Owen Power, D, Buffalo Sabres:The No. 1 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft is first among rookies in average ice time (23:46) and average time at even strength (20:42) in 32 games. The 20-year-old is one of three rookies (Jake Sanderson, Kaiden Guhle) averaging more than 20 minutes per game. Power has 12 points, is tied with Guhle for second among rookie defensemen in assists (12), and is tfifth in blocked shots (42). Buffalo controls 54.2 percent of the 5-on-5 shot attempts when he's on the ice. Power missed four games with a lower-body injury in December but has two assists and is plus-3 in three games since his return Dec. 29.
Jake Sanderson, D, Ottawa Senators:Ranks second among rookies in average ice time (21:04) and is first in average time on the penalty kill (3:01) in 37 games. He is third among rookie defensemen in points (13), fourth in assists (11), and second in power-play points (six), behind Minnesota Wild defenseman Calen Addison (12). The 20-year-old is also second among rookies in blocked shots (63), and tied for fourth with 13 takeaways while playing alongside 32-year-old Travis Hamonic.
"There has been a lot of good," Sanderson told the Ottawa Sun. "Personally, for me, I would like to shoot the puck more, score more, but at the same time, I want to defend really well. There are bits and pieces of my game I can change, but I'm pretty happy with the way things are going for me."
Kaiden Guhle, D, Montreal Canadiens:The No. 16 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft is third in average ice time among rookies (20:46). He is tied with Power for second among rookie defensemen in assists (12), is second in points (14), and first in even-strength points (14) in 36 games. The Canadiens had Guhle in a top-pairing role with 29-year-old veteran Joel Edmundson, but the rookie sustained a lower-body injury in the third period against the Florida Panthers on Dec. 29 and will miss Montreal's game at the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. He is first among NHL rookies in blocked shots (65) and takeaways (21), and second in hits (72).
Marcus Bjork, D, Columbus Blue Jackets:The right-handed shot, who signed as a free agent May 24, ranks fourth among rookies in average ice time (19:28) in 22 games. The 25-year-old has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) and is seventh among rookies with 39 blocked shots. He is tied with Nick Perbix of the Tampa Bay Lightning for eighth among rookie defensemen with 32 hits.
"He's very poised," Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. "He's one speed and that's not a degrading thing. There's no panic when there's a mistake, is what I like. He just settles in, gets back to structure and he's strong (6-foot-4, 211 pounds)."
Jordan Harris, D, Canadiens:The 22-year-old has played 33 games and is fifth among NHL rookies in average ice (18:29). Chosen in the third round (No. 71) of the 2018 NHL Draft, Harris is finally getting his chance after four seasons at Northeastern University. He had one goal in 10 games when he signed after his senior year in 2021-22, but he has earned a top-four role next to Justin Barron. Harris is fourth in blocked shots (52), and tied for fourth in takeaways (13) among rookie defensemen.
"He plays very well, he defends himself well, he defends himself with his feet and his [stick]," Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. "He's able to be a little physical too. It is rare that he is not in a good position defensively, then he brings a bit of attack in transition. We talk a little less about Jordan, but he does his job."
