Sam Reinhart and the 16 Most Exciting Rookies to Watch This NHL Season

The 2014-15 NHL season is well underway, which means an exciting crop of rookies such as Buffalo Sabres prospect Sam Reinhart will have a chance to dazzle us with their amazing skills.

There are rookies already making an impact in the league and a few in the minors—like the recently demoted Reinhart—and overseas knocking on the door.

Here are some of the top rookies to watch this season.

Jake Allen, G, St. Louis Blues

Jake Allen has made his presence felt early this NHL season for the Blues. The 24-year-old ranks first in the NHL with a 1.44 GAA amongst qualified goalies. The team has won four of the five games the young netminder has started this year.

The video above is an excellent representation of the athleticism Allen possesses. This was during a regular-season start against the Flames during his stint with the team a season ago.

Jonathan Drouin, LW, Tampa Bay Lightning

Jonathan Drouin finds himself comfortably on the Lightning's third line this season, and he has notched five points in eight games so far.

As the video above showcases, Drouin has slick moves and excellent control with the puck at his stick. The 19-year-old figures to share time with Steven Stamkos as he develops during the season, making a combination that should be more than lethal for opponents.

Look for Drouin to ignite his game as the season goes forward, making him a potential Calder Trophy winner for the league's best rookie.

Evgeny Kuznetsov, F, Washington Capitals

This season has been a bit of a struggle for Capitals forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, who might be in line for a few games when he is a healthy scratch. Still, there is no denying the talent the 22-year-old possesses—the nines points he tallied in 17 games last year is proof enough. Check out the video above if you have doubts.

Kuznetsov, the Russian who was drafted 26th overall in 2010 by Washington, certainly has what it takes to be a presence on the power play and a top-six forward as the season progresses. 

Filip Forsberg, C, Nashville Predators

Peaking at the top of the +/- leaders heading into Friday's games, Filip Forsberg would be cemented alone at the top. The young center has been outstanding for the Predators on both sides of the ice this season. He carries five goals and eight assists in just 13 games.

Forsberg certainly has a nose for the net, as his first career NHL goal showcased on the power play a year ago.

Griffin Reinhart, D, New York Islanders

Griffin Reinhart, the brother of the aforementioned Sam Reinhart, was up for a cup of coffee earlier in the season for the Islanders, sharing third-pairing minutes in a three-game dress rehearsal.

Reinhart—New York's top prospect—has great size, is a budding talent and good bloodlines, according to a scouting report by Hockey's Future. When he was drafted fourth overall in 2012, analysts oozed over his large frame and family history.

With a bit more seasoning, Reinhart is poised to make an impact for the Islanders later in the season.

Johnny Gaudreau, C, Calgary Flames

Johnny Gaudreau is the little engine that could. At a tiny 5'9", 160 pounds, this fourth-rounder has defied the odds to become a legitimate top prospect and NHL regular.

Gaudreau ranks fourth on the Flames with nine points in 14 games. He has explosive speed and the ability to stick handle in the tightest of situations. The video above is a display of that ridiculous stick-handling prowess.

Tanner Pearson, LW, Los Angeles Kings

What better place to start your rookie season than with defending Stanley Cup champions Los Angeles Kings? Pearson contributed to that Stanley Cup victory, tallying 12 points in 24 playoff games.

Certainly, Pearson is making the most of his opportunity, exploding for seven goals in 14 games, which is good enough for sixth in the league.

What makes Pearson—a first-round pick in 2012—a great player is his tireless work ethic, as represented by the setup for Jeff Carter in the video above.

Teuvo Teravainen, C, Chicago Blackhawks

Just like Pearson, the Blackhawks' Teuvo Teravainen finds himself in a great situation for a young rookie. The forward was assigned to the Rockford Icehogs of the AHL in October, but he will look to join the club when the first opportunity to do so comes along.

Teravainen, who has registered seven points with the Icehogs in 10 games, needs to work on his overall game—especially defensively—before he makes the jump to the big club.

However, as this video of his no-look pass during the team's recent rookie tournament points out, this kid's got skills.

Leon Draisaitl, Center, Edmonton Oilers

Just like the team he plays for, it's been a slow start for this year's third overall pick, Leon Draisaitl. He's tallied four points in the 14 games he's played thus far and sports a horrific -6.

That may be a team symptom more than anything, given the Oilers rank dead last in the Western Conference with nine points heading into Friday's games.

It's that fact that may keep Draisaitl up with the big club, forcing him to grow into his role. He definitely has the talent to do just that, possessing great offensive instincts and NHL size.

It's only a matter of time before he starts making plays like the one in the video above on a more consistent basis.

Curtis Lazar, C, Ottawa Senators

Curtis Lazar received great news recently. According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, Lazar will be kept with the big club.

The forward has notched a meager four points in 10 games this season but has displayed the two-way skills that made him such an intriguing prospect for Ottawa.

There's definitely some offensive skills Lazar has yet to display, as his WHL highlights from a few seasons ago demonstrate.

Aaron Ekblad, D, Florida Panthers

This season's first overall pick, Aaron Ekblad, has looked solid for the Florida Panthers in his first 11 games with the club. There's plenty to like already from a guy who logged nearly 24 minutes of ice time in his last start against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Ekblad will continue to get more comfortable in his role with the Panthers and seems poised to turn heads similar to how Pittsburgh Penguins defensemen Olli Maatta did last season.

There's a reason the Panthers took the 6'4", 216-pounder with the first overall pick. His wicked slap shot in the video above speaks for itself.

Damon Severson, D, New Jersey Devils

When the Devils brass kept Damon Severson in New Jersey, none of them would have expected the defensemen to arguably be the best rookie thus far this season.

The 20-year-old has been killing it for the Devils, leading all rookie defensemen in points (eight) and in +/- (+5) in the young campaign.

NJ.com even posted a poll asking fans if they would start a team with Severson as their first pick. Maybe that's going a bit overboard, but Severson's performances have been worthy of the praise they have received, including from his coach.

Andre Burakovsky, LW, Washington Capitals

Kuznetsov isn't the only Washington rookie making waves. Andre Burakovsky has in many ways outperformed his rookie running mate and currently ranks fourth among rookies with eight points.

However, Burakovsky has hit a rough patch after scoring six points in six games.

It'll be up to Burakovsky to improve in his role. Expect the young winger to struggle slightly as more defensive responsibility is placed on him. That being said, like all the rookies on this list, the talent is there.

Linden Vey, RW, Vancouver Canucks

Linden Vey is another player who was drafted in the later rounds (fourth round in 2009) and eventually found his way to the NHL. Drafted by the Kings, he was traded earlier this year for a second-round pick because he would have needed to make a stacked Kings roster or be placed on waivers, according to Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times.

Vey is making the most of his time with the Canucks, notching seven points in 14 games. He scored his first NHL goal of his career against the Islanders on October 11, which can be seen in the video above.

If Vey isn't scoring or generating points, he'll be able to kill penalties and play a solid two-way game, making him a strong NHL rookie this year.

Markus Granlund, C, Calgary Flames

Markus Granlund has burst into the NHL after his recent call-up, posting three points in four games. It was more of the same from Granlund in the first games of his NHL career last year, during which he racked up three points in seven games.

With that production, it's going to be hard to keep the 45th overall pick of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft out of Calgary.

Sam Reinhart, C, Buffalo Sabres

Sam Reinhart didn't get the results he wanted during his first nine games in Buffalo before being sent back down to juniors.

With the Sabres arguably being the worst team in the league, it's not hard to imagine the center being called up again before the season is up.

Reinhart, the second overall pick in this year's draft, was given instructions on how to improve his game in the juniors, according to Mike Matisz of Sabres 101. Reinhart disclosed his need to improve his game in the article:

"

Obviously you knew it was going to be a challenge. It’s the best thing in the world, and to try and make the jump is difficult. The biggest thing I’ve tried to focus on and learned is the pace and intensity. It’s not as much the speed skating up and down the ice—it’s the overall speed and intensity with the puck. To want the puck, that’s the biggest thing I’ve learned.

"

The puck at Reinhart's stick can be a very lethal thing, as the video above proves.

Rookie of the Year Contenders

Saed Hindash/The Star-Ledger

Damon Severson is top contender for the Calder Trophy early this season

There are a lot of exciting young rookies in the NHL this season. While some may take a while to define their games at the lower levels, look for them to make an impact in the NHL in the very near future.

The front-runner for the Calder Trophy has to be the Devils' Damon Severson, with Nashville's Fillip Forsberg right on his tail. His comfort and poise in the New Jersey system, along with his point production, has made him a valuable asset to his club in the early going.

All statistics courtesy of NHL.com