Close Menu
    donate us
    NHL

    Five NHL Teams That Will Get the Biggest Boost from Rookies: Canadiens, Sharks and More

    12 Mins Read
    Five NHL Teams That Will Get the Biggest Boost from Rookies: Canadiens, Sharks and More

    Macklin Celebrini

    Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

    Training camps across the NHL are fast approaching, which means the rosters for every team are starting to come into focus. 

    Although there will surely be some surprises in training camp, there’s a pretty solid idea of who will have or compete for a spot on their respective NHL rosters.

    That includes which rookies are poised to make their NHL clubs this year. 

    Over the last decade or so, there’s been a theme across the NHL of teams relying on their rookies to make an immediate impact rather than ease in. Sometimes, it comes from one prominent rookie, and other times, it’s a collection of young talent. 

    Let’s dig into five NHL teams that could see rookies give them a boost this upcoming season.

    San Jose Sharks

    The Sharks will have the most obvious boost from their rookies of any NHL team. They kind of have to.

    They have foundational pieces with the No. 1 pick in June, their No. 4 pick in 2023 and a potential franchise goalie they just traded for who should make the NHL roster and be building blocks.

    Macklin Celebrini has had ties to the Bay Area for a long time with his dad working for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors since 2018. The top pick in the 2024 NHL draft is expected to make an immediate impact in a teal sweater, possibly asserting himself as the team’s No. 1 center immediately. Celebrini may not be a Connor Bedard-level prospect, but he should be the franchise cornerstone they need.

    Slotting in behind Celebrini will be Will Smith, the fourth-overall pick from last year who tore up the NCAA. He led the nation in scoring despite losing out on the Hobey Baker Trophy to Celebrini last season in college. 

    Smith is incredibly creative and intuitive on the ice. Thanks to Celebrini lessening the pressure on Smith to be a top-line center, the latter can be one of the best second-line pivots in the NHL one day.

    While Celebrini and Smith will likely generate most of the team’s offense, the recently acquired Yaroslav Askarov might have the biggest effect on the team’s win-loss records. 

    Taken 11th overall by Nashville in 2020, Askarov’s path to an NHL starter job became tougher when the Predators re-signed Juuse Saros to an eight-year contract extension. With that, Askarov asked to be traded, and San Jose was his destination. 

    Askarov’s technical skill and athleticism in net are among the best of any prospect in goal over the last decade. His flexibility and mobility allow him to easily take away the bottom of the net. The Sharks won’t win many games this year, but when they do, Askarov will likely be a big part of why.

    There will likely be some other rookies who find their way into the lineup as well. 

    Shakir Mukhamadullin is a massive, mobile blueliner who could factor in on the back end, while Jack Thompson could battle for an NHL job with a solid two-way game on defense. 

    We could see the highly skilled Danil Gushchin or the tactical Tristen Robins get an extended look in the NHL on offense. There is also Collin Graf, who was one of the best forwards in college over the last couple of years before signing a deal to join San Jose. 

    The Sharks could have five or more rookies in the lineup on any given night this season, so they’ll have to give the team a boost.

    Related: NHL Prospect Pool Overview 2024-25: San Jose Sharks Celebrate for Celebrini in a New Era

    Montreal Canadiens

    The Canadiens have welcomed the youth movement over the last couple of seasons, and this year will be no different. 

    While they might not play with nearly an all-rookie blueline this season, they could see a number of effective youngsters enter the lineup all over the roster.

    It starts with Lane Hutson, who will likely play in the NHL this season after an impressive two-game stint at the end of last year. 

    Hutson’s dynamic skating and cerebral mind offensively made him an instant must-watch player for Habs fans last year. His defensive game will need work, but his impact with the puck is unlike any defender the Canadiens have had since P.K. Subban, who did things very differently.

    If Hutson isn’t on the opening-night roster, there is an outside shot that David Reinbacher is. The 19-year-old Austrian defender already boasts an NHL frame, and his game doesn’t rely on being a dynamic presence. 

    Reinbacher uses his physical tools to defend first and then work the puck up ice on the breakout. He has some nice offensive qualities, such as a big shot, but his value comes in his own end.

    Up front, Joshua Roy seems to be the rookie expected to make an impact. His 23 games in his first pro season had people already talking about the young forward. 

    Roy’s ability to complement his linemates and work himself into the play as a facilitator and a finisher was impressive. He never threatened to take over a game, but he always seemed to leave the ice with a positive shift.

    Like the Sharks, the Habs could have some other rookies crack the lineup at various points this year as well. 

    Logan Mailloux had a wicked AHL rookie year and could work his way into NHL games if injuries or inconsistencies arise. Owen Beck has been close to NHL-ready for a couple of years, with his offensive game growing in junior hockey to match his 200-foot play. He could be a mid-season call-up the way Roy was last year. Xavier Simoneau and Sean Farrell could be fill-ins at some point, too.

    The real wild card for Montreal is when top prospect and difference-making winger Ivan Demidov comes over. His KHL season will likely end before the NHL season, and if things work out, the Russian stud could see NHL games to end this campaign. He’ll get his full rookie year next season, though, in all likelihood.

    Related: NHL Prospect Pool Overview 2024-25: Montreal Canadiens Got Their Game-Breaking Talent

    Dallas Stars

    The Stars are the only real Stanley Cup contender on this list right now, and they could see contributions from two rookie forwards as early as opening night. 

    Logan Stankoven came into the lineup last year and instantly provided a spark, bringing a high energy level and instant offensive punch to the middle of the lineup. He helped get struggling veterans going and provided a few highlights along the way. He could be a sneaky candidate for a Calder Trophy nomination this season.

    The player Stankoven tore the AHL up with prior to his promotion should also be joining him on the NHL roster in Mavrik Bourque. The skilled playmaker will look to bring a tactical approach to the Stars with puckhandling and flair skillfully woven into his game. It’s not out of the question to think the duo could reunite on the Stars’ third line with a veteran like Jamie Benn along for the ride to provide some protection.

    With the Stars aiming for the Cup, they likely won’t have rookies filtering in and out of the lineup the way San Jose or Montreal will. 

    Still, one player who could sneak their way into the lineup and possibly never give up his spot is hard-hitting blueliner Lian Bichsel. The Swiss defender plays the stay-at-home game the Stars lost in Chris Tanev, and he brings a level of physicality that no one in Dallas has. It may not be immediate, but expect to see Bichsel get NHL games at some point this season.

    Related: NHL Prospect Pool Overview 2024-25: Do the Dallas Stars Have It All?

    Minnesota Wild

    Minnesota’s tight cap situation after buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter is almost over. After this season, the cap charges will go from more than $14 million to just under $1.5 million. 

    The Wild will rely on young talent this season to help them through cap hell once again, with Marat Khusnutdinov and Liam Ohgren headlining their rookies coming in.

    Khusnutdinov joined the Wild for 16 games at the end of the season and looked quite solid despite only putting up four points. His transitional game, two-way play and intelligence translated well to the NHL. With a summer of training, Khusnutdinov should be an even more effective middle-six center this season.

    When Ohgren’s Swedish League season ended, he came to North America and played a few AHL and NHL games, looking very good at both levels. 

    Ohgren’s forechecking was impressive, his cycle game translated well, and he looked like a pro-ready player. His offensive game is built on working hard in the dirty areas, getting to his spots and shooting from great spots. Ohgren has all the tools to be an effective player this season in the NHL.

    The Wild have a few interesting players who could also find their way into the lineup throughout the season, especially with their top netminding prospect, Jesper Wallstedt. 

    The Swedish goalie is somewhat blocked from the NHL to start the season, but if there is an injury to Marc-Andre Fleury or Filip Gustavsson, Wallstedt may not give their spot back. 

    Fleury only has one season left on his deal, and if Wallstedt comes in and looks as good as he has the potential to be, there could be a three-headed monster to deal with by the trade deadline.

    Daemon Hunt and Carson Lambos could also play NHL games this season if there are any injuries on the blueline. Both looked good at the AHL level last year and will play big roles for the team again this year.

    Related: NHL Prospect Pool Overview 2024-25: The Minnesota Wild Have NHL-Ready Talent

    Philadelphia Flyers

    The Flyers are in a bit of a different spot with Matvei Michkov being the main attraction. 

    Michkov is the most exciting prospect the Flyers have had in almost two decades. The Russian offensive star was set to play at least another year in the KHL, but with an early contract termination, Michkov will be in Philly to open the season.

    Michkov will immediately boost the Flyers’ top six, bringing his incredible scoring talent and high-end skill. His power-play prowess could make him the focal point of Philadelphia’s special teams right away as well. Michkov is the slight favorite for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie.

    Although Ivan Fedotov isn’t eligible for the Calder because of his age, the 27-year-old first-year netminder could be an instantly effective player for the Flyers, who do not have a steady goaltending situation. 

    After a horrible process of getting to the NHL, Fedotov will want to make it all worthwhile in the long run. 

    Get the latest news and trending stories right to your inbox by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum.

    Related: NHL Prospect Pool Overview 2024-25: Philadelphia Flyers May Have Hit Multiple Home Runs

    Related: Next-Gen Icebreakers: Catch Up on the Careers of Six Promising NHL Rookies So Far

    Related: Opinion: Matvei Michkov’s Pending NHL Arrival Suggests ‘The Russian Factor’ Is a Bit of Hooey

    Related: NHL Prospect Pool Overview 2024-25: Catching Up on All 32 Teams



    Read original article here

    News Summary:

    • Five NHL Teams That Will Get the Biggest Boost from Rookies: Canadiens, Sharks and More
    • Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.
    Denial of responsibility! SportDaily24 is an automatic aggregator around the global media. All the content are available free on Internet. We have just arranged it in one platform for educational purpose only. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials on our website, please contact us by email: [email protected] The content will be deleted within 24 hours.
    Share.

    Related Posts