Players Whose Rookie Years Were Their Best

[TRG]

Kjell Dahlin

Still the best rookie season by a Montreal Canadien.

 

[amnesiac]

Tyler Myers
Nail Yakupov

Kjell Dahlin

Still the best rookie season by a Montreal Canadien.

Chelios

 

[TRG]

Tyler Myers
Nail Yakupov


Chelios

Yeah, you're correct. I meant in terms of points.

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.

Came into the league as an 18-year old and produced at a pace that was only eclipsed once in the 13 subsequent seasons when he leeched off the McDrai on the best PP in league history.

His offensive creativity and sheer talent peaked that first season.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Petr Prucha put up 30 goals in 68 games during his rookie season:

Petr Prucha Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Statistics of Petr Prucha, a hockey player from Chrudim, Czech Rep. born Sep 14 1982 who was active from 2001 to 2013.

www.hockeydb.com

I wonder who else has been around long enough to remember the Prucha > Crosby thread?

 

[SillyRabbit]

Joe Juneau
Dion Phaneuf
Marek Svatos

 

[ijuka]

Selanne is probably the most obvious.

Best season isn't the same thing as season played during the era with the highest league-wide scoring.

 

[HabsQC]

Cory Conacher

 

[carjackmalone]

Dino Cicarelli
Steve Penny
Doug Wickenheiser
Wendel Clark
Jimmy Carson
Anton and Marian Stastny
Blair MacDonald

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

podkolzin’s rookie season

2021-22	20	VAN	NHL	RW	79	14	12	26	+7

every game he’s played since

2023-2025	21-23	EDM,VAN	RW	79	4	10	14	-11

 

[Bizz]

Jeff Jillson

 

[Paul4587]

Selanne is probably the most obvious.

Selanne had much better years than his rookie year which looks a lot more dominant than it is due to insane scoring levels that year. He finished 1st in goals and 2nd in points only behind a dominant Jagr in 1998-99.

 

[Albatros]

Yeah, Selänne had at least three seasons in Anaheim better than his rookie season in Winnipeg.

 

[Rorschach]

Selanne is the answer. He had an insane first season and then a skate through his Achilles tendon and he was never, ever the same. He had top five GOAT potential.