All of the attention heading into the 2015-16 NHL season was on Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel. Now that the season is well underway, other rookies are shining a bit brighter. Below is a quick look at three rookies who are off to hot starts.
Artemi Panarin
Panarin was a KHL sniper, scoring 46 goals over the last two season with St. Petersburg SKA on a team with Ilya Kovalchuk and Viktor Tikhonov. The Blackhawks signed Panarin to a two-year entry level deal in hopes he’d bring that scoring ability stateside, and so far the 23-year-old Russian has delivered.
In five games Panarin has scored 2 goals and 5 points, all at even strength. The Blackhawks have gave him every opportunity to succeed, giving him top-six minutes, and playing him on a line with Patrick Kane and Artem Anisimov. Kane has either scored or assisted on every Panarin point, so playing with him is definitely a boost, but Panarin’s scoring is transitioning like the Hawks hoped it would.
“They both have high-end play recognition,” coach Joel Quenneville said to TSN’s Frank Seravalli. “I think he’s a sniper-type. I think Kaner has the puck a little bit more. They both smell the net well. He’s tricky in tight areas, quick with sticks.
He’s a dark horse candidate for the Calder Trophy, and as long as he continues to play big minutes for the Hawks with Patrick Kane, don’t expect his production to dip.
Anthony Duclair
Duclair was the centerpiece of last year’s Keith Yandle trade with the New York Rangers. The 20-year-old surprisingly made the Rangers to open 2014-15, but spent most of the year in the QMJHL with the Quebec Remparts. With the Coyotes embracing a youth movement, he’s made an immediate impact with the Coyotes despite a limited role.
Duclair has scored four goals and six points in four games, as Arizona has gotten off to a surprising 3-1 start. He’s found instant chemistry playing on the second line with Tobias Reider and Martin Hanzal, evident by his hat trick against the Anaheim Ducks. Duclair has scored four goals on seven shots, so there’s no way he’ll keep scoring at this pace, plus the Coyotes aren’t giving him a ton of ice-time, so his production may dip, but with not many other top-six options, his role should increase. He’s another promising piece for the team stacked with good young forwards.
Max Domi
Duclair’s teammate Domi has been just as good for the Coyotes.
The 12th overall pick in 2012, and son of Tie Domi, was a dynamic force in four seasons with the London Knights and was widely considered one of the top prospects in the NHL entering the season. The 20-year-old was immediately thrust into a top-line role, with long-time Coyotes Mikkel Boedker and Antoine Vermette, and he’s been dynamic, albeit in a small sample size.
Domi’s tied with Duclair for the rookie lead in points, with six points on three goals and three assists. He’s got a good shot at putting up a decent point total as he’ll see time on the Coyotes top-six and power play. Will he score at a point-per-game rate he’s putting up right now? Absolutely not. Although, he’s got a great shot at putting up between 50-60 points and giving Arizona fans something to look forward to in the present.