How Good Was Mathew Barzal's Rookie Season?

New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal had a fantastic 2023-24 campaign.

The 27-year-old face of the franchise was a point-per-game player, racking up 80 points in 80 games, with 23 goals and 57 assists.

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Barzal played the way the Islanders needed him to, reaching the 80-point mark for the first time since breaking into the league in 2017-18.

That rookie season was special.

Barzal scored 22 goals with 63 assists in 85 games, winning him the Calder Trophy.

Just how good was that season?

Well, over the last 10 years, Barzal is the only rookie of the year winner to surpass 80 points:

Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad won the Calder Trophy in 2014-15 after scoring 12 goals with 27 assists for 39 points in 81 games.

Here's the breakdown:

Artemi Panarin (80 GP in 2015-16): 30-47-73

Auston Matthew (82 GP in 2016-17): 40-29-69

Mathew Barzal (82 GP in 2017-18): 22-63-85

Elias Petersson (71 GP in 2018-19): 28-38-66

Quinn Hughes (68 GP in 2019-20): 8-45-53

Kirill Kaprizov (55 GP in 2020-21): 27-24-51

Michael Bunting (79 GP in 2021-22):23-40-63

Matty Beniers (80 GP in 2022-23): 24-33-57

Connor Bedard (68 GP in 2023-24): 22-39-61

Barzal may not have racked up the goals like Matthews and Panarin, but his 63 assists were the most by any rookie over the last 10 years, by 16 (Panarin's 47).

Evgeni Malkin is the last rookie of the year winner (2006-07) to break 80 points when he recorded 85 points (33 G, 52 A).

There are some star-studded rookies expecting to take the ice in 2024-25.

Will Barzal's rookie stats hold up, or will somebody else like Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, or Matvei Michkov set a new mark?

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