Top 10 NHL Rookies 2015-2016

[Doohicksie]

There are some intriguing rookie stories out there.  Here are my Top 10 (but not necessarily in order).
 
I think we all expected Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid to be good, and they have been (when McDavid has played).  But there's a huge youth movement going on with rookies playing leading roles on the their respective teams in addition to these two. 
 
First among them in my estimation is Dylan Larkin of the Red Wings.  The first Detroit rookie all star since Stevie Y, he carries the play much like Yzerman did.  Great vision, great burst of speed, great finisher.  He leads all rookies in +/- with a +23.  In tonight's game against the Coyotes he carried the puck end-to-end through the Yotes and broke in on goal but was moving too fast to get a shot off.  He veered off the the right, curled around and found a wide-open DeKeyser for the winning goal.  This is what he brings.  His poise and polish are impressive.
 
Artemi Panarin of Chicago is on the list; he leads all rookies in scoring thus far.  I confess I haven't watched him play much, but geez he's got a ton of points, 2nd on the scoring list of a very good Blackhawks team.

The next rookie that stands out to me is actually a pair:  The Coyotes' Max Domi and Anthony Duclair.  Both have already scored hat tricks.  Domi in particular has all the toughness of his father, and mad offensive skillz to go with it and is also a very dynamic player to watch.  They usually play on separate lines, but when they're together they're dynamite.  Comparable (and at this point, probably a bit better than) the Sabres' rookie combo.
 
Sam Bennett is heating up in Calgary, scoring 4 goals in a route of Florida the other night.  He also shows a lot of poise with the skill.
 
I think McDavid clearly belongs on this list, but his body of work is incomplete as his body mends on IR.
 
Eichel has been a lot of fun to watch.  His scoring has been great, almost every goal is highlight reel worthy.  But he's also frustrating for us in Buffalo in that he's been given a lot of room to make mistakes.  The jump from the NCAA to the NHL is probably the biggest jump in talent and speed he's encountered, and he's still adjusting.

Of course you have to consider Samson Reinhart in this mix.  He looked like a lost puppy in 9 games last year but is rapidly showing he has what it takes to play on a top line in this league, with excellent vision, a knack for the puck finding him, and a good finishing touch.
 
Colton Parayko of St. Louis is leading NHL rookie defensemen in scoring (17 pts) and +/- (+13) and is second only to Larkin for +/- among rookies.  He's another one I haven't watched too much; I'll keep an eye out for him.

 

And the rookie goalie that stands out (although a few are worthy of note) is Louis Domingue, who is stealing the starting job in Arizona away from an injured Mike Smith.  Having watched him play, I have to admit that the Coyote fans aren't altogether crazy for starting to call him the Dominator.  He's got a 7-2-3 record; in his two regulation losses he allowed 2 and 3 goals respectively, so he gives his team a chance to win every night.  He's a significant contributor to the Coyotes' current playoff spot (2nd in the Pacific Division).

 

I think it's important to note that McDavid and Eichel are the only two on this list that were drafted in 2015; the rest of the players have had more time to mature and develop their games.  And even with that, McDavid and Eichel still belong here and will likely eclipse most or all of these guys in the next year or so.

 

I believe that people will look back at this rookie class and recognize that they changed the landscape of the NHL.  We hope Jack and Samson will help transform Buffalo into a perennial contender; I can see the same thing with the Coyotes (which in a lot of ways remind me of the Sabres).  Chicago has apparently found a fountain of youth in Panarin which will help them stay on top.  I can see where McDavid could prove to be they key in Edmonton's youth movement, the lynch pin they've been missing.  The Rookie Class of 2015-16 will prove to be the leaders of a new wave of youth entering the NHL.

 

I'm excited.  You should be too.

 

So tell me, who have I missed here?  There were a few I considered but left off the list, trying to stick to 10.  What are your thoughts?

[French Collection]

Shayne Gostisbehere has played well for the Flyers as a rookie D-Man. He's played 23 games and got 16 points, 8 of them on the PP. He's playing nearly 18 minutes a night and is a plus player. He is under 6 feet but seems to be finding a spot on that team

Edited January 15, 2016 by French Collection

[shrader]

I can't ever remember a year where you could actually have a team rookie of the year award.  Buffalo and Phoenix will be neck and neck on that one for the rest of the season.

[Taro T]

I can't ever remember a year where you could actually have a team rookie of the year award.  Buffalo and Phoenix will be neck and neck on that one for the rest of the season.

Well, truthfully, the Sabres have 4 candidates worthy of consideration though only 2 will get consideration on the national stage.

[shrader]

Well, truthfully, the Sabres have 4 candidates worthy of consideration though only 2 will get consideration on the national stage.

 

I want a shift in overtime with nothing but those four guys on the ice.  It would be one of those "you don't see that every day" moments.

[Randall Flagg]

I hate counting Panarin. He played like seven years of pro hockey in Russia before coming over, and was old enough to be drafted into the NHL back when the Sabres won the Northeast Division during Tyler Myers' rookie year.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Randall Flagg

[inkman]

I hate counting Panarin. He played like seven years of pro hockey in Russia before coming over, and was old enough to be drafted into the NHL back when the Sabres won the Northeast Division during Tyler Myers' rookie year.

...and he's the beneficiary of playing with Kane and Toews

[Doohicksie]

I hate counting Panarin. He played like seven years of pro hockey in Russia before coming over, and was old enough to be drafted into the NHL back when the Sabres won the Northeast Division during Tyler Myers' rookie year.

 

Okay, take him off the list....  Who do you think should go on?

[josie]

Shayne Gostisbehere has played well for the Flyers as a rookie D-Man. He's played 23 games and got 16 points, 8 of them on the PP. He's playing nearly 18 minutes a night and is a plus player. He is under 6 feet but seems to be finding a spot on that team

Yes, don't forget about Ghost Bear! My Flyers fan coworker regales me in ghost bear stories after every game. He's carrying a lot of excitement and hope for Philly hockey fans.

 

...and he's the beneficiary of playing with Kane and Toews

Yeah, I don't like his style, either. Kind of a little sh!thawk, in my opinion. Fitting.

 

You know I'll vouch for Larkin- kid is pretty exceptional. He skates circles around the rest of the creaky old Detroit squad and injects life into younger guys like Tatar. 

 

So is McDavid expected to play at all this year? Can we even call it his rookie year if he spent it healing on the bench? Poor kid, sh!t luck. 

[Doohicksie]

So is McDavid expected to play at all this year? Can we even call it his rookie year if he spent it healing on the bench? Poor kid, sh!t luck. 

 

Due back after the All Star break by latest estimates.

[Randall Flagg]

Okay, take him off the list.... Who do you think should go on?

I mean he's technically a rookie by NHL standards, I just hate that he's going to get Calder votes haha. I love your list, nailed everyone that jumped to the top of my head.

[dudacek]

Huge Larkin fan. If only Tim had been able to get someone to bite on that offer of three seconds during the Reinhart draft.

[Doohicksie]

I mean he's technically a rookie by NHL standards, I just hate that he's going to get Calder votes haha. I love your list, nailed everyone that jumped to the top of my head.

 

Right, but I was wondering if there was anyone else you would add?

[Thorner]

Huge Larkin fan. If only Tim had been able to get someone to bite on that offer of three seconds during the Reinhart draft.

 

It's funny, I remember there was some questioning of whether Murray knew what he was doing in that case, the line of thinking being that it was too much to give up to move up to the late first. If Murray was indeed after Larkin, is was a justified pursuit.