Moritz Seider, D, Detroit Red Wings:Seider (6-foot-4, 197 pounds) leads NHL rookies with 14 power-play points (two goals, 12 assists) and is averaging 2:51 of power-play ice time to lead rookie defensemen (minimum 30 games). The 20-year-old, selected with the No. 6 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, leads rookies at his position in assists (27), points (32) and shots on goal (99), and all first-year players in blocked shots (92). He's tied with Florida Panthers forward Anton Lundell for first with two shorthanded points (two assists).
Lucas Raymond, F, Detroit Red Wings:The No. 4 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft is second with 12 power-play points (three goals, nine assists) and second in power-play ice time (2:47) among rookies who've played at least five games. Raymond (5-11, 182), who plays on a line with center Dylan Larkin and left wing Filip Zadina, ranks first among rookies with 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists), is second with 103 shots (Los Angeles Kings forward Arthur Kaliyev, 109) and leads rookie forwards in average ice time (18:01) in 49 games.
"It's a relentless league where you have to prove yourself day in and day out, and year in and year out, and the very best players are great every year," Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. "What I would tell you is that Lucas is very smart, very competitive and he's got a good maturity to him with a really good skill set. That's a really good package to be a good player, and in my opinion a winning player. I think the organization is in a better spot to win long term with Lucas Raymond on our team."
Trevor Zegras, F, Anaheim Ducks: Zegras (6-0, 185) ranks third with eight power-play points (three goals, five assists) and second among rookies with 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists) in 43 games. The No. 9 pick in the 2019 draft made every hockey highlight reel Feb. 4 after scoring a dazzling "Dodgeball"-themed breakaway goal while blindfolded and getting hit by dodgeballs thrown by NHL mascots and Ducks teammate Troy Terry at the adidas NHL Breakaway Challenge in the 2022 NHL All-Star Skills competition.
"I've seen what he can do with a puck, and I figured he was doing something along those lines," Terry said the goal. "All I knew was that I had a dodgeball, and I was supposed to not hit him, which was really hard not to do."
Sean Durzi, D, Los Angeles Kings:Durzi (6-0, 195) is tied for fourth with seven power-play points (one goal, six assists) in 29 games. He averages 2:06 of ice time on the power play, ranks second among rookie defensemen with 13 power-play shots, and fourth with 11 assists and 13 points while averaging 17:45 of ice time. The 23-year-old was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round (No. 52) of the 2018 NHL Draft and traded to Los Angeles with forward Carl Grundstrom and a first-round pick in the 2019 draft (defenseman Tobias Bjornfot), for defenseman Jake Muzzin on Jan. 28, 2019. He had one goal and one assist in his NHL debut Nov. 24, 2021, and scored four points (one goal, three assists) in his first three NHL games.
"He's been a real good student of the game since he's been with the organization," Kings coach Todd McLellan said. "He's put his time in and done real good things as far as development goes at the (American Hockey League) level. He's off to a good start there."
Jamie Drysdale, D, Anaheim Ducks:Drysdale (5-11, 183) has seven power-play points (all assists), tied with Durzi for fourth, in 49 games while averaging 19:53 of ice time. He's fourth among rookie defensemen in average ice time on the power play (2:04). Selected by the Ducks with the No. 6 pick in the 2020 draft, Drysdale plays a top-pair role with Hampus Lindholm and ranks second among rookie defensemen with 20 points (three goals, 17 assists) and sixth in takeaways (10).
"He has the ability to separate himself from forecheckers and back checkers within two strides," Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. "It's like, two strides and he's created separation. We've seen him a few times already turn D-zone face-offs into 3-on-2 rushes the other way just by simply driving his legs."
