In Canada, hockey is more than just a sport. About half of the NHL players are born in Canada. Even players from the United States and Europe choose to play a few the first couple of their junior hockey years in Canada to help increase their chances of being drafted into the National Hockey League. These Canadian rookies are some you should keep an eye on.
Canadian Rookies to Watch
Because of Canada’s obsession with hockey, many of the best rookie players are from Canada, and some of these players we have been keeping an eye on as they make their way up the ranks. You might be paying close attention to these five Canadian rookies and their performance this hockey season. Especially those who love betting on NHL games, make sure to keep these five Canadian rookies at the top of your mind. Moreover, these five rookies are expected to continue to impress us in the upcoming games and might be a good idea to place bets on this season. Disclaimer: Please do your own research, our tips are just for entertainment purposes.
So by choosing the right player, you might get lucky this year! We’ve done the research for you so you can focus on the fun part: making bets – and don’t forget to use these CA betting promotions at sign-up to maximize your deposit value. Now on to the rookies.
Cale Makar
Cale Makar has been making the history books. As a player on the Colorado Avalanche, he leads the NHL rookie defensemen in goals (9) and points (32). Makar has shown himself to be a massive asset to the team, especially on the power play with 14 points (3 goals and 11 assists) in just 34 games.
Makar, as a multi-talented right-hand shot, has earned his time on the ice, and is ranked third among rookies on average ice time with 20:28 per game. He spends an average ice time of 3:41 during power plays, which is second amongst rookies. The Avalanche player is also only the eighth defenseman in NHL history to earn 30 regular-season points in less than 33 games.
According to the Avalanche coach Jared Bednar, Makar is an overall great player, who does a fantastic job of selecting smart shorts and knowing how to get himself into scoring position as well as stopping any threats on the defensive end. “He’s got great deception on the blue line and he’s a threat to score at any time,” Bednar goes on to say.
Anyone who is betting on NHL games should take note of Cale Makar.
Nick Suzuki
First drafted by the Vegas Golden Knights with the No. 13 pick in 2017. Suzuki was then later traded to the Montreal Canadiens in 2018, Suzuki has finally hit his stride. Suzuki is currently ranked fourth among NHL rookies with 24 points (7 goals and 17 assists) with an average ice time of 15:23 in 42 games. As the right-wing, Suzuki has proven his worth to the Canadiens as the team controls 51.9% of all shots with Suzuki on the ice.
Ethan Bear
Number 74 of the Edmonton Oilers, Ethan Bear, is yet another defenseman rookie who has built up an impressive list of stats this year. Drafted in the fifth round in 2015 as the 124th pick, Bear has stepped up his game considerably. Currently ranked second among his fellow NHL rookies in average ice time (21:03). He has been quite productive this year with 14 points (4 goals and 10 assists) and 56 shots on goal in 44 games. Bear also has been essential on the defensive side with 61 blocked shots. That is second among rookies and fourth on the Edmonton Oilers.
MacKenzie Blackwood
As a professional goalie for the New Jersey Devils, MacKenzie Blackwood has been making a name for himself for several years. He was one of the best North American goaltenders, according to the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s rankings for the draft in 2015. At just 23 years old, he is now 4-1-1 with a 2.63 GAA (goals against average). He has an impressive .914 save percentage in his last six starts for the New Jersey Devils.
All around, Blackwood is a rookie to watch. He has the most wins of all rookies this year at 14, the number of games played (32), saves (845), shots against (931). Blackwood also has the most minutes played (1,821:45). He also ranks second among all rookies with seven or more games played in GAA (2.83). His save percentage is .908.
MacKenzie Blackwood has been making history and may continue to do so. Blackwood is on track to become the first rookie goalkeeper to play in at least 50 NHL games since Mike Condon did so with the Canadiens in 2015-2016.
Carson Soucy
Carson Soucy, a Canadian defenceman, is currently playing for the Minnesota Wild. He was drafted in 2013 by the Wild as the 137th pick overall. Soucy has spent most of his time since then playing with the Iowa Wilds. That’s where he finished with 15 points (1 goal and 14 assists). He made his debut with Minnesota in 2018 and played in three games, but was scoreless throughout the three. Bigger things are expected of him this year!
DENVER, COLORADO – JANUARY 02: Cale Makar #8 of the Colorado Avalanche fires a shot to score against the St Louis Blues in the second period at the Pepsi Center on January 02, 2020 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
