This 2022-23 hockey season has been quite exciting whether that was for veteran or rookie players.
As the season only has a few more months left, NHL trophy tracking has been huge.
The Calder Memorial Trophy is the trophy that is given “to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League.”
Last season, the winner of the Calder was Moritz Seider with 50 points. Trevor Zegras and Micheal Bunting were the runner-ups.
Since the beginning of this season, Seattle Krakens’ Matty Beniers, has seemed like the clear winner.
This rookie has shown he can be an NHL star as he netted nine points during his 10-game debut last season. He is among the Kraken’s top scorers and is a great two-way forward.
The rest of the Calder Trophy list is constantly changing as each rookie continues to shine and get better in every game.
Mason McTavish is among the group of rookies who are being considered for the Calder Trophy. This Anaheim Duck was named the MVP in the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, helping Canada get the gold medal. During his first five games with the Ducks, he had four points as he was playing with players like Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome.
Logan Thompson, goalie for the Vegas Golden Knights, is also in the mix. When the Golden Knights announced that Robin Lehner was going to miss this season due to surgery, it was time for Thompson to show what he was made of. He currently has a save percentage of .914 and is helping to get Vegas into a playoff spot. Thompson also went to his first All-Star Game this season.
The Buffalo Sabres' Owen Power has shown that he deserved to be first overall in the 2021 NHL draft. During his first five games, he collected two assists and averaged 22:14 time on ice, leading all of the NHL rookies. Power also has two other rookie teammates, JJ Peterka and Jack Quinn. They all continue to help with the rebuild of the team and win games.
The Ottawa Senators also have a rookie that is considered for the Calder Trophy this year. Jake Sanderson currently has 25 points and is continuing to develop each and every game. His teammate Shane Pinto is also an honorable mention when talking about the Calder race.
Rookies are one of the most important parts of hockey as they continue to develop and someday might even become veteran players that other rookies will look up to. This year will have a close race as skills and points increase.
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