Epic Calder Race 2024-25

[Scotianhab]

Do defensive numbers even matter for these awards. The Norris for years was mostly voted on using the most points scored. Best Defenseman in theory should include a player like Slavin as well as offensive dynamos like Makar or Hughes.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

Do defensive numbers even matter for these awards. The Norris for years was mostly voted on using the most points scored. Best Defenseman in theory should include a player like Slavin as well as offensive dynamos like Makar or Hughes.

Hughes has been excellent defensively the last few years, not the best example. Karlsson would be a better one, although overall impact should really be what's considered: did he make up for his defensive woes over a guy like Doughty with how much offense he was driving?

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

In this world of social media narratives swaying opinions, what do people think happens when reports start to come out if Lane finishes somewhere between top5-10 all-time rookie defensemen? A list that hasn't seen a new entry in more than 30 years? PHWA voters will turn a blind eye? And yes, Makar and Hughes would've cracked it, but we're talking about the two best Ds of this new generation. Generational Ds, both of them.

With 22 games left to play, Hutson is 11 points away from solely holding the #10 position. A big 20 points away from solely holding the #5 position, and he's started to go on heater again, with 5pts in his last 4 games. Last time he went on a heater, he had 28 pts in the span of 26 games.

Furthermore, it won't be just the main points list he'll go high up in. What happens when tweets start coming out if Hutson becomes only the 5th rookie dman to get 50 assists? He's 8 assists away with 22 games to go. He's 14 assists away from holding the #2 all-time position for rookie D assists. A lofty 18 to tie the record.

But it doesn't stop there. With 27 ES points, he's 13 away from tying that rookie D record. 8 away from tying the all-time #5 position. He has 3 in his last 4 games.

Is there really another narrative that will be stronger than this?

The two week break seems to have been beneficial to all rookies in the race, which will make the last quarter season really interesting in that regard.

 

[Nicko999]

Do defensive numbers even matter for these awards. The Norris for years was mostly voted on using the most points scored. Best Defenseman in theory should include a player like Slavin as well as offensive dynamos like Makar or Hughes.

A guy like Slavin will never make up the difference defensively.
No amount of good defensive play can make 60 pts.
So no Slavin should not be winning any Norris when guys like Makar and Hughes exist.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

You are twisting half-meaningful stats to make an argument that a few games of eye testing disprove.

I am a Habs fan and I think Hutson is one of the most exciting players this team has had in the 21st century. But he is not far from bad defensively. He routinely makes goalcosting mistakes by virtue of being a smaller rookie defensemen in the world's toughest league.

We should not kid ourselves that Hutson is either a shutdown D or a finished product. Even Celebrini, who's touted as a two-way ace, is making those kind of rookie mistakes. In fact, one could argue two of his mistakes cost goals against the habs om Thursday. It's normal, growing pains are expected. Good players figure it out eventually and no matter who ends up with the Calder, the fact that they are in this special crop prooves that they are good ones.

Matheson does even worst, more consistently. Most Ds in the league often have brain farts. I never said he's a stalwart either, but he's far from being the worst and his overall impact is far more positive than negative. Half the Ds on the team have a worst 5v5 GA/60.

It's actually highly impressive that a rookie D thrusted into so many minutes, with mostly mediocre partners, is only -2 at 5v5, but instead people hold a -15 against him when 6/7th of that comes from empty net goals.

 

[wetcoast]

View attachment 985237
I guess NHL.com really wants Celebrini to be the poster boy. Updated Celebrini’s numbers and not Michkov and Hutson.

Tin foil hat here or what?

I mean seriously there is nothing to see here.

 

[Fatass]

How can the Calder not go to Hutson? He’s a D and has as many points as the other rookies.

 

[fasterthanlight]

I'd be OK with Celebrini or Hutson winning it; Hutson has had a crazy year and is gonna be great for a long time (and maybe losing it knocks 500K off of 71s aav?? a fan can hope)

 

[Mattb124]

Eklund plays in all situations, though. And do you mean that Sharks have let in 33 goals in 6-vs-5 this season?

Eklund played away from Celebrini for much of the season (pre-Granlund trade) so they faced different levels of competition and, of course not, don’t be a fool.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I'd be OK with Celebrini or Hutson winning it; Hutson has had a crazy year and is gonna be great for a long time (and maybe losing it knocks 500K off of 71s aav?? a fan can hope)

Signing him long term early in his career will already be quite a boon in savings as the cap goes up in the next few years, bearing a world financial meltdown. Burning that ECL year was a great move.

 

[Karma Police]

Hutson is the 9th defenseman in points in the NHL
Celebrini is the 86th Forward in points in the NHL

 

[OverTheLine]

If Celebrini misses time because of this new injury I think the award has to be Hutson’s.

I personally think, having watched a decent bit of both of them, that Celebrini has been the more ‘impressive’ rookie (I’ve see him live twice now and, man, he is something to witness) and will probably be the better player, but Hutson is having a historic campaign for a rookie defensemen and I don’t mind seeing that rewarded.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Hutson is the 9th defenseman in points in the NHL
Celebrini is the 86th Forward in points in the NHL

Would be wild to see Hutson finish top 5 this year. I was a bit discouraged before the 4n break as it looked like he was hitting a wall but the boy is back at it

If Celebrini misses time because of this new injury I think the award has to be Hutson’s.

I personally think, having watched a decent bit of both of them, that Celebrini has been the more ‘impressive’ rookie (I’ve see him live twice now and, man, he is something to witness) and will probably be the better player, but Hutson is having a historic campaign for a rookie defensemen and I don’t mind seeing that rewarded.

Yeah Celebrini has top 5 center written all over him.

 

[Star Platinum]

Maybe Celebrini is great defensively, and +/- is a bad stat, but -23 when Eklund is -5 and Zetterlund is +10...

It's not that Celebrini is great defensively, but he does give a full effort in that part of the game which is unusual for a kid his age. But he is young and makes mistakes.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Who ever wins it, it will have been one of the better Calder Trophy race in years



But hopefully Hutson wins it!!!

 

[pepperMonkey]

If Celebrini misses time because of this new injury I think the award has to be Hutson’s.

I'm a biased Habs fans as the next but I would HATE for Hutson to win the Calder because Celebrini got hurt. That would totally suck for Celebrini and for any true hockey fan. Lets hope he'll get back on the ice in no time. I want all four rookies (i.e. including Wolf and Mitchkov) to go all out and make this Calder race one for the ages

 

[Junohockeyfan]

I'm a biased Habs fans as the next but I would HATE for Hutson to win the Calder because Celebrini got hurt. That would totally suck for Celebrini and for any true hockey fan. Lets hope he'll get back on the ice in no time. I want all four rookies (i.e. including Wolf and Mitchkov) to go all out and make this Calder race one for the ages

In reality, it’s better for Lane not to win. Accolades like Calder inflate future caphits / next deal!

 

[pepperMonkey]

In reality, it’s better for Lane not to win. Accolades like Calder inflate future caphits / next deal!

Then even more reason to hope Celebrini comes back ASAP

 

[thestonedkoala]

Again if Faber didn't win last year despite being one of the best all around defenseman for the black hole of defense Bedard, Hutson has a huge hill to climb

 

[Mattb124]

As a Sharks homer, I will say this is a great season to watch the Calder race. 4 very deserving candidates.

 

[bud12]

Hutson is back to where he was during his hot stretch. Since the 4nation break, easily the best dman on the ice for both team in the 4 games he played

 

[JustAHabFan]

Hutson is back to where he was during his hot stretch. Since the 4nation break, easily the best dman on the ice for both team in the 4 games he played

The break has done him a lot of good. He seemed to run out of gas just before the break.

 

[Frederixx]

I think Wolf is the main reason why CAL is not a bottom 10 team this year. I'm quite impressed.

All 4 will probably have an incredible career and that's all that matters

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Again if Faber didn't win last year despite being one of the best all around defenseman for the black hole of defense Bedard, Hutson has a huge hill to climb

Hey genius, Hutson is one point back of Faber's rookie total, with 22 games left to play, and had far worst defensive partners and a much weaker defensive team as a whole.

Hutson will probably finish somewhere in the top 10 for all-time rookie dmen points, top 5 all-time for rookie D assists, top 5 all-time for rookie D ES pts, and will also probably in the top 10 of dmen in points for this season, but you disregard this as if it had zero significance. Your Faber example is pointless.

The fact Faber got snobbed for a worst defensive player should actually open your eyes to the irrelevancy of defensive numbers/perception for voters of this trophy, but instead you come out with the opposite conclusion. They look at offensive numbers. They'll see a dman with a similar PPG to the competing forwards, which is impressive, because top dmen are usually ~33% back in production to the top forwards. The voters will see tweets saying Hutson has reached milestones that haven't been touched in 30 years.

Tell me you have faulty logic without telling me.

 

[417]

Montreal fans should understand a lot of Sharks fans watched a shit load of Lane last year while both of them were on Boston in the NCAA, and are use to cheering on the kid and want him to do well. But also when they were both on the same team it was quite clear who the better/more important player was.

What this got to do with the Calder trophy race?