Last year's Calder Trophy winner, Lane Hutson, has shown his rookie NHL season was no fluke, and Macklin Celebrini has dominated. Other players, such Matvei Michkov, have the sophomore slump.
Most of the rookies who burst into the NHL with highly productive seasons last year are thriving as sophomores.
Many are headed toward stardom, headed by San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, Anaheim Ducks right winger Cutter Gauthier and Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson.
Two rookies from last year – center Logan Stankoven and right winger Jackson Blake – have played important roles in helping the Carolina Hurricanes tie for the NHL's Eastern Conference lead with 78 points at the Olympic break.
Philadelphia Flyers right winger Matvei Michkov, Detroit Red Wings center Marco Kasper and New Jersey Devils right winger Maxim Tsyplakov are second-year players who had impressive rookie seasons but have had significant scoring dips. They have about one-third of the season left to turn around their year.
Here's a look at last year's leading rookie producers – ranked by how many points they scored in 2024-25 – and how their sophomore seasons are going:
1. Lane Hutson, D, Montreal Canadiens
Last season: 6 goals, 66 points (tops among rookies)
2025-26 stats: 10 goals, 58 points
2025-26 pace: 14 goals, 83 points
Hutson is showing last year wasn't a fluke as he has helped the Canadiens post the third-most points in the Eastern Conference. An Illinois native, Hutson's 48 assists tie him for second among NHL defensemen.
2. Matvei Michkov, RW, Philadelphia Flyers
Last season: 26 goals, 63 points (tied for second among rookies)
2025-26 stats: 13 goals, 29 points
2025-26 pace: 19 goals, 42 points
Michkov, 21, reportedly came into camp out of shape and is on pace for just 19 goals – seven fewer than last season. The Russian has struggled with consistency, and his dropoff has contributed to the Flyers' so-so season, one in which they are in danger of missing the playoffs for the sixth straight year.
3. Macklin Celebrini, C, San Jose Sharks
Last season: 25 goals, 63 points (tied for second among rookies)
2025-26 stats: 28 goals, 81 points
2025-26 pace: 42 goals, 121 points.
Celebrini is fourth in the NHL in points and is still only 19. He is on pace to pass Sidney Crosby's No. 6 spot among the highest-scorers in their sophomore season in NHL history, per statmuse.com. Crosby recorded 120 in 2006-07. In addition, Celebrini has become much more responsible on defense.
4. Will Smith, LW, San Jose Sharks
Last season: 18 goals, 45 points (fourth among rookies)
2025-26 stats: 17 goals, 39 points
2025-26 pace: 27 goals, 64 points
Smith, 20, is just one goal away from his total last season (18), and the Sharks have 27 games remaining. He has excelled despite missing 13 games with an injury. The former Boston College star and Celebrini are part of a lethal line.
5. Cutter Gauthier, RW/LW, Anaheim Ducks
Last season: 20 goals, 44 points (fifth among rookies)
2025-26 stats: 25 goals, 49 points
2025-26 pace: 37 goals, 72 points
Gauthier is making Flyers fans ill because he is just the type of sniper their team needs. Traded from Philadelphia for Jamie Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick two years ago, Gauthier has already surpassed his goal total from last season and leads the Ducks in goals, points and game-winning scores (4).
6. Logan Stankoven, C, Carolina Hurricanes
Last season: 14 goals, 38 points (sixth among rookies)
2025-26 stats:10 goals, 25 points
2025-26 pace: 14 goals, 36 points
Stankoven, who came to Carolina last year as part of the blockbuster deal that sent Mikko Rantanen to Dallas, has been a steady performer in his first full season with the Hurricanes. He has played well in 5-on-5 situations this season.
7. Marco Kasper, LW, Detroit Red Wings
Last season: 19 goals, 37 points (seventh among rookies)
2025-26 stats: 6 goals, 13 points
2025-26 pace: 8 goals, 18 points
Kasper plays with noticeable physicality, but he went through a two-and-a-half-month goal-scoring drought this season. It was puzzling because he finished so strongly last year – during a three-month stretch late in the year, he led NHL rookies with 17 goals and finished with 19. The Red Wings are hoping he regains his scoring touch in their last 24 games.
8. Zachary Bolduc, RW, Montreal Canadiens
Last season: 19 goals, 36 points (eighth among rookies)
2025-26 stats: 10 goals, 23 points
2025-26 pace: 14 goals, 33 points
Acquired from St. Louis in the summer, Bolduc hasn't been as potent as he was with the Blues, but he has shown flashes of offensive skill. Still, his name has reportedly surfaced in trade talks.
9. Maxim Tsyplakov, RW, New Jersey Devils
Last season: 10 goals, 35 points (ninth among rookies)
2025-26 stats: 1 goal, 2 points
2025-26 pace: 1 goal, 3 points
After a promising rookie season, Tsyplakov has been a big disappointment, playing in just 31 games. Late last month, the Islanders traded him to the Devils for two draft picks (third-rounder in 2026, sixth-rounder in 2027) and veteran Ondrej Palat. Tsyplakov's solid rookie year led to the Islanders signing him to a two-year contract in the summer, but his struggles caused them to drop his ice time from 14:58 to 9:39 per game.
10. Jackson Blake, RW, Carolina Hurricanes
Last season: 17 goals, 34 points (10th among rookies)
2025-26 stats: 16 goals, 33 points
2025-26 pace: 23 goals, 47 points
Blake had a solid rookie season and was rewarded with an eight-year, $45 million contract. He is showing it was a good investment. Tenacious on the puck, the 22-year-old has carved out a role on the top-six with his consistent play.
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