THE NHL ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

The NHL has a bumper crop of young talent who are making an impact in their first year in the NHL. Here are the best from the first half in our NHL All-Rookie Team.

First Team

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers

Despite the Oilers being in the running for their third straight first overall pick amidst another dismal season, the future certainly does look bright, mainly because of this eighteen year old superstar. The prospects of watching of an emerging star in Jordan Eberle, former first overall pick, Taylor Hall and the "Nuge" developing along side one another, has to excite even the most skeptical Oilers fan. Nugent-Hopkins was exceeding all expectations before being sidelined with a shoulder injury that has kept him out of action for the past month. At the time of his injury, he was leading all rookies and the Oilers as a team in scoring and was running away with the Calder trophy. In addition, it was announced before the final all-star rosters were announced, that he, if healthy, would have been drafted last night amongst the NHL's best.

Adam Henrique, New Jersey Devils
Henrique is man benefitting most from the injury to Nugent-Hopkins as he is knocking on the backdoor of the Calder race, emerging as the only legitimate contender. Heading into the all-star break, Henrique is within one of the Nuge in points, centering the top line in New Jersey. The highlight of Henrique's young career, a Gordie Howe hat trick earlier this month, when he dropped the gloves with Jarome Iginla and chipped in with a goal and an assist.

Matt Read, Philadelphia Flyers
Bob McKenzie, brilliant once again. Bob went relatively off the board with his preseason Calder prediction, but Read has certainly lived up to the billing in Philadelphia. Read, the former Bemidji State University Beaver, leads NHL rookies in goals at 15, in a secondary scoring role for the Flyers.

Jared Cowen, Ottawa Senators

Cracking the Senators full-time roster, in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Senators, Cowen has brought stability to a unit playing out of their minds so far this season. Many have credited Cowen for the improved play of defence partner, Sergei Gonchar. His four goals, an area that has never been considered a strength, is tied for tops amongst rookie defencemen.

Adam Larsson, New Jersey Devils 
Larsson was the first defenceman taken in the 2011 NHL draft. He is tied for first amongst rookie defencemen in scoring with 15 points. He is quickly becoming the go-to guy in New Jersey, a leader in Devils' ice time since game one this season.

Richard Bachman, Dallas Stars
Bachman started the year in the AHL, as the starting goalie for the Texas Stars, but after injuries to Kari Lehtonen and Andrew Raycroft, Bachman was thrown into the NHL fire. Bachman has gone 6-2-2 in his 12 appearance for the Stars, filling in admirably during desperate times in Big D. Bachman impressed the Stars brass so much that Raycroft was handed a demotion upon returning from injury and is now the goaltender between the pipes for Texas, while Bachman competes with Lehtonen on the big club.


Second Team

Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche
Cody Hodgson, Vancouver Canucks
Sean Couturier, Philadelphia Flyers
Rafael Diaz, Montreal Canadiens
Jake Gardiner, Toronto Maple Leafs
Jhonas Enroth, Buffalo Sabres