October really flew by, didn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n
We knew the Calder Trophy race would be a doozy, and it sure has lived up to expectations. The reigning No. 1 draft pick, Matthew Schaefer, didn\u2019t play a meaningful game of any kind in 2025 before making his debut with the New York Islanders. Suddenly, pundits are questioning whether he should be considered for Canada\u2019s Olympic team while still eligible for the World Juniors.<\/p>\n
The Montreal Canadiens, meanwhile, are one of the hottest teams in the league \u2013 and three youngsters are helping to lead the way. We\u2019ve seen some notable players make it to game No. 10, burning their entry-level contracts earlier than expected \u2013 namely Anaheim\u2019s<\/a> Beckett Sennecke, San Jose<\/a>\u2018s Sam Dickinson and Pittsburgh\u2019s<\/a> Benjamin Kindel.<\/p>\n There\u2019s plenty of quality freshmen making their names known early this season, so let\u2019s look at 10 of the best rookies from the first month of the season.<\/p>\n Schaefer is off to a special start.<\/a> He had eight points in 11 games in October and is coming off an incredible two-goal performance against Columbus on Sunday. He continues to play heavy minutes (as high as 27:40 against Philadelphia on Oct. 25) while being the jack of all trades for the Isles. He\u2019s tracking for 68 points, which would just edge Lane Hutson\u2019s 66-point output a year ago. Don\u2019t be surprised if Schaefer starts tracking closer to 75 sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n Dobes not only had the best numbers by a rookie goalie but was one of the best goaltenders, period. He went 6-0-0 with a .930 save percentage, while his 9.63 goals saved above expected <\/a>was fifth among all goaltenders. Dobes got a bit of a taste of the NHL last year when he took over as backup midway through. But now, he\u2019s outplaying Samuel Montembeault in every notable metric \u2013 and by a long shot. Demidov might have all the points, but Dobes has been absolutely crucial to Montreal\u2019s early-season success. What a start for a guy trying to prove himself.<\/p>\n 3. Ivan Demidov, RW (Montreal Canadiens)<\/p>\n Demidov was the most productive rookie last month, registering nine points in 11 games. He\u2019s been one of Montreal\u2019s most impactful forwards at 5-on-5 production, and he three power-play assists, as well. Demidov is playing with so much confidence, and he\u2019s continuing to prove why his playmaking abilities were loved by scouts back during his time in Russia. If Demidov could figure out how to score, he\u2019d be unstoppable. Right now, he\u2019s living up to the hype \u2013 65-70 points are absolutely on the table.<\/p>\n A hot preseason thrust Finnie into the spotlight \u2013 but was it going to last? For as good as he was during exhibition play, it always felt like the 20-year-old pro rookie was bound to head down to Grand Rapids. Instead, he has stepped up in more ways than anyone could have expected, especially with Patrick Kane out with an injury. Finnie had eight points in October, putting him fourth in team scoring. Given he was taken in the seventh round in 2023, that\u2019s incredible. But a second-to-none work ethic and a boatload of confidence have made Finnie untouchable \u2013 there\u2019s no way they\u2019re sending him down to the AHL now. What a story.<\/p>\n 5. Oliver Kapanen, C (Montreal Canadiens)<\/p>\n Kapanen averaged just 12:24 in ice time last month but absolutely made the most of it. He scored a shorthanded goal against Toronto in the season opener and finished the month with four goals and seven points. He kills penalties, is strong defensively and clearly is finding ways to stay productive with the puck. Kapanen was known for his outstanding shot back in Finland, but he needed some extra seasoning last year to really find his rhythm. Now, Kapanen looks to be a long-term part of Montreal\u2019s bottom-six, a group that\u2019s having plenty of success early this season. Given Kapanen\u2019s production and the role assigned to him, he deserves a ton of love.<\/p>\n Buium was exceptionally productive on the power play, with five of his eight points coming with the man advantage. He\u2019s also averaging 19:37, the third most of any rookie outside of Schaefer and Sam Rinzel. Buium has struggled at 5-on-5, though, which hasn\u2019t totally been his fault. The Wild are still a work in progress, and it\u2019s asking a lot for Buium to be up to snuff while playing so much out of college. That being said, he\u2019s near the top in many metrics among Wild defenders and has started to show a bit more control in his game as of late. There\u2019s absolutely zero reason to be worried about Buium, who should be a serious contender to finish as a finalist.<\/p>\n October was a difficult month for the Blues, but Snuggerud finished with seven points \u2013 tying him for second on the team. He has had plenty of opportunities to play a key role early on given St. Louis\u2019 lack of depth, and he hasn\u2019t disappointed. Snuggerud leads all rookies with four power-play points, and no first-year players have more goals than his four, either. His shot release is among the best you\u2019ll find of any NHL rookie \u2013 look for him to easily pass 20 goals by the time the year is over.<\/p>\n Nikishin had a solid six points in October, putting him on pace for just fewer than 50 over the full season. I think we haven\u2019t seen him close to his full potential yet, though. The Russian blueliner was dominant in the KHL, putting up excellent numbers year after year with SKA St. Petersburg. He has needed a bit of time to get used to the speed of the NHL, but it feels like he\u2019s getting better quite quickly. Nikishin\u2019s decision-making looks improved compared to this time a year ago, and he\u2019s doing an excellent job of adjusting to the physicality, too.<\/p>\n The Devils are an absolute force, and Gritsyuk has looked the part, as well. The Russian winger had six points in 11 games, while also seeing time on the power play. He\u2019s big, built strong and plays with a ton of power, which has helped him contribute at 5-on-5. He\u2019s also one of the top rookie shot generators, even if the goals haven\u2019t come in droves. Given the Devils needed some offensive depth, the 24-year-old has done everything to succeed early on. <\/p>\n