The NHL’s top 10 rookies of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs

The Stanley Cup playoffs can be a rookie’s playhouse.

It’s uncharted territory for the game’s next top stars. No other playoffs prepare you for the grind and hustle required to succeed in one of the most grueling postseasons around. But if you’re a young buck with no previous experience in a stage this big, you don’t know what you don’t know, right?

We haven’t seen any freshman truly take over this year. But Wyatt Johnston, in particular, has been a big piece of Dallas’ run to the Western Conference final. He and Carolina’s Jack Drury are the only notable prospects with a chance to win the Stanley Cup, with both having some solid moments during their respective runs.

Here’s a breakdown of 10 of the most notable rookies after two rounds of play during the Stanley Cup playoffs:

Wyatt Johnston, C (Dallas Stars)

Johnston turned heads with an impressive 41 points in the playoffs and has remained a big part of Dallas’ playoff run. He has just four goals and six points, but he scored the series-clincher against Seattle and had another goal in the game that sent Minnesota packing, too. His ability to come up big when the Stars needed him this season has been amplified in the playoffs, with Johnston being a good depth scoring piece in his first playoff run. He just turned 20 over the weekend, and to see him contributing so effectively so early is great for the team’s future.

Matty Beniers, C (Seattle Kraken)

The favorite to win the Calder Trophy, Beniers’ season ended with a whimper, but it was a strong playoff run, regardless. He had seven points in 14 games to lead all freshmen, building off of a regular season that saw him pot 24 goals and 57 points. Beniers had just one point in the first round but seemed to find his groove in the second, grabbing six points to finish third on the Kraken. The sky’s the limit here for Seattle’s first star prospect, and with more experience, he’ll continue to grow into the No. 1 center role.

Tye Kartye, LW (Seattle Kraken)

There always seems to be one prospect that comes with little-to-no NHL experience and steals the spotlight. That’s exactly the case for Kartye, who found himself playing on Seattle’s top line in Jared McCann’s absence. The 22-year-old had an outstanding rookie season with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, scoring 28 goals and 57 points. He didn’t get into any regular season action, but he scored in his first playoff game and saw his ice time creep up as the playoffs went on. Five points in 10 games with no previous experience at that level is impressive – and it’s especially impressive given he was an undrafted free agent signing a year ago.

Akira Schmid, G (New Jersey Devils)

When the Devils need a savior in net, they got it in Schmid – the team’s third goaltender. But he was excellent, posting two shutouts and a .921 save percentage to give the Devils a fighting chance. They went back to Vitek Vanecek near the end, but Schmid was instrumental in turning the tides and leading the Devils to the second round after a terrible start to the series. Schmid was good late in the regular season for New Jersey and may have given them a diamond in the rough after taking Schmid with the 136th pick in 2018.

Joseph Woll, G (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Woll only made two starts and played in relief in another game, but he was as good as you could ask for. Ilya Samsonov was hurt in Game 3, putting Woll in a tough spot to make his playoff debut. He helped the Leafs force overtime before standing on his head in Game 4. The Leafs lost in Game 5, but Woll was far from the issue. His play over the past two months with Matt Murray on the sidelines has made Woll someone to watch for full-time NHL duty next season.

Matthew Knies, LW (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Knies was scratched for Game 1, but was thrown into the Toronto lineup for Game 2 and never looked back. He had four points in seven games and was one of Toronto’s most impactful players, especially against the Panthers in Game 1 when Florida shut down the Leafs’ biggest stars. Knies was unfortunately knocked out of the playoffs with a concussion in Game 2 against Florida and didn’t return, and you could tell there was a significant hole missing. The energetic and big forward will look to make the team full-time next year. But after a crazy season with the University of Minnesota that saw him finish as a finalist for the NCAA’s Hobey Baker Award, he’ll enjoy the next few months of rest.

Brock Faber, D (Minnesota Wild)

A late-season addition out of the NCAA, Faber averaged 14:33 in a depth role with the Wild. He took a bit to adjust to the pro game, but he showed some promising signs for the 2023-24 season. Faber played on the penalty kill, and also showed he’s a good puck distributor and playmaking defender. It’ll be interesting to see how the Wild view him heading into next year, because while the talent is there, how much leeway will they give their top young defensive prospect out of the gate?

Jack Drury, LW (Carolina Hurricanes)

Drury returned to the Hurricanes lineup for the second round after dealing with an injury in Game 4 against the Islanders and made an immediate impact. He had a pair of assists in Game 2 before adding another in Game 4, giving the team a nice piece on the third line with Jordan Staal and Martin Necas. Drury brings competitiveness and versatility to the Hurricanes lineup and should challenge for full-time duty next season.

Luke Hughes, D (New Jersey Devils)

While his brother Jack was playing some excellent hockey up front, Luke was making a solid impact in pinch situations with the Devils. Hughes had two assists in his playoff debut May 7, nearly a full month after his last regular season game. He then saw his ice time bounce up to 25:02 in the 3-2 overtime elimination loss in Game 5, which was quite the ask for the young defender with very little NHL experience. Hughes is the future of New Jersey’s blueline, a group that was already strong to begin with. He got his first taste of the pro game – so imagine what next year is going to bring.

Stuart Skinner, G (Edmonton Oilers)

It was a true up-and-down playoff run for Skinner, who finished with a 5-6 record with a .883 save percentage. His stats were skewed due to being pulled multiple times against Vegas, but his pair of wins in the second round were impressive efforts. Skinner didn’t do his team many favors, but you can’t do much when your team can’t win. His best games came against Los Angeles, including a 22-save win in Game 2 and a 40-save effort in Game 6 to win the series.