Peters: Trevor Zegras takes over top spot in mid-season rookie rankings

Chris Peters
Chris Peters
Peters: Trevor Zegras takes over top spot in mid-season rookie rankings

It’s not often a rookie comes along and makes such an impact that it feels like he’s somehow changing the game. Throughout the 2021-22 season, Trevor Zegras has continually found ways to entertain, playing the game with the seriousness of a seven-year-old after ingesting a half dozen Pixy Stix.

Hockey is not often one to celebrate joyfulness, but that’s what Zegras plays the game with. Not beholden to the reverence so many players give the league, Zegras came in with the confidence and the bravado to play only on his terms and thankfully, no one has tried to stop him from doing so.

The Anaheim Ducks are must-see right now because Zegras is a must-see player. They’ve got an elite goaltender, a seasoned captain, a breakout player of the year in Troy Terry and then they’ve got this kid who looks and plays like a kid on the pond.

Zegras is technically an adult by age, but hockey is just a game to him in the most refreshing way possible. There was the behind-the-net flip pass to Sonny Milano and Thursday night saw him pull off one of the smoothest Michigan goals we’ve seen yet in the NHL. There have been the silly dangles to find that extra little bit of ice, the spinning passes and the ability to make something out of nothing.

Then there’s also the footage of him on the bench, constantly moving, constantly talking, constantly smiling. I’m not sure anyone has ever had more fun playing the game and been more comfortable with showing it the way Zegras does. This is professional sports. This is win at all cost. But why can’t it also be fun?

We’ve had a lot of rookies come into the league over the years and wow us this way or that. Connor McDavid’s speed, Auston Matthews’ shot, the incredible skating of Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes, the unparalleled hockey sense and vision of Adam Fox. Now there’s the crowned prince of puck skills and creativity in Trevor Zegras.

As of Jan. 28, Zegras leads all rookies in points per game, he’s second in raw points, second in goals, third in assists, second in average time on ice among first-year forwards, second in shots on goal and he leads the league in viral on-ice moments.

I think there’s a case that Lucas Raymond and maybe even Moritz Seider are more valuable to their teams at this stage, but there’s no question that Zegras has been the most valuable rookie in the league. The Ducks have so often been an afterthought, second banana even in their own market, but Zegras makes you stop and watch. You never know what he’s going to do. That’s why the NHL even invited him to participate in the All-Star Skills Competition. You need to get him in front of an audience as much as possible because he has no off switch. Let’s hope he never finds it.

And now, at the halfway point of the season, one week before the All-Star festivities in Vegas, I present to you, my most recent rookie rankings.

All statistics current through Jan. 27.

1. Trevor Zegras, C, Anaheim Ducks: Zegras is second on the Ducks with 32 points, trailing only Troy Terry. He is the heir apparent to Ryan Getzlaf as the team’s future No. 1 center, too. Beyond his highlight-reel plays, Zegras is a continual offensive threat. He can beat defenders one-on-one, makes excellent decisions with the puck and competes. His vision and passing ability have been among his best traits going back to before he was drafted, but he’s added a more effective goal-scoring element, currently ranking second among rookies in the NHL with 12. The Ducks are currently in playoff position and even have a chance to win the Pacific Division. They were expected to be better this season than last year, but Zegras has been a driving force to that improvement. They may not be in the position they are without him playing and producing as he has so far this season.

2. Lucas Raymond, RW, Detroit Red Wings: The leading scorer among rookies heading into the weekend, Raymond has 34 points through his first 43 NHL games. His skill level has been challenging NHL defenders and his creativity allows him to make high-end plays that lead to goals for himself or his teammates. Raymond is tied with Zegras for most even-strength points among rookies and leads all first-year forwards with an average of 18:02 per game. He is a legitimate top-line player and contributor in his first NHL season, helping bring Detroit out of the league basement and back to respectability.

3. Mortiz Seider, D, Detroit Red Wings: To be a No. 1 defenseman in the NHL in year one is a huge weight to shoulder as a rookie, but Seider has mostly shrugged. He is averaging 22:30 of ice time per game, by far the most among rookies. He’s been solid defensively, playing physically and still has given Detroit excellent two-way value. He is third among rookies with 27 points and tied with Raymond for tops in assists with 23. He has been everything the Wings expected him to be this season and more, making them a much more competitive team.

4. Anton Lundell, C, Florida Panthers: To be a contributing player on one of the NHL’s very best teams is especially impressive. Lundell has always been mature for his age and his ability to walk into a situation with a veteran core and a team that has belief as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender takes a lot of courage. Lundell has seized a middle-six role with the Cats and has been an all-situations player with roles on both the power play and PK. Lundell ranks third among rookies with 0.68 points per game. He’s also third among rookie forwards in time on ice and leads all rookies in takeaways. The versatility he has shown in his rookie season should make the Panthers especially excited about their future as he should be the long-term No. 2 pivot behind Aleksander Barkov.

5. Tanner Jeannot, LW, Nashville Predators

The top goal-scoring rookie this season, Jeannot has been a thorn in the side of Predators opponents and has been one of the reasons Nashville has been among the NHL’s most pleasant surprises this season. He finds ways to impact games if he’s not scoring, by playing physically and using his size and strength to his advantage. Jeannot has been credited with 147 hits so far this season, by far the most among rookies. Nashville’s depth has been important to their success and Jeannot is a big reason for it.

6. Jamie Drysdale, D, Anaheim Ducks

One of the smoothest young defensemen around, Drysdale has settled into a top-four role with Anaheim and seeing significant minutes on the power play. Averaging close to 20 minutes per game, Drysdale also has 19 points as of this writing. He’s good on the rush and has defended adequately.

7. Alex Nedeljkovic, G, Detroit Red Wings

His numbers have dipped a bit lately, but over the course of this season, Nedeljkovic has made an excellent case for his status as a long-term Red Wings goalie. They may have top prospect Sebastian Cossa, but Nedeljkovic has been the here and now for the Red Wings and has been thriving. He leads all first-year goalies with 28 starts and has posted a .912 save percentage with 859 saves so far this season. Though he had ridiculous numbers last season, he’s seeing more shots per game with the Red Wings and doesn’t have a team that keeps possession as well in front of him like he had with Carolina last season. Nedeljkovic gives the Red Wings a chance to win and deserves a ton of credit for their resurgence, too.

8. Alexandre Carrier, D, Nashville Predators: Like Jeannot, Carrier has settled into a solid role for the Predators. He’s a top-four defenseman who contributes points and helps play a solid game in his own end. He’s physical, he blocks shots and logs big minutes. Carrier is second among rookies with an average of nearly 21 minutes per game. He has 16 points, 13 of which have come at even strength and has helped stabilize a position that should have been weakened by offseason moves in Nashville. The Preds have a solid lineup all the way through, made better by young players like Carrier and Jeannot stepping up and providing even more than expected.

9. Karel Vejmelka, G, Arizona Coyotes: What is a goalie with a 6-16-1 record doing on this list? Well, the fact that Vejmelka has maintained a save percentage north of .900 on one of the league’s worst teams is worth highlighting. Few goalies have had to do more with less this season. Seeing an average of 30 shots per appearance, Vejmelka has managed to give the Coyotes a chance in a lot of games they otherwise would have been well out of. I don’t think he’ll come close to the Calder or even the All-Rookie Team, but what he has done this season has been impressive. So much so that the Coyotes may have an actual goalie on their hands here, possibly the long-term guy if he doesn’t get overtired from carrying the team through a lot of rough games yet to play.

10. Michael Bunting, LW, Toronto Maple Leafs: Bunting has been solid this season, with 21 even-strength points which ranks fifth among rookies. He averages over 15 minutes per game and has been a reliable source of secondary scoring. Given the quality of his team and linemates, I think most of us figured he could put up even better numbers this season, but he’s fit into his role well enough.

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