5 NHL rookies who've grabbed our attention early - and why

The 2025-26 NHL rookie group is star-studded and deep. Any serious Calder Trophy debate can be put on hold this early into the season though. Let's instead discuss what we've seen so far from five particularly intriguing rookies.

Ivan Demidov, Canadiens

The Demidov intrigue revolves around his silky playing style and high ceiling. He offers a level of offensive genius the Canadiens simply don't have elsewhere in their lineup or pipeline, and one day, he might reach 100 points.

Demidov leads all rookies with nine points despite playing almost exclusively with solid yet unremarkable players in Alex Newhook and Oliver Kapanen at five-on-five and skating for just 13:47 a night overall. The 19-year-old was recently elevated to the top power-play unit and is now its main playmaker.

Demidov is a patient, possession-loving winger in all game states. He protects the puck through evasive spins, speed differentials, and manipulative dekes. He prioritizes high-quality scoring chances and also lives for the big moments. His game-tying goal against the Kraken captures his brilliance well.

Demidov won't be challenging for the Selke Trophy anytime soon, but he's putting in the effort on defense. His active stick has produced a few turnovers.

As for an area of improvement, Demidov needs to start shooting the puck more often. He's averaging 2.7 shot attempts and 0.9 shots on goal per game. He's become predictable to goalies by almost always opting for the pass.

Emmitt Finnie, Red Wings

Thirteen members of the 2023 draft class have appeared in 10 or more NHL games. Eleven were selected in the first round. Another, Gavin Brindley, went early in the second, 34th overall to Columbus. The other dude is Finnie, who heard Detroit call his name in the seventh round, pick 201 of 224.

Making the NHL as a seventh-rounder is a rare feat. Excelling in a first-line role on a team with playoff aspirations as a 20-year-old seventh-rounder is exceptional.

But Finnie's done it, and the 6-foot-1, 190-pound left-winger is tied for second in rookie scoring with eight points (four goals, four assists) in 10 games. Every shift, he takes care of his own end, pushes pace, drives the net, and finds quiet ice alongside Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond on the Red Wings' top line.

As Raymond put it recently, Finnie's flourished in large part due to self-awareness and attention to detail. The Lethbridge, Alberta, native knows what he must do as the worker bee on a highly skilled line and simply gets after it.

"When you come in as a kid, you're so focused on the big picture, whether that's points or whatever, and you can forget about the details that actually make you successful," Raymond said of the typical rookie mindset. "But he's figured out his role, and he's doing all of the right things out there. He puts himself in the right spots to be successful, and that's really all you can do."

Arseny Gritsyuk, Devils

Gritsyuk is getting more comfortable with each passing game, and Devils coach Sheldon Keefe has rewarded the progress. The Russian winger logged 9:52 in his debut, 12:24 in his fifth game, and 15:35 in his 10th on Tuesday.

In Gritsyuk, New Jersey's inserted a much-needed shoot-first righty into its top nine and a player type that can be matched with any existing duo. The 24-year-old's spent most of his five-on-five minutes with either the second (Nico Hischier, Timo Meier) or third line (Cody Glass, Connor Brown).

Gritsyuk owns a wicked release and will be counted on to score over his career. However, as the clip below shows, there's a edginess to his game.

The Devils drafted the high-motor Gritsyuk in the fifth round of the 2019 draft. He put up 44 points in 49 KHL games for SKA St. Petersburg last season before signing a one-year entry-level contract with New Jersey in May.

The native of Krasnoyarsk - one of the largest cities in Siberia - is very active on the messaging app Telegram. Gritsyuk provides regular detailed updates on life in North America to family and friends, recently sharing photos of his Halloween costume, the team plane, a Chipotle order, and his daughter.

Alexander Nikishin, Hurricanes

Nikishin, who turned 24 on Oct. 2, is a 6-foot-3, 218-pound defenseman. He had arguably the best game of his young career Tuesday night in Carolina's loss to Vegas, recording four shots on goal, three hits, three blocked shots, and one desperate goal-line save in a game-high 27:33.

Nikishin's still learning English, adjusting to the NHL grind, and adapting to the Hurricanes' system. Yet, the club's outscored the opposition 12-4 with him on the ice during five-on-five action. Being on the right side of 75% of the goals over a nine-game stretch is impressive stuff for any player, let alone a rookie.

A former KHL teammate of Gritsyuk's, Nikishin was once viewed as the No. 1 blue-line prospect on the planet. He was named 2023-24 KHL defenseman of the year and captained SKA for two seasons. Nikishin's in the final season of a two-year deal with the Canes after a four-game cameo in the 2025 playoffs.

It's a safe bet that Nikishin will be a top-four force for 10-15 years. He brings mobility, physicality, and a heavy shot (he reached 98.97 mph recently).

Matthew Schaefer, Islanders

All recent first overall picks are intriguing by default, so Schaefer was always going to be one to watch. That baseline interest has morphed into wide-eyed fascination nine games in because Schaefer looks like the next great NHL defenseman - someone primed to consistently contend for the Norris Trophy.

Barely 18 years old, Schaefer pairs explosive skating with an elite hockey brain to impact virtually every aspect of the game. At even strength, he's active and aggressive with and without the puck in all three zones. On special teams, he's showing signs of grasping the nuances of killing penalties and of running a top power-play unit. Schaefer and Islanders center Mat Barzal feed off each other so well, having quickly developed a potent give-and-go schtick.

Schaefer's usage is bananas; he's logging 23:15 a night, which is the highest time on ice among all Isles by two minutes and highest among NHL rookies by three minutes. His shot profile is wacky, too; he's recorded both the most shot attempts and most shots on goal among rookies and sits seventh among all NHL defensemen in attempts per 60 minutes. He is, in a word, overwhelming.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter/X (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email ([email protected]).