Presenting the top AHL rookie scorers past nine years. (Strome and Kucherov updated 12/6/13.)

(Points-per-game leaders, minimum 40 pts aside from this 2013-14 season)

(Player, points in games, rookie AHL year, points-per-game, age at start of season)

Bolded players under 21 years old at start of season

Shultz, Justin: 48 in 34 (2012-13) (1.41) (22y3m)
Kucherov, Nikita 24 in 17 (2013-14) (1.41) (20y4m) (now top-6 role for TBL)
Strome, Ryan: 29 in 22 (2013-14) (1.32) (20y3m)
Stafford, Drew: 44 in 34 (2006-07) (1.29) (21y0m)
Couture, Logan 53 in 42 (2009-10) (1.26) (20y7m)
Purcell, Teddy: 83 in 67 (2007-08) (1.24) (22y1m)
Shannon, Ryan: 86 in 71 (2005-06) (1.21) (22y7m)
Brassard, Derick 51 in 42 (2007-08) (1.21) (20y1m)
Brouwer, Troy: 79 in 66 (2006-07) (1.20) (21y2m)
O'Sullivan, Patrick: 93 in 78 (2005-06) (1.19) (20y6m)
Adam, Luke 62 in 57 (2011-12) (1.09) (21y4m)
Krejci, David: 74 in 69 (2006-07) (1.07) (20y6m)
Conacher, Cory 80 in 75 (2011-12) (1.07) (21y10m)
Nyqvist, Gustav 58 in 56 (2011-12) (1.04) (22y1m)
Versteeg, Kris: 72 in 70 (2006-07) (1.03) (20y5m)
Sprukts, Janis: 59 in 58 (2006-07) (1.02) (24y9m)
Ryan, Bobby 49 in 48 (2007-08) (1.02) (20y7m)
Tambellini, Jeff: 56 in 56 (2005-06) (1.00) (21y6m)

And interesting names just shy of a point-per-game in rookie AHL season:
Gerbe, Nathan 56 in 57 (2008-09) (0.98) (21y3m)
Ennis, Tyler 65 in 69 (2009-10) (0.94) (20y0m)
Kadri, Nazem 41 in 44 (2010-11) (0.93) (20y0m)

I know it is unfair to compare Strome (after 29 games) and Kucherov (after 24 games) to those who played 50-80 games above a point-per-game pace, but this does show that both are off to outstanding starts. Also, scoring isn't everything. (I don't expect Strome to become a more complete player than Couture.)

Let's take a look at the ones under 21, bolded above. Was any inflated by being on a high-scoring team? How did each do in NHL that same excellent AHL rookie season?

Kucherov: Syracuse has 59 goals in 21 games (2.81 goals per game). (1 in 5.)
Strome: Bridgeport has 61 goals in 22 games (2.77).
Couture: Worchester had 275 goals in 80 games (3.44). (9 pts in 25 NHL games)
Brassard: Syracuse had 247 goals in 80 games (3.09). (2 pts in 17 NHL games)
O'Sullivan: Houston had 285 goals in 80 games (3.56).
Krejci and Versteeg: Providence had 251 goals in 80 games (3.14). (0 in 6 Krejci)
Ryan: Portland had 238 goals in 80 games (2.98). (10 pts in 23 NHL games)
Ennis: Portland had 244 goals in 80 games (3.05). (9 pts in 10 NHL games)
Kadri: Toronto Marlies had 228 goals in 80 games (2.85). (12 pts in 29 games)

I am not sure how to figure out what % of each player's points came on the power play. Perhaps the higher % on the PP, the less impressive.

One conclusion: if Strome can maintain this pace, the only rookie in the past 9 seasons in the AHL with numbers as impressive, taking into account age and team-scoring, is Brassard.

Another observation: Only Ennis had impressive NHL numbers the same season as a big rookie AHL year. Yet Couture and Ryan have gone on to have great NHL careers, and most of the other players who were under-21 are now good NHL players.