5 players poised for bounce-back seasons

Some years, things just don't go as planned.

The NHL season is a grind, and even some of the top talents are bound to endure a mediocre year or two. Several factors can result in a player taking a step back, including injuries, coaching, or just sheer bad luck.

Here are five players whose pedestrian 2018-19 seasons should be followed by a strong campaign to end the decade.

William Nylander

This time around, Nylander's season will begin in October with the rest of his teammates. The talented winger didn't join the Maple Leafs until December last season following a prolonged contract negotiation, and he didn't score until Jan. 3.

Nylander's late start proved costly, but the lack of production that followed wasn't entirely on him. The then-22-year-old wasn't put in the best position to succeed while spending a head-scratching amount of time playing alongside inferior teammates in the Leafs' bottom-six forward group. His average ice time decreased both at five-on-five and on the power play, and his hapless 5.4 shooting percentage is likely to balance out.

As the season progressed, Nylander slowly began to return to form. He tallied 20 points over his final 33 games - a 54-point pace during a full regular season that would have nearly mirrored his 61-point output in each of the previous two campaigns.

The Leafs would be wise to reunite the dynamic duo of Nylander and Auston Matthews. Since entering the league, Nylander has been an elite puck-possession player, and pairing his skill set with a natural goal-scorer like Matthews has led to favorable results.

Jamie Benn

The Stars captain's production plummeted by 26 points in 2018-19, and he missed the 30-goal mark for just the second time in the last six seasons. Benn recorded just 321 shot attempts, his lowest total over a full regular season since 2010-11.

The 29-year-old's poor season can largely be attributed to low output and opportunities with the man advantage. The Stars received the third-fewest power plays in the league last season, and Benn's 11 power-play points mark his worst total in six campaigns.

Despite that regression, the 2014-15 Art Ross Trophy winner has been consistent throughout his 10-year career, and the Stars' improved offense should help him bounce back.

Benn and Tyler Seguin have carried much of the load for a Dallas team that's lacked forward depth recently. But signing premier goal-scorer Joe Pavelski and veteran winger Corey Perry this offseason bolstered the offense.

The Stars are now better equipped to match up against opposing shutdown lines, and Benn should get more room to operate. The two new additions should also boost the club's ailing power play, as Pavelski's 12 goals in 2018-19 with the man advantage would have led the Stars last season.

Patrik Laine

On the surface, it's tough to criticize a 30-goal season, but Laine's inconsistent play throughout the 2018-19 campaign was remarkable. The Finnish sniper exploded for 18 goals in November, putting him at 21 come Dec. 1. But then he struggled throughout the latter half of the season while scoring just nine goals, with only four coming at even strength over the Winnipeg Jets' final 58 contests.

The 6-foot-5 winger isn't the strongest skater, but his ability to find open areas in the offensive zone and beat netminders with his lightning-quick release makes him special. Laine is a finisher, and most players of his ilk need a reliable playmaker alongside them to maximize their potential.

Last season, the pairing of Laine and declining center Brian Little was almost an exclusive fixture for Winnipeg. Laine played with Little at five-on-five for 623 minutes - 168 more than in 2017-18. The Jets owned a share of just 41.07 percent of high-danger scoring chances when Laine was on the ice - an ugly mark for a team's best natural scorer. Giving him more opportunities alongside blue-chip center Mark Scheifele, or even the young and promising Jack Roslovic, could help lift Laine's production next season.

The 21-year-old began to produce in the playoffs this past spring, scoring three goals in typical fashion and adding one assist over six contests. Following the season, Laine revealed he'd been battling a back injury for most of the campaign, which could have hindered his performance more than his critics realized.

James Neal

Neal signed a five-year, $28.75-million deal with the Flames ahead of last season. The veteran scorer then slotted in nicely beside Sean Monahan on the Flames' top line, but the emergence of newcomer Elias Lindholm, combined with Neal's rough start, bumped him down the lineup and into unfamiliar territory as a depth forward.

For the first time in his 11-year career, Neal failed to reach the 20-goal mark, and he logged under 15 minutes per game. In the playoffs, Neal, who had appeared in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals as a member of the Nashville Predators and Vegas Golden Knights, watched from the press box as a healthy scratch in Game 5 of Round 1 when his team was eliminated.

After being traded to the Edmonton Oilers last week for Milan Lucic, Neal gets a chance to prove he can contribute while playing with Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, who are both superstar centers.

The 31-year-old posted a career-low 5.0 shooting percentage while spending most of last season on a line with depth center Mark Jankowski and seeing limited power play time with the top unit. Slotting him into a power play featuring McDavid, the world's top talent, could be invaluable for both Neal and the Oilers.

Rickard Rakell

Rakell notched 33 goals in 2016-17 and followed up his breakout season with a career-best 34-goal, 61-point campaign. In 2018-19, however, Rakell battled through injuries, and his goal total was cut nearly in half during a season to forget for the Anaheim Ducks.

Following a dismal 2-15-4 stretch, Randy Carlyle was relieved of his head coaching duties, and general manager Bob Murray took over behind the bench. Rakell scored just nine times in his first 54 contests of the season, mostly under Carlyle, but then he matched that total with Murray as the bench boss over his final 15 games. The Ducks hired Dallas Eakins as their new head coach this offseason, offering Rakell a much-needed fresh start.

The 6-foot-1 winger also missed his co-stars last season. Corey Perry didn't join the team until February following knee surgery, and captain Ryan Getzlaf missed 15 games with injuries of his own. With Perry out of the picture and a young core getting its chance to emerge in Anaheim, Rakell should be able to bounce back in a larger role.

All advanced stats courtesy of NaturalStatTrick