NHL Rookies News & Stories
Insights, analysis, and news about NHL Rookies from the Elite Prospects editorial team. Stay updated with expert coverage on NHL Rookies, including key stories and in-depth articles.
Nov 4th, 13:47NHL Rookies
Film Room: How Lane Hutson turns NHL games into a chess match
Lane Hutson's skill set has changed the Montreal Canadiens offensive zone play. Here's how he does it, and how teams try to contain him.
Nov 1st, 14:14NHL RookiesCalder Power Ranking: Matvei Michkov and Logan Stankoven lead the way
Elite Prospects' first Calder Power Ranking is here, and just in time for the what looks like the most competitive race in years.
Jan 25th, 21:00Rookie MidtermsRookie Midterms: Pavel Mintyukov's rapid NHL adaptation and improvement
It looked like Pavel Mintyukov would need a year to adjust to the NHL. Try a few weeks. This Rookie Midterm looks at how he's made the jump with such ease.
2023-10-09, 19:00NHL ProspectsThe perils of projecting prospects on preseason hockey
Preseason is always full of surprises, but preseason success doesn't equal NHL success.
2023-09-07, 04:03NHL Rookies[VIDEO] Lukas Reichel Is The PERFECT Linemate For Connor Bedard
Lukas Reichel has a chance to link up with Connor Bedard and the two could make magic together
2023-08-30, 17:31NHL Rookies[VIDEO] Logan Cooley is coming to steal the CALDER from Connor Bedard
Logan Cooley is leaving school and heading for the desert where he has his eyes set on climbing the rookie mountain and taking home the Calder Trophy.
2022-12-12, 22:32NHL RookiesFilm Room: How Jusso Pärssinen has gone from long shot seventh-rounder to Nashville's top-six
Elite Prospects Dir. of European Scouting takes you into the Film Room to look at how Juuso Pärssinen has developed into a top-six centre in Nashville.
2022-02-18, 16:07NHL RookiesRookie Mid-Terms: Physicality, adaptability make Seth Jarvis a top rookie
The subject of today's Rookie Mid-Term is Carolina Hurricanes winger Seth Jarvis. EP Rinkside's Mitch Brown looks at how the 5-foot-10 forward creates at the NHL level with physicality and adaptability as a rookie, and what it means for his projection.
2022-02-15, 17:27NHL RookiesRookie Mid-Terms: Moritz Seider is already a No. 1 defenceman – and he’s still getting better
The subject of today's Rookie Mid-Term is Detroit Red Wings defenceman Moritz Seider. The former sixth-overall pick is well ahead of schedule, looking the part of a No. 1 defenceman already.
2022-01-24, 21:31NHLRookie Mid-Terms: Trevor Zegras is already must-watch hockey
In a sport without much credible star power or many must-watch talents, Trevor Zegras is already the exception to the rule. And he's the subject of today's Rookie Mid-Term.
2021-10-07, 18:00NHLTrophy Watch: 5 potential candidates for the 2021-22 Calder Memorial Trophy
Next up in our Trophy Watch series, Ryan Lambert looks at the field of candidates for the Calder Memorial Trophy in the 2021-22 NHL season, awarded to the league's best rookie.
2021-10-07, 13:00NHL ProspectsNew York Rangers are banking on Braden Schneider and Nils Lundkvist long-term
The New York Rangers are banking on Nils Lundkvist and Braden Schneider to become big parts of their blue line long-term. Russ Cohen spoke to the two at Rangers training camp.
2021-10-06, 17:50NHL ProspectsMarco Rossi has "one goal, and that's the NHL"
Marco Rossi is the next star in Austria's hockey sky. In this guest post from EP Rinkside Germany, we share a 1-on-1 interview with the next Austrian NHLer, looking at his traumatic year and how he hopes to bounce back.
2021-05-07, 15:00Scouting ReportsHow Jonah Gadjovich developed his game en route to an eventual NHL debut with the Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks have recalled Jonah Gadjovich from the Utica Comets, with his debut expected to come any day now. EliteProspects Rinkside film scout Daniel Gee takes an exhaustive look at the 2017 second-round pick's game.
2021-03-15, 22:00NHLJoey Daccord brings "swagger" in first NHL win
Joey Daccord won his first-career NHL game on Sunday night. Maren Angus has the story.
2021-02-06, 18:49NHLTim Stützle's overwhelming NHL potential is already on display in Ottawa
David St-Louis goes into the film room to examine Tim Stützle's game, and the early returns are pretty spectacular, in some respects. Get the full breakdown in this exclusive film room deep dive on Rinkside.
2021-02-05, 14:00NHLK'Andre Miller has already penciled his name onto the New York Rangers first pair of the future
K'Andre Miller has been one of the season's best early storylines, proving once and for all that last season was the exception, not the norm, for this high-flying, super-mobile defender. Mitch Brown goes into the film room to break his game down in detail.
2021-02-03, 22:45NHLKirill Kaprizov is singlehandedly changing the complexion of the Minnesota Wild as we know them
The Minnesota Wild are suddenly appointment viewing, and Dimitri Filipovic lays most of the responsibility at the feet of Kirill Kaprizov.
2021-01-29, 06:07NHLNHL 3 Stars: Nazem Kadri, Colorado Avalanche shutout San Jose
There was trickery, highlight-plays and multi-point performances throughout Thursday night's 14-game slate.
2021-01-28, 14:00NHLNils Höglander's mix of jam and skill make for the right recipe in rookie year
Nils Höglander is the latest rookie sensation to grace the Vancouver Canucks lineup. Mitch Brown goes into the film room to break down his hot start.
2021-01-22, 21:47NHL RookiesRookie Watch: Friday, January 22, 2021
A pair of first-round pick defenders make their NHL debut tonight with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Arizona Coyotes. Meanwhile, Ty Dellandrea debuts as the Stars do against the J.D. Burke has more.
2021-01-21, 13:30NHLAlexander Romanov -- believe the hype
Alexander Romanov seems to get better with each step up professional hockey's ladder, Mitch Brown writes for Rinkside. Step into the film room, as Brown looks at Romanov's game in agonizing detail.
2021-01-19, 22:02NHL RookiesRookie Watch: Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Kevin Lankinen, a player the Chicago Blackhawks mined from the European free agent ranks, is set to start for the Chicago Blackhawks tonight. It's the first of his NHL career.
2021-01-18, 20:51NHL RookiesRookie Watch: Monday, January 18, 2021
Today's edition of Rookie Watch features a pair of Canadian teams pitting their prospects against each other in their NHL debuts, and one former SHL star seeing NHL ice for the first time south of the border.
2021-01-16, 20:43NHLRookie Watch: Saturday, January 16, 2021
The New York Islanders could debut Ilya Sorokin against the Rangers on Saturday.
2021-01-15, 20:49NHLRookie Watch: Friday, January 15, 2021
The long-awaited NHL debut of German-phenom Tim Stützle will happen on Friday night.
2021-01-15, 18:49NHLTyson Foerster and Zayde Wisdom made the most of an NHL training camp introduction unlike any other
Tyson Foerster and Zayde Wisdom, a pair of Philadelphia Flyers draft picks from the 2020 NHL Draft, got an extended look at Flyers training camp, and made a really solid impression. Russ Cohen shares their story.
2021-01-15, 00:16NHLRookie Watch: Thursday, January 14, 2021
After a solid showing from the first group of rookies on Opening Night, Thursday gives hockey another epic night of NHL debuts.
2021-01-14, 02:20NHLRookie Watch: Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Rookie Watch is Rinkside's newest home for instant analysis on players making their NHL debut.
2020-08-03, 19:00NHL RookiesPhilip Broberg Makes Solid First Impression at Oilers Camp, Eager for Encore Opportunity
When Philip Broberg boarded the flight that would take him from Arlanda, Stockholm to Edmonton he didn’t know what to expect. The plan for the 19-year-old was to gain some...
2020-02-17, 18:30NHL RookiesKågström: Hard Work, Perseverance Carry Buffalo Sabres Goaltender Jonas Johansson Through Hard Times to an Unlikely NHL Debut
“When you feel like you’ve hit rock bottom… That’s when you got to dig a little deeper. In the end, it’s always worth it”. The words are Buffalo Sabres goalkeeper...
2020-01-30, 20:29RankingsBURKE: Re-Ranking the 2018 NHL Entry Draft
It seems like just yesterday that the stars of today and even tomorrow crossed the stage in Dallas, donning their new team’s colours for the first time as a just...
2020-01-22, 16:30NHL RookiesCalder Trophy Power Rankings: All Quiet on the Western Front
It’s just about a dead heat for the pole position in the ultra-competitive Calder Trophy race between Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes. One could make a compelling case for either...
2019-12-11, 16:00NHL RookiesCalder Trophy Power Rankings: Looking at a Rapidly Shifting Field
It looks increasingly like this year’s Calder Trophy race is going to come down to a photo finish between two early emerging contenders, a pair of defenders who put miles...
2019-12-04, 20:00VideoVIDEO: Pittsburgh Penguins Defender John Marino Talks About the NHL Transition to EP Rinkside
John Marino paused his college studies in psychology to play hockey with a couple of the world’s best players on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Here he talks about the...
2019-12-04, 15:00NHL RookiesCOHEN: What’s Working for Kaapo Kakko, and What’s Not?
When you get selected second overall in an NHL Draft, fans will put a value on a player and create expectations in their minds as to how good they should...
2019-11-08, 23:30VideoVIDEO: Islanders defenceman Noah Dobson is Showing That Age is, in Fact, Nothing but a Number
EliteProspects Rinkside reporter Kajsa Kalmeus spoke with New York Islanders rookie defenceman Noah Dobson about adjusting to life in the NHL, the upcoming ten-game mark and the beginning of his...
2019-11-01, 15:00NHL RookiesCalder Trophy Power Rankings: Quinn Hughes and Cale Makar Jockey for Pole Position
So begins the new debut of a monthly column, one in which we look at the NHL’s top rookies and determine their order in the Calder Trophy race. The Calder...
2019-10-31, 15:30NHL RookiesCOHEN: Cody Glass is Proving the Vegas Golden Knights Right
Vegas Golden Knights forward and former sixth-overall pick Cody Glass has one hell of a hockey dad. You’ll often hear about hockey moms — and rightly so — but Jeff...
2019-10-29, 15:30NHL RookiesSILVERMAN: On Eric Comrie’s Unique Development Path and Where That Will Lead Him
GLENDALE, Arizona — Eric Comrie‘s development path made him a technical ‘poster child’ long before the Winnipeg Jets eventually drafted him 59th overall, in the second round of the 2013...
2019-10-24, 16:00NHL RookiesCOHEN: The Unlikely Rise of Carsen Twarynski
Hockey players develop at their own pace, and there’s no magic potion to get them to the NHL faster. Every team ascribes to its own philosophy to help the players...
2019-10-23, 07:00RankingsBURKE: Re-Ranking the Class of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft
In keeping with Wednesday’s theme, we’re reviewing the NHL draft class of 2017 and trying to determine which players have helped raise their profile and which have seen it drop...
2019-10-16, 19:18RankingsBURKE: Performing an Audit on my 2017 NHL Entry Draft Ranking With the Help of NHLe
It feels as if decades have passed since the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Such is the state of the contemporary NHL, a constantly shifting landscape that is getting populated by...
2019-10-07, 14:30NHL RookiesCOHEN: Noah Dobson Could Steer the New York Islanders Defence to the Future
When the New York Islanders drafted Noah Dobson with the 12th overall pick in 2018, they got a steal. It seemed like a slight drop that day, down three spots...
2019-09-27, 13:30NHL RookiesCOHEN: Two Wild and Crazy Talented New York Rangers Prospects are Ready to Captivate the Fanbase
Some are ready for Henrik “The King” Lundqvist to retire. He’s built a Hockey Hall of Fame resume already, but some hold the lack of a Stanley Cup ring against...
2019-09-24, 15:15NHL RookiesROBENHYMER: The Excitement, Challenges Adam Fox Grapples With Playing for his Hometown New York Rangers
Soon after Harvard was eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament in March, Adam Fox, their Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalist and stud defenseman who had racked up...
2019-09-16, 05:17NHL RookiesCOHEN: Brothers Jesper and Adam Boqvist are Ready to Take the NHL by Storm
Brother combinations aren’t rare in the NHL. We’ve seen plenty of them. Quinn and Jack Hughes are a recent example. Then there’s the Staals, Sedins, etc. before them. In 2017,...
2019-09-13, 16:30NHL RookiesROBENHYMER: How Joel Farabee’s Connection to his Faith Prepares him for the Adversity Ahead
Joel Farabee hasn’t faced much adversity in his hockey career. With the exception of the Youth Olympics when he was 14, Farabee’s never had to suffer a cut for any...
2019-09-12, 20:01NHL RookiesBURKE: One Prospect to Follow From Every NHL Team’s Training Camp
Now that NHL rookie camps and their outsized import are firmly in the rearview mirror, our focus shifts to training camp. That’s when it all gets real. Well, at least...
2019-07-11, 03:00VideoFilm Room: Quinn Hughes is the Player You Think He Is
You don’t need me to tell you that Quinn Hughes is good at hockey. That much is clear. The question on everyone’s mind is this: how soon will he be...
2019-06-18, 00:00NHL RookiesA Battle of Alberta Decided Joakim Nygård’s NHL fate
In the end, it was a Battle of Alberta. Sought-after Swedish free agent Joakim Nygård had to decide whether he was going to sign his first NHL contract with the...
2019-06-11, 16:00NHL RookiesWILLIAMS: Jake Bean Shines for Calder Cup Champion Charlotte Checkers
Charlotte Checkers defenseman Jake Bean could not have asked for more than his rookie pro season, but it did not begin as planned. Nine months after training camp with the...
2019-06-10, 20:17NHL RookiesBODIN: Shock and relief – Erik Brännström Excited by the Opportunity in Ottawa
Summer hasn’t even started, but Ottawa Senators prospect Erik Brännström already longs for the chance to lace up his skates again. Partly because last season was cut a bit short...
2019-06-05, 16:30NHL RookiesCOHEN: St. Louis Blues Goaltender Jordan Binnington Continues to Prove Naysayers Wrong
St. Louis Blues netminder Jordan Binnington has put in a season for the ages. Some would say it’s amazing. A few others might say he’s lucky, and some are still...
2019-06-03, 13:30NHL RookiesCOHEN: Boston Bruins Controversial 2015 NHL Draft has Paid Serious Dividends
The Boston Bruins are sitting on top of the hockey world, up 2-1 over the St. Louis Blues in the Stanley Cup Final. They have a real chance to hoist...
2019-05-24, 05:42Scouting ReportsAHL WEEKEND: STRUGGLE CONTINUES FOR MARLIES-CHECKERS, WOLVES-GULLS
The Toronto Marlies’ grip on the Calder Cup remains tight. In Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final at home against the regular-season champion Charlotte Checkers, the Marlies twice broke...
2019-05-22, 18:55Scouting ReportsBURKE: Adam Fox was Worth the Price of Admission for New York Rangers
The New York Rangers could have waited the Carolina Hurricanes out and still landed NCAA standout defenceman Adam Fox. Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton would be two draft picks richer...
2019-05-22, 13:30NHL RookiesVICKERS: Next Season Going to be ‘True Test’ for MacKenzie Blackwood
KOSICE, Slovakia — New Jersey Devils goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood doesn’t want to be a one-hit wonder. After a memorable 23-game stint as a rookie with the New Jersey Devils, the...
2019-05-21, 13:30NHL RookiesVICKERS: Carter Hart Turns Playoff Disappointment Into Valued World Championships Experience
KOSICE, Slovakia — Carter Hart didn’t disappoint in his debut season with the Philadelphia Flyers. Much of the same, he hopes, can be expected in his encore. Hart, a standout...
2019-05-16, 03:00Scouting ReportsVICKERS: Filip Hronek Showing Growth at the World Championships
Detroit Red Wings prospect Filip Hronek isn’t sure if he’s done with the American Hockey League. His play more than suggests he is. Hronek, skating in a starring role with...
