The NHL has become a young man’s game with star players like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews taking the league by storm over the past couple of seasons. While this year’s rookie class doesn’t feature a generational star like McDavid or Matthews, there are a number of rookie players that have made strong impressions early on. Here is a look at the top five NHL rookies that have impressed so far this season.
RW: Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks
The fact that Boeser didn’t even crack the Canucks lineup in their first couple of games of the season seems ridiculous now. The 20-year-old winger has picked up from where he left off in a short stint with Vancouver late last season as he has scored five goals and registered 13 points in his first nine games this season. The highlight of his young season came in on Saturday when he registered a hat trick as part of a four-point night. Better yet, that came against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Any time you can shine against the Stanley Cup champions as a 20-year-old is a nice feather in your cap.
Boeser is a capable scorer that has also showed off his playmaking ability early on this season. He is currently dealing with a foot injury that could keep him out a couple of games. However, Boeser is a rookie to watch as a potential impact rookie for the Canucks this season.
D: Mikhail Sergachev, Tampa Bay Lightning
It’s still early but after a strong start to his NHL career you have to wonder if the Canadiens are regretting the trade that sent Sergachev to the Lightning in exchange for Jonathan Drouin. It’s still early, but the 19-year-old Sergachev has looked excellent for Tampa Bay in his rookie season. Sergachev is up to four goals and 11 points in 13 games for the Lightning. While he might have a hard time keeping up that level of production, there is no doubt that Sergachev is ready for the NHL.
The Lightning are the top team in the NHL right now and Sergachev has been a key cog in that lineup.
C: Nico Hischier, New Jersey Devils
New Jersey as a team has turned a lot of heads this season with their scoring totals early on. The Devils currently rank third in the NHL with an average of 3.8 goals per game, which is second to only the Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs. Hischier has shown flashes of his immense potential with two goals and seven points throughout his first 10 games of the season. New Jersey has managed the 18-year-old’s minutes this season. However, it’s only a matter of time before this year’s first-overall pick carves out a bigger role in the Devils lineup.
C: Matthew Barzal, Ottawa Senators
The Islanders have given Barzal every opportunity to showcase his skill set early on this season and he has fared pretty well so far. The 20-year-old center is up to three goals and seven points with a plus three rating through 12 games. Barzal is a tremendous talent that could continue to get better this season as he gets more experience and exposure at the NHL level.
D: Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
McAvoy got off to an excellent start with a goal and an assist in his first game of the season. The 19-year-old was bumped from the top powerplay unit once Torey Krug returned but he has still produced at a high level with eight points in 10 games this season. The Bruins are extremely high on their 2016 first round pick. While his powerplay minutes will be capped for as long as Krug is healthy, there is no doubt that McAvoy has the potential to be a star in the long run.
The Bruins were expected to be one of the worst teams in the NHL this season but that has been far from the case. Currently, they have 13 points through 12 games, which puts them in fourth place in the Atlantic Division. However, most teams – like the Toronto Maple Leafs – have played at least 14 games this season, so the Bruins have a couple of games in hand.
The 2017-18 odds to win the Stanley Cup have been posted. Click here to get the latest lines from BetDSI, including moneylines, totals, props and futures!
