December is over and much has changed. When one first looked at the Calder Trophy race (best rookie), it looked to be Nico Hischier versus Nolan Patrick. There was Clayton Keller as a good third choice.
However, it is clear that everything up is down again. Keller hit a bit of a wall in late November and then Brock Boeser took over. The rookie ultimately took home Rookie Of The Month honors for December.
The field is tough to narrow down but here are three of the players one may keep an eye on in our “Rookie Watch”.
Rookie Of The Month
Brock Boeser — Vancouver Canucks — Winger
The Vancouver forward had eight goals and 13 points. Boeser received top line ice time and has speed in abundance. His four-point effort against Chicago raised even more eyebrows.
Do not look into Vancouver’s record too much. Everyone has kind of knocked Boeser a bit in that regard. His production has been fun to watch and yet so few saw this coming. Projections were high but not this high. He had 21 goals in 36 games, including 15 power play points which led all rookies.
Teams focusing on Boeser still have not been able to slow him down yet. He is playing just about 17 minutes a night currently and is the focal point of Vancouver’s offense. His possession metrics are about average but his wrist shot is one of the best in the league. The November rookie of the month winner has not slowed down.
There is a good chance that Boeser tops 55 points and beyond. He is the current front-runner for the Calder Trophy. On the other hand, there was some considerable competition this month.
Danton Heinen — Boston Bruins — Winger
Boston knew what Danton Heinen was and they were patient with him. However, injuries did press things a bit and since he was brought up, the forward has played extremely well. His hot November was followed by an even better December.
Furthermore, Heinen had 14 points (5 goals, 9 assists) in as many games during the month. His offensive zone usage is just around 50% in the early going. That may back off some. Average ice time has been a shade under 16 minutes a night.
Getting some power play time with Patrice Bergeron has helped Heinen in ways most cannot see. The little plays that the young forward has been able to make have been so important. There will be rough patches but so far his two-way game has held up. His possession numbers are slightly above Boston’s team average. That is impressive. The question is when will regression hit?
Mathew Barzal — New York Islanders — Center
Barzal started out incredibly well. He surprised many with sustaining his level of production through the first three months. Chemistry with John Tavares has only aided his offensive potential. His speed is matched by his skills as far as his hands.
Furthermore, Barzal had 12 points in 14 games during December (7 goals, 5 assists). There is this feeling that the forward can play on any line and thrive. It is incredible to think he was a mid-first round pick from 2015. His 37 points in 42 games is far from a fluke, although he has hit a bit of a cool streak lately.
Can he continue the point production? That remains debatable, but his ability is hard to dispute. Barzal might be able to shoot around 15% all year. His possession metrics are excellent at 8-9 percent above New York’s relative average. There will be dips but again the forward can play on any line. That help!
Others To Watch: Yanni Gourde (Tampa Bay), Pierre Luc-Dubois (Columbus), Nico Hischier (New Jersey).