The impact several rookies are making on the NHL is one of the major storylines of the 2022-23 season. Each week, NHL.com will examine topics related to this season’s class in the Rookie Watch.
This week, the top six rookies in the Central Division (in alphabetical order):
Calen AddisonD, Minnesota Wild: The 22-year-old right-hand shot, chosen by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round (No. 53) in the 2018 NHL Draft, leads NHL rookies in power-play points (eight), and leads Central Division rookie defensemen with 10 assists, 11 points, 26 shots on goal and four takeaways in 21 games. Addison, who has averaged 17:10 of ice time with usual defense partner Jon Merrill, was traded to the Wild by the Penguins on Feb. 10, 2020 as part of the Jason Zucker deal. He had seven goals and 34 points in 43 games with Iowa of the American Hockey League last season.
“Every game you keep playing, I think you get better; you get more confidence,” Addison said. “They’re putting me in positions to have good opportunities, and good things happen. My job is to go out there and make the other players better.”
Wyatt JohnstonF, Dallas Stars: Johnston is tied for fourth among Central Division rookies with nine points (six goals, three assists) in 23 games. He leads all Central Division rookies with 11 takeaways while averaging 14:05 of ice time centering left wing. Jamie Benn and right wing Ty Dellandrea. Johnston is the fourth teenager to play for general manager Jim Nill since he arrived in Dallas in 2013, joining Miro Heiskanen, Denis Gurianov and Valery Nichushkin. Regarded as a two-way, 200-foot player, the No. 23 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft led all skaters in the Ontario Hockey League with 124 points (46 goals, 78 assists) in 68 games with Windsor in 2021-22.
“He deserves to be here,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said earlier this month. “He’s a big part of our group. He makes our team better. He’s shown that every night he’s been in the lineup. I’m excited about him. My excitement lies in the fact that I think he’s just scratching the surface.”
Video: DAL@STL: Johnston nets a wrist shot in the 2nd period
Dylan GuentherF, Arizona Coyotes: Guenther, selected no. 9 in the 2021 NHL Draft, is fourth among Central Division rookies with nine points (three goals, six assists) in 17 games. The 19-year-old right-handed shot has averaged 12:08 of ice time on a line with center. Barrett Hayton and left wing Liam O’Brien. Guenther wants to improve his defensive game, particularly along the boards, and has earned the trust of coach Andre Tourigny.
“Even the night he doesn’t touch the puck he still helps you because he’s such a good player,” Tourigny said. “He reminds me a little bit of (New Jersey Devils captain) Nico Hischier in that sense. When I had Nico in junior (in 2016-17 with Halifax of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League), Nico was an elite player but the night he was not producing he was still a good player for the team. Dylan is a little bit like that. I’m not saying he’s at the level of Nico defensively, but ‘Gunts’, he’s pretty good.”
Nils LundkvistD, Dallas Stars: Lundkvist, a puck-moving defenseman, has done an admirable job paired with the veteran Ryan Suter for the Stars, who control 50.1 percent of all 5-on-5 shots when the 22-year-old defenseman is on the ice. Chosen in the first round (No. 28) by the New York Rangers in the 2018 NHL Draft, Lundkvist is tied for first among NHL rookies with 41 shots, tied for seventh with 20 blocked shots and third among Central rookies with 20 hits. The right-hand shot, acquired on Sept. 20 in a trade with the Rangers for two conditional NHL Draft picks, has one goal and five points, and averages 17:29 of ice time.
“I didn’t know a lot about him (early in the season),” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “He’s not overwhelmed by the moment, he’s confident in his abilities and he’s shown from day one that he’s an NHL player.”
Matias MaccelliF, Arizona Coyotes: The 22-year-old, born in Turku, Finland, is second among NHL rookies with 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) behind Matty Beniers of the Seattle Kraken. He is second with seven power-play points (one goal) (one behind Addison) in a top-line role with center Nick Bjugstad and right wing Lawson Crouse. Selected in the fifth round (No. 98) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Maccelli is tied for seventh among NHL rookies with nine takeaways. He has eight hits and four blocked shots while averaging 15:00 in ice time in 18 games. Maccelli had 57 points (14 goals, 43 assists) in 47 games with Tucson of the American Hockey League last season.
“What I like about Maccelli is what people don’t talk about,” Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. “It’s his compete level and his engagement defensively. He takes pride in defending and takes pride in playing well in the zones; takes pride in blocking shots. He’s not perfect and he never will be, but he tries to be and I appreciate that. “
Cole Perfetti , F, Winnipeg Jets: Perfetti is tied for second among Central Division rookies with 11 points (four goals, seven assists), and first with nine even-strength points (four goals). The no. 10 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, who is good at reading and reacting to how an opponent plays him, is tied for seventh among NHL rookies with nine takeaways on a line with a center. Pierre-Luc Dubois and right wing Blake Wheeler while averaging 15:08 of ice time.
“I’m a young kid, 20 years old, still getting that kind of man strength, still learning where I can do stuff, where I can’t, what I can get away with,” Perfetti told the Free Press of Winnipeg. “Then it’s just naturally getting stronger in the gym and that natural strength is going to be a big part of it.”
Video: WPG@DAL: Perfetti opens scoring with a backhand goal
.