The NHL All-Rookie Team is chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from the best rookies in the National Hockey League at each position for the season just concluded based on their performance in that year. The team was first named after the 1982–83 NHL season and since then many future stars have been selected.
Contents
The team consists of one goalie, two defensemen and three forwards. In order to be considered a rookie in the NHL, the rookie must be eligible to win the Calder Memorial Trophy. The qualification criteria to be eligible are that the player must not have played in more than 25 NHL games in any previous year nor played in six or more NHL games in each of any two preceding seasons, as well as being under the age of 26 on September 15 of the season in which he is eligible. The age consideration was added after Sergei Makarov won the trophy at age 31 in 1990.
The only player to be awarded the Calder Trophy without being named to the All-Rookie Team is Pavel Bure (in 1991–92), because he received votes at both right wing and left wing, but not enough to lead at either position. Since that time, the rules have been changed so that all forwards are voted on together.
All-Rookie Teams by year
Player's name written in italic denotes Calder Trophy Candidate and written in bold indicates the winner of the Calder Memorial Trophy