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TORONTO — In a month where Auston Matthews is in the top-three in overall scoring, Patrik Laine is tied for the most goals and Travis Konecny, Zach Werenski and Mitch Marner are averaging close to a point per game, it is sometimes easy to forget that not every fresh-faced teen has seamlessly transitioned into the National Hockey League.

Forget scoring hat tricks or leading their teams in scoring. Outside Toronto, most rookies are struggling to pick up their first points. Some, like Dylan Strome and Mathew Barzal, are not even playing.

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Strome, who was the No. 3 pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, has no goals and one assist with the Arizona Coyotes. He has been a healthy scratch in five of eight games. Barzal was the New York Islanders’ 16th overall pick in 2015. While Anthony Beauvillier (28th pick in 2015) has five points in seven games, Barzal has no points and has sat out in six games.

It would appear both Strome and Barzal are destined for another season in junior. And yet, both the players and their respective teams are trying to delay that decision as much as possible.