Welcome back to The Journey, where we track the development of prospects as they excel in junior, make the NHL, and push towards stardom.

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Every NHL season brings in new rookies, but the 2024-25 class has hit differently. Macklin Celebrini and Matvei Michkov grabbed early headlines and rightfully so, but it has not just been about flashy forwards. Lane Hutson's slick puck movement in Montreal and Dustin Wolf's steady presence in Calgary have added real depth to the rookie conversation. These are not just promising players; they are reshaping their teams right away. For fantasy managers and fans alike, this class is not just good, it is one of the most impactful we have seen in years.

After dominating the NCAA with Boston University for two seasons, Hutson made his way right into the Canadiens' lineup and delivered one of the most impactful rookies seasons we have seen from a defenseman in recent memory. There were plenty of questions about how his smaller frame would translate to the pro level, but those concerns were put to bed with 66 points across a full 82-game season.  He averaged roughly over 22 minutes per night and he not only emerged as Montreal's most dangerous offensive defenseman, but he did so while logging heavy, high-leverage minutes and looking completely comfortable doing it.

What sets Hutson apart is his creativity and poise under pressure. He manipulates defenders with body fakes, shifts shooting angles with ease, and delivers passes through traffic like a seasoned vet. His usage reflected that of trust from Martin St. Louis with 66.1% of his starts came in the offensive zone, and he quarterbacked the Canadiens' top power-play unit with a near 60% participation rate. His underlying numbers also held up at a 51.2 Corsi For percentage and 50.5 expected goals share at even strength. The puck was going in the right direction with him on the ice, and that's always a strong marker for sustainability.

Watching him operate feels reminiscent of what we saw from Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes during their rookie seasons. While his scoring pace is closer to Hughes, his ability to control play and shoulder responsibility at such a young age draws fair comparisons to Makar's early NHL impact. If you are looking at it from a fantasy lens, Hutson is already a multi-category asset. He brings elite upside in points, assists, and PPP, with enough blocked shots and minutes to help in secondary stats. The ceiling? A perennial 70–85-point blueliner at the least and cornerstone fantasy piece for years to come.

While Hutson has grabbed headlines on the back end, Macklin Celebrini has been everything San Jose could have hoped for and maybe even more. Touted as a franchise-altering talent, he has shown that the hype is real, putting together a very impressive rookie season all while playing on a struggling, defensively porous Sharks team. Through 70 games, Celebrini piled up 63 points (25 goals and 38 assists) while logging just under 20 minutes a night. He missed some time due to injury, so the production could have easily been even better. What stands out is his ability to consistently generate offense despite the difficult context around him. San Jose spends a lot of time without the puck, yet Celebrini still drives play, creates chances, and finds ways to impact games in all three zones.  His 10.2 shots per 60 is elite-tier for any center, let alone a rookie. Yes, his minus-31 and sub-980 PDO look rough at first glance but those numbers speak more to his environment than his play. Constantly starting shifts in the defensive zone, combined with below-average goaltending and support, have naturally dragged down the surface stats. Still, his 47.1 xGF% shows that when he is on the ice, the Sharks are far more competitive.

This is all to just say that this is the baseline for Celebrini. He is showing elite flashes already in his pace, vision, physical maturity and with better teammates and more structure, he is going to take off. I am not even entertaining the idea of a sophomore slump. Celebrini is the real deal. His ceiling is massive — 90-to-100-point upside is very real, and potentially sooner than expected depending on San Jose's next steps. His teammates in Will Smith and William Eklund have made some impressive jumps in their overall production this year, which bodes well for the overall team structure and game play.  He is already a solid mid-round redraft pick, and in dynasty, he is a top-tier asset with franchise cornerstone upside.

Michkov's delayed NHL debut, after fulfilling his KHL contract, has turned out to be worth every bit of the wait for Flyers fans and fantasy managers alike. Creative with the puck and a lethal finisher, Michkov racked up 63 points (26 goals, 37 assists) over 80 games. His adjustment to the smaller North American ice surface was seamless, and the offensive instincts that made him such a hyped prospect showed up right away.

From a possession standpoint, his numbers were strong across the board. He posted a 52.8 expected goals percentage at 5-on-5 which was one of the best marks on the team and he averaged nearly nine shots per 60 minutes, showing off an aggressive, attack-minded game. The only thing holding him back? Usage. Under John Tortorella, Michkov was scratched twice and limited to reduced minutes in several games, frustrating for both fans and anyone trying to lock him into their fantasy lineup. He hit the 20-minute mark only a handful of times all season, and his overall ice time was often limited despite strong play.

Even after Tortorella was let go, the organization made it clear they were happy with his development, which is fine long-term, but it is hard not to wonder what his numbers could have looked like with more favorable deployment.

Post-coaching change, though, we got a glimpse of what he can do with more opportunity. In the final nine games of the season, Michkov put up 12 points, a clear sign the reins were loosened and the talent started flowing. He is a player with legitimate 90-point upside, possibly higher if the Flyers' young core continues trending up. He is a high-volume shooter, and has the dual-threat ability to both score and create, giving him multiple paths to fantasy relevance. The profile is very reminiscent of early Kaprizov, and to a lesser extent, the current version of Artemi Panarin, whose goal-scoring game has taken off in New York over the past few seasons. Either way, Michkov looks like a long-term fantasy stud.

While the spotlight usually lands on high-flying forwards, Wolf's rookie season in Calgary deserves just as much buzz, especially if you are looking at fantasy impact. I am usually a big fan of the ZeroG strategy, but when elite goaltenders start breaking through in the NHL, you have got to pay attention. After torching the AHL and earning back-to-back Goaltender of the Year awards, Wolf finally got a full NHL run and ran with it. As a rookie, he played 53 games. Yes, 53 games. In that stretch, he posted a 29-16-8 record with a 2.64 GAA and a .910 save percentage while anchoring the crease for a Flames team in the middle of a chaotic transition year. At even strength, his .910 save percentage and +12.74 Goals Saved Above Average puts him with in the top ten in the league.

He is technically sound, composed, and rarely beat clean, Wolf brings a calming presence similar to what we saw from Juuse Saros during his early breakout. His game is mature beyond his years, he is surgical with his rebound control and sharp reads. Although he does not have Igor Shesterkin's flash, the comparison makes sense when you factor in workload and defensive context.

Wolf is becoming the type of goalie you can confidently plug into your fantasy lineup and not think twice about. In fantasy leagues, he is already one of the most investable young goalies. Calgary looks ready to hand him the crease long-term, and his profile screams 55–65 starts a year. His value could pop, depending on what the Flames do this offseason, but even if the team stays mid-pack, Wolf's consistency and ratios already make him a steady, high-floor play.

Zooming out a bit — this rookie class this year was highly entertaining. Celebrini and Michkov are doing their thing up front. Hutson is changing games from the back end and Wolf has become a stabilizing force between the pipes. It is not just hype. These guys are raising the bar in real time.

Thanks for reading! See you next week. For more content/fantasy hockey analysis, or if there’s a prospect, you’d like me to cover, follow and message me on X @Punters_hockey.