The Ducks Cam Fowler - John Lewis
It is rare to see a group of rookies succeed at the level that the rookie class of 2011 did last season. What is more uncommon is for them continue to be productive at the same level the next year. Hurricanes C Jeff Skinner, Islanders RW Michael Grabner, Ducks D Cam Fowler and Sharks C Logan Couture have managed to make names for themselves at the NHL level.
Jeff Skinner, last season’s Calder Trophy winner, is only 19 years old and has become Carolina’s biggest scoring threat, partly due to consistent standout Eric Staal’s slow start. Not only did he win the NHL Rookie of the Year Award, but he was also the sole rookie to be selected to the All-Star Game. Skinner’s clutch scoring and quick shot make him a threat to score at any time, particularly when the game is on the line which is what any player wants in a teammate.
“He’s a good kid. He’s got a smile on his face,” said Eric Staal. “He competes, he works. … That’s all you can ask for out of a young guy.”
But Skinner isn’t your typical young guy. After scoring 31 goals and assisting on 32 others, Skinner led all rookies with 63 points last season. Through 26 games Skinner has 22 points, 10 of which are goals. He is on pace to finish this season with 31 goals and 38 assists which would lead his team
Michael Grabner is the oldest of the four outstanding second-year players at 24 years of age. His speed, ability to place his shots anywhere he wants as well as his toughness make him the all-around threat every team desires. Last season Grabner won the NHL Fastest Skater Competition and he led all rookies with 34 goals in only 76 games. Grabner also had 18 assists which placed him 3rd among rookies with 52 points. He was a finalist for the Calder Trophy last year.
"Michael showed last season that he is an elite player in this league," Islanders general manager Garth Snow said in a statement. "In addition to providing speed and skill to our offence, he's worked hard to elevate the defensive side of his game to become an all-around player."
This season, Grabner is on pace to score 26 goals and assist 15 more. But Grabner has the chance to score goals every night as last year he scored 16 times in 15 games over a 30-day span. So don’t be surprised to see the young star reach 30 or even 40 goals.
Cam Fowler was selected 12th overall in last year’s draft by Anaheim and the Ducks were in need of his services along the blue line. He’s one of the few defensemen with the ability to skate like a forward in order to move the puck out of his zone. In 76 games last season, Fowler scored 10 goals and had 30 assists which made him Anaheim’s second-highest scoring defenseman. Fowler also managed to spend a mere 20 minutes in the penalty box last season.
“It’s crazy what a year did to Cam,” Ducks Left Winger Devante Smith-Pelly said. “He’s a lot more mature, you can tell. He’s bigger, he’s stronger, and he’s faster. He was obviously a great player coming into this team and no seeing him for a year and then coming back and seeing him every day, you can tell he’s gotten a lot better and a lot more mature.”
Ducks coach Randy Carlyle has stressed the idea of expecting more from Fowler as he matures, but we should expect to see him score roughly 10 goals and have 36 assists to his credit this season.
Logan Couture has worked his way up to top-six status with the San Jose Sharks. Starting his career with a stellar rookie year has caused the entire league to take notice of the youngster’s skills. He scored 32 goals and added 24 assists last year in 79 games. Couture also finished with a +18 rating for the season, 5th among rookies last year and 2nd on the Sharks. But Couture isn’t all about offense either; he’s regarded as a solid two-way forward who doesn’t shy away from getting physical.
In regards to Couture’s value to the team, captain Joe Thornton said “"No argument, he was great from the start.”
Logan Couture could easily become a top-twenty scorer in the NHL in a matter of just a few years given his all-around performance, and playing with fellow stars Ryane Clowe and Marty Havlat certainly doesn’t hurt his chances. Couture is on pace to score roughly 30 goals and 30 assists once again this season.