The NHL season is past the quarter pole and teams are jockeying for position. One of the prominent story lines this fall has to do with a large number of youngsters emerging as impact players.
It normally takes some time but this year the sophomores are pushing the veterans and grabbing major headlines. Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers, who was hurt much of last year, leads the league in scoring and is already one of the best players in the game.
The rookies might be an even bigger story. Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets are having an enormous impact on their teams and the race for the playoffs.