This is only the beginning.
Tuesday's dynamic performances from Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller and Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, already off to stellar starts, make the two freshmen look like the early favorites for the Calder Trophy.
Keller, 19, pocketed two assists against the New York Islanders to bring his season total to 10 points, tops among NHL rookies. It also extended his point streak to three games, over which the Missouri native has notched three goals and three assists.
"If you have not had a chance to watch Keller, you are missing one of the game's brightest young stars," said NHL Network analyst Brian Lawton. "Dynamic every shift."
If Keller can keep it up, he could become the first Coyote to take home rookie of the year honors.
Sergachev delivered a similar performance Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Russian blue-liner added another assist to bring his season total to nine points, one behind Keller for the league lead. And no Lightning player has ever won the Calder either.
After a slow start to the season in which he posted two points in six games, Sergachev's experienced a reversal of fortunes in his past four contests with three goals and three assists.
Most impressively, the quality of his play has been a bit unexpected - at least so early. The budding defenseman wasn't a lock to fill a roster spot for the Lightning when the team entered training camp, but the 19-year-old's recent play should negate any talk about developing his game in the minors.
"You're looking for 'Has there been improvement? Is he adapting to the game, the speed of the game, the physicality?' He's done all that," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said prior to Tuesday's game, according to Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times.
The Lightning paid a steep price to bring in Sergachev, sending forward and former third overall pick Jonathan Drouin to the Montreal Canadiens. But the deal is quickly providing value.
"When you watch a player like that continue to improve, especially at a young age, looking at the ceiling he has, which is really high right now, it's pretty hard to make a change," Cooper added. "He's had a positive impact on our team. He's a part of a team, and that's how it's going to be moving forward."
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