Counting stats
NHL Rookie Assists Leaders
2026-27All situationsThrough 11 team games
Ivar Stenberg (SJS) and 
Anton Frondell (CHI) lead NHL rookies with 5 assists in 2026-27, ahead of 
James Hagens (BOS) (4).
Leaders: Assists: rookies, 2026-27
- 1stIvar StenbergSJS · 10 GP5Share
- 2ndAnton FrondellCHI · 9 GP5Share
- 3rdJames HagensBOS · 10 GP4Share
4thMichael Brandsegg-NygårdDET · 9 GP4Share
5thIlya ProtasWSH · 9 GP4Share
The full ranked table, with filters, follows.
What Assists: rookies measures
This board ranks NHL rookies (the NHL's own rookie list) by total assists, all situations, this season. Players under the minimum sample are hidden, and every row shows the games or minutes behind the number. Total assists, all situations, this season.
Rookie totals reward games and ice time as much as skill; per-60 rates are the fairer comparison between a top-six rookie and a call-up.
The rookie race is the Calder Trophy race in numbers. Assists credit the last one or two players to touch the puck before a goal. Playmaking centres and power-play quarterbacks on the blue line top the list, and secondary assists make the totals noisier than goals suggest. In 2026-27, 32 rookies qualify for this board; the median is 2 and Ivar Stenberg leads at 5.
Assists: rookies leaderboard
- Rookies as the NHL defines them (its own rookie list for the season).
| # | Player | Team | A | GP | Pctl | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ivar StenbergFSJS | SJS | 5 | 10 | 98 | 77%▲1.7 |
| 2 | Anton FrondellFCHI | CHI | 5 | 9 | 98 | 67%▼1.2 |
| 3 | James HagensFBOS | BOS | 4 | 10 | 90 | 52%▲1.5 |
| 4 | Michael Brandsegg-NygårdFDET | DET | 4 | 9 | 90 | 44%▲19 |
| 5 | Ilya ProtasFWSH | WSH | 4 | 9 | 90 | 40% |
| 6 |  Trevor ConnellyFVGK | VGK | 3 | 11 | 77 | 44%▲3.4 |
| 7 |  Gavin McKennaFTOR | TOR | 3 | 11 | 77 | 92%▼0.5 |
| 8 |  Noah WarrenDANA | ANA | 3 | 9 | 77 | 20%▲8.3 |
| 9 |  Cole HutsonDWSH | WSH | 3 | 9 | 77 | 87% |
| 10 |  Amadeus LombardiFNJD | NJD | 3 | 8 | 77 | 5.6%▲0.8 |
| 11 |  Anton JohanssonDDET | DET | 2 | 9 | 60 | 6.4%▲1.6 |
| 12 |  Owen MichaelsFEDM | EDM | 2 | 9 | 60 | 8.1% |
| 13 |  Judd CaulfieldFANA | ANA | 2 | 8 | 60 | 4.8%▲4.8 |
| 14 |  Frederic BrunetDBOS | BOS | 2 | 7 | 60 | 9.7%▲3.2 |
| 15 |  Oliver BonkDPHI | PHI | 2 | 5 | 60 | 22%▲0.8 |
| 16 |  Bradly NadeauFCAR | CAR | 2 | 3 | 60 | 27% |
| 17 |  Porter MartoneFPHI | PHI | 1 | 11 | 24 | 77%▼4.4 |
| 18 |  T.J. HughesFCOL | COL | 1 | 10 | 24 | 24%▲0.9 |
| 19 |  Sandis VilmanisFFLA | FLA | 1 | 9 | 24 | 6.4% |
| 20 |  Carter YakemchukDOTT | OTT | 1 | 9 | 24 | 43%▼2.5 |
| 21 |  Victor EklundFNYI | NYI | 1 | 9 | 24 | 35%▼1.7 |
| 22 |  Brad LambertFWPG | WPG | 1 | 8 | 24 | 14% |
| 23 |  Luca CagnoniDSJS | SJS | 1 | 8 | 24 | 53%▼9.4 |
| 24 |  Konsta HeleniusFBUF | BUF | 1 | 8 | 24 | 37%▼1.7 |
| 25 |  Josh SamanskiFEDM | EDM | 1 | 6 | 24 | 3.2% |
Frequently asked questions
Who leads the NHL in Assists: rookies in 2026-27?
Ivar Stenberg leads with 5. The median of the 32 qualified rookies is 2.
Which defenseman leads in Assists: rookies in 2026-27?
Noah Warren leads NHL defensemen with 3; the top forward is Ivar Stenberg at 5.
How is Assists: rookies calculated?
Total assists, all situations, this season. Regular season only, from the NHL's official game data.
How reliable is Assists: rookies?
Rookie totals reward games and ice time as much as skill; per-60 rates are the fairer comparison between a top-six rookie and a call-up.