image courtesy of Winnipeg Free Press

 

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I’ve been patient, I’ve held off a couple weeks until I had a big batch of clips for this article, and I think its finally time to post my first First NHL Goals post of the season!

 

If you’ve read my articles over the years, you know that there’s not much I enjoy more than sharing a prospect’s first NHL – the achievement they’ve worked their whole life for. We’re lucky enough to have a wide assortment so far this year, so let’s get into it!

 

No sense burying what people want to see – Kaapo Kakko shows off his soft hands in close for his first of many:

 

We knew he would get powerplay time, but I’m not sure the opposition expected such a bomb from Quinn Hughes to blast in his first:

 

Speaking of blasts – who expected Ville Heinola to be the first 2019 draftee to get a goal? Not me, but if he keeps doing this he’ll have more to come;

 

Some empty-netters are easy, but Sam Lafferty’s first came from his own zone with no preparation, so he definitely gets to brag about it being a great one:

 

Barrie did most of the work, but KHL import Ilya Mikheyev made no mistake finishing of his first in North America:

 

I love this one. Adam Johnson sees a rebound come his way on the rush with some open net, and decides to just wind up and rip it. What a beauty!

 

The first NHL goal from the first Golden Knights’ draft pick Cody Glass. The defensemen were nice enough to make sure he had enough room:

 

Nick Caamano also gets a bit too much room from the defense and was able to cut right to the net for his first. Fantastic play.

 

Not all first goals are picturesque – Dominik Kubalik gets his by ending a giant scrambling mess in front of the net:

 

On the other hand, sometimes the disaster happens behind the net and gives Vitaly Abramov one of the easiest first NHL goals you’ll ever see:

 

Carson Twarynski isn’t a prospect many people had their eye on, but he gets open for the stretch pass and sneaks one by for his first.

 

 

Go to the net and good things happen, just ask Joakim Nygard (although the free agent signing probably doesn’t classify as a true “prospect”):

 

You can also ask Nikita Gusev, who can finish in close just as well as from far away:

 

Sorry to my fellow Leafs fans, but Scott Sabourin getting his first means that he’s no longer just “that guy who Matthews didn’t know”. Legit NHL goal for a legit NHL player now.

 

 

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Hayden Soboleski

@soboleskih