The past five years has seen a major transition in the NHL as it has transformed in to a young man’s league with a number of rising stars stealing the spotlight. Another loaded class of rookie players has put an even greater emphasis on the young stars shining brightest with Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine both making statements early on in their NHL careers. Here is a look at the NHL’s top five players under 24 right now.
C: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
After averaging more than a point per game in his rookie season, McDavid has opened the 2016-17 NHL season on fire with 13 points in his first 11 games played. McDavid was named captain before the season began and he has taken his game to another level while leading Edmonton to a 6-1-0 record out of the gate. McDavid currently ranks tied for second in the NHL with 13 points and he could challenge for a scoring title as a 19-year-old this season.
C: Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
The comparisons between Matthews and McDavid were full blown when he opened his NHL career with four goals in his first game but the first-overall pick from the 2016 NHL Draft has slowed down since with six points over his last 10 games. The 19-year-old has already filled the void the Maple Leafs were looking for when it came to selecting a franchise center and he will only continue to put up better numbers as he is surrounded by more talent moving forward.
The Maple Leafs have exceeded expectations early on this season and are currently riding a three-game winning streak. The team has 13 points through 12 games but they have to be concerned with their defense. They have allowed 41 goals, which is the second-most in the Eastern Conference.
W: Patrik Laine, Winnipeg Jets
Laine was forced in to the shadows behind Matthews after he was taken with the second-overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft but it didn’t take long for him to shift back in to the spotlight with six goals and eight points in 11 games. Laine’s shot is absolutely ridiculous and the comparisons between him and his favorite player growing up in Alex Ovechkin don’t seem like a reach. Laine is still just 18-years-old and it’s amazing to think what his potential will be as he develops in to a superstar in the NHL.
G: John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
The 23-year-old became the Ducks’ unquestioned full-time starter when Anaheim traded Frederik Andersen to the Toronto Maple Leafs this past offseason and after a rocky start he has certainly settled down. Gibson is 4-4-2 with a 2.58 goals against average and .911 save percentage and his numbers will surely improve as the Ducks bounce back as a team following a slow start. The fact that he is already the franchise goalie in Anaheim at his age is testament to his outstanding skill set and Gibson will only continue to get better as he gains more experience as an NHL starter.
The Ducks have had a relatively non-descript start to the season as they have just 12 points through 12 games. They are currently in third place in the Pacific Division in a tie with the San Jose Sharks.
C: Mark Schiefele, Winnipeg Jets
It’s easy to forget that Scheifele is still just 23-years-old but the Jets’ top line center is coming off a breakout season in which he had 61 points in 71 games. In fact, only McDavid, Sidney Crosby and Joe Thornton have recorded more points than Scheifele since last year’s All-Star break and it still feels like he has one more gear to his game. Scheifele has the potential to be an absolute star in Winnipeg and his production over the last couple of years has him slightly ahead of Jack Eichel on this list of the top players 24-years-old and younger.
The Jets have had a so-so start to the season as they are just 5-6-1 through 12 games so far. They have long been a mediocre team and it appears that this season will be more of the season – even if Schiefele is one of the highlights.
