Rookie Watch: Blackhawks lead NHL in games played by 1st-year players

The impact several rookies are making on the NHL is one of the major storylines of the 2023-24 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 teams with most games played by rookies (ranked by total games played by rookies):

1. Chicago Blackhawks

Total games played by rookies: 173 (8 players)

Players: Forwards Connor Bedard, Cole Guttman; defensemen Kevin Korchinski, Isaak Phillips, Wyatt Kaiser, Louis Crevier, Filip Roos; goalie Arvid Soderblom

Rookies to watch: The Blackhawks got the generational talent they desperately needed when they chose Bedard (5-foot-10, 185 pounds) with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. The 18-year-old has been everything as advertised, and more, leading first-year players in goals (15), assists (18), points (33), even-strength points (25) and shots on goal (118), and his two game-winning goals are tied for first. Unfortunately, Bedard's stellar rookie campaign is on hold after being placed on injured reserve Saturday with a fractured jaw. Korchinski (6-1, 185), a 19-year-old selected No. 7 in the 2022 NHL Draft, has been a pleasant surprise, averaging 19:56 of ice time with a Blackhawks-leading 43 blocked shots and 11 takeaways, which rank second to Bedard's 31. The future looks bright in Chicago, which has missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in three straight seasons after qualifying in nine in a row, including winning the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

2. Anaheim Ducks

Total games played by rookies: 144 (6 players)

Players: Forwards Leo Carlsson, Bo Groulx; defensemen Pavel Mintyukov, Jackson LaCombe, Tristan Luneau; goalie Lukas Dostal

Rookies to watch: Mintyukov (6-1, 195), chosen No. 10 in the 2022 NHL Draft, is having a very productive season, leading Ducks rookies with 16 assists and 18 points while averaging 18:14 of ice time. Carlsson (6-3, 194), the No. 2 pick in the 2023 draft, is expected to miss at least another month with a sprained MCL in his right knee, an injury he sustained in the third period in a 3-0 loss to the Calgary Flames on Dec. 21. The 18-year-old is second among first-year players in points per game (0.65; minimum 10 games) and was averaging 18:03 of ice time in 23 games at the time of his injury. LaCombe (6-2, 205), selected in the second round (No. 39) of the 2019 NHL Draft, averages 19:37 in ice time and is second among NHL rookies with 64 blocked shots in 35 games. Luneau (6-1, 195), 19, was loaned to Canada for the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship but didn't play because of an illness. Dostal (6-2, 188), a third-round pick (No. 85) in the 2018 NHL Draft, has had some great moments, including a Ducks-record 55 saves in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Jan. 3. The 23-year-old is 6-9-1 with a .901 save percentage in 17 games (15 starts).

3. Boston Bruins

Total games played by rookies: 140 (6 players)

Players: Forwards Matthew Poitras, John Beecher, Jakub Lauko, Oskar Steen, Georgii Merkulov; defenseman Mason Lohrei

Rookies to watch: Poitras (5-11, 180), chosen in the second round (No. 54) of the 2022 draft, leads Bruins rookies in goals (five), points (15) and even-strength points (14) in 28 games. The 19-year-old right-handed shot played for Canada at the 2024 WJC, where he had four points (two goals) and averaged 16:26 of ice time in five games. Beecher (6-3, 216), a first-round pick (No. 30) in the 2019 draft, has four goals and two assists in 35 games. Lohrei (6-5, 211), selected in the second round (No. 58) of the 2020 NHL Draft, has six points (three goals, three assists) and averages 16:51 of ice time in 22 games.

4. Columbus Blue Jackets

Total games played by rookies: 119 (5 players)

Players: Forwards Adam Fantilli, Dmitri Voronkov; defenseman David Jiricek; goalies Jet Greaves, Daniil Tarasov

Rookies to watch: Fantilli is having a fabulous rookie season. The 19-year-old (6-2, 194) and No. 3 pick in the 2023 draft is tied for second among NHL rookies with 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) and second with 103 shots on goal while averaging 15:50 of ice time in 41 games. Voronkov (6-5, 240) has 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) and averages 13:15 of ice time. Jiricek (6-4, 207), the No. 6 pick in 2022, has nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 35 games.

5. Philadelphia Flyers

Total games played by rookies: 94 (5 players)

Players: Forwards Bobby Brink, Tyson Foerster, Olle Lycksell; defenseman Emil Andrae; goalie Samuel Ersson

Rookies to watch: Brink (5-8, 169), a second-round pick (No. 34) in the 2019 draft, has 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in 34 games. Foerster (6-2, 215), the No. 23 pick in the 2020 draft, has 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 38 games. Ersson (6-3, 194), a fifth-round pick (No. 143) in 2018, ranks second among NHL rookies in wins (9-5-3), is tied with Pyotr Kochetkov of the Carolina Hurricanes for first in goals-against average (2.50; minimum five games) and third in save percentage (.904; minimum five games).

6. Buffalo Sabres

Total games played by rookies: 91 (9 players)

Players: Forwards Zach Benson, Brandon Biro, Matt Savoie, Jiri Kulich, Isak Rosen, Lukas Rousek, Brett Murray; defenseman Ryan Johnson; goalie Devon Levi

Rookies to watch: The Sabres have an impressive stable of forward prospects. Benson (5-10, 170), the No. 13 pick in the 2023 draft, has 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 30 games. Savoie (5-9, 179), chosen No. 9 in 2022, was loaned to Canada for World Juniors and had one assist while averaging 15:54 in four games. Kulich (6-1, 186), a first-round pick (No. 28) in 2022, was captain for bronze-medal winning Czechia at the WJC and had 12 points (six goals, six assists) in seven games. Levi was loaned to Rochester of the American Hockey League in November after going 3-4-1 with a 3.73 GAA and .876 save percentage in nine games (eight starts). The 22-year-old (6-0, 192), a seventh-round pick (No. 212) in the 2020 draft, is 5-2-1 with a 2.72 GAA and .909 save percentage since being recalled Dec. 7.