really helped the Blue Jackets push for the playoffs. He’s becoming more and more comfortable with NHL play, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he one day becomes one of the league’s top players because he has the qualities to reach that level: his shot, speed, hands, and vision…

Travis Konecny still flies under the radar compared to the NHL’s top players. Yet, it’s important to remember that he was selected to represent Canada at the Four Nations Tournament in February because he’s proven himself and has a pretty unique style of play. Oh, and in Philly, he had his best point total this season since joining the NHL, racking up 76 points. The arrival of Matvei Michkov in Philadelphia helped him boost his power-play production, and Konecny has been improving steadily over the past three years — so he could put up even more points in the 2025–26 season.

We mentioned Aliaksei Protas earlier, but Dylan Strome also deserves a spot on this list. The former third overall pick in 2015 is enjoying the best moments of his career since joining the Capitals, putting up 82 points this season — surpassing his previous career high of 67 by 15 points. He scored 29 goals but also played a key role in helping Alex Ovechkin break Wayne Gretzky’s record by setting him up repeatedly. Like Protas, Strome has become an indispensable player in Washington’s lineup.

Jesper Bratt has been quietly underrated for several seasons now. The Devils’ forward (21 goals, 88 points) finished the season ranked 15th among the NHL’s top scorers, and it’s clear we need to start recognizing him as one of the league’s very good forwards. Playing alongside Jack Hughes, Bratt has found a lot of success — and interestingly, he’s just as dominant, if not more so, when Hughes isn’t on the ice. He has what it takes to be the number one guy on many NHL teams.

Who would have thought that Brandon Hagel would one day score 35 goals and rack up 90 points in a single NHL season? Yet that’s exactly what happened in the 2024–25 season. It was easy to criticize the Lightning’s decision when Julien BriseBois gave up two first-round picks to acquire him from Chicago, but clearly, Tampa Bay’s GM saw something special in Hagel. What’s even crazier is that Hagel didn’t score a single power-play goal this season despite his 35 goals. You have to admit—that’s impressive.

We’ll wrap up this list with Bryan Rust — a player who has been incredibly effective season after season. The Penguins veteran really shined in 2024–25, totaling 31 goals and 65 points in just 71 games. Rust has always found a way to be consistent in Pittsburgh, and sure, playing alongside Sidney Crosby helps achieve that. But still, he deserves credit because he earned it, even if he doesn’t always get the recognition.