The impact several rookies are making on the NHL is one of the major storylines of the 2024-25 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 Atlantic Division (in alphabetical order):
Emil Heineman, F, Montreal Canadiens: The 23-year-old left wing was acquired in a trade with the Calgary Flames, along with Tyler Pitlick, a first-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft (forward Filip Mesar) and a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft (goalie Yevgeni Volokhin) for forward Tyler Toffoli on Feb. 14, 2022. He's proven himself a capable addition to Montreal's bottom six, with 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) and three power-play goals in 58 games while averaging 11:23 of ice time.
Heineman is in the 79th percentile in shooting percentage (16.1 percent), well above the League average (12.7), per NHL EDGE statistics. He ranks second among all NHL first-year players in hits (156) and 29th in blocked shots (23).
Lane Hutson, D, Montreal Canadiens: Hutson, 21, has certainly earned himself Calder Trophy consideration as NHL rookie of the year. A second-round pick (No. 62) at the 2022 draft, he leads all NHL rookies in points (59), assists (54), power-play points (25), blocked shots (109) and time on ice (22:37) in 73 games. He's in the 95th percentile in skating distance by NHL players at 243.01 miles, per NHL EDGE statistics. Since Dec. 1, Hutson is third among all NHL defensemen 46 points (five goals, 41 assists) in 50 games despite playing the 48th-most minutes (22:23).
"I think his compete level and his passion for the game, I think it starts there with him," Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. "I knew he was a very good offensive player; I've seen him play for many years now, but I think nobody was sure if he could defend in this league. And for me from Day 1, the way I saw him compete defensively for a guy his size and his offensive talents, for me that's what I'm most impressed about."
Albert Johansson, D, Detroit Red Wings: Johansson, 24, is averaging 16:25 of ice time through 52 games this season, but 18:04 since Jan. 1, indicating an improvement and confidence from coach Todd McLellan in his ability as a third-pair defenseman.
Johansson also has chipped in with eight points (two goals, six assists), 78 blocked shots, 62 hits and 12 takeaways. He was selected in the second round (No. 60) of the 2019 NHL Draft and had 36 points (11 goals, 25 assists) in two seasons with Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League before joining Detroit this season.
"I just try to take advantage of that opportunity every day," Johansson said. "When you play more minutes, you're in the game more and your confidence is getting higher and higher. You start to feel more comfortable out there."
Marco Kasper, F, Detroit Red Wings: Kasper has been one of the more improved players in the Atlantic, evidenced by the fact he moved from the fourth line earlier this season to a second-line role alongside Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane. The 20-year-old, chosen No. 8 by the Red Wings at the 2022 draft, has 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists), two power-play goals and averages 15:12 of ice time in 68 games. He ranks second among all Red Wings players in hits (140) and is third among forwards in blocked shots (44).
Since Jan. 1, Kasper leads all NHL rookies in goals (13) and even-strength goals (13) while averaging 15:59 of ice time in 36 games.
"He has the skill, and he's got a good shot," Kane said. "You've seen a lot of his goals this year have been around the net, too, like off the shin pad, just getting a stick on it, getting open around the net. I mean, that's a good way to learn how to score in this league, especially as a centerman.
“But he does have skill, and he has the ability to make the plays. I think with his compete level and his pushing the pace up the middle, it kind of fits well with the way [DeBrincat] and I like to play."
Jiri Kulich, F, Buffalo Sabres: Kulich is sixth among first-year players in goals (14) and 13th in points (21) in 53 games, recently playing center on the top line alongside right wing Tage Thompson and Zach Benson. He returned to the lineup March 25 after missing four games because of a concussion and scored two goals in a 7-3 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins two days later.
"I think we can see what [Kulich's] been doing in the middle with [Thompson]," Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff said. "His primary chances and goals go up when he plays with him. You're looking at a left-handed centerman with a right-handed winger, and there's a few opportunities there. There are a few times when [Thompson] will step in and take face-offs, but you look at both shots he scored on (against Pittsburgh), that's elite shooting. The first one wasn't really in a shooting position and he got a lot on it, and the second was a bullet from where he shot it."
The 20-year-old, selected in the first round (No. 28) of the 2022 draft, Kulich is in the 80th percentile among NHL players in top shot speed at 90.22 MPH, per NHL EDGE statistics.
Mackie Samoskevich, F, Florida Panthers: Samoskevich is 11th among all rookies with 27 points (13 goals, 14 assists) and 13th in even-strength points (18) while averaging 13:00 of ice time in 64 games. The 22-year-old, selected in the first round (No. 24) of the 2021 NHL Draft, ranks seventh among all rookies with 117 hits, and Florida controls 53.5 percent of all shots generated at 5-on-5 when he's on the ice.
"There's a learning curve to the National Hockey League, and there's a learning curve with our team, to come in and play a certain style of hockey," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. "He's been really good at that, ahead of the curve from where I thought he would be. So, I guess I would say I'm hopeful that he sees it the same way I did. He should be confident right now. It's all the hard things he's doing; the source of his confidence."
