Rookie watch: Top performers acquired through trades

The play of several high-profile rookies, including forwards Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils and Kaapo Kakko of the New York Rangers, the No. 1 and No. 2 picks of the 2019 NHL Draft, respectively, is one of the major storylines of the 2019-20 season. Each Monday, NHL.com will examine topics related to this season's class in the Rookie Watch.
The NHL Trade Deadline is seven days away, so this week we look at the top five NHL rookies who arrived at their current team via a trade:

1. Adam Fox, D, New York Rangers (via Carolina Hurricanes on April 30, 2019): Fox was chosen by the Calgary Flames in the third round (No. 66) of the 2016 NHL Draft and traded to the Hurricanes on June 23, 2018. He ranks third among rookie defensemen with 31 points (six goals, 25 assists). The 21-year-old has 13 power-play points (one goal, 12 assists), and leads all NHL rookies with 49 takeaways and is fourth with 75 blocked shots. The Rangers control 52.0 percent of all shots attempted with Fox on the ice at 5-on-5, the highest on the team among players with at least eight games played. He was traded to the Rangers for two draft picks.
"He's smart, patient, really good offensively," Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren said. "I don't think he gets enough credit for the way he can break the puck out and how hard he is to play against defensively."

2. Nick Suzuki, F, Montreal Canadiens (via Vegas Golden Knights on Sept. 10, 2018): Suzuki is first among NHL rookie forwards and third among all rookies with 38 points (12 goals, 26 assists) while averaging 15:57 in ice time. The Canadiens control 51.7 percent of all shots attempted with Suzuki on the ice at 5-on-5. The 20-year-old was acquired by the Canadiens as part of the Max Pacioretty trade on Sept. 10, 2018.
"As the season has gone on, he's just gotten better in all areas because he's a cerebral player," Canadiens coach Claude Julien said. "You tell him once, he gets it. Every little adjustment we've had to make with him to help him transition to becoming a better pro, he's done. You're going to continue to see him get better and that's an encouraging thing for us."

3. Dominik Kubalik, F, Chicago Blackhawks (via Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 24, 2019): Kubalik, acquired by the Blackhawks in a trade with the Kings for a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft on Jan. 24, 2019, is first among NHL rookies with 23 goals and fifth with 36 points. The 24-year-old leads the Blackhawks with 21 even-strength goals and a 17.3 shooting percentage, and is tied with Jonathan Toews for the Chicago lead with three game-winning goals.
"If you look at his goals, I think you'd be surprised at how many he does score from just being at the net, just standing there, being in front; get a rebound, or it goes off you," Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton said. "I'd say most of his goals are either skating off the rush or finding a way to be around the net for a little quick play or a rebound or just jumping on the loose puck."

4. John Marino, D, Pittsburgh Penguins (via Edmonton Oilers on July 26, 2019):The 22-year-old ranks fourth among NHL rookies with 34 takeaways, sixth with 71 blocked shots, 11th with 65 hits and eighth with 25 points (five goals, 20 assists). Marino will miss the next 3-to-6 weeks after having facial surgery on Feb. 10. He was acquired the Penguins in a trade with the Oilers for a conditional pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
5. Ryan Lindgren, D, New York Rangers (via Boston Bruins on March 22, 2018): Lindgren, who turns 22 on Feb. 11, ranks seven among NHL rookie defensemen with blocked shots (56), takeaways (21) and hits (69) while averaging 16:05 in ice time. Lindgren, a second-round pick (No. 49) of the Boston Bruins, was traded to the Rangers, along with forwards Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey, a first-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft and a seventh-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft in exchange for Rick Nash.
Head-to-head comparison(Games through Feb. 15)
Defenseman Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) and a plus-5 rating in his past 10 games and defenseman Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche has nine points (three goals, six assists) and a plus-6 rating in his past 10 games.
Quinn Hughes, D, Vancouver Canucks
Games: 58
G-A-Pts:8-37-45
Shots on goal:109
Avg. ice time:21:41
Telling stat: He has 35 blocked shots, 29 takeaways and six hits.
Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche
Games: 49
G-A-Pts: 12-30-42
Shots on goal:104
Avg. ice time:20:42
Telling stat:He has 42 blocked shots, 31 takeaways, and 39 hits.
Morreale's Calder Trophy frontrunners
1. Cale Makar, D, Colorado Avalanche:Makar is second among NHL rookies with 42 points and 17 power-play points (four goals, 13 assists) and the Avalanche control 51.6 percent of all shots attempted with Makar on the ice at 5-on-5.
2. Quinn Hughes, D, Vancouver Canucks:Hughes is first among NHL rookies with 45 points and 21 power-play points (three goals, 18 assists); he's played nine more games than Makar. The Canucks control 52.1 percent of all shots attempted with Hughes on the ice 5-on-5. He's the second rookie defenseman in NHL history to have four three-assist games in a season (Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins, 1979-80).
3. Elvis Merzlikins, G, Columbus Blue Jackets: He is 8-2-2 with a 1.41 goals-against average, .951 save percentage and five shutouts in his past 12 games (all starts).