Jay Bouwmeester has already become an anchor in Florida's defense corps. Dave Sandford/Getty Images

Not every player goes through a sophomore slump. A glance around the league at players who made an impact as rookies a season ago indicates that quite a few guys are showing signs of being even better the second time around.

In Florida, defenseman Jay Bouwmeester exhibited poise beyond his years a season ago. At 19, he played over 20 minutes per game and registered 16 points. Maybe most impressively, Bouwmeester played all 82 games a year ago. That might help explain his minus-29 mark as a rookie, a number that probably precluded him from Calder consideration.

At times he seemed hesitant to use his tremendous skating ability to join the rush or to skate the puck to safety through the neutral zone. Not so as a second-year skater. Coach Mike Keenan has upped his ice time to nearly 25 minutes a night and Bouwmeester is responding. Bouwmeester is much more assertive with the puck, taking charge and using his best attribute to his advantage. His offensive output is thus far modest at a goal and two assists, but his plus/minus has turned around completely at plus-3. At 20 years old, Bouwmeester appears to already be the anchor of the Panthers' blueline after just one season.

In Columbus, power forward Rick Nash is likewise off to a fast second-year start. He is also playing more and to greater effect. He already has five goals on the young season and whereas he had a team worst minus-27 last season, Nash stands at a much more respectable minus-1 through eight games played. Nash's shots-on-goal total, though, is the best measure of his progress. A big, rangy kid whose strength is getting to the net off the wing, Nash averaged just over two shots per game last season. Thus far this year, Nash is putting up nearly four shots on goal per game, showing that he feels more comfortable using his skills to full advantage at the NHL level.

In Detroit, Henrik Zetterberg's development is continuing in another manner. In finishing as runner-up to Barret Jackman in the Calder voting a season ago, Zetterberg did so largely on the strength of his fine offensive numbers. He finished the season with 22 goals and 22 assists playing mostly with Pavel Datsyuk and Brett Hull. Zetterberg has had to adjust, as Datsyuk is now centering a line with Hull and Brendan Shanahan.

As a result, Zetterberg finds himself in different roles and with different linemates, depending on the game situation and match-up. He has handled every responsibility with an ease that belies his 22 years. He has scored only once this season, although the tally was short-handed and highlight-reel worthy, but he does have five helpers. His team leading plus-3 rating, however, probably best underscores the maturity of his all-around game.

Finally, second-year player Ales Hemsky leads the Edmonton Oilers in scoring through eight games. He was a healthy scratch 20 times as a rookie, with most of those press-box passes issued before the All-Star break. Once in the lineup, Hemsky's dynamic one-on-one puck handling skills made him a regular. He finished with 18 points in 24 games after the All-Star Game and his pace has quickened out of the gate this season, starting with eight points in eight games. This year, he might be part of the All-Star weekend instead of just taking a break.

And that goes for all of these super sophomores -- guys who are distancing themselves from any kind of second-year jinx.

Darren Eliot, a former NHL goaltender, is a hockey analyst for SI.com.