Five Players Around the League Improving their Game

Getting off to a good start is crucial for players and teams to find momentum later in the season. But players who have found another gear from previous seasons or even just from the first few games can really contribute to their team's performance come playoff race time, building foundational pieces for late in the season. Below are 5 players who have have found that gear so far in 2023.

Artemi Panarin

New York Rangers

It's hard to believe that a 92 point scorer could step their game up even more, but Artemi Panarin has come out looking like a new motivated scorer. In probably the most impressive start around the league, Panarin has a point in every game played (12 games) with 7 goals and 13 assists. 1.66 Points per Game is certainly impressive, and he's even increased his Points per 60 by 1.82 from last regular season. But Panarin's drive to score and throw more pucks to the net is evident in shots metrics. Panarin has increased his SOG/60 from 7.61 to 11.56, 11th in the league for players have played 4 games this season and 12 last season and is averaging approximately the same amount of time on ice. Lastly, his Shot Attempts per Game this season is 17th in the league at 7.33. If generating these chances stays the same, expect the same level of scoring from Panarin.

Alex DeBrincat

Detroit Red Wings

The trade from Ottawa was inevitable for Alex DeBrincat in the offseason, but starting this good on a new team was hard to see. In the first 12 games, DeBrincat has 14 points (9G/5A), 9 of which are at Even Strength. His contribution to the team's offense, which ranks T-4th in Goals For and 3rd in SOG percentage, is quite high as he accounts for 11% of Detroit's shot attempts. Averaging 18.1 minutes per game, DeBrincat is taking advantage of every minute has on the ice for Detroit.

Frank Vatrano

Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks scoring has had its shining moments, scoring 4+ goals in 6 of their 12 games this season. Frank Vatrano who joined the Ducks in the 2022 offseason, has really found his fit this year, averaging a point per game after averaging .51 last season. Being rewarded for his play, he has seen 1.76 more minutes of TOI per game. With an increase in metrics all around, Vatrano continues to assist Mason McTavish and Ryan Strome, and execute on the scoring looks the line is creating.

Jack McBain

Arizona Coyotes

After scoring just 2.74 goals per game (27th in the league) last season, the Coyotes were hoping to make some improvements in 2023. Clayton Keller and Nick Shmaltz have certainly played a strong role in their already improved 3.25 goals per game, but Jack McBain has definitely increased his play to contribute. Despite averaging a little over 10 minutes of Even Strength TOI, McBain is still close to the top of the league at 3.46 Even Strength Points per 60, with all 7 of his points coming at Even Strength. This has come in his most recent games as he has jumped his moving Points per 60 in recent play. If McBain can continue to get his shot attempts on target, his production will continue to climb.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes have displayed their ability to shoot from all angles of the ice and score at high rates, leading the league in Shot Attempts (958) and 7th in the league in Goals For (44). Leading the team in points, Kotkaniemi has 5 goals and 7 assists with 55 total shot attempts. While the team is getting a strong portion of their shot attempts from players like Martin Necas, Brent Burns and Jaccob Slavin, Kotkaniemi is capitalizing on his opportunities, bumping his Even Strength Points per 60 by 1.47 and increasing his Points per Game by .4. This season, his TOI has actually decreased by half a minute per game, illustrating more that his play has taken a step.