This season NHL has
presented some sensational rookies on the ice. Already one year before the 2016
NHL-draft the speculations about who will be selected first overall was heavily
pointing towards the young American center Auston Matthews. Due to his date of
birth, he was not eligible in the 2015-draft, being two days too young. Ever
since he has been topping charts and scout reports, making it no surprise at
all that he got picked first overall in the 2016-draft by Toronto Maple Leafs.
Matthews became the first U.S.-born player drafted first since Patrick Kane in
2007. Winning two U-18 World Junior Championship gold medals playing for the
USA, the expectations for Matthews were high for his first NHL season, and so
far he has delivered with his incredible play reading and raw skill. In the
first game of the season, Auston Matthews showed everyone he was ready for the
big league by scoring all of Toronto's four goals in their 4-3 win against
Ottawa Senators, making history by being the only player who has managed to
score four goals in his NHL debut match.
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| Nylander (L) and Matthews (R) are two of the many brilliant rookie players around (AP) |
