People scoffed when I played up the importance to the Carolina Hurricanes of 18-year-old rookie Jeff Skinner. Today, Skinner, who was the youngest player to ever make the NHL All-Star team, was named the Rookie-of-the-Year by Sporting News. More honors are to come.

Here’s what Skinner said about his first season in the NHL.

“There wasn’t one defining moment this season when I realized I was in the NHL to stay. It’s such a gradual thing. You come into training camp and you’re sort of a little uncomfortable and experiencing the new situation. Gradually you become more comfortable on the ice and feel like you belong.

“A fast start helped, and I was fortunate that I got to play with great players and great linemates early in my NHL career. I can thank the coaching staff and management in Carolina for giving me that opportunity. It ma kes the game so much easier when you can get tips from veteran guys who have been there. Guys like Erik Cole and Eric Staal were huge in helping my adjustment. You look at their careers and how they’ve played the game, it’s pretty unbelievable. Each guy has his strengths, and the biggest help is the little tips you get from them. At this level, the smallest difference can be huge, and they would always give me little tips off the ice.

“For instance, I came out of junior having played a lot of center. When I came to the NHL, I played a lot on the left wing. That was a bit of an adjustment for me. Erik Cole played on my right wing for the first bit and he would just tell me little things — like how to take a rim shot off the boards when a defenseman is pinching.

“It’s the sort of body positioning tips that make a huge difference. Like every season, there are ups and downs, and the challenge is finding a way to battle through the low points.

“That was the biggest thing for me this year — learning how to keep an even keel through such a long season. It was huge to find that happy medium.”