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NHL youth movement: How the 2016-17 rookie class fared
Toronto Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews has been even better than advertised. Mark Blinch/Getty Images

NHL youth movement: How the 2016-17 rookie class fared

It was noticeable all the way back at the start of the 2016-17 season that the NHL rookie class was something special. Whether they concluded their freshman campaigns or are in the middle of a playoff push, there is still plenty more hockey down the road for the young guns. Here's how some of the biggest first-year NHLers performed in their NHL debuts.

 
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Anthony Beauvillier, New York Islanders

Anthony Beauvillier, New York Islanders
Bruce Bennett/ Getty Images Sport

The 2016-17 season was not kind to the New York Islanders, as they missed the playoffs by just one point. But there is hope for their future, in part because of Beauvillier's impressive rookie campaign, in which he generated goals against some of the toughest veteran netminders in the league.

 
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Brandon Carlo, Boston Bruins

Brandon Carlo, Boston Bruins
Gregory Shamus/ Getty Images Sport

It has been a season full of ups and downs for the rookie blue liner. While he has had to deal with injury in the latter part of the campaign, Carlo has made himself a fixture on the portion of the Boston Bruins' roster that is being retooled. He also has become part of he team's top defensive pair alongside towering captain Zdeno Chara.

 
3 of 15

Jakob Chychrun, Arizona Coyotes

Jakob Chychrun, Arizona Coyotes
Norm Hall/ National Hockey League/ Getty Images

Not a whole lot of good came out of the Arizona Coyotes' 2016-17 season. Rookie defenseman Chychrun was one of the few bright spots, however, as he demonstrated two-way playing abilities well beyond his years. 

 
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Joel Eriksson Ek, Minnesota Wild

Joel Eriksson Ek, Minnesota Wild
Elsa/ Getty Images Sport

We only saw a little bit of the rookie center this past season, as he was sent to play in his native Sweden after just nine games in Minnesota. But Eriksson Ek remains one of the Wild's bright young stars, especially since he tallied three goals and four assists when he rejoined the Wild for the end of the regular season. 

 
5 of 15

Kevin Labanc, San Jose Sharks

Kevin Labanc, San Jose Sharks
Ezra Shaw/ Getty Images Sport

The 2016-17 campaign showed that the San Jose Sharks have a bevy of young talent in their minor league system with the number of players who were productive when called up this season. Staten Island, N.Y., native Labanc proved to be the most pleasant surprise, with offense so explosive that he spent some time on the top line with captain Joe Pavelski.

 
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Patrik Laine, Winnipeg Jets

Patrik Laine, Winnipeg Jets
Jonathan Kozub/ National Hockey League/ Getty Images

The shame in the Winnipeg Jets not making the playoffs is that everyone has to wait until next October to watch Patrik Laine play again. Never mind the bit of a slump he went through toward the end of the season, because every player on this list went through some sort of a drought. But the towering Finn is the explosive and exciting player the NHL needs: speedy, score-happy and a master of goal celebration arts.

 
7 of 15

Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs

Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
Mark Blinch/ National Hockey League/ Getty Images Sport

The casual hockey fan may know who Mitch Marner is because the NHL cameras caught him belting out Bon Jovi on the bench with teammate Auston Matthews. But Marner has also become a fixture on the Maple Leafs' growing young club, with a ridiculous assists record to boot.

 
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Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs

Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
Andre Ringuette/ National Hockey League/ Getty Images

Here he is: the first overall pick from the 2016 NHL Draft and, more than likely, this year's Calder Trophy winner. Auston Matthews jumped out of the gate with four goals in his NHL debt and never looked back. He went through his skids but continued to demonstrate leadership and support for the Maple Leafs team that defined the rookie movement. Move over, Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin. Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid are the future, and the future is closer than you think.

 
9 of 15

Zane McIntyre, Boston Bruins

Zane McIntyre, Boston Bruins
Brian Babineau/ National Hockey League/ Getty Images

The netminder's freshman campaign has been something of a long travel schedule, with the Bruins recalling and reassigning him at a seemingly rapid rate. He thrived in Providence this season, although those numbers didn't transfer up in the handful of games he played for the big club. 

 
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Matt Murray, Pittsburgh Penguins

Matt Murray, Pittsburgh Penguins
Bruce Bennett/ Getty Images Sport

Yes, it is hard to remember that Matt Murray is still technically a rookie given that he was between the pipes last playoffs when the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup. But the kid is still plugging away despite a couple run-ins with the injury ninja. He also started to get hot at the very end of the season, but those injuries cropped up again, leading to Marc-Andre Fleury going back between pipes this postseason for Pittsburgh.

 
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William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs

William Nylander, Toronto Maple Leafs
Claus Andersen/ Getty Images Sport

When talking about this season's rookie arsenal, the conversation always comes around to the large group up in Toronto and the exciting season the youngsters had for the Maple Leafs. Nylander bounced in and out of Calder Trophy discussions since the start of the season and set a franchise rookie record when he went on a colossal goal-scoring streak in later March.

 
12 of 15

Brady Skjei, New York Rangers

Brady Skjei, New York Rangers
Michael Reaves/ Getty Images Sport

The Rangers' rookie defenseman took advantage of a big opportunity at the end of the 2017 regular season when Ryan McDonagh was sidelined with an injury. His ability to carry the heavy workload also reportedly followed him into the playoffs, as he demonstrates veteran-like skill and composure.

 
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Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames

Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary Flames
Jared Silber/ National Hockey League/ Getty Images

As the Flames surged after a disappointing 2015-16 season, the rookie Tkachuk cemented his place on the roster. A chip off the old block, the 19-year-old rookie brings a level of fire and grit to the Calgary lineup, agitating opponents while taking pressure off his teammates.

 
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Jimmy Vesey, New York Rangers

Jimmy Vesey, New York Rangers
Bruce Bennett/ Getty Images Sport

It is no surprise that Vesey made an impact in his first professional season, since the Harvard product had been a topic of conversation long before he took to the NHL ice. He is still dealing with a learning curve and has had to take his lumps for diminished play, but expect this kid to remain a league staple.

 
15 of 15

Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets

Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
Joe Sargent/ National Hockey League/ Getty Images

Even before he took a puck to the mug against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Werenski had become the gutsy driving force the Columbus Blue Jackets needed. The defenseman helped bolster CBJ offensively, defensively and on special teams — not to mention be part of the second-longest winning streak in NHL history.

Chelena Goldman grew up on a street where the boys played street hockey and yelling at baseball and football over the radio was a standard -- making life as a sports geek the perfect fit. She believes in dominance on the blue line, good red wine, and the theory that you can never be too overdressed for any occasion. You can find her gabbing away on Twitter at @ChelenaGoldman.

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