The 2023-24 NHL regular season has been completed, and the playoffs are underway. This season was expected to have one of the greatest rookie classes ever, consisting of generational star Connor Bedard, as well as Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson, Logan Cooley, and Brock Faber. As a result of this stacked class, a lot of rookies flew under the radar, and it is now time to give them credit.
Will Cuylle
It is hard to give a player on the New York Rangers a nomination for being underrated given their national attention, but Will Cuylle most definitely had an underrated season. Heading into the season he was not known by many outside the Rangers’ fanbase. He is a former second-round pick and spent the majority of the 2022-23 season with the Hartford Wolfpack of the American Hockey League (AHL). He scored 25 goals and 45 points but was not a household name. However, he filled a massive need for the Rangers.
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The Rangers have star talent, going from Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibenejad to Vincent Trochek and Alexis Lafreniere. However, to be a great team you must have the depth, and this was an issue in prior seasons. Cuylle came in and dominated in the bottom six, providing offense and defensive stability, allowing the top-six to play with confidence knowing the depth would do its job.
Cuylle, who played in 81 of the possible 82 games, had 13 goals in just over 11 minutes a game. As well, he had an on-ice expected goals percentage of 50.8%, and had the lowest on-ice high danger chances against per 60 minutes with 1.93, according to the Moneypuck. Not only did he lead the Rangers, but he finished fourth in the league in this category for skaters with over 900 minutes. Plain and simple, he shut down opponents, playing a crucial role in the bottom six that led the Rangers to their dominance.
Tyson Foerster
Heading into the season, the Philadelphia Flyers had a few young wingers on the radar of NHL fans. Bobby Brink and Owen Tippett were expected to lead the way, and Tyson Foerster was still fighting for a spot in the NHL. Similar to Cuylle, he had 20 goals and 48 points in the AHL last season. However, Foerster spent eight games in the NHL last season, scoring three goals and seven points. To some surprise, he continued this success, scoring 20 goals in 77 NHL games this season.
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The Flyers were in a weird position this season, having a lot of younger players on a team expected to be bottom dwellers who overproduced and then fell out of the playoff race in the final weeks of the season. This led to a weird team dynamic, where younger players had to step into uncharted territory. Foerster may not have been perfect, but he braved the storm well and has positioned himself to have a great sophomore season.
Luke Evangelista
Luke Evangelista, a relative of Hall of Famer Brendan Shanahan, was barely a rookie since he played 24 NHL games with the Nashville Predators last season. He spent the entirety of this season in the NHL, playing throughout the lineup, never getting into a groove. Despite this, he finished with strong point totals and dominant advanced analytics.
Evangelista finished the season with 16 goals and 23 assists, 16 of which were primary. He also played just under 14 minutes a night, going from the top line to the third line with no consistency. His advanced analytics were phenomenal, finishing with a 60% on-ice Corsi and on-ice expected goals of 60%. He also drew 16 more penalty minutes than taken. You can understand the analytics or you cannot, but the numbers overwhelmingly show Evangelista dominated when he was on the ice and is poised to become a star in an elevated role.
In a season filled with generational talent and franchise-altering teenagers, it is great to see some under-the-radar guys get the recognition they deserve. As well, it is the perfect time to analyze these impressive rookies to begin scouting who could earn this nomination next season.
