11/10/2025-11/16/2025
One of the most intriguing NHL awards to follow each season is the race among youngsters for the opportunity to receive the Calder Memorial Trophy as the leagues top performing rookie. The 2025-26 season is no exception, with a high caliber class of rookies jockeying for the top spot. In this edition of Premier Players, I am going to highlight five of the top performing rookies at the conclusion of the sixth week of NHL action.
Matthew Schaefer (D) – New York Islanders
| Team(s) | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points | Plus/Minus | Penalty Minutes |
| New York Islanders | 19 | 7 | 8 | 15 | +2 | 6 |
Schaefer spent two seasons with the Erie Otters (OHL) and registered 39 points (10 goals, 29 assists) in 73 regular-season games. He was named to the 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey championship roster for Team Canada but exited the tournament due to an upper-body injury suffered in game two. The Hamilton, Ontario native was drafted first-overall by the New York Islanders in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
He made his NHL debut on 10/9/2025 (4-3 L @ PIT) and registered his first career point (one assist). He recorded his first NHL goal on the power-play on 10/11/2025 (4-2 L vs WSH). To begin his NHL career, Schaefer recorded a six-game point streak including the first multi-point (one goal, one assist) game of his professional career. He registered his first multi-goal game on 11/2/2025 (3-2 W vs CBJ). The 18-year-old ranks first among rookies in goals (seven) and points (15) this season.
Ivan Demidov (RW) – Montreal Canadiens
| Team(s) | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points | Plus/Minus | Penalty Minutes |
| Montreal Canadiens | 18 | 4 | 9 | 13 | +2 | 10 |
Demidov was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens fifth-overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. He skated in two regular season games and five playoff games for the Canadiens last season. Prior to his NHL debut, Demidov skated in 65 regular-season games for St. Petersburg (KHL) and registered 49 points (19 goals, 30 assists).
The 19-year-old made his NHL debut in Montreal on 4/14/2025 (4-3 SOL vs CHI) and registered two points (one goal, one assist) in the penultimate game of the regular-season for the Canadiens. He drew into the Canadiens lineup for the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and skated in all five games but only contributed a two-point performance in game four (5-2 L vs WSH). This season, Demidov ranks second among league rookies and fourth among Canadiens skaters in points (13) and assists (nine). He established a new career high for points in a single game with three (one goal, two assists) on 10/25/2025 (4-3 W @ VAN).
Beckett Sennecke (RW) – Anaheim Ducks
| Team(s) | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points | Plus/Minus | Penalty Minutes |
| Anaheim Ducks | 18 | 6 | 6 | 12 | -3 | 10 |
Prior to his NHL debut, Sennecke spent three seasons with the Oshawa Generals (OHL) and generated 209 points (83 goals, 126 assists) in 180 regular-season games. He skated in 39 playoff games, including back-to-back OHL finals appearances (2023-24 and 2024-25) and registered 55 points (25 goals, 30 assists). The Toronto, Ontario native was selected third-overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
Sennecke made his NHL debut on 10/9/2025 (3-1 L @ SEA) and registered his first career NHL goal. In his second NHL game, Sennecke recorded his first multi-point effort with two points (one goal, one assist), including a marker on the power-play. He has registered two points in a single game four times this season. The 19-year-old recorded his first multi-goal game on 11/9/2025 (4-1 W vs WPG). He ranks fifth among Ducks skaters and third among league rookies in points this season with 12.
Matthew Wood (RW) – Nashville Predators
| Team(s) | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points | Plus/Minus | Penalty Minutes |
| Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Nashville Predators | 13 | 6 | 4 | 10 | -1 | 0 |
As a rookie for the Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL), Wood registered the most goals (45) and points (85) among league rookies and was awarded the Brett Hull Trophy as the BCHL top scorer along with the Bruce Allison Memorial Trophy as the leagues rookie of the year. He skated in three seasons at the collegiate (NCAA) level for the University of Connecticut (H-East) and University of Minnesota (Big-10). In his two seasons with the University of Connecticut, Wood led all Huskies in scoring before transferring to Minnesota and establishing a collegiate career high 39 points (17 goals, 22 assists). He was selected 15th-overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
He made his NHL debut on 4/6/2025 and skated in the remaining five games of the 2024-25 season for the Predators. Wood registered his first career NHL goal on 10/30/2025 (4-1 L @ PHI). The Lethbridge, Alberta native has registered two multi-point efforts this season, including a hat-trick on 11/10/2025 (6-3 L @ NYR) with two of those goals being power-play markers. He is tied for fifth among league rookies and tied for third among Predators skaters in points with 10.
Jimmy Snuggerud (RW) – St. Louis Blues
| Team(s) | Games Played | Goals | Assists | Points | Plus/Minus | Penalty Minutes |
| St. Louis Blues | 19 | 5 | 6 | 11 | -2 | 6 |
Snuggerud spent three seasons at the collegiate (NCAA) level for the University of Minnesota (Big-10) and lead all Golden Gophers in his third season boasting 51 points (24 goals, 27 assists) in 40 games. He was a Hobey Baker Memorial award nominee in 2023-24 and was named a finalist in the following year. The Minnesota native won a gold medal for the USA in the 2024 IIHF Word Junior Hockey championships in Sweden and registered eight points (five goals, three assists) in six games. The St. Louis Blues selected Snuggerud 23rd-overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.
He made his NHL debut last season on 4/1/2025 (2-1 OT vs DET) and registered his first career NHL goal in the final game of the regular season on 4/15/2025 (6-1 W vs UTA). Snuggerud continued on the Blues’ roster for the opening round of the playoffs and skated in all seven games, registering four points (two goals, two assists) before being eliminated by the Jets. This season the Blues forward registered his first multi-goal game on 10/13/2025 (5-2 W vs VAN) and first multi-assist game on 10/25/2025 (6-4 L @ DET). He ranks fourth among league rookies and is tied for second among Blues skaters in points with 11.
