The NHL is a young man’s league. Veterans may still have their place, but the kids are taking charge. Especially this season.
Which six young players, drafted between 2022 and 2025, are making the most noise? Let’s take a look.
Note: Stats accurate through Oct. 19
With seven points in as many games, 20-year-old Connor Bedard has hit the ground running. Should his point-per-game pace on a rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks team stick, he’d enter the high-end star conversation, one step away from a superstar.
Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, Chicago Blackhawks (Steve Roberts-Imagn Images)
It goes without saying that Bedard’s tools are incredible. His shot is dynamic, he is dominant off the rush, and can break down defenses inside the offensive zone. However, he previously struggled to make a substantial impact at 5-on-5. So far, that’s continued this season.
During 5-on-5 action, Bedard has a 41.73% expected goal share, hidden by unsustainable goaltending (.933 save percentage) and finishing (10.63% on-ice shooting percentage; in other words, the Blackhawks’ shot conversion rate when he’s on the ice). He’s not taking other teams to town yet at five-a-side hockey, instead doing a lot of his damage in other situations.
This is simply to provide context, not to discredit what he has done. Bedard will, inevitably, reach superstar status, changing the game at 5-on-5. No matter how you break down his production, it’s still there. Once he gets more talent around him, Chicago will be dangerous.
A few prospect-watchers had left-shot defenseman Zeev Buium as a top-five player in the 2024 NHL Draft. He slipped to 12th, likely due to his smaller size, with the defense-needy Philadelphia Flyers even trading out of the pick. With five points in six games, the 19-year-old is on track to silence the haters.
But that should come with an asterisk, admittedly. All five of Buium’s points have come on the Minnesota Wild’s high-flying power play, undoubtedly benefiting from superstar forward Kirill Kaprizov. The defender’s minus-7 rating definitely doesn’t look good on paper.