Epic Calder Battle in 2024-25 Season

[CanadienShark]

*cough* Seamus Casey in the AHL *cough*

Definitely would have been a dark horse candidate.

 

[Fraser28]

I certainly wouldn't be complaining. Stankoven was always going to be in the mix even if everyone was fully healthy and playing though.

For sure. But a lot of people wrote off his chances due to the injury. I think that was premature.

 

[zombie kopitar]

Mack is gonna have a better rookie year than Bedard, that's all I'm gonna say

 

[CanadienShark]

For sure. But a lot of people wrote off his chances due to the injury. I think that was premature.

Here's to hoping. Celebrini has been incredible all over the ice in his limited games. This year is so stacked with talent. Michkov, Celebrini, Hutson, Stankoven, Smith all seem like the calibre of players that would be a top contender in every year, then there's dark horses like Casey to add to the mix.

 

[Fraser28]

Here's to hoping. Celebrini has been incredible all over the ice in his limited games. This year is so stacked with talent. Michkov, Celebrini, Hutson, Stankoven, Smith all seem like the calibre of players that would be a top contender in every year, then there's dark horses like Casey to add to the mix.

Yeah it’s an awesome year for the Calder race. I hope Michkov is in the lineup tomorrow so we can see him head to head with Celebrini.

One thing we haven’t had from Celebrini yet is a road game, which we’ll see starting tonight.

 

[CanadienShark]

Yeah it’s an awesome year for the Calder race. I hope Michkov is in the lineup tomorrow so we can see him head to head with Celebrini.

Celebrini could use a fight in his resume... Michkov vs Celebrini.

 

[OverTheLine]

Didn’t make it on the scoreboard tonight, but Celebrini was very noticeable on both sides of the ice. Seemed like one of the most consistently dangerous players on the ice while playing responsible defensive hockey in his own zone. Not exactly the kind of play Calder voters might look for, but he’s remarkably mature for being like four games in.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Still think Stankoven will win it if not some unlucky injures. People were right, Tortorella's hockey isn't for winning Calder. Of course Michkov will keep scoring because of talent, but Dallas is just better and more offensive team.

 

[Lunatik]

Bump

Rookies with 5 or more points.

Rookie goalies, there are few enough I just snipped all of em

IMO the top candidates for RotY have to be Michkov, Stankoven, Hutson and Wolf currently, but with more GP Celebrini will probably enter the mix.

These stats are prior to Tuesday's games.

 

[Kielbasa]

Bump

Rookies with 5 or more points.
View attachment 933103

Rookie goalies, there are few enough I just snipped all of em
View attachment 933106

IMO the top candidates for RotY have to be Michkov, Stankoven, Hutson and Wolf currently, but with more GP Celebrini will probably enter the mix.

These stats are prior to Tuesday's games.

I think goalies are at a huge disadvantage in the Calder conversation. I love Wolf but if he wants to get the Calder, he's going to have to play well enough to finish as a finalist for the Vezina.

 

[Lunatik]

I think goalies are at a huge disadvantage in the Calder conversation. I love Wolf but if he wants to get the Calder, he's going to have to play well enough to finish as a finalist for the Vezina.

They definitely have a disadvantage, I can't argue that. I'm not sure he'll have to be a Vezina finalist, but probably top 5 for sure. Frankly, I'll just be pleased if Wolf is a finalist, this is a very good crop of rookies this year

 

[Kahvi]

I think goalies are at a huge disadvantage in the Calder conversation. I love Wolf but if he wants to get the Calder, he's going to have to play well enough to finish as a finalist for the Vezina.

There's a good ESPN article about this Can a goaltender win the Calder Trophy this season?

The voter said they'd have no problem voting for a goalie -- with some caveats.

"If a goaltender took a mediocre team to the playoffs but played 44 games, I'd have a hard time casting my vote," the voter explained. "But if he played 55 or 58 games, had a low GAA, a high save percentage and was in the top 5 in the league in those categories? They did something that was truly special -- I'd have no problem casting a vote for them."

Last season, there were only 10 goalies overall who played more than 55 games. Two of them were in the top five in GAA among those with more than 25 games, and only one goalie was in the top five in save percentage among those with more than 25 games.

The only goalie in the entire NHL who checked all of those boxes was Winnipeg Jets star Connor Hellebuyck, who won his second Vezina Trophy.

 

[Rubi]

Dustin Wolf currently has the 3rd best Sv% in the league among goalies who have 10 or more GP.
Wolf is putting himself into the running for the Calder trophy. ... but then thats old hat for this kid.

 

[Sergei Shirokov]

I think Celebrini is the best rookie but given he missed time Michkov is probably the leader.

Though if Wolf grabs+keeps the starter role all season in Calgary he could be as good a candidate as anyone.

 

[luiginb]

I finally got around to seeing some Celebrini games (it's rough being an European west coast team fan) I'm not sure he'll ever break 100 points but I'm sure he'll have several SelkeS in his career, he seems to actively enjoy winning puck battles, such a pitbull.

LE: Twitter says he's the number one player in the league at both winning puck battles (among forwards) and controlled entries (among all players, ahead of some kids named MacKinnon and McDavid). At 18. Small sample size, but nonetheless super impressive. He's also fifth in dekes (after McDavid, Terry, Eichel and Kaprizov), 20th in loose puck recoveries and 26th in blocked passes. All stats per game.

The downside is he's small out there (6 feet on Elite Prospects seems generous), but it doesn't stop him from protecting the puck at times like he's zdeno freaking chara

 

[OverTheLine]

Celebrini tonight with two apples, an unbelievable defensive effort to save what would have been a freebie ENG, and basically singlehandedly willed a very tired and outmatched Sharks team into overtime. The kid is special.

 

[Kshahdoo]

At least secondary assists count for him...

 

[Lunatik]

Wolf picks up another win, improves his numbers to 8-2-1 record, 2.36 GAA, .926SV%

 

[Rubi]

Dustin Wolf let's in two tonight against the Rangers on the way to getting his 8th win in 11 games. Finishes the game with a .931 Sv% for the night.

 

[LuGBuG]

I could see Cutter working his way back into this convo. Considering his points, how he’s looked and the incredibly bad puck luck he had to start.

 

[Rubi]

Wolf is tied for 2nd in Sv% with .926 among all NHL goalies who have played 7 or more games.
If Wolf keeps playing like he has so far he's going to be a Vezina candidate.

 

[TheBeerNerd]

At this point it's gotta be Wolf, then Michkov. Wolf is lights out.

 

[MS]

Wolf and Celebrini are easily the best two rookies so far but one is a goalie and the other missed a month through injury, which allows other names to creep into the conversation.

I have a hard time thinking it won't be Celebrini when all is said and done, especially after the way the voters rushed to annoint Bedard with the Calder that should have been Faber's last year.

 

[LemonSauceD]

Wolf right now.

Followed by Michkov and Celebrini.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

I finally got around to seeing some Celebrini games (it's rough being an European west coast team fan) I'm not sure he'll ever break 100 points but I'm sure he'll have several SelkeS in his career, he seems to actively enjoy winning puck battles, such a pitbull.

LE: Twitter says he's the number one player in the league at both winning puck battles (among forwards) and controlled entries (among all players, ahead of some kids named MacKinnon and McDavid). At 18. Small sample size, but nonetheless super impressive. He's also fifth in dekes (after McDavid, Terry, Eichel and Kaprizov), 20th in loose puck recoveries and 26th in blocked passes. All stats per game.

The downside is he's small out there (6 feet on Elite Prospects seems generous), but it doesn't stop him from protecting the puck at times like he's zdeno freaking chara

I also just recently watched a few games of his and came away with the same assessment as your first paragraph, what a stud