Likelihood is, you’ll have seen a sure element about this 12 months’s rookie class.
Fairly just a few of them are having an impression on groups which can be at the moment in a playoff spot.
You already know the names. Calen Addison. Matty Beniers. Wyatt Johnston. Pyotr Kochetkov. Cole Perfetti. Logan Thompson. They’ve additionally achieved greater than assist their groups. Every of them has a case for why they continue to be within the operating for the Calder Trophy.
However they don’t seem to be the one ones to think about. Owen Power continues to assist his group push nearer towards a wild-card spot whereas Mason McTavish, regardless of being on a group destined for the draft lottery, stays close to the highest of the factors race.
Of these choices, who’s at the moment No. 1?
Stats: 42 GP | 17 G | 19 A | 36 P
Earlier rating: No. 1
Why he is right here: Beniers was regarded as a Calder challenger, and he’s dwelling as much as that expectation. As of Jan. 15, he led all rookies in targets (17), factors (36), even-strength factors (29) and game-winning targets (3). He additionally bounced again from a 12-game stretch wherein he scored simply 5 factors in December, posting 11 factors by eight video games to open January.
Going ahead: The Kraken preserve successful and look like a official playoff challenger. Beniers has emerged as one in every of their most essential gamers as a top-six, two-way heart. He is one level shy of the group lead, ranks second in targets and can characterize the Kraken on the NHL All-Star Recreation.
Stats: 30 GP | 18-11-1 | 2.71 GAA | .913 SV%
Earlier rating: No. 2
Why he is right here: Dropping Robin Lehner to a season-long harm created questions on Vegas’ goaltending. Thompson continues to indicate how he grew to become the Golden Knights’ No. 1 possibility over Adin Hill. He has extra wins (18) than Hill has video games performed (15). That win whole is probably the most amongst rookie goaltenders and ranks seventh within the NHL.
Going ahead: Thompson is a reliable presence, making him extraordinarily essential for the Golden Knights. It’s another excuse why he’ll characterize them on the NHL All-Star Recreation. Though, he’s going by one thing of a difficult stretch. He has misplaced 4 of his final six begins along with permitting greater than three targets in 12 of his final 14 begins.
Stats: 43 GP | 9 G | 17 A | 26 P
Earlier rating: NR
Why he is right here: Oddsmakers had McTavish as an early Calder favourite. He had a sluggish begin in October however has steadily climbed his manner up the rookie scoring standings. McTavish registered 9 factors in December and opened January with six factors in 5 video games, shifting him into second place in factors amongst rookies.
Going ahead: May McTavish probably overtake Beniers for the rookie factors lead in some unspecified time in the future this season? On Jan. 10, he closed the hole to 6 factors, however 4 days later, Beniers opened it as much as 10. That mentioned, McTavish seems to be the rookie within the strongest place to problem Beniers.
Stats: 19 GP | 10-4-5 | 2.33 GAA | .913 SV%
Earlier rating: NR
Why he is right here: Discovering stability in internet grew to become a precedence when Frederik Andersen was moved to injured reserve. Calling up Kochetkov has been a step in that course for the Hurricanes. He teamed up with Antti Raanta to offer the Canes a dependable tandem as they continue to be a favourite within the East.
Going ahead: ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes reported Sunday that the Hurricanes have been going to ship Kochetkov again to the AHL now that Andersen has rejoined the group. The choice to ship Kochetkov again to the AHL comes after he misplaced his fourth consecutive begin, with the most recent being a shootout defeat Sunday in opposition to the Canucks.
Stats: 42 GP | 2 G | 14 A | 16 P
Earlier rating: No. 3
Why he is right here: Sanderson is making case for the title of the league’s high rookie defenseman. From the beginning, the Senators have used Sanderson to play in each state of affairs, which is why he has logged greater than 100 short-handed minutes whereas additionally enjoying greater than 70 power-play minutes.
Going ahead: His general utilization is what permits him to be one of many standouts of the rookie class at this stage of the season. His manufacturing, nevertheless, is one other dialogue. Sanderson mustered solely two factors in December. He was on tempo to complete with 38 factors, however now’s on tempo for 31.
Stats: 39 GP | 6 G | 20 A | 26 P
Earlier rating: No. 4
Why he is right here: Perfetti has remained one of many extra constant performers amongst this 12 months’s rookie class. The promise he confirmed final season was reduce quick as a consequence of harm, which left him with seven factors in 18 video games, however this 12 months he has 26 factors by 39 contests. These efforts have earned him a top-six spot on a group at the moment in playoff place.
Going ahead: On Jan. 14, Perfetti had three assists in a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins for his second, three-point efficiency this season. Perfetti has six factors in his final seven video games and the Jets now lead the Western Convention. He offers one other dimension to a high six that additionally welcomed Nikolaj Ehlers again not too long ago.
Stats: 38 GP | 0 G | 15 A | 15 P
Earlier rating: No. 5
Why he is right here: The No. 1 choose within the 2021 draft provides the Sabres one other defenseman past Rasmus Dahlin who can play for prolonged stretches, handle further shifts and be utilized in totally different conditions. He is second to Dahlin, a Norris Trophy contender, on the group in defensive zone faceoffs, whereas additionally logging minutes on each particular groups models.
Going ahead: The reliability Energy offers as a top-four defenseman who can log heavy minutes ought to play a task within the Sabres’ quest for a wild-card spot. He is averaging 23:51 in common ice time this season which ranks twenty fourth within the NHL and leads all rookies by nearly three full minutes. Energy has not scored a objective but this season, however his 15 assists rank second amongst rookie defensemen and sixth amongst all rookies.
Stats: 40 GP | 3 G | 18 A | 21 P
Earlier rating: NR
Why he is right here: As of Jan. 15, solely the New York Islanders have scored fewer targets than the Wild among the many groups that have been occupying a playoff spot. That’s what makes a facilitator equivalent to Addison essential to his group’s success. He leads all rookie defensemen in factors and assists whereas additionally being in a four-way tie for first in assists among the many complete rookie class. He additionally leads all Wild defensemen in factors and is tied for fifth in factors amongst his teammates.
Going ahead: What makes Addison’s case difficult is how he compares to different rookie defensemen when it comes to utilization. Friends equivalent to Kaiden Guhle, Energy and Sanderson, amongst others, have every logged extra general ice time whereas exhibiting they can be utilized in a lot of situations. Addison is tenth in 5-on-5 minutes amongst rookie defensemen and is sixth amongst Wild defensemen.
Stats: 44 GP | 11 G | 7 A | 18 P
Earlier rating: NR
Why he is right here: Johnston loved one of many strongest Decembers of any rookie ahead on this 12 months’s class, scoring 5 targets to guide all rookies and registering eight factors. That sort of manufacturing is why he ranks second amongst rookies with 11 targets this season. He continues to develop into his function of being a top-six heart and he is doing it on a group that entered Jan. 15 stage on factors with the Jets for the Central Division lead.
Going ahead: Can Johnston proceed to construct from what he did in December? Johnston entered Thursday’s motion ranked fifth on his group in targets. He has extra targets than Mason Marchment and Tyler Seguin, and is one objective behind Joe Pavelski. Because of this he stays in a top-six function and is on tempo to complete with greater than 20 this season.
Johnston has not had the simplest begin to January, with only one level in his first six video games. The Stars have additionally struggled, shedding 4 of these six. Nonetheless, they’re sixth in targets scored and seventh in targets per recreation. They’ve six gamers with greater than 10 targets, together with Johnston.
Stats: Guhle: 36 GP | 2 G | 12 A | 14 P; Maccelli: 30 GP | 3 G | 19 A | 22 P
Earlier rating: No. 6 (Guhle) and No. 8 (Maccelli)
Why Guhle is right here: Whereas his worth primarily lies in his heavy minutes and his use on the penalty kill, Guhle additionally confirmed progress in his offensive manufacturing. His six factors in December almost matched his whole (eight) within the first two months mixed.
Why Maccelli is right here: Maccelli adopted up a nine-point month in November to attain 9 extra in December, which was tied for probably the most by a rookie. He’s at the moment tied for second in assists and fourth in factors.
Going ahead: Each Guhle and Macelli suffered lower-body accidents which can be anticipated to maintain them out of their respective lineups for an prolonged interval. Guhle is about to overlook not less than eight weeks with a lower-body harm, whereas Macelli can be out for not less than one other three weeks with a lower-body harm.
Honorable point out (in alphabetical order):
Jonatan Berggren, RW, Detroit Red Wings
Marcus Bjork, D, Columbus Blue Jackets
Noah Cates, LW, Philadelphia Flyers
Kent Johnson, C, Blue Jackets
Kirill Marchenko, RW, Blue Jackets
Jack Quinn, RW, Buffalo Sabres
Juuso Parssinen, C, Nashville Predators
JJ Peterka, RW, Sabres
Shane Pinto, F, Ottawa Senators
Stuart Skinner, G, Edmonton Oilers