2018-19 Calder Trophy Contenders

[LastWordArmy]

A new NHL season brings with it a fresh crop of rookies, and a fresh set off hopes for the futures of nearly every NHL team. Along with helping their teams win, those rookies will also be chasing a prestigious individual award – the NHL’s Calder Trophy. The following article looks at pre-season favourites and predictions for who will be the NHL’s best freshman this season.

2018-19 Calder Trophy Contenders - Last Word on Hockey

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[DDRhockey]

Lol dahlin over Pettersson

 

[Critical13]

I think I have Brady a bit higher, but good list.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Solid list. I think it could come down to Dahlin vs Petterson in the end.
But who knows? Who would have picked Barzal vs Boeser last year. Some years are hard to call.

 

[Maitz]

If Kotkaniemi plays 1C he might be in the mix at the end of the year

 

[tony d]

Many thanks for this. Should be another season for the rookies.

 

[buffalosabrebills]

I'd love for Dahlin to take it but he's going to have to have a monster season pushing 60+ points if he wants to take it from Pettersson or Svechnikov.

 

[ottawah]

Dahlin will be in tough, he's young and likely will have to switch sides, or be more ineffective playing his off side.

But in an award usually dominated by big point totals, only 2 18 yr old D ever has had seasons of 40 points or more (Orr - 41, Housley - 66), so expecting much more of him in todays NHL is stretching his expectations.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I'd have Tkachuk at 5 on that list.

 

[LT]

Dahlin will be in tough, he's young and likely will have to switch sides, or be more ineffective playing his off side.

But in an award usually dominated by big point totals, only 2 18 yr old D ever has had seasons of 40 points or more (Orr - 41, Housley - 66), so expecting much more of him in todays NHL is stretching his expectations.

Ekblad won it with 39 points and similar hype, albeit a very different style of play (which probably contributed a lot to his award).

 

[LastWordArmy]

One of the key factors is that I think the Sabres will be a much-improved team this year, and Dahlin will get a lot of credit for that. The Canucks will not be a very good team IMO. That was my tiebreaker between the two. That Dahlin will get credit for the Sabres improvement.

I don't think they will be a playoff team, but they will be on the bubble and fighting for a spot late in the season.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

I think this is Petterssons to lose. As great as Dahlin is, tough for a D to win it over a guy who’s going to be putting serious numbers like I expect Pettersson will. 60+ shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Donato is gonna win

 

[42]

Borgstrom has been sent down to AHL so he seems a bit high at #4 right now.

 

[Kosander]

kakko

 

[Jaykay]

Why is Donato not higher?

 

[LastWordArmy]

Borgstrom has been sent down to AHL so he seems a bit high at #4 right now.

I must have missed that. When did that happen?

Its not on the Capfriendly transaction wire.

 

[LastWordArmy]

Why is Donato not higher?

I don't know how much top 6 time and PP time he is going to get on a deep Bruins team. Remember he barely played in the playoffs.

 

[Castle8130]

Svech and Pettersson will both probably get 60 + points. Definitely the top two, but I could see Dahlin hitting 50 points if everything goes right for him.

 

[poetryinmotion]

If Kotkaniemi plays 1C he might be in the mix at the end of the year

Drouin and Lehtonen gonna break his back if that would ever happen

 

[Volica]

I'd love for Dahlin to take it but he's going to have to have a monster season pushing 60+ points if he wants to take it from Pettersson or Svechnikov.

IF he gets about 40 points and plays top 4 minutes, he should get the nod before guys like Pettersson or Svechnikov. Not taking anything away from either two of them, but I don't see either as 80 points players in the NHL (this year).

It'll be similar to that Ekblad year, where three players (Gaudreau/Stone/Forsberg) all put up mid 60's and came in 2-3-4 to Ekblad's 39 points.

 

[Jimbo57]

Pettersson will be a contender, for sure, but what may really hinder him is that he plays on a team that can hardly score. There is Boeser, and Horvat and then the goal scoring talent drops off significantly. Unless he gets Boeser on his line at some point in the season it will be hard for him to keep up in the scoring race...that or he racks up a lot of points on the PP with Boeser.

 

[Dr Pepper]

After Klingberg got burned, I'd like to see Heiskanen at least be a finalist for the Calder.

I think he'll turn some heads this season.

 

[Fear]

Svech and Pettersson will both probably get 60 + points. Definitely the top two, but I could see Dahlin hitting 50 points if everything goes right for him.

60 points is a very lofty bar for a rookie straight out of the draft. Not even Eichel did it.

Since the lockout its only been Crosby, Kane, Matthews, Laine, Mackinnon and Skinner.

I expect Svechnikov to land somewhere in the high 40s to low 50s, 25 - 25 maybe?

 

[KevSkillz4]

JESPERI KOTKANIEMI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!