Anton Lundell, F, Florida Panthers:The No. 12 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft has been effective in all areas of the ice, scoring 12 points (five goals, seven assists). He leads NHL rookies with 348 face-offs taken and 159 wins (45.7 percent) playing on a line with left wing Carter Verhaeghe and right wing Anthony Duclair. Lundell averages 16:28 of ice time in 25 games and leads first-year players in even-strength face-off wins (135), defensive-zone wins (172) and shorthanded wins (19). He ranks first among rookie centers with 26 blocked shots and 28 takeaways and is tied for second in penalties drawn (seven).
"He doesn't look like he's a rookie," Florida goalie Sergei Bobrovsky said. "He's very smart. He looks like he plays an experienced game. On the penalty kill, he's been great, and he's been great on the face-offs. He's been a great addition to our team. He's got so much in front of him."
Cole Sillinger, F, Columbus Blue Jackets:Sillinger, the youngest player in the NHL this season (18 years, 218 days), is second among rookies with 117 face-off wins and a winning percentage of 48.0 percent. The No. 12 pick of the 2021 NHL Draft ranks first in power-play face-off wins (11) on 17 opportunities and has scored 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 28 games. Sillinger is averaging 13:51 in ice time playing center, most recently on a line with left wing Gustav Nyquist and right wing Justin Danforth.
Dawson Mercer, F, New Jersey Devils:The No. 18 pick in the 2020 draft ranks sixth among rookies with 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 29 games. Mercer is second in face-offs taken (311) and third in wins (108). He's third in offensive-zone wins (41), tied with Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks for second in power-play face-off wins (eight), fourth in defensive-zone face-off wins (24), and sixth in face-off winning percentage (34.7 percent). The 20-year-old ranks seventh among rookies who've played at least 25 games in shooting percentage (14.0 percent) and the Devils control 51.8 percent of all shots attempted at even strength when he's on the ice.
"I've got a motor that I like to keep going," Mercer said. "I don't like to give anything up or give up on a play. I want to be at my best in all three zones. When you keep going to higher levels, there's only a little difference between each player and you want to be on the right side of that. All those little things matter, and I take pride in doing those things well."
Trevor Zegras, F, Anaheim Ducks:Zegras ranks third in face-offs taken (259) and fourth in wins (107). The 20-year-old, the No. 9 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, is second among rookies with 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists) behind Lucas Raymond of the Detroit Red Wings (28) and first in shots on goal (73). Zegras is averaging 17:08 of ice time playing center with left wing Sonny Milano and right wing Rickard Rakell. The Ducks control 53.0 percent of all shots attempted at 5-on-5 with Zegras on the ice in 30 games. He's scored 20 points (six goals, 14 assists) in his past 17 games, including seven multipoint games.
Jasper Weatherby, F, San Jose Sharks:The fourth-round pick (No. 102) in the 2018 NHL Draft leads rookies with a winning percentage of 49.0 percent, having won 102 draws on 208 opportunities. The 23-year-old has scored six points (two goals, four assists) while averaging 11:52 of ice time in 29 games. Weatherby is fifth among rookie centers with 11 takeaways while playing an effective checking role, winning 64.3 percent of his face-offs in the offensive zone. He's tied for third with 100 even-strength face-off wins and second with 30 defensive-zone wins.
