In the future, we might look back at the 2016-17 class of rookies as one of the best the NHL has ever seen.
Only a year removed from Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel owning the spotlight, the 2016 No. 1 and No. 2 picks put on a show in their debuts. And they were hardly the only ones. Fans around the league saw the emergence of exciting rookie scorers, top-pairing defensemen and even a franchise goalie.
But every season, some of the top rookies from the previous campaign hit a wall. Whether it's because opponents adapt or because coaches put more on the shoulders of their young players or simply a regression to the mean, the sophomore slump can be "a thing" in the NHL.