LAS VEGAS -- The National Hockey League announced today the 2017-18 NHL All-Rookie Team, including the three players voted as finalists for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the League's top rookie: forwards Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders, Brock Boeser of the Vancouver Canucks and Clayton Keller of the Arizona Coyotes.
Also named to the 2017-18 NHL All-Rookie Team are defensemen Will Butcher of the New Jersey Devils and Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins as well as goaltender Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators.
Voting was conducted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association at the end of the regular season. Following is a summary of each NHL All-Rookie Team member's outstanding campaign:
GOALTENDER
Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators
Saros, a fourth-round selection (99th overall) in the 2013 NHL Draft, went 11-5-7 with a 2.44 goals-against average, .925 save percentage and three shutouts in 26 appearances to help the Predators earn their first Presidents' Trophy and division title in franchise history. He led rookie goaltenders (minimum: 10 GP) in goals-against average (2.45), save percentage (.925) and shutouts (3), while also tying for second in games played (26) and placing third in wins (11). Saros - who ranked ninth among all NHL netminders (rookie or veteran) in save percentage - allowed two or fewer goals in half of his 26 outings, highlighted by 40-plus save shutouts Dec. 14 at EDM (46 SV) and Jan. 16 vs. VGK (43 SV). The 23-year-old Forssa, Finland, native is the second All-Rookie Team selection in Predators history, joining Filip Forsberg in 2014-15.
DEFENSEMEN
Will Butcher, New Jersey Devils
Butcher, a fifth-round pick (123rd overall) by the Avalanche in the 2013 NHL Draft, led rookie defensemen with 39 assists and 44 points in 81 games (5-39-44). His 39 helpers set a Devils franchise record for a rookie blueliner in one season, surpassing the 38 collected by Barry Beck in 1977-78 (w/ CLR), and also ranked 13th in NHL history among first-year defensemen (regardless of team). Butcher opened the campaign with three assists Oct. 7 vs. COL, becoming the first player (forward or defenseman) in club history to register three points in his League debut and just the fifth blueliner from any team to do so in the NHL's expansion era (since 1967-68). The 23-year-old Sun Prairie, Wis., native is the 11th All-Rookie Team selection in Devils franchise history and the first blueliner to receive the honor since Colin White in 2000-01.
Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
McAvoy, the 14th overall choice in the 2016 NHL Draft, ranked third among all rookies with a +20 rating while pacing first-year defensemen in total time on ice (1,395:17) in just 63 appearances. He also finished in the top five among rookie blueliners in assists (3rd; 25), goals (4th; 7) and points (4th; 32), accumulating the sixth-most points by a rookie defenseman in Bruins history - behind only Ray Bourque (65 in 1979-80), Bobby Orr (41 in 1966-67), Greg Hawgood (40 in 1988-89), Torey Krug (40 in 2013-14) and Glen Wesley (37 in 1987-88). McAvoy scored in overtime Feb. 27 vs. CAR, making him - at 20 years, 68 days - the youngest blueliner in franchise history to post a regular-season overtime goal. The Long Beach, N.Y., native is the 10th All-Rookie Team selection in Bruins history and first since Krug in 2013-14.
FORWARDS
Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders
Barzal, the 16th overall selection in the 2015 NHL Draft, led all rookies with 22-63-85 (82 GP), 20 points more than the next-closest player. He became the seventh rookie in League history to record at least 20 goals and 60 assists in one season - and first to do so since 2005-06 (Sidney Crosby w/ PIT). Barzal, who also paced rookies in assists (63), power-play assists (22) and power-play points (27), recorded a trio of five-point efforts: Nov. 5 vs. COL (0-5-5), Jan. 13 at NYR (2-3-5) and Feb. 9 vs. DET (0-5-5). In doing so, he became the second rookie in NHL history to post three five-point games within a single season - and first since the League's inaugural campaign in 1917-18 (Joe Malone w/ MTL). The 21-year-old Coquitlam, B.C., native is the seventh All-Rookie Team selection in Islanders history and first since Michael Grabner in 2010-11.
Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks
Boeser, the 23rd overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, ranked second among rookies with 29 goals and fifth with 55 points despite appearing in only 62 contests. He also placed in the top five among rookies in power-play goals (1st; 10), shooting percentage (2nd; 16.2%), power-play points (2nd; 23), power-play assists (t-4th; 13) and game-winning goals (t-5th; 4). Only two rookies have scored more goals in one season for the Canucks (Pavel Bure: 34 in 1991-92 and Trevor Linden: 30 in 1988-89), while just six have collected more points - each while playing more games. The 21-year-old Burnsville, Minn., native - who won the Honda NHL Accuracy Shooting competition and earned MVP honors at the 2018 Honda NHL All-Star Game in January - is the fifth All-Rookie Team selection in Canucks history and first in 20 years (1997-98: Mattias Ohlund).
Clayton Keller, Arizona Coyotes
Keller, the seventh overall choice in the 2016 NHL Draft, placed second among rookies with 23-42-65 while skating in all 82 games. His 65 points were the most by a Coyotes rookie since the club relocated to Arizona in 1996-97 - and the fifth-most dating to the franchise's inaugural season in 1979-80. Keller ranked in the top five among 2017-18 NHL rookies in shots on goal (1st; 212), assists (2nd; 42), power-play assists (3rd; 14), power-play goals (t-4th; 6), power-play points (4th; 20) and goals (5th; 23). He also registered a 10-game point streak from March 11-28 (5-9-14), the longest by any rookie in 2017-18 and tied for the third-longest by a rookie in team history. The 19-year-old Chesterfield, Mo., native is the fifth All-Rookie Team selection in Coyotes/Jets history and the first since the franchise relocated from Winnipeg in 1996-97.
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