Brayden Schenn and 7 Rookies with the Most to Prove

Brayden Schenn has been one of the hottest prospects in hockey for two years and is now poised to establish himself as an NHL-caliber player.

He isn't alone, though.

The league is full of promising youngsters who have enjoyed success early in their careers and are expected to be impact players at the NHL level.

Some will succeed, others will fail.

Here are seven rookies who have put their high-end talent on display in lower-level leagues, but have yet to show us what they can (or can't) do in the NHL, where the competition is bigger, faster and stronger than anywhere else.  

Erik Gudbranson

Erik Gudbranson was considered to be an NHL-ready defenseman entering the 2010 entry draft, and was heralded by scouts as a sure-fire top-five pick as well as the second-best blueliner in his draft class. 

Sure enough, he was drafted third overall by the Florida Panthers, and was the first defenseman taken.

Gudbranson was expected to make an immediate jump to the NHL to help solidify Florida's lackluster defense, but he had an unimpressive training camp and was returned to the juniors.

The 6'4" rearguard is now a fixture in the Panthers' top four and is paired with veteran puck-mover Ed Jovanovski. He has managed no points and is a minus-six in 10 games played so far this season.

The expectations are extremely high for Gudbranson, who enjoyed a successful junior career with the OHL's Kingston Frontenacs as a minute-eating, two-way defenseman.

He'll need to round out his game and improve his production at the NHL level if he wants to live up to his draft pedigree, and this year would be a great time to start doing so.  

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

If scouts compare your on-ice vision and playmaking skills to the likes of Wayne Gretzky and you proceed to get drafted first overall, you better be ready to prove yourself worthy of such praise. 

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins fits this description to a tee. After dominating the WHL as a member of the Red Deer Rebels with 106 points in 69 games last season, he was the first player selected in this summer's NHL entry draft by the Edmonton Oilers.

Already playing top-six minutes and seeing ice time on the power play, Nugent-Hopkins is being counted on right off the bat to provide offense for a young team lacking established high-end talent. He has been stellar thus far too, with 11 points in 11 games. 

The 18-year-old pivot is projected to be a point-per-game player and elite playmaker at the NHL level. He's on track so far, but he'll need to continue playing at a high level and prove that he can handle the rigors of professional hockey. 

Ryan Johansen

Drafted fourth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2010, Ryan Johansen was widely regarded as one of the 10 best prospects in the world last year. He proved that he deserved to be on the shortlist with 40 goals and 52 assists in 63 games played for the Portland Winterhawks last season. 

Now playing in a limited role with the Blue Jackets, Johansen has four points in nine games, including two game-winning goals. 

It's entirely possible that he will be removed from the NHL roster when center Jeff Carter returns to the lineup, but Johansen's strong play may earn him a full-time role with the team. Regardless, the skilled center will need to make an impact in the NHL before he's proven that he was worth being taken with a top-five draft pick. 

Sean Couturier

The key reason as to why Sean Couturier belongs on this list is because he fell so far on draft day. Instead of proving himself worthy of his draft position, he'll look to prove why he should have been taken much sooner.

Couturier was expected to be a top-three pick for most of his draft year, and was even ranked first in pre-draft rankings earlier in the year. He was eventually surpassed by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Swedish defenseman Adam Larsson and speedy sniper Ryan Strome on most lists, but was still projected to go in the top five.

After finally being picked eighth overall by the Philadelphia Flyers, Couturier earned himself a roster spot in camp and now has four points in 11 games playing on the third line.

If he can continue playing a responsible two-way game and chipping in the odd goal, he'll be well on his way to making the teams that passed over him at the draft sorely regret the decision.  

Jacob Markstrom

Jacob Markstrom has been hailed the best young goaltender not in the NHL since being drafted 31st overall by the Florida Panthers in 2008. 

He was dominant while playing in Sweden throughout his teenage years and has represented his country in the World Junior Championship tournament four times, posting very impressive statistics. 

Now 21 years old and three years removed from being drafted, Markstrom is being given the chance to compete for the starting job on a Panthers team that has no clear-cut No. 1 goaltender. In four games played, he has a record of 2-2-0 with a .945 save percentage and a 2.11 goals-against average.

If he does end up starting between the pipes for Florida this season, he will be one of very few netminders who managed to land the starting goalie spot at such a young age. He still has to earn it, though.  

David Rundblad

Drafted 17th overall in 2009 by the St. Louis Blues, David Rundblad was traded to the Ottawa Senators at the draft two summers ago and is now playing on NHL ice for the first time in his young career. 

An offensive-minded defenseman with tremendous playmaking skills, Rundblad was the leading scorer amongst all defensemen in the Swedish league last season, with 50 points in 55 games. 

Performing such a feat at just 20 years old has set Rundblad apart from the other rearguards of his age, and scouts and fans alike are expecting big things from the skilled Swede moving forward.   

Brayden Schenn

Deemed the top prospect in hockey last year, Brayden Schenn was originally drafted fifth overall in 2009 by the Los Angeles Kings before being dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers in a package for Mike Richards this offseason. 

He was a top-flight scorer in junior and is projected to be a gritty, two-way pivot at the NHL level. 

He played four games for the Flyers this season before suffering a broken foot that will keep him sidelined for four to six weeks. During that four-game span, Schenn managed zero points and was a minus-five, bringing his NHL totals to date to 13 games played, no goals, two assists and minus-seven. 

Needless to say, he has been less than stellar during his brief time in the league and will need a strong season this year to prove that he is indeed one of the top young players in the world. 

Sam Kelly is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @samkelly10.