Epic Calder Race 2024-25

[Dumais]

Shouldn't this kind of petty bickering be reserved for after the award is given out?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Woooooh! Good stuff.

Can't remember a crop being this good in a while.

 

[wetcoast]

I'm a homer for saying Hutson deserves to be in the conversation?

No you are a homer on 2 fronts, the fist being your last sentence here, like why would I not know who would be second on my ballot?

The first reason is your response to my post with this gem.

Take the hater glasses off

It's pretty clear that Celebrini is the guy to beat right now.

It's ridiculous to exclude him when he's producing essentially the same points as two forwards and providing way more than just scoring to boot.

Well Celebrini is out producing him playing 20 minutes a night and has a great 2 way game, if Celebrini was just Michkov like with points then Hutson would be closer.

I didn't and don't hate faber who was very good last year both ways and probably a more valuable Dman than Hutson in their rookie years and he didn't win the Calder but sure calling balls and strikes makes people haters eh?

A defenceman doing what Hutson is doing deserves your respect. And I don't believe for a minute you'd have him at #2

So don't believe it, I don't care but why would you disbelieve what someone says?

Sounds like a you problem.

Right now my Calder winner would be Celebrini. Dude is just a special player with amazing offensive ability whilst also not being bad defensively.

But my #2 wouldn't be any of Michkov, Hutson, and the usual suspects; It'd be Dustin Wolf.

He's playing very well overall, getting a good amount of games as a rookie goaltender, in what is arguably the hardest position to play in the NHL. And I've frankly been very impressed each time I've watched Wolf play so far this season.

Celebrini is clearly my top Calder pick, and Dustin Wolf would clearly be my second, but third place gets a lot more contested for me as both Michkov and Hutson would be deserving of the Calder Trophy's "bronze medal" if you will.

Michkov is having an amazing season offensively, and he's improved his 5-on-5 play a lot since October though there are still rough nights for him (and the Flyers as a whole).

Michkov has seemingly single-handedly re-invigorated a moribund Philadelphia powerplay with his creativity and quick decisions on the ice, using a lot of the ice surface in brilliant and unexpected ways instead of the usual small areas, which has been very impressive to see.

Hutson is having a great season offensively too, but after a very strong start that culminated with him finally getting #1PP opportunities, teams have started to adjust to him more.

Since December or so, opposing players have started pressuring Hutson a lot more at the blueline when teammates don't give him a clean pass, or whenever circumstances make it so that Hutson doesn't have the puck cleanly on his stick when establishing possession.

Inversely, if Hutson gets possession of the puck in a more clear-cut manner, I've noticed that in recent games opposing checkers back-off almost entirely, not challenging Hutson 1-on-1 and just staying content trying to block passing lanes (shooting lanes too, but they don't really respect Hutson's shot so they definitely cheat on shooting lanes in favor of passing lanes).

To people who have watched all of Hutson's games in the NHL so far (like me) the change is pretty stark, and a flattering sign for Hutson that teams have started to key-in on him in that manner.

However, as a result of those adjustments that teams have made I've noticed that Hutson has started coughing-up the puck a lot more at the blueline and turning it over more frequently than he used to do to start the year.

Or at least that was the case until more recently (mid-December on roughly) Hutson has started passing the puck more quickly and defaulting to his D partner (Matheson on the right side) a lot more, playing a more controlled type of game offensively that I think translates to more sustained long-term success for him.

So yeah, right now I'd basically have a two-way tie for third in the Calder race with Michkov and Hutson jointly taking that spot, but I will admit that the race for the Calder has been an interesting and exciting one to watch.

I'm hoping for the goalie to win it all this year as it's really rare that we get a rookie goaltender that has a good-enough season to realistically contend for the Calder.

Fair post but Wolf is going to need to play more than 45 games to be second this year.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

Can't we both just be happy as the two teams basically the furthest from one another to both have exciting up and coming star talent at different positions without bitching about a possible meaningless award lol

 

[karltonian]

Re wolf, I think a goalie like askarov might reduce his chances.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Re wolf, I think a goalie like askarov might reduce his chances.

He’s played in 5 games, has one win and has a similar save percentage. He’s been impressive but I dont dee how that’s related to Wolf at all.

About 90% of the media had the Flames finishing bottom 3 in the league this year, and yet Wolf has a pace of a 112 point season in the standings if he played every night. Vladar is on pace for a 77 point season and has a save percentage .25 percentage points lower than Wolf.

What Wolf is doing is pretty incredible. In terms of sheer impact on winning he’s easily the best rookie in the league right now. I do think Celebrini wins the award at this point though.

 

[karltonian]

He’s played in 5 games, has one win and has a similar save percentage. He’s been impressive but I dont dee how that’s related to Wolf at all.

About 90% of the media had the Flames finishing bottom 3 in the league this year, and yet Wolf has a pace of a 112 point season in the standings if he played every night. Vladar is on pace for a 77 point season and has a save percentage .25 percentage points lower than Wolf.

What Wolf is doing is pretty incredible. In terms of sheer impact on winning he’s easily the best rookie in the league right now. I do think Celebrini wins the award at this point though.

Askarov is putting up those numbers behind a team squarely at the bottom of the league. We all saw that the flames are an order of magnitude better, so it kind of takes away from the narrative that wolf is the best young goalie.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

Askarov is putting up those numbers behind a team squarely at the bottom of the league. We all saw that the flames are an order of magnitude better, so it kind of takes away from the narrative that wolf is the best young goalie.

lol he’s played 5 games.

 

[wetcoast]

Askarov is putting up those numbers behind a team squarely at the bottom of the league. We all saw that the flames are an order of magnitude better, so it kind of takes away from the narrative that wolf is the best young goalie.

The same problem applies to Asharov in that the Sharks only have 42 games left, at least Wolf has a chance to hit 50-55 games if Cagary breaks their 2 man rotation.

 

[Barrie22]

The same problem applies to Asharov in that the Sharks only have 42 games left, at least Wolf has a chance to hit 50-55 games if Cagary breaks their 2 man rotation.

Would be tough to get to 50 as that would be 31 out of the last 45 games.

 

[wetcoast]

Would be tough to get to 50 as that would be 31 out of the last 45 games.

But that's kind of the point with Asharov he would 35 of 42 to hit 40 games.

Plus Wolf is winning games and that matters for goalies.

 

[karltonian]

The same problem applies to Asharov in that the Sharks only have 42 games left, at least Wolf has a chance to hit 50-55 games if Cagary breaks their 2 man rotation.

I don't disagree that wolf is doing great and that Askarov certainly will not challenge his wins or even come close on games played. But for a goalie to win the calder he has to be surprisingly good and when you have an even younger player that is putting up highlight reel tending every time he starts, it damages that narrative that what wolf is doing is surprising. Fair/accurate or not, his existence means there is another rookie, or pre-rookie even, that could maybe be doing the same thing behind a better team.

 

[wetcoast]

I don't disagree that wolf is doing great and that Askarov certainly will not challenge his wins or even come close on games played. But for a goalie to win the calder he has to be surprisingly good and when you have an even younger player that is putting up highlight reel tending every time he starts, it damages that narrative that what wolf is doing is surprising. Fair/accurate or not, his existence means there is another rookie, or pre-rookie even, that could maybe be doing the same thing behind a better team.

Man I really don't think that the voters will look and go" wow Wolf has been great but this other guy has better or similar numbers in less games and less wins so somehow Wolf isn't this good?"

If anything they will contrast Wolf to Calgary's other goalie and think man he really made a difference.

 

[Smok3d]

I don't disagree that wolf is doing great and that Askarov certainly will not challenge his wins or even come close on games played. But for a goalie to win the calder he has to be surprisingly good and when you have an even younger player that is putting up highlight reel tending every time he starts, it damages that narrative that what wolf is doing is surprising. Fair/accurate or not, his existence means there is another rookie, or pre-rookie even, that could maybe be doing the same thing behind a better team.

there’s being a homer and then there’s this.. smh

 

[dmcccdmn]

Lol how does Askarov get involved in here anyway? I get that he's pretty good and young, but he isn't a rookie.

Just curious, would you trade Wolf for Askarov straight up? Or for Sharks fan, would you?

 

[Barrie22]

Lol how does Askarov get involved in here anyway? I get that he's pretty good and young, but he isn't a rookie.

Just curious, would you trade Wolf for Askarov straight up? Or for Sharks fan, would you?

But he is a rookie, but other then that i agree.

For the trade part, no i would not trade askarov for wolf straight up.

 

[gary559]

Calgary would be crazy to trade Wolf for Askarov.

 

[karltonian]

Man I really don't think that the voters will look and go" wow Wolf has been great but this other guy has better or similar numbers in less games and less wins so somehow Wolf isn't this good?"

If anything they will contrast Wolf to Calgary's other goalie and think man he really made a difference.

It's not that he's less good, it's that he's less special. Again you have to be really notable to win the calder as a goalie, especially when there are clearly special forwards up in the same year. Nabokov was up against Brad Richards and Marty Havlat, Raycroft had Michael Ryder and Trent Hunter, Mason had Bobby Ryan and Kris Versteeg. Even in the goalie vs other goalie comparison, Askarov has Georgiev

 

[wetcoast]

It's not that he's less good, it's that he's less special. Again you have to be really notable to win the calder as a goalie, especially when there are clearly special forwards up in the same year. Nabokov was up against Brad Richards and Marty Havlat, Raycroft had Michael Ryder and Trent Hunter, Mason had Bobby Ryan and Kris Versteeg. Even in the goalie vs other goalie comparison, Askarov has Georgiev

Sure but I don't think that Wolf will win it but he has a possibility of breaking into the top 3.

 

[Barrie22]

Sure but I don't think that Wolf will win it but he has a possibility of breaking into the top 3.

It is getting hard for him to push his way up there. He needs a major slump or major injury out of Celebrini, michkov, hutson.

 

[wetcoast]

It is getting hard for him to push his way up there. He needs a major slump or major injury out of Celebrini, michkov, hutson.

Michkov seems to be doing his part in this last stretch right?

 

[Barrie22]

Michkov seems to be doing his part in this last stretch right?

Nah, needs more like a Stankoven slump.

 

[wetcoast]

Nah, needs more like a Stankoven slump.

I dunno last 10 games he only has his 2 points in a single game and is -13.

That's why all the fan bois have gone quiet, soon it will be torts wrecked him or some other stuff.