Epic Calder Race 2024-25

[Sasha Orlov]

The Habs are a free for all out there. They don't play D. To say that a D-Man on a team that can't / won't play D (even when the playoffs are on the line) should win the Calder, is silly.

Not a serious opinion

 

[EveryDay]

Not a serious opinion

Always the case with Leafs and Sens fans, they are the joke of HF board.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

In theory, it’s possible Michkov scores the most points and goals and…is not even named a finalist

If that happens he will definitely be a finalist.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

If that happens he will definitely be a finalist.

Yeah that would push Wolf out IMO, whether or not that's deserved. It is too bad he didn't get a full Tortsless season, Patrick Kane was never very good defensively but when you're that talented it doesn't matter.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

In case anyone was wondering the burden Hutson has been bearing this last month:

 

[Frank Drebin]

In case anyone was wondering the burden Hutson has been bearing this last month:

Being carried by struble obvs

 

[waitin425]

I obviously favor Hutson as a record setting defencemen.

But honestly, all four of the leading candidates could be named Calder winner and all four would deserve it.

Truly an EPIC race.

 

[coooldude]

It's also an awesome race because three of the four are exceeding expectations.

Hutson is a slight, short rookie who has managed to use his mobility and vision to make up for any physical deficiencies, and is learning how to hold his own defensively against the odds.

Wolf isn't big, isn't a high draft pick, and is a goalie on a weak team.

Celebrini was 1OA but it's always an uphill battle for an 18 year old, particularly on a team as D-thin as the sharks, and 18yo centers don't typically have the underlying stats (top 5-10 in the league) in "battle" and 2-way metrics like board battles won, controlled zone exits and entries, slot passes, and shots generated.

Michkov maybe is the one you'd expect to be in the race because of his natural elite goal scoring and playmaking talent, but there's always a question with young wingers making the transition from KHL, no matter how skilled.

Makes for a fun race.

 

[EquivalentStay]

Not a serious opinion

He's the worst boomer poster on the whole site. Idiot said Marner was trash at the 4 Nations, until he starting popping assists, then all of a sudden he changes his tune fully, he's so cringe. Clearly fixating on clouds and just talking nonsense like an old boomer yelling at the void. I don't even like the Habs, but Hutson is an absolute beaut, he should take the Calder easily, and I'm a huge Celebrini fan.

 

[LaP]

The Habs are a free for all out there. They don't play D. To say that a D-Man on a team that can't / won't play D (even when the playoffs are on the line) should win the Calder, is silly.

He's going to be very close for the most assists by a rookie dman in NHL history playing on a team without a 2nd line. He doesn't have a solid partner to play on his right side either. He either playing with a guy who should not be there or he's playing on his offside. Finally he's -9 while being the 2nd most used dman on a team that is on paper not very good. -9 in that scenario is actually pretty okay. A case of tell us you don't watch the games without telling us you don't watch the game. Wtach the games before commenting please.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

He's going to be very close for the most assists by a rookie dman in NHL history playing on a team without a 2nd line. He doesn't have a solid partner to play on his right side either. He either playing with a guy who should not be there or he's playing on his offside. Finally he's -9 while being the 2nd most used dman on a team that is on paper not very good. -9 in that scenario is actually pretty okay. A case of tell us you don't watch the games without telling us you don't watch the game. Wtach the games before commenting please.

His minus -9 is all empty net situations. He's +6 at 5v5.

 

[The Last Red]

Hutson is on a much better team - a team that doesn't seem to want to play defense even when they are on the verge of a playoff spot. Praising a D-Man on a team that's given up 20 goals in the last 4 games (all losses) while trying to make the post season seems "off" to me but we ALL have our biases - myself included.

Celebrini is an 18 year old on the worst team in the NHL. He plays a terrific 200 foot game. He is close to PPG. He has also played 12 / 13 less games.

Celebrini would have my vote.

The biggest reason that Hutson plays on a better team is . . . the presence of Hutson.

 

[Frank Drebin]

The biggest reason that Hutson plays on a better team is . . . Hutson.

everyone forgets the HF braintrust pre season predictions. Habs were definitely predicted. to be a lottery team, and I bet a lot of these pessimistic predictions were made by the same taters that are using lane's strong team against him for the calder.


I pity these people, desperately hoping for the failure of another team instead of just cheering for your own and enjoying the sport.

 

[The Last Red]

everyone forgets the HF braintrust pre season predictions. Habs were definitely predicted. to be a lottery team, and I bet a lot of these pessimistic predictions were made by the same taters that are using lane's strong team against him for the calder.


I pity these people, desperately hoping for the failure of another team instead of just cheering for your own and enjoying the sport.

This type of board, and for that matter, the Internet, exists for that.

 

[CHALUPA]

The biggest reason that Hutson plays on a better team is . . . the presence of Hutson.

No, the biggest reason Hutson plays in a better team is because if you took him and Celebrini off their respective teams, the Habs would be significantly better.

Just look at the Sharks roster.

We all want our guy to win, but let’s live in the same reality. IMO, Hutson being on a better team shouldn’t take away from his incredible season.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

No, the biggest reason Hutson plays in a better team is because if you took him and Celebrini off their respective teams, the Habs would be significantly better.

Just look at the Sharks roster.

We all want our guy to win, but let’s live in the same reality. IMO, Hutson being on a better team shouldn’t take away from his incredible season.

While I agree the Habs would be better, I take issue with the 'significantly'. Habs were bottom 5 last season and aside from his PP goals, Laine has been a net negative at ES. Habs would still be close to that without Hutson, even with the addition of Laine, which would still make them better than the Sharks, but not significantly better.

 

[Gravity]

No, the biggest reason Hutson plays in a better team is because if you took him and Celebrini off their respective teams, the Habs would be significantly better.

Just look at the Sharks roster.

We all want our guy to win, but let’s live in the same reality. IMO, Hutson being on a better team shouldn’t take away from his incredible season.

The reality is the same team without Hutson finished 5th from the bottom last year. Let's not act like the Habs were President's Trophy winners before Hutson joined. The Habs without Hutson would be better than the Sharks without Celebrini it's all moot because the Habs are where they are in large part because of Hutson.

 

[wetcoast]

Dude is absolutely livid because he secretly feels like Hutson’s success took some of the shine off his golden boy’s own rookie season. That’s literally his entire problem with Hutson. It’s so obvious too

You got the likes you wanted and as usual are projecting other posters thoughts.

I've had it Hutson/Celebrini since the beginning of the year and frankly many posters are hoping for Hutson to lose it because they don't want to reward some select posters hyperbole and Norris off season threads and San Jose posters are more humble and won't project 8 million posts about Celebrini if he wins.

But either way we are going to have 8 million posts on Hutson this offseason, either he was "robbed" or the "he is knocking on the Norris" type of gibberish.

 

[TheBeard]

The reality is the same team without Hutson finished 5th from the bottom last year. Let's not act like the Habs were President's Trophy winners before Hutson joined. The Habs without Hutson would be better than the Sharks without Celebrini it's all moot because the Habs are where they are in large part because of Hutson.

The habs are where they are because they’re getting offensive contributions up and down the lineup. They already have 12 players in double digits on goals. Sharks will be lucky to have 5.

 

[Essenege]

You got the likes you wanted and as usal are porjectin gother psoters thoughts.

I've had it Hutson/Celebrini since the beginning of the year and frankly many posters are hoping for Hutson to lose it because they don't want to reward some select posters hyperbole and Norris off season threads and San Jose posters are more humble and won't project 8 million posts about Celebrini if he wins.

But either way we are going to have 8 million posts on Hutson this offseason, either he was "robbed" or the "he is knocking on the Norris" type of gibberish.

What is the problem? Don’t take parts in those threads if you don’t want to? Why all that negativity, almost sad to be honest.

As Habs posters go, in this thread, turns out no one was overly optimistic. I was laughed at for saying Hutson would get 65 with an outside shot at 70 (ppg for the remainder of the season when I called it) when he got PP1, turns out he’s going to fall in that range most likely.

 

[Herschel]

While I agree the Habs would be better, I take issue with the 'significantly'. Habs were bottom 5 last season and aside from his PP goals, Laine has been a net negative at ES. Habs would still be close to that without Hutson, even with the addition of Laine, which would still make them better than the Sharks, but not significantly better.

The Sharks, with Celebrini in the line up, are going to finish with less points than Montreal did last year.

There is no doubt that a big part of Montreal's success this season has been the addition of Hutson.
There is also no doubt that if you remove Hutson and Celebrini from the equations the Montreal roster is significantly stronger than San Jose.

None of this takes away from what either of these players are doing.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

The habs are where they are because they’re getting offensive contributions up and down the lineup. They already have 12 players in double digits on goals. Sharks will be lucky to have 5.

Big part of the reason they have 12 players in double digits on goals is Lane Hutson, hence his 51 assists

 

[wetcoast]

Big part of the reason they have 12 players in double digits on goals is Lane Hutson, hence his 51 assists

I think this is better phrased that the Habs offence is better this year.


Jack Evans having 12 goals with one assist form Hutson and Dvorak having 10 with 2 assists for Hutson isn't really a Hutson thing.

 

[CHALUPA]

The reality is the same team without Hutson finished 5th from the bottom last year. Let's not act like the Habs were President's Trophy winners before Hutson joined.

Habs were 5th worst, but they were ~30 points ahead of the Sharks. Last year’s Sharks team was one of the worst of the salary cap era.

I’m not saying the Habs were good, and I’m definitely not saying that Hutson isn’t a big reason for their improvement this season. I definitely understand the argument is that Hutson is a big reason a bad team has improved to fighting for the playoffs. All I know is y’all aren’t going to win this race to the bottom, haha. We can disagree on what “significantly” means, but I see them as in a different tier as the Sharks both last year and this year.

Now that I’m all riled up, I’m gonna stay on my soapbox lol. My problem with this thread is that a ton of people are acting like there’s no argument that someone else deserves the Calder, and as if their guy should be the unanimous winner. It’s ok to admit that there are many dimensions that go into calling a player “more proficient” (which is vague as f***). We can admit that Celebrini leading the Sharks to borderline climb out of last place after last season is impressive. We can also admit that Hutson leading a bad Habs club to the playoff race is impressive. Agreeing to disagree on what is “better” is a valid outcome as we wait for the season to end and the votes to get counted.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

I think this is better phrased that the Habs offence is better this year.


Jack Evans having 1 goals with one assist form Hutson and Dvorak having 10 with 2 assists for Hutson isn't really a Hutson thing.

Sounds like Dvorak wouldn’t have double digit goals without Hutson, he’d have 8