The Colorado Avalanche are lucky to have rookie Gabriel Landeskog in their line-up this season. The 19 year old Swede has been exceptional this season for Colorado. He leads the Avalanche with 21 goals and 26 assists so far this season. It is no surprise that he was the Avalanche’s 2nd overall pick in the 2011 NHL draft and he showing everyone in the NHL just what he is capable of.
He’s not just scoring goals. He’s scoring game winning goals. Landeskog has stepped up in a way that no one could have predicted. With 5 game winning goals so far this season including an amazing overtime goal the other night.
Landeskog leads all NHL rookie in goals and his closest competition is Matt Read of the Philadelphia Flyers. Read has had a surprising season with 20 goals and 21 assists. The 25 year old was undrafted and he signed with the Flyers last March. He also has an impressive 5 game winning goals this season.
In the race for rookie of the year we can’t forget Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The 18 year old was picked 1st overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2011 NHL draft. Hopkins was plagued with injury this season which resulted in him only being able to play 51 games. He has 18 goals and 27 assists for an impressive total of 45 points. Hopkins is the first 18 year old to record 5 assists in a single game and if he would of went injury free this season who knows how many more points he could of had.
This is a look at the 3 front runners in the race for rookie of the year. With the end of the season drawing near Gabriel Landeskog remains in the lead but it wouldn’t take much for Matt Read or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to catch him. Only time will tell.
I do not see this as a 3 player race anymore. It must be RNH vs Landeskog.
I am stunned how this little kid, RNH, always are involved in scoring, and pretty soon, I think that I’d rather defend Datsyuk or Malkin in my defensive zone, than RNH.
Extreme vision, speed, mind and skill and a great quick wrist shot. If it was not for the unfortunate injuries, RNH would most likely be a “no brainer” for Calder.
Landeskog has a great body frame that allows him to play a real physical game, great speed and grit, plays great in any kind of special team, as well as in 5-5. And he have shown that he can play to the last second of the game. In my book he is the real complete power package.
Landeskog have impressively played all games so far, and have just been better and better, especially after Feb16, when I also predicted he would go from a 0.5pt/game to 1.0pt/game.
Please do not compare these to in a way that one is better than the other, because both players represent the very best of this years NHL hockey future, and I will be a proud fan of both, who ever gets the Calder Trophy award.
Both these players are going to get multiple awards in the future, many times at the same ceremony too. Glad they have become better friends than many of their fans are.
I have tickets to go and see RNH in his last game of the season in Vancouver BC the 7th of April. I attended Landeskogs debut game in Denver CO the 8th of Oct, so then I will be fair and square with them both.
// Fan of young players in Avalanche, Oilers, Devils, Senators, Canucks, Red Wings
Just had the same argument on http://www.thenewspeakeasy.com it has to be Landeskog hands down IMO if the AVS grab the last playoff spot. BTW, great site.