By Lyle Richardson, Featurd
Every NHL season brings a new crop of promising youngsters making their big-league debuts. Only a handful will blossom into future stars.
Though it's barely two weeks into the 2018-19 regular-season schedule, several young players have emerged as early contenders for the Calder Memorial Trophy as this season's top NHL rookie. Here's a look at the best thus far.
Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks
Selected fifth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, Pettersson entered this season facing considerable expectations with the rebuilding Canucks. The 19-year-old Swede hasn't disappointed thus far, drawing praise for his dazzling stick-handling and offensive instincts.