Rickard who? Rakell seemingly came out of nowhere last season to rattle off 20 goals after finding twine just nine times in his first 93 NHL contests. Slotted behind household names Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler down the middle, the Swede’s affinity for lighting the lamp in 2015-16 provided the Ducks with a rare third-line scoring threat and a solid center option for their second power-play that allowed Kesler to play the wing on their top unit. Rakell will look to build upon that success this season, which shouldn’t be too much of a stretch given his shooting percentage was a very realistic 11.8 with 169 shots on goal last year. Furthermore, as long as he’s completely over the appendix issue that cost him the final seven games of the campaign, and if projected linemates Mason Raymond and Ryan Garbutt are able to produce with decent regularity, Rakell should be in a good spot to further increase his scoring output at the age of 23.

Rakell made a splash in his first full NHL season, putting up nine goals and 31 points in 71 games. Despite averaging just 12:34 of ice time, the 22-year-old still managed two power-play tallies, 105 shots on goal, and a plus-6 rating. While the Ducks are crowded up front, especially with the offseason additions of Chris Stewart, Carl Hagelin and Shawn Horcoff, Rakell is a crafty scorer who hasn't reached his ceiling yet as a fantasy contributor. If he can stick on a line with quality linemates and see power-play time, Rakell is likely to take another step forward in 2015-16. The Swedish sniper is a former 28-goal scorer in the OHL and knows how to put the puck in the back of the net. While it’s unlikely he lands a top-six role next season, Rakell could find himself on fruitful ground as the third-line center behind Ryan Getzlaf and Ryan Kesler. Look for Rakell to see increased ice time this season and make a fair run at surpassing his 2014-15 point total.

The 21-year-old from Sweden saw increased playing time during his second NHL season and even contributed four assists in 18 games. He will look to secure a more regular role in 2014-15 and become a bigger factor as he enters the final year of his entry contract. His first NHL goal should come this year. And who knows -- he might even find himself in the role of third-line center by season's end.

Rakell was the Ducks' first-round pick -- 30th overall -- in 2010. He does have some latent offensive ability, but that's not the reason the Ducks snagged him. He plays a remarkably mature, two-way game for a teenager, and will be a dominating checker in the NHL. He'll kill penalties, smother the opposition's best sniper and play in each game's most critical moments. He won't arrive in the NHL until at least 2014, and when he does, he'll immediately focus on that checking role. The offense -- maybe even an accompanying 50-point season -- could come when he's 27 or 28.