Epic Calder Race 2024-25

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Hutson is a good offensive defenseman but he’s completely ass defensively.

Gimme MC

And on what metric are you basing this?

Are you one more of those that simply look at his ES +/- and go "duuur, NoT GoOD dEFenSIVely"? Not realizing his minus comes from empty net situations? Too lazy to look-up his 5v5 stats?

FYI, Hutson's GA/60 at 5v5 is 2.56 in his last 47 games. He was above 3.00 in his his first 21 games. And it's not cherry picking as I'm counting from when he truly broke out, and we can see a distinct difference in his play and stats between his first 21 games and the last 47.

Notwithstanding the fact Macklin is nearing -30...

 

[Canadienna]

Montreal Canadiens Mythbusting: Lane Hutson’s Defensive Impact

By now you’re surely aware Montreal Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson is in the midst of one of the most productive rookie campaigns in league history. With five goals and 48 assists to his credit, Hutson is on pace for a 65-point season, which would end up tying Ray Bourque for the fifth-best...

montrealhockeynow.com

An interesting article about Hutson's defensive game. When not paired with Savard (which he hasn't been for a while) his defensive results are actually quite positive - which matches the eye test of him being a breakout machine.

You can't take away the time he spent on Savard's pairing, it counts as much as what he's doing now. But if you want to get an idea of how he is currently defending, watch a Habs game and just isolate on him. He does a lot of good things in the D zone - and yeah he'll take risks that sometimes backfire, but more often than not the Habs are happy he takes them.

 

[Tanknation]

If the Habs make the playoffs, 100% he wins the calder. If the Habs miss out on the playoffs, his odds of a Calder become only 99.99%

 

[crackdown44]

I find it odd that Vegas isn’t really moving off Celebrini as the favourite. They’re rarely wrong about these things. For me currently it’s between Hutson and Wolf with a slight edge to Hutson

Obviously all 3 are having fantastic seasons

 

[coooldude]

I find it odd that Vegas isn’t really moving off Celebrini as the favourite. They’re rarely wrong about these things. For me currently it’s between Hutson and Wolf with a slight edge to Hutson

Obviously all 3 are having fantastic seasons

It's tightening a lot -- Celebrini was over -200 as recently as a week or so ago, now closer to -150 with Hutson up to +110 at "tightest". He was at +200 or +300 a few weeks back.

 

[TheDoldrums]

It's tightening a lot -- Celebrini was over -200 as recently as a week or so ago, now closer to -150 with Hutson up to +110 at "tightest". He was at +200 or +300 a few weeks back.

I took Hutson at +210 a week ago or so. It’s hard for me not see the leading scorer (as a defenseman no less) as at least a toss up, might not win but liked the value.

 

[pepperMonkey]

Sorry man, "top 5 in d points" is objectively not "top 5 d". I can think of 20 Dmen easily who are currently better than Hutson (again this isn't a knock, the kid is a rookie).

It wouldn't be outrageous for him to get a 5th place vote for the Norris, no. I wouldn;t put it past at least one voter. But in most years, a top-10 finishers garners at least a 2nd or 3rd place vote, and I can't imagine that happens this year.

Lol, you have a point and in general, I agree with you (I was mostly being a smart a$$) and I wouldn't consider him a top 5 D just because he finished top 5 D in points. But even if you would pick 20 other D's ahead of him, that still makes him a first-pairing D which I would consider more than just a 'decent' D.

As for Norris, again, if he was a top 5 finisher in points, there is a good non-zero chance he would be nominated for the Norris. And also again, no he won't win the Norris, nor should he be anywhere near winning it. Yet, the reality is that they do seem to hold pts a little too much. Honestly, I don't mind if they do it like that...IF they also have an award for best defensive-defenseman. They really should award defensive-defensemen more than they do. It does bug me that they don't. Guys who absolutely smothers the best of the best on a consistent basis should be put on their own pedestal and given some lime-light.

 

[ozzie]

If the Habs make the playoffs, 100% he wins the calder. If the Habs miss out on the playoffs, his odds of a Calder become only 99.99%

Honestly making the playoffs should have no impact on him winning the calder. It's not the Hart trophy. He can still be an amazing rookie and win the award regardless. Plenty of great players on bad teams. One can be true without the other.

 

[pepperMonkey]

Only had a few minutes so going mostly off the top of my head but here is the list of D+1 players you might consider a 1C

Celebrini
Bedard
Matthews
McDavid
Eichel
MacKinnon

20-21 year old top pairing defenceman
Hutson
Q Hughes
Makar
Seider
Myers
Werenski
Faber
L Hughes

I think in reality being an 18 year old 1C is no more common than being a top pair D at 20. They seem pretty similar and reserved primarily for very special players.

I think, and if I'm wrong (which is certainly possible as I have the memory of a goldfish) correct me but, there was a debate between posters where one was saying age (of a D) doesn't matter and that Celebrini being an 18 yr old 1C should make him top choice automatically.
And someone else saying it's more common to see an 18 yr old 1c than an 18 yr old 1D (i.e. D's take longer and thus are usually older). I'm generally in the latter category.

Still, with that said, an 18 yr old #1C is still very special and rare so it is pretty cool (okay, incredibly cool) to see what Celebrini is doing.

 

[GrandBison]

I think, and if I'm wrong (which is certainly possible as I have the memory of a goldfish) correct me but, there was a debate between posters where one was saying age (of a D) doesn't matter and that Celebrini being an 18 yr old 1C should make him top choice automatically.
And someone else saying it's more common to see an 18 yr old 1c than an 18 yr old 1D (i.e. D's take longer and thus are usually older). I'm generally in the latter category.

Still, with that said, an 18 yr old #1C is still very special and rare so it is pretty cool (okay, incredibly cool) to see what Celebrini is doing.

Joe Sakic lost the Calder to Brian Leetch and somehow had a fine career.

 

[danisonfire]

Joe Sakic lost the Calder to Brian Leetch and somehow had a fine career.

Those pesky American defenders taking Calder trophies from Canadian centres.