TAMPA | Raphael Diaz and PK Subban. The first is still rolling its hump in Fribourg-Gottéron, Switzerland. The second traded his skates for an analyst role on American television that season.
Why highlight the names of Diaz and Subban? For a somewhat obscure statistic. They are the last two Canadian defenders to finish in the top ten in the rookie standings.
Diaz, who came from Switzerland at the age of 25, did so in 2011-2012. The right-hander finished the year with 16 points (3 goals, 13 assists) in 59 games. He finished eighth among defenders, ending level on points with another Swiss, Roman Josi.
Subban, a second-round pick in the 2007 draft, did not disappoint in his first full NHL season.
The flamboyant defender had 38 points (14 goals, 24 assists) in 77 games in 2010-2011. He ended the year third among rookie defenders, behind Kevin Shattenkirk (43 points) and Cam Fowler (40 points).
Archive photo, Martin Chevalier
Jordan Harris
Three candidates
Eleven years after Diaz and twelve years after Subban, CH could see three of their defenders in the top ten to pick up rookie points.
On this Boxing Day sale, Kaiden Guhle (13 points), Jordan Harris (11 points), and Arber Xhekaj (10 points) each have a spot in the top ten.
Leading his team with 14 points, Guhle finds himself in second place among rookie defenders. Only Calen Addison, 22, starts offensive production better with 16 points.
However, Addison has far more experience than Guhle, having spent the past two seasons bouncing back and forth between the Iowa Wild and Minnesota Wild in the AHL.
The former Pittsburgh Penguins second-round pick still has rookie status because he didn’t play more than 25 games with the Savages last year or in the 2020-21 season.
Among the top ten rookie defenders are players who have been predictable. The Senators’ Jake Sanderson, the Sabers’ Owen Power and the Stars’ Nils Lundkvist all had that reputation as a young attacking defender.
Archive photo, Martin Chevalier
Arber Xhekaj
power to see
Power, top of the class in the 2021 draft, was also among the most serious contenders for the Calder Trophy. The Buffalo Sabers’ big defender plays an important role with a playing time of almost 24 minutes, but has not yet started offensively with 10 points (0 goals, 10 assists) in 29 games.
At the end of the season, Power should move up the rookie rating to put up a good fight with Addison, Guhle and Sanderson.
Like Guhle, Sanderson quickly earned a spot in his team’s top four defensemen.
Geoff’s son is a smooth skater, again like Guhle but with probably even more attacking flair. In his senior year at the University of North Dakota, the American had 26 points (8 goals, 18 assists) in just 23 games.
Xhekaj, the surprise
If there were predictable decisions, there were also recruits we didn’t see coming. Such is the case of Xhekaj.
Xhekaj had made a name for himself at camp for his tough play, not his ability to black out a goal tally, despite having a very good run in the playoffs with the junior league Hamilton Bulldogs.
Xhekaj scored his 10th point of the season (4 goals, 6 assists) with one assist in Canada’s 4-2 loss to the Stars in Dallas. There are very few people who would have bet on such a harvest.
At the beginning of the season it was assumed that with the presence of four rookies from six defenders the boat would hit the water quickly. The Guhles, Harris, Xhekaj and Johnathan Kovacevic kept the boat afloat. And they’re doing it again lately with the injuries to David Savard and Mike Matheson.
If the Habs have a very honest record of 15-16-3 after 34 games, it’s largely thanks to young players playing on the blue line.
TOP TEN ROOKIE DEFENDERS