We'll break things down into three separate pieces (goaltenders, defencemen, forwards) and get things started with the men between the pipes.
Joey Daccord
It's safe to say not many people will forget Daccord's first NHL win. In a game in which he wasn't meant to start, Daccord was informed during warmups on March 14 that he'll be getting the nod against the Toronto Maple Leafs. With almost no time to mentally prepare, Daccord was spectacular, making 36 saves in a 4-3 victory.
It would be Daccord's only win of the season in the NHL as over eight contests, including six starts, he went 1-3-1 with a 3.27 GAA and a .897 save percentage. His season came to an end March 17 when he suffered an ankle injury against Vancouver.
The 24-year-old also made two starts in the AHL with Belleville in February.
Filip Gustavsson
Gustavsson burst onto the scene this season, getting thrown into action with even less preparation than Daccord got ahead of his first NHL win. The Swede replaced Daccord on March 17 in the third period, making his NHL debut in the process. He'd almost pull off the win as the Sens fell in a shootout but he didn't have to wait much longer to rectify that.
He'd get his first NHL win in his first NHL start (a 2-1 win over Calgary on March 22) and finished the season with a 5-1-2 record in nine games while tallying a 2.16 GAA and .933 save percentage.
The 22-year-old also played 13 times for Belleville, going 5-7-1 with a 2.86 GAA alongside a .910 save percentage. And let's not forget that Gustavsson actually started his 2020-21 season in Sweden with Sodertalje of the HockeyAllsvenskan where he went 11-7 in 19 games.
Kevin Mandolese
In his first pro year, Mandolese made nine starts as he put up a 3-6 record with an .888 save percentage and 4.03 GAA with Belleville.
The 20-year-old claimed his first pro win thanks to a 43-save performance against the Toronto Marlies on March 19.
Leevi Meriläinen
The Finnish netminder, still only 18, spent the season with Karpat's U20 side where he came one win away from winning the championship after falling 2-1 in Game 3 of the SM-sarja final.
With a save percentage of .934 in 22 games, Meriläinen was named to the league's Second All-Star team.
Mads Sogaard
It's safe to say Sogaard made his presence known in his first pro season.
He started the year in his native Denmark where he guided the Esbjerg Energy within two victories of the Metal Ligaen final. Over 16 regular-season contests, he notched a 10-5-1 record while posting team highs in save percentage (.922), which was also a league high, and in GAA (2.58).
After finishing his season with the Energy, Sogaard, who penned his NHL entry-level deal on April 13, went on to make seven starts with Belleville going a perfect 7-0 in the process. The 20-year-old tallied a .917 save percentage alongside a 2.40 GAA as he finished his season in style.
