NHL’S FRESHMAN CLASS HAS TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW
Keller may not have Matthews’ billing, but Arizona rookie isn’t setting his sights lower
When it comes to scouting reports, Clayton Keller is nothing but complimentary.
Asked for his unbiased opinion on Boston Bruins rookie Charlie McAvoy, the Arizona Coyotes prospect was quick to mention McAvoy’s foot speed and his ability to carry the puck through traffic and how tough he can be in one-on-one battles. It sounded like he was describing the next Drew Doughty, or someone even better.
“He’s a great defenceman and a great offensive guy,” Keller gushed at the NHLPA Rookie Showcase in Toronto on Monday. “Obviously, everyone saw what he did in the playoffs. I think he’s going to have a really special season next year.”
Forget the Calder Trophy. Based on Keller’s glowing recommendation, McAvoy should soon be up for the Norris Trophy. Of course, it’s worth mentioning that the two were teammates at Boston University and McAvoy happened to be eavesdropping on the conversation.
“What’s the truth?” a reporter asked. “We know he’s standing right here.”
“That’s the truth,” Keller said, laughing.
“Well, what’s the worst thing about McAvoy?”
“He’s not a good golfer,” Keller said, laughing even harder.
The truth is that this season’s rookie class might not be as jaw-droppingly dominant as last year’s class. That’s not a slight, nor is it particularly surprising.
Last year was a once-in-ageneration year for NHL rookies. You had Toronto’s Auston Matthews finishing second in the Rocket Richard Trophy race with 40 goals and Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine scoring 36 goals, including three hat tricks. You had Zach Werenski logging 21 minutes a night on Columbus’ blue-line and Toronto’s Mitch Marner and William Nylander combining for 122 points. You even had Pittsburgh goaltender Matt Murray winning a second Stanley Cup as a rookie.
Asking this year’s crop to do the same is both unfair and unrealistic, and yet the kids seem up for the challenge.
“Yeah, those guys were obviously very special,” said McAvoy, who was Boston’s 14th overall pick in 2016. “As far as saying this group could match them,
I’m not sure I’d go that far. When you have players like Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine, those are two very special players. I mean, their performance speaks for itself. But there are players here who are phenomenal players, players who I’ve played with and against who I think the world of, so it’s going to be exciting.”
Like last year, this year’s freshman class is built around depth. While Keller and McAvoy appear to be the early favourites to compete for the Calder Trophy, the race for the league’s top rookie is wide open. There’s a lot of potential, but there’s also a lot of potential question marks.
Will New Jersey’s Nico Hischier, who was this year’s No. 1 overall pick, get more ice time with No. 1 centre Travis Zajac out with an injury? Will Ottawa count more on defenceman Thomas Chabot now that Marc Methot is playing in Dallas? Will Arizona’s Dylan Strome, Buffalo’s Alex Nylander and Chicago’s Alex DeBrincat make the full-time jump to the NHL?
It’s not an easy thing to predict. At this time last year, most expected Matthews and Laine would battle it out for the top rookie, but no one could have expected that Carolina’s Sebastian Aho would have more of an impact than Edmonton’s Jesse Puljujarvi.
“I don’t put too much stock comparing last year’s crop to this year’s, but there’s definitely a lot of talent here,” Ottawa Senators prospect Colin White said. “We’re capable of doing something similar.”
When asked for his expectations, Keller was blunt. He wants to win the Calder. More importantly, he wants to be a difference-maker.
Based on his credentials, no one doubts Keller will make it happen. He led the U.S. to a gold medal at the world juniors in January, where he scored 11 points in eight games. Like Matthews, he also competed for the world championship, scoring five goals in seven games against NHL competition.
Can Keller score 40 goals as an NHL rookie? Maybe not, but he’s more than happy to give it a try.
“I want to have an impact right away,” said Keller, who had two assists in a three-game stint for Arizona at the end of the season. “I’m not just going there to be there. I want to make an impact.”