Epic Calder Race 2024-25

[Connor McConnor]

If the Flames make the playoffs I think it's gotta be Wolf. Cele would be a well deserved winner in his own right. Mich/Hutson distant 3rd and 4th.

 

[coooldude]

Yes. Basically one of the is in the top 4 every night. Right now two of them are. Calgary has 2 good dmen in Andersson and Weegar. Bahl is a fine #4. After that you have 3 number 7 D playing every night. 4 right now with Bahl out.

Look, Wolf is awesome and could very well win, but if we're going to measure D's here... one of those in the top 4 every night vs all 3 of Liljegren, Thrun, and Ferraro in Sharks' top 4 every night isn't really a contest.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Opinions ain't fact
Opinions are stuff that you think could happen, and can be right or wrong, like "Hutson ain't going to Win the Calder" ain't a fact, it's an opinion and honestly, a dumb one at that

Yep just like yours is an opinion. Zero difference.

 

[TheBeard]

The compounding issue that made this one of it not the worst D core in the league is that only Walman is a top 4 guy,

And he's been perhaps our worst defensive D-man since returning from injury.

 

[ViD]

Michkov with 2 goals and 19 minutes of ice time

He’s back in the race

 

[Rubi]

Michkov with 2 goals and 19 minutes of ice time

He’s back in the race

Did Tortorella get fired?

 

[Connor McConnor]

Michkov with 2 goals and 19 minutes of ice time

He’s back in the race

He’s not even close to cele or wolf, not sure how he’s back in the race

 

[wetcoast]

Michkov with 2 goals and 19 minutes of ice time

He’s back in the race

He already was in 4th place this morning, same place he is in now.

Maybe this kickstarts something but it's too early to tell.

 

[ViD]

He’s not even close to cele or wolf, not sure how he’s back in the race

Huh ? He’s only 3 points away from Celebrini and only one goal away from rookie goal lead

 

[BoHorvat 53]

He’s not even close to cele or wolf, not sure how he’s back in the race

It's a 2 horse race between Celebrini and Hutson with Wolf as a distant 3rd, betting odds reflect that as well.

Those ESPN polls are garbage, last year on April 5th they had Faber leading the race 54/46 over Bedard. After that, Faber closed the year out strong even dominating on the score sheet putting up 6 points in 7 games while Bedard finished the season with 3 points in 7 games, yet Bedard won the award with a 78.3% of 1st place votes.

 

[Star Platinum]

Calling San Jose's bottom 4 NHL caliber at all is extremely generous, Grier deserves industry criticism for trotting out that D when half the waiver wire would have been an improvement. Intentionally tanking or awful talent evaluation is all that you can say about his decisions at the start of the season. Ferraro at the start of the season was amongst the worst D men I have ever seen at this level, I haven't watched a ton of SJ since, but I imagine there hasn't been significant improvement there.

Our D is ass and we traded one of them, so it's even more ass now

 

[vortexy]

Huh ? He’s only 3 points away from Celebrini and only one goal away from rookie goal lead

Do people just forget that Celebrini missed 12 games due to injury? Michkov has played 10 more games than Celebrini and as you have mentioned is still behind by 3 points. Michkov sits at a 0.67ppg compared to Celebrini's 0.89ppg. Michkov needs to have an insane run and probably needs to have 10+ more points than Celebrini to overtake him and even then it might not be enough as voters value Celebrini's all around game as the #1C for his team.

I personally think this is a 3 horse race between Celebrini/Wolf/Hutson. Wolf wins it if Calgary makes the playoffs (assuming he gets the majority of the starts/wins down the stretch here). If Calgary misses, unfortunately Wolf probably will be out. Then it will come down to Celebrini vs Hutson.

 

[Patty Ice]

"it's down to Michkov and Celebrini."

"It's down to Hutson and Celebrini."

"It's down to Wolf and Celebrini."

I'm seeing a common theme here...

 

[JTeller97]

A little surprised Hutson isn't considered the clear favorite while leading the rookie scoring race as a defenseman and being a major catalyst for a team vying for a playoff spot well into the season.

 

[Toby91ca]

A little surprised Hutson isn't considered the clear favorite while leading the rookie scoring race as a defenseman and being a major catalyst for a team vying for a playoff spot well into the season.

If season ended today, he’d be a finalist, but I wouldn’t be offended if he lost and wouldn’t be offended if he won…not surprised at all he’s not the “clear favourite “. His -16 does stick out on that team….which actually isn’t exactly vying for a playoff spot

 

[Toby91ca]

Opinions ain't fact
Opinions are stuff that you think could happen, and can be right or wrong, like "Hutson ain't going to Win the Calder" ain't a fact, it's an opinion and honestly, a dumb one at that

Actually what you are describing is a prediction, not an opinion

 

[karltonian]

A little surprised Hutson isn't considered the clear favorite while leading the rookie scoring race as a defenseman and being a major catalyst for a team vying for a playoff spot well into the season.

As stated several times before, the whole "leading the race" is always put into perspective by the fact that Celebrini has played fewer games than the others. Fairly or not that will always put a damper on the outright leader if they are not really far ahead. Regardless of their position.

 

[nerdybeard]

"The Calder Memorial Trophy is an annual award given 'to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the National Hockey League.' The winner is selected in a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers Association at the end of the regular season; each voter ranks the top five candidates on a 10-7-5-3-1 points system. Three finalists are named and the trophy is awarded at the NHL Awards after the playoffs."

I understand this can be construed in many ways, but I don't think Calgary making/not making the playoffs puts Wolf in any different voting position. Either way his outstanding play will earn him votes. It does seem like a 3-horse race right now between Celebrini, Hutson and Wolf - and entirely likely those are the 3 finalists unless Michkov goes on a tear.

If that's the case - I'm genuinely curious when the last time a forward, defenseman, and goalie were the top 3 finalists for the Calder? I think it's great there's some variety and a lot of new talent to be excited about in the NHL. Now, let me put on my homer glasses and claim it's Celebrini's to lose!

 

[coooldude]

If that's the case - I'm genuinely curious when the last time a forward, defenseman, and goalie were the top 3 finalists for the Calder?

Looks like 2022-23, from EP. And in 2018-19, 2009-2010. But that's seemingly it from that list.

 

[BoHorvat 53]

As stated several times before, the whole "leading the race" is always put into perspective by the fact that Celebrini has played fewer games than the others. Fairly or not that will always put a damper on the outright leader if they are not really far ahead. Regardless of their position.

The best ability is availability - it's only on here that I see people pointing out the games played difference (Mainly Sharks fans at that).

 

[coooldude]

The best ability is availability - it's only on here that I see people pointing out the games played difference (Mainly Sharks fans at that).

Gee, I wonder why Sharks fans are pointing out why ppg matters, and why fans of other teams are pointing at absolute points instead (or GP for Wolf).

 

[Frank Drebin]

Gee, I wonder why Sharks fans are pointing out why ppg matters, and why fans of other teams are pointing at absolute points instead (or GP for Wolf).

PPG matters but if the defenseman outscores the forward its not going to matter. This is looking more and more unlikely but still a possibility.

 

[coooldude]

PPG matters but if the defenseman outscores the forward its not going to matter. This is looking more and more unlikely but still a possibility.

Of course, but that wasn't poster's point.

 

[BoHorvat 53]

Gee, I wonder why Sharks fans are pointing out why ppg matters, and why fans of other teams are pointing at absolute points instead (or GP for Wolf).

It does matter but it shouldn't be a penalizing factor to Hutson that he's been healthy lmao that may be the most impressively dumb logic I've seen on here.