NHL’s Rising Stars: top 10 Rookies dominating the Early Season
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The first month of the NHL season has flown by, and the race for the Calder Trophy is already heating up. Several rookies have made an immediate impact, exceeding expectations and injecting excitement into thier teams’ lineups. From a potential future Olympian to surprising seventh-round picks, here’s a look at the 10 best rookies from October.
montreal Canadiens’ Surge Fueled by Youth
The Montreal Canadiens are emerging as one of the league’s hottest teams, largely thanks to the contributions of their young players. Across the league, several rookies have also “burned” their entry-level contracts earlier than anticipated, including Anaheim’s Beckett Sennecke, San jose’s Sam Dickinson, and Pittsburgh’s Benjamin Kindel. But who stands out among the remarkable class of newcomers?
1. Matthew Schaefer, C (New York Islanders)
Matthew Schaefer is off to a truly special start to his NHL career. The first overall pick from the 2025 draft registered eight points in his first 11 games, capped off by a two-goal performance against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Playing significant minutes – peaking at 27:40 against the Philadelphia Flyers on October 25 – Schaefer has quickly become a versatile force for the Islanders. Analysts project he’s on pace for 68 points, potentially surpassing Lane Hutson’s 66-point output from last season. Some are even suggesting he could challenge for a spot on Canada’s Olympic team while still being eligible for the World Juniors.
2. Jakub Dobes, G (Montreal Canadiens)
Jakub Dobes hasn’t just been the best rookie goaltender this season; he’s been one of the best goaltenders, period. Posting a perfect 6-0-0 record with a .930 save percentage and a remarkable 9.63 goals saved above expected (fifth among all NHL goaltenders), Dobes has seized the starting role in Montreal. He’s demonstrably outperforming Samuel Montembeault in key metrics. As one analyst noted, “While Ivan Demidov may be racking up the points, Dobes has been absolutely crucial to Montreal’s early success.”
3. Ivan Demidov, RW (Montreal Canadiens)
Leading the rookie scoring race, ivan Demidov tallied nine points in 11 games in October. The Canadiens forward has been a key contributor at 5-on-5, adding three power-play assists to his impressive total. “Demidov is playing with so much confidence,” a source close to the team stated, “continuing to prove why his playmaking abilities were so highly regarded during his time in Russia.” While refining his scoring touch could make him unstoppable, he’s already living up to the hype, with projections of 65-70 points for the season.
4. gavin Finnie, RW (Chicago Blackhawks)
few predicted Gavin Finnie would make such an immediate impact. After a strong preseason, the 20-year-old rookie stepped up in a significant way, particularly with
