Every new NHL season is like spinning a slot machine at casinos with Google Pay. You can never predict which players will break through and become the jackpot for their teams. One thing is certain, though: new stars emerge every new season. With the 2025-26 NHL campaign in full swing, we can already discuss players who have reached a new level. There are dozens of them, so it’s not that easy to mention all these guys. However, we’ve prepared a shortlist of the biggest breakout players from the 2025-26 season.
Macklin Celebrini
- Team: San Jose Sharks
- Position: C
- Age: 19
- Season: 2nd
Macklin Celebrini’s rookie season left many doubting whether he is “The Next One.” However, 63 points in 70 games for an 18-year-old in the modern NHL is a remarkable number. These numbers look impressive from any angle, but some fans expected Macklin to do the magic every night.
In the 2025-26 season, Celebrini simply reached a new level and became a true magician. In his second year, the 19-year-old is a serious contender for the Hart Trophy and is battling with the likes of MacKinnon and McDavid in the scoring race. For the Sharks, Celebrini’s breakthrough is akin to hitting ten jackpots at Google Pay Casinos. The California franchise can already start planning for the next ten years. With Celebrini in the current form, the Sharks could make a splash in the Stanley Cup this season, where the 19-year-old’s homing passes and skating skills will definitely make a difference.
Morgan Geekie
- Team: Boston Bruins
- Position: C/W
- Age: 27
- Season: 7th
If Celebrini is a story about talent and enormous potential that’s just beginning to be realized, then Geekie is a story about hard work and dedication. After a bright debut with Carolina, Morgan spent years as a center on the second and third lines, contributing significantly on the defensive end. Most experts and coaches considered his offensive talent limited for first-line and power-play duties.
Geekie’s move to Boston was a real coup for both the player and the team. For the franchise, it was similar to players receiving a bonus at casinos that accept Google Pay. With the Bruins, he got a bigger role and began to blossom. By the second half of the 2024-25 season, Geekie had reached a new level of scoring while remaining a valuable asset on defense. Boston didn’t skimp on a good contract for their hard worker, and Morgan has become one of the league’s elite goal scorers by the 2025-26 season. He’s one of the most effective finishers thanks to his powerful shot and athleticism. There’s no doubt he’ll reach the 40-goal mark during this campaign.
Connor Bedard
- Team: Chicago Blackhawks
- Position: C
- Age: 20
- Season: 3rd
Connor Bedard entered the league as a potential generational talent. From the day of the draft, the Chicago Blackhawks saw him as a future savior for a franchise facing dark times. His first two seasons weren’t exactly a breakout. Amid the rebuilding process in Chicago, Bedard struggled with confidence and consistency. While he impressed with his shooting and understanding of the game in several games, his performances lacked foundation.
The 2025-26 season was considered crucial for Bedard’s prospects. Either he takes a significant step forward and begins to pull the team out of the division’s bottom, or his status as a future franchise player is in doubt. Bedard has handled the pressure admirably and is putting up career-best numbers – his biggest improvements have been in scoring and faceoffs. There’s little doubt this is the first of many stellar seasons for Bedard.
John Marino
- Team: Utah Mammoth
- Position: D
- Age: 28
- Season: 7th
The recent addition to the league, the Utah Mammoth, are racing toward the playoffs in their second season. The team without stars thrives on competitiveness and highly organized play, so it’s no surprise that a system player like John Marino has found his niche there. The stay-at-home defenseman earned a solid reputation with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Devils. For both teams, he was a reliable second-pair defender who was an elite disruptor in the mid-zone.
In the 2025-26 season, Marino anchored Utah’s defense, playing on the first pair. He plays a lot on the penalty kill, but that doesn’t stop him from being among the league leaders in plus/minus. Players like Marino don’t often show up in box scores, but even in that area, there’s been noticeable progress. This season has transformed John into an elite shutdown defenseman, as reliable as the best online casinos that accept Google Pay in Australia.
Jesper Wallstedt
- Team: Minnesota Wild
- Position: G
- Age: 23
- Season: 3* (technically a rookie)
Jesper Wallstedt has seen almost no ice time in the past two seasons, so he’s technically considered a rookie. The young goalie has been honored to succeed Marc-Andre Fleury as a linemate to his compatriot Filip Gustafsson. Wild has always thought highly of Jesper, but before the season, many felt that giving him significant minutes was like playing at online casinos that accept Google Pay – a gamble.
Minnesota’s gamble has paid off. Wallstedt isn’t just solid; he’s playing at a near-elite level. He’s even posted several historic stretches – four shutouts in six games and over 160 minutes without allowing a goal on the road. The confident and large Swede has started his path to a bright future in the NHL this season.
Mattias Samuelsson
- Team: Buffalo Sabres
- Position: D
- Age: 25
- Season: 6th
Mattias Samuelsson might not qualify for “Star” status in today’s league, as he is not the guy who puts up huge numbers. However, for a player who spent most of his career in the third defensive pairing, his 2025-26 season looks like a huge breakout. It took less than 40 games for him to set his career-highs in goals and points, producing stunning plus-minus in the process. He and the team captain Dahlin see the most ice time among Sabres skaters, averaging almost 3 minutes per match in PK lineups. He is like a reliable payment at Google Pay online casinos – always delivers.
All the numbers Samuelsson is putting up don’t just look pretty; they actually help the Sabres in their quest to reach the playoffs for the first time in fifteen years. The size, the cold blood, and surprising offensive efficiency make Samulesson a perfect top-4 defender. He is only 25, so we can expect even more from him, especially given how hardworking he is.
Cutter Gauthier
- Team: Anaheim Ducks
- Position: LW
- Age: 22
- Season: 2nd
While most pundits and fans are losing their minds over San Jose and Celebrini, something incredibly intriguing is happening in Southern California. We are talking about the emergence of a new NHL superpower: the Anaheim Ducks. The team in contention for playoff spots has an average age of 20 years among its three best scorers. Incredible, isn’t it?
The “oldest” guy of the three young superstars in the making is Cutter Gauthier. Before the season, he was a borderline top-six/bottom-six. During the season, he cemented his place in the top-six and even played solid power-play minutes. Clients at sportsbooks and Google Pay casinos online confidently bet on him to score points another night. Gauthier is one of the most balanced and versatile young forwards in the league. He has size, skating, a goat instinct, and productive shooting. He is putting it together now, and even the Mackinnon career trajectory now seems possible for Cutter, especially if Anaheim keeps Karlsson, Sennecke, and Lacombe.
