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Last year's rookie class stormed on to the scene and kept things going all season long. This year's class is much quieter...I have come up with three reasons for this...
1) They're older than the crop of 18 and 19 year-olds from last season. We've been talking about them as prospects for so long, we forget they're rookies! Examples: Blake Wheeler, Mikhail Grabovski, Fabian Brunnstrom, Alex Goligoski
2) They've spent time with their respective NHL club last year. Examples: Derick Brassard, Kyle Okposo, Kris Versteeg
3) The young ones are defenseman and therefore don't have the flash that last year's offensive-minded crop had. Examples: Drew Doughty, Luca Sbisa, Zach Bogosian, Luke Shenn
The good news is they're just as talented :)
Let's review...
Steve Stamkos received top billing at the Draft and the high expectations that coming along with it. He's had a rough start to the season, as has the Lightning in general, and is still learning what it takes to be successful in the NHL. With only 4 points in 17 games, he's got a long way to go, but not for one second do I doubt this kid's talent and his determination to live up to his potential.
Fabian Brunnstrom garnered a lot of attention in the free agent market this summer and had to work his way onto the Stars roster, but once he did he got everyone's attention with a hat trick in his first game of the season. He's cooled off a bit since then, but still has seven points in 14 games.
Derick Brassard spent some time with the Blue Jackets last season - 17 games to be exact - not enough to forfeit his rookie status. In those 17 games, he earned a goal and an assist. Quite a contrast from this year where he's a point per game player with 17 points through 17 games - 8g, 9a. The sky's the limit for him as he's just been moved to the first line centering Rick Nash.
Kevin Porter is the reigning Hobey Baker Winner as the best collegiate hockey player. While that is certainly no guarantee of success at the NHL level, he has six points through 14 games for the Coyotes and is proving to be a solid two-way player, often used in a shutdown role.
Mikhail Grabovski was all the talk last year in the AHL and made quite a name for himself down the stretch as he earned First Star of the Game honors six games in a row for the Hamilton Bulldogs. Traded to the Maple Leafs over the summer for the rights to talk with Sundin prior to the free agency period, I'd say the Leafs got the better end of that deal as he's got nine goal and 4 assists and oodles of promise.
Patrick Berglund crossed the pond with every intention of continuing the youth movement in St. Louis by earning a full-time spot on the roster. With five goals, five assists and a +8 in 15 games he has seen his ice time steadily increase the past few games as has his production with seven of those points coming in the last seven games.
Luca Sbisa wasn't supposed to make it to the end of training camp let alone be on the Flyers roster come opening day, but alas, due to injury and a whole lot of hard work, that's exactly where he found himself. A lot more mature than his 18 years, he's found himself in the top two defensive pairings and earned some time on the power play earning six assists in the process.
Kris Versteeg plays alongside current Rookie of the Year Patrick Kane and has many across the league wondering if Chicago will be able to boast back-to-back Calder Award Winners. Averaging nearly a point per game with five goals and ten assists in 16 games, he's well on his way to finding out.
Drew Doughty might only have six points in his 17 games with the Kings, but he's a +6 and averages more than 22 minutes a game including time on the power play. Could this be the year for a defenseman to win ROTY? Doughty's making a strong case for it...
Blake Wheeler only has eight points in 18 games with the Bruins, including a hat trick, but he's tops on my short list for the Calder for everything he does that doesn't show up on the stat sheet. He's got a great presence on the ice and is very poised with the puck. He's physical, yet skilled and plays smart two-way hockey.
The real question is - What exactly is the criteria used to select the Rookie of the Year? Is it all about the points? goals? Do leadership qualities carry any weight? What's your definition? Who's your eye on?
Talk soon!
Jules
JulieLovesHockey@gmail.com
1) They're older than the crop of 18 and 19 year-olds from last season. We've been talking about them as prospects for so long, we forget they're rookies! Examples: Blake Wheeler, Mikhail Grabovski, Fabian Brunnstrom, Alex Goligoski
2) They've spent time with their respective NHL club last year. Examples: Derick Brassard, Kyle Okposo, Kris Versteeg
3) The young ones are defenseman and therefore don't have the flash that last year's offensive-minded crop had. Examples: Drew Doughty, Luca Sbisa, Zach Bogosian, Luke Shenn
The good news is they're just as talented :)
Let's review...
Steve Stamkos received top billing at the Draft and the high expectations that coming along with it. He's had a rough start to the season, as has the Lightning in general, and is still learning what it takes to be successful in the NHL. With only 4 points in 17 games, he's got a long way to go, but not for one second do I doubt this kid's talent and his determination to live up to his potential.
Fabian Brunnstrom garnered a lot of attention in the free agent market this summer and had to work his way onto the Stars roster, but once he did he got everyone's attention with a hat trick in his first game of the season. He's cooled off a bit since then, but still has seven points in 14 games.
Derick Brassard spent some time with the Blue Jackets last season - 17 games to be exact - not enough to forfeit his rookie status. In those 17 games, he earned a goal and an assist. Quite a contrast from this year where he's a point per game player with 17 points through 17 games - 8g, 9a. The sky's the limit for him as he's just been moved to the first line centering Rick Nash.
Kevin Porter is the reigning Hobey Baker Winner as the best collegiate hockey player. While that is certainly no guarantee of success at the NHL level, he has six points through 14 games for the Coyotes and is proving to be a solid two-way player, often used in a shutdown role.
Mikhail Grabovski was all the talk last year in the AHL and made quite a name for himself down the stretch as he earned First Star of the Game honors six games in a row for the Hamilton Bulldogs. Traded to the Maple Leafs over the summer for the rights to talk with Sundin prior to the free agency period, I'd say the Leafs got the better end of that deal as he's got nine goal and 4 assists and oodles of promise.
Patrick Berglund crossed the pond with every intention of continuing the youth movement in St. Louis by earning a full-time spot on the roster. With five goals, five assists and a +8 in 15 games he has seen his ice time steadily increase the past few games as has his production with seven of those points coming in the last seven games.
Luca Sbisa wasn't supposed to make it to the end of training camp let alone be on the Flyers roster come opening day, but alas, due to injury and a whole lot of hard work, that's exactly where he found himself. A lot more mature than his 18 years, he's found himself in the top two defensive pairings and earned some time on the power play earning six assists in the process.
Kris Versteeg plays alongside current Rookie of the Year Patrick Kane and has many across the league wondering if Chicago will be able to boast back-to-back Calder Award Winners. Averaging nearly a point per game with five goals and ten assists in 16 games, he's well on his way to finding out.
Drew Doughty might only have six points in his 17 games with the Kings, but he's a +6 and averages more than 22 minutes a game including time on the power play. Could this be the year for a defenseman to win ROTY? Doughty's making a strong case for it...
Blake Wheeler only has eight points in 18 games with the Bruins, including a hat trick, but he's tops on my short list for the Calder for everything he does that doesn't show up on the stat sheet. He's got a great presence on the ice and is very poised with the puck. He's physical, yet skilled and plays smart two-way hockey.
The real question is - What exactly is the criteria used to select the Rookie of the Year? Is it all about the points? goals? Do leadership qualities carry any weight? What's your definition? Who's your eye on?
Talk soon!
Jules
JulieLovesHockey@gmail.com
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