10 Players That Will Definitely Be Upgraded In NHL 18

10. Brad Marchand - Boston Bruins

Last season, Marchand continued to prove himself more than just a highly skilled pest by falling just one goal short of an astonishing 40 goal regular season campaign, even better than his previous total of 37 goals.

Boston defied pre-season expectations by clinching the playoffs, breaking a tie with the resurgent Maple Leafs by virtue of more regulation/overtime wins, thanks largely to a career year by Brad Marchand. They fell in the first round to a surprisingly efficient Ottawa Senators team, but without Marchand’s team-leading performance over the course of the season, they wouldn’t have even made the dance.

Marchand was in the mix for the scoring title for the majority of the season, benefiting from sparkling chemistry with the emerging David Pastrnak, before Connor McDavid tore away from the rest of the pack in the last few games.

He still finished with 39 goals and 85 points over a full 82 game season, coupled with a further 6 points in 6 playoff games - not bad for a player whose previous career best was 60 points. He’s sure to have a higher overall rating than his 87 from NHL 17.