That's probably not what most people would have bet on after Evgeni Malkin returned from injury in October and came out of the gates going gangbusters Isaac Seumalo Jersey .But the 19-year-old Kopitar has consistently produced since the beginning of the season and his 23 points (6-17) are one ahead of Malkin's 22 (12-10).Yes, Malkin has played seven fewer games, but that's not Kopitar's fault. What's interesting, though, is that many people expected Malkin to have left all the other rookies in his dust fairly quickly. Kopitar is still hanging in."Malkin is Brian Dawkins Jersey a great player," Kopitar said this week from Los Angeles. "I'll try to give him a little competition, though."The Kings centre insists, however, that the Calder Trophy is not burning up hard-drive space in his mind."It's not really that I think about the rookie of the year," Kopitar said. "Of course, If I get rewarded at the end it would make me really glad."He's the Allen Barbre Jersey first and only player from Slovenia to ever play in the NHL and he's born in 1987, but Kopitar doesn't sound like he's wet behind the ears.His English, for starters, is real good. He's also oozing calm and confidence over the phone line."He's mature for a 19-year-old boy," said Kings head coach Brandon Brooks Jersey Marc Crawford. "He lived on his own for two years in Sweden and I think that made him mature very quickly. He's using that maturity to handle the life out here in the NHL."He hasn't shown any signs that he's overwhelmed at all."
