Rookie Watch: Byram, Zegras among best from 2019 NHL Draft

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, the top five rookies from the 2019 NHL Draft having a big impact (in alphabetical order):

Bowen Byram, D, Colorado Avalanche:The No. 4 pick entered Monday third among players chosen in the 2019 NHL Draft with nine points (four goals, five assists) and tied for first at plus-3 in 13 games. The 20-year-old was second behind Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider in average ice time (19:48), second in blocked shots (13) and third in hits (16).
Byram has scored four points (three goals, one assist) in his past five games. He returned to the lineup Nov. 27 after missing six games with an upper-body injury but has not played since Dec. 1 because of a head injury. Byram sustained two concussions last season while also dealing with vertigo and COVID-19.
Spencer Knight, Florida Panthers:The No. 13 pick is 6-3-1 with a 2.88 goals-against average and .908 save percentage in 11 games (eight starts). Knight, playing his first full NHL season, made an NHL career-high 45 saves in a 4-1 win against the New Jersey Devils on Nov. 18, setting a Panthers record for most saves in one game by a rookie (Jacob Markstrom, 44 saves at New York Rangers on March 21, 2013).
"He knows that he is an unbelievable goalie," Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov said Nov. 9. "He is a huge part of this team. Without him, we wouldn't be where we are. 'Knighter' is a big part of our team. He has been a big part of our team since Day One. We're real lucky to have him."
Vasily Podkolzin, F, Vancouver Canucks: The No. 10 pick was second among players from the 2019 draft with five goals and was averaging 11:47 of ice time in 23 games. He has excelled in other areas despite scoring six points; he was ranked second among first-year players from his draft class with 29 hits, third with 10 blocked shots and tied for fourth with six takeaways. He plays a top-nine role with either center J.T. Miller or Elias Pettersson. Vancouver had 51.6 percent of all shots attempted with Podkolzin on the ice at 5-on-5.

Moritz Seider, F, Detroit Red Wings: The No. 6 pick led rookie defensemen with 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in 25 games, six power-play points (all assists) and average ice time (22:32). The 20-year-old led rookies from his draft class in hits (35) and blocked shots (43), and was first among rookie defensemen with eight takeaways.
Seider scored his second overtime goal of the season in a 4-3 win against the New York Islanders on Saturday, becoming the fifth rookie defenseman in NHL history to score multiple overtime goals in one season (Shayne Gostisbehere, Philadelphia Flyers, four, 2015-16; Brent Seabrook, Chicago Blackhawks, two, 2005-06; P.K. Subban, Montreal Canadiens, two, 2010-11; Cam Fowler, Anaheim Ducks, two, 2010-11).
"He's got tons of physical abilities, he's a big guy, he can skate, he's athletic, he's got (a) good skill set from a hockey standpoint," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "Now our job is to help him continue to (grow) from a really good talent to a great player ultimately. That's what we'd love him to be here.
"I think without improving, Moritz could be a good player in this league. But that's not what anybody wants, him or us. So we just want to make sure that we're continuing to push him, even as he has early success."
Trevor Zegras, F, Anaheim Ducks:The No. 9 selection led all 2019 picks with 19 points (six goals, 13 assists) and 14 even-strength points in 23 games entering Monday. He has scored 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in his past 10 games, and ranked first among 2019 selections with 12 takeaways and first among forwards in average ice time (16:38). Zegras had three assists in a 6-5 win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Dec. 1 to become the third Ducks rookie with at least two three-point games in one season (Bobby Ryan, four; Andrew Ebbett, three).
"He's a competitive kid," Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. "He wants to be on the ice in every situation. He believes he can excel in every situation. Unbelievable skill set. Comes in every day with a smile on his face and an appetite for work. It's really hard to dislike anything about that kid."