Islanders' Barzal rises to top of rookie scoring leaders
Mathew Barzal is the NHL's most productive rookie since the beginning of November, and he's vaulted to the top of the rookie scoring leaders as a result.
The New York Islanders forward recorded a goal and an assist in a loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday, giving him a total of four goals and 15 assists in 15 games since Nov. 1.
Those 19 points are the most among all rookies in that period of time, with Vancouver's Brock Boeser (16 points in 17 games) and Chicago's Alex DeBrincat (14 points in 15 games) trailing just behind.
Arizona's Clayton Keller was tabbed as the early Calder Trophy favorite, but he's cooled off a bit and Boeser is the standout at the moment, averaging a point per game. Barzal's 0.96 average isn't far behind, though, and the rookie-of-the-year race is shaping up to be a tight one.
| Player | Team | Games | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathew Barzal | Islanders | 27 | 7 | 19 | 26 |
| Brock Boeser | Canucks | 24 | 13 | 12 | 25 |
| Clayton Keller | Coyotes | 30 | 11 | 12 | 23 |
Barzal is the fourth rookie in Islanders history to reach the 25-point mark through the first 27 games of a season, following Mike Bossy, Pat LaFontaine, and Bryan Trottier, according to NHL PR.
Barzal was selected 16th overall in 2015 with a pick acquired from Edmonton.