Steve Yzerman can afford to laugh at the New York Rangers a little
The top two scorers among NHL rookies are owned by the Detroit Red Wings, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider.
Raymond, 19, has a total of 14 points, including six goals, in 14 games so far. He was the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. He is already a very dominant player despite his young age.
Seider, 20, has also put up his share of points, with 11 in 14 games. He was selected sixth overall by the Wings in the 2020 draft. He will soon become one of the best defensemen in the league. What a talent!
Steve Yzerman literally hit two home runs. These two youngsters will be key players for the Wings for years to come.
As for the Rangers, they must be biting their fingers.
In 2020, they selected Alexis Lafreniere who is not the impact player we expected since he entered the NHL last year. He's not bad, sure, but four points in 13 outings for a first overall pick is far too little. Advantage to the Wings for Raymond's selection for now.
In 2019, the Rangers set their sights on Kaapo Kakko with their second overall pick. The Finnish forward has zero points in nine games this year so far. He's not getting the start he wanted with the New York Rangers. Advantage to the Red Wings for the selection of Seider for now.
It's obviously too early to determine which team will have the upper hand in the long run. However, Steve Yzerman has to be happy that he has two youngsters making an immediate impact with the big club, unlike the Rangers who had the 1st and 2nd picks in those two years. Sometimes a distant pick can pay off just as much, if not more. 😉
