Each year, the NHL sees several new faces enter the league and play sound hockey from the get-go, but only one can win the Calder Memorial Trophy and Rookie of the Year honors. This season, first-overall pick Connor Bedard is the popular choice, but you may not realize just how well a solid number of others have played over the first full month of 2023-24.
Below, you will find Bedard and nine other rookies who have put up sensational performances with their respective teams. There is still a lot of hockey yet to be played and the race for 2023-24 Rookie of the Year honors remains wide open.
Big Rise from Connor Zary in the Week 6 Rookie of the Year rankings:
1. Connor Bedard, C, Chicago Blackhawks
There is no question that Connor Bedard has played as advertised throughout the first 14 games of his career. So far, he has nine goals and four assists, and he has also displayed a physical edge with 10 hits and seven takeaways.
A generational talent entering the 2023 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks have put their trust in Bedard despite his youth, as the rookie forward has logged 19:22 of average total ice time. If Bedard keeps up his current pace, nobody will catch him in the race for the Calder.
2. Pavel Mintyukov, D, Anaheim Ducks
The first blueliner on this list, Pavel Mintyukov has been a pivotal part of the Anaheim Ducks turnaround. He has 16 games under his belt already this season and nine points, which is incredible for a 19-year-old defenseman playing for a team that figured to be in rebuilding mode.
Mintyukov has also shown off his physical edge, logging 18 blocks and 26 hits. If Mintyukov and the Ducks continue their upward trajectory, he could realistically make things interesting against Bedard, especially if Bedard's numbers don't translate into relevancy for the Blackhawks.
3. Logan Cooley, C, Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes needed someone to get fans in the desert to look forward to watching, and Logan Cooley has given this franchise new life. While the Coyotes still have a long way to go before they are a relevant team again, Cooley's play so far in 2023 shows us this team is heading in the right direction.
Cooley only has two goals, which will hurt him in the race against Bedard, but his 10 assists show us he's constantly finding open linemates to finish plays. With 16:06 of average total ice time, Cooley is also seeing a substantial amount of playing time, and as the season progresses, look for his production to steadily climb.
4. Adam Fantilli, C, Columbus Blue Jackets
He may have just turned 19, but Adam Fantilli plays like a seasoned veteran at times, evidenced by his nine points in 17 games. He also has the size to play a tenacious game, and he's done just that with nine takeaways already.
Fantilli, however, has some ground to make up if he's looking to truly compete for the Calder, given the overall production from Cooley, Mintyukov, and Bedard. That could come when the season progresses as he gains more experience.
5. Matthew Poitras, C, Boston Bruins
Matthew Potras only has eight points in 15 games, so he's also well behind the front three in that category. However, he has a huge advantage of playing for one of the league's best teams, where he will receive plenty of scoring opportunities down the stretch.
Poitras, like the others listed above, also plays sound hockey when he doesn't have the puck. So far in 2023-24, he has 11 blocked shots and 11 takeaways. Add that to the fact the Bruins have a save percentage of 96.0 at 5-on-5 when Poitras is on the ice, and he could skyrocket in these rankings in the near future.
6. Leo Carlsson, C, Anaheim Ducks
Leo Carlsson is one player to keep an eye on and he is also a prime candidate to quickly move up in these rankings. One knock against Carlsson is that he has only 11 games, the fewest of the players listed above him, but he also has eight points and six goals in those contests.
Defensively, Carlsson hasn't been as great as the top five, but it's worth noting that he's logging 18:18 of average total ice time. While he hasn't scored often as of late, he did secure a hat trick on November 10th against the Philadelphia Flyers.
7. Connor Zary, C, Calgary Flames
Connor Zary would be ranked much higher if he had played in more than seven games, but he's made the most of his handful of appearances. Zary was a pivotal piece in the Calgary Flames' 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens when he logged two points and a goal, despite seeing just 14:35 of ice time.
Overall, he's recording 16:20 of total ice time, meaning he will have plenty of chances to produce this season if he stays healthy. If he fares just as well in his next seven games, Zary could also see himself rising quickly in these rankings.
8. Dmitri Voronkov, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets
A winger who has seen the ice in just 11 games this season, the 23-year-old Voronkov has eight points in those contests and a plus-3 rating. He's also another physical forward on this list, with 12 hits and six blocks, plus a 92.1 save percentage at 5-on-5 for the Blue Jackets when Voronkov is on the ice.
The lack of games played compared to the top five players on the list is one strike against Voronkov, and he is also averaging just 12:34 of ice time, so he's clearly on the back end of these rankings. However, it's also worth noting that we are only in mid-November, so there is a lot of hockey left for Voronkov, and each rookie listed.
9. Kevin Korchinski, D, Chicago Blackhawks
Kevin Korchinskis has seen time in all 14 games for this Chicago Blackhawks team still searching to find traction, and he's logging a minus-10 rating, which isn't ideal. However, Korchinski also has five points, and he's shown time and again he's not afraid to get in front of a shooting lane to block the puck, having recorded 18 of them this season.
Korchinski may be just 19, but he's already being trusted with a lot of ice time, averaging 19:06 per game at the moment. If he can be more productive as he gains experience, Korchinski will quietly move up.
10. Ryan Johnson, D, Buffalo Sabres
Despite initially failing to make the Buffalo Sabres opening night lineup, injuries forced the Blue and Gold to recall Ryan Johnson two weeks ago. And he's been more than serviceable since he arrived in Buffalo, despite logging one point in five games.
Johnson already has six blocks and three takeaways, and he's also slowly seeing his average total ice time increase as he gains NHL experience. And get this: He has a plus-3 rating and in his five games, the Sabres have yet to allow a goal at 5-on-5 when he's on the ice. That's one good hockey player who should at least stick around the big club for the remainder of the season.
(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)
