Connor Bedard, Brock Faber headline 2024 NHL All-Rookie Team
At the NHL Awards in Las Vegas, forwards Connor Bedard, Logan Cooley, and Marco Rossi, defensemen Brock Faber and Luke Hughes, and goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov were honored as the 2024 All-Rookie team.
The 2023-24 NHL All-Rookie Team included three unanimous selections: Connor Bedard, Brock Faber and Luke Hughes, who all were voted as finalists for the Calder Trophy (won by Bedard). #NHLAwards #NHLStats: https://t.co/96SUzLdmL1 pic.twitter.com/ZX1yFd34Cz
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 28, 2024Bedard entered the season with superstar hype as the 2023 No.1 overall pick whose pedigree rivaled future Hall-of-Famers Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby.
The 18-year-old sniper lived up to the hype with the Chicago Blackhawks, winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s best rookie with 22 goals and 61 points in 68 games in an inferior Hawks lineup.
If Bedard can avoid another broken jaw and benefit from the presence of returning former MVP Taylor Hall, who missed all but 10 games in 2023-24, he’ll be even better next season.
Cooley collected 44 points in 82 games for the defunct Arizona Coyotes and came on strong down the stretch with 17 goals in 47 games after the New Year. The former collegiate standout figures to be a foundational piece for the newly-formed Utah Hockey Club.
Rossi had the second most goals of any rookie (21) and became a fan favorite with the Minnesota Wild thanks to his willingness to drive the net despite his slight stature. The Austrian figures to start the 2024-25 season in Minnesota’s top six.
Rossi’s teammate Brock Faber was runner-up for the Calder and received 42 first-place votes after scoring 8 goals and 47 points while logging the sixth-highest average ice time in the NHL (24:58). The 21-year-old was an all-situations monster for his hometown Wild and is eligible for a big-money extension this summer.
Hughes did not have Faber’s immediate defensive impact for the New Jersey Devils but had 9 goals and 47 points to tie him for second in rookie scoring. He replaced an injured Dougie Hamilton at the helm of a 13th-ranked Devils’ powerplay.
Kochetkov takes the cage with little competition after starting 42 games for the 111-point Carolina Hurricanes. The Russian shook off a shaky start to go 20-9-3 with a 2.17 GAA and .917 SV% after Dec. 1 and figures to push playoff starter Frederik Andersen for more playing time next year.
The five made a strong first impression in their inaugural seasons, and their teams and fans hope they’re only scratching the surface of what they can accomplish at the NHL level.