Rookie Watch: Bunting, Seider among best in Atlantic Division

The impact several rookies are making on the NHL is one of the major storylines of the 2021-22 season. Each week, NHL.com will examine topics related to this season's class in the Rookie Watch.
This week, a look at the top six NHL rookies from the Atlantic Division (listed alphabetically).

Michael Bunting, F, Toronto Maple Leafs: The 26-year-old left wing was first among NHL rookies with 53 points (20 goals, 33 assists) and 39 penalties drawn in 68 games entering Monday. Bunting (6-foot, 186 pounds), who was averaging 15:36 of ice time while playing on Toronto's top line with Auston Matthews and Mitchell Marner, was tied for fourth in takeaways (32) among rookie forwards. Toronto had controlled 57.3 percent of all shots attempted at 5-on-5 when Bunting was on the ice, and he ranked third on the team in on-ice goals-for percentage (59.3) among those who had played at least five games. Originally selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the fourth round (No. 117) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Bunting is in his first season with Toronto after signing a two-year contract on July 28.
"He's a great guy and it's so cool he's a local guy (from Scarborough, Ontario)," Maple Leafs goalie Jack Campbell said. "He's super excited to be here in Toronto, you can tell. He's really skilled, has a solid shot. We just love his work ethic and that grit to go to the net."
Cole Caufield, F, Montreal Canadiens:The No. 15 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft has been able to find his game after gaining a bigger role with more ice time over the second half of the season. Caufield (5-foot-7, 166 pounds) was named NHL Rookie of the Month for March after leading all first-year players with seven goals and 15 points in 15 games. The 21-year-old right wing ranked fifth among Atlantic rookies entering Monday with 34 points (15 goals, 19 assists) in 54 games. In 24 games since Martin St. Louis replaced Dominique Ducharme as coach on Feb. 9, Caufield led NHL rookies with 26 points (14 goals, 12 assists), 72 shots on goal, 1.08 points per game and nine power-play points (four goals, five assists). He averaged 18:32 of ice time in that span. He had eight points (one goal, seven assists) and averaged 14:42 over the first 30 games prior to St. Louis taking over as coach.
"I think he's been his own evolution, so to speak, because I think he cleared his mind, just realized that he hadn't forgotten how to play hockey," St. Louis said. "He's played with a lot of jump. I wouldn't say it was me that got Cole going, I think Cole got Cole going. And I think my job now is how do I get Cole to the next level? I didn't get Cole to where he is right now. I'm going to try to get Cole to the next level. Cole got to where he is this last month and a half."
Anton Lundell, F, Florida Panthers: The 20-year-old, who returned to the lineup Saturday after missing 11 games with a wrist injury, ranked fourth among Atlantic Division rookies entering Monday with 39 points (15 goals, 24 assists) and third with 47 blocked shots in 54 games. Lundell (6-1, 185) ranked third among NHL rookies in face-off winning percentage (45.2; minimum 400 attempts) and first in face-off attempts (659) and wins (296). Last season, after being selected by Florida with the No. 12 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Lundell scored 25 points (16 goals, nine assists) in 26 games for HIFK in Liiga, the top professional league in Finland. He also scored 10 points (six goals, four assists) in seven games to help Finland finish third at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, and seven points (four goals, three assists) in 10 games to help Finland finish second at the 2021 IIHF World Championship.
"Lundell
for the Calder Trophy at the three-quarter point, receiving 70 voting points, including 13 of 15 first-place votes. He led NHL rookies entering Monday in assists (39), power-play points (19), average ice time (23:07) and blocked shots (141) in 69 games. Seider (6-4, 197) also led rookie defensemen in points (44), shots on goal (149), takeaways (40) and penalties drawn (18).
Jeremy Swayman, G, Boston Bruins: The 23-year-old from Anchorage, Alaska, ranked first among rookie goalies entering Monday in wins (20), goals-against average (2.23) and shutouts (three), and he was second in save percentage (.920; minimum five games) in 33 games (32 starts). He is the seventh rookie goalie in Bruins history to reach 20 wins. The three others to achieve the feat in the NHL expansion era (since 1967-68) are Tuukka Rask (22 in 2009-10), Andrew Raycroft (29; 2003-04) and Marco Baron (22; 1981-82). Swayman (6-3, 197), selected in the fourth round (No. 111) of the 2017 NHL Draft, went 7-3-0 with a 1.50 GAA and .945 save percentage in 10 games in 2020-21 to take over the backup role from Jaroslav Halak. Swayman is 12-2-1 with a 2.09 GAA, .927 save percentage and two shutouts in 15 games (all starts) since Rask retired after 15 seasons with the Bruins on Feb. 10 following complications from surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip.
"He's always been a guy that comes to the rink every day with a smile on his face," Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said. "He's grateful for the abilities that he's been given to play professional hockey. I've got to say, I never saw a guy that was down when there were three goalies around. Even when he left here (and was assigned to Providence of the American Hockey League). Inside, I'm sure he's probably fuming, and that's fine, we don't mind that. But whatever was going on inside, he handled it well."