For the 2008-2009 NHL season, the top goal scorer and points leader among rookies was Bobby Ryan (31 and 57, respectively) of Anaheim. The rookie assist leader was Kris Versteeg (31) of Chicago. Blake Wheeler of Boston, lead all rookies in +/- with a +36 over 81 games. Steve Mason lead all rookie goalies with a GAA of 2.29.
Steven Stamkos, Drew Doughty for sure, but wait, Chris Mason?? What a year this young kid had. Stamkos and Doughty were all the talk in the draft, and than slowly but surely Mason, who plays in the hockey cold-bed of Columbus, stole the show.
r.I.P. Luc Bourdon
Nikita Filatov (Blue Jackets), Jakub Voraxek (Blue Jackets), Viktor Tikhonov (Coyotes), Kyle Turris (Coyotes), Mikkel Boedker (Coyotes), Kyle Okposo (Islander) are the top hockey rookies of 2008.
The top rookies in the National Hockey League for the 2008 season were Steve Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Kyle Turris of the Phoenix Coyotes, Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings, Kyle Okposo of the New York Islanders, Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks and Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers.