Epic Calder Race 2024-25

I
Would love for Hutson to win it, but playoffs, or not it's Wolf's.

Unless he Just completely shits the bed for the last month.

I think without him Calgary is dead last, or at the least bottom 3 easily.
Wolf is awesome, but there is nothing quantifiable that even had him as a top 3 finalist.

Post in thread 'Epic Calder Race 2024-25'

 
Raycroft was 17th in gp (15th in minutes)
10th in wins
5th in sv%
5th in gaa
19th in shutouts

Beat out michael ryder who had 25g and 63 pts in 81 games
 
Raycroft was 17th in gp (15th in minutes)
10th in wins
5th in sv%
5th in gaa
19th in shutouts

Beat out michael ryder who had 25g and 63 pts in 81 games
Hutson isnt top 50 for goals or +/- for all active defensemen. Guess he doesnt deserve Calder either. :rolleyes: Why dont you post Wolfs numbers against other NHL rookie goalies? Guessing you wont because that apples to apples comparison doesnt fit your narrative.
 
Hutson isnt top 50 for goals or +/- for all active defensemen. Guess he doesnt deserve Calder either. :rolleyes: Why dont you post Wolfs numbers against other NHL rookie goalies? Guessing you wont because that apples to apples comparison doesnt fit your narrative.
You don’t have to be at the top of all categories but you have to be at the top of some. Right now the most impressive thing about wolfs season is his win loss record and sv%, along with the claims of “how bad” the flames are.

Statistically, it’s unimpressive. Knowing the context of this season we know he’s had an incredible year. But hard to argue it’s a better season than steve masons 15 years ago.

And its not enough to win over hutson. Top rookie scorer, as a defenseman.

Tied for top 6 in defender scoring leaguewide, top 3 in defenseman assists, the best offensive season by a rookie d since nick lidstrom 35 years ago (and contextually as well as literally hutsons season will be more impressive than lidstroms), lets not forget dragging the bottom 5 montreal canadiens to within striking distance of a playoff spot.

Perhaps im blinded by homerism but its a no brainer at this point.
 
Being the center of 7-2 8-1, 6-3, 6-3, 7-3, 6-5, 7-2, 6-2, 8-3, 7-3, 5-1, results in losses look so much better right? The -27 also looks really good. Run along.
Too many highs and lows. It’s a nice rookie campaign but the best? Not even close. Goodness Habs fans are so precious about their players. You’d think they were perennial contenders in the Atlantic
 
You don’t have to be at the top of all categories but you have to be at the top of some. Right now the most impressive thing about wolfs season is his win loss record and sv%, along with the claims of “how bad” the flames are.

Statistically, it’s unimpressive. Knowing the context of this season we know he’s had an incredible year. But hard to argue it’s a better season than steve masons 15 years ago.

And its not enough to win over hutson. Top rookie scorer, as a defenseman.

Tied for top 6 in defender scoring leaguewide, top 3 in defenseman assists, the best offensive season by a rookie d since nick lidstrom 35 years ago (and contextually as well as literally hutsons season will be more impressive than lidstroms), lets not forget dragging the bottom 5 montreal canadiens to within striking distance of a playoff spot.

Perhaps im blinded by homerism but its a no brainer at this point.
Wolf is 4th in SV% and 5th in GA for goalies who have played 40+ games this season. Id say that makes him one of the top in the position. He is also the only rookie goalie so far to play more than 27 games this season.
 
Hutson isnt top 50 for goals or +/- for all active defensemen. Guess he doesnt deserve Calder either. :rolleyes: Why dont you post Wolfs numbers against other NHL rookie goalies? Guessing you wont because that apples to apples comparison doesnt fit your narrative.

For the umpteenth time, his minus is almost entirely due to empty net goals. Have to repeat this every week. In this age of increased empty net goals, simply looking-up the +/- stats can be very misleading.

He's +1 at 5v5 and that's where he's played the great majority of his minutes. He was -6 at 5v5 in his first 21 games. He's been +7 at 5v5 in his last 45 games (42gf, 35ga), while being the Habs 2nd most used D at 5v5 (808 minutes, a mere 22 minutes less than Matheson).

Might not compare him to Makar, still compared to Hughes, who took 68 games to reach 28 ES pts in his rookie season, Hutson took 62 games to reach 28 even-strenght points (with 0 EN pts). He's at 29 in 66.
 
For the umpteenth time, his minus is almost entirely due to empty net goals. Have to repeat this every week. In this age of increased empty net goals, simply looking-up the +/- stats can be very misleading.

He's +1 at 5v5 and that's where he's played the great majority of his minutes. He was -6 at 5v5 in his first 21 games. He's been +7 at 5v5 in his last 45 games (42gf, 35ga), while being the Habs 2nd most used D at 5v5 (808 minutes, a meer 22 minutes less than Matheson).

Might not compare him to Makar, still compared to Hughes, who took 68 games to reach 28 ES pts in his rookie season, Hutson took 62 games to reach 28 even-strenght points (with 0 EN pts). He's at 29 in 66.
And Wolf plays behind the 32nd worst offense in the league and might drag that team into the playoffs. Stats are stats.
 
Wolf is 4th in SV% and 5th in GA for goalies who have played 40+ games this season. Id say that makes him one of the top in the position. He is also the only rookie goalie so far to play more than 27 games this season.
And this is it right here. He is up there with veteran goalies in his rookie year on a team with the worst offense and with a rotating cast of reclamation projects and waiver claims filling out the #4-6D spots.

It’s an easy decision
 
And Wolf plays behind the 32nd worst offense in the league and might drag that team into the playoffs. Stats are stats.

Stats are stats, but when voters will see historic milestones being reached, they might be swayed torwards Hutson. He's already 6th all-time for rookie D assists and has 16 games to go. He tied Bourque and Leetch yesterday. He needs 8 assists to be #2 all-time, 12 to tie the record, and has 37 assists in his last 45 games, pacing above the record. He'll probably finish around top 5-10 for all-time rookie dman points. Probably top 5 for all-time rookie D ES pts. And he'll do that playing his offside for the last 1/3 of the season. He'll also probably finish top 10 in points among all dmen in the season, as a rookie.

It'll be a pretty tight vote, at the very least.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JIMVINNY
Doesnt matter if hes playing his off side or not. Makar was a recent Calder winner. I dont think you want to start comparing Hutson to him. Cause there is zero chance Hutson finishes 2nd in Norris voting next year, etc.
Ugh....yes it does matter. Just because it doesn't matter to you doesn't mean it's not taken into consideration.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Grate n Colorful Oz
I actually think it will be an easy decision. Unless something drastically changes between now and the end of the year. But we shall see I guess.

If Hutson breaks the assist record it'll be a hard sell to vote for someone else. Just making the top 10 in points, both for all-time rookie D and the season's top 10 D in points, will be hard to go against.
 
If Hutson breaks the assist record it'll be a hard sell to vote for someone else. Just making the top 10 in points, both for all-time rookie D and the season's top 10 D in points, will be hard to go against.
We have 4 players having Calder type seasons. Again, I may be biased, but I feel that Hutsons season is more significant than the other 3.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Grate n Colorful Oz
Doesnt matter if hes playing his off side or not. Makar was a recent Calder winner. I dont think you want to start comparing Hutson to him. Cause there is zero chance Hutson finishes 2nd in Norris voting next year, etc.

So we have to now compare rookies to what the best player at their position did the year AFTER their rookie year? How does that make any sense?

McDavid won the Hart in his second year, and only finished 2nd for the calder. For a centre to win the calder I guess they'll just have to be guaranteed to do better than a Hart win in their second season.
 
And this is it right here. He is up there with veteran goalies in his rookie year on a team with the worst offense and with a rotating cast of reclamation projects and waiver claims filling out the #4-6D spots.

It’s an easy decision
This I totally disagree with.

It's not an easy decision. I'm tired of reading "and it's not even close" type posts. That's absolute nonsense.

Good chance Lane Hutson breaks the all-time rookie assist record and gets to 70 points. He won't be far off the all time record. He's a huge reason Montreal is in contention for a playoff spot. He's well deserving of the Calder. And that doesn't even get into Michkov or Celebrini.

If Hutson breaks the assist record or leads all rookie scorers as a defenseman... that's well worthy of a Calder. I won't lose sleep if he loses any of those other guys that's fine but there is no clear winner here.
 
So we have to now compare rookies to what the best player at their position did the year AFTER their rookie year? How does that make any sense?

McDavid won the Hart in his second year, and only finished 2nd for the calder. For a centre to win the calder I guess they'll just have to be guaranteed to do better than a Hart win in their second season.
It’s doesn’t. A certain type of fan gets completely irrational when they desperately want their guy or team to win something. These types can’t differentiate between what they want to happen and what is likely to happen.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mattb124

Ad

Ad