NHL Rookie of the Year ladder: Big rise from Connor Zary in Week 6
By Sion Fawkes
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.