10 underrated players thriving on the worst NHL teams in 2022-23

Credit: Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports

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We’re in the second half of the 2022-23 NHL season – and if your team is near the bottom of the standings, it’s been a miserable few months.

The good thing is Connor Bedard is the ultimate consolation prize for missing the playoffs. We’ve been detailing the race to the bottom on a daily basis, so if you want to know how your team stacks up against the worst of the worst, that’s a great place to start.

So, let’s spread some positivity today. Here’s a look at one under-the-radar player making noise on each of the bottom 10 lottery contender teams. We’re not talking stars – we’re talking about those having a bigger impact than expected for teams without much to cheer about right now:

Luke Schenn, D (Vancouver Canucks)

It wasn’t that long ago that many wondered if Schenn was going to call it a career. He’s 33, never lived up to expectations after being a fifth overall pick by Toronto in 2008 and struggled to stay healthy and in the lineup full-time. He bounced from team to team, including with the Canucks in an 18-game stint in 2018-19. Now in his second full season back with the team, Schenn has not only become an everyday player but a valuable one that many teams are rumored to be interested in ahead of the Trade Deadline. Schenn is a veteran leader, a hard hitter and can even contribute the odd point or two. Given the obvious, and very public issues with the Canucks this season, Schenn has established himself as a fan favorite and someone worth following every night.

Sam Montembeault, G (Montreal Canadiens)

When Montembeault was snagged by the Canadiens on waivers ahead of the 2021-22 season, it was easy to overlook it. The Canadiens needed some depth in case Carey Price didn’t return, and, heck, if Cayden Primeau showed up, Montembeault would have been back on waivers and potentially back in the AHL. Instead, he had a solid first season, offering some glimmers of hope in his biggest work load of his NHL career. But right now, he’s shining, riding the wave of a 4-2-0 record over the past six games and facing more than 30 shots every single night. Montembeault holds a solid .923 save percentage and 3.46 goals saved above average through 20 games at 5-on-5 and has really saved some games for Montreal a bit more than he should have to. He’s definitely not subscribing to the tank: he wants to win and prove he’s a long-term option.

Scott Laughton, C (Philadelphia Flyers)

Laughton and the Flyers have been attached at the hip for the past decade, and the center was a solid bottom-six forward that could contribute around 20-30 points a year without issue. But this year, the 28-year-old is on pace for 50 points, far surpassing his previous best of 32 from 2018-19. Philadelphia has been ravaged by injuries and poor play all season long, but Laughton having a breakout season this year is definitely a positive development. He’s a popular player in Philly, and while 50 points a year as a benchmark seems unlikely, at least Laughton is having fun on a team with little to celebrate right now.

Dylan Guenther, RW (Arizona Coyotes)

Sorry, Canucks fans. The Coyotes made a last-minute move ahead of the 2021 NHL Draft, moving Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland to Vancouver in a deal that gave the Coyotes a first-round pick. That became Guenther, who didn’t make the team after a solid training camp, but it was clear he wasn’t far away. He’s been with the big club this season, averaging 0.5 points per game while playing in Arizona’s middle six. He also scored the golden goal at the 2023 World Junior Championship, a tournament that allowed him to gain more experience with a winning lineup. The Coyotes have some solid prospects in the pipeline and are set to snag another big one at the draft this year. But having Guenther already making noise in a year with no pressure is welcome.

Taylor Raddysh, LW (Chicago Blackhawks)

Raddysh took a few years to find his footing, but it’s all going to plan now. The former Canadian World Junior Championship star has 21 points in 45 games this year, becoming a valuable middle-six forward who’s on pace for about 20 goals this year – one of just three Blackhawks tracking for that mark. On most teams, he’d be a decent depth forward, but Chicago’s lack of offensive talent means Raddysh has had to play much more than expected. At least he’s performing, right?

Kirill Marchenko, RW (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Four years after selecting him in the second round, the Blue Jackets finally managed to bring over Marchenko, a 22-year-old scoring winger. He started the year in the AHL and put up some solid numbers with Cleveland, but he’s been with the big club for the past few months now. Marchenko has 10 goals and no assists in 24 games while becoming a fantastic secondary scoring option for a team that needs all the help it can get. The Blue Jackets have the best shot at landing the top pick right now, and someone like Bedard would do wonders for the team’s fortunes.

Jake Walman, D (Detroit Red Wings)

After years of medicority, Walman has managed to land a top-pairing role with the Red Wings this year, and he’s looking good. Walman has averaged a career-high 18:44 this season, far beyond his 13:00 in three years in St. Louis and his 17:28 in 19 games with the Red Wings last year. He has even added some deep-league fantasy value, too. Many believed the Red Wings would take some solid steps towards the playoffs this year, but it’s clear they’re in the draft lottery hunt moving forward. At least they’re getting some good play out of Walman, who is one tough customer to go up against.

Alexander Barabanov, LW (San Jose Sharks)

It’s always cool when an “older” player breaks out, and the 28-year-old winger is on pace for the best season of his three-year NHL career. After struggling to break through with Toronto and San Jose in 2020-21, the once highly coveted KHL star had a nice 39-point season with the Sharks last season. Right now, on a Sharks team that looks downright awful most nights, Barabonov is on pace for 50 points while being a crucial piece of San Jose’s attack. He had a six-game point streak to kick off 2023 and his underlying numbers are solid, as well. Barabanov is starting to live up to the potential many had hoped for when he made the trek over to North America a few years ago.

Nick Holden, D (Ottawa Senators)

The 35-year-old defenseman doesn’t have much to show for on the offensive side, but there’s a reason he’s been in the league for the past decade. The big, physical defenseman has a 51.79 shots-for percentage, 53.35 Corsi-for percentage and 52.23 expected goals-for percentage at 5-on-5 – all pretty solid for a bottom-four defender. There’s no shortage of teams that should have interest in his services at the deadline.

Lukas Dostal, G (Anaheim Ducks)

His sample size is much smaller, especially compared to the rest of the crop here. Dostal has seven games under his belt for the Ducks and has a 2-3-1 record with a .909 save percentage. But if you dig a bit deeper, you’d see he made at least 35 saves in five of his six starts and made 45-plus saves twice, earning points in both games. Dostal has been electric in the AHL with San Diego and has the potential to replace John Gibson as the starter in the coming years. He’s only 22, so there’s no rush, but Dostal should be a big piece of the team’s rebuild efforts. The Ducks have something big here, and even though he had only a short stretch in December to prove it, the organization definitely knows that already.