The NHL has undergone a youth movement this season, with several rookies stealing the show and playing prominent roles for their respective teams.

Led by Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets, this season's crop of youngsters has treated fans to a glimpse of the talent that lies in store for years to come

However, beyond 2016's top two draft picks putting together historic seasons, there have been multiple rookies exceeding expectations and make their marks in the pros. Here are a few of them:

Matthew Tkachuk

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree with this one.

Drafted sixth overall by the Calgary Flames last June, Tkachuk exudes the tenacious, "in-your-face" style his dad, Keith, employed as a 20-year-pro.

Like his father, he's got some offense in him, too. Tkachuk's 27 points are tied with Mikael Backlund and Johnny Gaudreau for the Flames' lead, and rank fourth on the rookie scoring list.

The 19-year-old leads rookies with 74 penalty minutes, and has been credited with 40 hits. He's filling the exact role Calgary was missing, transitioning seamlessly from a truly dominant season with the OHL's London Knights last year.

Mitch Marner

While Matthews has drawn most of the spotlight in Toronto, the Maple Leafs' first-round pick from 2015 is making quite a name for himself.

Marner's 32 points trail only Laine and Matthews in the rookie race, and his 22 assists lead the pack.

We've all known since his OHL days how ridiculously gifted he is offensively, but Marner has earned constant praise from head coach Mike Babcock for his willingness to work every shift - so much so that Babcock keeps his young superstars separated, because, like Matthews, Marner has already earned the responsibility of carrying his line.

Marner has etched his mark in the league already with his skill and energy. It's funny to think just four months ago, many were wondering if he's too small for the NHL.

Ivan Provorov

The Philadelphia Flyers struck gold with their first-round selection in 2015.

After an extra year dominating the junior ranks in 2015-16, Provorov made the jump to the NHL this season and has looked every bit the part of a budding No. 1 defenseman.

Provorov ranks second among all rookies in shifts per game (28.2) and third in ice-time (21:17). Not to mention, he's chipped in 18 points for a Flyers franchise that has long struggled to employ a reliable two-way threat on the blue line.

The 19-year-old's smooth, cerebral approach to the game has earned him a workhorse role for the Flyers, and don't expect that to change anytime soon.

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Jack Capuano isn't singling anyone out, but he's not discriminating when it comes to laying blame, either.

The New York Islanders head coach directed his frustration at the team's offseason additions, veterans, and young players alike, after a 2-1 loss to the Florida Panthers at home in the Barclays Center on Wednesday night.

"We signed some guys for reasons, we want to give those guys an opportunity," Capuano said postgame, according to the New York Post's Brett Cyrgalis.

"There are some other guys, too - you can say the veteran guys, but there are a few of the young guys - you watch the game tonight, they were non-factors," he said.

"What you need to do right now, in the time that you're in this game right now, you have to come to the rink and you have to be a difference-maker. If you don't have that mindset to be a difference-maker, knowing it's a crucial time with games in hand, to play like you played tonight, then you're in the wrong profession as an athlete."

One of the Islanders' offseason signings, Jason Chimera, was on the ice for less than 10 minutes on Wednesday night, and Andrew Ladd, a more significant addition, played under 15 minutes himself.

Capuano revealed he'll be making some changes when the Islanders play the Panthers again in Florida on Friday night.

"There are guys that will be out of the lineup next game, no doubt about that," he said. "It's the accountability of the coaching staff to do what they have to do."

The Islanders have sunk to the basement of the Eastern Conference with only 15 wins in 39 games.

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It took about half the season, but the Washington Capitals are making their move.

A 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night - one that was historic in multiple ways for captain Alex Ovechkin - gave the Capitals their seventh consecutive win and their eighth in the last 10 games.

Watch: Ovi adds patented one-timer goal to historic night

Washington now sits one point back of the first-place Columbus Blue Jackets in the ultra-competitive Metropolitan Division.

The Capitals defeated the Blue Jackets last Thursday, ending Columbus' 16-game win streak and derailing their bid to tie the longest such run in NHL history.

Washington now has the same number of ROW (regulation or overtime wins, which serve as a major playoff seed tiebreaker) as their Ohio-based counterparts, but the Blue Jackets have a game in hand and an 11-goal edge in goal differential at plus-45, which leads the NHL.

Still, the Capitals are making a push to overtake Columbus and claim the best record in the league, a distinction that earned the Capitals the Presidents' Trophy over the 82-game schedule last season.

Wednesday's win gave Washington the second-best record in the NHL - considering the number of games each team has played - behind Columbus.

The Capitals have quelled some respectable opponents during their current seven-game run, defeating the Penguins, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators (twice), the Blue Jackets, and the surprising Toronto Maple Leafs in addition to their victory over the struggling New Jersey Devils.

Getting an eighth consecutive win won't be easy for No. 8 and company. Washington hosts the Chicago Blackhawks, owners of the highest point total in the Western Conference, on Friday.

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Paul Maurice has seen better nights.

The Winnipeg Jets coach could only watch as his club laid an egg versus the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night in a 7-4 loss.

The Jets looked complacent from the opening faceoff, as Phillip Danault gave the Habs a lead just 57 seconds into the first period.

Suffice to say, Maurice did not appreciate his team's lack of effort.

Despite producing four goals of their own, the Jets let Montreal score six times at even strength on a night when a win would have pushed Winnipeg into a playoff spot - and Maurice wasn't the only one left disappointed.

"We're not happy about it," Jets forward Drew Stafford said. "It's one of those games where we have to take a look at ourselves and re-evaluate."

Now, the Jets embark on a crucial three-game road trip which begins Friday in Arizona.

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The San Jose Sharks found themselves shorthanded on the back end Wednesday night thanks to some confusion involving the lineup card.

The Sharks were forced to play with only five defensemen against the Calgary Flames because of a last-minute switch that wasn't reflected on the official game sheet.

Paul Martin was originally listed as an active player, while Mirco Mueller was a scratch. However, Martin was ruled out shortly before the game, so Mueller was inserted in - but the club apparently didn't report the change in time.

Mueller was then deemed ineligible and removed from the game after officials noticed the discrepancy about six-and-a-half minutes into the first period.

Considering Brent Burns often plays more like a forward, the mix-up left the Sharks with just four true blue-liners against their Pacific Division rivals.

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There's No. 1,001.

On a night in which he only needed 35 seconds to steal the show, Alexander Ovechkin added to his career total with a classic top-shelf one-timer on the power play.

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Phillip Danault channeled his inner Bobby Orr on Wednesday night.

The Montreal Canadiens pivot - recently bumped to the top line because of injuries - provided a brilliant end-to-end rush versus the Jets for his second goal of the game.

Danault, acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks last season, has quietly been productive for the Habs. Wednesday's markers gave him nine on the season, and a total of 21 points.

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Alex Ovechkin needed just one shift to take care of his latest milestone.

The Washington Capitals star scored 35 seconds into Wednesday's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, snapping home his 20th goal of the season and registering his 1,000th career point in the process.

By hitting quadruple digits in his 880th career game, Ovechkin became the second-fastest active player to accomplish the feat behind Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr, who reached the milestone in 763 contests.

Ovechkin also became the 24th-fastest player to reach the 1,000-point plateau, the first Capitals player, the 37th to do it with a single franchise, and the 84th player in NHL history.

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