One Week In-How Are the Recently Drafted NHL Rookies Doing?

There are 13 rookies on NHL rosters who were drafted in either 2011 or 2012. Although one or two could be sent back to their junior teams shortly (this year, NHL teams have 5 NHL games to decide before the first year of a rookie's entry-level contract kicks in), most will stick with their NHL teams. All six of the 2012-drafted rookies were selected in the first round; of the seven selected in 2011, all but one of the prospects, Brandon Saad, was chosen also selected in the first round.

So who are these particularly young rookies, and how are they and their teams doing?

Although the Toronto Maple Leafs haven't seen a playoff game since 2004, and the team's regular season point totals have not improved much in the ensuing years, there is reason to believe that the Leafs are now on the cusp of becoming a playoff team. Tonight is the first night of the shortened 48 game season for Toronto, and there is no question that the team has turned a new Leaf. Gone is President and General Manager Brian Burke, who took over in November 2008. In is Dave Nonis, Senior Vice President and General Manager. Expect other changes in the coming weeks, but make no mistake about it, The Leafs could very well be a playoff team come the end of April.

The 2010-11 Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins had an excellent balance of home grown talent, free agents, as well as players who came by way of trade.  Although the 2011-12 team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Washington, the team accumulated 102 points during the 2011-12 season, finishing the regular season as the Northeast Division champion.  

Six of the 25 players on the 2011-12 roster had been drafted by the team from 2003 through 2010, including two 1^st round selections (Jordan Caron, Tyler Seguin), three 2^nd round picks (Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Milan Lucic), and one 3^rd round selection (Brad Marchand).  All the others either came by trade or were signed as free agents.

Boston has had success with their drafts generally. With the exception of 2005 and 2007, in every draft year from 2003-2010, at least one of the players selected has become an NHL regular. The most successful recent draft year for the Bruins was 2003, when four of the nine players selected by Boston became regular NHLers, with three of those four spending significant time as members of the Bruins.

The current prospect pool within the Bruins organization consists of 37 players, including 28 players drafted by the Bruins, five skaters who were signed as free agents, and four that were obtained through trade.

Goaltending

Boston has very deep pool of goaltending prospects.