Rising stars: 3 first-time All-Stars to watch Saturday
The NHL's top talent will be on full display at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday night in an exhilarating three-on-three tournament to cap off the 2019 All-star weekend.
The league is changing rapidly, with youth, speed, and skill the bellwethers for long-term success. This year's All-Star festivities feature 19 players under the age of 26 as the NHL welcomes a handful of fresh faces to the big stage.
With so much talent on the ice, you may have trouble deciding who to watch. You've surely seen what Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov, and Auston Matthews can do, so here are three must-watch players making their All-Star debuts.
Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche
Matthew Stockman / Getty Images Sport / GettySelected with the 10th overall pick in the 2015 draft, Rantanen followed up a solid rookie season with an incredible 84-point sophomore campaign. What would come next, though, is a force that's shaking the hockey world.
After 50 games this season, Rantanen ranks second with 74 points, and he's put together 22 multi-point games. The 22-year-old and teammate Nathan MacKinnon became two of just six players to record 65-plus points over a team's first 43 games of a season since the 2005 NHL lockout.
The 6-foot-4 power forward leans on his incredible combination of size and skill to overmatch opponents, keeping the puck on a string while using his stature to protect it.
The Finn is on pace to eclipse the 120-point plateau, a feat that hasn't been accomplished since Sidney Crosby hit it on the nose in 2006-07. Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg are the only Avalanche players to reach the 100-point mark.
Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg Jets
Glenn James / National Hockey League / GettyWhen the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg in 2011, Scheifele was the first player selected (seventh overall) for a newborn Jets team looking to restore its identity. The 25-year-old has since become the lifeblood of the franchise, and watching him lace up for his first NHL All-Star Game will be special for Jets fans everywhere.
With 59 points through 48 games this season, the Ontario native is on pace for a career-high 100 points. He's scored 25 goals, putting him in a tie for the team lead, and Scheifele is second in both points and assists.
At 6-foot-3, Scheifele is a swift skater, and he uses his size to compete in the gritty areas of the ice. A clutch performer, the forward has a team-leading five game-winning goals, including three in overtime.
A serious shoulder injury sidelined Scheifele for 22 games last season, erasing him from All-Star consideration.
Thomas Chabot, Ottawa Senators
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe rookie defenseman has given Senators fans hope during one of the most tumultuous seasons in team history. Chabot has been exceptional in his sophomore campaign, flashing the potential to succeed Erik Karlsson on the Senators' blue line.
Despite being sidelined for eight games with a shoulder injury, the 6-foot-2 rearguard has recorded 39 points in 42 games, and he ranks fifth among defenseman while averaging 0.93 points per game. His 11 multi-point games also rank fifth among defenseman, tying him with Karlsson.
Chabot is carrying a heavy load for a defensively weak Senators team, logging a team-high 23:54 of ice time per game, often against the opposition's top scorers.
The Quebec native has already scored the second-most single-season points in team history for a defenseman who's 21 years old or younger. Karlsson's 78-point record is a tall task, but with Chabot's ability, that mark isn't completely out of reach.
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