For his more highly touted teammates such as Marian Gaborik and Marc Staal, the question wasn’t “if” they would make the NHL but “when.” Yet in the case of hard working New York Rangers forward Ryan Callahan, making the big leagues was a dream that gradually became a reality through hard work and increasing skill.
It’s not as if Callahan was totally nondescript coming into this season - he caught Brian Burke’s eye enough to become a member of the 2010 U.S. Olympic team - but it seems like the frequent hitter is hitting another level in 2010-11. While he hasn’t blown away his previous marks with his career-high 23 goals and 47 points, he reached those marks in just 59 games. That means he’s scoring at a .81 point per game rate, well ahead of the point-every-other-game pace of his last two seasons.
But the box scores only tell part of the story for the well-liked winger, as Callahan is developing into an emotional leader in New York. The team looks to him as a momentum changer - whether that comes in the form of a big hit or a pivotal goal - leading some to think he might be a captain in the future. This video captures his impressive journey.