NHL Rookie of the Year ladder: Big rise from Connor Zary in Week 6
By Sion Fawkes
7. Connor Zary, C, Calgary Flames
Connor Zary would be ranked much higher if he had played in more than seven games, but he’s made the most of his handful of appearances. Zary was a pivotal piece in the Calgary Flames' 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens when he logged two points and a goal, despite seeing just 14:35 of ice time.
Overall, he’s recording 16:20 of total ice time, meaning he will have plenty of chances to produce this season if he stays healthy. If he fares just as well in his next seven games, Zary could also see himself rising quickly in these rankings.
8. Dmitri Voronkov, LW, Columbus Blue Jackets
A winger who has seen the ice in just 11 games this season, the 23-year-old Voronkov has eight points in those contests and a plus-3 rating. He’s also another physical forward on this list, with 12 hits and six blocks, plus a 92.1 save percentage at 5-on-5 for the Blue Jackets when Voronkov is on the ice.
The lack of games played compared to the top five players on the list is one strike against Voronkov, and he is also averaging just 12:34 of ice time, so he’s clearly on the back end of these rankings. However, it’s also worth noting that we are only in mid-November, so there is a lot of hockey left for Voronkov, and each rookie listed.