The Calder Trophy is awarded to the player selected most proficient in his first NHL season voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. This rookie field is incredibly stacked and loaded with talent looking to make an immediate impact in the league. With that said, here are my top five contenders for the Calder Trophy.
5th | Will Smith, San Jose Sharks
Will Smith will be competing against teammate, Macklin Celebrini in the Calder race which will hurt his chances considering Celebrini is a first-overall pick and coming in with a lot of fanfare. In the NCAA with Boston College, Smith had 71 points in 41 games following his fourth-overall selection at the 2023 NHL draft. Smith should get top six minutes on this team which should raise his stock. His high hockey IQ and offensive upside should put him in the running for the Calder Trophy. However, he is not the favourite.
4th | Cutter Gauthier, Anaheim Ducks
Cutter Gauthier was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2022, and was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in Jan, 2024. He got into one game last year with the Ducks, registering one assist. Like Will Smith, Gauthier also played for Boston College of the NCAA and registered 38 goals and 65 points in 41 games as a sophomore, while Smith was a rookie.
There’s a good chance he will start the season on a line with Leo Carlsson in the top six. Carlsson had an incredible rookie season and is looking to build off that, especially if Gauthier is by his side. This could be an unsuspecting dynamic duo. Gauthier has a lot of talent surrounding him in Anaheim which should only enhance his production.
3rd | Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks
First-overall picks should always be in consideration for winning the Calder Trophy, and Macklin Celebrini is no different. While Celebrini isn’t as highly touted as previous first-overall picks such as Connor McDavid or Connor Bedard, he is still an elite player. The 18-year old played in the NCAA last season, registering 32 goals and 64 points in only 38 games with Boston University.
Celebrini will likely be the Sharks first line centre, playing with veteran scoring winger, Tyler Toffoli. It is important that Celebrini has skilled players to play with in his first season. The North Vancouver native will likely be on the top power play unit which will help his production. He will be put in a position to succeed right away, and be given lots of ice time on this young, rebuilding Sharks team.
2nd | Logan Stankoven, Dallas Stars
Logan Stankoven is the only player in this top five with legitimate NHL experience. He played 24 games in the regular season, scoring six goals and 14 points. The 21-year old also appeared in 19 playoff games, recording eight points. In order to be considered a rookie, a player must not have played more than 25 regular season games the year before. Therefore, he is still classified as a rookie and is eligible to win this award.
The Kamloops, BC native is the only player on this list picked outside the first-round. He’s also the only player on a legitimate contender. That can both help, or hinder his Calder Trophy chances. It is helpful because he has the opportunity to play with experienced NHLers such as Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Matt Duchene, Jason Robertson, and Roope Hintz. That will only raise his stock. However, he will not be on the first power play unit, and will be fighting for ice time on the third line which could hinder his chances at winning the award. That is why he is second in this ranking.
1st | Matvei Michkov, Philadelphia Flyers
Matvei Michkov is going to be an absolute superstar in this league. He is making the jump to the NHL sooner than expected after his final two seasons of his Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) contract was terminated. Other than Stankoven, this 19-year old right-winger is arguably the most NHL ready rookie in this field. He had 19 goals and 41 points in 47 games last season for Sochi of the KHL. That was the most points among players under 20-years old.
While he is a bit undersized at 5-foot-10, 172 pounds, he still has a powerful shot. The Russian winger is highly creative and has incredible puck skills with a high hockey IQ. He will be an integral part of this Flyers offense and will be put in a position to succeed from the onset. The 2023 seventh-overall pick will undoubtedly play in the top six, while also on the first power play unit. This is an extremely exciting prospect, and Flyer fans should be thrilled. He should be the odds on favourite to win the Calder Trophy this season.
Honorable Mentions
Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens
Lane Hutson is an offensive defenceman, and another player in contention that played in the NCAA. The 20-year old registered 49 points in 38 games in his sophomore season with Boston University. He will likely slot in on the second-pair, giving him top four minutes which will enhance his value. Only four defencemen have won the Calder Trophy since 2005 including Tyler Myers, Aaron Ekblad, Cale Makar, and Moritz Seider. Can Hutson get into the conversation?
Dustin Wolf, Calgary Flames
Dustin Wolf is the only goaltender in contention after Yaroslav Askarov was sent to the minors. He will most likely be the Flames starting goalie after the departure of Jaccob Markstrom. This will give him an advantage. Wolf played 17 games for the Flames last season, so he remains eligible for the Calder this season. The 23-year old netminder dominated the American Hockey League (AHL), posting a career 2.29 goals-against average (GAA) and .926 save percentage (SV %). He’s also a two-time AHL goalie of the year and is the guy to lead the Flames into the future. However, this rookie class is so strong, he is a longshot to win this award.
Mavrik Bourque, Dallas Stars
Mavrik Bourque had a great season with the Texas Stars of the AHL last year, registering 26 goals and 77 points in 71 games. He will likely start the year on a line with veteran Jamie Benn, and other rookie, Logan Stankoven. That is a really solid third line, and Bourque should thrive in that position. However, similar to Smith and Celebrini, Bourque is on a team with another Calder Trophy candidate in Stankoven which may hurt his chances.
Last season Connor Bedard won the Calder Trophy as expected. However, this season is way more unpredictable and there are quite a few rookies with legitimate chances. The NHL regular season is finally here, so keep it locked to Area 51 Sports Network for all your hockey news and rumors.
