Niederreiter’s blindingly fast and plays a physical game, which has led to three consecutive 20-goal campaigns -- including setting career bests with 25 markers and 57 points last season -- a particularly impressive achievement when you consider that he’s never cracked 16 minutes of average ice time in a season. However, after finishing third on the Wild in goals and fourth in points this past season, then signing a five-year contract extension, he may get the opportunity to enjoy a bigger chunk of minutes in 2017-18. To do that, he'll need to continue carving minutes away from Zach Parise, who’s ahead of El Nino on the depth chart for now, but seems to be declining thanks to age and injuries. Much of the Swiss winger’s improvement last season came on the power play, where he saw a modest increase in ice time (2:00, up from 1:53) and a huge leap in production (nearly tripling the previous campaign's five points to 14). He’s also tightened up his defensive game to the point of near-elite status while missing just three games in the past four seasons, making Niederreiter one of the most durable, well-rounded -- and yet still underrated -- players in the NHL.