The 10 Best Rookie Seasons in the NHL over the Past 20 Years

As the NHL's 2015-16 season approaches, considerable attention is on rookies Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and Jack Eichel of the Buffalo Sabres. Both are considered potential franchise players, prompting anticipation over the impact of their big-league debuts.

The pair will inevitably draw comparison to past NHL rookies and their first-year achievements. Among the most notable were the debuts of Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby and Washington Capitals left wing Alexander Ovechkin (both pictured above) in 2005-06. Reaching that level of rookie greatness is a significant challenge for McDavid and Eichel.

Here's a look at the 10 best NHL rookie seasons since 1994-95. Rookie stats, awards and impact upon their respective teams are among the achievements factored into the compilation. Feel free to voice your opinion in the comment section below.

10. Scott Gomez, New Jersey Devils, 1999-2000

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Rookie season: Center Scott Gomez made his NHL debut with the New Jersey Devils in 1999-2000. In 82 games, he scored 19 goals and tallied 51 assists for 70 points. 

Notable factors: Gomez finished second among Devils scorers and was the league's rookie scoring leader, earning the Calder Trophy in 2000. He set the team record for points by a rookie, led the Devils in assists and tied for eighth among the league leaders in that category. Gomez also helped the Devils win the 2000 Stanley Cup.

Why it's among the best: Setting a team record and finishing among the team and league leaders in assists is an impressive debut for any rookie. It's particularly noteworthy considering Gomez ranked eighth in ice time among Devils forwards. That season marked the first of four 70-plus point seasons for the Alaskan-born center.

9. Dany Heatley, Atlanta Thrashers, 2001-02

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Rookie season: Dany Heatley's NHL career began in 2001-02 with the Atlanta Thrashers. He tallied 26 goals, 41 assists and 67 points in 82 games.  

Notable factors: Heatley led all NHL rookies in scoring, which earned him the Calder Trophy. He was also the Thrashers' leader in assists and points, setting a franchise record in both categories.

Why it's among the best: Skating alongside fellow rookie and Calder runner-up Ilya Kovalchuk, Heatley enjoyed a splendid NHL debut. It's no small achievement for a rookie to lead his team in scoring. Over the course of the decade, Heatley became one of the league's elite scorers.

8. Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks, 2000-01

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Rookie season: Goaltender Evgeni Nabokov's first full NHL season was in 2000-01 with the San Jose Sharks. In 66 games, he compiled a record of 32 wins, 21 losses and seven ties, with a 2.19 goals-against average, a .915 save percentage and six shutouts.

Notable factors: Nabokov's stellar goaltending earned him the 2001 Calder Trophy. He was also among that season's top 10 netminders in games played, goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts. He finished fourth in Vezina Trophy voting.

Why it's among the best: It's challenging for a rookie goaltender to fill a starter's role, but Nabokov was up to the task. His performance lifted the Sharks to 95 points (an eight-point improvement over the previous season) and a second-place finish in the Pacific Division. Nabokov would spend nine seasons as the Sharks' starting goalie, setting several franchise records in the process.

7. Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators, 1995-96

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Rookie season: Daniel Alfredsson made his NHL debut with the Ottawa Senators in 1995-96. In 82 games, Alfredsson tallied 26 goals and 35 assists for 61 points. 

Notable factors: Alfredsson's efforts earned him the 1996 Calder Trophy. He was the league's rookie scoring leader and the Senators' leading scorer. 

Why it's among the best: Four years after the Senators joined the NHL, Alfredsson's performance provided a welcome ray of hope for a franchise that was still struggling to find its way. Despite the limited depth surrounding Alfie, he still put up solid rookie numbers. His lead-by-example style would eventually make him the Senators captain and franchise player. 

6. Peter Forsberg, Quebec Nordiques, 1994-95

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Rookie season: Center Peter Forsberg began his NHL career with the Quebec Nordiques during the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season. In 47 games, Forsberg scored 15 goals and 35 assists for 50 points.

Notable factors: Forsberg was the 1995 Calder Trophy winner, finishing as the league's rookie scoring leader. He also finished second among Nordiques scorers, and was among the league leaders in assists and points. 

Why it's among the best: Forsberg's rookie accomplishments took place during a shortened season, but they're no less impressive. He wasted little time adapting to the NHL game, quickly establishing himself as a rising star. It was the start of a career that carried Forsberg to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

5. Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins, 2006-07

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Rookie season: Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin made his NHL debut in 2006-07. He scored 33 goals and added 52 assists for 85 points in 78 games. 

Notable factors: The second overall pick in the 2004 NHL draft, Malkin's performance in 2006-07 earned him the Calder Trophy. He was the leading rookie scorer, finished second among the Penguins' scoring leaders and was among the league's top-20 scorers. 

Why it's among the best: As Jaromir Jagr complemented Mario Lemieux during the Penguins' 1990s glory years, so did Malkin with Sidney Crosby. His arrival gave the Penguins a formidable offensive duo that still exists today, and hastened the club's rise to Stanley Cup contention. Malkin also emerged from Crosby's shadow as an NHL superstar in his own right. 

4. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks, 2007-08

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Rookie season: Patrick Kane made his debut with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2007-08. He tallied 21 goals and 51 assists for 72 points in 82 games. 

Notable factors: The first overall pick in the 2007 NHL draft, Kane went on to win the 2008 Calder Trophy. He was both the top rookie scorer and the Blackhawks' leading scorer. His 51 assists ranked among the league leaders.

Why it's among the best: Kane wasted no time establishing himself as a star on the rebuilding Blackhawks, becoming one of their core players. He quickly developed into an offensive force to be reckoned with. Kane would be a key component in the Blackhawks' rise from bottom feeder to three-time Stanley Cup champion.

3. Steve Mason, Columbus Blue Jackets, 2008-09

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Rookie season: Goaltender Steve Mason made his NHL debut with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2008-09. In 61 games, Mason compiled a record of 33 wins, 20 losses and seven overtime losses, with 10 shutouts, a 2.29 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. 

Notable factors: Mason's efforts garnered him the 2009 Calder Trophy. Among starting goalies, he led the league in shutouts and had the second-best goals-against average. He was named to the Second All-Star team, was runner-up for the Vezina Trophy and finished fourth in voting for the Hart Trophy.

Why it's among the best: Mason's performance was truly a memorable debut by an NHL netminder. His individual accomplishments ensured a high placement on this list. Mason's efforts also carried the Blue Jackets to their first-ever appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs. 

2. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins, 2005-06

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Rookie season: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby's NHL debut came in 2005-06. In 81 games, Crosby scored 39 goals and 63 assists for 102 points. 

Notable factors: Crosby was runner-up for the Calder Trophy in 2006. He was the Penguins' leading scorer by a significant margin. He broke Mario Lemieux's record as the youngest NHL player to reach 100 points, and broke the team record for assists and points by a rookie. Crosby also finished sixth in league scoring. 

Why it's among the best: It's rare that two future NHL superstars make such dominant debuts in the same season. Though Washington Capitals winger Alexander Ovechkin won the 2006 Calder Trophy, Crosby's rookie campaign was no less impressive. His arrival launched the rebirth of the Penguins and another era of Stanley Cup contention in Pittsburgh.

1. Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals, 2005-06

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Rookie season: Washington Capitals left wing Alexander Ovechkin made his NHL debut in 2005-06. In 81 games, Ovechkin scored 52 goals and 54 assists for 106 points. 

Notable factors: Ovechkin won the Calder Trophy in 2006. He was the Capitals' scoring leader by a huge margin. He set the franchise record for most goals and points by a rookie. The Great 8 also finished third among the league leaders in goals and points, earning a spot on the First All-Star Team. 

Why it's among the best: Few players in NHL history made as impressive a debut as Ovechkin. His rookie season signaled the arrival of one of the most dazzling and dominant scorers in NHL history. He established himself as the Capitals' franchise player and leader, a role he still holds over a decade later.

Stats and trophy information via NHL.com and Hockey-Reference.com.